The Darkening Sky
16-08-2005, 05:51
“…with a final score of 34-6. And now, to international news. We go to Melissa Dent, on location in the Darkening Sky. Melissa?”
“Thanks, Jim. I’m standing in the Darkening Sky’s capital, Luponueva, where we’ve just received word that the iron-fisted dictator Juan Cantreras has announced his diagnosis with lung cancer. Ironically, where his enemies failed, his characteristic cigars will most likely succeed. He has refused chemotherapy and will continue to lead his nation. With this announcement, much behind-the-scenes power jockeying will commence. It is uncertain as to what faction will emerge from the vacuum that will be left when the dictator leaves power, but it would be optimistic to think that violence would not play a part.”
“Thanks, Melissa. In other news, a large storm is building off the coast of that beleaguered nation. As if they didn’t have enough to worry about, now a hurrica-“
Juan Cantreras turned the foreign news station off. Their bias was strong but less than his own state controlled media. They got one thing right, however. The vultures were indeed circling. His prime minister, the party favorite, was in perfect position to take over politically. This was, assuming, that the changeover would occur peacefully. His highest army officer had other ideas. General Angrou had a firm control over the entire military, with the exception of Cantreras’s 1,000 man personal guard. For a nation with a modernized, 300,000 man standing army, even a personal guard of that size would be unable to protect any leader. The only thing keeping Angrou from making a move previously was Cantreras’s popularity with the people. I mean, he had single handedly taken an agrarian society and moved it forward into the new century. The people understood that only having one party and not being able to speak against the State were small prices to pay! Of course, there were those dissidents in the mountain areas that caused trouble every once in a while, but they didn’t matter.
Two people who did matter were his sons. They were conniving, worthless bastards. But they had his name, and a good portion of the populace might support them simply based on that. On their own, they’d probably just be pawns of one of the other factions. Oh well, he had done what he could for them. The little bastards would have to make their own way.
A knock came at the door. “President Cantreras? It is time for your speech.”
“Ah, Philip. I guess it is. It is time for the people to hear the news from my mouth. I have fought to keep it hidden for so long, it will be good to speak again. It has been too long!”
“It has indeed, sir. Much too long.”
“Thanks, Jim. I’m standing in the Darkening Sky’s capital, Luponueva, where we’ve just received word that the iron-fisted dictator Juan Cantreras has announced his diagnosis with lung cancer. Ironically, where his enemies failed, his characteristic cigars will most likely succeed. He has refused chemotherapy and will continue to lead his nation. With this announcement, much behind-the-scenes power jockeying will commence. It is uncertain as to what faction will emerge from the vacuum that will be left when the dictator leaves power, but it would be optimistic to think that violence would not play a part.”
“Thanks, Melissa. In other news, a large storm is building off the coast of that beleaguered nation. As if they didn’t have enough to worry about, now a hurrica-“
Juan Cantreras turned the foreign news station off. Their bias was strong but less than his own state controlled media. They got one thing right, however. The vultures were indeed circling. His prime minister, the party favorite, was in perfect position to take over politically. This was, assuming, that the changeover would occur peacefully. His highest army officer had other ideas. General Angrou had a firm control over the entire military, with the exception of Cantreras’s 1,000 man personal guard. For a nation with a modernized, 300,000 man standing army, even a personal guard of that size would be unable to protect any leader. The only thing keeping Angrou from making a move previously was Cantreras’s popularity with the people. I mean, he had single handedly taken an agrarian society and moved it forward into the new century. The people understood that only having one party and not being able to speak against the State were small prices to pay! Of course, there were those dissidents in the mountain areas that caused trouble every once in a while, but they didn’t matter.
Two people who did matter were his sons. They were conniving, worthless bastards. But they had his name, and a good portion of the populace might support them simply based on that. On their own, they’d probably just be pawns of one of the other factions. Oh well, he had done what he could for them. The little bastards would have to make their own way.
A knock came at the door. “President Cantreras? It is time for your speech.”
“Ah, Philip. I guess it is. It is time for the people to hear the news from my mouth. I have fought to keep it hidden for so long, it will be good to speak again. It has been too long!”
“It has indeed, sir. Much too long.”