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[Blodo]

Rivanan Embassy
Farbanti, Belka
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It's 10:39 pm, working hours are long over yet the chief ambassador is talking on the phone. As the minutes pass his voice gets more and more nervous.
- "What? Here? But.. the Belkans are insane! He can't come!... I know... They will kill him!... But -"
The phone on the other side hung up. The ambassador was almost shaking. He picked up the phone quickly once more and quickly dialed a number.
- "Sergei! Get to my office immediatly ... yes I know what time it is and I don't care, come immediatly ... Why? Oh you will not believe this.. It's premier Mrezov! He will be in Farbanti tommorow!"

A minute later the man known as Sergei came running into the chief ambassadors office, while still trying to button his shirt.
- "Sergei! Get everybody out of their beds, I will phone the Belkan State Department and inform them of this. By tommorow this place must be adequatly defended so get all the soldiers off their asses NOW!"
Sergei nodded his head and went running back. Meanwhile the chief ambassador started talking to the phone.

- "Hail Holdan - I want to speak with minister Poranav, please... Yes, it is urgent... Tell him an unexpected situation has unravelled itself..."

The next day
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An unmarked civilian plane is landing in the Farbanti airport. A multitude of Belkan fighters in the air, all of them were most likely keeping a missile lock on the airliner ever since it entered Belkan territory. As the plane finishes it's touchdown the hatch extends, and a man in a military cap and a grey coat steps out of it escorted by soldiers in Rivanan uniforms. A convoy of black vehicles pulls up, and from one of them steps out the fat chief ambassador. He greets the premier, as both of them enter one of the black vehicles, and the convoy starts moving towards the embassy...

[Ash]

The embassy was currently under military guard. Unlike the Clandonian and Atlantian embassies, it was completely untouched. Indeed, the Clandonian one had been burned out, and the Atlantian one didn't have a window that hadn't been put through. The Rivanan one was pristine by contrast.

The Premier and the ambassador were practically frog-marched into the building by Belkan civil protection forces. The corridors too were similarly lined with armed guards, all stood like statues rigidly to attention.

Poranav was stood in the centre of the reception hall of the embassy. Its vastness made him look lonely, yet he knew as well as anyone that eyes were boring into him from all sides.

He walked stiffly over to the premier, bowing and offering his hand to shake.

"This is an...unexpected pleasure, sir. We are honoured by your presence."
He knew it wasn't safe for the Premier to be here. He wondered if the security forces might consider it sedition to even be communicating with him.

[Blodo]

Mrezov was standing before him, completely fearless despite of what has transpired in Belka lately. He knew that showing everyone that he had the gut to arrive here right now could at least interest the Belkans enough to hear out his proposal.
- "Yes, mr. Poranav. I will move straight to the point. I require an appointment with the great leader himself."
This was a bold move. Mrezov wasn't careless. He had full knowledge that Belka is without clear leadership at this moment. His idea was to establish order out of chaos. In his mind that meant subduing all opposition, and the Belkan all-out strike was a great opportunity to join in.
- "As soon as possible, please?" - he added.

[Ash]

Poranav turned white. He knew, but were he to even insinuate, he would die. It was certain.
"T-that, uh, may be difficult at this time. The Great Leader...he is busy...I'm not sure he'll be able to receive you any time in the near future."

He could feel those eyes glaring into him from all sides. Everyone was watching. Everyone was listening.

"May I take a message?" he said at last, swallowing the ball that seemed to have gathered in his throat. "I assure you I'll deliver it to him as soon as is humanly possible."
He had to choose his words carefully, or indeed he might be delivering it to him in the afterlife.

[Blodo]

- "Mr. Poranav, enough with the facades. We both know that certain people are ... permanently unavailable for lack of a better word. Now that it has been made public that I know that the Great Leader Holdan did not leave a heir to his "throne"..."
Mrezov looked around the room. The Belkan soldiers were standing perfectly, yet one could see the sweat coming down through their cheeks and necks. The air suddenly became much denser. And Mrezov... he continued just like that:
- "... proper arrangements must be established. Now, take me to the directors. It is time to open up act two..."

[Ash]

Poranav sighed, looking towards another Belkan delegate, who gave him a slight nod.
"I'm the only one sent," he replied, "the rest of the cabinet are at Union Citadel...I'll authorise your entry."


After a short ten minute drive through the Farbanti streets, they arrived at Union Citadel, where the Prime Minister Cheroklev greeted them outside, and led them into a small boxroom with a few chairs. It was obvious that he didn't want them to see the rest of the Citadel.

"While I had hoped that our Foreign Minister would be able to deal with your request, we were not aware you yourself were coming." Cheroklev said somewhat coldly, "I wonder...what it is we can do for you, Premier."

[Blodo]

Mrezov moved into the center of the room. Standing under the lamp he was well illuminated and gethered attention quickly.
- "A lot of bold moves have come out of Belka recently. An attack on Clandonia? The bombings of the South Pythogrian capital? The Aesanian Union is ridiculing the situation with their ineptitude and lack of actions, but what exactly is Belka planning after dealing with the Clandonian... obstacle?"

Mrezov lowered his brows waiting for an answer. Bearing his standard pose - arms behind his back while standing completely straight with legs joined in, but his head lifted high - as usual he bore the illusion of being above it all, as if everything was playing out just like he planned.

[Ash]

"And what is it to you?" the Prime Minister asked, not fazed at all by this man, "How do I know you will not just relay our plans to our enemies? The AU is a sleeping giant right now...probably stunned by our Megalith strike. However, you relaying our offensive plans will only wake them up faster than if we leave them guessing."

He leaned forward across the table towards Mrezov. "I suppose what I tell you ultimately depends on whose side of the fence you sit on."

[Blodo]

- "I came here for a good reason, mr. Cheroklev. Certainly a man such as me would be conducting espionage missions by himself instead of leaving this to his men..."
The irony was immense. Despite of what the Belkans could do to him, he spoke with the current man in charge as if on equal grounds. He sat down on the chair and aimed a steel look at the face of the Belkan.

- "What do you seek? I seek to establish order out of chaos. What do you seek? How will you achieve that?"

[Ash]

Cheroklev sighed boredly, as if the man's impudent attitude were nothing more than an annoyance. What were Mrezov's intentions? He guessed that they shared at least a partially common goal; the subtle words used. "Clandonian obstacle", the "Ineptitude of the Aesanians." They pointed in the direction of an accord.

"The Clandonians and the Atlantians...we suspect they have some involvement in the Great Leader's death. They are aggressor races, who would sooner or later turn on us. As were the Pythogrians. We were forced to deny them at any turn. The Tyrans and yourselves are the only allies worth their salt following the Xeonthian Initiative's collapse.
"All we want, Comrade-Premier, is to remove the threats against our nation, both outside and within. If that should include your people, then so be it. Though frankly, I hope it does not. Where do you stand, Comrade-Premier?"

[Blodo]

Mrezov sat back. This was so much different from the northern hemisphere. There was no ideology here, just pure and deliberate cunning mixed with the utmost contempt for any cause save their own. Even he himself although differing so from the ideological approach Prokorov used by the years had it difficult to bear how exactly did all this hold. Perhaps it was by use of the most brutal force on the face of the planet? Nevertheless...

- "When I heard the news of the South Pythogrian capital bombed, I was almost certain that the greatest invasion has now begun. That is the point of my visit. It was a foolhardy move no matter what anyone will say to leave us out of this."

Watching Cheroklev closely, he stood up.

- "You want to know where I stand? I stand at the head of an army three million in size. An army that may very well cement the final failure of the Aesanian Union. This is a great point to start the serious cooperation, mr. Cheroklev. Ideologies aside, we both want that area of the world to collapse. For different reasons it may be, but it is the result that matters."

Mrezov leaned towards the table.

- "What is happening now doesn't just about Belka and it's inside matters. It will define the shape of the world years from now. I think it is but a logical approach that you welcome me into the carnage, and we start our cooperation in a worthwhile way. What do you say?"

[Ash]

Cheroklev sat there silent for a few moment, his eyes widening, and his manner becoming much more forthcoming. Then he smiled broadly, his beady eyes twinkling.

"I say that we welcome you as honoured brothers. We will cement our claim on what remains of Pythogria, and our fleets will make a sea corridor as we speak. The forces deployed within your borders, I will place under generals' your direct command until we are in a position to mount a combined offensive. My Defence Minister will liase with yours, and together we'll crush them. Our reserves are already in training, and the tank and aircraft boneyards are emptying. This is a glorious day, my...how do you say...Comrades?"

[Blodo]

Mrezov knew his work was done. He leaned back.
- "Of course it is.. But might I advise caution? We could add to the final surprise by not revealing our plans nor our cooperation to the world just yet."

Meanwhile in the Pythogrian capital
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The Belkan forces were marching right past Rivanan outposts. One of the Rivanan commanders was uneasy by this, though no shots were exchanged. He was watching Belkan units pass from the window.
- "When will that goddamn order come.. Any longer and they will just surround us and force us to surrender.."
Suddenly a soldier ran into the room.
- "Comrade commander! An order just came!"
- "Yes?"
- "We are to avoid shooting at Belkan positions no matter what."
The commander couldn't believe his ears.
- "Theta command must be out of their minds... Nobody engages the Belkans, message everyone. Oh and lieutenant - divert a small force to observe Atlantian movements."
- "Yes, comrade."

[Ash]

The same message rang out to Belkan soldiers. They had not openly engaged the Rivanans at any point, though it was possible or likely that the odd stray bullet had made its mark on Rivanan soldiers; Belka had had no intention of attacking Rivana, just of taking Pythogria. It had been a race to the Rivanan lines to try to deny them as much of the territory as they could. Now, secretly together, they could conduct a mop-up operation.