An Introduction
This RP picks up a bit of time after where En Este Rincón left off. The small Western Madurinite-heavy TSO contingent of advisors and peacekeepers, along with some other Teremaran personnel, were recalled back home after efforts against the drug cartels stagnated in San Rosito, despite the ‘helpful’ regime’s seeming cooperation.
Reino Do Brazil, previously kept in check by their allies in the TSO from direct military intervention, has finally reached a boiling point with their southern neighbor. Nothing has changed, and if anything, the issue has gotten worse after the TSO operation. San Rositan narcotics continue to flow over the border, drawing the unwilling Brazilians into the drug pipeline and inviting the ire of the region and beyond. Now, the Kingdom of Brazil has decided it must act once and for all to stop the cartels, and possibly the Council (Junta) if they won’t cooperate.
Residencia Presidencial
Puerto Cristal
Distrito Capital
Jaragupta
What the distinguished leaders sitting in the main parlor of the Presidential Residency had in common was many years of experience running the Republic. What they also had in common was none of them having served any term as the actual President of the Republic, or any elected position, for that matter. They were all self-appointed or brought into power by the others in that very room. The last actual sitting President had been Alejandro Belino, succeeding Renaldo Jaldavaro fifteen years before that, with a lot of years of Council rule in-between and after.
These were the men of the Consejo de Seguridad y Gobernanza (Council of Security & Governance). All old males; all with more medals than your average soldier, sailor, or pilot could earn in a lifetime; all in uniforms tailor made, long since replacing their issued uniforms when they had achieved the highest ranks in their respective services.
Foreign Minister Javier Fuentes, in contrast, while not elected, had been appointed to his position based on his merits. True, the Generals and Admiral had served decades in the military, but they had long since given up respect for experience for privilege, having greased at least the last decade on dirty money, but also on fear. The fear put into those who might cross them.
The cartels had their sicarios, but the Council had their Sombra Negra death squads.
Even appointed government officials weren’t above the justice of the Council’s squads, so men like Minister Fuentes tread carefully.
“Sirs, it is an honor to be in your presence once again.”
General Gabriel Pedro Elizondo waved a hand, as if in annoyance. In reality, he would never want the praise to stop, but there was a lot of business to get to and the sugar coating would get in the way.
“You have more to report, Minister?”
“Yes, General. I have talked over video chat with my counterparts in New Frontier (Reino do Brazil’s capital) about recent events. They don’t want this to escalate to something that can’t be drawn back, as much as we don't…”
Admiral Jose Monsalve snorted.
“Who says we don’t want to escalate? Finally a chance to teach those pigs a lesson when we are in a position to do so.”
General Daniel Guarjeto, the PF Commander and lowest ranked of the Council, agreed.
“We’ve built up for a long time to finally put an end to their bullying.”
Fuentes cautioned,
“Sirs, they are, of course, aware of the military program to modernize here. That’s part of why they are quick to get us to talk diplomacy to resolve our differences. We don’t actually need to use our might, just flex it, right? That was the point, I thought?”
General Juan Garcia Arenas, the Air Force chief, scoffed,
“Is that why they keep overflying and sneaking their commandos over the border still? Because they respect our military capability? They treat us as inept…like we can’t keep our own criminals under control.”
Fuentes made a placating sound,
“Well…I mean…”
“You know what I mean! It’s what they fucking think!”
“What they think is that they can keep us out by building a fucking wall. That the drugs will magically be stopped at a…wall.”
“Sure…are they going to wall off thousands of kilometers of coast, from Alcoa up to New Frontier, to keep out the cartel boats, too?”
“Good one, General. Maybe some chicken wire and cargo nets to keep planes from landing, too?”
They all had a good laugh at that one.
Elizondo made casual waves downward, motioning for silence.
“Listen…all joking aside, we do need to at least hear them out and propose our concessions we discussed.
If we do drag this out and hold them off, all it’s going to do is give one of ours…or their dumb conscripts time to ignite a war because they lack any proper discipline. One border guard hastily firing. One fancy boy pilot flying too low or putting one of theirs in a missile lock…and so on. You get the picture.”
“I thought we were ready for war, Gabriel.”
“At a time of our choosing. When we are ready, not because some idiot thrust us into it too early, and especially not in any way that we will be seen as the aggressors.”
Minister Fuentes was very uncomfortable, but kept his silence. He was even more convinced now that he needed to do everything in his, and his Ministry’s power, to avoid this war, despite what the Council may want. Just because they had new toys and new training didn’t mean they could win a conflict with Reino do Brazil handily. A war would be disastrous for both sides and they knew it.
Elizondo focused on Fuentes, then pointed over towards General Arenas.
“Javier, General Arenas will accompany you to New Frontier as a representative of the Council.”
The Minister cocked his head quizzically.
“I thought that was my job, to represent this Council.”
“Your job is to represent the rest of the government aside from the Council.”
Arenas held up a hand.
“Now…hold up now. Why me?!”
“Because myself and Admiral Monsalve can’t leave. We will end up in a Brazilian jail or worse…It’s a perfect excuse to decapitate the government.”
“Well, I might end up that same way, right?”
“You will be fine. Minister Fuentes can talk them down from any brinkmanship.” Javier brightened at the praise, whereas a moment ago he was as nervous as General Arenas about this journey.
“...And if not - you’re more expendable. Ohh…quit your whining.” Elizondo cut Arenas off before he could babble more. “You will be fine. Besides, all of Teremara is watching. The Brazilians won’t risk that. Now off with you two. Time to pack and prepare.”
Fuentes looked to the leader of the Council.
“But…I was hoping we could discuss more how I should proceed when I get there.”
“We did that already, Javier. Remember: Oil refineries, fishing rights, pharmaceuticals. Got it? Simple. You will do great. Now go!”
He had much to discuss still with the Admiral and General Guarjeto and he wanted these two in New Frontier as soon as possible.
Rafindo, San Rosito
Diego Humberto Abramiento stood out on his veranda, overlooking the back acres of his estate in the mountains above Rafindo. Beyond the gardens, in the open stretch, he watched as his herd of imported Mubatan impalas galloped back and forth. They calmed him usually, but not today.
He held a cell in his hands, one of the latest from Schwyz Logiztek, a GXP 6, that had just hit the civilian market. The look on his face was one of severe irritation as he continued a conversation.
“They are building a fucking wall, Gabriel!”
“Yes, I heard the announcement. It’s just on paper right now. You realize that will take years for actual completion. It’s not of immediate concern.”
“I don’t know about your concerns, but an open border is always a big concern of mine. That’s the main lane to get our product out. Unless…I can borrow a lot of planes and boats from you?”
“Borrow? Diego, you could buy the whole San Rositan military ten times over, but that’s not the point…”
“I was kidding, of course…I think. Unless you would let me sneak a few packages on board some ships, maybe?”
“As I said, joking aside, this should not be such a concern for you right now.”
“I don’t think you understand, Gabriel. If I don’t start planning now on the assumption that this wall will appear, my organization will be caught up very short when it is, in fact, a reality. You need to do whatever it takes to get them to stop with the wall nonsense.”
“Arenas and Minister Fuentes are on their way to New Frontier. We are actively trying to defuse all of this…not just your dreaded wall, but all of it. Besides, like I said, it will take years for that to come to fruition. I’m no engineer, but I would like to think I know how hard it will be for them to build a wall through the cliffs and river valley terrain that makes up the border…Brazilian air raids on your production facilities should be of more immediate concern to you, Diego.”
“That’s why I helped you buy a bunch of new planes, Gabriel. To stop that from happening. I think you should paint my family crest on the wings of your shiny new planes. After all, it is the Abramiento Air Force.”
“And I don’t think that can happen anymore. No matter how well you think you are hiding that funding, I guarantee you it is going to be uncovered by someone - intelligence or financial institution. We are now very much under the magnifying lens from the outside.”
“First of all, you worry too much. My accountant, Emile, is the best. He knows how to hide money…” Emile, as well as being an underworld accountant of top order, was of the famous Feldhaus crime family of Neu Engollon.
“...Thirdly…”
“Second.”
“What?!”
“You skipped a number. You’re on second.”
“Ha ha, so I did. That’s why I have Emile to count for me…So, second, no one fucking cares! No. Body. Cares. They know it, and as long as you don’t flaunt where the money comes from and do a half-ass job of hiding the trail, no one makes an issue of it. Meanwhile, I keep buying you planes and tanks and you keep protecting my enterprise from the pigs outside the Republic. Right? That is the deal.”
“I don’t know that we need to spell all of this out over the phone. Are you sure these things are secure?”
“Yes. GXP satellite phones are top of the line for encryption. Besides, it's a little late for that kind of thinking now, isn't it?...Now where was I? I don’t know…Anyway…Do you need my sicarios for any of this shit?”
General Elizondo bit back his desire to quickly say no. In the upcoming conflict, the plausible deniability of ruthless thugs not wearing San Rositan military uniforms might actually come in handy, even if the political fallout could blow back on the Council in a horrible way. There might come a point in the next few weeks where that was the least of their worries.
“I will let you know, Diego. If you can spare them, we might.”
“I wouldn’t offer if I couldn’t spare them, friend.”
“I will be in touch. I have other calls to make.”
“You called me, busy man. Go. Make your calls!”
New Frontier
Reino do Brazil
The evening of that same day, Foreign Affairs Minister Fuentes and General Arenas were on a COD.45 Khonsu, fitted for the luxury of the higher echelons of the government. They were cutting through the clouds and drifting high over the eastern coast of the Kingdom of Brazil.
Javier Fuentes looked first across the aisle at the Air Force Chief, third in line to the leadership of the Council. Arenas looked bored, having no interest in the magazine before him, nor, apparently, his phone.
Arenas looked back and gave Fuentes a disgusted face, snorting to emphasize his disdain for his civilian counterpart.
Fuentes smirked in amusement, then glanced the other way, out his window. Before him were spread maps on the work table denoting territorial waters between the two states, export lists, and economic metrics that would aid him in upcoming discussions. While General Elizondo wasn’t wrong that it boiled down to a few simple talking points, it was a little more complicated than that.
What had not been said in the Presidential Residence was that it was a matter of prestige for Elizondo and his cronies. More than anything they wanted to be respected as equal leaders in Madurin, and the region. For the Council, it was a matter of pride, and they would not take any disrespect from the Brazilians, the welfare of their own citizens be damned.
Javier dozed off for a bit, visions of the northern highland jungle filled with bodies haunting him, only to awaken to the announcement by the pilot that they were approaching the International Airport of New Frontier.
