Truth and Lies (ES & Saheristan)

[Achkaerin]

Peter was walking down the stairs of the Marble Palace it was mid morning and he was on his way for breakfast, stepping into the everyday kitchen area of the Palace he started sorting his breakfast out.
"It's started." Nettie said coming into the kitchen, sipping a cup of coffee
"Has it?" Peter asked, she put a piece of paper on the worktop "I see."
"It's more or less the response we were hoping for." Nettie said
"The Pope calls them, Saheristan rebukes." Peter said "It's what we wanted. I'll make the approach before I leave for Gowu, meanwhile you and Serenity need to get to Somerset don't you have a meeting to get to?"
"We're gone in half an hour." Nettie said

A Letter to the Government of Saheristan

To whom it may concern,

First I'd like to begin by stating that Achkaerin's foreign policy is always that of non intervention in the affairs of another sovereign state except under certain circumstances, these being treaty obligations, international mandates, at the said nation's request and when it would be otherwise abhorrent to not intervene. I state that because I want to make clear that this is not an intervention this is a request.

I've noticed over the last couple of days this bubbling situation over Ms Barron's detention inside Saheristan, having done some research on the matter I was left with some questions and so I summoned the Ecclesiastical State ambassador to get their side of the story having heard their side of it I would like to talk with an appropriate person from Saheristan who may be able to address some of what I have been told thus far. I hope in doing so that I may be able to understand the situation more clearly than I presently do, there's also a related issue specific to the drugs trade that I need to raise with your representative.

I'm due in Gowu for a prior engagement but I am happy to divert to Saheristan on the return trip if that suits yourself.

Signed



Emperor Peter Azurewind

[Sam]

To His Imperial Majesty Peter Azurewind

Your Imperial Majesty,

I was surprised but pleased by your recent letter. Despite my campaigning arrangements and stately duties, I feel this is a matter I should engage with personally. These unfolding developments are of great concern to me, and with this in mind I would like to receive you at the Presidential Palace in Al-Qādisiyyah upon your return from Gowu.

I look forward to meeting you.

Khalid Amin Ashkan
President of the Republic of Saheristan

[Achkaerin]

Peter sat in his seat aboard Fox One one of the Achkaerin Royal Family's fleet of private jets, this was a somewhat calculated trip but still a high risk gamble that he was taking. He couldn't ignore the implications suggested by the satellite images nor did he intend to, whatever the outcome of this meeting it was a matter of the highest priority for Peter to address those implications once the MDI finished their developed analysis of them, but first there was this related matter of Marjorie Barron to deal with, he'd read Ms Barron's articles and knew that when combined with the satellite image implications they conjured a very dark image of what had been going on in that region, if true then there was reason to believe that Ms Barron's arrest was politically motivated to suppress the information's credibility.

"Here's a copy of the file you asked for." Nettie Taylor, his foreign affairs advisor said coming to sit at the table where the Emperor sat.
"Thank you." Peter said
"If you don't mind me asking Peter what exactly is your plan?" Nettie asked, the Emperor had never really been clear on this even with the ES ambassador details had been kept vague.
"Situations like this are never resolved on a right and wrong basis." Peter said "Saheristan can't be seen as wrong for their arresting of Ms Barron even though it is likely politically motivated because that begs the question 'what are you hiding?' at the same time ES can't be perceived as right because the same question will be put to Saheristan. Added to which there's a question of what happens if we take those pictures to the CMA before Ms Barron is released, I'd like to try and be in a position where she's not at risk before upping the pressure."
"So?" Nettie asked
"So we paint a picture and sell it to Saheristan." Peter said, Nettie raised an inquisitve eyebrow as if probing for further details
"We'll be landing in the next few minutes according to the pilot" the final member of the party Eve Acheson the junior Royal Counsel said taking her seat.
"Good." Peter said

Over the next half hour the plane landed, and the trio made their way to the Presidential Palace, Peter actually drove as he sometimes did. Upon arrival they made their way up to the entrance it was time to meet the President.

[Sam]

The Emperor had arrived ahead of a summer storm rolling in from the Krimeon, and the usually clear skies of the sun-baked capital were thick with darkened clouds. Upon Peter's entourage entering the palace, the rain had begun to lash down. The nature of the Emperor's hastily planned visit had meant no red carpet was being rolled out, and no press presence was on the scene. Roads around the palace had been cleared and closed, with the evening traffic swept aside. Save for the pelting rain against the tall windows of the Presidential Palace, an unusual silence prevailed.

President Ashkan waited at the foot of the stairs to greet Peter, wearing a dark suit and his Presidential sash, at the end of the grand foyer's dual colonnades. He was a brawny, wide man of average height. His powerful build was from growing up a fisher boy, then enduring years of back-breaking labour in a cement manufacturing plant. After completing national service with the infantry, Ashkan had worked his way into politics through trade unionism. As Peter Azurewind strode across the marble floor towards him, Ashkan casually wondered if his guest was as conscious of the differences between them as he was.

"Your Imperial Highness, I am pleased to be able to offer you my hospitality. If you would please walk with me."

Walking through the ever ornate halls of the palace, the two parties were convened in the Shahbazi Room, named for the prominent political dissident who had overseen the post-revolutionary trial of King Umar within his own palace. Also present was the rarely seen Secretary to the President, Ardeshir Maz Sadr; his right hand man, who exchanged the appropriate pleasantries as coffee and dates were served. Sadr waited for the President to sit before he did too.

Ashkan was the first to speak. "Now then, your Highness, might I say that I appreciate your efforts to hear us out regarding this matter surrounding Ms Barron. I don't doubt that you have come here with something in mind."

[Achkaerin]

"Nettie." Peter said, Nettie handed over a file which Peter quickly glanced through to quickly refresh his memory of the contents and then handed the file across to President Ashkan "I don't know how familiar you are with the history of the CTO Mr President so forgive me if we get into lecture territory. Shortly after its foundation the CTO was involved in a mission in the country of Marseilles, that nation had effectively been couped by an alliance of a known terrorist organisation, the Sorority of Materna and high ranking and influential members of the Marseilles Defence Force. In restoring order to Marseilles part of the operation focused on what is known now as the Marseilles Deck of Fifty Two. In short a list of fifty two people including the leaders of the terrorist group, the MDF leadership, the Church of Materna leadership, government leaders and other such people each of them assigned a designation drawn from a pack of cards. The theory went that taking down these people would make life a lot easier in terms of the overall mission objectives, as it turns out we didn't get them all and Achkaerinese intelligence have been tracking down the runners ever since.

That file belongs to Margaux Bachelet otherwise known as the Jack of Clubs. She was the Agriculture Minister of Marseilles, however as you can see from that file she was a major player in the drugs scene, especially in terms of heroin and the other popular opiates we're talking about stuff that ruins lives every day. We believe that her last known location is your Lalishistan region, you'll see that the file contains her believed last known location within that region[1], if she's there then there's a high chance she's tied into this unfortunate matter concerning Ms Barron, we'd like your assistance in arresting Ms Bachelet and placing her in custody, in exchange we'll present you a narrative that allows you to dispense of the Barron matter to everyone's mutual satisfaction and in such a way that you won't draw further international criticism."

1.	OOC - I'll let you fill details in as this is in your nation

[Sam]

President Ashkan waited for Peter to finish, holding eye contact with him as he took a long sip of coffee. He then thumbed through the file carefully for a couple of minutes, comfortable with the silence in the room. The report detailed intelligence suggesting that Bachelet was located in the vicinity of Shehadeh Mountain, deep in the Lalishi highlands. Shehadeh Mountain was only accessible from the south through the Akradi Pass, leading down into recently liberated Talmar. The pass itself was forty miles north of Sirwan, where the Barron incident had occurred, through intermittent roads and rough, wooded terrain, still firmly held by the insurgents. Ashkan passed the file to Ardeshir, who took a look at it himself before the President responded, cautious in his tone.

"This is rough terrain, in bad country. It will not be easy to conduct a capture mission there. Still, we hope to do what we can. How do you suggest we approach?"

[Achkaerin]

Peter thought for a moment, remembering the suggestions his brother in law and Minister of Defence Adam Sheppard had given him prior to his departure, Adam had been the ground soldier he knew this sort of stuff, Peter on the other hand had done his military time in the Navy so this was not necessarily his arena.

"What I would suggest is firstly doing some reconnaissance, do it from the air preferably with a UAV get a good idea of the sort of activity that goes on in the area, where are the likely problems located and the like. Based on what data we can obtain from this surveillance the team going in can plan their approach and assault. I'd like to suggest that the team comprise personnel from both our nations, would that be acceptable?"

[Sam]

Ashkan tilted his head, watching Peter Azurewind speak. As every native in the room knew, there was no connection between Marjorie Barron and this Massiliot terrorist. Of course, and open impression of this truth could not be given. Either the Emperor was making a gambit which had to be called, or the hand of serendipity had made a timely intervention indeed. In either case, there was every reason to proceed.

"I must say, I am pleasantly surprised to see current events set aside in the interests of the fight against global terrorism. We will of course cooperate at every level to see Bachelet brought to justice."

[Achkaerin]

There was probably only one clueless person in the room and that was Nettie, she like everyone else knew there was no connection between Barron and Bachelet after all off what the Ecclesiastical State ambassador had told them when they'd spoken there was no indication of any leanings on Barron's part that would indicate criminal conduct, there was also the lack of a relevant criminal record. So what was Peter's game? Why was he offering Bachelet? How did that get Barron to safety? And why wasn't Eve as Junior Royal Counsel looking worried? What did she know that Nettie didn't? Paint a picture and sell it Peter's words from the plane ran through her mind and it started to click together clever, very clever she thought, if it was handled right which was undoubtedly what Eve was here for - to make sure Peter didn't cross certain lines.

"Then with your permission Mr President" Peter said "We will require access to your airspace for the aerial reconnaissance and to know where a suitable location for us to bring the team in is. Following such permission I'll make arrangements to bring the people and equipment in."