This was not the sort of meeting that the Emperor of Achkaerin was used to having but here in the gardens of the Marble Palace stood
Peter as well as his Chief of Staff
Kumiko Arkwright and National Security Advisor
Mark Sharpe, what made this conversation unusual was that what was being finalized was being very carefully controlled, it came following several things that had forced the Achkaerinese leadership to consider what to do about the Chapterhouse school in the country, at first it had been a simple case of 'not enough verifable evidence' but then East Moreland's NIA had changed that and things had gotten a whole lot more stressed. Peter wasn't in the mood to close down a school but the child soldier issue was creating a sticky wicket that was only getting stickier, had it not been for other international events and had it not been for the circumstances this would have been a lot harder to deal with, but the time had now come.
"The simple fact is that sooner or later we're going to get called out for not acting on the information provided." Kumiko said "It was one thing when the only source was the Kaitaine Pravda... the propaganda argument would have stood but now with the NIA evidence which has been verified we're in a little trouble."
"The international response hasn't been that strong though." Peter said "Which I'm willing to bet is down to the fact that the nation in the equation is Kaitaine. In fact I'll bet there'd be a much more robust response internationally if it was Kaitaine being accused."
"What about the legal argument Serenity proposed?" Kumiko asked
"No way do we make that." Peter said "It may be by the letter correct but if we put that argument out there publicly we give every terrorist organisation on Mundus the mother of all loopholes. Mark please tell me you've got a recommendation."
"I have." Mark said "Shut down all flights between Achkaerin and Kaitaine, direct Gowu to do the same."
"And?" Peter asked, he knew Mark well enough to know there was more to this.
"Raid the school." Mark said "The accusation is grounds enough."
"We have no evidence of anyone from within that school having committed a crime." Peter said "If anything they're the victims or has everyone forgotten Franchesca Owens?"
"Right now that doesn't matter, we can paint this as two separate groups easily enough the same as Mountjoy has but we need to be seen to take steps remember we've got a covert not overt relationship with them." Mark said
"What are you suggesting?" Kumiko asked
"Search the school, go through the motions of questioning staff and students, arrest them if we have to." Mark said "Put someone in as the new Headmistress and institute a full review of the school's curriculum with overview and recommendations to be compiled in a report, said report to be made available domestically and internationally."
"Effect?" Peter asked
"We keep the relationship covert." Mark said "Plus we're able to keep the school open."
"What about the flights?" Peter asked
"We don't have a whole lot of flights to Kaitaine, it's actually a rather limited service." Kumiko said "Minimal issue. Plus if people were trying to get to Kaitaine from Achkaerin for the reason implied I don't think flying into Arakeen is how you'd do it, you'd fly to Mountjoy, Rodina, Iberia and the like and go from there."
Peter sighed and mused for a few moments
"How do you do it?" Peter asked
"We send them a message, we give them a 24 hour heads up, tell them we're coming and outline what we're thinking, they won't have time to respond before we raid. We have two Justicars run point with the police." Mark said
"And the new Headmistress you mentioned?" Peter asked
"I'll have a list of candidates drawn up." Mark said "Officially it's our choice, unofficially joint decision by them and us."
"Do it." Peter said
Three hours later a letter addressed to Ms. Franchesca Owens was put into a letterbox on Valtheim's high street, it would wind its way to the Chapterhouse, it was in motion now this heck of a gamble.
