Fenici First!
Risen Phoenix, leader of Fenici First, was pacing in his office, things were not going well.
"I want to speak to Command Master Warrant of the New Etruscan Forces Patah Carayou, immediately."
"Your command?"
"Not a command, I want to know about your cover, surely after the fifth time you helped our leadership avoid capture, they'll get suspicious."
"Ah, but I did nothing myself, I always let my subordinates, XOs of their military and civilian commanders all, send the messages, and since I am the XO of Second Shadow Division, they don't have anyone with the gumption to arrest me."
There was a commotion outside the XO's door.
"Please excuse me, I heard weapons fire."
"What's all this? I am Command Master Warrant of the New Etruscan Forces Patah Carayou, and I demand to know what's the meaning of this." "Are you a man of faith, Patah Carayou?" The Temple Guard's armor was ornate with New Lollandese designs of serpentite snakes, obsidian pumas and jade ravens. Patah couldn't know the metallic animals had been incorporated into the best Pilder Armour available outside Kagomei. "Gulp, yes, kinda." He hadn't attented services in two decades, but he knew better than to dismiss the faith, or appear apostate. "Then kneel, kneel in the presence of your betters. Kneel before Aumhivina Kautassian Pamiley Isla." Or you will be knelt, or so appeared to be saying the two guards who had sneaked behind Patah, keeping an eye on their charge, a slight young woman with platinum blonde hair, wearing ornate ritual dress. "I am Kautassian, I make the sun rise, who are you?" "I.. am Patah Carayou." "No, you are not, you are Risen Phoenix." "Ahem." "What is it Kangleb?" "His communicator is on, in the other room, with military encryption, even on the metadata, that's unusual." "Secure it." She barked. "By Treaty Authority." "What? No? You can't!" "I most certainly can, you Fenici First certainly have been clever so far, not involving us, your neighbours, the New Lollandese, nor the clergy, in your issues with the Etruscans and the Firenzzane..." "And yet, you are here..." "When you struck at a sailcloth facility in the Bay of Tzekaukus, you thought you were clever, since it had military uses, we'd remain neutral." "And yet, you are here..." "Yes, when you struck at a military target for political reasons, your request was dutifully routed to Lai Dang Treaty Authority, since you were trying to secede." "And yet, you are here..." He kept repeating himself, hoping she'd lose some of that serene calm, truth be told, her calm was unnerving, she couldn't even be twenty-five, and most priestesses of her rank only reached their potential at thirty-five... Why was such an underage priestess scolding him? "Lai Dang Treaty Authority, enforcing a treaty having been written to some arguable degree by the Second Duty of Kautanissian, knew they couldn't afford to be seen as partial in a dispute between citizens of signatories, so their hands were tied..." "Ah-ah, so again, why are you here?" "Oh, their hands were tried against acting against you directly. They've seized military ships unlawfully commissioned, they arrested one of yours, as well. But they couldn't arrest you for the crime you were killing people for. But, since New Etrusca and NuovaFirenze both signed the Alliance of Nieue Lolland, Nieue Lolland Treaty Authority has deputized the Kautassian Conclave to arrest you." "Ahahahah, well you secured my comms, you won't be getting my contact." "You mean Secretary of State Kerry?" "I'd be a fool to name him." How did she know that name, he thought furiously. "My husband was outside his door when we arrived. I suspect he's in the same predicament you are, right now. You've been so busy playing the Etruscan and Firenzzane against each other, you had no defense against the church."
"What's all this? I am Command Master Warrant of the New Etruscan Forces Patah Carayou, and I demand to know what's the meaning of this." "Are you a man of faith, Patah Carayou?" The Temple Guard's armor was ornate with New Lollandese designs of serpentite snakes, obsidian pumas and jade ravens. Patah couldn't know the metallic animals had been incorporated into the best Pilder Armour available outside Kagomei. "Gulp, yes, kinda." He hadn't attented services in two decades, but he knew better than to dismiss the faith, or appear apostate. "Then kneel, kneel in the presence of your betters. Kneel before Aumhivina Kautassian Pamiley Isla." Or you will be knelt, or so appeared to be saying the two guards who had sneaked behind Patah, keeping an eye on their charge, a slight young woman with platinum blonde hair, wearing ornate ritual dress. "I am Kautassian, I make the sun rise, who are you?" "I.. am Patah Carayou." "No, you are not, you are Risen Phoenix." "Ahem." "What is it Kangleb?" "His communicator is on, in the other room, with military encryption, even on the metadata, that's unusual." "Secure it." She barked. "By Treaty Authority." "What? No? You can't!" "I most certainly can, you Fenici First certainly have been clever so far, not involving us, your neighbours, the New Lollandese, nor the clergy, in your issues with the Etruscans and the Firenzzane..." "And yet, you are here..." "When you struck at a sailcloth facility in the Bay of Tzekaukus, you thought you were clever, since it had military uses, we'd remain neutral." "And yet, you are here..." "Yes, when you struck at a military target for political reasons, your request was dutifully routed to Lai Dang Treaty Authority, since you were trying to secede." "And yet, you are here..." He kept repeating himself, hoping she'd lose some of that serene calm, truth be told, her calm was unnerving, she couldn't even be twenty-five, and most priestesses of her rank only reached their potential at thirty-five... Why was such an underage priestess scolding him? "Lai Dang Treaty Authority, enforcing a treaty having been written to some arguable degree by the Second Duty of Kautanissian, knew they couldn't afford to be seen as partial in a dispute between citizens of signatories, so their hands were tied..." "Ah-ah, so again, why are you here?" "Oh, their hands were tried against acting against you directly. They've seized military ships unlawfully commissioned, they arrested one of yours, as well. But they couldn't arrest you for the crime you were killing people for. But, since New Etrusca and NuovaFirenze both signed the Alliance of Nieue Lolland, Nieue Lolland Treaty Authority has deputized the Kautassian Conclave to arrest you." "Ahahahah, well you secured my comms, you won't be getting my contact." "You mean Secretary of State Kerry?" "I'd be a fool to name him." How did she know that name, he thought furiously. "My husband was outside his door when we arrived. I suspect he's in the same predicament you are, right now. You've been so busy playing the Etruscan and Firenzzane against each other, you had no defense against the church."
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