NationStates Jolt Archive

A Dark Day In Paradise

A short officer wearing a dark blue robe turned the corner and quickened his pace as he walked through the GREAT ARCH, its black forlorning colour enhancing his dark demeanor. He walked as one burdened with to much to bare. His heavy footfalls echoed in the courtyard as he made his way to the OmegaDome. A cool breeze blew from the North as the Clouds overhead blotted out the sun. A light Rain began to desend as he approach the Gates of Light.

Passing through he made his way to the Holdings of the Voice of the HighLord. At the end of the corridor two guards in black uniforms with the Holy Hand Symbol stepped foreward intersecting his approach. He held out a Green Card. The Guard on the right took the card and glanced at it with his Red eyes. With a brief nod the doors opened and the short man was at once let in.

A young man dressed and a silver robe sat at behind a dark stone desk. His hood pulled well over his face. "Yes" He inquired in a cold voice.

"Master Voice, I have an Urgent report sent from the Department of the Third Eye." the officer said.

"Well Speak up then?"

"The Holy Empire has become the victim of an act of terrorism. Forensics have said that a Time bomb was placed on one of our City Buses. 26 people were killed. 14 injured." the man exclaimed.

The Voice sat back and there was a pause.

"Do we know who committed this horric act?"

"The DTE believe it was a group of terrorists that was suppported by the 'Freedom by Force' organisation in the nation of Nihilistic Realism, though it has been difficult to directly link the two groups. The only evidence we do have is that the acts of terror that have occured in The NR have used the same Type of explosive. The design is definately not of the Holy Empires." The short man replied

"Very well. You may leave. Send message to the Nihilistic Government and tell them that the HighLord demands an apology and for the leader of the group to be sent to us for trial and retribution."

The short man turned and quickly walked out the room the doors closing behind him.

'How could this have happen' thought the Voice, 'We have been keeping an eye on everything,' 'The HighLord must be informed'.

He stood up and and stode towards a secret door in the corner of his office. He place his hand on the wal and the wall gave way revealing a long dark passage way. He followed all the way down an entered a vast cavern. after a few hundred metres he came before a mammoth doorway. It opened as he walked towards it. And there before him the awe inspiring AlphaThrone.

President Aaron Atkinson was working late into the evening, paging through a report on the country's current import, export capacities and wondering whether the ceasation of trade in oil with the Empire of HighLord Foamy would impact on the economy when, watching a yacht slowly tack its way up the Guild River that ran through the centre of Avacadia, the phone on his desk began to ring.

"Mr. President Tom Fabien is on the line from the Empire of HighLord Foamy," his personal assistant announced calmly but President Atkinson felt his heart drop, news from the empire was seldom good, and at this time of night Tom wouldn't disturb him unless it were serious.

"Mr. President, a terrorist attack has occured within the Empire of HighLord Foamy," the voice of the Guacamolian Ambassador exclaimed, "as yet details are sketchy, but I have a private source that implicates at least one civilian of our nation in the attack. A Henry Drake, according to the Home Office he's an expatriate and has lived there for the last two years."

President Atkisnon sat back in his chair and surveyed a victorian painting on the wall before him. HighLord Foamy was perhaps one of the most unpredicatable and irrational states within the region. Atkinson knew that, even if a South Guacamolian had only been implicated, he would not have the benefit of assumed innocence before a trial. And that an objective trial within the Empire was impossible.

"Do you have any information on casualties?"

"They range within the twenties, I'm trying to get hold of the Ministry of the Interior here but no one seems to know their ass from their elbow."

"All right Tom, I'll get Frank and his lot to draft a statement in response."

It was time for bed, and yet as the President rose from his chair in the Union Buildings, he fleetingly reflected on the people that put him in office and what they would expect of him in the days to come. The Rebublic of South Guacamole could not appear weak in the wake of the High Lord's political flexing and yet how could they insinuate that a citizen of their own country is more important than that of Nihilistic Realism?

As he made his way toward the Residence, nodding as he passed one of his security staff, President Atkinson vaguely realised that no matter how powerful or rich South Guacamole may be the lives of innocent people of the region would always pivot on the brink of death due to the selfish and dogmatic pursuits of other powerful nations.

Early the following morning the President's Press Secretary stepped before a barage of reporters and glanced over a sheet of paper.

"Yesterday afternoon at around lunchtime the Empire of HighLord Foamy was the victim of a terrorist attack, 26 people were killed and 14 injured, by a bomb on a city bus. One South Guacamolian has been implicated in the attack, Henry Drake, and was taken into custody by the Empire last night. The Republic expresses its concern and regrets the death of innocent civilians, but urges the Empire not to allow an emotional response to this incident to get in the way of the rights of other nations and their citizens. The President is currently in talks with the Ambassador to South Guacamole from Nihilistic Realism."