NationStates Jolt Archive

Mahtan stood quietly and patiently and awaited Soult. He had all the time in the world.

*****

Cathbad bowed his head to the Cardinal before he sat "Good evening your grace. I just thought that we should clear up some chain of command issues. I have strong defensive positions set up and after your supplemental payment arrive back at my base I should be able to start bringing in the bulk of the two hundred and fifty thousand men that I have. I have rallied all of your men that I could and am in the process of re-arming them, feeding them and tending to their wounds. Their defensive value is low but with the fanatical support of you they should make a strong counter-offensive force in case Soult tries to break in before my main force begins to arrive."

He pauses to ream his pipe "I also have my Lieutenant meeting with Soult as we speak, to buy us time. What I need to know is - do I have a free hand to own this situation, or should I be allowing your men to take the lead?"

*****

At about the same time, the city was active again, all at once the Scylla fighters returned and ALL of the Marathin transports too the sky, popping up to building level and firing on everyone of Soult's positions they could reach with their 40mm auto-cannons. Two Scylla's broke off and escorted the transport that broke away in the direction of the Gonad with it's gold and wounded.

Caroline's transport also took off, straight up, the pilot floored it, his mach 1,8 and took the jet up it's maximum service ceiling of fifty thousand feet, activating the D'assault active rader radar cancellation and flying in a tioght rainbow at max speed to the North.

The confusion of all the transports coming up at once and the Scylla's moving to attack interceptors gave the best cahnce for them to get away.

*****

Saleh nodded to Sahid "After we get my men into the city, we should attack the administrative center. Your men will lay in wait, and any attack and harass any forces from the police or military that move to defend the place. Hopefully a quick taking of the 'head' will convince others to join us, then we move on to other targets as quickly as we can and try to gain allies rather than kiling outright.

I say that if we can use any Dyellians and their equipment, that we use them until they are no longer of value."

*****

The Deck Boss looked sympathetic to Alwood as she ranted. "Well, I'm only teling you of the offer now because I was only informed of it when I was sent to retrieve you. From what I understand you situation is unique and Retaliatory Guard Command has no idea what to do with you.

The standard asylum offer is housing and job training with the possibility of gaining Vaadian citizenship. Asylum seekers are rarely jailed. Soult and Von Scheer have no legal standing to formally request your return, your return, if it occurs, is entirely a courtesy of the Retaliatory Guard."

He paused and then turned back " Oh and a Colonel Beningham is looking for you, shall I send him down? Or are you going up?"

*****

Back on shore the Naval Guard Marines began to pull out. They had driven the remaining vehicles to one spot in a packed square just south of the base and had cleared out Imro's office and equipment, within hours they would be gone. General Imro watched everything silently, waiting to go back on the last transport.

Finally, Mahtan, after being frisked twice, was allowed to see Soult. The Emperor of Dyelli Beybi was pouring over maps of the city and surrounding countryside, although as Mahtan entered he nonchalantly lifted a paper weight from the corner, allowing the whole mass to roll itself up.

Imperialism seemed to suit him, while he had previously always looked somewhat comic, he now exuded an aura of grandeur. The uniform dripped with Braid, gold buttons, and immaculately polished boots. He had a helmet on the table. It was so addorned with black feathers it was impossible to actually see any helmet, "Well?" he demanded, "I haven't got all day, what do you want?"

-----------

The Cardinal smiled benignly, "You talk just like Artois you know?" that was the surname Caroline was going by this month...

He gave a short chuckle, "She wants so desperately to win, but it was never about that. Call it youth maybe, but I don't think she ever really understood the reason for this rebellion."

He smiled again, he looked very much like a kindly old grandfather in crimson robes, "This was a gesture, nothing more. A wave of the fist to tell Soult that there are still people who disagree. There are people who never believed the lies that he spread about Eamon Collins."

Abruptly he changed subjects, "I take it Artois has found some way to pay you, pawning off bits of Church property she thinks I won't notice no doubt." he seemed to find this vaguely amusing, "There is a man named Alec Deveraux, he was leading the defences of the city, last I heard of him he was rushing to the East front as it was collapsing. Try to find him, if he is still alive."

"I am not a military man, but I will tell you the same I told Deveraux, all war is essentially evil, however we can do what we can to make it less evil. Honour your enemies in defeat, never lower yourself to their standards, protect the innocent at all costs and never forget that the man or woman you kill could have been your friend on another day." despite his age, he could still direct a piercing gaze when he needed to, "Stick to these rules and you have my mandate to do exactly whatever you deem neccessary."

----------

Ground forces returned fire. There were hundreds of the little Saharianas racing about the city, and their 47mm chainguns could make quite a mess of low flying aircraft. The Lancias put up their usual tremendous volley of AA missiles. Dozens had been destroyed during the fighting, but it hadn't seemed to have slowed them down overly. In fact units were on loan from Reserve Regiments, not that replacing them would be a big problem, the trucks were easy to replace, the only thing holding production back was getting enough radar units to fit to them. To the North, Soult was scrambling a lot of fighters. Radars would show he was massing close to 300. They didn't move in to engage, taking off from multiple air strips and just swarmed, probably planning to attack in mass.

----------

"OK." Sahid shrugged, "I take it you have some kind of plan to get men in here?"

----------

"I don't want Vaadian citizenship." Alwood replied as soon as it was suggested. She was still fiercely Dyellian, despite the fact that her country had never done much for her, "Can you sort of understand my predicament here? If I go back, I'll at the very least go to prison, but if I stay with you people I'll end up in all kinds of legal disputes."

She sighed, "I am so tired of being tossed around by fate. Everything seems to be out of my control, and all I really want is to settle down quietly, but nobody will let me." frustration was working its way into her voice, the Deck Boss was about to get a bit more than he'd anticipated, "Everyone uses me, then discards me when they're done. It's my fault for caring. This whole business of sighting in the guns made me feel sick, but I did it for him, I did everything for him, not for Dyelli Beybi, or the Revolution or Ilek-bloody-Vaad. I trusted him, and what did I get for it? A short sentence in the brig."

"'The Retalliatory Guard don't leave anyone behind'" she mimicked Imro, her voice full of mocking pomposity, "Yeah, right. They don't leave you behind provided they still have some use for you. I've had enough of the violence, it's all so pointless..."

She stopped abruptly, straightening her blouse. The offer of assylum had done nothing to lessen her feeling of bitter betrayal, it had only succeeded in making her work herself up into a temper on top of everything else, "Who is this Colonel Beningham anyway? I'll go and speak to him, after that I will go back to Dyelli Beybi. I will make peace with my God, and after that they can do their worst to me, I honestly just don't care anymore."

Mahtan looked down at the gleaming Soult "I'm sure you are, your imperial majesty. My employer decided that it would be best to apprise you of the current situation, as your intelligence has most likely underestimated what is about to happen.

The Cardinal has paid the Bad Hand Mercenary Group LLC, our full contigency fee. Now this means that the full force of our mercenary army, some three hundred thousand men, are now at his disposal to defend his city. There are only a few ways this can end. First, you can withdraw from the city, until the Cardinal can no longer pay us. Second, you can outbid the Cardinal for our services. Third, you can be pushed out of the city and fourth you can come terms with the Cardinal.

I can assure that your Maggiore's threat of millions of Dyellian soldiers does not intimidate us in the least. We have a strong position that come tomorrow will get stronger everyday."

Mahtan then waits to see how Soult reacts.

*****

Cathbad smiles "Well your Grace, you're the customer, we'll do as you ask. I have a man meeting with Soult right now, if you want I can give him a ring and see if perhaps Soult will want to come to terms with you?

If not I'll head off and find Alec Deveraux and co-ordinate the defence. Mind you, we're only paid through the month, so you've got thirty days to decide how you're handling this."

*****

The Spades took the oppurtunity to also hit the Dyellian vehicles with their Carl-Gustav recoiless rifles, this and the furious pounding from the Marathon's only lasted about six minutes, enough time for the two Marathon's that needed to get away to get away, then they melted back into the city and hunkered down.

Caroline's Marathon headed as she indicated although if she wasn't used to pulling 9 G's stright up she might need the air sickness bag. Once at altitude and with the D'Assault active radar cancelleation on the pilots maintained mach speed on a slowly descending arc to their destination.

The co-pilot checked on Caroline as they leveled out. "Are you okay Miss? We should be okay, those Eurofighter's won't catch us unless we have to slow down drastically for some reason."

*****

"Well" the Deck bos continued " If you were given asylum and became a Vaadian citizen it would take an act of the Supreme Judiciary for any legal problems related to your old state to follow you.

Beningham is on his way down, so we can head up you can meet him halfway and then decide what to do, General Imro should be back aboard now as well, so if could yell at him for a change, I would appreciate it."

He lead her back up to the Multi-purpose deck where Beningham and his men were being shuffled below deck and the Marines landed and unloaded.

The Colonel had nothing to say really to the former Cheka agent. Just a sealed envelope with a note inside.

Miss Alwood,

As was part of my mission was to contact you on behalf of the Klatchian Marshals. Unfortunatly, you had departed for the Vaadian taskforce before my arrival. Now that the Vaadians have demonstrated a rather poor grasp of Dyellians once again, I am force to hastily write this note before setting out to try and return to some safety.

However, I have asked Colonel Beningham to convey this message that the Klatchain Marshals in Fasta would like to discuss some recent news with you. Considering your closeness to some of the parties involved, and your unexpected behavior these past few days, the Marshalls would like your insights into some matters. Considering that the side you just bet on has cashed in their chips before the wheel was even moving might leave a bitter taste in your mouth, I should remind you that you are a Klatchian citizen. As such it would seem that you have the legal right to be returned to a safe Klatchian port by the Vaadians.

Discovering that Dyellian sand gets everywhere,

James Bateman, IIS.

Solut looked at Mahtan in much the same way he'd have looked at a talking dog, "Are you trying to say that you think a mercenary company will be able to hold out against one of the largest, best equiped and most highly trained militaries on the Klatchian Continent?"

He chuckled unpleasantly, "You have some nerve coming here and asking for money. Unless you have something constructive to say, this meeting is over."

----------

The Cardinal smiled serenely, "Why ever would I ask to do that? At this stage terms are unnecessary, but wewill discuss when the people of this town begin to suffer unnecessarily."

"In any case my son, I am not your employer, I believe Caroline Artois is." his smile was really quite knowing, "It's funny, I seem to specifically recall telling her not to involve a mercenary company. My memory must be playing up with age."

----------

The city was lit up again, fire from enemy positions drew Artillery fire. There hadn't been anything bar rocket fire from the Lancias to date, but now reserves had been drawn up, and the gunners set about leveling the defences.

Caroline was looking a bit green, "Yes, never felt better." she lied.

"So when I jump out of the plane, I just pull the string right?"

----------

"Sorry." Alwood replied, "Its not you, its this whole situation. I still don't want to become a Vaadian though, and don't see any real reason to go and speak to Imro."

She read the letter quickly, frowning, then called out to the Colonel before he could leave, "How am I going to get to Fasta Benj?"

It seemed she had decided to throw her lot in with the Klatchian Government. It was true she realised, the Vaadians had never understood Dyelli Beybi or its people from day one. It would never have worked, on the outside they may not have looked too different, but the Dyellians and the Vaadians were light years apart in their thought patterns. The Deck Master probably genuinely couldn't understand why she wouldn't want to become a Vaadian citizen, or why very few of the Foreign Guard would either.

The Colonel stopped and blinked, "Fasta Benji? I just came from Fasta, via one of those blimp things the Navy built, seems that the JDF now has a few operating in this theater, damn things have amazing range. And Soult appears he doesn't want to shoot at them. Well at least not yet...but I suppose you could ask the Vaadians to drop you off. Really...I don't know..." Benningham was reading the back of the note upside down. "Er...your ISS?"

The back of the note read a brief message:

"Miss Alwood, you are hearby authorized to end your cover story and acknowledge to the Vaadians your membership in the Internal Security Section of the United Duchies. If they call ISS headquarters your dosier will be provided, it is obvious that you are no longer valuable acting as a member of the Checka."

Of course Alwood was nothing of the sort. But then, it would appear that the Marshals had decided to give Miss Alwood a way out of Vaadian clutches if they happened to be rather grabby about her. (And it avoided the problem of the Vaadians having to recognize the Marshals existance actually)

She turned the note over, reading it herself, "Yes, seems I'm allowed to drop my cover story now." she lied gamely.

"Any chance of getting a lift back in the blimp? You know what the Vaadians are like, just as likely to throw me overboard and tell me to swim it." frankly she didn't trust the Vaadians to actually get her back, in fact she thought them much more likely to assume she was spying and arrest her on the spot.

Mahtan looked non-plussed "Best equipped and highly trained militaries in the Klatch? Vrak is invading? Then you need to seriously consider hiring us."

He said that without a hint of joviality. "We have equipment and resources beyond the puny purchasing power of your state, or even the Federation. Our resources are worldwide and we can draw on any number of men, from any number of nations, mercenary groups and foreign militaries. The BILLIONS of Kronor that his Grace has paid us will insure that this city will stand, for thirty days. You can only lose men and resources by challenging us. Men and resources that you will be pained to replace, we have no such issues."

*****

Cathbad smiles and gets up to leave "Well thank you for your time your Grace. Remember, thirty days."

He then left, just in time to see Soult's return bombardment. Artillery was great for hitting the staic defences, except the Spades moved as soon as the whistle of shells was in the air, they would get hit, but not hard, they were expert at countering such attacks. The Dyekllian artillery would also find themselves counter targetted by the highly mobile Crusader Batteries, which were now full of shells and gas again and ready rock.

Cathbad simply let the Spades rely on his training while gathering up the Cradinal's men, he had no time to look for Deveraux now, if Soult was an astute commander his artillery would be followed by an adavnce to take advantage of the dead or now moving defenders, so he began to set up his counter attack.

He strode out among the re-armed, fed and bandaged Cardinal's men the seven reaming Bendith Reaver's joining him "Come on now lads, that's right with me! Soult is coming, Soult is coming, let's throw him back! In twenty four hours re-supply and re-inforcement will be here, we just need to hold him for that long!"

He gathered them into squads or about 200 hundred each, placed them with a Growler and a Reaver, and waited for his Spades to report adavances and he would order his counter attack in. Classic street fighting stuff really, Cathbad was no pushover.

*****

The co-pilot looked at Caroline and chuckled "That's not a parachute, that's a seat cover. The Boss won't let parachures on board, he says they make us too heavy and the pilot gets sloppy knowing he can bail out. Don't worry, we aren't going down until we land."

He got back to the cockpit where the pilot was now arcing down towards their destination, making serpentinme movements that wouldn't help air sickness, his downward trajectory from his original spike now put the into a powerdive, the mach 1.8 speed of the Marathon was now accelerated to right around mach 3 by the inventive use of gravity. They would be hard to catch and target.

*****

The Deck Boss just shrugs "Whatever." He left Alwood and Beningham to talk as the Ship got underway, apparently the Admiral had decided against waiting and had begun to fire the Main guns to destroy the Foreign Guard's vehicles and then get underway.

"Don't be ridiculous." Soult looked decidedly unimpressed by all the bragging, "So tell me again, do you have any purpose here apart from to irritate me?"

"I was under the impression this was some kind of parley, in which case you and your faction have acted in extreme bad faith by launching an air assault."

----------

Caroline had warned about it, and it was turning out to be true. There wasn't an inch of ground in the city that the Cardinal controled that couldn't be targetted by artillery. Soult's men were conducting a rolling barage, intent on flattening the first three city blocks on all fronts. They were joined in short order by Lancias who were aiming for every flat bit of land an aircraft could park itself on. Soult's first goal was to establish air superiority, and he would do that by hitting the enemy on the ground.

If batteries were hit, it didn't seem to have a huge effect, if anything the barrage intensified, with no sign whatsoever of stopping for an assault.

In excess to this, Soult's men were planning a very nasty surprise for the defenders and population of the city. To the North of town was the water bore that supplied the city with fresh water. The engineers were hard at work, running a pipeline from a waste treatment plan some 3 kilometres away.

----------

"Oh my God..." Caroline wasn't looking especially happy about the whole business, "Who talked me into this?"

It had been her idea, but she seemed to have forgotten.

Mahtan shrugs non-chalantly "Well, I can tell you that when I left for here there was no assault planned. The Boss must have had some reason to launch it. If I can have my satellite phone back we can call and ask him.

My purpose here was to see if some equitable solution could ne reached wherein all parties involved could get what they wanted, with the minimum of bloodshed.

Once again, we've been paid no matter what. So we'll fight if you want to fight, we've no problem with that. Each passing day that you fight you hemorrhage more resources and men and those watching from a distance see weakness in your inability to take a city that you have completely encircled, giving heart to those that maybe think that they should be Emperor, and not you.

But if you're set on your course of action.............."

He trails off and looks bored.

*****

The Marathon carrying the Cardinal's Gold arrived at the Bad Hand's Klatch base, as it was being unloaded Vagraa Straa walked over and grabbed one of the blackened gold tiles and bit clean through it, inspecting the inside of it, making sure it was solid.

*****

Cathbad and his men stayed hunkered down, having seen waht the batteries were targetting he ordered his Mararthon's back into the air, but not to attack, to withdraw. They lifted off and streaked to the East.

*****

The co-pilot looked at Caroline and smiled as he walked over to the wall of the plane and pressed it, it popped open revealing a rack of parachutes. He helped her get one on. He was suprisingly agile in the rocking and rolling jet, he was used to moving around in it while it was doing some fairly extreme maneuvering, the dozens of handles set into the ceiling helped.

"Just kidding, there you go. You most likely won't need it, but if we are hit, I'll blow the top panels of the plane open." he points up "If you see that happen, just undo your seatbelt and you'll be sucked right out, count to seven and then pull the yellow handle, if nothing happens pull the red handle for the backup chute. Okay?"

He pauses as the jet rolls again and then pulls out his map "Now then, where exactly are we landing?"

*****

Colonel Beningham's comment about ISS and Alwood's line of questions brought over several Naval Guard Marines. The Major that led the men over waved to someone and then held out his hand to Alwood "Hand that over, Commissar." he commanded.

They would then notice that the Battleship was now pulling away from the Dyellian hovercraft.

Alwood was definetly worse off. The Retaliatory Guard were not bound by any treaty or convention to honor any ISS agents, and as far as they were concerned having a known Cheka agent in their midst was tolerable, but to have her turn out to be ISS , was not.

Beningham was rushed below deck with his men, while Alwood was detained, again.

"We can get your phone if you want to wait twenty minutes, or you can use one of ours" Soult commented, "Although I fail to see how you regard this battle as a show of weakness."

He shrugged, "You foreigners are odd."

----------

The tiles were solid. It was a testament to how religious the Dyellians were, building the largest volume Cathedral in Klatch and possibly the world wasn't enough for them, they had to make the edifice out of the most expensive materials available.

----------

Caroline looked ill and very unhappy, "I guess that's a relief." she took the parachute from the co-pilot examining it closely, "How often do these straps not work?"

She studied the parachute for a moment longer, before leaning forward and attempting to put it on without getting out of her seat, "Hopefully we won't need it."

She glanced at the map, frowning, "Well as close to the Vrakian border as possible without getting detected, I don't know exactly where, I haven't been this way before."

----------

Alwood handed the paper over without any fuss, she had hoped nobody would overhear anything, but they had and now she was in deep, "Do I get a lawyer?" she asked without much real enthusiasm.

She held out her hands in front of herself, "I presume you're going to cuff me again?"

This was really a nightmare scenario. ISS wanted to prove she was one of them in order (presumably) to secure her release, however the plan had backfired and now it was going to look like she'd been spying on the Vaadians all along.

"I'll wait for my phone. It's secure." Mahtan stated "I didn't say that we saw it as a sign of weakness, I was pointing out that your 'subjects' may see it as a sign of weakness. You are an authoritarian ruler that seized power based on your strength and ability to project authority. Yet now you are engaged against a foe that despite all of your strength , rejects your authority.

Others that were on the fence about your supposed 'strength' may now see that your 'strength' is not all it's cracked up to be and may be encouraged to rebel."

*****

Vagraa Straa nodded as examined the tiles, a young woman came up to side and looked at them, he turned and grumbled.

"Solid, they are all solid! I'll get everyone ready to move."

She nodded "Excellent, have the Reavers get aboard my Grandfather's jet, we'll leave within the hour, have the remainang Spades ready to move tomorrow morning and have all of the Scylla squadrons ready. The gloves are off, get the Hearts and the Clubs set too."

She then walked off and Vagraa Straa began shouting orders and having his planners start pin pointing Soult's airfields around St. Guineford's. He has a plan.

*****

The co-pilot looked at Caroline "Okay, whatever. In that case we'll be ready to land 'somewhere' close to the Vrakian border in about twenty minutes."

He headed back up to the cockpit to inform the pilot of the vague instructions.

*****

The Marines put on the restraints and led Alwood back to her cell, they passed the confused looking Deck Boss on the way down, he didn't say anything until after she was in the cell again.

"Well, I see you've decided to stay for dinner. Would you prefer the ham, or the chicken?"

"I am engaging the Church." Soult replied, there was no hint of expression showing on his face now, "The Church is the most powerful force in this country, one I can only dream of rivaling. Being an outsider you do not fully comprehend what is happening here."

"Were I to click my fingers I could have that entire pesky city reduced to nothing more than a smouldering pile of rubble, but I am showing restraint." he paused, "Give me your terms and I will consider them."

----------

"OK" Caroline replied, nodding, "OK."

She wasn't feeling very well from the trip and fell silent, hunched over, hoping the journey would end soon.

----------

Her sister shrugged then offered the Deck Boss one of her nicer smiles, "I'll pass thanks, I've lost my appetite again... "

"Seems I'm under arrest for being an Alconian spy." she gave a short, bitter laugh, "I'm not, but I don't expect you or anyone else to believe me... I take it there is an unpleasant penalty for espionage in Ilek-Vaad?"

Mahtan smiles to Soult "Well, our terms are that if you pay us what the Cardinal has paid us, plus fifty percent or so, we will leave.

Or you can come to terms with the Cardinal, which I will also help facilitate if you do have any communication with him.

For now a mutual cease fire would be in both sides best interests, as soon as I have my phone I will call my Boss and have him give his and the Cardinal's forces the cease fire order."

*****

The Marathon resumed it's course, diving and maneuvering erratically to keep any radar or pursuers confused and at bay, and to give them a very hard target to hit.

Once they were near the Vrakian border, the pilot located a clear spot that was out of the way, or relatively protected by hills or such and brought the jet in for a very gentle VTOL landing. At this point he and the Co-Pilot unbuckled and headed in the back of the jet.

"Alright miss, here we are." Stated the co-pilot as he opened the rear ramp and helped the pilot pull out the camoflage netting that would cover the jet.

*****

The Deck Boss smiled sympathetically "I'll bring you the ham, you will be hungrty and anyway you need to eat. The penalty for spying is death.

But you are a foreigner, it is rare for the Judicial Lictors to actually execute foreigners they are simply deported with a lifetime travel ban with the warning that the full sentence will be inflicted should the guilty party ever return to the Free Republic."

He headed off to go about his duties.

*****

Meanwhile in Fire Control Admiral Aymara looked over the letter that his Marines had confiscated, as he did General Imro entered.

"Your Commissar was an Alconian ISS agent, according to this, I'm having my Communications Leftenant contact the ISS to verify this."

General Imro frown and looks at the letter himself "I don't believe it..........."

He starts to say something else but a voice interrupts Command General Itzcoatl's face appears on one of the main screens "Your judgement seems to have been in error quite a bit recently General Imro."

Both men saluted as Command General Itzcoatl continues " I have decided that this mess is best sorted out by Retaliatory Guard Command. General Imro, I am stripping you of rank and command until you are returned to Tollan for peer review, I would also expect that you would confine yourself to quarters.

Admiral Aymara, keep all foreign guard in their quarters, I will let Command decide what to do about this Alconian, or Dyellian spy."

"She did help us Sir, despite whoever she was working for , she was on our side." Imro interjected.

Itzcoatl frowns "As were the D'reg dogs. I do not see your point, save your testimony for your Review and the courts General."

With that the screen returns to it's satellite map. Genaerl Imro shakes his head and removes his insignia nad hands to Admiral Aymara "Well Admiral, what rooms are available?"

Soult raised an eyebrow, "And you do not think that paying you out will be seen as a sign of weakness? Ok, you foreigners are strange... or perhaps you just want money?"

He shrugged, "To conclude, it will be a cold day in hell before I pay you anything... terms though are a different matter, although if you break with the terms of ceasefire there will be no further negotiations, ever."

Someone entered with a phone, not the right phone, but a phone. It was cordless, and presumably linked into the headquarters communication equipment.

----------

Caroline looked rather pleased to be back on solid ground, swinging her arms, taking deep breaths of the cold night air, "Right, well thank you very much you guys, I think I can handle things on my own from now on. I'll be back once I've got everything sorted, but you guys needn't stick around."

----------

Alwood smiled, "Thanks, although I might not exactly pick the platter clean... it seems that whichever way I go now the grave opens up in front of me."

She grimaced, "Can't be helped I suppose, thank you for your kindness... would it be too much to ask for some writing material?"

She watched the Deck Boss leave, waiting until he was well out of view before having a quick look around the cell for anything, no matter how small with a sharp edge. Break out she realised wasn't an option, would it be worse to die and have even the Vaadians believe she had double crossed them? or worse to commit the greatest of all sins and take her own life? At least then they might believe her, and she had sold out her country so was going to hell anyway..

Mahtan smiled "I only care what appears to be a sign of weakness when it helps my negotiations. Imagine if you paid us, and tomorrow we throw the Cradinal at your feet? Who would call that a sign of weakness?"

Mahtan looks at the so obviously not his phone "Sorry, if the Boss sees a number that isn't mine, or if I don't two way him, then he won't answer.

We should work out the terms then."

*****

The pilot and co-pilot pulled the camoflage netting over the jet and the co-pilot looked up at Caroline "We can't go anywhere, we don't have enough fuel for a VTOL takeoff, the stunt we used to get you here safe used up our reserves."

The pilot grumbled as he headed back up the ramp and the co-pilot shrugged "So, bring back a can of jet fuel or two when you come, do you need an assault rifle, or anything?"

*****

The Deck Boss nodded "I can get you a pen and a notebook, I'll be right back." He left and rounded the corner and after a few minutes the sound of his walking ceased.

It gave Alwood about a minute and a half to look around before she heard someone approaching, the metal deck made it easy to hear anyone coming. Seconds later General Imro entered the brig , carrying a duffle and minus his helmet and his longcoat and armour, he was also without sidearm, or insignia.

He looked past Alwood and opened the cell next to hers, and quietly set his stuff down, before sitting on the bunk and looking over at her.

"Zara, I don't believe there is possibly anything I can say that would express how sorry I am for all this. My rather spectacular failure has has drug, you and many, many, others down with me."

That was all he said, he looked about to say more but then just hung his head and looked dejected and deflated. Quite a change from his usual posture of confidance and command.

In her minute of searching, it was easy to spot that the springs under the bunk mattress could be worked free and given time bent and broken into many useful tools.

"OK." Solut nodded, then turned to an aide who was hovering nervously by the door, "Go and find what happened to his phone."

"You will be able to talk in a minute." Soult wasn't so proud that he couldn't see a decent idea, "How much has the Cardinal paid you out of interest? You see, that Church..." he waved through a window towards the Cathedral that dominated the Saint Guineford's skyline, "Has soaked up trillions and trillions of Kronors over the years, the tabernacle alone would pay my staff for a year, honestly I couldn't tell you if the budget I have at my disposal could cover what they can offer."

There was a brief pause, "If we do come to some sort of arrangement, the Cardinal must be treated with the respect and dignity he deserves as the spiritual leader of this country. Frankly, if he is harmed the only people I'll have left will be that small band of loyal D'Regs."

Dyelli Beybi was a highly religious society. You fought the Church at your own peril.

----------

"No weapons." Caroline laughed, "I'm going into Port Olympus, where I need to pick up someone who may be the key to victory. It may be a few days though, does one of you maybe want to come with me for some of the way? We can pick up some fuel at one of the towns on the way there."

----------

Alwood had been studiously ignoring the General when he arrived, and pretending she hadn't been searching arond the room. When he spoke though her attitude seemed to instantly soften, she sighed, lying down on her own bunk, "It's not your fault, you didn't force me to do anything." she gave a short embarrassed laugh, "I guess you're the only person who's ever really stood up for me, I should say 'thank you'. You may be the single most arrogent man I've ever met, but you made me feel like I was worth something, rather than being one of Felix's tools."

"You didn't understand Dyelli Beybi when you went in there, nobody understands Dyelli Beybi except the locals. You can't blame yourself for the failure of the Foreign Guard, it was inevitable." she twisted around to look at Imro, a trace of a smile playing across her lips, "They didn't give you a cultural atache as a joke you know, Collins knew from Day One that it was going to be unbelievably hard."

"I'll speak up for you, if they haven't executed me by then." she looked close to tears as she continued, Imro's appearance had had quite an effect on her, "They think I'm an Alconian spy... the Marshalls wanted to recruit me, and I said 'OK', it was a chance to start again... then they had some plan where I was going to say I was with the ISS or whatever the Alconian secret service is called to get through security, but the note got taken off me and now your guys upstairs think I was a plant the whole time."

She shivered, despite the fact it wasn't cold, "Please believe me, I never did anything to betray you, I know it won't carry any weight upstairs, but I just wanted you to know..."

She trailed off uncertainly.

Mahtan nodded "Very well. I would imagine that since the Boss is calling in the Old Man, that they have paid right around six and a half billion Kronors as a retainer.

That is the minimum to to assure that the Bad Hand uses 'maximum force' for a duration of about thirty days. Additional time after that requires more money, of course."

*****
The co-pilot smiled at Caroline "Unless they have jet fuel, I don't think it would do much good. How far away is Port Olympus from here, we have some tents and rations."

*****
Imro nods "I know, I saw the note. Admiral Aymara is contacting ISS to confirm it as we speak. Once it's confirmed you'll be charged with espionage."

He smiles a little "Don't worry, even if you're guilty, they'll just send you home , with a warning not to come back. I've already called General Erdogan, and he'll go to bat for you."

He sighs "Well, you were always worth something to me, I just wish that I had been smart enough to listen to you. It's not your fault, I just assumed that if I did my best, that everyone else would too. Of course those that signed up for the Foreign Guard had different ideas, and you tried to warn me."

He pauses and rubs his hands over his face in frustration "You aren't to blame."

OOC:

I feel like I'm forgetting something?

"You are asking for Thirteen Billion Kronors?" Soult blurted out, "What do you think this country is, made of money?"

"Good grief man, for that price we could build over 2,000 tanks for that amont. For thirteen billion kronors we could flatten this city with rockets and artillery, level every square inch."

The phone arrived in mid outburst, "Make your call." Soult instructed, "I want to know first though, are you here to negotiate, or are you just positioning? If it's the second you're waisting everybody's time."

----------

"A couple of days." Caroline shrugged, "I figured there's probably a civilian airfield somewhere around here."

"I'm not planning to rough it you know." she grinned, "I've got a credit card, and ID. 'Caroline Artois' is a Vrakian didn't you know."

----------

Her sister was silent, for a minute, "I'm dead if I go back to Dyelli Beybi. Even if the blame was yours, I'm not going to let you take the rap."

She smiled, then sighed, "I'll plead guilty, I'll tell them I deliberately gave you bad advice because I was ordered to make sure this didn't work. I'll tell them I manipulated you because it was felt that there shouldn't be a foreign military in Klatch. Your career will be saved, hopefully."

"I don't set the price." Mahtan says non-chalantly "I'm just telling you what the price is. I think that thirteen billion kronors is quite reasonable to end a civil war."

He takes his phone and nods to Soult as he dials Cathbad's number. Cathbad answers and Mahtan puts him on speaker phone.

"Boss I am here with Emperor Soult. He wants to know if I'm here to negotiate honestly, or waste his time?"

Cathbad answers, with the sound of fighting in the background "I try not to waste anyone's time, your Imperial Higness, my boys are saying your men rushed our position first and that they simply returned fire. I'll tell my boys to knock it off, if you tell the same to yours."

*****

Meanwhile back at the Bad Hand's base, the lone Marathin was loaded and ready, it took off and headed at speed to St. Guineford's. It's active radar cancellation was activated and it has no beacon.

The rest of the base was a buzz of activity as mercenaries loaded up and git ready to move.

*****

The co-pilot nods "I better go with then, to see if we can get some fuel."

The pilot refuses to leave 'his' jet and gives them both dorty looks as they head off.

*****

"Lying to a Retaliatory Guard Command review, will only make things worse, even if they let you say anything, which is doubtful."

He pauses as the Deck Boss enters with dinner trays, he leaves them and quickly leaves.

"It's better that you just tell the truth." Imro says with a sigh as he looks over the tray of food.

"I seem to recall an air raid." Soult replied coldly, he didn't seem at all impressed by Cathbad, "I'll offer you 9 billion, which is a great deal more than it would take for me to turn this city into a smouldering pile of rubble."

----------

On the other side of the city, the Cardinal had found his way out of his office, he didn't walk with a cane, but was quite stooped. It wasn't immediately clear why he was wandering around the upper levels of the Palace, levels that were quite liable to get blown open by a shell at any moment, but it soon became clear he was looking for 'Artois'.

----------

'Artois' on the other hand was looking for a service Station. She had packed a change of clothes, as well as a thick wad of Vrakian printed Kronors, "He didn't look too happy." she commented to the mercenary who had decided to accompany her, "What's your name by the way? Thank you for getting me here in one piece, I think I owe you one."

----------

Her sister on the other hand looked a tiny bit put out, "I don't think they could tell... and why wouldn't they, surely I'm a valuable witness for the case?"

She gave the Deck Boss a thankful smile, waiting until he departed before resuming, "From what I can see I'm going to die either way, so why not let me help you if I can? You still have a life in front of you, I don't. Let me be useful for once."

"Well your Imperial Higness, my men reported, and I have staellite images showing that while my Reaver was being sent to 'parlay' that your forces continued bringing in reinforcements and equipment and moving them into position for an assault. I'm not sure who stepped on whom's toes first but some of my lads reported fire, returned fire and then of course I sent up my jets for support.

Check your radars, my jets are gone now, they are headed back to base, so halt your activities and I'll halt mine. If you want a cease fire, but want to continue brining in reinforcements, I will do the same."

Cathbad sounded frustrated for a momemt. " I'm assuming that Mahtan quoted you twelve or thirteen billion Kronors? That is our price to null and void our current contract. I cannot haggle over buyout price, it's set in the Cardinal's contract, and of course he has the right to match it.

Fine then, turn the city to rubble. I don't want the city, win or lose I go home at the end of the day. How much will it cost to rebuild St. Guinefords? Three hundred billion Kronors? Five hundred billion? How much revenue will you lose to have this city destroyed and it's ports unusable for the next ten years? I think that thirteen billion Kronors is very reasonable compared to the alternative."

He sounded confidant in the reasoning behind his argument.

"OR don't pay us a thing and come to some sort of an agreement with the Cardinal, then instead of paying us more, we'll go away when the Cardinal tells us."

*****

Cathbad was upset beacuse of one his men held up a note telling him that the Cardinal was looking for Caroline. A few of Cathbad's men took it upon themselves to guard the Cardinal and keep him safely out of harms way, with the promise that would loacte Miss Artois, if they could.

*****

The Co-pilot smiled "Oh, the captain is never happy, plus he's expecting to be murdered when he's found with the jet." He pauses and adjusts his pack to offer his hand "I'm Sherwin Thales, at your service."

*****
Imro smiled a little "Valuable to the case? You're a foreigner, they'll assume you're lying. They'd gove more weight to my arguments even if I had my brain replaced with a jar of pickled tomatos just because I'm Vaadian."

He pokes at his food a bit "Besides, you won't be dead, if you get a good enough Advoacte you'll walk away with no recommendation for prosecution and back pay for serving as intelligence."

"Ah yes." Soult was smiling, although this wasn't evident to the man on the other side of the phone, "But it would bring me so mch pleasure to flatten this persistently rebellious city to the ground."

"I think you're lying but I won't press the point. Are you saying you want a ceasefire?"

----------

The Cardinal wasn't the most responsive person to being told what to do, "I haven't seen her in a while." he commented while refusing to go anywhere sheltered, "She isn't in her Office."

----------

"If he's found he will be." Caroline commented, "Although I somewhat doubt he will be found, he's in neutral land out there, there's just the JDF and bandits... and probably a few stray Dyellian patrols, we're not very good with borders."

"You can call me Caroline" she offered a smile, "The plan at the moment is, when we hit the road, I am going to find a gas Station or somewhere where I can get changed, then I'm going to hitch a ride North. You can come if you like, although if you look too military they will arrest you, and you really don't want to end in a Vrakian prison."

----------

"Really?" Alwood hadn't touched her food, "I would have thought that that kind of judge would be more than happy to believe that the foreigner was an evil, manipulative slut who misled the good, noble, Vaadian."

She grimaced, "Although you sound like you don't want me to go ahead with this for God alone knows what reason, I'm offering to try to save your career."

A pause, "I don't want backpay, this isn't about the money. If you believe me when I say I didn't betray you, even if nobody else does, then I'll be satisfied."

Cathbad continued "Yes, as I stated , the Cardinal, my employer, has expressed his desire that this conflict end peaceably and without further loss of life. A cease fire would be a good first step to achieving this. I still think it would be a good idea if you were to send a trusted emissary to try and work something out. But of course that is up to you."

"I have been informed that His Grace needs to speak with me, do we have a deal your Imperial Majesty?"

*****

One of Cathbad's aids took the Cardinal to where Cathbad was, assuring him that the Boss would be able to answer his questions and find Miss Artois.

*****

Sherwin smiled "I don't intend to end up in any prison. What does your plan involve after you hitch a ride North?"

He paused and gave her a judicious look "I mean, what do plan to do about Soult, and what would you have replace him?"

*****
Imro laughed "Vaadian Judges would condemn me more for falling for any manipulative foreign slut than they would you, after all you're a foreigner they expect you to manipulate and corrupt me. They would expect that as a Vaadian I was immune to such manipulations."

He nods "I do believe that you did not betray me. Admiral Aymara believes you didn't betray me. The only ones who don't believe it are the ones yet to talk with you........"

He paused as they were interupted, a young Naval Guard Marine Second Leftenant had crept in, and was interestedly eyeing them both as he closed the bulk-head door behind the. The young man paused and pushed back the sleeve of his longcoat, revealing a burnished black bracer emblazoned with a white scorpion. He looked at General Imro as he did it and made a strange comment.

"Kerbals Exarch Imro? Kerbals Sebastor Edlund has asked that I come here and speak with you." He pauses and looks over at Zara "First, what do you want done with your friend here?"

General Imro stood slowly and looked at the young man, dazed.

"You have a ceasefire. For exactly 48 hours." Soult grunted, "Frankly though, I don't see why I should send an Emissary, his Eminence may send one if he so wishes."

That seemed to be an end to things, Soult paused, eyeballing the mercenary in front of him, "Is that all for now? I will consider the options you have put forward."

----------

"What do I plan to do about Soult?" Caroline laughed, "I plan to exile him to Witch's Island where he can spend the rest of his days keeping the albatross colony fed."

She gave Sherwin a sly smile, "Doesn't answer your question does it?"

"I can't give you the exact details yet, but there's a pretty young girl in Port Olympus named Alexia who has the potential to unify Dyelli Beybi... well, mostly unify it."

"People need unity, something they can all relate to" she grimaced, "They don't need democracy by force, and they certainly don't need another despot."

---------

Alwood looked over at what was going on, but didn't move or make an attempt to say anything. When Imro was asked what he wanted done with her, had they been looking at her, they would have noticed her trying to hide her interest in what was being said.

She felt a renewed hope. Maybe Imro would get away from this unscathed, and maybe he would take her with him...

Cathbad shrugged as he went off to meet the Cardinal "Very well, forty eight hours then. I will talk with the Cardinal and see what further steps he desires to be taken. Mind you I am trying to still locate all of the Cardinals alleged troops, so give me an hour or two to find them all and get them to stop shotting at your men.

Keep Mahtan there, I'll call him if I need to call you, or vice versea."

Cathbad hangs up and goes to the Cardinal. Mahtan smiles at Soult "So, what's for dinner, your Imperial Highness?"

*****

Sherwin nodded and looked thoughtful "You mean a return to the Czarist government? Czarina Alexia? That's too bad."



He said it in a way that implied possible impending violence.

*****

Imro narrowed his eyes at the young man "I'm not sure exactly what you could have to offer?"

The young man took a seat " I am Velites Kerbals Adnan. I have spoken with Sebastors Edlund, Velite Field Marshal Edlund, who has spoken to Prince Corum Vaad, May he be Forever Protected, who has spoken with the Minister of Defence, William 'One-Hundredman' Issem who has spoken with Supreme Republican Commander Adan Ring."

He pauses after that mouthful "Prince Corum has requested and received a transfer of your commission from the Retaliatory Guard to His Velites Kerbals, should you accept. This means that there will be no review of your performance in the Retaliatory Guard and you serve as your ancestors have as Velites Kerbals Exarchs and command a Thematae of The King's Own House Guard, the Velites Kerbals."

Imro interuppted "But I have never been a Kerbals, I joined the Retaliatory Guard."

Kerbals Adnan nodded "Yes, but you are a Titled Kerbal, your position is yours by the right and honourary service of your ancestors. There has always been an Imro in the Kerbals, your father, grand father, your cousin , your nephew even your ancestor Kerbals Exarchs Tugrik Imro fought at the battle of Cademon Tor and killed the Tyrant Gelon to secure the Republic from the claims of the Border Princes.

Only the King can revoke your families title, and he has not done so, nor will he. Prince Corum is giving you a way to continue your service to the Free Republic honourably. The blame for your failure lies at the feet of the Dyellian People, and a poorly planned Foreign Guard scheme, it was designed to fail. You should not suffer because you did your best against impossible odds."

He pauses and takes out an envelope "Your signature on these papers will restore your position and your pension and give you what is yours by birth. Servo Quod Servo, Domus Vaad."

Imro takes the papers and looks them over "And Alwood?"

Kerbals Adnan shrugs "That is your choice. If there is no review of you, there will be no review of your underlings, your word that she is not a spy is all the Prince needs to transfer her to the Velites Kerbals as your assistant, or the Prince can speak to Kerbals Lictors Executor Dominous and ask that he drop all charges and allow her to go free as she pleases?"

Imro looks over the papers and over at Alwood and then back at Adnan "I do not like circumventing the law in this manner, I have no problem accepting my failure and my review. I am confidant that any court would absolve Commissar Alwood of any crime."

Adnan nods " I am too, absolve her in what, three years? That's how long it would take to get before the Supreme Judiciary."

Imro looks a bit frustrated "Your narrowing of my options begs the question of what the Prince could possibly want with me? He is expending no small amount of political pressure to have this done."

Adnan shrugs " I am but the messenger."

Imro looks thoughtful.

"Mmph." South grunted as the phone hung up, "48 hours is such a short respite, let me say I will contact you after 24 and renegotiate? Dinner." he smiled wistfully, "The Lord alone knows, no time to set a menu when suddenly I have a rebellious cleric on my hands... You may stay here and dine if you wish. It is impolite not to offer food to one's adversary."

Soult seemed to come from the same school of 'Dyellian honour' that von Scheer did. You could manipulate and double cross as much as you liked as long as you stayed polite.

----------

The Cardinal was waiting for Cathbad. While he had been talking to Soult he had started to say a Rosary which he did not look up from. It took him a further ten minutes to finish the prayer, at whic point he stood up with a somewhat benign smile, "Ah Mr. Cathbad I assume, pleased to meet you... I've been assured by these Gentlemen that you know what has happened to my Head of Intelligence."

----------

Caroline laughed, "Oh Good Lord no... not at all what you're thinking. I'm slightly surprised you managed to cotton on so quickly that I was refering to the last surviving heir to the throne, well done... you are forgetting though, I said we don't need another despot."

She paused turning to look at Sherwin severely, "You may not believe it, but the last Tzar screwed up my life more than you could possibly imagine, and if he was still around I'd be a Baroness."

Another pause, her expression softening again, "No, people want a chance to rule themselves, I want a Constitutional Monarchy in Dyelli Beybi. Something to unite the disaffected aristocracy and all the disaffected citizens of the Republic under one cause... a compromise if you like."

----------

Alwood's interest in what she was overhearing was growing, she sat up, waited for the conversation to peter out before putting in her two cents worth, "General... this sounds like a good thing, I think you should take it."

She paused, "I will say now if you would still want me to follow you, I'll follow you to the ends of the Earth. If I go back to Dyelli Beybi I'll be murdered, and I hate prison, three years, heck I'll be thirty by the time I'm out... If you still want me, I'm all yours."

Mahtan bowed gracefully to Soult "I have not eaten since I have arived, I would be very appreciative of a meal, at your leisure, your Imperial Majesty."

He pauses "Shall I keep my phone? Or would you prefer that your security forces hold it until you require to contact my Commander?"

*****
Cathbad agreed to Soult's demand and met with the Cardinal, he seemed suprised at the question , but answered dutifully, after waiting politely and patiently for the Cardinal to finish his prayer.

"Why your Grace, D'etienne is headed North as planned to gather further support against Emperor Soult."

He paused and scrolls through somethings on his palm pilot "She is aboard my personal Marathon, they should have landed by now, I can contact the pilot if you wish?

Although we have more pressing matters. Soult has agreed to a cease fire, and will call me again in twenty four hours, I would like to have someone who knows what exactly your terms are to end the conflict to negotiate with him, if not to come to a settlement, then to at least stall for about forty eight hours so VS and the rest of the lads can get here.

I also need to round up, resupply and get your men ready for a counter attack."

He pauses and awaits a dismisal or further instructions.

*****

Sherwin looked very judiciously at Caroline as she spoke, she did notice that his right hand lingered near his sidearm, uncomfortably.

He simply smiled and laughed it off " A constitutional monarchy? I would be a bit leery of trusting that. You can train a cat to herd mice, but he's only good at it so long as he's not hungry.

*****

Imro looked grimly over at Alwood "I thought you wanted to return to Dyelli Beybi anyhow and help oppose Soult? You realize that in the Velites Kerbals, you most likely will not get that chance ever again, and if you are accepted into the Velites Kerbals, you most likely will never leave."

He chuckles "It's been what, twelve hundred years and I can't even get away." he looked aver at Adnan.

Second Leftenant Adnan simply looked set and repeated again "Servo Quod Servo, Domus Vaad. Why would you want to 'get away' from the family that has always supported you? Your family has never wanted for anything, even your unemployed relatives receive a stipend from the King, without service. Your own time at King's Park Military Academy was paid for by the King. What you need you shall always have, serving in the Kerbals is a small price to pay."

Imro inhaled deeply and looks over at Alwood. "It does seem to be my only option, are sure it is what you want, Zara?"

"You may keep your phone." Soult waved distractedly at it, "Although if it turns out to contain a secret weapon you won't walk away alive... in fact you will probably be tortured most brutally before being left to die somewhere in the wilderness."

He smile, it was unnervingly pleasant, "We don't like assassins in Dyelli Beybi."

"Give it maybe five minutes, we will get the call. I must know something first. You are a mercenary, yet where do you come from? Where is your company based? It was with great alarm with discovered elves among the POWs. It was all the officers could do to stop the men executing them on sight."

----------

"She's an interesting woman." the Cardinal remarked wryly, "I only wonder which Allies she plans to bring in this time."

He paused, letting Cathbad continue for some time, "I have no terms, except that all fighters on this side of the conflict walk free. Soult will agree. He needs to show leniency towards this rebellion. He can crush the D'Regs as mercilessly as he likes, but if he looks at all unreasonable against the Church he will destroy the core of his support, the Dyellian military."

"So, that would mean for you, that you would walk free with all the money D'Etienne gave you."

----------

Caroline gave Sherwin a wry smile, "Going to shoot me and save the world from another Dyellian Tzar? Here I was thinking you mercenaries didn't care who your pay packet came from."

"Basically Dyelli Beybi has a choice, Soult or poor little Alexia. If they don't get her now, they'll get her later, or someone worse... believe me there are hundreds of petty nobles who can forge some kind of link to the throne. None are as... Socialist as Alexia."

----------

Alwood laughed bitterly, "When there was a Republic I was mistrusted and people tried to kill me... now there's an Empire and people still want to kill me. Why should I go and risk my life for a cause that will probably have me executed afterwards anyway?"

"Dyelli Beybi can look after itself." she offered a slight smile, looking perhaps a tiny bit nervous, "I'd rather be with you, I'd rather leave the military, the police and all that and just be Zara Alwood, but if being with you means I have to apply to join some weird Vaadian military unit, then so be it."

Mahtan simply nods "I'm a Smith, not an assassin. There are no elves in our ranks, Just Bendith."

He didn't elaborate.

"I am not really privy to the companies wider operations, so I'm afraid that I can't answer any of your questions. The Boss may be able to."

Mahtan maintained a polite silence.

*****

Cathbad thought this all sounded too easy, and too retarded. The Cradinal had destroyed the city for, what? He decided not to ask.

"Well, your grace, if that's all you want I'm sure I could arrange it. Are you sure there isn't anything else you'd like to ask for? Soult sounded very interested in ending this, we could squeeze more out of him?"

Cathbad didn't really know what could be motivating the Cardinal.

*****

Sherwin shrugged as he contemplated Caroline " It's your country I suppose. I just wonder what will happen when the masses finally get tired of the incessant in fighting?"

He just keeps walking "I'm sure it really wreaks havoc on property values."

*****
Imro just nodded to Alwood and looked up at Second Leftenant Adnan.

"Okay, hand those papers over, where do I sign?"

Soult shrugged, "They have pointy ears, whatever they may call themselves they look like elves to me."

"That was a personal question for you." Soult continued, "Where do you come from?"

There was still no sign of any food, but a slight aroma of cooking had drifted into the room, implying it may not be far off.

----------

The Cardinal shook his head, "No, it would not do for me to squeeze any more out of him."

He smiled, folding his hands over his stomach, "You don't understand do you? You are not a religious man. This 'war' was never about fighting, it was about bringing Soult to the table, and demonstrating to everyone that there are limitations to his power."

He paused, "There is one other thing, there will be no limitations set upon the size and armament of the Guard. I want Soult to always know they're ready to do it again."

----------

"We're all tired of it." Caroline sounded slightly tense, "That's why we want a compromise. At the end of the day Collins was the only democratically elected leader Dyelli Beybi has had since Palm and that was before most of them were even born."

"Himmler was... sort of." she conceded after a moment, "But there was no real opposition except for the Laroque woman, and there were some really suspicious things with the ballot boxes."

They had walked for quite some distance already, as night approached they could see the twinkle of lights from a distant town. They'd probably be there in an hour or so... "Do you have a change of clothes on you?" Caroline asked, evidently not wanting to raise suspicion in Vrak.

----------

Alwood watched what was going on with that same look of vague disinterest she had been giving the Officer earlier. She waited for Imro to sign the papers before asking, "So what happens to me now?"

Mahtan still did not answer the question of where he was from, but ignored it politely as possible and simply commented

"You may not have time to set a proper menu, but something certainly smells good."

*****
"To the contrary your grace, I am deeply religious, God lives for me every day, and I know that life has not been given to us to throw away." Cathbad responds "Would it not serve you and your faithful better, if say you demand that Soult not only come to the table, but that he say, receives his coronation as Emperor, here in God's cathedral, from you."

He pauses "Make sure that Soult must understand that he is subordinate to God."

Cathbad shrugged "Well,I have twenty four hours before I must contact Soult. I am going to go round up your wayward men. "

He bows and waits a second to see if the Cardinal has something else before leaving.

*****

Sherwin nodded "Well, if you are all tired of it, then you should change it."

He looks off at the twon and looks down at his flight suit "Sorry, this is all I have, I'm afraid it's probably not cutting edge fashion."

*****

As if in answer Second Leftenant Adnan stands and opens Alwood's cell. "You are free. I have a state room ready for both you. No longer are you members of the Retaliatory Guard or the Cheka and as such are guest aboard this ship now."

He opens the bulkhead door as well. "If you would follow me, I will take you to your rooms and you can relax until we are in Costa-Tula in a week or so."

Imro stands and picks up his duffle and walks after Adnan, pausing before Alwood's cell to offer his hand to her.

"Well you know." Soult shrugged.

It was fairly soon after that that a woman of some middling Officer rank entered the room to announce that dinner was served, opening the door for both Soult and Mahtan. Had Mahtan any real knowlege of the country he would realise know she was a anomaly, she was a D'Reg. Although to anyone but someone who'd been in the country for a while the two races looked pretty similar anyway...

She joined them at the table, which had been laid out with fine silver cutlery. While Mahtan was certainly not to know it, Soult always liked to keep a member of Special forces around him to act as both bodyguard and to do odd jobs he couldn't give to anyone else. His last sidekick had been Fraser Morris, who had defected to Brezhnev when Soult rebelled, and was rumoured to have been involved in the plot to extricate Felix Dzerzhinsky. The D'Reg was his replacement, although not as dangerous as Morris she was fiercely loyal to Soult and fiercely anti the D'Reg revolt.

"Tenente Al Mustadi." she introduced herself, "And you are?"

----------

"We are never too old to learn... or hear a good idea." the Cardinal smiled, "That will be added to the deal. I was trying to show a man his place, and what better way to show it than that? Go and find my men. God be with you."

----------
"No not really, it might be suspicious." Caroline looked Sherwin up and down, "Stay here. I'll be back in a few hours."

She was back in three, now wearing jeans, a black top and jacket, she looked every bit the civilian, she tossed Sherwin a bag marked with some Vrakian clothing firm, "Get changed, and come into town. I'm taking the bus to Port Olympus, I don't know what you're planning to do."

The bag had some some men's jeans a checked shirt (which almost certainly wasn't the height of fashion) and a denim jacket inside.

----------

Alwood was looking slightly dazed by her rather rapid reversal in fortunes, she picked herself, smoothing down her skirt before coming out of the cell, "God but I hate prisons, nearly as much as the Gladius."

She was smiling, but didn't take Imro's hand though, instead she flung her arms around him, hugging him fiercely. She was trembling and seemed about to burst into tears, but didn't, "I've missed you." she whispered.

She pulled away, a slight amount of colour working it's way into her cheeks, "Sorry, that was probably quite inappropriate."

Mahtan bowed his head politely to the D'reg woman "I am Mahtan. I am pleased to meet you." he said as he took a seat for dinner.

Mahtan was not very talkative and simply sat politely and quietly.

*****

Back in St. Guineford's Cathbad bowed to the Cardinal "Thank you your grace, I will contact Soult again after I have rounded up your me."

He then stalked off grapping some of the Cardinal's officers to help him reign in any stragglers and left his ooficers to continue re-equipping and preparing the rest of the men for a counter attack, if Soult didn't keep his word and attacked anyhow.

He was tense now, with a resolution so close at hand he wished that at least the black jet would arrive............

*****

Over the waters South of the Gonad Lord Gelon's jet moved silently , it's active radar cancellation and active radar jammers on, it was also flying low , too low for most radar and it's non reflective black skin made it hard to even spot in the darkening sky.

On Board were the Bendith bodyguard of Lord Gelon and his grand-daughter , she looked out the window at the jungles in the distance.

"What sort of elves live in those jungles? The Dyellians always complain about elves infesting their border, but what sort are they?" Visha asked offhandedly.

Gelon made no reply, but sat as still as a statue and Visha smiled "You are right Grand-father, it's hardly worth considering. We're about thorty minutes out, we should prepare to land."

*****

Sherwin took the proffered clothes and changed quickly. Sherwin looked at Caroline as he changed "I'll go with you, I should make sure you get there safely. After all , we need someone in Port Olympus anyhow."

*****

Imro squeezed Alwood back tightly, he seemed to be very relieved for the first time in months. After releasing Zara he turned to Adnan.

"Lead on Leftenant."

Adnan smiled and saluted "As you command, Exarch Imro." He then lead then to one of the Battleship's state rooms in the conning tower, it is very well appointed, thick plush carpet, two bedroms two baths, an office a living area and a dining area. It seemed too luxurious for any warship.

Apparently Soult's snipers had done an admirable job of picking off the Cardinal's officers. There were a mere half dozen around the compound in a fit state to wander out and round up men (with the exception of the HQ staff who were working flat out trying to figure out what had actually happened over the last few days).

Around the front it would turn out there were quite a few men or women (all Dyellian) who had deserted from Soult's army and taken up with the Church. In areas the deserters outnumbered the actual soldiers. In one particular camp a trio of Voltiguers skipped across no man's land with a white flag even as Cathbad was passing through.

----------

Caroline had turned around to let Sherwin change with some element of privacy (although he'd probably notice she was still watching for any quick movements out of the corner of her eye), "You want to come to Port Olympus? I thought you just wanted jet fuel?"

She laughed, "It's alright, we're in Vrak now, we're out of the war zone, I'm more or less safe, but if you need someone in Port Olympus I won't turn down the company... why o you gys need someone there?"

----------

Her sister meanwhile was wearing the look of someone who'd just woken up out of a bad dream, a vague smile on her face, "Mmm wow, looks like something from the Royal Navy."

The Dyellian Navy at the time of the Tzar had been well known for the sumptuous living conditions the Admirals and Commodores enjoyed onboard.

"Seems like you're suddenly very important." she looked around the room, not really taking it all in, before turning back to Imro, "What do I call you now... Exarch?"

"What is that?" she gave a slightly sheepish smile, "Call me ignorant, but I've never heard that title before... Do you mind if I ask what happens now? I mean it seems everything has worked out for you, but what about me, what happens to me?"

"I trust you." Zara continued, sounding like she meant it, "What are you going to do with me?"

Cathbad shook his head and rounded them all up, deserters and all, getting them back behind the defensive lines set up by his 'Spades' and getting them medical attention, food and ammunition or new rifles if they needed them, he also took aside any deserter officers to try and get information on Soult's positions and troop strength.

He would try to pinpoint a weak area to make his main counter attack , if it was necessary.

*****

Sherwin didn't seem to notice or care if Caroline watched as he changed "Jet fuel? I'll need a tanker truck, it's not like I can just fill up a gallon can of it and take back to the jet. Unless you can somehow commandeer that, I'll go on to Port Olympus, I doubt I'd be very welcome in Vrak, having entered illegally."

*****

Imro look s around at the cabin, impressed as well and looks back at Zara

"Well, I'm not entirely sure what happens now. I do know that as an Exarch I have command of five Thematae, or two thousand five hundred, Kerbals.

If I have the position as my father I will also have command of the Avanc Fortress near the Temz river and command of the Temz River Armored Division the Issem-Ford, Haddeon Heights and Trozen tank killer divisions as well as the 18th through 23rd Velite Infantry divisions."

He walks over to the sofa in the sitting room and takes a seat. "Exarchs in ancient times were the 'landed' Kerbals, in as much as they were responsible for defending and taxing a specific area of the King's Realm. My family always guarded the Trozen area from the Avanc fortress overlooking the Eastern approach to Great Lassic. So, I imagine that is where I'll be sent.

You're more than welcome to come along, if you like. I think you should get used to deciding what you want to do, you don't have to do what I tell you."

Soult's defences around the city were set up in three layers. The front line, a second line some hundred metres behind, and finally flying Batallions that could be thrown at any point where it seemed the Cardianl might be cracking the line. There weren't really any weak points, but there were points where an attack would work better. In the East of the city, a large wealthy suburb lay half a kilometre from the bay, Racaia. Racaia had become wealthy because it lay on a hill which gave the residents spectacular views of the harbour. Taking Racaia would allow the Cardinal's Army to overlook the defences to the North and more importantly, to the South (the Bay) as well as getting a good view of the road that Soult's men would need to travel along to reinforce the Bay Defences.

Taking Racaia, Soult's men reasoned, would allow them to punch a hole in the line along the Coast, although they hadn't thought of what they might do next.

----------

"Nah... you won't. Then again, so have I." Caroline replied to th talk of entering Vrak illegally, "I'm taking the train to Port Olympus from down there."

She nodded back towards the town, "Join me if you like, and try not to look too suspicious, I've only got papers for one."

----------

Zara sat down next to Imro as he finished speaking. She looked up at him, a slight smile on her face, "you know... I never really had to do what you told me. You went out of your way to help me though when nobody else cared... except for that obnoxious CID detective. I did things, like that little expedition to Saint Guinefords, because I thought you wanted me to."

"I'll come along with you, I don't have anywhere else to go, and I can't exactly retire." she grinned, although the look in her eyes betrayed the fact she was worried about what the future held, "Seems all I own now is what I'm wearing... and any of my personal stuff that got moved off base before you pulled out."

"So... what can I expect since I've already decided to come along with you?"

Cathbad set his mind on how to take Racaia as he gathered up all the stragglers and set his officers to task at getting them all together. He also decided that it was time to give Soult a call, he was very upbeat, especially considering the desertions, which were never a good sign.

*****
Mahtan looked mildly suprised as his satellite phone rang. He reached for it slowly so as not to alarm anyone and answered it, listening quietly, before handing it over to Soult.

"It is Colonel Cathbad, for you, your Imperial Majesty."

*****

Sherwin nodded to Caroline again "Okay, I'll do my best." He dutifully followed her lead.

*****

"Well " Imro began looking thoughtful "Have you considered Vaadian citizenship? If you want to go that route, joining the Velite Guard would be the place to start, and it would put money in your pocket. I could request that you serve in my command. Or we could even talk to the Velite General, I'm sure his investigators would reward you handsomely for helping them identify Cheka agents in the Free Republic.

You of course can't join the Kerbals, yet, that's only for family."

"Mmph." Soult grunted, not seeming thrilled that someone has disturbed his meal with a phone call.

Al Mustadi instead took the phone, aparently anticipating a less than cordial response from her leader, "Tenente Al Mustadi." she answered, "Speaking for his Imperial Highness, how can I help?"

----------

The trip to Port Olympus was uneventful. Apparently they hadn't excited any great suspicion. Caroline was a mystery, never really revealing much about who she was or what she was up to. Whatever it was was bound to be somewhat covert. Almost certainly the authorities in Port Olympus would be most interested in who she was...

The train rumbled on into the night. Morning would dawn as they reached the Capital of Klatch.

----------

Zara nodded along not looking especiallythrilled by the idea of any kind of military work. It was what she was qualified to do, although she seemed keen to go along a completely different path.

"Yet?" she gave Imro an unreadable smile, "I don't think my geneology is about to change, you'll need to clarify that."

Cathbad looked at the phone before replying to Al Mustadi "You could help by putting his Imperial Highness on the phone, but if he is otherwise indisposed inform him that I have rounded up all of the wayward troops of the Cardinal's and he has given me his terms that I may negotiate with his Imperial Majesty to end the fighting and give your Emperor the legitimacy he so badly needs.

If you could also ask him what I should do with his deserters. They seem to be streaming over to my side under white flags faster than I can keep up with. I'm inclined to keep them, they seem overly eager to fight for His Grace, against their own Emperor. Sounds mad to me, but you Dyellians seem to only be happy when fighting, like an old married couple............"

*****

Sherwin dutifully followed Caroline's lead and seemed to much more astute at espionage and not being noticed than a career pilot should most likely be.

*****
Imro not skipping a beat or appearing the slightest bit shy about saying it simply stated "Well, if you were to marry me, you would be an Imro, not an Alwood, and you could most certainly serve in the Kerbals. Although I woudl want to run that past my daughters first , to make sure they didn't mind."

It was probably as close to being sentimental that Imro was capable of being.

Al Mustadi grunted, then covered the phone, repeating it all back to Soult. There was a brief discussion at the other end, then, "The Emperor says he'll ring you back after dinner... so give him an hour."

Soult had said 'shoot the deserters' in the background, but the D'Reg was editing his words somewhat, "Do what you want with the deserters, until we come to negotiate they are somewhat irrelevant."

----------

Caroline had booked tickets in a sleeper, taking the top bunk and going to sleep without any difficulty or sign that she was in the slightest bit nervous of the situation. The Vrakian countryside rumbled by, not too unlike the Dyellian in the South of the country, but not blighted by war. The miles rolled by. soon Port Olympus would greet them, and whatever it was Caroline had in store at the far end.

----------

Zara nodded gravely, looking very serious for a moment, before offering a slight smile, "I guess you already know I'd say yes if you did ask."

"I didn't think you'd actually consider it though, what with me being a dirty foreigner and all." she offered another slight smile, "What do you think they'll make of me? I don't imagine I'm what you usually bring home... unless you make a habbit of collecting foreign spies and assassins."

"I like you." she prodded Imro in the chest, "You care, under this callous, brutish exterior, and I'll do anything you asked me... even if your daughters hate my guts."

Cathbad chuckles "Well, if they are irrelevant, I'm arming them! I'll wait for his Imperial Majesties call with baited breath. Thank you."

With he hangs up and prepares his forces for a counter attack, being careful not to shift positions or appear threratening. He made sure his artillery were zeroed in on Racaia and his growlers were ready to pounce. He formed the main attack forces up of the Cardinals men and the deserters, leaving his men in their previously entrenched positions.

He then waited.

*****

Imro chuckled "No, no, I normally don't bring home spies and assassins. It's not like I have to tell them that, what you did before I met you is none of their concern."

He puts his arm around Zara's shoulders "Well, let's wait until we get back to Lassic before we decide anything.

Soult finished his dinner before calling back. In theory Mahtan would have been al;lowed to leave, but he'd probably rather stay considering Soult chose to use his pohne to call Cathbad wat, "Pierre Soult here." he announced as soon as he had established he was speaking to Cathbad, "What is he urgent business that will establish my legitimacy. I always though legitimancy was earned down the barrel of a gun, but anyway, fire away."

----------

"You don't need to panic just yet." Zara grinned, that familiar sparkle back in her eyes, "I'm not going to go crazy or anything... I'm just letting you know what the answer would be if you did decide to ask.

She sighed, leaning back against Imro's shoulder, "Can I ask you a favour? I don't know if I've told you, but I swore a long time again that I'd never kill again, I've had more than enough violence... how much do you reckon it would cost me if I wanted to get a degree? So I could get some kind of job that didn't involve me shooting people."

---------

Port Olympus... Caroline led the way through the weaving Canals to a nice two storrey terraced house in a pleasant, but somewhat faded area of the city. The area was still nice, but cracks showed on the white plastered walls of the house and the houses on either side.

She knocked on the door. There was a hole to look through. There was movement behind the "Baroness." A man in a black uniform opened the door and bowed.

"This is Mr Sherwin, a friend of mine." Caroline replied mysteriously, show Mr. Sherwin to the lounge please, who else is here?"

"The Earl of York and Viscount of Lower Brumby... and of course the Princess." the man replied.

"Oh good. Pass my regards, I to the Earl and Viscount, I assume the Princess is in her room?"

The man nodded, "Yes my Lady, she is there."

Caroline vanished down a corridoor while Sherwin was shown into a small sitting room. Two elderly men were seated in arm chairs, apparently discussing cricket results. Another man in the black uniform stood behind them, sporting a Dyellian made 'silent pistol'. He looked suspiciously at Sherwin, weighing him up as a potential threat.

"May I present Mr Sherwin." the first uniformed man announced, "Aquaintence of the Baroness of Penrose."

"Have a seat." one man motioned to another arm chair, "Do you follow cricket Mr Sherwin?" he asked hopefully.

Cathbad didn't debate Soult's comment about legitimacy, but simply explained his position. "The Grace wishes that all fighting should cease, and combatants on all sides be pardoned and allowed to return from whence they come unmolested. He will also accept you as Emperor so long as you have your coronation ceremony, here at his Cathedral and allow him to preside over the ceremony, to affirm for his flock that will rule as a good, christian Emperor."

*****

"Well, a degree would technically cost you nothing. If you do become a Vaadian citizen you will be required to serve a year in the Velite Guard. If you save that salary you will have enough to pay for any schooling so long as it's not at a top flight private college. Of course if you have aversion to killing, the Velite Guard are also mail-carriers, employess at the Bureau of Motor Vehicles, investigators, prosecutors, governmental assistants and so on, there are more non-combat roles in the Velites than combat ones."

He sighs "Or if you live as a resident alien, or refugee, we'll have to see what we can arrange. "

*****

Sherwin nodded politely and took a seat. "Cricket? I'm afraid not. Rugby is more the standard where I come from."

Soult was silent for a while, then grunted, "OK, sounds like a reasonable start. Tell the Cardinal to send over an emissary tomorrow and we'll beat out an agreement."

"Was there anything else?"

----------

"Maybe I will." Zara looked tired, but happy. She closed her eyes, leaning heavily against Imro, "I can't ever go back to Dyelli Beybi, so I guess I might as well not remain an alien... Don't know if I'll ever get the accent though."

She laughed briefly, "Take me where you will. I won't pretend I'm not nervous about all this, but I'll follow you, I'm safe with you."

She fell silent, her breathing slowing as she began to fall asleep.

----------

"Rugby, what?" one man remarked, "Are you a peer Mr Sherwin?"

Whatever Sherwin may have replied, there was a sudden bout of shouting and swearing from upstairs. A door slammed.

"That would be the Princess." the other man remarked dryly.

Caroline entered the room a moment later, she looked livid, a bright red hand print on her left cheek, she wasn't wearing her glasses either. Nevertheless she managed to pull what approached for a curtsey when you were wearing jeans, "Earl, Viscount."

It was unlcear who was who, one flat out ignored her, the other nodded vaguely, "Baroness."

"I thought." her voice held barely suppressed anger, "That when I left the Princess was in a fairly amicable disposition. However I return to realise she is not. What has occured to put her in such a mood?"

The man who had acknowledged Caroline's existence grunted, "Know your place Baroness. It was felt that the Princess must marry."

Her eyes narrowed dangerously, "Who have you married her to?"

"You will not question your betters." he snorted, picking up a newspaper from the table.

Her eyes narrowed more, she nooded to Sherwin, jerking her head towards the door, then left the room.

Cathbad thought for a second "No , that should about do it. I will go inform His Grace."

He then did just that, he head back to the Cardinal's office to apprise him that Soult had agreed, at so far and now an emissary from the Cardinal was required to seal the deal.

*****

Imro simply nodded and then waited as Zara drifted off to sleep before carrying her to bed.

*****

Sherwin just sat silently, watching and listening at the commotion being caused, or that had been caused. When Caroline motioned he got up and followed her out , pausing and nodding to the 'royals' "Good day, gentlemen."

He followed Caroline out "Well, that seems to have gone well." He said with more than a hint of sarcasm. "Do you have a plan B? I told you we should have brought assault rifles."

The Cardinal was more than happy with the plan, the next morning, an emissary would go over to Soult and work out a deal. It was possibly among the most bizzarre wars in the history of Klatch. Within a week, Soult would see himself being crowned under the enormous spire of Saint Guineford's Cathedral.

One person who would not be present was Caroline, "Quiet." she snapped at Sherwin, of course we have a plan."

She stormed up the stairs knocking on a door, and opening it without waiting for a reply from inside. She ducked as a vase hurtled through the doorway to smash against the wall behind her, "Calm down." she demanded agrily, ducking inside.

The woman inside, sitting on the edge of a single bed was young, slim, fine features, black hair and dark eyes, she was a typical Dyellian, "Calm down?" she hissed, "You kidnap me, drag me to some hell hole in Port Olympus, and just when I'm begining to listen to what you're saying, you trip off and some fat head decides I'm to marry his inbred son..."

"Wait." Caroline interupted, "Not married yet?"

"Not until Tuesday." the other woman glared angrily at Caroline and Sherwin in turn.

"Mr. Sherwin." Caroline rounded on him, ignoring the other woman entirely for now, "You mercenaries like money do'nt you? If I told you that sitting on that bed was several billion Kronors, what would you be willing to do to get yours hands on it?"

Cathbad seemed pleased, and told his men to prepare to leave, he wanted to be gone before any coronation took place if at all possible.

Sherwin watched the preceedings with great interest and some amusement. Sherwin nodded at the mention of money.

"Sure, who do I have to kill?" He said a bit too eagerly " If it's those guys downstairs, It'll be easier done than said."

"Kill?" she smiled blankly, "No, no killing."

She had turned, her back to the other woman, she mouthed at Sherwin 'grab her and gag her', hoping that he'd be able to read her lips well enough to understand what she wanted.

Sherwin seemed to know exactly what to do, he moved like a very well trained fighter, he used Caroline in front of him to hide his initial movement so that he was on top of the Princess likely before she realized he was moving.

He seized one hand, putting her in a wrist lock and forcing her up as he stepped around her and slipped his forearm over her mouth, the meaty part of his forearm, where a bite wouldn't be as painful and any scream would be smothered. He left her other arm free, simply torquing painfully at her other arm if she tried to strike him.

As he manhandled the Princess he looked around "I'm not exactly carrying a ball gag and handcuffs, find something to tie and gag her with."

"Careful." Caroline was hopping from one foot to the other, looking more agitated than she usually did, "She's a Chekist... or was..."

She started rifling through the other woman's draws, who coincidentally wasn't putting up any resistance, in fact she seemed suspicously calm. Caroline tossed a couple of blouses at Sherwin, "Use these... and please don't hurt her."

"This is for your own good Alexia." she explained to the Princess, the person who she seemed keen on appointing Tzarina of Dyelli Beybi, but who right now she was having kidnapped.

Sherwin did his best to bind the 'Czarlet' as quickly and without as much of a fuss as possible. He gagged her first with his free hand before using both hands to tie her up and throw her over his shoulder.

"Okay, now what?" He said as he looked to Caroline.

The young noble didn't lift a finger to resist what was happening to her. Although Caroline didn't realise it, she would have come along willingly. She had never been at all interested in the Tzarist movement and saw it as suicidally stupid to be their figurehead. She'd have done anything to get out of this house, and wasn't about to impede her removal...

"Umm." Caroline didn't seem to have really thought ahead, "Go straight to the end of the Coridoor, follow, quickly!"

Caroline led the way, her eyes darting about for any Guards. None appeared. The coridoor ended at a window that looked like it would open wide enough to fit through. It was a one storey drop into a flower bed from there, "She'll survive the fall." Caroline pronounced.

Apparently Alexia wasn't so certain, suddenly squirming and desperately mumbling something incoherent into her gag.

Sherwin follows Caroline and then looks incredulous as Caroline open the window and makes her proclamation. He pauses as Czarlet squirms, holds her tighter, and draws his 9mm.

"Maybe if she jumped, but not all tied up and thrown out, survive maybe, but with a few broken bones, how about plan C. You go tell the blue bloods that I've kidnapped the Tzarina, because, uhm, well because I'm a bloodthirsty monery hungry savage, and quite possibly insane. You lead the guard back up to her room, where you open that window and say I took her out of there, meanwhile I double back around and leave via the front door."

He pauses and chambers a round pointing it at the Tzarina's head "and if there is a guard at the door, I have a gun and a hostage."

Caroline took a moment to consider it, nodded, then shook her head, "Only one staircase, you'll get caught, and if we start shooting in here it will bring the police crawling out of the woodwork."

"How about I go down first, then you can untie her and let her make the jump herself then follow behind." she was fairly keen on the idea of heading out the back.

Sherwin didn't think about it for too long and then shrugged "You're the boss."

He re- holstered his gun and quickly untied the Tzarina's hands , but held her firm as Caroline went of first. He waited until Caroline was out and out of the way and then 'helped' the Tzarina out after her.

Caroline it seemed, hadn't been listening to her own advice on keeping an eye on the former Chekist. The girl landed and rolled to her right with suprising speed, tearing her gag out even as she did.

Caroline had frozen, seemingly uncertain over whether she should run or try to overpower the girl again, a scream or yell would bring armed persons flooding out of the house. Before she had an opportunity to make up her mind, or Sherwin had an opportunity to jump on her again, the younger woman raised her hands in a placating gesture, "Don't panic." her voice was barely above a whisper, "You didn't seriously think I'd go running back to them do you? Caroline... you owe me an explanation... as usual." she sounded a lot calmer than she had upstairs, "And who's the brute?"

Caroline paused, it would be so much simpler if she'd had her gagged and trussed up, Alexia ap Adam was a very convincing young woman, and also something of a Communist, who hated the monarchy and had no intentions whatsoever of actually becoming Tzarina. She had worries that if the girl talked too much, Sherwin might start to get ideas...

"Can we talk when we're safer? Please?" she darted a glance at Sherwin, hoping he'd find some way to grab Alexia when her back was turned.

Alexia's eyes followed the glance, her eyebrows rising suspiciously, "Oh relax, I'm going with you although I'd rather not be tossed around like a sack of potatoes. Plus, your sidekick has a gun."

"I don't think we've been introduced." she continued, dark calculating eyes locking on Sherwin's, she held out a hand, "Inspector Alexia Baldwin."

If he was going to do anything now would be the moment. Both women were banking on him doing different things...

Sherwin landed heavily next to the two ladies, just in time to hear the 'brute' comment. He looked at Alexia as he straightened up "I'm no brute, I'm pilot." He said smugly.

Sherwin looked at Alexia's hand and his own hand went back onto his gun "Very pleased to meet you, I'm Sherwin, now unless your next words are 'I'll double what she's paying you' I'm afraid we have to get moving."

"Depends on what she's paying you..." Alexia cocked her head to one side inquisitively, "But no you are right, we should move. Just please try to refrain from tying me up."

Caroline didn't looked pleased, but shrugged, opening the back gate. They were free. Tzarist security it seemed was about as tight clowns' shoes...

Carolie had an apartment on the other side of town. Nothing much would happen for the next few weeks. Caroline wanted to form an Army and attack Soult with Alexia as it's figurehead. Alexia just wanted to be left alone, and without the force to back it up, it turned into day after day of trying to convince the stubborn young socialist to accept her birth right.

At one point gold arrived from Saint Guineford's, "The rest of your people are going home." Caroline told Sherwin, "You can go with them, or I will hire you on as a bodyguard for Alexia."

She sighed, "God help her but the girl doesn't get it. She thinks everything will be OK when she gets back to the Cheka. They'll kill her just so there are no heirs left, but she doesn't believe me. I just need someone to keep her alive."

Sherwin smiles "I'll stay and watch her. I'm sure it pays better than being a pilot?'

*****

Sherwin does his best and waits until Caroline is out of earshot and Alexia and him are alone, and he begins dropping hints for her.

"You know You are both right. The Dyellians need someone to unify them against Soult, who will kill you just to legitimize his claim as Emperor. You are right as well, your nation doe not need a restoration of the Tzardom or the aristocracy, but who better to lead them to that than a socialist, democratic heir to the throne who can shepherd her people to a better future?"

Alexia Baldwin/ap Adam depending upon the company she was keeping eyes Sherwin suspiciously, "Oh yeah, maybe. You know for a while I listened to Caroline and her stuff about a Constitutional Monarchy. The question is how?"

"Before hand she had the support of those flea bitten blue bloods." she was forgetting her own aristocratic lineage, "Now, she has nothing, just me. She needs an army. A really big army, and those don't grow on trees."

"And besides." she added, "I'm not arrogent enough to call myself Tzarina or any such nonsense. I don't believe in birth right."

Sherwin smiled, sensing he could make a breakthrough. "You don't need an army, yet. You just need someway to tell the People of Dyelli-Beybi what no one in power has ever told them, that they have the right to self determination.

There are people that can help. Your people just need someone to tell them that they don't need someone like Soult, and then someone that has the courage to lead them to something better. It doesn't take birthright to do the right thing, but you specail status means that more than a few of your people will listen to you."

"Possibly." Alexia nodded, "Possibly, you see the last democracy was doomed to fail because it alienated such a large percentage of the Population. Just look at myself and Caroline. Both Chekists, but if it had ever really come out who were were we'd have been shot."

She shrugged, "Of course some of them knew, Felix knew who I was, although he may not have known the full details."

Alexia was illegitimate, however the Dyellian inheritance laws followed the Welsh model which meant that every child inherited equally, including illegitimate ones... The odds were that after Richard had died, the two sons would have fought one another in a bloody civil war for control of the country. The Tzar had tried to remove his daughter to prevent it becoming a three way struggle.

"Although you forget, Soult has the Army. There is nothing I can do against that. They'll just arrest and shoot me if I set foot in Dyelli Beybi..."

She paused, cocking her head to one side thoughtfully, "Unless you've thought this through. Who are these people you're speaking of?"

In fact Caroline had also made a breakthrough. They would discover soon exactly what the breakthrough had been...

Sherwin smiles "The army. Dictators need the army, statesmen need the People. How big is the Dyellian army? Ten million? Twenty five million? Out of billions? You need only convince the People, gain their trust and the army melts away.

He quickly looked around and lowered his voice.

"I'm talking about the Institute. The Coventry Institute of Democracy. The technology to make sure that your message is heard, the money to organize those within Duelli Beybi that support you and the type of long term support that a fledging democracy needs to suceed."

He sat quietly and waited to see what Alexia would say.

Alexia smiled vaguely, "Oh Vaadians..."

It was unclear what her views on Vaadian were, she didn't elaborate further, "And why would this Institute listen to me? And how an I supposed to prevent myself getting assassinated?"

"The problem with your plan is Dyelli Beybi has very tight gun laws. People are frightened of the military, what they believe in private doesn't give them any will to act. If they do act, and the army doesn't approve, there could be a massacre."

"At the very least I'd need some kind of bodyguard, no offence, I'm sure you're very good, but you're only one person."

She paused, "Not that I'm dismissing your idea, no, I'm sure it has merit, but I don't even know how to contact these people... do you perhaps?"

Sherwin smiled "I don't, but I know that Caroline's friend Mr. Johnson does. He's in Cyro already. I'm just trying to help flesh out your options, you can only hang around here so long. Even the tightest gun laws have ways of being circumvented, especially in an enviroment like Dyelli Beybi now, it will be months before Soult and the authorities will be able to fully operate and consolidate power sufficently to cut off smugglers and the like."

"Who?" Alexia looked confused, "I take it this is some contact she's made through the Cheka."

She shrugged, "OK, I'll meet this guy if one of you two can locate him."

Caroline returned shortly after. She had a man with her. He was wearing a beige trenchcoat. He took it off in the hall, hanging it up tidily, producing a military cap from his pocket. The uniform he wore underneath was khakhi green, with some gold braid around the left shoulder. Fairly unremarkable. Alexia's eyes though were glued to the cap. A small insignia of a skull and hour glass was pinned in the centre, "Remind me to ask you Caroline where you dig these people up from."

"Your Highness." the man's eyes were so dark they were almost black.

He knelt. She stepped forward, taking his hand, "Don't kneel, citizen... look at me."

"Your Highness." he stood, and appeared about to say more before he was cut off yet again.

"No Highnessing." she shot a glare at Caroline over the man's shoulder, things were about to change, "You can call me Miss ap Adam, or if you're feeling daring Alexia, but never Highness."

She turned again, to Sherwin, "This, Mr Sherwin is Inquisitor...?"

"Mortimer your ap Adamness." the Inquisitor replied.

"So Caroline." Alexia continued, ignoring the Inquisitor's attempt to stop 'your Highnessing' her, "You found us an Inquisitor, I take it from that you probably have the Orders as well?"

Caroline nodded, eyeing Alexia suspiciously, it was clear she didn't like this break with the status quo.

"All ready and rearing to refight old Battles are we?" Alexia asked the Inquisitor.

He nodded, "With your permission of course."

"You will get my permission." there was a gleam in her eyes, a gleam that said she knew exactly what she wanted to do now, "But first there are going to be a few changes..."

Although it would have gone above Sherwin's head, Alexia had just been handed power of a very different kind. Spiritual power. She would need more than that to defeat Soult, but it was a start.

Sherwin smiled "Caroline has his cell number, I've been told."

After that he looked lost at the Inquisitor and the whole rest of the situation.

"Uhm, pleased to meet you, Mr. Mortimer."

"The pleasure is all mine Sir." the Inquisitor replied crisply.

"Caroline. Get the Inquisitor something to eat from the kitchen. Then you can phone your friend Mr Johnson or whatever and tell him to come here."

Caroline looked at the younger woman as if seeing her for the first time. It looked like she was about to argue, then suddenly she smiled, "Yes... of course."

"Mr Sherwin, you looked puzzled." Alexia grinned as the pair departed, "That my friend is a relic from close to 30 years ago during the first republic, although how old does he look to you, twenty five? thirty? Far too young to have been one of the original Inquisitor Guard, an Inquisitor's son perhaps?"

"I assume you know how the Cardinal has his own army. It used to be a series of small 'Orders', before that it was those guys. When the Tzar tried to make his own Church, the Inquisitors were turned into the Orders, then they were more or less destroyed in the last Civil War which is why I'm guessing there are Orders hanging around as well."

"He's better than the Orders though, the Orders were Protestant, he is a genuine Catholic Warrior of God. God alone knows why they still exist."

She crossed herself and turned her gaze skyward, "Thank you."

She paused, eyeing Sherwin, weighing him up, "So Mr Sherwin... what do you get out of all this? You're a mercenary. I'm not paying you, Caroline is, why bother with me? What is your agenda?"

Sherwin shrugs non-chalantly "Well, Caroline might be paying me now, but her money seems to be all ill-gotten, and funds like that tend to run out abruptly. I'm just hedging my bets that if I help you , when you are in a position to do so, you'll repay my help."

*****

Meanwhile in Cyro, Mr. Johnson had done his best to blend in as a typical Dyellian entrepeneur and was interested in starting some profitable concerns. The Bad Hand Mercenary Group had given him quite a sizeable kick back for providing them with a very lucrative and easy job and he was parlaying that into legal business ventures in Cyro.

Other than that he was simply laying low and soaking up the local color, becoming more and more native everyday.

"Repay mm." Alexia smiled connivingly, "What form would this repayment take... more money? Also, how do you know it would mannifest itself, you're putting an awful lot of trust in someone you've barely met."

"Then again..." she added, "I'm putting an awful lot of trust in a mercenary."

She was sharp when she actually decided to speak rather than sit silently and let the world wash over her...

Caroline meanwhile was ringing 'Johnson', she waited for an answer before launching into her story;

"Hi Mr. Johnson. How are you? Caroline Artois here... I've got an interesting story for you. Now would you believe a Mercenary I've brought with me up to Port Olympus reccommended to the last heir to the Dyellian throne, that I ring you on her behalf to help her get in contact with some 'Institute of Democracy'."

It sounded crazy when she said it aloud...

Sherwin smiles"Caroline said you were worth alot, maybe worth all of Dyelli Beybi."

Luke Johnson answered immediately "Ah, Caroline, what took you so long? Did Sherwin just mentioned all this now? What am I paying him for. You mean the Coventry Institute of Democracy? Does this mean you've given up your Tzarist inclinations?"

Mr. Johnson sounded as though he were laughing at Caroline, he'd obviously planned this well in advance, although he thought that Caroline would be calling on behalf of the Cardinal, not a Tzarina.

"So, what exactly can I do right now?"

"Possibly." Alexia conceded, "It's more what I represent. Those nobles at the house would give everything to marry me off to a relative. It would give them a legitimate claim to rule. Others would give anything to kill me and cut the head off the Tzarist threat forever. So in a way I am valuable."

Caroline meanwhile laughed, "No, I still want the nobility to be able to return. You know what it's like though. The Tzarina wants to talk to the Institute, so what can I do? Theoretically I'm obeying her, and if giving her a nice shiny new Democracy is what it takes to give me the right to live with my own name again, then I'll do it."

Sherwin nodded to Alexia "It does not sound as though you have any real options at present, that's why sometimes it's better to make up your own options."


Mr. Johnson sounded pleased on the other end "So then where are you and the Tzarina? I'm sure there is an 'Organizer' near by that I can have get in touch with you. That will be the first step in contacting the Institute."

"At the end of the day." Alexia mused, "Will this 'Institute' have me as a pawn. I won't be anyone's pawn. Not a pawn of Tzarism, nor of anyone. I guess we'll ave to wait and find out what Caroline has to say."

"Port Olympus." Caroline replied quickly, "Exact location, I'd rather not say, but if you have an 'Organiser' up here I'll meet them and take them here."

Sherwin shrugs again "They say that all statemen are pawns of the people. I don't know what they will use you as?"

"Port Olympus?" Mr. Johnson replied "Okay, yes, they have several men there, just let me know where you want one of them to be and at what time and I'll have them there. Remember Caroline, these men are fanatical about Democracy, it's their religion, they will kill for it, they will kill you for it, they won't be nice and not kill you if they see you as an impediment to their goals. I'm still in trouble for not killing you when I had the chance. Fortunateky I'm my own boss, and I haven't yelled at me for it, I know that yelling doesn't motivate me."

"Maybe I don't want to be a stateswoman." she sighed, "I just wish people could be rational. Everyone has their own axe to grind and all of them seem to think I do too."

"So Mr Sherwin, as you now seem to be my protector... what do you make of me? Do you think I'll be a benefit to society or a curse on it? Most of Dyelli Beybi's leaders are the latter."

-----

"Other people have tried that in the past." Caroline replied silkily, "You'd have regretted it if you'd killed me. You'd have never had the pleasure of my company..."

"Seriously though." she continued, "Is this sensible? I can take care of myself, but I don't want them to harm Alexia. If she's gone so is the last hope for a lot of people. Will they kill her if she suggests 'Constitutional Monarchy'?"

Sherwin laughed "People that want to be Statesmen are politicians. I think it's entirely up to you if you'll be a boon to your people or detriment. It's probably at least partially up to your people."

_____

"They won't kill anyone at the first meeting, they will either decide to support you, or not support you. If they do support you and you act outside of the parameters that they agreed to support you on, THEN they will get stabby."

He pauses "I have no idea what they will accept. They helped in building the constitutional monarchy in Karmanyaka, so, maybe?"

"Of course." Alexia shrugged, "But I'm asking for a personal opinion, what do you think."

She could be quite tiresome at times...

"All right." Caroline didn't sound at all convinced, "I'll meet them at the bottom of Parliament Hill at 12:30 tonight, if they can do short notice... Mind you, we're doing this by my rules. Everything has to be done in absolute secrecy. We can't have her compromised, too much is at stake."

Sherwin just shrugs "I think you'll do just fine if you're sincere. Others will see that and help you, if you do what seems right."

Mr. Johnson replied "I wouldn't have it any other way. Okay at the bottom of Parliament Hill at 12:30 , tonight. I'll make sure someone is there alone and unarmed. Anything else I can do for you? Give you your brother in laws phone number?"

"That's not an opinion." Alexia smiled vaguely, "Not what I was looking for anyway. Are you sure you don't see yourself as a politician? I imagine politics would be right up your alley."

----------

Caroline laughed, then paused, "That was a joke right?"

Evidently nobody had told her her sister was married yet.

Sherwin chuckled "I've never been paid for an opinion, but if you want to start?"

*****

Mr. Johnson chuckled "For a super spy, you're awful out of the loop. You haven't heard about Zara's wedding? I would've thought you were at least keeping tabs on her. Thank god I am, or nobody would know where she is!"

Alexia raised an eyebrow giving a short laugh, "Don't look at me, Caroline holds the purse strings, I'm as poor as a Church mouse, ironic isn't it."

"They do say opinions come cheap though." she smiled in that vaguely in a way that could give the misimpression she was a little vacant, "How much do you want to give me your opinion of me? I'll consider it when I have your price."

----------

"I've been busy." Caroline managed, quite shocked, "Don't tell me it's that fat headed General she was carrying on with? I said he was trouble..."

Sherwin smiled "I would prefer to stay out of the opinion giving racket altogether. When people start asking you for opinions, it's a short jump from there to blaming your opinion for being wrong and causing trouble. I'd rather stay a pilot, jets don't ask for an opinion."

*****

Mr. Johnson chuckled again "General Imro? A fathead? You shouldn't speak so ill of kin. I always thought he was very pragmagtic, just what you ladies need, a pragmatic man. Then you wouldn't always be in so much trouble."

"Racket?" the young Tzarina laughed, "You afraid I'm going to blame you?"

She smiled, that vague look crossing her features again, "Shall I make it simple? We'll ease you into giving opinions... do you find me annoying Mr Sherwin?"

---

"I'll take that as a yes." Caroline grunted, not sounding hugely impressed, "He's bad news. She's completely in love with him, God knows why. He'll only end up hurting her, mark my words, in a few years time he'll be looking for a younger model."

She obviously held Imro in low regard. As it happened she'd taken his offer to give up her sister when he was finished with her to heart... "Still I wouldn't mind that number. I'll be able to ring him at 2.00 am and annoy him."

"I'm not in trouble anyway. I have everything totally under control." she lied, "So midnight tonight. Sure you wouldn't like to join us in Port Olympus? It's where everything is happening."

Sherwin chuckles "Annoying? Not any more than any other talkative young ladies. At least you aren't talking about shopping, or shoes."

*****
Mr. Johnson chuckles "I think General has a cousin you might like? I can't leave Cyro just now, I have some officials to bribe before the opening of my new pub and eatery. I have to rebuild my fortune that you spent.

Midnight it is, don't be late, Caroline."

Caroline laughed, "Playing match maker? I'm not ready to settle down yet... not until I get my title back. Then I'll be hot property... Good luck with your eatery, maybe one day I'll be able to spend the rest of your fortune... I might see you around."

After they'd finished their farewells she went back to the other room...

"Haven't had the opportunity to go shopping for a while." Alexia grinned unpleasantly, "I could talk about shoes... but then of course, if I start talking about shoes you'll just phase out... and then you'll think it's your right to talk about sports."

"Hi Caroline." she had been watching the doorway.

"Your highness." she replied, "We have a meeting with this Coventry Institute of whatsit. I'll meet them and maybe bring them back here."

"On the contrary Caroline... by the way, it's Alexia to you, not 'your highness', I'm going myself. On my own."

The other woman looked on the verge of suffering a heart attack, "Are you insane? How do you know they won't kill you, or try anything funny, you're too important."

"Sorry." Alexia smiled in return, "I'm going. Just me. I'm going to offer myself to them, unarmed. I want these people to trust me, and to trust me, first I will demonstrate that I trust them. Besides, I'm not going to ask anyone to take any risks I wouldn't take myself."

"Insane." Caroline muttered.

"Also." the young Tzarina added, "In charge, and I absolutely insist. If you want me to lead you home, you'll do things my way."

Caroline sighed, "As you say."

----------

So as it turned out, it wasn't Caroline ab Ieuf but Alexia ap Adam who stood at the bottom of Parliament hill that night, coat buttoned up tightly against the cold. It was radically stupid, but it was the way she opperated. She had never really lived an easy life. For years though her true identity had remained hidden. Now it was gradually coming out...

She felt very alone right then, although well out of sight a pair of Inquisitor Guard were following. Caroline had sent them to follow, specifically against the wishes of her leader. Alexia hadn't noticed them, which was how it was supposed to be. They would only move if they felt the Tzarina was in danger.

Exactly at midnight a tall grey haired gentleman in a grey overcoat arrives at the bottom of Parliament hill. He made a quick assessment of the area, visually and then approached Alexia.

"I am Sir Aldred Aames, Mr. Johnson said that I should meet you here." He pauses and looks her over "Althohgh you are not Caroline ab Ieuf , so I will assume that you are Alexia? I am sorry, but I was not provided with a current picture."

"So, why do you wish to speak with the institute."

As he had arrived he had switched on his white noise generator in his pocket, electronic listening devices aimed at or in the suqre would only pick up fuzzy crackling while it was switched on, but did not impair human hearing in any way.

"That's right, Alexia ap Adam." she introduced herself, "I told Caroline I'd come here and do this myself."

"I assume you have some hideout around here. Shall we go there?" she hadn't answered the question, but her tone of voice promised she would deliver an answer in due time, "Even if we aren't overheard, it isn't safe here... not for me anyway."

Sir Aldred nodded. "Of course, come with me."

Sir Aldred knew a very out of the way place near by. A pub owned by the CID, of course owned in a manner that could never be tracked back to it. The pub had a very secure communications room under it, complete with steel reinforced doors. It was swept for bugs three times daily and was used as the main safe house and planning point for the CID in Port Olympus. Close enough to Parliament Hill to keep an eye on things, far enough away to not be noticed.

Mainly the CID just watched Port Olympus from here, they had seen any democratic groups that they felt were worthy of attention, so it is basically just a listening post, and a nice spot for food and drink.

Sir Aldred leads Alexia to it and after they are underground and secure with a snack and drinks , Sir Aldred begins.

"So, what exactly do you wish to accomplish by contacting the Institute?"

Alexia didn't sit, she circled the room, at first appearing like she hadn't even heard Sir Aldred. Before he could repeat the question though she stopped and smiled, "If I give the wrong answer I'm in big trouble aren't I?"

"It would take me all night to explain the hows and the whys of this..." she continued, "You know who I am I assume. The person who by Dyellian law inherits the country. The Tzarina, appointed by God." there was a hint of sarcasm in the last sentence.

"I have no real interest in being a Tzarina. However I've been convinced that it is in my best interests to do so." she shrugged, "I'm under a lot of pressure to act as a figurehead for a new Tzarist regime to replace the Empire."

She paused long enough to run a hand through her hair, "What I want though is a system I can believe in. I'm happy to be the monarch they want, and return their titles as well as some of their land and money that was seized after the Revolution, but not return their power. I want to be a ceremonial figurehead. I want a system I can believe in, a propper democracy where the votes aren't rigged and the opposition aren't murdered."

"Eamon Collins was a tiny taste of what we could have, but his Government was undermined by the Cheka. I don't want an all encompassing, all powerful secret service. The Revolution promised power to the people. I believed in the Revolution, I fought with a volunteer unit in Bath. I was there when we held the Tzarists back, I was there when they surrendered. The future looked so bright that day. Then Otto Himmer, in his eternal wisdom, created a force to prevent Tzarist insurgencies, and it grew and grew until the whole country was in it's shadow."

"What do I wish to accomplish by contacting the Institute?" she ran her hand through her hair again, "I want to see the Revolution reborn. I want a Democracy in Dyelli Beybi. Every movement needs a leader, and I'm the Tzarina... people will follow. Not many at first, many will be suspicious, they'll want to put me to the test, but in the end they will follow."

"What I need is money, money and guns and protection, but the first can buy the others. If I were to reveal myself publically now, odds are I'd be dead within the week. Half the Cheka will be trying to kill me, and no doubt the KGB as well. Then there are the other Klatchian States. My dear Father was raving mad. The other states may try to eliminate me too... just in case." she smiled, and gave a short laugh, "Of course that includes you as well. So Sir Aldred, what is it going to be?"

Sir Aldred listens carefully and sits thoughtfully for a long minute before answering.

"In the Klatch we have been disturbed at how the Federation and the powerful states within it work to undermine democracy and self determination. It was a relief when Karmanyaka converted to democracy, but it was difficult and there is still unrest, mostly because of us and our insistance on a pluralistic inclusive democracy.

You must understand that if you accept our help we will expect that you will understand that when and if you are able to bring about a democratic revolution that our goal after that will be to foster and organize political parties, political parties that may very oppose you. It is more important to us that a fair democratic system is in place, and many times a fledging democracy must undergo a period of unrest and of casting off governments in an attempt to find an administration that can bring inclusiveness and stability.

We can give you everything you need, but your victory for your People, may mean your ultimate loss. If you are able to overthrow Soult, and if you attempt to take his place and build a new empire that is not a democracy, we will kill you. You have to decide right now if you are willing to save your people at possibly the cost of your own political power.

If you can acept that, than we will help, if you can show to us that you have a plan, a viable plan and viable support. Of course we will give you time to come up with your plan, and make contact with those that support you."

Alexia smiled in that vague way of hers, "Political power doesn't interest me at all really. If they want me as a figurehead, they can have me, but that's it. All I want to do is live. Heck... I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for the fact that I've run out of options other than to be the Tzarina."

"I don't care what political parties are formed", her voice suddenly turned uncharacteristically harsh, her dark eyes locking with Sir Aldred's, "With one exception. If I think you're setting up parties that are puppets of Ilek-Vaad I will make sure they are destroyed, then I will wage war on you. You may think you are experts, but I am a Dyellian, deceipt, espionage and assassination run in our veins... and of course I am Cheka trained."

In fact she had worked in CSD-4, a sub department made up of the country's finest detectives. She suddenly smiled, lessening any tension she may have caused, "Want to see my support and my plan? Give me a phone and until morning. You will see what I have so far."

" I am not in the employ of The Free Republic and it's policies do not concern me, I work for the CID alone." Sir Aldred says quite candidly.

He pauses and reaches into a pocket producing a Blackberry device.

"This is an encrypted satellite phone, it bounces off of five different satellites and is impossible to triangulate. It's signal uses Aelfwine 256 bit encryption that cannot be decoded by scanners."

He slides it across the table to Alexia "Use this to gather your allies and then call me. My number is programmed into it. "

"The CID alone." she smiled in that vague way of hers, "Interesting, but by your very name you are the Coventry Institute of Democracy. A Vaadian Institution. Just like the Cheka didn't work for the political Party of the day, it worked for the 'good' of the Nation."

"You may thin you aren't, but by your very birth you think and act like a Vaadian. I guess we will discover if Vaadians and Dyellians can ever really work together."

She paused, eyeing the blackberry suspiciously, the devices had never caught on in Dyelli Beybi, "Ok... Am I free to leave to sort this out? Or is this a subtle hint that I have to stay here?"

"Vaadian is a catch all term for the citizens of the Free Republic and the Republics that make it up. The CID has members who are in the government but it is not a state institution nor is it controlled by the government. The CID is often at odds with the elected government of the Free Republic, mainly in it's inaction to help bring about democratic change in foreign nations."

Sir Aldred motions to the door "You are free to go."

"Good to know." Alexia grinned, "It was a pleasure Sir Aldred."

She nodded politely, the grin vanishing as quickly as it had come, "I'll contact you when I'm done, although no doubt you'll have me tracked anyway."

Soon Dyelli Beybi would be preparing for yet another Civil War...

(OOC: I'm going to start a new thread for this one... I'll put the link up when it's done.)

OOC: Okey dokey.

http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?p=11654102#post11654102

Here we go. The Tzars are back.