Joint Special Stability Operations HQ, al-Akharabat
The Canissian officers groaned in despair as their Japanistani liason at JSSO told them the bad news.
"We contacted the Shepistanis concerning the location of their minefields, and they said that a junior officer burned the records of where their mines were laid due to a mixup concerning classified information at their airbase."
"Now, if you had joined us here at JSSO earlier, like the Shepistanis did, then this mix up would never have occured."
"Well, to be honest, we were caught by surprise with how eager the Japanistanis were to involved themselves this far south-west; their actions indicated that their sphere of influence was primarily centered around the mining claim they'd staked out earlier... This area of operations wasn't originally in their purview." The Canissian officer put down the folder and sighed. "And, of course, we cleared a spot for their TOC at AO Dog just as they'd requested, but your folks never sent a liaison officer there, and then they set up a separate facility here, which handles the bulk of their comm traffic-- clearing that up would have helped considerably. Oh, well-- the de-mine of the area can be done the hard way. Hell, it'll be good training."
But he shrugged.
"We're not wrapped around the axle about the mines, though. After all, mine clearing does allow us to maintain control over the region. Just have your functionaries show more initiative and securing sensitive data. I'm sure the Japanistanis will have the area cleared out just fine-- they're efficient and detail-oriented-- good quality troops. No worries." The Canissian officers smiled and left.
"Sir? All due respect, but you let them dodge that pretty easy," one of the adjutant officers said on their way back to the helicopter. General Viers waved the man off until they were inside, and the helicopter lifted off.
"You have to learn something, Major," Viers said, "These guys don't take any responsibility for anything. It's part of their culture. To take responsibility and be accountable for stuff... it's opening themselves up for failure, and their culture won't tolerate it. So they fob everything off onto others, whenever they can. That's why it's suddenly our fault someone mined every-fucking-thing; that's why it's our fault that some Shepistani drone didn't have the initiative God gave a doorknob. Hey, if you saw a bunch of papers on current mine locations in an active zone in a 'Secret Burn Pile', would you ask and double-check before torching it?"
"Of course!" the Major replied. The General shrugged.
"That's because we train our guys to show initiative and think things through. They don't. They just follow orders. Besides," he said, with an ironic smile, "None of us here wants to get fucking shanked while talking it over, eh?" he asked rhetorically. The Major laughed.
"Hell, naw," he said, "You're right, sir-- just smile and nod."
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Seaside Palace, Canissia
The news was full of blood and slaughter. The Zagor War filled newsfeeds, as did the Shepistani massacre of entire villages in al-Akharabat. The Pan-Slavic War--as Canissian Network News was calling it-- was full of images of "organized" conflict-- armies in uniforms, planes, tanks, and missiles sowing destruction; while the al-Akharabat situation showed a chaotic and disorganized situation as civilians ran for cover, screaming.
"
The latest images from Indhopali sources shows the scope and scale of the tragic genocide carried out by Shepistan forces in the Caravo tribal area," the news announcer said, "
The revenge attacks for the attacks on Japanistan and Shepistan soldiers in the area were carried out with a brutal, calculated efficiency. The number of dead and wounded is unknown, but the Caravos vow revange on 'a scale unprecedented by the imperialist powers', one Caravo spokesman said earlier today.
The image changed to one of a bomb exploding on a roadside by a Shepistan Army truck-- a grainy video taken by a store-bought, hand-held camera and loaded on the interweb. A voice muttered 'al-akhbarat al-iyahalla...', the Caravo phrase of "God is with us" as the bomb went off, and bodies flew from the back of the truck.
"
Caravo tribals are on a rampage, howling for revenge as they buy their loved ones. There is no telling when, or even if, the spiral of bloodshed will end. This is Seela Kimthrel, CNN."
King Arik turned off the news and sat back in his chair, Miss Katerin curled up at his side. She'd been serving as his assistant on the Pan-Slavic War, since her own family roots were from the Slavic regions and she spoke the language fluently, able to decipher nuances, subtleties, and social and historical references. She, too, wore a grim look.
"The Shepistanis are nuts," she said, "They have to know that this will only anger the Caravos and increase attacks," she said. Arik shook his head.
"If they know, they don't care," he said, "They will use that as an excuse to retaliate even more, and more. They use pain, fear, and intimidation to keep their own society in order; they think the same will work to cow the Caravos... or anyone else that gets in their way."
"I wish we would not work with them," she said. Arik sighed.
"The Japanistanis invited them in," he said, "I don't know why, but they are joined at the hip."
Well, I know why, Arik thought as he sipped at his wine,
They stick together because of what they went through in Nova Terra One. But this is a different world. Skimmer doesn't owe Shep shit; he knows that psycho will just drag him down. He should ditch him like the millstone he is and engage the rest of us on even terms. Hell, the Japanistan culture is organized and doesn't put up with dodging responsibility... they're harsh, true, but there's organization and responsibility there, not like Shep's random flailing...
"What you thinking about?" Katerin asked in her sultry Slavic accent.
"Oh, sorry," Arik said, smiling, "I don't now why the Japanistanis hang around the Sheppos. They're a disciplined and orderly people. It doesn't make sense."
"Opposites attract," she said. She wasn't trying to be flirty-- she was actually kind of tired. She was just seeking a simple explanation, since her own real interest lay more with the Slavic situation.
"Yeah," Arik said, "Well, let's get some sleep. War or no war, we need to iron out the expectations of the continental defense thingy. Feel like going with me to PeZookia?"
"I have cousins there," she said, smiling, "I'd love to."
"Good, it's settled then." They got up t go to bed. Katerin stopped and looked at him. "What's up?" he asked.
"The Japanistanis, they have landed on eastern Veleria, yes?"
"Yeah," Arik said with a shrug, "If you're wondering, I officially don't care what they do over there." She looked at him and smiled.
"Would they accept a division of responsibility?" she asked, "We, and our allies, stay on the western side, and they stay on the east?"
"Well, they have their mining claim," Arik said, "It's legit. I can't back down from that." She shrugged.
"But there's no reason for them to actually care about al-Akharabat," she said, "I mean, you weren't planning to carev out a state there, were you?"
"No," Arik said, "I wanted to help settle the al-Akharabat situation and be able to establish a base there. Work with the locals, get some mineral rights, maybe put a base, but that was the extent of my plans. Why?"
"Give them a treaty. Give them all that nasty jungle to the north if they want it so bad. Just ask that al-Akharabat be our sphere of influence and leave each other alone."
"Worth a thought," he said, "I'll bring it up..."
