03-01-2025, 01:05 PM
July 5593, on the outskirts of Gora, Saspain Wilayat, Solentia.
The former Solentian President and erstwhile leader of Mutahad Kargar Gond Gedi Khan was visibly shaking. He put it down to the bitter cold of the Solentian winter, and being from coastal Dostropo he hated the snows of the Saspain mountains. He wished he'd worn more clothing, he'd hate for his former enemies to mistake his shivering for fear.
He had been surprised by the Hezb-e Ahmadi offer of a free passage to speak to Mullah Yummah the de jure President of Solentia who had yet to be inaugurated into office in the capital Oda, which now languished under Kalopian occupation. Gedi Khan had initially been supportive of the invasion, seeing it as an opportunity to defeat the armed wing of Hezb-e Ahmadi, the Jaish-e Ahmadi. However, as a good socialist, the more he had learnt about the Libertarian government of Kalopia the more suspicious he was of their motives. Rather than wait to be greeted as liberators by the people of Oda, the Kalopians had fought their way into the city killing thousands in indiscriminate airstrikes. Gedi Khan's MKG fighters, who had expected to link up with the Kalopians were also attacked and Gedi Khan was forced into hiding. But somehow Hezb-e Ahmadi had found his whereabouts and invited him to this meeting.
The door opened and in walked Mullah Yummah. Gedi had met him once before, during a debate prior to the 5988 Presidential election.
"As-salaam 'alaykum President Khan" the old Mullah greeted his former opponent.
"As-salaam 'alaykum President Yummah", Gedi Khan returned the greeting. Both men sat down. With the initial greeting over Gedi Khan's shaking stopped and he calmed down. Behind him his bodyguard also relaxed. Under the Dudmani Solentiwali code the principle milmastya, or hospitality to invited guests, was an important code.
"I am glad you took the brave decision to come, it must have been hard to trust our offer of safe passage".
"You are a Mullah, if we can't trust our religious leaders, who can we trust?" responded Gedi Khan, interestingly for a secularist who had attempted to remove the privileges of the Ahmadi faith from Solentia.
"Our civil war was a pointless event. Too many have been killed on both sides. I gave too much freedom in the leash I hold over Jaish-e Ahmadi. Akim must have been disappointed in us and sent the Kalopians to unite Solentians as one once again and drive out the invader."
Gedi Khan considered the Mullahs statement. He was not religious, not that he would admit he did not believe in Akim in a nation where only 2% were non-believers. He himself had initially been keen for the Kalopians to intervene. The Kalopians had demonstrated their military capability was far in advance of anything Jaish-e Ahmadi possessed. But the invasion had also opened the spectre of religious fanaticism, with the wild eyed fundamentalists of Ahmadi State launching daily suicide attacks against the Kalopian occupiers. Gedi Khan was still a Solentian nationalist at heart, and was saddened to see Kalopian boots trampling through sacred Solentian soil.
"I agree President Yummah. It is time to end our fight."
"Hezb-e Ahmadi can make provisions to moderate some of our policies. We still need to comply with the Book of Bliss and the Tribal Codes, but we can afford to be pragmatic and ensure local areas are governed according to local desires, underpinned by faith in Akim." Mullah Yummah smiled as he paused.
"I can work within this framework. I am prepared to publicly revoke any previous support for Kalopia and will order the remaining MKG forces in southern Solentia to work with Jaish-e Ahmadi to resist the invader." responded Gedi Khan.
Mullah Yummah's smile grew even wider. "Good, this is good. But too much politics, you have had a long journey, lets break bread and have our lunch".
The two men stood up, Mullah Yummah beckoned to Gedi Khan's body guard to come through with them to the next room where a table of food and soft drinks was waiting to be consumed.
The former Solentian President and erstwhile leader of Mutahad Kargar Gond Gedi Khan was visibly shaking. He put it down to the bitter cold of the Solentian winter, and being from coastal Dostropo he hated the snows of the Saspain mountains. He wished he'd worn more clothing, he'd hate for his former enemies to mistake his shivering for fear.
He had been surprised by the Hezb-e Ahmadi offer of a free passage to speak to Mullah Yummah the de jure President of Solentia who had yet to be inaugurated into office in the capital Oda, which now languished under Kalopian occupation. Gedi Khan had initially been supportive of the invasion, seeing it as an opportunity to defeat the armed wing of Hezb-e Ahmadi, the Jaish-e Ahmadi. However, as a good socialist, the more he had learnt about the Libertarian government of Kalopia the more suspicious he was of their motives. Rather than wait to be greeted as liberators by the people of Oda, the Kalopians had fought their way into the city killing thousands in indiscriminate airstrikes. Gedi Khan's MKG fighters, who had expected to link up with the Kalopians were also attacked and Gedi Khan was forced into hiding. But somehow Hezb-e Ahmadi had found his whereabouts and invited him to this meeting.
The door opened and in walked Mullah Yummah. Gedi had met him once before, during a debate prior to the 5988 Presidential election.
"As-salaam 'alaykum President Khan" the old Mullah greeted his former opponent.
"As-salaam 'alaykum President Yummah", Gedi Khan returned the greeting. Both men sat down. With the initial greeting over Gedi Khan's shaking stopped and he calmed down. Behind him his bodyguard also relaxed. Under the Dudmani Solentiwali code the principle milmastya, or hospitality to invited guests, was an important code.
"I am glad you took the brave decision to come, it must have been hard to trust our offer of safe passage".
"You are a Mullah, if we can't trust our religious leaders, who can we trust?" responded Gedi Khan, interestingly for a secularist who had attempted to remove the privileges of the Ahmadi faith from Solentia.
"Our civil war was a pointless event. Too many have been killed on both sides. I gave too much freedom in the leash I hold over Jaish-e Ahmadi. Akim must have been disappointed in us and sent the Kalopians to unite Solentians as one once again and drive out the invader."
Gedi Khan considered the Mullahs statement. He was not religious, not that he would admit he did not believe in Akim in a nation where only 2% were non-believers. He himself had initially been keen for the Kalopians to intervene. The Kalopians had demonstrated their military capability was far in advance of anything Jaish-e Ahmadi possessed. But the invasion had also opened the spectre of religious fanaticism, with the wild eyed fundamentalists of Ahmadi State launching daily suicide attacks against the Kalopian occupiers. Gedi Khan was still a Solentian nationalist at heart, and was saddened to see Kalopian boots trampling through sacred Solentian soil.
"I agree President Yummah. It is time to end our fight."
"Hezb-e Ahmadi can make provisions to moderate some of our policies. We still need to comply with the Book of Bliss and the Tribal Codes, but we can afford to be pragmatic and ensure local areas are governed according to local desires, underpinned by faith in Akim." Mullah Yummah smiled as he paused.
"I can work within this framework. I am prepared to publicly revoke any previous support for Kalopia and will order the remaining MKG forces in southern Solentia to work with Jaish-e Ahmadi to resist the invader." responded Gedi Khan.
Mullah Yummah's smile grew even wider. "Good, this is good. But too much politics, you have had a long journey, lets break bread and have our lunch".
The two men stood up, Mullah Yummah beckoned to Gedi Khan's body guard to come through with them to the next room where a table of food and soft drinks was waiting to be consumed.