A Battle Unseen

[MrFacts]

Operation liberation
March 5570- 17 january

March 5570

After getting into Trivendito, Istalia, with the smugglers and getting past some Ahmadi radicals, wich they convinced to let them pass, the 2 Ponto-Selucian agents found a way into the city. They knew, they needed some information, their must be people who are discontent with the situation going on in Istalia, they remembered the stories of their grandparents and parents about communism, where are the rich and elites who lost everything? 

they find a hotel, where they payed extra money, so the reception wouldn't ask questions, as they had not yet found a way into fake ID's, the first thing tomorrow was finding a way to get the basics, a fake ID, getting some information on the leaders, travel data, offices, security and so on...

The next morning the 2 agents go out on a walk, inspecting the city, observing and finding fake ID's, they had a received a possible contact from the smugglers, but they had to act with caution.

Geovanni Verdi was someone who used to own a store in the city, but lost it after the PCI nationalised everything, but he also used to work with some low class criminals for fake ID's and stuff. The 2 agents come at his house, ring the doorbell and when Geovanni opens the door, they block the door and storm in. They told him to make the fake ID's and they aren't there to kill him, but needed to obey. They also asked him about some information about the situation in Istalia and where the HQ was of the party.  fearing for his life, he makes the Fake ID's and whispers Romula, in Romula, Carboni and Cassella, are the... gets a bang on the head and the 2 agents leave the house, moving straight towards Romula.

April 5570- December 5570

They arrive in Romula, shocked by the beauty of the city, they find a hotel and pay for couple of weeks, hoping they will find a fast way to do the job. They start by patrolling the city around the HQ, observing, they need to know exactly who arrives and when. They find a spot where they can observe in silence the entrance, some offices, but also the important office of Casella. They also see the armed workers, wich ofcourse complicates their purposes, they need to find a way in.

after some weeks they start talking to people, getting to know the city, as for all they also need a way in, just as much a way to get out, they act innocent and as tourists, but they didn't forget their training. Getting some trust of local people is a must. 

They have been observing the HQ for weeks now, they found out that Auro Castella comes in everyday on 8 o'clock, except on monday, then he is walks in at 7 o'clock, but why? the agents ask themselves. We need to know more about him, so they decide to split up after Casella leaves the office, one shadows him, one finds a way in.

A few weaks later, the agents found a person, that was discontent with the current regime and finds a way in for them, but it would take some time to get as close as possible to the highly secured floor, where casella his office is, as they found him the easier target then Carboni.  With a smart play, one of the Agents has a way in as a security guard, he will have to wait, untill the right moment to strike. While the other keeps talking to people, patrolling and thinking of any possebilities.

17 January.

It is a mondaymorning, so the agents knew, Casella will be there at 7 o'clock, so they had to be there early too as they had archieved what they wanted, a way to get close to Casella, but it was a one time oppurtunity, at 7:35 they will be able tho enter, as the security had maintenance, the secretary had a day off and at that time there was not yet much people attended.

The agents goes supposedly as the security guard, he is already pretending for a couple of months, he goes in at 6, as it is his time, while the other finds a way to infiltrate a software company. 

The maintenance is going on at 7:40, they are on the same floor as Casella, they walk in the room, knowing that they only have 10 minutes to do the assasination and leave the room. 

They enter the office of Casella, point the gun and say The Bazmuyut send their kind regards and shoot Casella 3 times in the chest. 
as everyone has heard the gunshots, they jump out of the window and start running the moment they land.

They had contacted the smugglers and start driving their car towards trinivento to to the boat to get out.

[Elena1012]

Operation: Morningstar
May 17th, 5571
Metz-Leonid, Ladakh District

Pema didn't expect to be this busy today. Ever since Tsering resigned and she became the Director of the CSS, the world seemingly chose to heat up once again. Pema wouldn't let it overwhelm her. The opened file was spread across her desk. "Operation Morningstar" at the top of the file. It was one of the files she had to approve. Or deny if she felt it necessary. The first one, Operation Morningstar was a risky one. In essence, it would see the XDAN mobilize a small patrol fleet to secure the tanker in the Southwest, and capture the crew. A rescue operation in some way, but ultimately a way for a bargaining chip. Pema immediately signed it. Operation Morningstar would save Xsampa if it were to be threatened. No one else was in a spot to respond adequately in a fast enough time to oppose Xsampa. She gave her approval to Operation Morningstar, and included special orders to be delivered to Defense; Capture the crew, leave the tanker. Let it be a surprise to Yishelem and Co when they arrive and find the tanker empty. The People's Committee would understand. She didn't have the exact authority to demand that Defense does as she wishes, but she was sure they would do so. Taking the tanker itself was pointless and not worth the hassle. Leave it as is, and only take the crew and Xsampa gets more benefits. A PR win for rescuing, and a bargaining chip. 

However, Istalia was in crisis once again. Casella was dead. Pema would need to have a very lengthy conversation with the local director in charge of Istalian affairs. The CSS failed in Istalia. But it wouldn't fail again. She got onto the phone with the director of Istalian affairs and gave new orders: Get Comrade Carboni out. It was a priority directive. The CSS in Istalia would have the funding and support needed to get Carboni out of the nation. Assets in Xsampa will prepare a new identity and ensure Carboni can adequately assimilate into Xsampan life safely. Under no circumstances could Carboni be hurt. She was too valuable of an asset and is anticipated to be a target. Local assets in Istalia will have the focus on getting her out of Istalia, and from there, get her to Xsampa safely. Once Carboni is safely relocated to Xsampa, efforts can begin on re-establishing a monopoly on intelligence in Istalia and find out who was responsible.

Pema put the phone down, and closed the file for Morningstar. It would be delivered to the Central Committee to be enacted immediately. Both were priority objectives. Pema would make sure that her CSS didn't know failure.

[Kubrick]

Hafndam, Great Temrkai Naval Port, Admiralty Board headquarters, 28 September 5571, 9:02.

His face was red with anger as he stormed up the staircase, his hand holding the papers tightly. At every loud step up the marbled stairs he got angrier at the memorandum he had received. For more than thirty years he had given his life to the navy. He had done everything, sacrificed it all, all for the great Naval Forces. Under his command the Froahiko-class nuclear submarine Mirz Juhn I had done things no other captain in the navy had been able to do. He had trained his crew to perfection. A well-oiled disciplined machine, his personal pride! Now they were taking it away, a crew rotation, they would strip his command at the end of next mission. Oh, he had known that one day he would lose his command, but he had expected it to come with a promotion to Rear Admiral. Not to be left with a 'next mission pending'. A forced retirement!

Then suddenly the steps ran out. In his anger he had gone up the many wide marbled staircases far faster than he expected. The paper in his hand had been fully crumpled. He released his grip, straightened out the paper and walked towards the big wooden doors that marked the office of the Commander of the Naval Forces: Admiral Mhnrád Sardnpal. There was a guard at the door who looked rather surprised at how fast he was approaching, he suddenly stood a lot straighter and his eyes darted up and down. He sputtered out objections as he approached. "C-Captain, the Admiral- You will need an appointment, sir, I cann-" He interrupted him. "Move aside, sailor," he barked at him, swinging open the large wooden door himself. The Admiral looked up in surprise, peering over his reading glasses at him. "I will call you back," he said, before hanging up the phone. "Captain Dorfluzke, what a surprise."

For a few minutes he tore into the Admiral, his anger taking the better of him. He told him everything that had enraged him about this ordeal. How his command would be taken from him, how his crew would be rotated away from him, how he had given everything and would now be discarded like an old sock. The Admiral just sat and listened. At the end of the story he took off his glasses and simply asked: "Are you done, Captain?" The response took him aback, he straightened up and simply responded. "Yes, Admiral." The Admiral nodded. "Good, then let me ask you a question. Are you a loyal servant of the crown and party?" He wondered if it was a trap, he had been a loyal party member since he was a young adult and his own father had been a close confidant of King Kezkai. "Of course, Admiral, I would give everything for the crown." The Admiral stood up and walked out from behind his desk to stand close to him. "Then you will take this memorandum to heart. You are not being discarded, Captain, you are one of the most capable naval officers I have ever seen. One day you might sit behind that desk. But for now you are a far more valuable asset than you even realise. Others however do realise that and have chosen you for a future mission, one I could not tell you about as it is the most classified document to ever come across my desk. Do you understand?" He swallowed, realising the great mistake he had made. "I do, sir." "Good, then you will do your next mission with the same vigilance as ever and when you return in four weeks I will personally brief you. Until then, not a word to anyone about your next assignment."

As he walked outside the office his head was throbbing. The nuclear submarine fleet was considered the peak in Wrnuke's Naval Forces, commanding a carrier was more prestigious but every sailor knew the real skill went into the submarines - the silent watchers of the Jelbic Empire that patrolled every corner of the world. What special operation could require him?

[Ligbruderkrieg]

Office of the Prime Minister, 10 Crown Street, June 8th, 5571

"They've blinked first, Prime Minister."

"I'm aware, Mr. Director-General. They've left us with a golden opportunity here."

"Rare are opportunities given to us through a silver plate, Prime Minister. We should make use of this accordingly."

"Hm. The Speech in the Imperial Diet may be the opportune moment."

"Yes sir. Yet, I'm still surprised that Kalistan blinked first and gave us such an opportunity."

"Weirdly enough, they did. They did shoot themselves in the foot here. Yet, we should await news from Kaliburg. But there is no going back for them now. Except signing their own death blow to Luthori."

"What should we do now?"

"Call up Kensington and the Harrington Company."

[Svetlana]

Office of the Lead Researcher of the Polina Pavlina Scientific Experimental Zone, September 28th, 5571

"You know, Kyong. You really outdid yourself this time." Lee chuckled, exhaling a light smoke cloud before taking another drag from her cigarette. "Everyone in the isles still fears you ever since the Bloody Mourning, so much for the head of the Institute's Human Welfare and Resources, huh." 
"Come on, Lee. You already know that I'm going all in soon, also no smoking in my office."
"Ok miss uptight, let me bow for her majesty Kyong." Lee mocking bowed before throwing her cigarette out the window. "I know you have something big, but what kind of big?"
"Big enough to make the dirty name Trigunia disappear for ever from the map and tongues of Terra. But first, I need you to go visit our friends from the Children of Yaoshi."

[Doc]

December 2, 5571, 3:20 Local, Non-Descript Office building, Downtown Kaliburg

"Take a seat, Your Grace," said a 30 year old man with a short beard and a receding hairling, who wore a grey tweed suit.  The only insignia of the man's rank was a small pin on his lapel, that suggested that he held the rank of Captain in the IBSI, probably in G1.  Or maybe G4.  G4 would be bad.  The Crown Princess couldn't tell.  These spooks don't usually make it clear who they are or what they are doing until you are already in trouble.

"What is this about, Captain..." Princess Carolina insisted.  "And if you value your job, you had better contact General Council and have them send some lawyer down here.  I know my rights."

The captain sat down across from the Crown Princess.  "Madame, forgive me.  I mean no disrespect to you, but this is a much more sensitive situation and if we decide to refer you for charges, you will have plenty of time to retain the services of a lawyer.  But there are things we need to understand first before we make any sort of recommendations."

The Crown Princess sat back in her very uncomfortable seat.  "May I trouble you, Captain, for a cup of coffee?  You pulled me out of the club in the middle of the night and brought me to this, this bureaucratic nightmare of an office building, and I assume you are about to violate my civil liberties.  The least you can do is give me the courtesy of a reach around..."

"Excuse me, your Grace?" The captain's countenence darkened.  

"Coffee, Captain.  Black.  If you please."  The captain considered the young woman's request for a moment, and then reached forward and pressed a button on his desk.  In two minutes, another man in a suit brought in a small styrofoam cup and set it on the table next to Crown Princess Carolina.  She looked at it and noticed an oily sheen floating on the top of the coffee, a rainbow slick that she could almost see her reflection in.  She picked the cup up and gulped the black fluid down.  "At least you have the good Mina stuff," said the Princess.  "Now.  What do you need from me?"

"Your Grace.  I am sure you realize that your comments in your school paper have been reprinted in The Republic."

"My comments?"

"Yes, on the Embargo..."

"Yes, I am aware of that.  They asked me for permission to reprint them and I gave it.  So what?  Is it a crime to talk to the press in this country?"

"No," said the captain.  "Not a crime.  However, criticizing the Empress in public is a crime."

"Criticizing?  The Empress?  Are you referring to me?"  The Crown Princess smiled slightly.  "I don't know what you are talking about."

"Your statements were very critical of Her Imperial Majesty's policy positions, and many of your comments were of a very personal nature." the Captain responded.  "It is, your Grace, my job to investigate whether there was some malice behind your comments."

"There was no malice..." said Crown Princess Carolina, but she was cut off.

"You can therefore understand why you are here, and not in a police station," said the Captain.  "These comments represent a direct undermining of the expressed will of the Empress, and if your aim is to contradict the fiat of the Empress in public, this could be seen as a significant crisis."

"Who asked you to do this, Captain?" said the Crown Princess.  "Who asked you to interrogate me for speaking my mind?"

"I'm not at liberty to reveal that information, Madame," answered the Captain.

"I command you to do so as the Crown Princess of Ananto and Kalistan and the Countess of Luxon."

"Your Highness, respectfully, you are not part of my chain of command.  I answer to the Colonel Grant Zearing of IBSI G4, the IBSI General Staff, Her Imperial Majesty's Interior Minister, and Her Imperial Majesty herself.  I do not answer in anyway to you.  Now if you please, tell me about what led you to make these statements."

The Crown Princess protested, "Captain, I know my rights.  I am an Anantonese Citizen, and I have the right to say what I like in public, and forgive me for saying, but you really do not have any idea what you are asking me.  I decline to answer you."

"Your Grace, violation of the Lese-Majestie law is a very serious offense.  If we are not able to ascertain your motivations for those statements, we must consider the possibility that you are not working in good faith, and we will refer you to the Minister of Justice on charges of violation of the Lese Majestie act."

The Crown Princess remained silent.

"Madame, I must insist."  He leaned closer to her.  "You will answer me before we leave here."  The Crown Princess remained silent and crossed her arms.

"Madame, I will offer you one more chance.  If you do not speak in your defense, I will contact local authority and will have you arrested."

The Crown Princess rolled her eyes dramatically and smiled.  "Captain, do you think I would speak without knowing what I was doing?"  She reached up and itched the side of her nose.  "In public?  Do you have any idea who I am?"

"Madame, I know precisely who you are, which is why you are not already sitting in the city lockup awaiting trial for sedition."

"You do not know me at all, Captain."  The captain picked up the papers in front of him into a single pile, put them into a folder that the Crown Princess could see had "HHCP Carolina Ananto-Hulanevek" written on the tab.

"Have it your way, Your Grace."  The captain said as he stood up.

"Sit down, Captain," said the Crown Princess.  As the Captain paused for a second but then resumed his walk toward the door, the Crown Princess repeated her command.  "I said, sit down.  Please believe me when I say that your life depends on the choice you will make in the next minute.  Now.  Before you do something stupid.  Sit.  Down."

The Captain eyed the Crown Princess and sensed a subtle shift in the energy in the room.  His feet turned, rebelling against his brain and he sat as if he was under her control.  But as the momentary miasma in his mind cleared, he realized that he had likely made a wise choice.  He sat at his desk, and trying to regain some control here, battling the wits of a 25 year old college girl, he stammered, "Y-yes, Your Grace.  I am ready for your statement."

"I am going to tell you something that must not leave this room, so please turn off that little microphone you have hidden, and I will tell you everything."  The Captain made his mind up to pretend to turn the microphone off, but secretly left it connected to the other room where some underling was recording the conversation.

"It is off, Your Grace."

The Crown Princess looked warily at the Captain and narrowed her eyes.  She stood up and walked over to the desk, reaching under the disk against the captain's protests and grabbed the bug that he had planted there.  She looked at it, looked at the captain and then threw the listening device on the floor and stepped on it, smashing it into a hundred pieces.  "So obvious..." she said shaking her head as she walked back to her seat...

"Now.  Don't think for a second that the things I said to the Press weren't cleared."

"Excuse me Your Grace?"  said the captain, looking up from his paper.

"I said.  My comments were approved."

"What do you mean, Madame.  Approved by whom."

"Who do you think?" said the Crown Princess.  She narrowed her eyes at the Captain to telegraph the answer to him telepathically.  It took him a second, but he put his pencil down.

"That is incredible," said the Captain.  "I don't believe it for a second."

"Nonetheless it is true.  Do you think she would do something like this without leaving some options open as long as possible?  Do you know who she is?"

"I don't understand why..." said the Captain.  "Why you?"

"Captain, I would love to tell you what you want to know, but then unfortunately, I would have to have you killed.  And I don't want to have you killed.  I am a person of peace.  So, Can I trouble you for a refill at least, and I will tell you want I can."  The door opened in a moment, and the other suited lackey brought in the coffee pot and refilled her cup.  "Leave the pot Lieutenant, and since your boss here won't do it, why don't you be a sweetheart and show me where the other microphone is?"

The man, shocked for a second, began to sweat, and looked at the captain who gave an almost imperceptible signal to not comply.  But he looked back at the Crown Princess, whose green eyes seemed to hypnotize him because they were so unusual.  "Where.  Is.  The Bug?"  The Lieutenant, not taking his eyes off hers, pointed meekly toward a portrait on the wall.  She smiled.  "Lieutenant, if you please, will you disable that thing please so I can have a private chat with your boss here.  Thank you."  The Lieutenant took the bug from the wall behind the picture, and brought it back to the Crown Princess, and then hurriedly left the room and closed the door behind him.  The Crown Princess took the microphone and stepped on it too, smashing it into bits.

"Your grace, those are expensive," said the Captain.

"I know your budget, Captain," said the Crown Princess.  "You'll be alright, especially since you have spent so little of it outfitting this... office..."

"Are you satisfied, Your Grace?" said the Captain.

"Sure.  Now, let me tell you, captain, about back doors.  First, there is nothing I do or say which is not approved by my mother.  Nothing.  And there will never ever be an instance where I will ever knowingly do anything to hurt the Empire.  My mother likes options, and she can't spend twenty years running down Luthori without keeping options for peace also on the table.  But she can't come right out and say that, can she?  Do you begin to see where I come in?  I can say things she cannot, even if she may want to."  

The Captain sat, transfixed on the Crown Princess, as she spoke.  After some time, he made a call that confirmed the Crown Princess' statement, and within a half hour, the Crown Princess was in a car, being escorted back to Wilson House.  As she left the office building, the Crown Princess said "Thank you, Captain for working to protect this Empire.  We all have a role to play in the defense of Her Imperial Majesty and Kalistan.  Some of our roles are much larger than others’, but, like your Lieutenant, they all play a part.   Please have a little more faith in your Empress next time.”

As she left the black government limo at Wilson House, just as the sun was rising, she said, “Oh… and do be a good bureaucrat and destroy that tape. It makes your department look incompetent, and an incompetent security bureau hurts the Empire far more than my little interview ever could. Peace to you Captain.  I hope you will consider your Lieutenant for promotion.  He may be a coward of the highest order, but at least he is loyal to his Monarch.  Alright. Great chat.”  The Captain sat silently as the car sped away.  He would certainly be held accountable for this and he knew his day was about to get a whole lot longer.

[Kubrick]

Red Bass Ocean, off the coast of the Jelbic Empire, aboard the submarine KJW H'án Merlkai I, 1 January 5572, 19:04.

Captain Wrntukai Dorfluzke was studying their current course with great concentration on the digital map when a voice broke his concentration. "Captain, incoming message. Target ETA in five, mission is a go." He gazed at the man and nodded. There were not many naval men aboard this submarine right now it was mostly a mismatched crew of RSB agents, shady figures from all other government branches and some of the most loyal sailors there were. The boat they were one was one of the smaller Froahiko-class. Diesel-electric instead of nuclear, without the capability to carry ballistic missiles. These brown water submarines were used for the stealthiest operations, mostly along coastlines. This one had been specially retrofitted for this mission, an upgraded missile pod that carried the best anti-air missiles the Empire had. But they hadn't stopped there, a jammer was added too and a very powerful one at that. "Prepare to surface, missiles hot, scan for target and activate jammer on my mark." He barked the orders and the men spurred into action, the bell rung and the submarine surfaced. Mere minutes later the entire set up was ready and a steady lock had been achieved on the private jet all those miles above them. "At your command, Captain." Said his anonymous XO. "Fire when ready." He replied. Long live the Empire, he thought as he condemned the President to die.

40,000 feet above the Red Bass Ocean, aboard the private jet of the President of the Dual Republic...

"Wow, what's that?" He turned his head as his co-pilot Joachim spoke up and started tapping the radar screen. "We just went black?" He sighed and opened his radio channel. "ND001 to tower, ND001 to tower.. ND001.. What the fuck, radio is dead too?" He flicked a few switches and attempted to restart the radar until he heard a very specific squeak through his headset. One he remembered from his military training. He swore. "We're being jammed, activate auxiliary systems." He saw Joachim's eyes widen as he attempted to start the auxiliary radar. Meanwhile he smashed the glass on the switch that deployed flares, a smart addition to a government jet. "Flares off, flares off," he said while turning the switch. Mere seconds later the plane rocked and an explosion was heard. For a moment he felt safe. They had taken down the missile. Sadly for the passengers the Jelbic submarine Captain Dorfluzke had fired a whole battery of missiles.

[hyraemous]

A Kundrati Gem...

(B)ratislav Hulanevek IV: Is it done?

Michael (S)chosser: Yes. The fake gem is in. We've done the rest.

Somewhere in northern Celania...

A bunker had been built. The real Hulanevek Gem was waiting. Laborers have been building up the bunker in secret, with the ability to withstand direct bomb attacks for a couple of years now. There were a few rooms in the bunker with enough canned food and purified water for a few weeks or so, maybe a month, alongside an enclosure. Explosives were placed in between portions of the wall and even underneath the enclosure. They would be detonated only if someone managed to get through and approach the gem, and they would only be activated by order of the President in another bunker.

The bunker was buried deep underground. There was a door leading to a tunnel leading to the outside. However, they planned to simply bury it after the gem was placed. After the final touches had been applied, the laborers were all sent outside and massed together. One by one, they were all shot to death. The gem was shortly and secretly moved with six guards into its special enclosure before dragging the laborers' bodies inside the bunker, eventually running out of room and throwing laborers' bodies inside the stairway, in the process also permanently closing the door leading to the gem. The guards would then emerge. They, too, were shot to death and were buried at another location.

Another laborer team was sent and began demolishing the stairway portion that was not already filled with bodies. They then covered the area with dirt. That team was ordered to remain silent on what they did or be summarily shot for treason.

The fake gem was recently made somewhere someplace and delivered to the National Museum of Kundrati History in Kasaema in a hired bank security truck customarily used for providing money.

[Doc]

Ananto Estate, Eveari, Grand Duchy of Ananto, 9:42 pm

The Princess and The Empress sat in the living room.  The Servants had been dismissed for the evening, and Carolina sat reading a book on Kalistani socialism while Pavlina studied the girl.  The Empress' tea spoon swirled her tea and as she pulled the spoon out and set it aside, she took a sip.  She had been adding more of the brown powder to her tea than usual these last months, and usually it is enough to help her through her evenings, but tonight it wasn't really doing the trick.  The Empress contented herself, knowing that she had raised an intelligent, compassionate, and serious young woman, mostly on her own, and someday, that woman would take her place.  It was some solace.

The Princess looked up and saw her mother studying her.  "What is wrong mother?  Tonight you don't quite seem yourself."

The Empress took a sip of her tea and waited for her medicine to take effect.  It was quick acting, and slowly, she felt a somewhat calm feeling sweep over her mind.  It arrived just in time to prevent her from misting up.  She answered, "Oh, tonight I just miss your father, more than usual.  I wish he is still here."

The Princess knew instantly it would be "that kind" of night.  As dreadful as her mother appeared to the world, Carolina knew a different person, a woman who loved very deeply, and who lost everything.  She put her book down and moved to the sofa, where her mother sat, an instinct to comfort took over and she felt the familiar measure of pity for her mother.  But at the same time, she also felt a different feeling that was growing more common:  resentment.  Carolina resented that her mother was so injured by events of 15 years ago that she required the emotional reassurance from her own daughter.  But Carolina still gave it to her anyway: Carolina, the good one, Carolina the smart one.  Carolina, the reliable one.    When would Carolina be the Free one?

"Mom, I know I say it regularly, but maybe its time you found someone else.  I know nobody will replace your husband.  Nobody can replace him in my heart either.  He was the only father I ever knew.  But you spend your time in this house and you shut out the world.  You have been grieving for fifteen years, way longer than you were married.  It's not healthy for you, and it is not good for me, or for anyone.  You..."  she was cut off.

"Oh Carolina, how can you say such thing?  Get another man?  Like that solve thing?"

"I mean, even some friends, it doesn't have to be a husband.  You never go out anymore.  You have abandoned the Capital completely.  Aren't you miserable here, by yourself, with only these... these servants around her cleaning your home, giving you food?  You are a shell of the woman I know you can be, and you spend a lot of your time fighting invisible enemies.  When we love you, I love you, and I want you to be healthy and happy...  Mother, please..."

The Empress sat quietly and returned to take another sip of her tea.   "Carolina, my heart, you don't know what night was like, not really.  I can tell you million times, you will never understand.  I still live in fear.  Fear that they will come for me, and fear that they will come for you.  These people are still live, you know, the ones who killed your father.  They still live.  I know where they are.  I watch on them every single day.  They could come and get revenge any time."

The Crown Princess listened to her mother.  This is the first time she had said anything about the people who were responsible for carrying out the assassination that killed her father.  After pausing, and allowing a dark thought to enter her heart, Carolina said in all seriousness, "Mom, where are they?"

Pavlina looked up from her tea.  "Why you want to know, child?  They are where they should be, and as long as I can keep them there, I'll be fine.  It's just..."

"Mother, why didn't you string them up?  Make an example of them?"

"Because law in Kalistan does not allow hanging, Carolina.  Listen to self.  Make example of?  Friend, you speak evil."

"Mother:  If you fear them, you have it in your power to get rid of them.  You know they deserve at least that.  Justice dictates..."

"Carolina, I forgive them.  I forgive them.  They took husband from me, they took whole life from me.  I forgive them, long time now."

Carolina was beside herself.  She was at a loss for words.  At length, she said, "Mother, how can you?"  Carolina could now feel the tears welling up in her eyes as she looked at her mother.

The Empress now felt the urge to comfort her only daughter.  "Brethren forgive those who hurt them, Carolina.  It is what we believe.  We do not take revenge.  That is wrong.  We must forgive.  I must forgive, it is only way I can go on."

Carolina looked up at her mother with a brand new mix of emotions welling up in her eyes.  "Fifteen years, mother!  Fifteen years of pain and suffering.  And for what?  Because you became Convinced?  That's all?  Because you think God told you to forgive?  That same god smites his enemies, and expects you to hold a higher standard?"

The Empress responded, "Carolina...  I... your father...  It's, just too complicated.  Them murdering my husband, your father, doesn't make more death right.  It is not right.  I can't say anything other.  My conscience won't let me do that."

Carolina now felt a wave of anger sweep over her.  "Maybe your's won't mother.  But I am not you."

The Empress suddenly felt the energy of the room shift in a way that it never had before.  "Carolina.  Tell me what you think right now.  You are not planning any wickedness, I pray.  Tell me."

Carolina looked at her mother.  "Nothing mother."

Pavlina now stood and placed some distance between her and her daughter.  "Carolina Hulanevek, you will answer me, your mother, or you will answer me your Empress."

Carolina recoiled.  She had not been called Carolina Hulanevek for many years.  "It is nothing, my Empress."

Pavlina said, "You will promise me you will not hurt those men and women.  You must, not while I draw breath."

Carolina said, "Don't be foolish, Mother.  I would never hurt them.  I promise.  The feeling is passed now, I would never touch a hair on their head."

But she knew someone who would, and all Carolina had to do was pick up a phone.

The moment had passed, and Carolina composed herself, and then said "Mother, I would like to invite Dame Lindsey over for dinner tomorrow.  Do you think she would like to visit?"

The Empress breathed a slightly perceptible sigh of relief, felt the tension in the room drop, and was initially about to make an excuse about why she was busy, or she couldn't make it, but she felt she should encourage her daughter instead, so she breathed deeply, summoned her courage, and said "Yes, I think this would be nice to see my old friend once again.  Thank you, my girl.  You are my singlular joy."  The two women spent the rest of the evening speaking on lighter topics, the melancholy seeming to pass from Pavlina, at least outwardly.

[hyraemous]

[1 May 5573]

The gem was there. Sitting, shining, luxurious, whatever you want to say, that gem was being seen by many people. To the point where there was a huge crowd crowding around the glass enclosure. Some security was hired in addition to the gem guards to control the crowd lest it grow out of control. The gala was only a few days ago, yet everyone wanted to see the whitest of all-white gems in Yeudish existence.

Suddenly, a man rushed over. He ran past security and broke the glass, causing a lot of bleeding in his hand. That didn't matter, for he grabbed the gem and began to run to the exit. The security guards began firing towards the man, though they also hit a few other people. The man was shot so many times he died right then and there, but in the chaos, multiple people were also shot, and there were many injuries. 

Everyone ran around, aiming towards the exit. With so many screams, people from other exhibits heard the screams and started to evacuate the museum. Police and EMS were called. They arrived barely two minutes later, and ambulances arrived soon after. But another man who worked for the museum stood in the chaos, grabbed the gem, and walked away.

In the chaos, three people would be dead (including the man who tried to steal the gem), and 26 would be injured in something that only took about a minute to happen. 

Somewhere in Celania...

Removing the bodies took all day. It was rumored by the military crew that they all died from the Kundrati Emergency long ago and that this bunker was somehow related to a junta command center somewhere nearby. But eventually, the bunker was cleared, save the gem itself. The crew then left under strict orders, never to reveal what was done. 

Another notable team from the Kundrati Intelligence Community arrived a day later (2 May). The team came with an armored truck.

After deactivating the security features, the team entered the bunker with gas masks and took the gem. When they left, they reactivated the security features and closed the door once again.

Only the crew knew the combination of the gems placed in an enclosure. The enclosure was placed inside the truck, and the team left with the car and headed towards a nearby airport. There, they found an executive jet. It was still early morning, but the plane was fully fuelled and ready. The enclosure was sent, with the crew, into the plane, and the plane shortly took off.

Two multi-role fighters joined the jet as soon as they could reach the plane. The three aircraft made their way south for a while. However, after they made it underneath Etxea, they made a sharp right. A few hours later, they approached Likatonian EEZ, where the multirole fighters left for their journey home. After another few hours, the executive jet made it to an airport somewhere in Kalistan, where the crew and enclosure made their way to the residence of the Empress (with permission to enter given by prior instruction)...

...after instructions were sent to the Kalistani government regarding the gem and the crew. The start of the instructions were thus:

On behalf of the Hulanevek family, the Kundrati Union sends their gem to the Hulanevek family in Kalistan. The gift is on behalf of our state and family for best wishes to Her Royal Highness Princess Carolina, whom we send very best wishes and good fortune in her role as future Empress of the Anantonese Empire.

The following are instructions regarding the treatment of the gem and the crew that will deliver the gem to your possession...

A few more hours later (in the middle of 2 May), the crew informed their handlers that the gem was in the safe possession of the Ananto-Hulaneveks.

The Beiteynuese Medinat Department was informed immediately after that the Hulanevek Gem was in Kalistan and that the Archaic Museum of Yishelem was given permission to examine the gem's former locations. The same crew that escorted the gem would be sent back to the bunker to receive the members of the AMY investigation crew, with orders to reveal all and strict instructions for the AMY crew not to reveal that the gem in the museum was a fake.