A Call To President Blackwind

[Beatrice]

The news coming in wasn't the best, thus Beatrice made the decision to dial President Blackwind. "Yes," Beatrice said to whom she presumed to be a Secretary, "We've important matters to discuss. If the President is not presently occupied please see that he takes my call at his earliest convenience."

As Beatrice waited for him to answer she read over various intelligence reports, requests from the new Deputy Premier, and sighed. "This is going to be a long day," she thought.

[Beatrice]

"Mr. President, it was a wonderful flight if uneventful, which I suppose is always a good thing," she said as she looked out over the city of Pyrettania, "however that is not why I have called. The situation which is enveloping Barnacle is one which is of great concern, and it's one which threatens our mutual interest in seeing the status over Barnacle resolved once and for all. From what my advisers are telling me, and from what I know, if the present course is adhered to it will be a painful process ahead of us."

"As you know we've discussions before the CMA, Ui Cenneslaig forces in close quarters with Himeyaman forces, and offers of assistance to Himeyama which could themselves lead to military assistance if the situation does not change from its present course. It's not hard to see where things will develop from here if that is the case, which is what I hope we can prevent. Therefore, I wish to personally implore you to consider some changes so we can get ahead of this situation before we are no longer able to."

"With that being said I would advise that Heyra commit to a referendum, conducted by neutral parties to ensure the results are not considered poisoned or invalid by those in the international community. Once the People have spoken the question of Barnacle will be removed from the field; it will be resolved unquestionably and Heyra will be capable of moving forward without the intrusion of internationalist powers. As we saw Rokkenjman recognition was quickly weaponised against Heyra's cause, and despite my tactic withdrawal we remain in a challenging position. If we hope to salvage it, and to decrease foreign involvement in these affairs, it is best to, for lack of a better term, 'play their game' with the best face possible."

"I do not say this to you to diminish Heyra's claim, I would never suggest to you a course which would harm your interests or those of the Republic. The referendum ensures that the legitimacy of Heyran sovereignty over Barnacle would never again be questionable: this problem would essentially be permanently resolved. I will provide all the support I can, but for that to be effective we have to grit our teeth for a moment. Will you trust that my advice is only in the best interests of the Republic, and our friendship? We can make it through this, but we have to work together to make that happen."

[Beatrice]

"There is an old saying in Rokkenjima, mostly amongst our intelligence agents, that by deception thou shalt make war. It is also wise to recognize when brute force will not accomplish, but indeed, hinder one's path to their objective. Heyra may certainly follow the path of brute force, though I had expected one such as yourself to recognize when such a path was not productive. I recognized that outright Rokkenjiman recognition was a hindrance to your cause and adjusted accordingly so as to continue our support in more productive manners; if you cannot see that I do apologize, but at this point we both must be strategic."

"You must take care to consider those upon Barnacle who desire independence and those who wish to remain Himeyaman just as greatly as those who desire reunion with Heyra," Beatrice continued. "Garnering their support and not squandering it through such brute actions and tones brings the matter to a quicker resolution, and one which is in your favour. Honey, as they say, is more effective than vinegar and right now you are pouring vinegar down the throats of a good deal of the population of Barnacle, souring their stomachs against Heyra. To put it another way, you cannot hope to rule a divided house, and this is the situation which is establishing itself so long as you refuse to change course."

"As I have been clear Rokkenjima supports Heyra, however, when overt support is damaging to the cause of Heyra remaining firm in that course wouldn't be serving the best interests of our friendship now would it? If you wish for my support to be effective you must understand that, and you must be on the same page of a joint strategy. A successful referendum strengthens you, and ensures the reunion of Heyra and Barnacle cannot again be challenged so easily. If there is something you do not understand do let me know, however, should you not be able to recognize the actions of a friend as being taken for your benefit I shall not know where to begin."

"Our window is closing quickly; if we should hope to turn this around we need to start working together, lest you reach without care and instead knock your goals off the table, leaving them broken upon the floor below."

[Beatrice]

"What is done is done," Beatrice said, her impatience growing. "In the quick progression of events mistakes are certain to have been made, however, the situation is what we make of it now. Rehashing what has happened, or what didn't happen, or what could have happened doesn't serve either of our interests. We can either salvage the situation, or what's left of it, or walk away. As I've said I've little to offer someone incapable of adapting to the situation and recognizing just where this is leading. I don't wish to see harm fall upon Heyra and if we work together we can see that precisely that does not happen."

"Already through the opportunities we've missed you're looking at a divided Barnacle at best, and there's nothing I can do about that as that window has already closed. However many more we allow to close is in your hands, so while you direct your ire at me we're most certainly wasting time. As more time is wasted and the situation deteriorates further our options decrease. I'm ready to get things done and make progress while we're still capable of doing so, it would be nice if we could agree to both move toward those ends."

[Beatrice]

"Let's be clear that Rokkenjma doesn't wish to impose upon Heyra anything it doesn't wish to do," Beatrice said as calmly as she could. "Right now we have certain forces aligned against Heyra and its claims to Barnacle, many of which are calling for self-determination which remains a powerful principle in the international community. Recognizing this, I merely wished to propose that we use this to our advantage; strengthen the Heyran position while weakening the position of those aligned against her, while empowering the Heyran position. Removing the narrative from outside Heyra and placing it within your hands grants increased latitude with which to act, while decreasing the legitimacy upon which foreign intervention would be warranted on the internal matters of the Heyran Republic."

"This was one premise upon which the decision was reached to adjust the Rokkenjiman position on Barnacle, as foreign nations saw it as an invitation to take actions of their own which hamper the position of Heyra and allows them an angle with which to intrude upon your internal affairs," Beatrice continued. "It is not our position that Heyra should fail in establishing, without question, its sovereignty over Barnacle and feel this is a question which must be resolved without doubt; thus we can see where Rokkenjima's recognition posed its own host of threats and distractions to Heyra ultimately achieving its aims. It is a course of action which should have been resolved upon by both of us, however, we now must work with what is before us."

"Heyra still sees a good deal of emergency aid before it, granting it more to work with in relation to the Himeyamans. If Heyra is able to extend assistance in whatever manner to those sectors of Barnacle which remain under Himeyaman influence, think the distribution of food and other material aid, aid that cannot or is not being provided at present, it is actions such as those which ultimately strengthens your position. Moving from there, we must consider the positions upon which the CMA is utilizing as justification to take a stake in Barnacle and neutralize them, we both agree that their interference is unwanted after all."

"I am not going to theorize about what-if scenarios into the future but explore what we can do together now. Rokkenjima has remained faithful and will continue to do so, but we need to ensure that we communicate and coordinate our actions which was an unfortunate oversight in my unilateral action, no matter the intent. We've still the challenge of Himeyaman forces still present in Barnacle which present attempts are doing little to dislodge. I don't have any answers at present at how we go about effecting their departure, however, I'm confident that we may be able to craft something if we put our combined efforts toward that end."

[Beatrice]

Beatrice sighed, "Everything I've said has gone one ear and out the other. Apparently my judgement of you was wrong, as you've no understanding of the situation Heyra has flung itself into or the support I have tried to render. You may lead a horse to water, but you cannot make it to drink. Whatever should happen next, I wish you and your People the best."

With that Beatrice hung up the phone and nodded to the Imperial Councillor for the Treasury. "Do it."