Ife Atandje; Council of Albion Headquarters, Gaia, Lodja

Ife stifled a smirk at the little exchange between the foreigners, dutifully jotting down a couple of notes as he digested Lynwood's proposition and composed his own response. Between the Fleuroix prickliness and Tytorian presumption, these foreigners were hardly the formidable opponents his brother had warned him about, though this Bakkeryaman Duke - seemingly in concert with his Heliusan compatriot, the Lord Berisov - did seem quite set on getting their armies into Merina. It was rather fortunate that none of the other Merinans around the table seemed any keener on the proposition that he did, though perhaps it was those Merinans not around the table that ought to be troubling him.

In any event, he elected to speak for himself, tactfully skipping over the little spat:

"With regards to Duke Lynwood's proposition" He began, careful to keep his expression neutral "While we appreciate the indication that we may yet be able to come to a mutually acceptable compromise, alas, this is not so. I cannot countenance any such withdrawal of the Merinan security forces. We have fought, and fought hard, to secure the future of our country against the excesses of these terrorists, and it would be unthinkable to surrender any number of kilometres of liberated Merinan soil at this juncture. While we are concerned that, with each passing day and week of this ceasefire, violent extremism has further opportunity has further opportunity to embed itself in those areas of our nation remaining under terrorist occupation, we remain hopeful that the best interests of the Merinan people are truly in the hearts of all we privileged few who walk these hallowed halls"

"Therefore" He continued, allowing himself a meek smile "I would like to suggest the following compromise: observer teams - of a composition which is found acceptable by those represented here - will be attached to our Security Forces at the front, and given unobstructed access to the present ceasefire line. Similar teams can be dispatched to those areas currently under occupation to oversee the peaceable disarmament of these extremists - and I have confidence it may be peaceable, once suitable guarantees have been made here - with a view to discerning weather or not the remaining populations in these occupied areas do, once the threat of terrorist violence is removed, indeed desire to be liberated, or not, whichever the case may be"

"In return" He added, despite the rising feeling that he was pushing his luck here "I would like to see the present blockading force, the mighty fleet presently sitting off our coast, withdrawn. Weather or not it is intended, there is a threat implicit in the existence of such a force, and we believe the removal of such a threat would be conducive to a peaceful outcome. As a gesture of goodwill, we are willing to facilitate your bar on new imports of weaponry with joint inspections teams - of a similar composition to those attached to frontline units - being established to monitor shipping at Merina's deep-water ports, namely: Kankato, Qarkhoi and Donze"

There was an element of theater in all this. Ife had not, per se, gone out of his way to either shock or offend, though neither had he precisely expected such a proposition to be accepted without fuss. It was a measured withdrawal from his previous position, and one couched in language he hoped would appeal to the Council. The other Merinans around the table were no more pleasured to be described as 'terrorists' or extremists' as Ife was to be labeled as 'the regime', though while he possessed the diplomatic bearing to gloss over such clear and obvious bate, some others were not.

"Preposterous" The Eorl Belawi spat, quietly at first, his voice rising as he spoke "Preposterous! Extreme, the very cheek of it. Is it extreme for a man to live on his land - the land of his forefathers, and the land he'd pass to his own wee bairns, if he's so lucky - in peace? Are ye terrorized by me!? Good, you'd better be" That was aimed squarely at Ife, though the bombastic Eorl now shifted to address the Bakkeryaman Duke "When I wae a lad, my told me, he said 'son, aye, if ye fight ye may die, and them that run may live... at least a while. Death comes to us all. Every man dies, but how many take their place in the Valhöll as a man who has truly lived?' A grim man he was, aye, but true nonetheless"

"So listen this to me" He directed his ire back towards Ife, who remained impassive "There is a difference between us, aye there is. You think the people of your country exist to provide you with position. I think your position exists to provide those people with freedom. So, listen here lad, I've a proposition of my own for ye. Have ye armies strike their colours and fuck off straight back to Merina, stopping at every Pindari home the' pass on the way te beg forgiveness for a hundred years of theft, rape and murde'. Do it, and ye men may live. Do it nae, and ye'll find nae peace in our hills. And maybe then we'll give ye reasons enough tae be terrified of us"

Between the wild eyes, the white-knuckled grip with which his good hand held the big oak table, and the fact that the point of his hook had embedded itself deeply into the hardwood surface, the Eorl made quite the impression. As he tore the tip irritably free, dislodging a chunk of timber in the process, the room erupted as the various Merinan delegations each attempted to talk over themselves, each other, and the assembled delegates.

"A peaceful Pindari?" The National Liberation Army's lead negotiator, Colonel Valentin Bemba, was heard to quip to a college "Didn't know they made them like that?"

"... two kilometres?" The exasperated voice of Noah Tergat emerged from the din "How are we to do that? The perimeter in Qarkhoi isn't that deep... not all the way round...?"

"...he's got a point about their fleet... don't give me that, what exactly do you think they'll do with it?..."

"Tamoran... slavers"

"...don't get me started on those bloody imperialist Tytorians..."

"At least Rokkenjima isn't involved... yet..."

"Shh"

"...don't you shush me..."

"Who does he think he is?"

"...thin end of the wedge..."

"...cochons anglais!"

"Shh!"

"Merde..."

Eventually, the little outburst did abate, and the room began to fall quiet again. Looking slightly abashed, despite his team having mostly stayed aloof of the worst of the tirade, Ife glanced to Lynwood, then to Alya, then finally to the Lodjan group, hoping someone had remembered his argument, or would at least seek to move the conversation forward.

Professor Kwatsi Abebe, head of anthropology at Belmont International University (BIU) in Belmont, Kaedwen, will be attending and presenting a talk entitled: "The Origins of the Merinan Crisis"

Industrial equipment producer Jacobs-Carmichael-Burns (JCB) - part of the Carmichael Group - unveiled Mundus' first hydrogen-powered Excavator at their plant in Menae today, where the twenty-tonne machine was demonstrated in front of an eager crowd of industry and civic dignitaries.

The project - which has been part-funded by the Kaedweni government - is an exciting development for Kaedweni manufacturing, which has long struggled to compete with Mundus' biggest technology exporters, such as East Moreland and Achkaerin, and Carmichael Group shareholders will doubtless be encouraged that this engineering first could help launch the JCB brand on the export market.

The first machines of the so-called Type 220X are expected to roll off the assembly lines in Menae later in the year, with several large orders already said to be on the books.

Prime Minister Stewart's government have backed a number of carbon-reduction projects throughout her tenure, with the Prime Minister herself reputed to take particular interest in the potential for hydrogen fuel to take over from conventional hydrocarbon fuels. While this is, in part, unsurprising given the National Liberals' penchant for environmentalism, a number of defence sources have indicated that a reduction in Kaedwen's reliance upon imported fuel - and, thus, vulnerability to extortion by the autocratic regimes of OPEN, Mundus' foremost petrochemical producers.

Kaedwen's first commercial hydrogen fuel plant - utilising electrolysis to produce hydrogen fuel from sea water - is due to open in October. Also taxpayer-funded, the zero-carbon plant aims to set the blueprint for future fuel production in Kaedwen, as we move towards the 2040 "net-zero" target for national carbon emissions.

Lindsay Stewart; National Memorial Arboretum, Belmont District, Kaedwen

"That is not an unreasonable request" Lindsay considered "While it might be... politically insensitive, in the current climate, for us to accommodate foreign warships, I see no substantial basis to oppose such a measure. Would such a vessel require any specific infrastructure shoreside? While we've a pair of more sizable vessels due for retirement in the not too distant future, the I don't believe the ROKN have ever possessed a vessel quite so large. That said, our commercial infrastructure should be more than adequate, if you'd be happy to base this ship out of a commercial port, rather than a specifically military base"

Christian Atandje; Christian Atandje; No. 5 Citadel Park, Nigyia, Merina

"Perfect" Christian smiled again, before adding "I believe the commissary should be able to get your man what he needs, your driver will know the way"

As she went to leave, he responded to her second question:

"Ah, yes, the Bishop of Nigyia" He grinned a sly grin "Both his quarters and his office are at the Cathedral, again your driver should know the way. And, if not, take a look at the skyline as you leave, you'll soon spy the spire; a lovely old building, that one. A good day to you all, I shall follow your exploits with great interest. And, please, if you've any troubles with your accommodation or treatment here, don't hesitate to come to me about it. Godspeed to you all"

The group were led outside to the street, where their civil service cars had been brought back around. The lead driver - a smartly turned-out young man, and one of Tomou's secret service men, not that he'd admit to such in this company - held open the door smartly for Charlie, and doffed his cap to her as she approached.

"I trust Madame's meeting was fruitful" He greeted her with a pleasant smile "Where to, my lady"

The Defence Force's "Concept 2020+" Review is out, and has already stoked controversy.

So-called "Concept 2020+" is a bold and expansive re-imagining of the Republic's armed services, much-needed in an organisation not much changed since the days of the Bush Wars.

"The Concept 2020+ programme is the Kaedweni Armed Forces' project for the wholesale revitalization, including measures to improve equipment, organisation, manpower and morale. The programme is the product of the 2020 Armed Forces review, and aims to restore the ROKAF's deterrent factor through a thorough, if drawn out, series of reforms. The resulting body will, it is hoped, be tighter and more suitable for the defence of the Republic and her allies"

But the project is already courting controversy in several aspects.

Foremost, this stems from the plan for the disbandment of the Kaedweni reserve force, the Commando Volunteer Rifles (CVR). While the CVR has a long - and, some would say, chequered - history, many Kaedweni communities still place enormous stock in the institution for their protection, particularly along the borders of the Unorganised Zone (UZ).

The CVR has its roots in the citizen-soldier forces of eighteenth-century settlers, named "Kommandos", becoming a key component of the Kaedweni Army upon achieving independence in 1921. This tradition of the citizen-solider is still very strong in many, particularly rural, Kaedweni communities, where the frontier spirit of old is very much still alive, and in some areas still a keystone of local security.

In its current form the CVR was created based on a reform of the Bush War-era District Commandos (DC), which had become embroiled in a race-relation row over its role in enforcing segregation prior to the National Convention and reintegration of Kaedweni society in 1994. Where the District Commandos were strictly segregated based on race - and predominantly a white institution - the Commando Volunteer Rifles were conceptualized as an integrated institution from the start, though the image of the Commandos of the mid-20th century has been difficult to shake.

Despite this, and while the CVR are commonly viewed as a colonial relic in the increasingly forward-looking big cities, CVR units have seen intermittent action in recent years against Natavist insurgents, particularly in those rural communities surrounding the UZ.

One small-town mayor, speaking to the Daily Sun on condition of anonymity, had this to say:

The CVR Company in [our district] has protected our community against Natavist attacks on several occasions since they [Belmont] put the [Unorganised Zone] next to us two years ago... Most recently, one of the homesteads out on [location redacted] got hit just last week, they tried to break down the door, then set fire to some of the buildings... Our CVR boys responded very quickly, killed one and drove the rest back into the UZ... Our local Police Constables just don't have the capacity to protect us from attacks of this scale or frequency... We need the CVR to survive, its as simple as that...

A government review on the future of the UZ is currently underway, and is expected to report its findings later in the year.

Concept 2020+ has also provoked controversy in other regards. The slew of advanced weaponry due to be procured by the ROKAF has prompted concerns from some quarters over the costs and viability of these projects, and the potential diversion of funding from other government departments to expand what one opposition MP described as "[Prime Minister Lindsay] Stewart's toy box".

Government sources refute this argument, maintaining that the programme is a "long-term investment" that will provide "greater efficiency and better value in the long run, whilst also bringing our Defence Forces up to date", adding that "This programme is projected to be funded entirely within the Defence Ministry's own budget... no social programmes will be cut to make way for arms purchases".

While not noted in any official announcements, commentators have suggested that the recent - and ominously named - attack by the Imperial Rokkenjiman Navy against nearby Heya (Operation Armageddon) could have prompted a renewed focus on external defence in Belmont.

Samuel Gbau; Villa East of Gagh, Western Pindar, Merina

Sam glowered at her through the murky darkness, more than a little tempted to shoot the prisoner out of hand. He had his rifle at his knee where he was crouching, and fingered the trigger guard irritably. Her attitude and demeanor seemed to confirm his suspicion that she was, indeed, a spy. Perhaps it had been her who had somehow communicated the convoy's movements to the enemy? He cursed himself for the laxity; she should have been bound, blindfolded and thrown in the hole hours ago. At least she'd slipped up too - the mortar, if there was indeed one out there, hadn't fired yet. If this was more than bluster, and this woman was a spy, he might have to reconsider his options.

"A wicked little witch you are" He growled back "I don't know if you're stupid, or you think I am. Is it not gracious enough already for us to tolerate a spy in our midst already? To ask that we arm you, to give you the gun to hold to our backs? You are very lucky we let you live. Ade, bind her hands and feet, and get her chained to the rail over there. Quickly now, I've not the men to spare you to nap"

This latter part was aimed at the hapless rifleman, who produced a set of platicuffs from his webbing and moved quickly to obey. Down in the compound yard, there was a hushed commotion as a fighting patrol was assembled; these men would sweep east along the bed of the wadi until they made contact with either the supply convoy or their enemy, if the attackers had infiltrated down to the valley floor. They'd pulled in the men from their OPs when the attack first started, and Sam was clearly feeling bullish. Given the lack of night-vision equipment, fighting in the hours of darkness tended to be decided by scrappy contacts at close-quarters, where it would be all aggression under synthetic red light.

"Ade" He explained to his man, once Hazel was firmly secured "I'll take the patrol out, the place is in your hands while I am away. If the trip-flares start going off here, we'll come straight back. If she" He shot a vicious glance in Hazel's direction "Gives you any trouble, then shoot her dead. Take care" He clapped Ade on the shoulder before disappearing down the stairs. Moments later, his voice could be heard from the yard, and the patrol trooped off towards the rear of the compound, where a small back gate dropped them down into the wadi beyond.

Ade looked at Hazel almost apologetically, then held out a hand in what he hoped would be a calming motion.

"No worry" He smiled, his teeth flashing brilliant white in the darkness "Will be okay"

The man on the machine gun smiled at this, passing inaudible but invariably lewd comment, which the third man chuckled at heartily. The firing certainly wasn't coming any closer, but the men on the rooftop stayed on edge, straining their senses for any sign of their patrol of the unseen enemy.

Christian Atandje; Christian Atandje; No. 5 Citadel Park, Nigyia, Merina

"Very good" Bertrand nodded appreciatively "The man is currently residing in Belmont, Kaedwen - don't worry, we will arrange transport - where the intelligence cell working out of our embassy will be able to furnish your team with more specific information. Suffice to say that it would be exceedingly difficult for an agent of... obviously Merinan heritage to undertake this mission, though we do not anticipate a group of your... talents to encounter any insurmountable difficulties"

He flashed another, more conspiratorial, smile before leaning back in his seat to continue "We shall acquire for your people a villa outside of town - very popular with our own people, Chris has a very nice one, I believe - to provide you with more befitting lodging. Once you've selected your team, one of my agents will take them through some brief training - we've some weapons secreted away at the embassy, and there are some procedures to be followed, nothing too challenging - before being dispatched to Kaedwen. In the mean time, and I think we are quite happy with what has been discussed today, you are free to explore the city. Your security detail shall see to it that you do not run into any trouble"

"I'm happy, too" Christian put in "I'll have a villa procured forthwith and, unless you've any questions, I think we've covered everything we need to. Please do feel free to have a bit of an explore. Oh, and see the Bishop, he really was quite insistent"

Lindsay Stewart; National Memorial Arboretum, Belmont District, Kaedwen

"I'll be sure to pass on the recommendation" Lindsay nodded "Though, as a public-sector organisation, there's certain limits on what they can do private-public wise. With any luck, we've still got someone taking notes. Koos?"

"Still going!" Koos chuckled from behind "We'll have a nice version typed up for when we get back to Belmont this afternoon"

"Hmm... it is a little warmer than I'd anticipated today" Lindsay picked up, looking at the sweating Emperor with a slightly concerned expression "No table... but there's some benches in the shade of the gums over there, perhaps we should rest a moment. Call Captain Price and tell him to stand down his lads up at the memorial, could you Koos? Get them out of the sun for a bit, if they're not already, we'll be up a little later"

Koos nodded in agreement, and the RKR contingent up at the top of the hill were stood down for a break while the royal party were settled on the benches in the shade of a grove of gum trees. Koos gave her a nudge, smirking at the sign which had been affixed to one - 'beware the drop bears' it read, along with a little caricature of a koala dropping on an unwary head - before the two Kaedwenis joined them.

"Is there anything you'd like to ask of us?" She asked in a conversational tone "I feel like I've been doing a little bit too much talking. I hear my own voice far too much in this line of work as it is"

Summery of Kaedweni Laws and Customs

Policy Area	Stance
Drugs	Trade in and consumption of Cannabis and Cannabis-based products is legal, albeit regulated in a similar manner to alcohol, though something of a social stigma surrounds the use of the drug. Other substances are quite tightly controlled, with stiff sentences often handed to those caught in possession, particularly those found to have an intent to supply.
Same Sex Marriage	Legal since 2004
Education	State schooling system for children aged 3-18. Higher education system regulated, with nationalised student loan system available to support home students.
Property Ownership	Regarded as a natural right and aspiration, though fairly steep taxes are in place on those owning second homes as part of an effort to curb landlordism and improve social mobility.
Voting	All citizens, sound of mind, aged 17 and above are able to vote. National elections are every three years, on a proportional representation system, while local elections are biennial.
Prostitution	Legal, but tightly regulated.
Freedom of the Press	Free press
Freedom of Movement	Tourism is encouraged, with short-term visas being fairly easy to get, though permanent immigration is limited by qualification and quota. Illegal immigration tends to be dealt with firmly, some would say harshly.
Abortion	Legal, but discoraged
Health Care	Nationalised healthcare system
Gun Laws	Long arms quite widely owned, subject to strict licencing and controls on firearm types, calibers and magazine size. Small-caliber rifles (.22 and below) are legal in semi-automatic, while larger-caliber rifles (up to .308) are available in single-action or manually cycled rifles. Shortened guns - under certain barrel and overall lengths - are banned, due to their concealability and links to organised crime. Magazines are also controlled, with no more than five rounds capacity permitted under any circumstances.
Internet Neutrality	Net-neutrality mandated by law.
Business Ownership	Ownership of businesses listed publicly by Companies House in Belmont.
Marriage	Between two people - or sometimes more.

The Republic of Kaedwen Navy will be reduced in size and re-orientated to become a more defensive force focused around the striking power of the submarine arm and land-based air power to deter conventional opponents. The current navy's aviation and amphibious vessels - the carrier Illawarra and landing ship Mallee - will both be paid off, along with the modern Bushranger-class Corvettes, for which a foreign buyer will be sought to help offset the costs of the modernisation programme. The RoKN's frigate force - already approaching the end of their service lives - are to be replaced like-for-like basis with an efficient light design from abroad upon their retirement. The land-based missile batteries will be placed into reserve, while all aircraft not permanently attached to warships will be transferred to the new Air Force. The future RoKN will be organised along the following lines:

Surface Action Group:
-4 Koyuga-Class Replacement Frigates

Support and Sustainment Group:
-2 Future Support Ships
-2 Future Survey Ship

Patrol Group:
-10 Replacement Patrol Vessels

Submarine Force:
-4 Type S Nuclear Attack Submarines
-8 G-Class Diesel-Electric Attack Submarines

In addition, two types of UAVs are to be procured for shipboard use - the rotary-wing Camcopter and fixed-wing Blackjack.

Saewoo-Sto-Klatchan International (Belmont) Ltd.

To: Heyran Defense Force, Juhin Ministry of National Safety
Subject: E Next Generation Submarine Tender

SSK International is the export arm of the Saewoo-Sto-Klatchan Group; though we were only formed as a specific entity in 2017, we have decades of experience at the cutting edge of Mundus' military technology. Our maritime arm has produced vessels which have served with distinction in the Dijeli and Achkaerinese Navies, and the product which we are offering in this tender is currently under consideration by another major customer.

The vessel which we are putting forward for this tender is a varient of the Type S Fleet Attack Submarine, a state-of-the-art piece of military equipment which first entered service with the FDDF in 2015. Utilizing the same ultra-quiet hull, x-form tailplane and pump-jet propulsion, we shall modify the internal machinery of the type to accept a diesel-electric power plant, based upon our previous experience with such drives. This we shall term the Type SE.

We feel these vessels would fit your requirements well:

-Displacement: Type S boats displace 4,700t while surfaced, and 5,300t submerged, with the completed Type SEs expected to come in somewhat lighter.

-Accommodation: The base Type S submarine design provides berths for twelve (12) additional crew, on top of their usual compliment, and this space shall be expanded for the Type SE, utilizing additional space freed up with the use of a more compact power plant. An optional blister may be located aft of the conning tower to provide stowage for commando watercraft and other specialist equipment.

-Launch Tubes and Weaponry : The Type SE shall share its predecessor's four bow-mounted 533mm (21 inch) torpedo tubes, compatible with a range of guided and unguided torpedoes, as well MOSS decoy systems and missiles.

-Diesel electric-propulsion: The Type SE shall be fitted with a classic diesel-electric propulsion system with proven lead-acid batteries to provide submerged power. Range is estimated to be in the region of 18,000nm at 10Kn, while running on the surface.


The original cost for the design and delivery of the twelve Type S vessels ordered by the FDDF came to $1.296 Billion/hull ($15.552 Billion total programme cost). Accounting for the additional design work required to properly configure the Type SE for your needs, we'd be willing to offer the licences at the following prices:

1 vessel = $350M
2 vessels = $600M
3 vessels = $850M
4 vessels = $1.1Bn

With any further vessels commanding a fixed licence fee of $150M per unit.

Kindest regards,

Ronan Vallerius,
CEO, SSK International (Belmont) Ltd

((OOC: Edited to adjust pricing 😅 ))

Encrypted Communique;
For Your Eyes Only

Dear Monsieur Debeauson, Monsieur Vassilly,

We, too, hope that the talks in Gaia bring the peace that my people so desire. Though, in the event that they do not, we believe it prudent to consider all potential avenues for delivering my people from tyranny.

I shall look forward to meeting with you in person.

Humbly yours,

Undersecretary Kolo Musa,
On Behalf of the Free Merinan Association

Christian Atandje; Christian Atandje; No. 5 Citadel Park, Nigyia, Merina

"These are trying times for us both, it seems" Christian responded, in what he hoped was a conciliatory tone "Though I can assure you, we are quite safe here. Security around the city is good, and this area especially. You're welcome to explore the town when we're done here, there's some accommodation been prepared for you a couple of blocks from here. I must recommend a walk around the park, if nothing else. Oh, and that reminds me, the cathedral isn't far away either - lovely old building - and I'm told the Bishop is keen to meet you, while you're in town, I'm sure you'll get on well"

At the top of the stairs, a doorway led them into the attic room that served as Christian's office. It was a small, intimate space as offices of state went, and today it would be positively bursting at the seams. There was also another man waiting in the room, well turned out in a dark suit and sporting close-cropped hair and beard, which was dark and curly, just beginning to run to grey around the edges. He rose from Christian's chair to greet them as the group entered.

"May I have the pleasure of introducing Mister Bertrand Tomou" Christian explained, as the stranger greeted the group "He's the head of our intelligence service, and, all going well, you'll be working together soon"

"It's a pleasure" The spymaster smiled genially.

Once they were all settled in the small room, Christian having reclaimed his seat while Bertrand retreated to a stool at the diplomat's shoulder, they got down to business.

"We're here" He began, frankly "Because there are things each of us can do for the other. For us, there is a man we want dead. Well, to be quite honest with you, there are rather too many men we want dead, though only one whom we would concern you with. This we would like your help with and, in return, we may be able to offer you something which you would like. Tell me, what is it your heart desires from us?"

Ife Atandje; Council of Albion Headquarters, Gaia, Lodja

Just as Ife had dropped the dossier on the table, he'd noticed the communist delegate make to speak up to denounce him, only to be pulled away by an aide. The pair had been deep in a hushed discussion as the Lord Besarain was speaking and, after a brief pause in the proceedings, Noah turned away from this, composing himself to address the group.

"Speaking on behalf of the People's Army of Merina" He clarified. Noah was a man of sharp features and piercing eyes, though at this moment he seemed ill at ease, like a man unsure of his footing "We contend that it has been the Merinan National Army which has been the aggressor. I apologise for not coming forewarned of this incident, though I assure you it is an emergent case, and our communications network is not optimized to support my team being here. Excuse me" Fortuitously, it was at this moment that a copy of Ife's report landed in Noah's lap. He took a few moments to glance through the document, before seizing upon something: "If my Lords were to examine the schematic on page two of this document, for example" He held up his own copy momentarily, indicating a satellite image showing the landscape southeast of Makeni, around the Kholda road. This had been annotated, with green markers given for the MNA, and red for the MPA "We can see quite clearly the gap between the National Army units either side of the road, such a gap to suggest that they do not - or did not - control the road corridor at the point this ceasefire came into effect. Therefore, I must insist that it is them who have broken the ceasefire in attempting to sever the Kholda highway and, thus, advance their encirclement of Makeni"

Noah sat back, already feeling exhaustion beginning to creep in. His spiel had not been entirely authoritative - his aide had apparently received word of the incident just as they'd been entering the chamber and, for reasons unbeknownst to anyone else, had elected to keep this to himself until after Ife had first spoken of it - though neither was it entirely a fabrication of the moment. The situation on the ground, he knew, had been complicated right up to the final hours and minutes before the ceasefire came into force, and in truth neither side had achieved a firm hold on the road corridor. The area also served as the final strand through which the city of Makeni could be resupplied from MPA territory and, if it were denied to them, the city would be cut off and effectively besieged.