President Barga's Reign

[Saletsia]

"Very well then."

President Barga's face turned serious:

"Now I have reports of you having rebels in Xyrael. Those you can interrogate. But I would like to have them handed back to us."
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The Saletsian fired their howitzers at a target in the jungle and the helicopters attacked the same target until no more mortar rounds were fired.

Then the Saletsians started recovering the dead bodies.

[Xyrael]

Captain Kabrakhan spoke before Atonal could speak. "Interrogate?" He inched forward in his seat, aware that he was talking to an experienced military officer as well as a politician. "I was not aware we had such prisoners. This must have happened during our visit, and we have not heard word of this. If you'd like, I could call my government and ask about the situation..." he paused, thinking of what his government would do. "To be frank, I am not sure we are authorized to make deals concerning events that happen during our stay. I would have to either make a call, or relay your request to my superiors."
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In a small village nearby, without access to the nuclear railway, the refugees were cared for by a local clinic. Internal Affairs had been requested to process the newcomers, who were greeted coldly by the southern Xyraelites, who had mere months before been defeated in an attempted ultraist coup.

Near the border, the small band of Republican Guards observed the Saletsians with reservation, the Mirage fighters having disappeared behind the clouds. "What do we do?" they asked themselves, waiting for the Saletsians to leave may take a while, especially if another band of refugees attempted to cross nearby.

[Saletsia]

"We have reports of Saletsian dissidents having crossed the order to your country. It happened while you were here, of course. Yes, you may contact your government. You can also tell your superiors we have nothing against the possible interrogation of the said dissidents...The only thing I would wish is that they be sent back to Saletsia...Our intelligence officers have good reason to believe a high-ranking rebel official is amongst them."
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Concealed snipers were observing the Xyraelites on the other side of the border. They seemed to be uneasy not knowing why the Saletsians have been quite silent the past hours.
Then suddenly trucks arrived with materials for the construction of a fence. The Saletsians then started unloading the trucks and immediately began with the construction of a 3 meter provisory fence. Meanwhile others started unloading concrete blocks building a massive gate between Xyrael and Saletsia, which was meant to be the only pathway from one country to the other.

[Xyrael]

Atonal pulled out a small, sleek cellular phone and handed it to the captain, watching him nervously. Kabrakhan swiftly dialed a number, and after several moments he spoke. "President Barga informs me that we've had an incident while we were here. She demands the rebels are returned."

He slumped back into his seat, "Refugees? Yes, sir. I understand, but she believes a high ranking dissident to be among them..." Several moments passed, and he nodded to no one in particular, "Yes, sir. I'll inform her right away."

He closed the small phone and turned to President Barga, his conversation having taken a total of four minutes. He frowned, wondering what to say. "It appears they're being processed by Internal Affairs. They ask you to send a list of wanted peoples to them so they can cross reference it with the list of refugees. They say they will question each person, but..." he paused. "But many of the people have denounced their citizenship, and the government does not believe all are guilty of being high ranking dissidents. They'll return any that pose a significant threat to Saletsia if one is found, but no more than required."

He studied President Barga, wary of her anger.
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"A fricking wall?" commented one soldier to no one in particular.

"Apparently." Several more trucks had arrived, and the rest of the refugees were secured and driven off at a rapid pace. The remaining soldiers hurried over to the twelve men watching the border.

"Do we go talk to them?"

"We should let them do what they want," commented the corporal.

The sergeant looked at him with a grin. "Corporal, you and your patrol go talk to them."

The corporal and his comrade rose slowly from their hiding spot, rifle relaxed in their hands. The slowly strided to the Saletsians busy with constructing the wall. Three meters didn't look very tall from a distance, but it was quite large once they stood beside it. "Hey," spoke the corporal resentfully, "that wall to keep our people out, or your people in?"

[Saletsia]

President Barga made a sign to a security officer standing at the end of the conference hall. The soldier saluted and went to another room coming back after 5 minutes with a folder. He then handed the folder to the President and went back to his post again where he stood steadily without motion.

"Here is a folder containing information on Ex-Captain Vega Llegada. He is a high-ranking fascist official who used to lead a special military unit directly under the command of the late president. As you can see, my succession to power marks the socialist revolution against the former fascist regime, which unfortunately some people here in Saletsia still cling onto. You can have this folder, it's only a copy."

She then passed the folder to Kabrakhan.
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A Saletsian construction worker heard the Xyraelite corporal and looked up starting to answer as a Saletsian soldier rushed and blocked his view to the Xyraelites.

"You have no permission to talk to foreigners! Now continue working!"

From a small military facility a Saletsian Lieutenant was watching the scene.

[Xyrael]

Kabrakhan grinned widely, smiling at President Barga as he looked over the folder. "It appears our borders have one thing in common, fascists."

Atonal chuckled to himself, but said nothing. The captain continued, "If they truly a fascist, they make seek to stir up problems in our southern region. If they weren't processed, I promise my government will make sure they are found. Usually my government lets people do as they wish, but fascists are responsible for much death within the Imperial Republic. Anyone caught unlawfully undermining the peace within Xyrael will be arrested and detained, and extradited if it is your wish."

Atonal was meanwhile texting his phone after it was given back to him, and he paused to say "Already on it" before Kabrakhan could ask.
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Meanwhile, at the border, the wall continued to be built, and the corporal was not happy with being ignored. The wall between him and the Saletsians was distressing at best. "Excuse me, if you won't talk, who will?" He turned back to look at his comrades who watched him closely.

The workers looked surpressed as they worked wordlessly, and the soldiers supervising seemed a bit overbearing.
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Meanwhile, on a small road leading to town with refugees drove two black Bentley Arnage's with deep tinted windows. Inside, three Internal Affairs agents sat idly watching the jungle pass by rapidly. A small phone vibrated on the center console, and the agent in the rear seat looked at the text message.

Saltesian Fascist leader part of refugee group.

The IA agent in the front passenger seat looked back to the agent in the rear seat. "What is it?"

The agent looked back out the window at the passing trees. "The refugees are fascists."

The IA agent in the front seat shifted wordlessly in his seat, and silence shrouded the vehicle once more.

[Saletsia]

"The Fascists are not many in number but we are doing everything possible to avoid a guerrilla-style warfare. Having our trucks and transports blown into pieces is not the way our soldiers want to fall..."

She paused...then continued:

"You said, you also have fascists in the Imperial Republic?"
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The soldier getting annoyed by the Xyraelite officer contacted his superior.

"Sir, there is a Xyraelite officer seeking contact with our workers."

"Hold on, I will come and talk to him. All others should have their mouth shut!"

"Yes sir."

The soldier didn't even tell the Xyraelite that a Saletsian officer was to come soon.

3 minutes later a small jeep convoy halted by the construction site. A Saletsian Lieutenant with two bodyguards went to the part of the wall where the Xyraelites stood.

"Who is it?", he asked the soldier.

The soldier then pointed to a Xyraelite.

"I am the officer in charge here, what do you want to know?"

[Xyrael]

"Yes, we had a nationalist coup a while back. It cost many lives, and right now the government is attempting to crack down on the remnants of the militant organization. Our government let's you believe whatever you want, but you can't use violence to get your point across." The captain paused while Atonal finished explaining.

"Internal Affairs is the agency that handles both citizenship, taxes, and riots. If these guerrilla's are crossing our border without Internal Affairs permission, there will be a crack down."
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The corporal looked at the officer with skepticism, the shoddy Xyraeli fence between them. "Uh..." he composed himself in recognition of the others rank, "...Sir. What's the purpose of the wall? And why are people fleeing across the border being shot by your soldiers?"

His comrade shifted nervously beside him. He was a jittery fellow, more so now than before.

"We're not very pleased with your disregard for basic human rights, like life. I'll let it fly, but personally your men should no better than to shoot unarmed civilians.
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The Bentley Arnage arrived in the village, and three agents stepped out of each vehicle and approached the cowering refugees. Each agent wore a dark suit, sunglasses, a kevlar vest, a Jericho pistol and a Pm-84 Glauberyt. They approached the group cautiously and encircled the refugees. The Republican Guardsmen sensed the sudden increase in tensions and formed a perimeter around the people.

"Alright!" shouted an agent, "who here is Vega Llegada? Anyone with information on him will be eligible for citizenship. Anyone with information on recent illegal activities outside of the Saletsian state will also be elligible!"

[Saletsia]

"Well we seem to really have similar problems. Our main concern are the seas. We sometimes find smugglers ferrying from an island to the other supporting the fascists. Do you have such problems a s well? After all you have a very vast coastline..."
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The Lieutenant looked unimpressed by the Xyraelite's words.

"The wall is for security purposes. And the people we shoot, well that is our business..."
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None of the refugees tried to talk...Some looked at each other, other stared into the ground.

[Xyrael]

"We have developed a wide array of littoral combat vessels to guard our waters. They are the fastest military vessels we have come across, and any vessel without a license is immediately pursued, boarded, or fired upon. We have small land borders, and friendly neighbors in general, so in order to maintain the integrity of a closed economy we must maintain a rather large navy." Captain Kabrakhan was not a member of the navy, but he did understand that fundamentally the navy had a budget on par with the army, which included a modern air force. The total military budget was in excess of four trillion credits.

"Pirates and smugglers are not a real problems, perhaps in the seas near Acle they might be, but that area is without major population centers and under martial law."
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The corporal merely nodded, seeing there was no point. He walked back to his comrades who continued to watch the construction of the wall.
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One of the agents walked through the group. "Freedom is only afforded to those that will not betray it. If no one will comply, then all will be forced to comply."

Another Internal Affairs agent barked an order. "Everyone, rise and strip all your clothes off, men, women, and children. Do this, or be deported. Hand your clothes to the soldiers."

Several women complained, holding their daughters close to them. The agent looked at them sternly, "You are in the Imperial Republic now. This is the only time you will be asked to go through such measures. Comply and we will allow you to stay, resist and we will send you back to the Saletsian government."

[Saletsia]

"Very well. Our top military priority at the moment is the army, even though we also have vast maritime territories...I think both our nations can look to a future of cooperation."

She paused.

"Is there anything more you would wish to discuss?"

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The lieutenant hopped back into his jeep and was driven back to his quarter.

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After minutes of refusal, everyone eventually undressed, except 9 men and two women.

"This is a disgrace. We are refugees and this is not the way helpless people should be treated!", a man remarked.

[Xyrael]

"Only one more question. Would it be possible to open an embassy? We could keep you updated on our search for your 'Vega' and anything else you may require." Atonal spoke with an official tone, which Kabrakhan was growing immensely bored of.

"If you have a need for military technology, namely ships, you should check our foreign arms market. Other than that, you'd have to discuss it directly with the government," he told President Barga.
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The agent looked sternly at the man, not caring if he was naked or not. "We are currently in the midst of hunting down a terrorist group in this region. We have them in a chokehold, but among you could be a man who would help them." He looked at a man whose eyes roamed over a very young girl with obvious attraction. Disgusted, he drove his fist into the unsuspecting mans kidney. He fell to the ground in pain, and the agent turned to a soldier. "Separate them."

He turned to three agents and pointed to the clothes. "I have not looked over the file of this 'Vega' yet, and it could be a unisex name. Look through the clothes for any evidence of the person. Also, get me those men and women's clothes. If they resist, do full body cavity searches."

He turned back to the group of refugees, now being separated into two groups. He wanted to apologize for the incident, but now wasn't the time.

[Saletsia]

"An embassy? Of course. Granted we can as well open one in your Empire. As for the ships, we will be closely observing your military market and maybe even purchase some vessels when the time and money has come."
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The people still dressed continued to refuse being stripped off their clothes. Everyone of them seemed  to put their right arm on the right side of their hips as if trying to hide something beneath their clothing.

OOC: Fascists have a tattoo on their right hips showing a sword driven vertically into a skull.
Noone knows yet that this is their sign.

[Xyrael]

"Yes, once we get back we will work to open an embassy immediately. I believe that is all we have to discuss, then. Perhaps you could show us back to the airport, unless there's anything else you need."
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"Sir, the group that is still dressed is acting strangely. We threw them to the ground and stripped them bare, but they all bear the same tattoo on their hip," reported an agent.

"Hmm," pondered the agent obviously in charge. "Check those that complied. Any that have a similar mark, detain them with the 11 that did not comply. Give clothes back to those that did comply, but detain them in a camp as well." He paused momentarily. "Make it a comfortable camp, we need to make them feel at home. When they're released, have the Agency give them each one hundred thousand credits, an unfurnished home, and a standard job."

The agent looked bewildered, but simply nodded. Two camps were made within the village, one constructed with a roof, walls, and a small fire pit, the other was a circle surrounded by barbed wire. Night would be cold, and the suspicious men and women would likely get sick in the coming weather. In total there was 14, three adolescent boys had been found with similar tattoo's.

"Storms are coming tonight. They'll last for a week, and you'll be sleeping in the rain and mud. You'll have hundreds of insects crawling over you by nightfall, large and small, and you may even contract malaria from some mosquitoes. If you submit to our questioning, we will take care of you. If you do not, we will...." he let the subject drop, turning his back to the people. Turning to a fellow agent, he simply nodded.

"If they confess to being fascist guerrilla's, send them back to Saletsia. If they seek political refuge, see if they give us a valid reason. If they do nothing.. we do nothing."

[Saletsia]

"Very well then." President Barga stood up and gave each Xyraelite her hand.
"It was a pleasure to meet you.  You will be escorted to the airport", showing the way to a soldier awaiting the diplomats.