06-08-2025, 03:19 PM
Quote:Somewhere in Los Altos, Gadur City
A black man, in a stylish tuxedo, looking around 56 years ago, standing in front of a door with a plate having "Ximona Otero García, Presidenta del Gobierno" written on it. Standing next to him, a woman around the same age, maybe older, with brown hair and glasses. Both stood there for a while before the man knocked.
"Come in", the voice of Ximona said. Both slowly walked into the cabinet of Gaduri Prime Minister. Not much, not quite grotesque, but certainly, you can feel the power and the position of a person who resides in this room.
"Madam President, you called", said the man, who was revealed to be the nation's foreign minister, or commonly known as the Chancellor, Victor Goyri Jaramillo. And next to him was the governor of Marligantos state, Ahtziri Zamora, whom many consider the successor of García.
"Yes, and thank you both for coming, it is quite important, I believe, for us to discuss and come up with a strategy, or generally, what do or can we do in a situation like this", said García.
"You saw the interview, right? He is not wrong, really, but it also really puts us all in a very bad light. We cannot be seen siding with the radical right-wing governments, who diminish democracy no less than the very same Kundrati legionnaires the Empire fought", said governor Zamora, who looked rather annoyed, with her arms crossed. "He simply said that Kalistan and Rildanor are the same, believe in the same stuff, and just dismissed all accusations of hypocrisy here, despite there being proof", she continued.
"Calm-calm. I understand the annoyance, and it boggles me too, trust me. Their recent move to completely dismantle all the very small glimpses of democracy and democratic institutions, because the Empress got offended, or whatever, was disappointing", Ximona interrupted Zamora, sitting in her chair. "But, we are still a very close union of two nations, and in the end, they still love us, right? The best we can do for our nation is just sit this one out and let them do the foreign affairs job, while we can put our full focus on the development of Gaduridos".
"Madam President, sitting it all out is, obviously, a better decision economically, and diplomatically, but only in case with the Empire. Ignoring something we may not agree on with the office in Kaliburg will not damage our relations with them, and we retain our neutrality stance we have kept for decades, if not centuries. But at the same time, do we really want to be associated with someone who stands for the undemocratic and reactionary ideas in southern Seleya, and quite frankly, right on our borders?", Jaramillo entered the discussion slowly.
"Look. In this situation, I fail to see how anyone is on the right side of history here. Egelion's intervention in Rildanorian affairs is obviously a blatant imperialist move to assert its interests and possibly create a puppet state across the ocean. Egelion has no place in southern Seleya, period. But at the same time, Kalistan taking sides with someone as the current mainland government of Rildanor, who caused this whole debuckle in the first place?", Prime Minister García paused.
There is a sudden moment of silence in the room after Ximona abruptly ends her speech. Neither Jaramillo nor Zamora speaks, and only the birds and the flow of a Gadur river can be heard at that moment.
García sighs. "We have no interest in saying our opinion on this; we are simply a part of the Empire, and we follow whatever Kaliburg says. But, evidently, we are drifting away from Kaliburg when it comes to foreign policy. Our best bet in this whole chaos is probably to keep being quiet. This way we are not taking any sides, we are keeping our relations with the Empire well, and we keep our neutrality", she finished.
"Madam President, but what about our partisan support for the left in Rildanor, what about simple humanity, solidarity and principles?", Jaramillo angrily asked. "When I joined your tea-", he's suddenly interrupted with a slam on the table.
"Quiet! Vi, I understand your anger, but truly. We have no, and must not have any interest in this", she looked him pleadingly in the eyes.
"I don't get it. I am sorry", Jaramillo replied and swiftly left the cabinet, with a slam of the door.
Prime Minister turned to the governor Zamora, and took her both arms. "Ahi, you may be disappointed too, and I will not criticise or lecture you on it, but please, keep it quiet, for now. Until we can understand what we can and must do here, I will not ask for much. Observation may be our best option right now. With the information we will get from watching others act and speak on this, we may be prepared for later, but not right now Please", García calmly finished as she looked her in the eyes.
"Only because I respect you", Zamora took a second before replying.
Zamora took her arms away, stood up, and walked out of the room, leaving Prime Minister alone.