29-05-2025, 05:47 PM
September 16th, Cise, Utaristan
Miryam was about to go to bed when the phone rang. Her head immediately filled with worries. Did something happen to Arzu? It was her first daughter's first sleepover at someone else's place after all. Or maybe something much worse? She was the Minister of Transport; it could be anything from a simple accident to a war or natural disaster. When she read the name of the caller, it didn't help at all. Ali Hasanov, her friend, colleague and fellow minister. She immediately picked the phone up.
"Miryam, you there?" She heard Ali's voice, atypically nervous for his usual calm demeanour.
"Yes, of course. What happened, Ali?"
"Have you seen the news?"
"I haven't; I was busy with packing, Arzu."
"Then look immediately; the Xsampans, they have dissolved the fund."
"Surely you can't mean the Dovani Development Fund."
"Yes, exactly that one. They said it was unprofitable."
"Unprofitable? Of course it was unprofitable! They were giving out free money. Do Ishmail and Arken know?"
"Not yet; I will call them immediately after. See you at the Palace of Heroes?"
"Of course, summon the Xsampan ambassador immediately while we are at it."
"See you there then. For fuck's sake, I hope we can convince them, otherwise, the entire megaproject is fucked, and so are we."
Miryam was about to go to bed when the phone rang. Her head immediately filled with worries. Did something happen to Arzu? It was her first daughter's first sleepover at someone else's place after all. Or maybe something much worse? She was the Minister of Transport; it could be anything from a simple accident to a war or natural disaster. When she read the name of the caller, it didn't help at all. Ali Hasanov, her friend, colleague and fellow minister. She immediately picked the phone up.
"Miryam, you there?" She heard Ali's voice, atypically nervous for his usual calm demeanour.
"Yes, of course. What happened, Ali?"
"Have you seen the news?"
"I haven't; I was busy with packing, Arzu."
"Then look immediately; the Xsampans, they have dissolved the fund."
"Surely you can't mean the Dovani Development Fund."
"Yes, exactly that one. They said it was unprofitable."
"Unprofitable? Of course it was unprofitable! They were giving out free money. Do Ishmail and Arken know?"
"Not yet; I will call them immediately after. See you at the Palace of Heroes?"
"Of course, summon the Xsampan ambassador immediately while we are at it."
"See you there then. For fuck's sake, I hope we can convince them, otherwise, the entire megaproject is fucked, and so are we."
Ad Astra<3