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Post by killer spork on Oct 15, 2015 19:39:25 GMT -6
'' You and your staff have twenty four hours to leave Asteron. '' Foreign Minister Abdulya said, with a frown. Kniov had been summoned to his office an hour after delivering his decree. The former Army Colonel had resigned his post and moved into his official capacity as representative of Asteran affairs. '' Anyone remaining after that will be forcibly deported. If your government does not wish any further tensions, I would advise you to leave. Quietly. The ANF is already howling for blood. ''
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Post by RWU on Oct 15, 2015 19:50:33 GMT -6
"I am a citizen of Asteron by birthright and a legal resident by treaty," Kniov countered more venomously than usual. He usually didn't get emotional in these situations, but Abdulya was, in a strange way....a friend. And hearing the deporation order from a friend was distinctly unpleasant. "Even if you don't want the RWU diplomatic mission here, you have no right to remove me, comrade. As for my coworkers in the Embassy, I'll let them decide individually."
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Post by killer spork on Oct 15, 2015 19:56:30 GMT -6
'' Comrade Kniov. '' Abdulya said, stirring a cup full of tea and allowing the spoon to bang loudly on its side. '' Your citizenship on Asteron was stripped the moment you decided to swear allegiance to a foreign power. In addition, your staff is here at the invitation of the Asteran government. Your staff has no legal authority now. They were granted stay by the Asteran government. Now that invitation is revoked. '' The diplomat said sadly.
'' You know this gives me no pleasure Kniov.. '' The admission of regret was followed by a characteristically loud sip of the tea. '' But this outrageous act by your government has left the President no choice. Please do not attempt to become a martyr. The cameras won't see it and all it will cause is pain. ''
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Post by RWU on Oct 16, 2015 1:09:33 GMT -6
"You mean it was stripped when the Nationalists came to power and decided that Revolutionary Solidarity was to be abolished," the Foreign Secretary practically spat. "Don't give me the party line. Of course the President has a choice. Either way, I am staying right here in my homeland. And trust me, the cameras will see the results."
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Post by killer spork on Oct 16, 2015 12:13:27 GMT -6
'' I was afraid you were going to say that. '' He said, finishing off his tea and placing it on the table.
'' Thank you for the tea. '' With that Abdulya stood and with one last handshake to his old nemesis departed. The army trucks were already mustering outside the embassies gates as Abdulya made his exit.
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Post by killer spork on Oct 22, 2015 19:43:52 GMT -6
There was a loud knock on the door. Foreign Minister Kniov, held under house arrest for the last three months, would have scant seconds to collect himself before the soldiers made their entrance.
'' Mister Ambassador, please get dressed. President-elect Saratoga will see you now. '' The officer said brusquely. It was the middle of the night, the sound of sirens in the far off distance was only too apparent. Vorcia was once again was in the midst of public unrest. Asteran elections over the past few years had been particularly bloody affairs. Kniov was bundled off in an armored car, arriving outside a nondescript building that was guarded by a platoon of heavily armed Asteran police. This was no ordinary building.
Infact, it was here that Lukien Saratoga, the former '' retired '' General was having regular meetings with the Army chief of staff and numerous other military affiliated officials. With the AWP gaining ground in the election and having firmly secured the backroom deals required for the Presidency, now all that was left was to sweep the ugly past few months under the rug with the RWU. But would they accept was the question?
The Foreign Minister was shoved into a spartan room, where Saratoga sat behind a desk. Abdulya on his right, cigar in hand as usual.
'' Captivity has treated you well Kniov. You've gotten fat. '' Zaren Abdulya observed. It had been weeks since he had last seen him, though he had ensured that Kniov was being treated well. ...or as well as any highly connected political prisoner could be.
'' The AWP is ahead in the polls. The PUF offers a coalition agreement with Saratoga here. Naturally, Vos is pushing hard for us to defuse tensions...which I think in this case, is best for all parties involved. '' Abdulya continued. Saratoga said nothing, simply watching Kniov from behind the rim of a coffee mug.
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Post by RWU on Oct 23, 2015 0:01:10 GMT -6
"Thirty five and thirty five..." Kniov mused, not quite looking at Abdulya so much as skimming him with a sideways glance. "That's a super-majority coalition. Not bad at all, if you can make it work." Though he still had his wit, it was clear Kniov was tired. He still hadn't fully recovered from the sleepless nights and the sudden attack during the Embassy Siege.
Finally, he turned his head and looked his counterpart in the eye. "If Vos is for defusing tensions, I don't see why I shouldn't be. And for that matter I believe the Congress and Council are for it too. I won't stop sparring with you, dear Abdulya, but let's have our people stop. The RWU and Asteron made great strides and victories as comrades, and I'd rather like to return to that era if possible, with a few modifications. If ex-General Saratoga is willing to cooperate with the PUF, then on my authority as Foreign Secretary I recognize him as President of the Union of Asteron on behalf of the Revolutionary Workers' Union."
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Post by killer spork on Oct 23, 2015 6:21:06 GMT -6
'' I want a firm agreement on no further activities by RWU unionists or intelligence officials on my planet. '' Saratoga said with thinly veiled hostility. Saratoga and many within the Army blamed the RWU for the current unstable political environment. Forty years of peace and prosperity was what they had before the RWU had attempted to radicalize their people further. Now that the AWP was back in charge, they would want no further foreign inspired domestic disturbances now that the Hive was in their sights.
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Post by RWU on Oct 24, 2015 21:53:48 GMT -6
"As long as you remain in a good faith coalition with the PUF and don't pull a coup d'etat," Kniov replied, "we will abide by those terms." A simple and direct response, unusual for the seasoned barb-thrower that Kniov was. But at this point, he just wanted to get this ordeal over with. "I'll want my embassy and my diplomatic immunity back," he added.
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Post by killer spork on Oct 24, 2015 22:31:00 GMT -6
" Done. " Lukien Saratoga said brusquely and with a wave of his hand, signaling that Kniov's brief audience with Asteron's new master was over. How long this current truce would last would be difficult to say but for the moment, relations were restored. " Let's go for a ride. " Zaren said as he and Kniov headed into their car. The motorcade struck out towards the RWU embassy, the protestors had long since left, leaving behind a ransacked building in its place. " Hooligans. " Abdulya complained loudly, glass crunching underneath his feet. Four military policeman followed them, scanning down darkened hallways. The electricity was still off.
There was a loud heavy thump down the hall. Footfalls?
" Sergeant. I thought this building had been cleared. "
The soldier began to stomp down the hall, pistol and baton in hand to bring down righteous fury on any poor protestors who remained.
" We'll have this cleaned up soon Kniov, don't worry. " He said murmured without thinking as he checked his data slate for messages.
Thrn in the screaming started.
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Post by RWU on Oct 24, 2015 22:34:01 GMT -6
Sebastiyan Kniov had witnessed plenty of unrest and repression in his long career as a revolutionary, and he knew the sounds of a confrontation between police and rioters. These were not those sounds.
"What in the gods' name is going on down there?!" he exclaimed, looking to Abdulya in the hopes that he might have an answer.
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Post by killer spork on Oct 24, 2015 22:39:23 GMT -6
The answer came when the soldier -- or what was left of him came flying back through the doorway. He had been bisected with scythe like claws. The creature moved stunningly fast, downing another soldier in a bloody display of efficiency. Mandibles opening wife to tear the troopers head clean off.
" KILL IT! " Abdulya screamed, producing a pistol. It was obvious what this beast was. A creature of the hive but this was no soldier drone, it was an assassin. Abdulya and Kniov were being pushed through the doorway by the remaining policeman. Zaren desperately looking for an escape route. The assassin had taken a half dozen heavy shells from his weapon but it still kept coming, claws dripping blood.
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Post by RWU on Oct 24, 2015 22:49:20 GMT -6
Foreign Secretary Kniov was trained to handle diplomatic crises, not assassination plots. However, that didn't mean he wasn't prepared for the possibility. With agility that might surprise some, the veteran diplomat whipped out a folded sub-machinegun from somewhere in his outfit. It wasn't clear where, and it seemed the gun had been folded down to an amazingly compact block.
"We don't negotiate with royalists, capitalists, or insects!" he shouted as he let loose a hail of light-gas-propelled bullets in his assailant's direction.
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Post by killer spork on Oct 24, 2015 22:58:10 GMT -6
With enough rounds pumped into it to tear its armored carapace into slag, it finally toppled over. It continued to claw and drag its battered corpse towards Kniov until Abdulya stepped forward to deal the kill shot through its head, sending Ichor everywhere. The casualties had been heavy, three dead troops. More soldiers had rushed in upon hearing the gunshots and soon both Kniov and Abdulya were outside.
" do you have any idea why the Hive wants you dead? " the diplomat panted before holstering his weapon.
" You've got red on you. " He said pointing towards Kniov's face.
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Post by RWU on Oct 24, 2015 23:04:08 GMT -6
Kniov nonchalantly withdrew a sanitizer napkin from his outfit, which apparently had more special compartments than most people would care to know, and wiped the unpleasant liquid off of his face.
"You sure that thing's dead?" he asked, eyeing the creature skeptically. Just in case, he ejected his gun's magazine and replaced it, withdrawing it from yet another one of his little pockets.
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