The Condor Flies in Austreos

[Gadshack]

The Chanal II broke through the skies with a disruptive boom, slowing down as the Austreosian coast came into view below. She was the second plane in the fleet of transport vehicles available to the Speakership of Ahkabnil, a supersonic business jet, only carrying a mere 14 passengers but enough for circumstances such as this. Chanal II would be diving from the skies into the recovering warzone that was Austreos, a country whose face was littered with the scars of war. Ofcourse, the Ahkabnilian Condor didn’t swoop down until the fighting was over, observing the players and plotting future moves carefully.

As Osovo International came into view, so did its burning city, emerging from curtain of dark, choking dust, with its deprived and venerable towers, stained grey from the shadow of the gloomy, smoke filled skies. Hues of orange and yellow dance in the fog, indicating distant fires that the smoke bellowed from. Ambassador Kutaneh glared out the window with his usual, expressionless face. He was expecting this, but aide and protege Wasyiel wasn’t, though he had been brief. “Isn’t it safe?” he said with an anxious whisper.

Kutaneh smiled, as he could hear the nervous lump in Wasyiel’s voice, “Perhaps. Diplomacy is never a clean matter, you should get use to this.” he advised, reverting his eyes back down to his tablet, scrolling through diplomatic briefs. “You wanted field work, this is it, no more petty embassy bookkeeping.”

Kutaneh thought of Wasyiel as a son, after all these years. He also knew the High Circle wanted Wasyiel out, his family wasn’t liked and percieved as radical, even though Wasyiel wasn’t like them they couldn’t see the forest for the trees. The man was trying to clear his tarnished name within the Temple, and Kutaneh understood that as he was in the same position, coming from a political line of jokes and failed statesmen.

Chanal II was making its slow and steady approach to the torn runway of Osovo international. Attempting to touch down gently upon the cracked runway. The plane shook slightly and the pilots struggled with the waning rudder. Finally Chanal II had come to the slow, yet bumpy halt, at this point even Kutaneh’s heat was beating out of chest, he had never liked flying but didn’t let it show. “It seems out greeting party is here.” Wasyiel said, observing the waiting party on the tarmac. “This place is a hellhole.” he sighed, as the cabin door slowly curled open.

“Indeed.” Kutaneh agreed, beginning to walk down to greet the welcoming party, though it was not so warm...

[WrongEnd]

The welcoming party consisted mainly of Humvees, three of them with mounted .50 HMGs. There was one lorry, the troops from it currently on the tarmac. A few of them carried armoured vests and helmets, giving them to the delegation when they arrived. One of the soldiers, which appeared to be a commissioned officer of some sort, told them, "You're currently in a yellow zone! Keep the armour on until we reach the green zone! We'll explain later!"

Once they put on the helmets, they were ushered into an armoured truck, with thick, bulletproof windows. The soldiers remounted into the lorry, and the convoy was off. The ride was incredibly bumpy, the road barely in drivable condition. On a swivel, the gunners on the top of the Humvees kept a close eye on the surroundings. Eventually, their alertness was rewarded. A round pinged off one of the bulletproof windows, engulfing it in a spider web pattern. The Humvees sped up, while the lorry pulled off to the side, the soldiers dismounting as they went out of sight.

Eventually, they entered the city itself, the convoy taking many turns to avoid rubble blocking the streets. People drifted on the side of the streets, getting warning bursts from the Humvee gunners if they got too close. A few minutes passed.

Then finally, they entered the green zone. It appeared to be in somewhat better condition, but not by much. The gunners stopped giving warning bursts to the civilians, instead opting to remain on a swivel. The convoy entered a fenced off area, restricted area signs adorning the entrances. The gates themselves were guarded by soldiers. They were entering what appeared to be a military base, in the middle of the city. That was, until the convoy stopped in front of what appeared to be a capital building, albeit in terrible condition.

[Gadshack]

The Ahkabnilian ambassadors stepped out of their escort, both with a shaken look upon their faces. Kutaneh at that moment wondered if this assignment was a slight or confidence in his ability as an elder emissary, he wanted to believe the latter. Wasyiel was slow out of the humvee, somewhat cautious, holding his younger life more dearly. “Come on.” Kutaneh hurried, projecting a leveled yet urgent tone. “We’re in a safer place, but I don’t want to be stuck out here, the landscape is horrid.” he glanced around.

“I didn’t join the army.” Wasyiel exclaimed as he hopped from the humvee, gathering himself. He caught up and quickly walked beside Kutaneh. “Hell of a first emissary mission?”

“Perhaps.” the old ambassador sighed, finally catching his breath. In all his years he had definitely not experienced being sent in the middle of a warzone such as this, he never had the heaviness of a bullet proof vest weigh down his chest or a hard helmet hug his scalp. All of this was new to Wasyiel as well, but he was young and had a lust for adventure and new experience; under his tense and wary composure were wide eyed excitement, this is what he signed up for exactly. “I’ve never heard guns go off that close.” Wasyiel commented, as the two walked side by side up the steps of the capitol building.

“Military.” Kutaneh stated. “Brings back a few memories.”

“I didn’t make the cut for national service.” Wasyiel said. “Instead they just made me serve an extra year of civil duties.”

“I never knew this. It does make sense, you’re too scrawny for the military.” Kutaneh grinned, carrying on ahead.

The two had thanked their escorts, Kutaneh reminded himself to get them gifts, and entered the capitol building.

[WrongEnd]

As they entered the capitol building, they were met with a small, ruined lobby. A few soldiers stood guard, and there was a receptionist behind a small folding table. She looked up, saying, "The ambassador's room is to the left."

Once they headed that way, they were met with a door leading to another office, this one with various buckets scattered across the floor, catching leaks. There was a man behind a tarnished wooden desk, with some office items scattered across the top messily. He stood up, holding his hand out for a handshake, saying, "Welcome to the Imperial Provinces. Sorry it's so messy in here; we haven't the money to fix this place up. Rebels and all."

[Gadshack]

The two Ahkabnilian ambassadors snapped into their presentable posture upon entering the room, believing their stature respectful. Kutaneh went first with the bow of his head and the extension of hand, followed by Wasyiel. "I am ambassador Kutaneh of Ninetsi and this is-"

"Ambassador Wasyiel of Hweka." Wasyiel introduced.

"I hope we're not too late." Kutaneh continued. "Weather had delayed us for a while. Though your escorts took care of us pretty well throughout the city."