Harsh Realities: Lesson 1
2021-07-28, circa 03:01 Miyana Standard Time
Dozens of Toonelans in civilian clothes stand in rows within the cargo hold of the transport IDN Malchus, their attention drawn (for the most part) to two people, also in civilian clothes, standing on a slightly raised platform nearer the bow of the vessel in the midst of an address to their peers. They speak with just enough volume for all listening to hear, sounding off to one another as they proceed.
Hiempsal: . . . our points of contact are not leaders of movements, propagandists, or freedom fighters. Most are not particularly vocal dissidents and those that are require even more caution. The peoples of this land have been suffering under misinformation and oppression for much longer than any of us can personally even begin to imagine. Their perspectives will be, in part, foreign to us, but this is not to be emphasized when it stands between our common humanity, even if we must always keep it in mind. Whatever stirrings have brought them forward enough to invite us into their domiciles are not guaranteed to last. Some may get cold feet. Others might become too enthusiastic and expose themselves to foolish impulses or idealistic fancies that we will need to be on guard against.
Danel: We must keep our goals in mind at all times. It is imperative that we remain humble. We listen to our hosts, not lead them. We offer advice both when it is sought willingly and when the stakes are too high not to profess our specialties. That is our role here, just as it was back home, even if we have left our Ascensions behind. No matter what our specific expertise might be, our people have selected us for this mission service in order to provide consul in times of particular volatility, with the hope we will learn something worthwhile in return. Personally, I think we are bound to.
Hiemspal: We all know the risks. Detection by the Rossian government, opposition by fanatical nationalists, mistrust by would-be allies wary of our immigrant status, and if things go particularly badly: hostility from Republican forces. If it does not threaten our lives, we should be honest with those we speak with. We are immigrants here to make homes and improve livelihoods.
Danel: The most downtrodden of these people of Rossia, our siblings, cannot be abandoned to be rendered voiceless or lured into uncritical acceptance of any new institutions that claim to govern on their behalf. These missions we embark on will likely take the rest of our lives, even if the Rossian government falls and the Republican-installed regime is short-lived. If our lives are long and merry, then we will have rendered a service to the Onaron in having brought about greater harmony between those striving to understand it. If our lives our short, then we can rest easy knowing our friends will celebrate what contributions we have made.
Hiemspal: The fishing boats will soon be prepared. It shall be risky for us to gather like this again. As the people speak, so they must be heard.
Danel: Good luck, my friends.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Two uniformed figures stand side-by-side, gazing out of the angled lower bridge windows of the 1st Imperial Defense Fleet’s aircraft carrier flagship IDN Baal with their hands neatly folded behind their respective backs. Their expressions are marked by an almost forlorn calm.
Captain Kanmi: You’re making history, Bodo.
Admiral Bodo: By being the first admiral to take a wartime fleet of our people into the eastern Goncaran Ocean or for agreeing to the Servitors’s madness, Kanmi?
Kanmi: They know what they’re signing up for.
Bodo: I am not sure that will help me sleep when the first reported deaths come back. Most of these Ascended have never seen a firearm aimed outside of the mandatory maintenance drills. It’ll be different than the airship groups.
Kanmi: I know. Did you see the most recent status report?
Bodo: Yes. We’ve got some good people working GEOINT up in those skies. Without some particularly sharp eyes we wouldn’t have caught that armed Rossian group attempting to pass themselves off as civilians. Only two escort frigates were damaged in their sabotage attempt. It’s a miracle of rapid communications it wasn’t worse.
Kanmi: And I take it you expect trouble from the Republicans once they detect us, if they haven’t already?
Bodo: Not directly. Their leadership may be unwise enough to mistake a worm for a snake, but even they can’t risk the diplomatic debacle a unilateral action against this fleet would entail. They’ll hate us for interfering, and they’ll try to watch our every move, but our wars against Rossia are separate affairs now, and we are not here to invade anyone. Orders are to merely monitor the situation, offer ourselves as a buttress for the defenseless, rescue imperiled innocents, accept the Rossian surrender when it comes, and withdraw after delivering what useful surpluses for rebuilding civilian infrastructure we did bring, however limited.
Kanmi: I don’t envy their intelligence services. I’ve gone over the plans in case they attempt to drive us off directly –
Bodo: Aye. We’re too far from home waters to try running, and while the Stratospheric Fleet and Third Air Defense Fleet might help even the odds for the opening maneuvers, if they want us dead they’ll have it.
Kanmi: I appreciate the frankness.
Bodo: I didn’t take the most thankless role in the whole of Toonela to mince words, friend.
A quiet tremor of activity returns to the bridge as the two continue their quiet break before departing ways to attend to their duties.
(This post was last modified: 07-28-2021, 07:48 AM by wateryfoothill.)
2021-07-28, circa 03:01 Miyana Standard Time
Dozens of Toonelans in civilian clothes stand in rows within the cargo hold of the transport IDN Malchus, their attention drawn (for the most part) to two people, also in civilian clothes, standing on a slightly raised platform nearer the bow of the vessel in the midst of an address to their peers. They speak with just enough volume for all listening to hear, sounding off to one another as they proceed.
Hiempsal: . . . our points of contact are not leaders of movements, propagandists, or freedom fighters. Most are not particularly vocal dissidents and those that are require even more caution. The peoples of this land have been suffering under misinformation and oppression for much longer than any of us can personally even begin to imagine. Their perspectives will be, in part, foreign to us, but this is not to be emphasized when it stands between our common humanity, even if we must always keep it in mind. Whatever stirrings have brought them forward enough to invite us into their domiciles are not guaranteed to last. Some may get cold feet. Others might become too enthusiastic and expose themselves to foolish impulses or idealistic fancies that we will need to be on guard against.
Danel: We must keep our goals in mind at all times. It is imperative that we remain humble. We listen to our hosts, not lead them. We offer advice both when it is sought willingly and when the stakes are too high not to profess our specialties. That is our role here, just as it was back home, even if we have left our Ascensions behind. No matter what our specific expertise might be, our people have selected us for this mission service in order to provide consul in times of particular volatility, with the hope we will learn something worthwhile in return. Personally, I think we are bound to.
Hiemspal: We all know the risks. Detection by the Rossian government, opposition by fanatical nationalists, mistrust by would-be allies wary of our immigrant status, and if things go particularly badly: hostility from Republican forces. If it does not threaten our lives, we should be honest with those we speak with. We are immigrants here to make homes and improve livelihoods.
Danel: The most downtrodden of these people of Rossia, our siblings, cannot be abandoned to be rendered voiceless or lured into uncritical acceptance of any new institutions that claim to govern on their behalf. These missions we embark on will likely take the rest of our lives, even if the Rossian government falls and the Republican-installed regime is short-lived. If our lives are long and merry, then we will have rendered a service to the Onaron in having brought about greater harmony between those striving to understand it. If our lives our short, then we can rest easy knowing our friends will celebrate what contributions we have made.
Hiemspal: The fishing boats will soon be prepared. It shall be risky for us to gather like this again. As the people speak, so they must be heard.
Danel: Good luck, my friends.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Two uniformed figures stand side-by-side, gazing out of the angled lower bridge windows of the 1st Imperial Defense Fleet’s aircraft carrier flagship IDN Baal with their hands neatly folded behind their respective backs. Their expressions are marked by an almost forlorn calm.
Captain Kanmi: You’re making history, Bodo.
Admiral Bodo: By being the first admiral to take a wartime fleet of our people into the eastern Goncaran Ocean or for agreeing to the Servitors’s madness, Kanmi?
Kanmi: They know what they’re signing up for.
Bodo: I am not sure that will help me sleep when the first reported deaths come back. Most of these Ascended have never seen a firearm aimed outside of the mandatory maintenance drills. It’ll be different than the airship groups.
Kanmi: I know. Did you see the most recent status report?
Bodo: Yes. We’ve got some good people working GEOINT up in those skies. Without some particularly sharp eyes we wouldn’t have caught that armed Rossian group attempting to pass themselves off as civilians. Only two escort frigates were damaged in their sabotage attempt. It’s a miracle of rapid communications it wasn’t worse.
Kanmi: And I take it you expect trouble from the Republicans once they detect us, if they haven’t already?
Bodo: Not directly. Their leadership may be unwise enough to mistake a worm for a snake, but even they can’t risk the diplomatic debacle a unilateral action against this fleet would entail. They’ll hate us for interfering, and they’ll try to watch our every move, but our wars against Rossia are separate affairs now, and we are not here to invade anyone. Orders are to merely monitor the situation, offer ourselves as a buttress for the defenseless, rescue imperiled innocents, accept the Rossian surrender when it comes, and withdraw after delivering what useful surpluses for rebuilding civilian infrastructure we did bring, however limited.
Kanmi: I don’t envy their intelligence services. I’ve gone over the plans in case they attempt to drive us off directly –
Bodo: Aye. We’re too far from home waters to try running, and while the Stratospheric Fleet and Third Air Defense Fleet might help even the odds for the opening maneuvers, if they want us dead they’ll have it.
Kanmi: I appreciate the frankness.
Bodo: I didn’t take the most thankless role in the whole of Toonela to mince words, friend.
A quiet tremor of activity returns to the bridge as the two continue their quiet break before departing ways to attend to their duties.
