Chapter 34: The Capital Part 2
Sorry for the huge ass delay, but between real life drama, work, and trying to figure out how the hell to write this chapter, I was in a bit of a stump. Also sorry if this chapter seems a bit uneventful as well, it's mostly checking off a necessary story development. Next chapter will have Pony perspectives in it, and hopefully we can finally kick this war off in the next 3 chapters. Anyways like, comment, and critique to your heart's content and I'll see you next time.
Monumental decisions affecting thousands of lives dwell in the air, stepping stones of history are now placed before two peoples. One has been weathered by adversity and sheer will. But now they face extinction, lest an accord can be struck, or a force can be amassed, only time and temperament will tell which path will be taken..............................
A stillness hovered over the main council chamber, a silence one could find themselves if stranded in the most barren parts of the wasteland. For those who occupied the room, much dwelled on the mind, and even more so on what course of action needed to be taken. Hours upon hours had been spent discussing the subjects of maintaining order in the city, how to quell the inevitable riots that would follow, what contingencies needed to be placed for rationing, and worst of all, a strategy of survival should the Survivors disband and collapse entirely.
The situation evolving outside did little to quell these concerns, at least by the half-hour reports they had been receiving. The water loss had been detrimental, downright catastrophic if Patel had anything to say about it. Her worst fears were coming to pass, the day she had been dreading for nearly eight years was finally upon the precipice of disaster. With dwindling resources and supplies, any feasible method of relieving the already pressing crisis seemed impossible, and now it just took a direct hit cutting their time for solutions in half. Yeong found himself at a similar conclusion, as his distribution centers were undoubtedly about to face a supply and demand nightmare with no way to remedy it in sight. Schafer was quiet, more out of a sense of contemplation than immediate concern. He'd seen his fair share of crisis, and had learned to steel any reactionary thoughts during situations like these. For him, it was simply running through the options they could take, though none seemed too optimistic.
But as much as the situation outside demanded their attention, they had seemingly exhausted all their options for the time being. As standing Council, there was only so much they could do. Unanimously, they voted to shut down the water storage facilities for the meantime and commandeered temporary command of local Militia forces for security and maintaining civil order. While the decision seemed to be working in terms of suppressing any potential raids on the reservoir, it was only a matter of time before tensions would rise and inevitably come to a head. The announcement came through all public communication outlets; radio stations, public criers, and all official Coalition administrative facilities. But exact reasons for these actions were withheld for the time being, until all acting Council members were present to release an official press statement, so that transparency on the matter was made clear.
But with two of the active Councilors absent, the task of upholding that transparency was made difficult, and would undoubtedly reflect badly on all of them. Patel just knew something like this would happen, she felt it the moment Sawyer even expressed a desire to see the discovery made in Berlin in person. But alas, hindsight is 20/20, and as much as she could argue and debate on the rationality of their decision, it would do them no good in the resolution of their current predicament. Thankfully their absence wouldn't last much longer, as summons for Sawyer and Bradford to return proved unnecessary, as both parties had begun journey home of their own volition some two hours earlier. Whether it came as a result of the incident or their business in Berlin simply concluding was unknown, but ultimately irrelevant. All they had to do now was wait.
"How much longer do you think it will take?" Yeong asked in frustration. "It feels like we're wasting every minute just sitting here."
"Soon, Councilor Yeong. Soon." Patel replied, slight hints of distress trailing in her tone.
"I understand the gravity of the situation, Councilors. But you mustn't let it set you on edge." Schafer advised. "A clear head will be needed to face this dilemma."
"I appreciate your concern, Councillor Schafer. But I'm afraid I don't possess the same level of resolve as you."
"I at least urge to take a seat at the very least and stop pacing, Miss Patel. And for you, Mr. Yeong, I suggest you exercise patience."
They would both find trouble in those regards, but heeded the eldest councilor's advice nonetheless. Schafer proceeded to take a seat by Yeong's side, helping his fellow councilor in formulating a plan of rationing from what stockpiles were left. Patel let out a long breath and took a seat across from them, realizing that he was right and that she had been standing for entirely too long.
As soon as she did however, the sound of two doors swung open had her back up on her feet once more, as none other than Sawyer and Bradford had finally arrived. Any composure Patel had managed to recollect had dissipated once more.
"Oh thank the lord you two have returned." Patel sighed with relief.
"Apologies for our absence, had we known of the reservoir incident sooner we would have departed earlier." Bradford announced upon entering.
"So you do know of the crisis?" Schafer asked.
"We were informed en route to here. Judging by the scene outside I'd say we arrived in the nick of time." Andrew commented. "We leave for one week and everything goes to hell. Just our luck in life it would seem."
"We did everything we could to avert outright societal breakdown." Patel asserted.
"I know, and I'm thankful. It just seems like something of a higher power has it out for us, that's all." Andrew explained.
"Well, higher powers or not, you're here now. Now the real work begins." Yeong claimed. "I just don't know how we're going to bounce back from this."
"Well, I have a feeling that answer lies with our esteemed colleagues." Schafer stated, gesturing to Bradford and Sawyer respectively. "Tell me, what exactly were your findings in Berlin?"
Before either Andrew or Bradford could utter a word in response, Patel raised her voice in protest.
"With all due respect, Councilor Schafer, but this hardly seems appropriate to discuss, especially at a time like this." Patel argued.
"Oh I beg to differ. I believe it will offer new insights." Schafer said with no-nonsense tone. "I simply wish to know if any truth lies behind the rumors across town."
Sawyer and Bradford exchanged looks, giving one another clear indications that they were ready to share the knowledge they had acquired.
"There is." Andrew stated.
Suddenly the baffled looks seen between Yeong and Patel faltered, giving way to expressions of confusion. No doubt waiting for the two to elaborate further, Bradford and Sawyer wasted no time in explaining the gaps left behind since their last session.
"We found something that will...........undoubtedly serve us in a significant capacity." Andrew clarified.
The ambiguity of his statement did little to satiate the curiosity amassed amongst Andrew's peers.
"And just how significant are we talking about here?" Yeong asked.
"Significant enough to solve our shortages. Indefinitely, if we play our cards right."
"How?" Patel asked.
The look on her face alone spoke volumes of disbelief. Andrew saw it as only natural. Growing up knowing nothing but hard choices and scarcity tended to jade one's insinuations on supposed miraculous solutions. But Andrew saw this one with his own eyes, and in time, the rest of humanity would too.
"Well, as you all know, the device in question was an interdimensional gateway, a portal between worlds." Bradford recapped. "Through our findings we were able to divulge that Berfield was sent to one of the previously unsurveyed worlds, designated Echo."
"We sent two first reconnaissance teams to carry out the mission to rescue him. Despite our own reservations, we went in blind, so we had no idea what awaited us on the other side." Andrew explained.
Andrew felt a twinge of hesitation as the remaining councilors awaited his next statement.
"Simply put...........Echo is a garden world." Andrew finally stated. "Lush, fertile, a breathable atmosphere, a plethora of flora and fauna, and an abundance of untainted water."
The looks Andrew received seemed unconvinced, even Schafer, who had brought up this matter, had slight tones of uncertainty in his expression. Bradford clearly picked up on this notion, same as Andrew, and opted that a more analytical approach was required to convince them.
"I can confirm it as well. By all means, the ecological data we procured pretty much points it to being like Earth as it was before the Conflict, even before the age of major industry." Bradford concurred.
"How much of this data do you have to share?" Schafer asked.
"A substantial amount. I compiled it all into a dossier for your convenience. I just sent some of my colleagues to make copies, they should be here relatively quickly."
While Andrew's direct explanation laid out their findings, it elicited more doubt than curiosity. Bradford's seemed to finally bring the others around, slowly but steadily. The expressions around the room could only be classified as mix between joyous and dumbstruck. Even Patel, who had up to this point carried a sense of doubt, immediately broke out into a smile.
"You're.....you're serious?" She stammered.
"We are." Andrew proclaimed. "We wouldn't lie about this, not now."
"And we certainly wouldn't bring it up if we didn't have the evidence to prove it." Bradford concurred.
It was at that moment that the doors to the Council chambers opened once more. Coming in was a young woman with slight amber skin and brown hair, wearing a lab coat over a t-shirt and jeans with a stack of stuffed office folders in her hands.
"Speaking of which." Andrew noted.
"Councilors." the woman addressed. "I have the dossiers as requested."
"Thank you Miss Martinez." Bradford said as he took them from her. "I'll take it from here."
The woman nodded and took her leave as Bradford began passing out each of the folders.
"In these folders you'll see various photographic evidence of the environments the reconnaissance teams came across, as well as a few..........um....indigenous lifeforms." Bradford explained.
The three uninformed Councilors opened their folders and began flipping through the contents that had been provided. Along with physical descriptions of topography and terrain were various photographs taken from the live feeds of Nathan's RARD drone, as well as a few of the team's helmet recorders which were analyzed upon their return. Suddenly it was as if all sense of disbelief had been swept away, and many, Patel in particular, couldn't help but feel a severe sense of elation as all that previous anxiety seemed to evaporate.
"This..this news...it's......it's wonderful! I'm......I'm honestly at a loss for words!" Patel exulted. "You realize what this means, right? Humanity can finally rebuild and prosper!"
Patel's mind went into a frenzy of speculation and potential opportunity, thoughts of mankind's second chance brimming with countless possibilities to forge a future. However, her temperament took a slight hit when gazing upon the two men who had provided this wondrous news. Bradford sported an uncomfortable squint whilst the latter gave nothing more than a sullen expression. Given the circumstances, all parties should be jubilant, ecstatic. But they weren't, and that in turn troubled Patel to the point that it warranted an inquiry.
"Is something wrong, gentlemen?" Patel asked.
She received a brief pause, as the two exchanged a quick glance before nodding to one another in acknowledgement.
"You could say that." Bradford admitted.
"Fellow Councilors, I'm afraid there's a catch to all of this that requires your immediate knowledge." Andrew admitted. "As you all know this whole operation started as a rescue mission to retrieve Private Timothy Berfield from unknown territory."
"Ah yes, our wayward militiaman." Schafer acknowledged, his attitude somewhat joyous from the good news. "Tell me, how is Mr. Berfield fa-"
"He's dead." Andrew said.
Any sense of elation died the minute that was made known. All eyes were now upon him, forcing Andrew to let out a sigh. The next words out of his mouth would undoubtedly bring an end to his career as Commander of the Militia. but if sacrificing his position meant that mankind could be saved from extinction, it was worth it.
"To make matters more complicated, Berfield was alive when we entered the world. Two individuals from each of the entry teams were there to witness his death." Andrew explained. "I was one of them."
Suddenly the feelings of slight confusion transitioned to ones of inquiry.
"Wait a minute." Patel asked. "What do you mean you were one of them?"
"I mean to tell you that..........I led the secondary team. In the field." Andrew clarified.
Patel immediately got up from her chair.
"What in God's name compelled you to-"
"Oh my god....." Yeong mouthed under his breath.
Patel's declaration came to an abrupt halt as everyone's attention was suddenly directed at the Councilor of Agriculture. He was seen gawking at a particular sheet in his hands.
"Yeong? What is it?" Schafer asked.
"Page 20." Yeong uttered.
Schafer and Patel began flipping further through their own dossiers, shortly coming to the same findings as Yeong. Before them sat the brief and faded image of something airborne in the night sky, shooting projectiles down on a retreating squad of soldiers, immediately followed by a pristine photograph of two equine lifeforms sitting side by side on a park bench. To say that they felt a sense of shock and confusion was an understatement. Almost instinctively, Andrew and Bradford both knew they had reached the point where the dossier touched upon the native inhabitants. There was no more beating around the bush.
"Before you ask, yes, everything you're seeing in that dossier is real, nothing tampered, nothing shopped." Bradford stated.
A few short seconds later and the first response came from Patel.
"This isn't possible." She argued.
"It is." Andrew stated. "While it's a flourishing world, I'm afraid we got there second. It's already inhabited, and as you can see, they're not human."
The room became quiet once again, as the other councilors were dumbfounded by this sudden and jarring revelation, their eyes darting back and forth across the photographic evidence that laid before them. To learn that mankind wasn't alone and shared its existence with another sapient race had been the stuff of science fiction for centuries, and to suddenly have it supplanted into reality was a lot to take in.
"You.....you mean to tell us that you discovered alien life?" Yeong asked.
"Yes, intelligent life at that." Bradford clarified.
Another bout of silence, and another torrent of uncertainty and confusion. So many questions arose concerning this revelation that the current crisis could almost be seen as a distant memory. However, as Patel looked over the photos once again, she noted that first one in particular was taken in a moment of panic. It's composition made it evidently clear that they had not only made contact with these creatures, but that an altercation had arisen as a result of it. Putting Andrew's presence on the ground, a sudden surge of outrage overwhelmed her.
"You made contact with these beings?" she asked, anger beginning to rise. "You yourself were there, and Bradford you were there to witness this when it happened, without express consent from the rest of this Council!?"
Andrew and Bradford were reluctant to answer, but willpower prevailed, and coerced them both to relinquish the truth.
"Yes." Andrew admitted with a clear hint of shame in his tone.
Patel was able to pick up on his distress easily, this in turn led to yet another query, so direct in it's blatant need to be answered that it came off like a direct attack.
"What happened!?"
With two simple words, any delay of the inevitable truth had shattered, as Andrew and Bradford proceeded to inform the Council of the events that had transpired. How Andrew oversaw and carried out the mission personally, the death of Timothy Berfield, the incident that could lead to war with the world's inhabitants, and the testimony of the soldier who had been there when the hostilities began.
When the company had finally entered the Council Building it took very little time to get things rolling. Sawyer and Bradford immediately made their way to the Council chambers, ready to convene and discuss the subject of the new world and the events pertaining to it. Bradford ordered a few of his staff to make copies of the after-action reports and an official dossier on their findings, as well as a written record of Achmed's debriefing. The Council chamber itself was off-limits to all but those bearing the title of Councilor or those who were summoned, and so Achmed, Sarah, and Colonels Malik and Antonov waited in the lobby that sat just outside. The scene itself was quiet, as each person pondered what was being discussed behind those doors and how the remaining Councilors would receive the news. Most accepted that it would be taken rather bittersweet. Access to a garden world was laid out before them, but so was the possibility of war.
"What do you think will happen?" Sarah asked.
"Who knows?" Viktor stated. "All I can say is that they will wish to be as informed as they possibly can, then from there process what options to take. Obviously that means they will wish to speak with you, Private Sabbag."
Viktor looked at Sabbag with a subtle but scrutinous glare, one Achmed was able to pick up on immediately. Recalling the debriefing, Achmed remembered how inquisitive Colonel Antonov had been throughout. While the Commander had come across as more approachable, Achmed hesitated to call it understanding. Viktor on the other hand pried at every detail he shared, and in many cases fabricated. It was a miracle that Achmed was able to come across so confidently in the presence of both men who were many times his superior, no doubt attributed to his newfound sense of purpose for avenging his fallen friend. Achmed knew he would have to replicate that same composure in the presence of the Council. It also helped that his assertions were the only ones to formulate a decision from. As far anyone knew, what he said could determine the actions that would be taken in the coming days, and if his twisting of the events did its job, there'd be boots on the ground in this Equestria, and his vendetta could finally get underway.
But Achmed knew too well that it wasn't going to be that easy, as it was clear Colonel Antonov would do everything he could to persuade the Council to take another course of action. While Achmed had the luxury of being the only person there to give an account of the events leading to Tim's death, he acknowledged that the Colonel would argue that many of his points didn't add up. Had Achmed more time he probably would have formulated his cover story to be a bit more consistent with what they actually faced. But alas, he was questioned the moment he stepped back in his own world and worked with what he could.
That simply left Achmed with one clear goal in sight, convincing every member of the Council that peace wasn't a luxury they could afford. No small task, but one necessary to initiate his revenge. Thankfully there were more than a few factors that could help him accomplish this goal. The shortages were getting to an alarming low, and with a world of abundance suddenly available to them, they'd be insane not to utilize it. Aside from him, the threat of hostile invasion via his fabricated account was a very real threat. And finally the plight of the people, which could prove to be the most effective. They were already in a state of unrest from the reservoir incident, if the prospect of a new flourishing world came to their knowledge it could force the Council's hand, and if that wouldn't, maybe the murder of one of their own would.
Suddenly there was a shift in Achmed's thought process. Upon recalling the unrest, it in turn pushed the thought of Suha into the forefront of his subconscious, so much so that little else would cross his mind. She had grown so much in his time away, and had matured well past what would be expected from someone her age. She had tended to their ailing mother for so long as he searched and searched for the supplies that could potentially save her, but to no avail. The fact that she got caught up in what almost turned into a full scale riot terrified him to his core, and he suddenly found himself accounting for her place in this plan he was about to initiate. Achmed then shook his head in an effort to divert himself from these thoughts.
"No......You have to go through with this, you've already gone too far. No turning back, not even for her." Achmed asserted mentally.
"You alright, son?" Malik asked.
Achmed turned his head and addressed his superior clearly.
"I'm fine, sir. Just tired that's all."
"Sure you're not just nervous?" Sarah asked. "You're about to talk to five of the most powerful people that exist."
"I said I'm fine, Sarge." Achmed reiterated.
The present company made of that what they would. A hush took over the room once again as they watched a woman carrying five files approach the council chambers. Sarah watched as the guard stationed outside stopped her, but only briefly as she presented a certain pass that undoubtedly permitted her entry. The guard opened the door and she was gone as he closed it behind her. Sarah simply observed with indifference as she reappeared shortly afterwards, exiting the room. She gave the group a glance before continuing what Sarah had assumed would have been her uneventful day. But when she briefly glanced at Sarah, she suddenly stopped. She did a double take of the Sergeant and stared at her for a few uncomfortable seconds, enough to warrant a response from Sarah.
"I'm sorry, but do I know......y-you?"
Sarah suddenly found herself at a loss for words upon noting the woman's face. It was rounded but not quite pudgy, sporting a Nubian nose, amber eyes, long black hair and of course, a pair of black frame glasses. The unmistakable features of her youngest sister.
"Sofia?" Sarah pondered.
Sarah hesitated, wondering if she should just ignore the woman and pretend she didn't know her. Unfortunately that option withered and died the minute her sister caught a glimpse of recognition from Sarah's eyes, leaving the Sergeant to acknowledge one of her siblings, something she had been dreading since their arrival. But as Sarah was about to engage in conversation, the woman was suddenly intercepted by Viktor before the conversation could go any further.
"Can we help you, Ma'am?" He asked.
The woman's eyes drew towards the imposing colonel. Sarah could tell by the slight change in her sister's body language that she was intimidated. Sofia gave a quick glimpse over at Sarah, who herself still hesitated to intervene.
"N-no. I was just leaving." Sofia spoke.
Sofia immediately sped her pace away from the party, and in turn her older sister, without a second thought. It took a few seconds for Sarah to fully comprehend what had just happened, only to find she had let the chance to engage with one of her family slip. Her conscience told her that she should be upset, even angry with the Colonel for intervening and scaring off her younger sibling. But deep down, she couldn't help but feel she dodged a bullet. Six years without so much as a visit would undoubtedly take its toll, and it seemed that level of familial love wasn't so strong as before.
"Sarge, did you know that woman?" Achmed asked.
Seconds passed as Sarah wondered the same.
"I'm not sure." she finally replied. "But she certainly knew me."
Attention soon turned back towards the Council Chambers, as all present could hear the faint presence of raised voices emanating past the heavy set of sound-proofed doors.
"Sounds like things are getting heated in there." Sarah noted.
Viktor, who knew of his friend's experiences and frustrations with the rest of the Council, could only speculate on what was transpiring inside. But he had a very good feeling that flared tempers stood at the epicenter of the conversation.
"You put your own life at risk!" Patel shouted.
Andrew had just finished with sharing his account, more specifically on how 3rd Company came in and single-handedly mopped the floor with the native military forces that gave he and his team pursuit. By the end of it, reactions only went from bad to worse as one crisis seemingly replaced another, and this time with even more unknowns at stake.
"To be fair Councilor Patel, it was by your request that two First Reconnaissance teams carry out this mission. I was only able to get my hands on one. Given that one team alone wouldn't suffice, as well as my experience in the past leading my own First Recon squad, I improvised."
"Improvised! My request was not meant to be taken as an open invitation for you to lead troops on the ground! In unfamiliar territory no less! You are a member of this Council, Commander Sawyer! If you had died do you have any idea how bad it would have been to us all! A shortage crisis and a Councilor dead within the same week! And that's not even touching the fact that we now have yet another crisis on our hands, thanks to you!"
"Now that's not fair! Sawyer might have taken such a daring initiative, but he never instigated the hostilities!" Bradford defended.
"It doesn't really matter if he started it or not!" Yeong argued. "We have a potential war on our hands thanks to his mere presence! Hundreds of the native population now dead thanks to him and his first recon teams!"
"The natives took action against them! Not the other way around! Everything he and the teams did were in self defense. Without his actions we wouldn't have much of the knowledge we do now!"
"Did you have a part to play in this as well, Bradford? You're awfully defensive for Sawyer than usual." Patel accused.
"Councilor Bradford had no knowledge of my actions." Andrew clarified rather assertively. "Any accusations you have better be directed at me."
"Very well then! Might I ask what gave you the right to start a War! Do you have any idea what the last one did to us?!" Patel exploded.
Andrew stood up from his chair, anger made evident by his expression.
"I didn't start a damn thing! And don't you dare lecture to me what a war brings, what it does to people." Andrew seethed. "I'm very well acquainted with the results!"
"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Schafer boomed, slamming his hand down on the table.
All eyes set upon the eldest amongst them as he began to speak.
"Are we getting anywhere with this conversation's current course?!" Schafer demanded.
A few seconds passed as each member of the Council stared into the glaring expression of the old man. Schafer was seen as a patient man, but not one without his limits, especially when it concerned public matters and emergencies. He was never fond when any Councilor began to butt heads with another, and though he technically had no more superiority than his peers, all those amongst the Council respected him to a very high degree. High enough to even put aside entire arguments for the sake of getting back on course.
"No. Councilor.......we aren't." Patel answered.
"Then allow me to settle this, so we can get back to addressing the current crisis!"
The old man's attention began with Andrew.
"Sawyer, Patel has merit in her grievances with you, and rightfully so! Your actions have not only put a danger on your life but on the lives of us all! For a member of this Council I expected that you would have used better judgement. Your station carries with it weight that effects the lives of every man, woman, and child. If current events didn't take such precedence, I would call for an immediate reprimand. But alas, we have more pressing matters, and your discovery might very well save us. Your actions aren't excused, but we shall deal with them at another time."
Andrew nodded in affirmation. Schafer's attention then turned to Patel.
"And I will reiterate one more time, Councilor Patel, that you need to control this temper of yours! Flailing blatant accusations towards your peers? Losing your nerve the minute something out of our control effects us unfavorably? These outbursts, especially in times of duress, are not appropriate either! Sawyer may be at fault to some degree, but to recklessly attack and accuse him of bold claims without irrefutable evidence is irresponsible, not to mention childish."
Patel's posture sunk, realizing rather quickly that she had resorted to her anger rather quickly.
"And to this body as a whole, must I remind you all that this Coalition, one that took decades of work and sacrifice to build, has its foundations in cooperation? We are not enemies, to any degree, and we've all faced hardships! We've all lost friends, family, some of us have even lost everything."
Those last words sunk in hard, as everything that had occurred in each of their lives suddenly came to the forefront of thought. All worst events of Sawyer's life came from his time in the army, the times before the Coalition. If Schafer's goal was to make them see the bigger picture, it was certainly working.
"Nevertheless, we mustn't let further hardship lead us a down a road of further resentment. We are all in this together, what affects one of us will affect the other. The time has come to put this cooperation to the forefront of our very lives. We face shortages, and we face a potential war. Only by working together can we come to a resolution to both of these matters. To do that, we must cast grievances and accusations aside and address the issue!"
As Schafer's words really began to settle in, all present were quick to realize the truth behind them. It took years to truly achieve the level of perspective that could be found in the Councilor of Preservation. Patel was the first to take the initiative in resolving the conflict.
"Councilor Sawyer, I apologize. My nerves got the better of me."
"I'm sorry too, Councilor Patel. My actions were rash. I should have known better."
Content that the matter was resolved, everyone took their seats shortly afterward.
"Now that heads are cooled to a rational degree, let us resume our current discussion." Schafer suggested.
"So, now what?" Yeong asked.
"I believe getting a good sense of where we stand on this conflict with the native species is a good starting point." Patel suggested.
"As of now, I can safely say we're on more than bad terms with the local populace." Andrew clarified. "I don't know what led to Berfield's murder but I saw it happen. Unfortunately I lack pretty much any details that led up to it."
"But one man does, no?" Schafer inquired.
"Yes. Private First Class Sabbag, he was chosen by his CO to accompany us on the mission." Andrew informed. "He was there in person to witness the events that unfolded. He was.........right by Berfield's side when he was killed. From what I know, they were very close friends. They trained together, served together. A bond quite common amongst soldiers."
With that bit of information in mind, pieces began to formulate as the Council speculated what possible motivations may have influenced Sabbag's following actions. Images of a man unnerved by such a drastic turn of events. A bond like that was strong, and it wasn't uncommon for the surviving party to suffer damage when the other was lost. More often than not, the damage was severely psychological.
"And his account is the only one with full details?" Yeong asked.
"As full as their going to get." Bradford insinuated with evident tones of uncertainty.
That same uncertainty quickly spread to the remaining Council members, but alas, his account would need to be heard if a proper decision was to be made. With both time and resources running ever thin, the time had come to hear what this Private had to say about the native inhabitants of this garden world.
"Very well. Send him in." Schafer asked.
The shouting could still be heard faintly in the lobby before suddenly subsiding after one last outburst. Those sitting outside where then greeted with a prolonged period of silence.
"Thing's got quiet." Malik noted.
"You think anyone got killed in there?" Sarah said with slight jest.
"If thirties years of hardships hasn't resulted in Councilors murdering each other, I doubt they'd start now." Viktor said.
As soon as Viktor had finished the door creaked open as Andrew and Bradford stepped outside. The noise was so sudden and abrupt that it nearly made a few of them jump.
"Sabbag. It's time." Andrew announced.
Straight and to the point. With what precious time there was, Achmed should have guessed they wouldn't waste it on small talk. The moment of truth was finally before him. No further delays, no further obstacles. Achmed stood up, and began to walk towards the Council chambers.
"One chance, Achmed. One chance. Don't screw it up." Achmed mentally motivated.
Achmed had never been in this room before, and he never had imagined he would. Very few human beings had in fact. for the chambers themselves were off limits to most, with occupancy being a privilege granted to only a Councilor and a few of their aides. However, on rare occasions like this one, a particular person could receive summons. In his younger years, he imagined the chambers would reflect pre-war opulence, with gold foil and decorum, old portraits hanging from the walls, oak furniture of Victorian design, small gold-plated plaques displaying the names of each Councilor, and so forth. As he grew older and more aware of the general situation he grew up in, these thoughts grew less and less fantastical with each passing year.
However, as he stepped inside and took a good view of the room, Achmed was honestly astounded. Not by the decorum, but the lack of anything. The room bordered on barren, devoid of any sort of extravagance or decoration save for one floor pole sporting the Survivor Coalition flag. In fact the room was actually deteriorating in a few places. Cracks at some of the foundations, seams where additional insulation was added to soundproof the room, even some of the wall's paint was chipping off. The ceiling hung low, sporting a simple rotary fan light fixture, which rested above the battered round table and chairs with a few more chairs tucked away into one corner of the room. To meet short of expectations was one thing, but the simplicity of it was simply jarring. The fact that the Council convened in such a simple setting was one secret he wasn't expecting. Bradford took his seat while Andrew pulled an extra chair towards the table, gesturing for Achmed to take a seat. He did so without hesitation, and things quickly got underway.
"Private First Class Sabbag." Schafer addressed. "We've been expecting you."
Achmed did his best to keep a neutral composure.
"Councilors." Achmed replied. "It's an honor to meet all of you today."
"We've heard quite a bit about current events, specifically those centered around the operation Councilor Sawyer himself led." Patel informed. "You were among his number, yes?"
"I was, ma'am." Achmed replied.
"Then perhaps you would care to shed some light on certain details?" She added. "We do have you're debriefing, but the Council has unanimously decided to hear your account first-hand, so that we may better familiarize ourselves with the current situation."
The tone of her voice was methodical, but prying, as if she wasn't quite convinced by the details the dossiers had to share. Now would come the time for Achmed to double down, without so much as one inconsistency in his account. He had mulled over every detail, every component of his fabrication, narrowing down what was plausible, discarding what was too hard to believe to give them something that could be taken as a direct attack to them without warranting a heavy amount of suspicion. He had the game plan, now came time to enact it.
"It would be my pleasure." Achmed replied. "I'll tell you what I know. Though, I'm afraid it's not very much, I'm just about in the dark as you are when it comes to the native's intentions."
"And what do those intentions entail exactly?" Yeong asked.
"Well Councilor, from my understanding they were supposedly working on some sort of project, a portal similar to the one we utilized on the mission." Achmed informed them.
From there, Achmed divulged into the same fabricated account he had given to Sawyer and Antonov in the after-action report, all the while, five councilors were present to make every inquiry imaginable. Three hours of prodding and questioning passed. In those three hours, Achmed remained steadfast, his facade not once faltering under scrutiny as every detail of his story went unchanged from the minute he thought it through in Berlin. However, that didn't exactly mean his account was conveyed with the desired effect. Whatever the Councilor's takeaways were with his information, they sure didn't show it. In fact, they showed hardly any emotion at all, retaining a neutral expression the occasional glance towards one another. Other than that, nothing substantial, nothing to give Achmed a feel of the room. That alone did more to unnerve him than any hard pressed questions he had received from. Despite his doing his damnedest to stay calm and resolved, this lack of expression and body language bugged him to no end, tormenting the back of his mind as doubts began to return. Doubts on whether they believed him, doubts whether his plan had any chance of succeeding, and doubts if he'd ever get the chance to avenge his friend.
"Well I suppose that covers every detail we wished to know." Schafer announced. "Is there anything else you would like to add, Mr.Sabbag."
Before he could divulge on these thoughts any longer, the opportunity to add something else fell upon Achmed. In truth he never anticipated this moment, and thus he neglected to formulate something he could say. Alas, saying something whilst off-guard would undoubtedly cripple what he already worked so hard to achieve, and thus he opted to say nothing.
"No sir. I don't think so." Achmed answered.
Another quick exchange of nods and the pivotal moment had come to an end.
"Very well, Mr.Sabbag. You're excused." Patel concluded.
Achmed proceeded to stand up from his seat and make his way towards the door. As he did, Andrew turned to him.
"Wait outside with the others, Private. I'll need to speak with all of you when our session's adjourned." Andrew directed.
"Yes sir." Achmed replied.
Andrew nodded and sent him on his way. Once the doors were firmly closed behind him as he made his way out, the latter parts of the discussion could be addressed.
"Well, thoughts?" Andrew inquired.
"His demeanor seemed, shaken, but not unstable. It was very hard to tell if he was lying." Schafer added.
"I feel he may have embellished details." Patel admitted. "But his account overall is plausible given the circumstances."
"My thoughts exactly." Andrew concurred. "A man's dead, and at their hands no less. But he could have been killed for any number of reasons."
"Even by accident." Schafer argued.
"Or by expending his usefulness." Yeong countered.
"Well let's analyze the threat in it's current state." Bradford suggested. "Berfield may be dead but the construct his native compatriots built, which according to Mr. Sabbag was a prototype, was destroyed."
"Yes, but we have no idea whether they possess the information to reconstruct another, and if it can be implemented on a larger scale." Andrew argued.
"So then we found out." Yeong suggested.
"And send in another team, after the last mission ended in disaster? Out of the question." Patel retorted.
"I'm afraid we may have no choice." Yeong argued. "I don't think it's any secret that we'll have to send somebody back eventually. Whether it be for verification, negotiation; and the most obvious, resources!"
Had Yeong not gotten to it first, Andrew would have definitely made that same point.
"I have to agree with Yeong." Andrew relented. "At least in terms of obtaining the supplies we need."
"Respectfully Sawyer, you really don't have solid grounds for such an action. Especially after all that's happened." Patel pointed out.
"Solid grounds be damned! This isn't theoretical anymore, Councilor Patel, we have to use this world." Bradford argued. "If we don't, this Council, and the Coalition as a whole will die."
"What you suggest is to invade sovereign soil and steal what isn't ours to have, that is an act of war!" Patel argued.
"It's already happened!" Yeong restated.
"That's not entirely certain, Councilor Yeong." Schafer insisted. "With no formal declaration from either side, war has not officially commenced. We still have a chance to avoid an open conflict."
"I agree." Andrew said. "We need to at least try and sue for some peace."
"And if they refuse?" Yeong questioned. "According to Sabbag's testimony, they seem intent on remaining our enemy."
Sawyer let out a tired sigh, one lingering with anxiety and frustration that stemmed this whole mess. He needed to avoid a war, at any cost. But Yeong's words echoed a plausible truth that perhaps peace was unobtainable at this point. Even if Achmed's story was an absolute fabrication of actual events, the pile of bodies his team left behind were surely to leave a bitter taste in the native's mouths. Negotiations might even outright be denied on those grounds, as his species had effectively wronged theirs in the heinous fashion imaginable. But despite that, it needed to be done. Andrew what the last war wrought, and he'd rather die than put anyone through that same experience without at least putting the effort into trying.
"All I can say is we won't know until we try." Andrew finally replied.
"And peace is always be worth trying for." Patel concurred.
"Very true." Schafer added.
Yeong and the other members of the council were quiet for bit, contemplating how well these negotiations would play out if they'd even play out at all.
"We need these supplies now. We can't wait for negotiations." Yeong argued once more.
"That is also true." Schafer reluctantly conceded.
It was now Patel and Andrew's turn to contemplate the other side of the argument. Both sides of the argument were fair in their points.
"Well, it seems we have two decisions to make." Schafer announced. "Whether we commence negotiation or conflict, and whether or not we utilize this world's benefits now, or at a later date."
The room was quiet, the decisions ahead of them absolutely foreboding, enough so that one hesitated to commence the vote. It was then Bradford looked to his watch, noting the time. Realizing they had been at this for nearly five hours, he offered his own proposal.
"Perhaps we should give the decision a bit more time?" He proposed. "Let level heads prevail and so forth? We do have a few hours in which we can address a few more immediate duties. Public statements and so forth?"
The remaining Council mulled the idea over, with all present equally preferring the idea.
"A wise decision." Schafer commended. "It will give us more clarity, but we mustn't delay too long. The time is?"
"5:02 PM, sir." Bradford answered.
"Very well. Say we reconvene at 9:00 PM?"
Everyone present gave their approval with a subsequent, "Aye."
"Very well, this Council unanimously agrees to engage into a temporary recess. We shall reconvene in four hours time. I bid you all a good afternoon, I will see you all tonight."
Every one of the Councilors then stood up and proceeded to leave. Andrew followed behind them all as the doors to the lobby were opened, revealing the company of Sabbag, Sarah, Viktor, and Malik, no doubt waiting for a verdict from Andrew and Bradford.
"Well?" Viktor asked. "Has a decision been made?"
"Not yet. We reconvene later tonight for a final vote." Bradford answered.
"Until then, we have other matters to attend to." Andrew said, then proceeding to direct his attention towards his subordinates.
"Sergeant Martinez, you and Private Sabbag are dismissed as of now. As his CO, I expect you keep in line with your task of supervising him?"
"Yes, sir." Sarah replied.
"Private Sabbag, try not to give her too much trouble."
"I had no intention to, sir." Achmed replied.
"Good. Know that whatever decision we make, the information you've provided is instrumental. We thank you for that. Once this matter is settled, odds are you'll both be sent back to Berlin. With that said, I'll leave you two to your own discretion. You're both dismissed."
The two gave their Commander a salute before heading down the hallway. As Achmed followed his CO, a sense of accomplishment began to surface in force.
"Did it work? Did I actually pull it off?" Achmed pondered.
Achmed would have loved to believe that he did, but another part of his mind expressed that same doubt as before.
"I guess we'll wait and see."
As they turned the corner and out of sight, Andrew then turned his attention to Colonel Malik.
"Colonel Malik, you're free to resume your duties." Andrew ordered. "Try and see that people don't burn the place down overnight."
"Not on my watch, sir." Malik replied with a salute.
"Councilor Bradford, Colonel Antonov, if you would, I'd like to discuss some things in my office."
The tow gave him an affirmative nod before he proceeded to lead them to said place. A short five minute walk later and the three stepped inside the confines of his office. The place was rather orderly and spacious. A desk sat at the center, where an old pre-war computer was hooked up to cater his needs as a Councilor. A few filing cabinets rested across the left wall, as folders and paperwork were neatly filed and piled as not to take up space. But it also felt lived in, as photos of Andrew's friends, family, and exploits clung to the side of a bulletin board, few scattered notes here and there of reminders he didn't wish to forget, and a calendar with important dates. Finalizing the room's composition were to chairs that sat in front of his desk, for times such as this when visitors dropped by.
"So this is where you've been holed up for all these years." Viktor said sarcastically.
"Yep, and in all that time you never once dropped by to visit." Andrew countered back. "Some friend you are."
Viktor smiled and shook his head. Seeing no further point in delay, the details of the Council session were ready to be discussed.
"So, where does the decision seem to be leaning?" Viktor asked, addressing the elephant in the room.
"If I had to guess, I think we're shooting for negotiations." Andrew answered, taking a seat behind his desk.
Viktor breathed a very noticeable sigh of relief, but Andrew knew it would be short lived.
"Don't get relaxed just yet, there's another decision on the table." Andrew informed.
"And what decision is that?" Viktor asked.
"Yeong has proposed we utilize this world for obtaining resources." Bradford informed. "Before we commence negotiations."
Viktor was quiet for a moment, contemplating the jarringly different proposals and how they seemed to counteract one another. His expression seemed almost flabbergasted in a sense, but that was before what Andrew said next.
"I'm afraid we may have no choice but to vote unanimously yes on that." Andrew admitted.
Viktor's face then immediately changed to an expression of disappointment.
"Don't tell me you're serious about this!? What happened to fighting for peace at any cost?!" Viktor challenged.
"That hasn't changed." Bradford stated.
"I beg to differ. Sending troops in to get the supplies we need would only seem to counteract those efforts!" Viktor argued. "Why couldn't this proposal be initiated after we settled on terms with the natives?"
"Because most of our water is gone, Vik!" Andrew defended. "Had that not happened, this proposal probably wouldn't have been made, at least not immediately. But it did, and odds are we're going to need to start an acquisition operation the minute we say yes to it."
"So you expect to perform successful negotiations while infiltrating their world to find resources!"
"That's exactly what we plan to do!" Andrew shouted back. "We just don't have the time to wait, Vik. Half the city is in an uproar, and if we don't have a solution soon, hell's bound to break loose."
Viktor looked down on his friend, clearly angered by the decisions that would undoubtedly be made. But alas, Viktor saw the sense behind them.
"How will this operation be handled?" Viktor asked.
"Discreetly, and I do mean, discreetly." Andrew clarified. "Operations are going to be limited to the forest where we arrived. Aside from being sparsely populated, the area's bound to have water sources dotted all over the place. We already found one, give a competent company led by a CO who knows how to keep under the radar, and we'll have our water reserves filled back up in no time. Engagements will be a last resort option once all other alternatives are expended. If we're lucky, they won't even need to fire a shot."
"Any suggestions on who should lead such an operation?" Bradford asked.
"Good question, whoever's going to lead needs to be more than just competent, but exemplary." Viktor stated. "So who did you have in mind?"
Andrew knew many of the officers who led their own company's, but it didn't take long for him to figure who'd be ideal for the job.
"I have a feeling Colonel Panjaitan would be the ideal choice." Andrew replied.
"Hmm, Da, That would of been my first choice too." Viktor admitted.
"Why him?" Bradford asked.
"Aside from being an excellent strategist, he's an expert in jungle operations. A little severe in his tactics, but he knows how to stay undetected." Viktor answered. "Last I heard he was cleaning up the islands in northern Indonesia, apparently there was heavy pirate activity in the area."
"Well I'm afraid that operation's just gonna have to wait." Andrew clarified. "I'll give him the call once we've finalized the decision."
"I still think sending a company in now is a bad idea." Viktor reiterated. "But at least you'll have someone experienced leading the helm. Now onto the first proposal."
"Suffice to say, I think everyone of us will vote for peace." Bradford theorized.
"Yeong's the only one who has slight reservations, but odds are he'll come around." Andrew said.
"Then it's settled?" Viktor asked. "We'll begin negotiations?"
Andrew pondered the question, hesitating whether he should answer yes to that. But alas, while everyone on the Council more or less seemed apprehensive on whether this peace settlement would be successful, they were more willing to give it a chance than resorting to armed conflict.
"I think so." Andrew admitted. "Fingers crossed that the natives want peace as much as we do."
"After the bloody nose we dealt them, I'd say that's likely." Viktor suggested.
"We can only hope." Andrew said. "We can only hope."
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Honestly, I’ve always found chapters like these informative which builds up tensions and excitement. I love it.
I have doubt due to achmed going to do something idiotic and somehow the operations is going to back fire
Some how patel reminds me of luna
Oh my God it's a UPDATE!!! YAY!!!
I'm looking forward to when the equestrians convene in council. Xd
AWESOME chapter bro!!!
So does this mean we're back on regular updates?
Regular being your usual monthly thing I mean? Xd
You know, the more I read with Achmed, the more I want him dead. I can understand where he comes from, but he also should know conflict is a last resort and you do not start an inter-species war just because a friend died.
Though, admittedly, that is my own bias coming through as I tend to view most of life rather dispassionately and objectively.
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Huh, would you consider yourself a sociopath? Just curious.
9796786
If by sociopath, I feel little to no empathy for others? No, I am not. I just am very selective of who I care for as many are not worth the trouble.
Ironically, to me anyways, I want to see humanity rule the Stars one day.
Edit: Was at when I first replied, to reply more in detail, I can empathize with people and I usually do feel sympathy, but rarely empathize more than a basic level with the majority of people. For me, unless I can consider a person family or a friend, it is hard to empathize beyond the basics.
9796902
That makes sense, sorry if the question seemed a bit rude.
9799366
Not a problem. I have no issue explaining things if people are curious, so long as nothing super sensitive is being asked. It is also something I question myself from time to time. Especially on social issues.
When next AWESOME update?
9828397
Even if it means by using hostages as shields like achmed did to get their demands?
9828586
True. But im concerned hoelw the ponies are going to counter this invasion
Cause the royal guards need to step up and i fear celestia going to snap and turn to daybreaker if luna got wounded or twilight
9796902
The stars will one day belong to mankind it is are birthright
9828860
For the emperor!
9772606
Achmed has a agenda, and has managed to somehow lie well enough to not be outrigt called a liar.
As a journalist Mr. West, I am sure you will find where that shoe drops.
I’m glad negotiations are what the council wants but sadly I know they won’t work as war is going to happen
Can I just say how great this fic is at making people not do dumb decisions, because so many others aren't as great at it.