NationStates Jolt Archive

"Man, when perfected, is the best of animals, but when separated from law and justice, he is the worst of all." - Aristotle

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night, The Suburbs of Ajer
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

He scrabbled up the bank of the river, his nails scratching the surface of the dirt, ripping up clods and small pebbles as he did so. He tried to gain a foothold and failed, falling backwards into the river. The ice-cold water sped through his thin clothes, but he paid it no mind. His whole body, his brain, his entire strength, was focused upon one idea; survival. He needed to escape, and quickly, lest he mwould meet his own gruesome demise and that was what he had spent his life trying to prevent himself from falling prey to.

It was too late, and inside his head, he knew it as well. The back of his collar was forcefully grabbed and he was thrust backwards, a red line embedded into his throat where the collar had begun to choke him. He smelt rotting teeth and dirty hair as a face came inches from his own. "Merry chase you led me on, eh, puppy? Well, die!" He was thrown to the ground, his face making a forcible smack as it hit the compact earth. The last thing he remembered was that his country - more than his family, friends, or children, would need him.

The man who had reached an ignominious end at the hands of paid assassins that night was named Josain Alanor. He had been the head of the "True" Libertarian-Capitalist Party in the Yaforite government, and his death could spark a controversy that even he would have not been able to comprehend - the Nimporo Affair.

The following is an excerpt from the Keiora Herald.

ALANOR DEAD - POLITICAL MOTIVES SUSPECTED

NIMPORO, YAFOR 2 - The days normally pass quickly in the quiet, wealthy suburb, just out of the hustle and bustle of West Ajer. On a regular day here, it would not be out of the ordinary to see joggers and bicyclists excercising along the tree-lines avenues and parks of this upper-middle-class residential area. On a regular day, people here go on with their lives, without the outside world interfering much in their business and without interfering much in the business of the outside world. So it had been, until yesterday, when the peaceful tranquility of this unassuming neighborhood was disturbed by the death of a very important man in the country of Yafor 2.

The man found, his body lying mutilated on the bank of a fast flowing river that bordered one of his many residences was Josain Alanor. Alanor had been the leader of the "True" Libertarian-Capitalists - and before the split, had led the joint party as well. As a politician, he was well reknowned and liked - his greatest rival, Vas Aderon, often called him, "a just and intelligent adversary" and others echoes his sentiments. Alanor was, from all accounts, a man who took politics seriously, bus had long since realised that the simple joys of life were more important than the direction of nations.

Alanor leaves behind him a beloved wife and two young sons - they are aged 5 and 7. But more importantly, he leaves behind a political legacy. It began back during the second election of the young Grand Democratic Duchy. The country had not yet slipped into an election process, and Josain Alanor was but a young man. It was said that he planned to run himself, but saw the genius and sincereity of another young man, one named Rudiv Sodo, and supported his bid for election. The rest, as they say, is history.

It was after that that Josain Alanor lost faith in his Elected Duke. Some said that it was the Pacitalian influence. Others said that it was due to the economic suffering of his state. Whatever the cause, he became a strong proponent of a free market, and of the benefits that a free market would bring to the Yaforite society. It was he who was behind the decision to enter the Woodstock Pact Free Trade Area and, despite a failed ducal bid in the last elections, he became the main political stratagist to a demobilised right-wing of the Yaforite political spectrum.

But, despite his best attempts at reconcilliation, the Libertarian-Capitalist Party broke apart. It had been a long time in coming and there was nothing that even Josain Alanor could do about it. When Vas Aderon and Wilhelm Jyolt began to squabble (the former moving to the center, the latter to the right) Josain Alanor was caught right in the middle of it. And he was still trying to reconcile the two sides when he was killed.

More importantly, however, what was the motive behind the murder? Was it the SRACH? One of his enemies? An outside intelligence agency? And why?

OOC: Sorry about that, was sort of rushed at the end of it.
Okay, this will (hopefully) become something good. What this sparks is a backlash in Yafor 2 (as to be seen in my next post) against the SRACH and political killings in general, resulting in some candid admissions from the the government. I'm hoping for a two-fold RP - a media war on one hand, and the SRACH hunting for his killer on the other (yes, that's right, the SRACH did not kill him).
I know it says "open" in the title, but if you RP, please be able to at least string sentances together.
Thanks in advance.

Beutifully written. If you don't mind, may I RP a reporter from Leasath?

OOC:Thanks. Go ahead - I'm game for anything, as long as it doesn't seriously disrupt the plans for the RP.

Sounds very interesting. I'm in, however; i don't know what kind of a role I could play.

In the midst of the chaos surrounding Alanors' mysterious death, a Leasathi reporter named Philop Caspe found himself uneasily disturbed by it. Yafor 2 was not known for its crime problems and the assassination of a political figure as important as Josain was certainly going to generate a big story. And it was Caspe's job to inform this to the people of the Democratic Republic.

[OOC: This is kind of an intro. I don't want to go that much farther until I have an idea of how you want this RP to turn out, or interfere with "your plans."]

The following is an excerpt from the editorial page of the Times of Chelmar.

Political Killings - Tired Of Them Yet?
The culture of political deaths in Yafor 2 has gone far enough.

by Paulo Dogrod

They say that they prize life over everything. Rudiv Sodo has repeatedly stated that he is in office to "improve the lives of the citizens of Yafor 2". Wilhelm Jyolt has made it into a campaign slogan; "Life and Economic Freedom!". Kjurat Lovitad consistantly uses the word "life" as the flower that he protects from the "wrath of big business". Vas Aderon has written and siad that "life is something that belongs to the person, not the government". But do they even know what the word really means? Can they even begin to understand?

Politics in Yafor 2 is often regarded as a rough-and-tumble business. It is much more dangerous that its companions in the other nations of the world. Yaforite politicians have different rules than their counterparts in say, Pacitalia, or Space Union. Here, it is a culture of money, secret agents, and quiet deaths. For the brief time that I myself was involved in politics, I was shocked at the depth of it - corporations paid to get into pockets of the Business Council, bribery and corruption were rampant, and when you wanted to get rid of some one, you called a "private investigator". It was part of the reason I went back the Ministry of Protection.

Of course, since then, Yafor 2 had changed a lot. There was the largest corruption investigation in Yaforite history, three new Houses of Parliament, and a lot of the corporations that usually infested the streets of Parliament District are gone, long since paying the brunt of their corruption. From what I have seen in my short gazes into the Yaforite political scene recently, the corruption and colorful figures of the past are gone. But some things survive even national investigations and a "culture of death" was one of them.

You think you recognize the phrase? Just look in your history textbook of one score years ago (if you are as old as I am now). That was the phrase of Rhiantoran Emperor Cuharan II when he retired from office during the Tyriana Dynasty, close to one and a half thousand years ago. Think the phrase sounds familiar from somewhere else? You are right - it was a commonly uttered phrase during the Arceon Wars. Corlan "the magnificent" II worked very hard to get it out of the public memory, but they talked of it when they mentioned his ancestor Joraris. And before that? The phrase was used to describe the Nanarian and Jakuriat dynasties before then. And yes, during the reign of the last dynasty - one we all remember - the term was used extensively.

But I digress. The point I am leading to is that people long dead, and people still alive now, recognize what we have failed to realize - that too long has death and the taking of life been a part of the Yaforite conscience. It runs in our blood and even during a stable democracy, we are forced to kill those who we believe in, those who worked so hard for the betterment of our people. Now I know that there are people who might think that these are the bitter ramblings of a madman, but I hope there are people who grasp my point, somewhat.

Have you ever heard of the SRACH? Yes, I can hear the collective grasp of all people who read this paper. Why, a foreigner may ask? Have you ever heard of IACB347? No? Let me nudge your memory a slight bit. It is also known as the "SRACH Secrecy Act". It makes any "extensive mention" of the SRACH in a "widely read news source" as illegal. All right, at the time it was okay, (a newspaper had printed the inner workings of the SRACH) but now, it simply falls under the title of "repressive". What happened to free speech, one may ask? Well, as it happens, when regarding the SRACH, there is no such thing as free speech.

The SRACH carry with them a lot of misconceptions. They are not a secret agent team. They are not a group of hired investigators. They are, simply put, our darling government's group of hired killers. And there is no doubt in my mind that if they had wanted to, they could have easily killed Josain Alanor. But you all know this, right? Yes. But it isn't spoken of because they are integral to our security. That goes without saying. Without them, we would be at the mercy of the Generians and others.

Right?

There is a reason that the SRACH have been condemned by PEST and a thousand other international organizations criminalize the SRACH. There is a reason that Pacitalian relations with the Yaforites are at a halt. The SRACH are hated internationally, and, alright, though they did aid us in our war against Generia. But do we really want to carry the garbage that the name SRACH brings with it along with us? Do we need them? Don't mistake me - I love Yafor 2. I have fought for Yafor 2 my entire life. I do not distrust the SRACH. I just question their usefullness.

I pin no blame on Rudiv Sodo. He is a good friend of mine and a man who would have never ordered the death of Josain Alanor. I know that for a fact. But Josain Alanor is dead and it was certainly for political reasons. And the "culture of death" in Yafor 2 has gone far enough.

The writer is a Major General in the Imperial Yaforite Army, and an Assistant Minister of Protection. He is a good friend of Rudiv Sodo's and Guillermo Vicente's.

OOC:Leasath, go ahead. There's nothing that will really disrupt the plot now.

From La Repubblica Oggia

http://www.gulf-times.com/mritems/images/2006/5/3/2_84724_1_248.jpg
The prime minister emerged strongly critical of
the Yaforites' "political disease", in response to the
shocking murder of one of the Grand Democratic
Duchy's foremost political leaders, Josain Alanor. It
is unknown whether his rant touched a nerve in
Yaforite political circles but Pacitalians are reacting
favourably to his words.

Chiovitti tells the Grand Democratic Duchy to smarten up
Murder of political leader in Nimporo sums up the tragedy that is Yaforite politics, PM says


Luca-Vittorio Abcanassi Proga, LRO senior reporting staff

AJER, YAFOR 2 and TIMIOCATO -- The brutal murder of a prominent Yaforite politician has sent shockwaves and rumblings of disdain through the halls of foreign governments, but none moreso than at the New Prado, where Prime Minister Fernando Chiovitti was livid as he ranted about the "sorry state" of Yaforite politics.

The body of Josain Alanor, one of Yafor 2's foremost politicians and leader of the right-wing Libertarian Capitalists, was discovered outside his castella minia in the city of Nimporo. The motive for the murder is based on all but speculation at this point but it is widely believed the killing was a politically-motivated act.

"If Ajer is at the point where political murders are this commonplace, if they should be at all commonplace, then I urge the Yaforite government to take a serious, hard look at the sorry state they are in," the prime minister said Thursday, in response to the murder. "This is not a matter of speculation - a virus has developed in the Grand Democratic Duchy's political system that has made politically motivated murders acceptable. This is such a disgrace, not only a stain on the Yaforite people, but on countries that are democracies. We are all forced to take responsibility for the assault on freedom of thought and acceptance of political differences."

Chiovitti said he was "repulsed" by the manner in which Alanor's body was "disgracefully and disrespectfully put on show for the common man to look upon with a tragic gaze". He said seeing Alanor's body was "torturous" and that he sincerely hoped the family did not have to experience the same feeling. The prime minister's office says Chiovitti sent a letter to the Alanors expressing condolences.

Chiovitti finished by expressing his regret at "the loss of one of the world's brightest political minds, one of the intellectual pillars of liberal democratic thought and one of the strongest politicians the world has had the pleasure of watching".

One analyst says she is unsure what Chiovitti is trying to accomplish with his tone and words.

"If anything, one might say the prime minister is trying to foment huge democratic reform or a change in sociopolitical attitude there," Liz Cunningham, a senior political science professor and researcher at the University of Mandragora, said Thursday. "He looks to be using Pacitalia's influence as a friend of the Yaforites to instill a sense of dissatisfaction with the current political environment among the Yaforites themselves."

Pacitalian-Yaforite relations took a nosedive, Cunningham said, upon the revelations of the way SRACH, their clandestine agency, was treating enemy combatants in their war with Generia. SRACH is widely despised around the world on an unimaginable scale, which is a bad reputation for any secret intelligence or policing agency, especially that of a liberal democracy, or one that claims to be such.

However, Cunningham said she was not pinning the blame for Alanor's murder on SRACH.

"Any organisation or individual with a bad reputation is going to fall under scrutiny for this," she said. "Everything is speculation. Absolutely everything."

Reports suggest Chiovitti may be heading to Ajer to attend Alanor's funeral and possibly meet with Rudiv Sodo, Yafor 2's duke, to discuss the future direction of the Yaforite polity and the improvement of Pacitalian-Yaforite relations.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ajer, Yafor 2, The Day After Alanor's Death
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rudiv Sodo stared, irritated, at the ground. Anger flowed through his body, red hot anger. It was not an emotion that he was accustomed to having - on the whole, Rudiv Sodo was much better known as a calm, collected, man. It was a reputation well deserved. But the news, and his fellow politicians rarely saw him when angry. Most didn't know much about Rudiv Sodo's feelings, more of his views. It was an opinion that he had tried to facilitate over the years. People trusted a leader who they believed in, a leader who could remain calm and strong in a crisis, a symbol of their nation in a time of struggle, not a ranting, raving maniac. Rudiv Sodo had worked hard in the past at being the former, not the latter.

A group of men (and women) sat around a wooden table, their chairs matching its dark oak lining. These were the men and women who created policy for Yafor 2, who directed the ship that was the country through perilious storms and reefs. At the head of the table (opposite from the Elected Duke, who always sat at the foot) was the steersman of the ship, Chief Minister Guillermo Vicente. He was the political mastermind of the Yaforites, and he was the man with the most seniority, most experience, and most skill in the political arena. He also had royal blood in his veins. Guillermo Vicente was the eldest son of the last emperor of Yafor 2.

On Guillermo's right was the young man who many were calling "groomed to be the next Elected Duke", Foreign Minister Davrain Nayadol. His youthful face was full of excitement, and he seemed ready to take on anything. To Guillermo's left was the highest ranking woman in government, Interior Minister Julinia Kiara. To Rudiv's right was his good friend and the Minister for Education, Aemon Chaliny. To Aemon's right was Protection Minister Arman Adro (fresh from Marerius). To Rudiv's left was Business Minister Vas Aderon, a man who many called his "future rival".

"It is unacceptable!" Rudiv's voice cracked through the room, his anger showing plainly in the cadence and volume of his shout. It was clear to anyone present that what was whipping through the air was not going to be pleasant for them. "I did not kill him! You know that!" Rudiv was rapidly losing his cool in front of the very people to whom losing his cool would result in the worst damage to him. "This is becoming a time bomb, threatening to overwhelm our entire government and you people are doing - can do - nothing about it." His voice had become deathly cold and dangerous. In some ways it was more frightening than his shouting.

"This is rapidly escalating beyond our control, Rudiv. You are right about that." Guillermo Vicente's voice was always stately and calm. He had enough experience in politics to be unfazed by any change in the political scene, no matter how damning that was. "But you are wrong in placing such a declaration on the table. We must contemplate our strategies to avoid the end of this government - and we must stay together, something some of us have not done." Guillermo glared at Vas Aderon who, in placing his own bid for Elected Duke over his government position, had leapt away from the ship, criticising the murder and vowing to find the "perpetrators", cutting himself loose from the government.

"Why not have Rudiv repudate the murder himself. He would then show his own hatred of such things, while aiding the government politically?" Interior Minister Julinia Kiara put in. Guillermo vicente shook his head. "It is to risky. For him to condemn the murder so early puts him under specultation that he trying to save himself. We need a symbolic place for him to do so, and a sybolic time." Arman Adro grinned. "The anniversary of the battle of Boread is coming. It was his biggest victory. And how about then?" There was widespread agreement around the table. "Perfect!" Guillermo Vicente said, smiling.

"And we need to look for the murderer as well." Rudiv Sodo's anger had been abated somewhat, but he was still into it. "And reconciliate with the Pacitalians." The Foreign Minister, Davrain Nayadol, stirred at the words. "For the first, well, I don't know, but for the second, there is an easy solution. There have been rumors of Chiovitti wanting to come for Alanor's funeral. We can simply invite him over." Once again the asembled faces on the table nodded in agreement. Guillermo Vicente spoke once more. The SRACH can do a clandestine investigation into the murder, the Interior Ministry can to an official one...and we will all do private ones."

There was a rumble of laughter around the table as they all sat back, discussing political strategy.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ajer, The Next Day, Seven In The Morning
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Elected Duke Rudiv Sodo opened his mouth, yawning loudly. He made no effort to cover his mouth, despite the fact the fact that he was not alone in the room. It was not any lack of politeness, nor openess. Rudiv just didn't feel like using the energy to cover his mouth. Energy was a precious commodity at the time and he knew it. He knew that he had to sleep. But, as it had for the past eight days, the work beckoned. The world was on fire, all across the globe, and there was no time for even sleep.

"You work to hard, Rudiv. You have slept in over a week. Lie down. Sleep a bit." It was the other man in the room, Aemon Chaliny. Aemon was staring, concerned, at Rudiv's face. "Are you sure you are ok, man? Go and see a doctor if you don't feel well." It was a little perk of Aemon's (a very irritating perk, in Rudiv's opinion) that he compulsively told everyone around him what to do at all times. It was something elemental that he had, Rudiv thought. Aemon was the least efficient man in the country in some respects, but the most self-effacing in others.

"Be quiet. You know that I've got doctors by the score who offer my help every day." Rudiv grinned slightly, but he was just making conversation. For the fifth time, he scanned the sheet of paper in front of him, making sure that it said everything that he wanted it to. He knew that it was important - very important, in fact. His administration was on the ropes, its enemies surrounding it like a pack of rabid wolves. He needed intenational support, and fast. His administration's plans for the possible announcment of ASIS to the public was on hold. He needed to solve the internal crisis first.

"And I dont sleep? I have the toughest job in the country, Aemon." Rudiv smile was wry. "I have the goddamn toughest job in the country. You don't know how hard this is." He put down the letter and leaned back in the leather chair. "Maybe after my term is over, after this is all over, I'll retire." His smile was now much more genuine, and his voice had lost i ts hard edge. It was almost like he meant every word that he was saying. Aemon Chaliny was thunderstruck.

"You don't mean it do you?" His voice was immediately full of fear. "Not run again? Look, Rudiv, the Sodo administration is known worldwide. It is well-known and well liked. And plus," Aemon had stood straight and his arms were crossed over his chest. "what are you going to do afterwards. Act?" Rudiv lifted his eyebrows, pretending like he was actually considering it. The act passed over Aemon's head. "You actually mean that? You are going to act." Rudiv sighed, and leaned forward. "Look, I was just kidding. Here, read this."

It the letter he had been writing. Aemon quickly scanned it and gave it back to him. "You think it will actually do anything?" Rudiv shrugged. "Perhaps. Now get moving. I have an appointment with my...private investigator."

Official Yaforite Statement

There are times of tragedy, times of sadness, that meet us all, someday. It is such a time now. Josain Alanor was a bright light, a star that shone above us, reminding us that our purpose was not monetary gain or power. He reminded us that our purpose was to make lives better - that public service was serving the public, not serving ourselves. It is a message that, in his death, may be lost forever. It is a message that bears repeating a thousand times.

In this spirit, in the hope of international cooperation, the Grand Democratic Duchy of Yafor 2 invites heads of state and international diplomats to Ajer for a conference to discuss internal and international events, and to further the cooperation of nations across the world. We need to work together to surmount odds, not stay behind and wait. This is our door to properity, not our door out of prosperity.

We are a people who do not challenge others with guns. We challenge them with words. Too few nations in this day and age bear the same philisophies. Wars ravage every corner of the globe, famine, and drought kill thousands every day, and all we can do is stand and watch. Come to Ajer, come now, good people of the world, for there is much to discuss about the world and what is around it.

"In peace do we stand, it is in war that we fall.

Signed,
Rudiv Sodo
Elected Duke of the Grand Democratic Duchy of Yafor 2.

The letter was never sent.

OOC:I just decided to add some more spice to the RP. Don't worry - I was just taking a break from RP'ing internal stuff for a little bit. I am easily distracted, see?

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Internal Council, Ajer, Yafor 2
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

" - And thus, this committee finds the aforementioned Wolfpack Comander, Fragol Lindral guilty on all counts. To be fair and diplomatic, the only commendable action that was undertaken by him and his crew was the escape. As stated previously, the commander, in his bloodlust, craziness, and wish for a conflict, very nearly provoked a war between the Grand Democratic Duchy, the Raptorians, and the Azazians. This committee, however, finds the navy having done their own jobs to a maximum. They followed their own regulations to the letter and the fairness of those regulations was clearly outlined. They stripped him of his rank only after proving what this committee has also found - that he was indeed guily. Therefore, in light of this and other evidence, this committee recommends that the Internal Council sentance Mr. Lindral to not only expulsion from the armed services and a fine, but also possible prison terms. The exact details of this are located in Section B-3. Thank you." As the man stepped down from the podium, there was muted applause.

"Next item on the agenda - the proposed direct appeal of IACB347. Am I correct in believing that this will unlaterally disband the bill, without hope of a replacement?" It was Interior Minister Julina Kiara, the moderator of all debates in her council. In response to her question, there were nods and calls of assent from the nearly twenty council members who were sponsoring the bill. "I call upon the side in support of the resolution to choose a speaker for the Assent." There was a brief scuffle as a youthful Socialist woman stood up. "The chair recognizes Eliana Dagora. Proceed as usual, Ms. Dagora."

"Thank you, Minister." Eliana Dagora was young, and strands of hr black hair curled down onto her cheek. She flushed as she looked at the sea of delegates all who stared at her. It was the first time she had been the Assent and it was a big occasion. "I'm new at this, so don't call me up for it if I mess up, 'k?" There was a rumble of laughter as she figeted in the chair. It was common practice to call up all mistakes and all council members knew it. But she had tested the waters and had drawn laughter, so she knew that she had to be doing something right.

Emboldened by this knowledge she proceeded forward. "IACB347 is a crime. It is as simple as that. Our entire law, no, our entire lives are based upon the principles of freedom. And this bill violates them." She smiled. This was her element, now, and she was sure that she had this. "Freedom of press. It is such a vague concept, sometimes. It can be argued that freedom of the press has limits or that it does not. But this is in no way even treading near these limits." She took a breath and continued on. "IACB347 limits what newspapers can print regarding the SRACH. It stops all that we hold dear - the openess, the freedom. It tells that all media sources cannot go near the topic of the SRACH. And this is wrong."

It was very short and she knew it. But the Assent was supposed to be short. Normally, the Denial would have to disagree with it. She didn't expect a denial, but was suprised when Audax Talorum, the only true "Communist" in the entire Internal Council stood up to talk. "You are wrong. The SRACH are here only for our protection, and you know it. Where we would we be without them? Slaves of Kazatmiru, perhaps? Under Shah Kosru's fist? With them, we have our freedom. The law came into effect when a newspaper printed inside knowledge of an SRACH plot, ending a plan and getting twenty SRACH agents killed. You want that? You are free to."

She wanted to slam her fist into his face, get rid of the smug grin. But she knew that she would have to punch him out with rhetoric, not with her body. He continued on. "You think it is a crime? Take it to the courts. Minister, I call for a law disallowance." There was groaning through the room. If what he wanted went through, they would have to use the court system (an independant body from the government) to get rid of the law. But they had forgotten that the Interior Minister too was in favor of the law. "Denied. Assenter has esablished that the bill is indeed a threat to the people and their freedom. This is what we stand for. Continue." Actually, she hadn't, but to prove that she had not, Audax needed a joint vote for an investigation, which he didn't have enough support for. He sat down in disgust.

Eliana rose again. "Into limiting freedom, are we Audax? How about gulags?" She was smiling, but the Interior Minister cut her off. "Out of line, Assenter. Cut that from the record." Eliana shrugged, she had won anyway. "I call for an immediate vote to resolve the issue. The Denier has no support nor arguements. This is grounds for a vote." It was indeed.

The ballots were prepared and the vote for IACB347 began.

OOC:This, obviously, took place in the past.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ajer, Yafor 2, The Day After Alanor Was Killed
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rudiv Sodo looked mildly at the man in front of him, not letting his emotions get the better of him. Normally, the Elected Duke hated to deal with private contractors (their incessant negotiations tended to get on his nerves, as he normally fought off a short attention span), but this man was different. There was something trustable, something he liked a lot about the man in front of him. That was goo. The task he was assigning to the man in front of him was...delicate, to say the least. He didn't like dealing with those he called untrustworthy. Luckily, the man in front of him was trustable.

Virijad was what they called a "private investigator". As assassin, mostly, but the decline in murders and crimes due to the increased police presence had put him out of a job after he had only just got started. It had been a job that had been used much more during the Empire, but those were times that he barely remembered. Now the killing part of his job was generally forgotten. Now he generally gathered information, blackmailed, and did the things that most people wanted to have done, but did not do on their own.

He seemed middle aged - he was about thirty-ish, but he looked much older. The pair of dark black sunglasses that covered his eyes were more for than for use, but they did look good. The black leather jacket had been expensive, Czardaian imported, but it had been for a good cause. The black boots, the pants, and the gun hidden in a customised pocket of his jacket (which was the part that made it the most expensive) all contributed to his generic look - that of a cliched, cinematic secret agent. It was all for show, of course. He was much better than he looked like.

But Virijad was meeting the Elected Duke of the country, the leader who most liked, and many admired. He had to look good. In his line of business looks were very important. "It's all a facade, of course." he was saying to the Elected Duke, "I act all stupid, like I can't do my job, manage to negotiate some brilliant deal, and get whatever they want done in a few hours. It's really contemptible, but I make a lot of money that way." He was smiling. It was much easier to deal with a top class client if both sides were as frank as possible.

"Hey, a lot of things you do are...well..unsavory, eh?" The Elected Duke was grinning as well. "Let's just say that is you weren't here strictly on your business, I could arrest you and sentance you to life." The Elected Duke was calm and controlled. Virijad had not yet figured out why the man in the chair opposite him and had even called him. The only reason he could figure out was Josain Alanor's murder, but didn't the Elected Duke have the SRACH? It didn't add up. There had to be something he was missing.

"Look, let's cut to the chase here." Rudiv Sodo's voice was suddenly harder and softer, as if someone were trying to listen in. Virijad sat up in chair and perked up his ears to listen. "I want you to investigate Alanor's death. This was brutal murder and meant to be so. I want to knoiw why." He stopped and raised a hand to Virijad's face. "And before you ask the inevitable question, yes, I could use the SRACH. I am, in fact. But I don't trust them. As far as I know, they could have done this on their own." His voice was very grave, now, and Virijad felt fear close in on him.

"I want you to investigate Josain Alanor's death, and tell me everything. Everything!" The pebble in Virijad's throat had suddenly become a rock. He could do nothing but nod.

The following is an excerpt from The Ajerite Sun.

IACB347 Struck Down!
Is 199-1 rout a signal of changing times in Ajer?

AJER, YAFOR 2 - Sometimes, people underestimate the power of the press. Sometimes it is forgotten just how many people read and are thus influenced by sources of news. Sometimes it the the news that is the deciding point in government, and subsequently, our own business. Sometimes, it is the power of the press that can change the fate of thousands of lives. Sometimes, people underestimate the power of the press. Sometimes it is that power that makes the decisions in the world.

So it was with the bill IACB347 and an editorial. This was an editorial written in Times of Chelmar not very long ago by Paulo Dogrod, an Assistant Minister of Protection, a Major General in the Imperial Yaforite Army, a respected member of the current administration. In this editorial, he turned the entire existance of the SRACH and their plans right on their head. He exposed the practices of the SRACH in damning fashion, telling about cruelty, greed, and the SRACH. He laid evil upon evil, in an editorial that shook the nation. Such is the power of the press.

It was well-written and well recieved. The general concensus was that he had said many things that have been needed to be said. He went past the delicacies in the Yaforite character, and laid it bluntly on the table. Going past the traditional excuses, he spoke as an inside man, telling the Yaforites just what the world thought of the SRACH and what they had to do. It was masterfully done. The radical Times of Chelmar were eager to print such an editorial. Soon it spread to other newpapers, television channels, and the blogosphere. Soon, there was nothing to stop it.

One of his central points was the bill IACB347, a bill that he said made "any 'extensive mention' of the SRACH in a 'widely read news source' as illegal.". It was made near the beginning of democracy in Yafor 2, when a newspaper printed infomation leading to the wrecking of an SRACH plot and the capture of twenty SRACH agents. Since then the law has remained stagnant, not updated, while the SRACH have moved on. But what Mr. Dogrod did was that he made them into a symbol - a symbol of what was wrong with the SRACH and what caused the murder of Josain Alanor. He showed that the very act of demolishing it would cause a change in Yafor 2.

The Internal Council has responded skillfully and quickly. Lead by Ms. Eliana Dagora, a Socialist from Uharan, they rather easily voted down the bill with a vote of 199-1. The lone dissenter was Audax Talorum, the lone Communist (though he runs on a Socialist Party ticket) in the Internal Council. The vote was the most lop-sided vote in three years, and most lop-sided since the vote to ban methamphetamines, which passed with a 200-0 victory. This marks a real change in Ajer - it has recently been said that the spirit of cooperation in politics is gone.

Ms. Dagora is a newcomer with skills. Her performance regarding the education system was impressive - there she worked with Aemon Chaliny, the then Minister of Education, to overhaul the testing system and to create a new one which has succeeded in the two years of its implantation. She has also been an active member of the rights of poor, being the youngest ever elected to the Chair of the Committee on Welfare, a job that she has handled with skill and dexterity.

The first indicators of this landmark decision are good. Blogger Keilin Frida says that "the tides are a-changing in Ajer" and that this is ready to usher in new times. She states that "cross-party cooperation and the conjunction of wills across the aisle is an indicator that there is improvement in the Internal Council already."

Whether this indicates change or not, it is a landmark decision nonetheless.

OOC:This is the present day, in case you couldn't figure it out.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ajer, Yafor 2, Seven Days Ago
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Virijad sat meekly (if it were possible for someone of his profession to sit "meekly") at the desk, across from Rudiv Sodo on the other side. His face was drawn, and seemed less harsh than before. To anyone who had been following their conversation for even four minutes would know why. Virijad had a reputation for excellence, for getting everything that he was ordered to get, usually in far less time than necessary. It seemed that that reputation had taken a beating with this most recent case. He was obviously facing a force much tougher than his own abilities.

"Whoever it was who had run through the house was definitely a pro." He was saying. "Now I'll be modest and say that I've run through a lot of houses in my time and I'm a bit of an expert and I've certainly both ransacked and hidden evidence in a house before. But whoever did that really hid all the evidence." Rudiv Sodo who was sitting cross-legged on the other side of the desk, nodded. He seemed to accept Virijad's excuses in stride. It almost was if he had been expecting Virijad's attempts at collecting information to fail. It was as if he was grinning underneath the frown on his face.

"SRACH." Rudiv Sodo was talking in a manner that he expected the letters to have cropped in the conversation before long. "They're always there. They've been working with the professional investigation - they've got first pick, you know" Virijad gave Rudiv a smirk. "If it was indeed the SRACH, they have to work on their skills. The house was heavily protected, I'll give you that, but they should still have got rid of all the evidence. Nearly everything was gone - even the trash! They got everything of importance. Except this."

His manner still vaguely mysterious, Virijad reached deep into the pocket of his Czardaian imported black leather jacket. From it, he removed a small, coffee-stained scrap of paper with a few letters of typed lettering on them. "Found it on the basement floor. Someone needs to sweep under the cupboards." Virijad's smug look was beginning to irritate the Elected Duke. "Read it. I have no idea what it means, so you better." He reached his right hand over the table and placed the scrap of paper on the oak desk, directly under Rudiv Sodo's inquisitive eyes. "Odd, ain't it?"

"Salud? I don't understand." Rudiv Sodo was puzzled, bemused even, and still slightly irritated, but he did not let any of it get into his voice. "No, my mighty Elected Duke. Salud and then a colon!" Virijad was almost openly rejoicing at having found what Rudiv obviously viewed as belonging in the trash bin. It was almost as if Virijad wanted to embarrass his own national leader. "It obviously has import on whatever Alanor was working on last. It might stand for 'Operation: Salud' or something. I don't know. But that's not all I have for you." Rudiv looked up from his examination of the paper to stare at Virijad.

"I talked to a very useful neighbor, as well. SRACH hadn't got to her, I checked. Here's what she said: ten days before his death, she observed people, light skinned, odd looking, outside his house. She would have paid them no mind, except for this little fact. She was walking outside on her way to visit her grandchildren, when she heard them conversing in Spanish. Of course, like most people, she knows pretty good Spanish. You want to know what they said. 'Ten days and we can get out of here, Juan. Just ten days.' She would have forgotten it, except that Alanor died ten days later."

Rudiv pursed his lips. "And Salud too is a Spanish word. You think the assassin is Macabean?" As Virijad had told his story, Rudiv had taken his laptop and searched "Operation: Salud" on it. "Every 'Operation: Salud' I found is Macabee related. Keep watching." Virijad nodded and they continued their discussion.

OOC: Sorry for the long wait and for the poor quality of the post. I've been having huge case of Writer's Block (something I rarely get). Also, a preliminary date for Alanor's actual funeral is either Tuesday or Wednesday.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Back Streets of Ajer, One Day Later
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

The snow lay thick on the ground. Nearly an inch had fallen in the past half an hour, Virijad reflected, and more was to come. It was falling quicker, now, no longer content with lazily spiraling down towards the ground, the snow was now emptying itself from the skies in a veritable avalanche of cascading snow. There was little reason why the streets of Ajer would not soon be filled with snow. It looked like this day would be another that would be officially classified as a blizzard (nearly everything was classified in the country) and there was no doubt that the snowfall was go over a foot.

Due to the snow, there was little pedestrian activity in the downtown of Ajer, near Parliament District. Parents were either staying indoors, finishing up work, or (if they were Christian and late) buying gifts for their children. Christmas was yet to be a commercialized holiday in Yafor 2 and still retained some of its mystery and holiness. It was darkening outside and those people who were outside were either engaging in an illegal activity, going through an unsavory period in their lives or were SRACH agents. Virijad grinned wryly. He wondered which category he fell into. Probably the first.

Despite the lack of people, Virijad still avoided the main streets. He didn't want to be noticed or found. He had gained some valuable information in the official offices of the Libertarian-Capitalists and he was planning to come back for more. This, the treading in the extensive back streets of Ajer was where he got most of his thinking and reasoning done, and that was what he was normally paid for. Thinking was his profession and he used thinking to reason things out. He was paid to figure out problems and he was good at it. He was successful at what he did.

As his feet crunched down in the snow, he compulsively looked behind him. It was not that he expected anyone to be following him. He breathed a sigh out as he realized that no one was. He then turned his face forward. The last thing he expected was to see the barrel of a gun in his eyes. "Why do all you 'private investigators' expect someone to be following you?" The man's breath didn't stink, thankfully, but there was something very unnerving about having a gun barrel in your face, Virijad found. He figured that this was why it was such a good tactic.

"SRACH?" He asked silently as he raised his hands in the air. The man in front of him nodded his head and inclined with his other hand for Virijad to put his hands down. "It's okay, it is not like you can reach your gun." The man in front of him said. "Turn around." He indicated with his head that Virijad should do so. His heart beating much faster now, Virijad turned his head...and felt the full blow of a fist smash into the side of his head. He didn't actually see it coming, but he was suddenly on the ground, spitting blood and the chipped remains of one of his teeth.

"Let's cut this short, idiot." There was four SRACH agents standing above him, now, each with top class silences pistols in their hands. Virijad suddenly scrambled backwards. "We know who you are working for and what it has to do with. So let's make this sweet. There are things in this investigation that are too...fragile for you to handle. Got that?" There was an evil smirk on the SRACH agent's face. "Look, take it well. You're in the Elected Duke's favor. Otherwise we'd bump you off the investigation permanently." Then as quickly as they had arrived, the SRACH were gone and Virijad was alone, lying wounded in an alley.

Four agents had been sent after him. Virijad was slow in picking himself up. He was alone in the alley, him and a pool of blood-stained snow. He felt the side of his mouth with his tongue. One thing was for certain - this was not going to be an easy investigation.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ajer, Hours Before Alanor's Funeral
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was quite a lot of preparation that went into a public appearance for the Elected Duke, Rudiv Sodo reflected. Normally, he was not much into the activity of preening oneself, but for this, it was very important that it looked like time had been put into preparation. Josain Alanor had been a man for whom Rudiv had respect and with the political situation as it was, Rudiv needed to show it. Rudiv curved his lips slightly. Sometimes he hated that politics pervaded every part of his life. It was one of the reasons that he was having trouble deciding whether he would run in the next election or not.

"Stand still, I'm almost done." The woman behind him was not anyone he knew. Aemon had sent her, to, of all things, do his hair perfectly. "Your hair looks nice, but it needs to be better for the funeral." Rudiv's friend had said. His mouth curled upwards again. He didn't see the sense in doing an such un-Yaforite as preparing hair perfectly. But Aemon Chaliny did and when his friend laid his foot down, Rudiv didn't object. His friend was much more of a politician than he was and his advice usually turned out well.

"Done yet?" Aemon Chaliny poked his head into the "Lighten up, Rudiv! Check this out." He immediately threw a newspaper onto the bed cover. Rudiv glanced down as the woman behind him grinned and said "Done! Like it?" His mouth curling up for the third time in about two minutes, Rudiv looked up sourly into the mirror. It wasn't badly done. As much as Rudiv would hate to admit it, he liked the new style. Smiling slightly - only slightly, as to not let Aemon know that he had indeed won, and the Rudiv liked his new hair.

As the woman left the room, Rudiv slowly glanced down at the newspaper that Aemon had thrown to him. It was a copy of the Ajerite Sun, and Rudiv had not yet seen it. The title was written clearly upon it and he stared at it, before reading it out loud. "'Eliana Dagora To Head Official Investigation Into Alanor Shooting.'" Rudiv Sodo whipped his head around to stare incredulously at Aemon Chaliny. "What? What's this?" He looked Aemon Chaliny directly in the face, his good mood evaporating quickly. "Did you know?" Aemon shook his head. "Read further into the article."

Rudiv skipped through the fluff of the article at the beginning and began to read the meat of the article. "The appointment was passed with a double-approval of the Internal Council." Rudiv looked at the paper with the same incredulous look that had been plastered over his face previously. "This is a rare process whose process can only be obtained with a direct majority and then the matter of the appointment is put to vote without delay, and without passing the the Internal Appointments Council." Rudiv quickly did some calculation and looked back at Aemon.

"It was 49-51, right? They united against us and you guys." Aemon licked his lips and nodded. Every party had united against the PLP -YKMK alliance. Rudiv pursed his lips and threw the article down. "When this is over, Ms. Dagora is going to be the biggest winner and we are all going to be losers." His words would prove to be extremely prophetic.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ajer, Josain Alanor's Funeral
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rudiv Sodo couldn't help but to hate the atmosphere about funerals. There was something morbid about attending a celebration (especially in the Jakallan faith, where death was celebrated!) for someone's death. It struck him, if anything, as somewhat ironic. You celebrated life, not death. And what would the dead man say? But there was no reason in griping over what could not have been changed. What could not be cured would have to be endured. He grimaced again. Once again he had taken a line from some b-grade something-or-other and used it as philosophy. It was a weakness of his.

As in Jakallan tradition, all the people around were dressed in white. Even the non-Jakallans, who made up a large percentage of the crowd attending the funeral (most were Hindus, as was Rudiv Sodo) were dressed all in white - in Yafor 2 even if you disagreed with someone, you still respected their traditions. It was one thing that separated Yafor 2 from most of the other countries in the world, the fact that they were polite and preferred polite disagreement to hatred and battle. And so, all came to the funeral dressed in traditional white.

The funeral was still far away from starting. Most of the people were in a large pavilion on the outside of the vast field north of Ajer where funeral would be held. Jakallan funerals were grand events and to many outsiders seemed akin to weddings in other countries. Space had to be booked, invitations filed, and most importantly, permission received from the High Korut's office. It was a fairly standard procedure, if rather painstaking and long, as were the other procedures. The family set up most of these and Rudiv shuddered to think the amount of work that it must have put upon the shoulders of Josain Alanor's wife, especially in a Jakallan household.

There was a disturbance near the gate of the small area and the sounds heralded the approach of the Pacitalian Prime Minister Fernando Chiovitti. He had been in Ajer close to three weeks now, an enormous amount of time spent in the country. It was his own fault, Rudiv reflected. He should have looked at the funerals traditions of the Jakallans before coming. It took a long time to plan a funeral (the bureaucratic nature of the High Korut's office alone took over an average of two weeks) and he should have known not to come as early as he had. It had been a useful visit, though, and the Elected Duke had found nothing to complain about. Chances were that the Pacitalian had, however. There were always sacrifices.

The Prime Minister had found time to other things in the meantime, Rudiv reflected. He had visited historical sites throughout Yafor 2, spending nearly two days in the famed Marble Temple near Uharan, a great temple made entirely out of marble, with the largest unsupported dome in its center, dating back from the Late Agrevan Dynasty. It was a marvel of historical engineering and the Prime Minister had obviously seen it as such. There were many other historical sites that matched, and even excelled it, but the Late Agrevan Dynasty had been a war-torn mess of emperors struggling against nature, civil uprisings, the total autonomy of several provinces, and enemy invasions. And yet, somehow, with everything against them, the emperors of that period created a huge marble temple with the largest unsupported dome in Yafor 2. It was a marvel of the past.

Attending were other people apart from the Pacitalian Prime Minister. He could recognize many chief executives of the Libertarian-Capitalists, including Wilhelm Jyolt, their new executive-in-chief. He was deep in conversation with his rival, Vas Aderon, and Rudiv had mild suspicions that the Libertarian-Capitalists were planning on uniting their two parties once more. At least in death Josain Alanor had succeeded in his last great task. It was pure irony that perhaps he had been killed for that very reason. That was how the world worked, though. Sometimes it wasn't the fairest place.

The political implications of such a move would be tremendous as well. If it were found that, as Rudiv suspected, neither of them had ordered the killing of Josain Alanor, than the re-uniting of the Libertarian-Capitalist Party would cause political shockwaves through the entire political spectrum. He could see it in his head; the PLP and YKMK finding common ground and themselves re-uniting, the Socialists pushing that they were a "fair and moderate" party. Chances were that they would pick someone new, intelligent, well-known, and moderate as their new head. Someone like Eliana Dagora. He grinned at the thought of three parties grappling over the Elected Ducal seat. It was very un-Yaforite, and yet, it was a vision that could easily come to pass.

People endlessly circulated around the pavilion, looking at each other, exchanging words and saying only what needed to be said. Yaforites were like that. They were not much at parties or events and other things of that nature. Social events (what in other nations would be known as "high class living") were quite out of the window. It was quite dreary and dark outside and it matched the somber mood of the evening. People were reflecting on what they had known Josian Alanor to be, not what their lives would be like. But funerals were always depressing and somber. It was what they were supposed to be.

"It's not your fault, Rudiv." It was a short woman to his right. For a second Rudiv Sodo froze, wondering how she knew his name, but then he recalled that he did lead the country. Quite a lapse, he thought. "Thank you." he nodded politely. It was always best to be polite when one could be. She smiled and went on her way. It was slightly unexpected to find support at the funeral of one's dead political rival. But she was telling him that she was on his side. People believed him. He had not killed Josain Alanor. That was why he was Elected Duke and not someone on the street.

"You didn't kill him, Rudiv. We're with you." Some other people had wandered near him. Rudiv felt lighter, all of a sudden. They did trust him! "Thank you very much. I appreciate it." He sounded like he appreciated it, too. He did. The people moved away and he compulsively grinned with appreciation. The statement was one thing, but more importantly, he knew that these people were with him. He straightened himself up, again, maintaining dignity as more people came to him and told him that they trusted him, that they believed him. Rudiv was on the verge of tears. These people trusted him that much! It was overwhelming.

He heard a soft padding behind him and turned to see the Pacitalian Prime Minister Chiovitti at his side. "These people really trust you, Rudiv." the man said, his voice on a level tone. Rudiv shrugged his shoulders, not trusting himself to speak without his voice shaking. The Pacitalian man looked at Rudiv oddly, then smiled to himself. Rudiv stopped and faced the man. There was close to a twenty-year difference in their ages and from a far away glance, it would not seem to the observer that they were both world leaders. But they were and there was a certain kinship there between them. All world leaders had the weight of their nations upon their shoulders. It was a fact of life.

"Why did he have to die, Rudiv?" The question startled the Elected Duke. He turned to face his Pacitalian counterpart, stunned at the daring of the question - and the fact that it seemed to indicate that the Pacitalian didn't believe that he had killed Josain Alanor. The broad grin on the Pacitalian's face confirmed that he was serious. Rudiv licked his lip and began to respond. "I really don't know, Fernando." He was being totally truthful, now, truthful and open. "I really don't know. Maybe politics have gone too far in the country." he said ruefully.

There was a disturbance at the front of the pavilion as the people cleared a path to watch four members of Josain Alanor's family bearing his body, laid cleanly on a bier of sticks towards the pyre burning in the center of the field opposite. His body had been cleaned up and now was dressed in a clean tuxedo - his red tie and coat jacket obviously newly bought for the occasion. There was no shortage of tears around - what had previously been lachrymose faces were now awash with tears. Rudiv had to admit that this was the part of the Jakallan funeral that always had him in tears - though he didn't cry that often. It was moving to see the dead man, an expression of contentment written plainly on his face, being borne towards his resting place.

As his body was consumed in flames people watched and then moved slowly out of the way, consoling the family and recalling him when he was alive. Rudiv stayed back. Smoke drifted upwards, spiraling in the winds, and then moving away. The flames flickered as he watched, almost alive in the way that they moved, this way and that. Rudiv looked at the pyre for a few minutes, thinking to himself. Then, unconsciously, he began to speak. "I'll find your killer, Josain. I promise you that."

The fire continued to flicker, but this time it was tinged with contentment, almost as if Josain Alanor had heard Rudiv Sodo's voice.