All dialogues translated from Ozian
“Breaking News!” flashes across the screen of every major network news station, focusing their cameras at the government district in St Oz City. In the government district, one sees the old high walls with modern guards patrolling along its ramparts. In the middle of the shot is the great Tower of Ozia, modified in 1879 to reach about 80 stories high. The shot briefly pans up at the eternal flame which has been burning since the rise of the Zhadae Sankta under 3000 years ago.
A voice is heard and now the camera shows the studio where a pretty purple eyed Ozian begins reading the latest news, “We’ve got breaking news just now coming in Ozia. Because of the recent transgressions happening in the Diamond Coast, the disruption of commerce in the south east territories, and the recent aggressions of two so called “Empires”, the Senate convened today in an emergency session, and now it seems the Sankta Adara Revia Oz has summoned an emergency diet which includes top Dires, political party leaders, the director of the Council of Environmental Protections, the members of the Admivi, the entire council of Economic Experts, and the directors of SOSOT and STIA. This is the first ever diet since after the republican coup of 1974… Look the members of the diet are driving through the gates of the government district as we speak.”
Tower of Ozia Ozi’pol, St Oz
Sevda Iseltov sat in the passenger seat of the black, tinted, and bullet-proof SUV reviewing over old letters of her father. The emergency diet came at an awkward time, as just this morning she was at her father’s funeral, the former Dire Iseltov. Now she was the Dire Iseltov, inheriting its vast and historical range of assets, especially in arms manufacturing and engineering. Escorting her SUV were two motorcycles, both driven by members of the Iseltov guard and carrying concealed weapons. She probably didn’t need them, because Ozians may be a bunch of criminals and scoundrels but to hinder the Sankta in any way is unheard of.
They reached the gates and the motorcyclists drove back in the opposite direction, they cannot enter the government district. The guards viewed the necessary documentation and took their invitation for the diet. The car drove to the base of the tower, where other similar SUVs drove up. She stepped out and caught a glimpse of Vendecci Parpaski, and then her eyebrows furrowed at him. He gave her a glance and approached her.
“Sev- Dire Iseltov, I believe we can be civil during this proceeding. Leave the history behind us?”
“We can talk later about a certain privateer named Blackhat.”
He made a smug look upwards and walked towards the tower, “I know about no such thing.” Sevda rolled her eyes then watched as he stopped to look up at the tower, “Have you ever been her before Iseltov?”
“Yes, when I was 9.”
He scoffed, “the Iseltovs have always been the Sankta’s favorite. This is my first time here.”
Sevda looked up at the tower, had a brief memory of her father motioning for her to keep walking as she stopped to look up at the tower, she then passed Vendecci and dryly spoke, “maybe save an orphan sometime.”
She walked into the atrium of the tower, when you looked up you saw the staircases spiraling all the way up the top of the tower, the walls on the inside were all painted with magnificent representations of the early conquests of the Divine Republic. At the top and at the center of this ceiling was a giant bronze mirror about 70 stories up that directed sunlight down, lighting the entire inside. Around the atrium were other members of the diet awaiting the rest of the members and conversing amongst each other.
Soldiers in St Oz have no military tradition of rank and file, as it is against the doctrines of the Zhadae Sankta to treat soldiers as numbers rather than people. However, these guards saw Dire Iseltov and immediately stiffened and gave her a salute by putting their left hand on their chest and bowing. When Vendecci finally came in, they gave him no such salute. The Iseltov family has been very instrumental in managing what little stability the nation had in the past 200 years, and thus gaining much respect from the people, despite having great opposition recently for the direship system. A guard with a soft feminine voice came forward and bowed to Sevda, saying, “The Sankta would like to speak with you before the diet Dire Iseltov.”
Sevda nodded and followed the guard up the stairs of the atrium. The Sankta did not live at the top of the tower, but instead stayed in a palace that surrounded the tower in a semi-circle. As she walked, thoughts went through her mind about this strange meeting. She had not met new Sankta Adara yet, who had just assumed power two years ago and was only 19 years old. She remembered well the death of Sankta Aerieka two years ago, because she had left Sevda something in her will and testament, a pocket watch heirloom at least 200 years old, with the picture of Ozi’pol etched into the silver. She was unsure why, but remembered well her first meeting with her when she was nine, accidently hugging her, which was equal to robbing a blind person. However she remembered the gasps and then more gasps when the Sankta hugged back. This new Sankta suffered from a significantly rare genetic disease called Avsetia where the pupils of a person were entirely gone. Before the discovery of genetics, people thought this disease happened because the baby had seen the spirit of Gaea before their death, and most of these people became admired traveling musicians. The Sankta’s blindness, she had heard from her father who already met her, was disturbing to him, because as he explained, she would stare at you as if she wasn’t blind.
Sevda and the guard approached a door, and she then opened it for her. The guard stayed by the door as Sevda entered the room. It was a library, a very large two-story room with books and books everywhere. At a little sitting table was Sankta Adara herself, wearing a loosely wrapped colorful Hijab. She was already staring directly at her as she proceeded to the Sankta. Sevda could hear every step her soft shoes made on the marble tile as she approached her. As she got close to the table, those blank purple irises became more noticeable, and just before she reached the table, the Sankta ordered, “Stop.”
Sevda stopped immediately, and then watched the Sankta slowly got up from her chair, she had been reading a braille book. She got closer to Sevda, and she noticed the Sankta had about six inches more height on Sevda, “Your heartbeat sounds exactly like your fathers.”
Sevda was never much of a believer in Gaeanism, but despite that, being around the Sankta brought up old taught doctrines and mythologies that make her believe that she really does have conversations with Gaea in the moment. Sevda muttered, “thank you, Listener.”
Her hands reached to Sevda’s face as she took a “look” at her, “you’re definitely an Iseltov.” She then lowered her head and pecked Sevda’s forehead, “you’re probably wondering why I asked to meet with you before the diet.”
“Naturally, Listener.”
“This is the real diet, Sevda, this meeting between us. Your family has long been the ones who made our swords sharp. The rest of the diet is merely logistics of which direction we take. St Oz used to rule the seas through diplomacy, military, and commerce. Before the latest aggressions of two Empires, I believed we wouldn’t need to rise to this occasion, but they are attacking fellow Gaeanists in the diamond cost. Although our sisters and brothers there have long been abandoned by colonial grasp, we are still responsible for their wellbeing. Years of construction there are now left in ruin, and they kill innocents. What do you believe is necessary Sevda? What do you think of this situation?”
“They may be Gaeanists, Listener, but this would mean a war. Our people are trying to rebuild trust with Taijitu, after years of our wrongdoings. A war could taint this new Ozia, and why can’t we wait for Novimir to step in? Why spill the blood of Ozians, Moacians, and Jutensans.”
“Because Novimir is sick, Sevda, and their fragmented existence doesn’t care about Libian nations. These imperials have been causing havoc amongst Taijitu for centuries. Our first enemies the Haradrim are now dormant. We can stop Imperials again as we did before. We also have our friends in the Community of Cefnor. I believe this is in their best interest too. Their aggression is violating the peace that all our nations have maintained in the 20th century. We have two options Sevda, watch or stand our ground.”
“What is it that you plan to do Listener? Can we not be at peace? The best battles are won without force.”
“We are not declaring war, not yet anyway. We have to build our casus belli, deliver economic sanctions, and repeal the anti-piracy act.”
Sevda’s eyes widened, “You’re repealing a law? That… A Sancta hasn’t done that in…”
“173 years, yes, I know.”
“How are you going to declare this? Do we really want to set our privateers loose again? The Community of Cefnor will begin to distrust us.”
“This is a non-war declaration option, meant to harass the blockade on the Diamond coast. I will undo my action when this is over, but we need all the naval power we can possibly get. This is where you come in. I want your direship to assist in modernizing and arming these privateers. Yourself and the Staii will do this, and the Ozian government will pay for this.”
“How are you going to get the Senate’s permission to do this? Do you really think they and the economic council will allow this?”
“The senate agreed on this, this morning. All the finances will come from Ozian treasury securities. The council just raised interest rates .5% and agreed to keep it this way for some time. We are fiscally stable enough to do this and Novimir investors will be funding this if they like it or not.”
“And what will the public know?”
“Nothing. Only about the economic sanctions and my public condemnation.”
A guard stepped into the door, acknowledging the two and spoke, “The meeting is about to start.”
“Please Sevda,” she extended her arm out, and Sevda linked her arms around hers, escorting her out.
“Yes Listener.”
Tower Atrium, Public Statement
The Sankta moved up to the podium, and a single camera was aimed at the podium. It was positioned in such a way that behind her stood the entire diet. The proceeding took about 8 hours to go through, and there will be more follow up proceedings.
The Sankta felt the podium and then moved her blank purple eyes to the camera, “My fellow Ozians and peoples of Taijitu. It is my sincerest hope that this message reaches the people of the Diamond Coast, and may the victims of total war be a peace with Gaea. The recent aggressions of three nations, Letonna, McMasterdonia, and Funkadelia, are bringing disorder to the peaceful Taijitu that we all hoped for after the Great War. I ask that these nations cease the violence and act in accordance with international law to solve these border disputes. The nation of St Oz is ready to forgive the atrocious acts of barbarism on the diamond coast. Until then, this diet has written up a declaration of condemnation to these three nations, and if nothing is done to stop violence in Libia, then the Divine Republic will seek further action to protect the people of the Diamond Coast. Along with this condemnation include economic sanctions, and then Senate this morning has passed a trade embargo on all goods coming from and to these nations. All assets of these countries are frozen, and we are also implementing a travel ban. Citizens of these nations will be allowed to return to their nations safely. Embassies with these nations are under probation, but inaction and aggression will close them. St Oz will not tolerate these crimes against humanity. These sanctions will remain in effect until these three nations end air operations over the diamond coast, the invasion is abandoned, and reasonable reparation from Letonna and McMasterdonia is paid to a Diamond Coast relief fund. Once done, the Ozian army will send in peace keepers along the border of dispute to monitor and capture the criminals responsible for this. I beg the leaders of Letonna and McMasterdonia to see the barbarism in their actions and act according to international law. No one should murder innocent civilians for the actions of a few criminals.
