Daily Life and Diplomacy (Jygeria Only, IC)

[Horusian Chaos]

Horus laughed lightly. "Oh, we're not getting her killed, loves. We're getting her shamed. Shame will unseat someone a thousand times faster than death."

His mind swirled with ideas. But he wasn't entirely sure what would shame this woman the most. He knew she was against, or had been against marriage at some point. And he knew that using unity and the breaking of such could shame her rather well, but he had to manipulate the situation carefully.

Sophia was right, after all. There was at least one child at risk immediately, and likely many more would be in danger soon if the wrong actions were taken. But inaction was also not going to help. Perhaps a broadcast wasn't the best option, but instead spreading rumors in a more subtle manner.

"How do you feel about me playing the Devil's Advocate?" he asked, tapping his fingers on the table. "I'm not looking to genuinely support them, but if we can earn their trust...would it not benefit us to play them against each other?"

[Kagetori]

"if we can find some way in which she's violated Kallistian principles that she continues to promote, we might have her in a trap of hypocrisy." Bird looked over at Eris. "I'll leave you, Sophia, and Horus to figure out some details."

She stood up. "As for me...I'll be on the gun range. I'm a bit rusty with my own marksmanship skills, and I fear they might up being needed. You know...just in case." She directed her last statement before leaving to Horus. "Don't play that role too hard though, Horus. We might need your energy for other things later," she teased.

[Kallist]

"Right." Eris agreed. "As for what Kallistian principles Smoochnger has violated....freedom of speech, rescinding our policies of peace and cooperation over war..." She paused in consideration of Sophia's own question. "Any friends left? Ohhhh, plenty of them, Merchant-General."

[Lower Wardandian]

"Could any of them help rescue Marie?"

[Kagetori]

Mistress Bird headed down the hall to her Guardsmen's shooting range. There was one weapon in particular stored there that the Guardsmen were sworn not to touch, a custom Remington MSR, stored in a case simply marked "MB's." This was Mistress Bird's old service sniper rifle from days long before she was President of a newly-formed Kagetori, and part of the reason Kagetori came to existence, and she kept it cleaned and maintained, though largely unused.

And for the first time in years, Bird took it out, not to make sure it was clean and operable, but to set up and practice. Her favored rounds? 7.62mm NATO, or .338 Magnum depending on whether she's wanting to maximize her distance. Right now? She was just using the NATO rounds. She needed to re-sharpen her skills. She didn't know this Smoochnger lady's face, but she imagined the most hateful woman she could think of and methodically trained her shots.

Pop. Chamber a new round. Pop. Chamber a new round. Occasionally switch out clips. Lather, rinse, repeat. Like a machine. The machine she used to be.

The machine she was long before. When Sophia still loved her. Before Bird left to go free and start a new country and broke her heart.

Bird's thoughts strayed while reloading. Eris would certainly be seeing an alien side to her, the side that was willing to kill for her beliefs. Would she break another lover's heart in the pursuit of trying to remind her ex why they had loved each other? She hoped not; she loved Eris just as much.

And both of her beloved friends would benefit if that Smoochnger bitch was permanently eliminated. The Mistress President usually didn't much care for such grisly business...but it wasn't the first time she'd struck a prospective tyrant down with prejudice. As much as Sophia said she didn't want Smoochnger killed, it would likely come to that...and the former freedom fighter once known as Falcon Eye would be ready.

Pop. Headshot. Falcon Eye was back, bitches.

[Horusian Chaos]

"Violated free speech, using it to promote collective anarchy, whatever that is..." Horus muttered before taking a deep breath.

"Ahh, Bird, you know my energy is always yours. I can play whatever roles you desire, so long as you educate me properly."

Horus hinted at things that may not have been trye, but the blushing smile on his face betrayed that he was certainly not opposed to them being true. That could wait.

"I think the broadcast is my best route, for now. We will simply question the Smooch on why she's been refusing to answer my proposals on meeting up, why she denied me a role as 'Father,' and why she hasn't openly commented on why my aid and supplies to this Establishment have been repeatedly denied. It won't fix the problems, but it can sow seeds of doubt enough to get us more openings to save that child," Horus stated. He would have to perfect his tones, mock being offended, and mask his true intentions in the speech. All skills he'd used since his days as a teenager. His greatest weapons did not rest in barrels or the hands of an army. No, his greatest weapons were his lips and charisma.

Not that he lacked weapons, militia, or a penchant for having scum removed via less...charming methods.

[Kallist]

Eris nodded to Sophia. "They would be honored to help get little Marie back." Her attention shifted towards Horus, a devilish smirk on her face. "Horus, you magnificent son of a biscuit. I knew there was a reason I could count on you." That was when she noticed that Bird was gone. She paused, then excused herself to go find her lover and second closest friend.

Mistress Bird headed down the hall to her Guardsmen's shooting range. There was one weapon in particular stored there that the Guardsmen were sworn not to touch, a custom Remington MSR, stored in a case simply marked "MB's." This was Mistress Bird's old service sniper rifle from days long before she was President of a newly-formed Kagetori, and part of the reason Kagetori came to existence, and she kept it cleaned and maintained, though largely unused.

And for the first time in years, Bird took it out, not to make sure it was clean and operable, but to set up and practice. Her favored rounds? 7.62mm NATO, or .338 Magnum depending on whether she's wanting to maximize her distance. Right now? She was just using the NATO rounds. She needed to re-sharpen her skills. She didn't know this Smoochnger lady's face, but she imagined the most hateful woman she could think of and methodically trained her shots.

Pop. Chamber a new round. Pop. Chamber a new round. Occasionally switch out clips. Lather, rinse, repeat. Like a machine. The machine she used to be.

The machine she was long before. When Sophia still loved her. Before Bird left to go free and start a new country and broke her heart.

Bird's thoughts strayed while reloading. Eris would certainly be seeing an alien side to her, the side that was willing to kill for her beliefs. Would she break another lover's heart in the pursuit of trying to remind her ex why they had loved each other? She hoped not; she loved Eris just as much.

And both of her beloved friends would benefit if that Smoochnger bitch was permanently eliminated. The Mistress President usually didn't much care for such grisly business...but it wasn't the first time she'd struck a prospective tyrant down with prejudice. As much as Sophia said she didn't want Smoochnger killed, it would likely come to that...and the former freedom fighter once known as Falcon Eye would be ready.

Pop. Headshot. Falcon Eye was back, bitches.

Eris stood in the firing range's doorway (probably not the safest bet, all things considered), surprised. "Bird!" she shouted over the gunfire, making sure she was wearing ear protection. " That's some nice shooting!" Certainly not the reaction Bird had been expecting, especially when Eris armed herself and started firing at targets too.

[Lower Wardandian]

Sophia followed, picking up a gun and taking aim. She began shooting, nailing each target in the forehead with ruthless efficiency. As she did this, she began humming an old Wardandian lullaby to herself, serenely firing and reloading with frightening speed.

[Kagetori]

Eris stood in the firing range's doorway (probably not the safest bet, all things considered), surprised. "Bird!" she shouted over the gunfire, making sure she was wearing ear protection. " That's some nice shooting!" Certainly not the reaction Bird had been expecting, especially when Eris armed herself and started firing at targets too.

Sophia followed, picking up a gun and taking aim. She began shooting, nailing each target in the forehead with ruthless efficiency. As she did this, she began humming an old Wardandian lullaby to herself, serenely firing and reloading with frightening speed.

Bird straightened up, stepped back from her rifle, and looked over at Eris. "Oh, hey there. Just...felt like I needed to bring some old skills back from my day in Corvid Squadron." She called over to Sophia, who had just completed a circuit of the targets with a pistol. "Looks like I'm not the only one. You know, love, much as it was back in our Corvid Squadron days, it's not a competition. Or a race." She smiled and laughed. "Though I always did love watching you on the practice range. Always look damn sexy with a gun in your hand, Sophia."

[Lower Wardandian]

"I always was a good shot." Sophia replied. "That's the reason I trained to be a sniper. Unfortunately, that didn't quite work out."

[Kagetori]

"In fairness, we worked best together when we were at balance with each other, dear. Me, the distance sniper providing cover and efficiently taking out the most valued targets on the field, and you leading the front, guiding myself and others toward where the bullets needed to fly."

She looked back over at Eris. "You should have seen us back then. Nightmares on the battlefield, and pleasant dreams in the barracks. The latter, not that much different from when you and I are together, really." She playfully winked at Sophia.

[Lower Wardandian]

"I left the battlefield five years ago." Sophia said. "Giving birth to Marie nearly killed me, and I was determined to be medically unfit to be a soldier."

[Kallist]

"Oh, I bet you both did." Eris replied. "Now, Kallist might be a nation built on hippie values of 'give peace a chance', but I think that's where Smoochnger fails to see what we as a people truly are. She knows we're a nation of activists, and that we can fight back...violently if necessary. That's why, at least according to the insiders I still have behind the borders, she's rearranging the educational system around. You know, secular, state-run facilities that operate on the clock year round with no breaks for the students? It's so she can drill out that inner young activist. So that the next generation and after them won't know anything than what 'Mother' tells them." Eris seemed rightly disgusted by the thought of her beloved nation turned into an unfeeling authoritarian hellhole worse than Lower Wardinanian.

[Lower Wardandian]

When my daughter is safe, I'm going to Hilary. Slowly. With my hands." Sophia said. "That little girl is more precious to me than anything else in the world. I would drown Kallist in blood if it meant she would come home safe."

[Kagetori]

"It wasn't that long before Sophia left to have Marie that I decided to come over and help liberate Kagetori." Bird's face melted into a look of sadness at Sophia's statement. "So I was on the battlefield while she was damn near dying. To say that's a regret I have is underselling it." Bird leaned back into her sniper rifle. "During that whole Kagetorian war, every shot I took was for you, Sophia. Every." Pop. Reload. "Single." Pop. Reload. "One." Pop. Reload. Three new holes peppered a target's center-mass. She was getting back into that machine-soldier state of mind. She didn't want to, but right now, it was all that kept her from breaking down.

She failed Sophia once before. And while she focused on assassins in her own country, Sophia's daughter was taken. She'd get her back. She wouldn't fail Sophia again.

She couldn't bear to live with herself if she did.

[Kallist]

"And once she and her little circle are dealt with, I plan to reverse as many of her policies as humanly possible. Return to decentralization, religious schools reopened, that sort of thing."

[Lower Wardandian]

Sophia set down the gun. "I'm going to have a chat with those imprisoned assassins." She said.

[Kallist]

Sophia set down the gun. "I'm going to have a chat with those imprisoned assassins." She said.

"Let me come with you!" Eris pleaded, giving Sophia an adorable puppy dog eyed expression.

[Lower Wardandian]

"You sure? This won't be pleasant."

[Kagetori]

Bird straightened up again. "When you get back, I want to have a talk with you in private, Sophia. Eris, love..." She walked over and gently kissed her lover. "I've got to go take care of non-critical business. Some aides told me this morning that there's people causing deaths in the Kagetorian rural sectors by making them wear masks of shame for even slight perceived wrongs, and I've got to straighten them out."

[Kallist]

Bird straightened up again. "When you get back, I want to have a talk with you in private, Sophia. Eris, love..." She walked over and gently kissed her lover. "I've got to go take care of non-critical business. Some aides told me this morning that there's people causing deaths in the Kagetorian rural sectors by making them wear masks of shame for even slight perceived wrongs, and I've got to straighten them out."

Eris nodded, kissing her back. "Masks of shame sound like a good time, but not enough to cause death. I hope you have fun anyway."

"You sure? This won't be pleasant."

Eris rolled her eyes. "Oh, please. I overhauled the prison system in Kallist for an 'eye for an eye' system. I'm no stranger to doing unpleasant things."

[Lower Wardandian]

"You've never been inside a Lower Wardandianian prison." Sophia replied, leading the way back to the cells, entering the one where the same assassin she had interrogated earlier was being held.

[Kagetori]

Director Case met the two. "Madam Mendes, Ms. Eris. Eager to see if you can get more information out of this guy, I take it?"

[Lower Wardandian]

"Yes." Sophia said. "I won't kill him."

[Kallist]

"I make no promises." Eris replied.