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Confederate States

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SECRET COMMUNIQUE TO THE MERIBIAN GOVERNMENT

The Government of Coruña has expressed interest in the camps the Meribian Government holds for its ill. The conditions of these camps are well known, and disliked. Thus, the Assembly, in a secret meeting, has approved a request to ask your government to send the people in these camps to our nation where they will live out their lives. Also, any future individual that qualifies for these camps can be sent to Coruña.

This program will not be released to the public unless both parties agree to do so. The Military Facility closest to the Meribian Border, Fort Iglesias, will be where you can take these people. From there, the Coruñan Government will recognize them as citizens of our nation and release them into the public.

We wish to thank you for your time.

With Regards,
Carme Chacón
President of Coruña
 
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Secret Communique
To: The Republic of Coruña
From: The Soviet Republic of Meribia Ministry of International Relations


The Soviet Republic is outraged at the assumption that it would condemn any of it's citizens - especially the poor and impoverished ill taking shelter in the Soviet Republic's Medical Care Camps - to a life of slavery under a cruelly liberal and capitalist regime. As the Republic of Coruña at least had the good decency to keep this suggestion quiet, the Soviet Republic of Meribia will graciously allow both sides to pretend this affair never occurred and move on to sensible and important matters.

We trust that this issue is now closed.

-----

Mysterious letter found on President Chacón's secretary's desk exactly five minutes later

We'll be sending them over the border just across from Fort Iglesias. Have fun with the poor bastards, and for God's sake have your boys wear some protective gear. Those camps are kept away from everyone else for good reason, y'know.
- RY
 
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Confederate States

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Soldiers at Fort Iglesias immediately got buses, showers, clothes, and food ready for the incoming citizens. Helicopters were coming in with supplies. Soldiers complained about the secrecy of the project, but command said if it was made known to the world, the Government of Meribia wouldn’t send their people over anymore.

A few busses were sent to the area that the ill were supposed to go. Soldiers waited to welcome their new Coruñan brothers.
 
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OOC: Since this is turning into an RP topic, I suggest a mod move it to The Library.

IC:

Many of them were hideous. Quarantining those with incurable infectious diseases into tightly confined, ramshackle spaces in the wilderness may have helped safeguard the general population from infection, but it did little to help the health of those sent there. A man entered a Medical Care Camp with HIV and within a year would find themselves afflicted by everything from hepatitis to leprosy to scurvy. Roughly half of the first wave of a thousand ex-Meribians to stumble clumsily across the border into Coruña - prodded on by the presence of Soviet Meribian Army armored vehicles, sealed air-tight and aiming their heavy weapons into the crowd from all sides, slowly advancing with a contingent of NBC suited infantry in escort - were missing parts of their bodies, be they little things like noses or fingers or something important, like entire limbs or eyes.

And half of those less fortunate infected seemed more akin to corpses than anything else. A few dozen were mere loose flabs of flesh covering emaciated skeletons - those who had either been unable to secure food from among the limited rations given to those in the camps, or those who had chosen to starve themselves in an attempt to more quickly end their suffering - unable to walk on their own and instead carried by their fellows. Yet others seemed perfectly fine from the outside, mostly those who had either recently fallen ill or recently been transferred to the camps - or both.

They were frightened and confused. Capitalists stood in front of them, their comrades at their backs, ushering them firmly onward. A small cluster of Vanetians divined the truth of the situation first, and immediately began making their way across the border and towards the waiting Coruñans, some other Meribians following out of resignation or continued confusion.

Another turned back, stumbling toward one of the Meribian infantrymen on foot and mumbling protestations and pleas. The soldier backed away, raising his rifle defensively. The officer next to him raised his pistol and casually shot the approaching man. His blood splattered on a young woman in her twenties, blind and stumbling about in a daze. The officer shot her as well, heedless of the fact that the woman probably had little to worry about in terms of infection from tainted blood.

Whereas many other groups would've fled in blind panic at the sound of gunfire behind them, here the Meribians merely turned toward the disturbance, eyes calculating. A lifetime of indoctrination and training had made most less wary of gunfire, and for those more experienced in the ways of the camps, where summary execution was a fact of life and was, indeed, often longed for in comparison to lingering agony, the sound harbored the faint vestiges of hope.

Indeed, on seeing what had happened and after a moment's thought, a full tenth of the infected turned and began to march resolutely at the Meribian soldiers, who lowered their weapons and took aim. Those who weren't as eager to face death scrambled forward, trying to get out of the line of fire.

The infected advanced. The Meribians opened fire.

A hundred and eight were cut down in the span of three seconds.

Of a thousand and forty-seven to be brought to the Meribian-Coruñan border, nine hundred and thirty-two made it across the border alive. Two more had died during the walk.

The rest were unlikely to last another ten years.

As the sick who had crossed the border were helped to safety, the Soviet Meribian Army tanks and most of the infantry turned and withdrew, their task complete. Those that remained slung their rifles across their shoulders and began to haul the bodies to the border, roughly hurling them across into Coruña.

Living or dead, the sick were someone else's problem now.
 
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Confederate States

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Coruñan Soldiers were hysteric. They were screaming profane sayings at the Meribian Soldiers, who in their opinions killed the people of Coruña. General Iglesias had the whole event videotaped to have proof that it did occur…if it ever came to it being useful.
Some Coruñan Soldiers actually raised their weapons at the Meribians, but officers ordered them to lower their weapons, because a reason for a war wasn’t preferable. The Coruñans believed that it wouldn’t be the last time Coruñan guns would be pointed at Meribians.

Soldiers were reduced to tears as they called in help for the bodies of the dead Meribians. 250 Coruñan Soldiers witnessed the slaughter, and a hatred for the Meribian Government was born.

Regardless, the ill were given blankets and small portions of food that they had on hand and huddled aboard the busses. On the busses, it was clear the Meribians were scared. Translators were onboard and said the following.

“As of now, you all are considered citizens of Coruña. As such, you all will be given the rights that citizens of our nation have. You will be given a home, job, some money, clothing, and food. In our nation, you will be able to live happily. Also, you will be given medical treatment to keep you all as healthy as possible. We understand that the pain you went through will take a while to remedy, and we are more than willing to help you to the best of our abilities. Let it be known that you will not be discriminated against in this country because of your illnesses, in Coruña, you are all people.”

Back at the base, General Iglesias watched as some of the people got off the busses. Their condition was horrifying. Many Coruñan Soldiers and doctors hugged them, and immediately fed and gave them new clothes. Then they were put into medical facilities. The reports given to General Iglesias were grim; he sent them to the President, who said she wanted to come to the base tomorrow to see it all for herself.
 
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Del Alkirk Estate
Meribia Centre, Meribia


"I'm still not sure we should be doing this." Soviet Republic Minister of the Interior Grigoriy Suvorov said, grimacing. "Exiling up to twenty thousand Meribians? To Coruña?" He shook his head. "This doesn't sit well with me."

"They're a drain on government funds." Alina Pavlov, Minister of Public Health, replied, waving a hand dismissively and sipping at her tea. "Closing down the camps will free up more resources and manpower that could better be used finding a cure for those diseases rather than keeping those already dying from them away from the general population. We could always put them out of their misery outright, but..."

"Unacceptable!" Minister Suvorov glared at the woman across from him. "They're citizens of the Soviet Republic. We can't just kill them, not unless they give us reason to do so!"

"It's not like they're doing any work." Nina Petrov, Minister of the Economy, cut in. "If they can't do their share, we shouldn't have to care for them."

"That ideology could also be applied to disabled veterans." Minister of Defense Konstantin Meretskov's voice carried just a hint of disapproval - cold and vaguely threatening - and the younger woman paled noticeably.

"Uh, no, no! Of course it can't!" Nina's eyes darted from Meretskov to Minister of State Security Aleksandr Dzerzhinsky, who sat off in the corner cleaning his sidearm. Grigoriy felt a bit of guilty pleasure at seeing her squirm, and even Alina looked a bit chastened. "The Soviet Republic would never forget the sacrifices of it's heroes, of course!"

Meretskov raised an eyebrow and leaned back in his chair. Dzerzhinsky hummed the Hellmarch and began to load his Tokamak.

Rodion Yeremenko, the Minister of International Relations, grinned at Alina and Nina's suddenly quite terrified expressions and sipped his scotch.

"Ethical issues aside," Grand Marshal of the Soviet Republic Yuri Topolov - the only Joint Marshal aside from Ministers Meretskov and Dzerzhinsky present in the room - leaned forward as he spoke, "the benefits to this arrangement cannot be ignored. We remove the possible danger to the general population that these unfortunate citizens represent, save money, and send a number of plague bearers to a potentially hostile neighbor. We win on all counts."

"Plague bearers?" Suvorov's eyes widened. "Then this is a... a military operation of some sort? We're deliberately sending the infected to spread disease? What will the Coruñans think if they find out?"

"There's nothing for them to find out." Meretskov smiled broadly, showing teeth. "We have given the exiles no instructions - especially not to that effect - and it was the Coruñan government who came forward with the arrangement in the first place. Any outbreaks would be their own doing."

"And, of course," Minister Dzerzhinsky ran a silk handkerchief across his pistol's barrel twice before sliding the sidearm into the holster at his hip, "if any of the exiles decide to attempt spreading their infection...? Why, that's why we had them quarantined in the first place, of course." One cheek twitched in a small, momentary smirk. "We weren't the ones who took issue with the situation."

"Precisely."

All eyes turned toward the final member of the meeting - barring the black-uniformed NKVD Section 4 bodyguards by the door, silent and watchful - and by far the most important one.

General Secretary of the Soviet Republic Jessica Del Alkirk turned to face them, her blond hair spilling down across her shoulders and her sapphire-blue eyes seeming to gaze directly at each of them all at once, analyzing their every movement and seeing through to their innermost thoughts and desires. Her khaki uniform tunic - the same as worn by any fresh MSAF conscript, only barren of any rank or unit insignia - was open and unbuttoned at the top, revealing a distracting amount of skin, and a cigar dangled from her lips. The General Secretary did not wear makeup - few Meribian women did - and preferred more masculine clothing, and yet she radiated an aura of dangerous sensuality, like a tigress who ruled over all in her domain.

And as far as Jessica Del Alkirk was concerned, the Soviet Republic - and one day, hopefully, the world - was her domain.

"We are not here to be nice." the General Secretary turned back to glance out the window behind her desk - thick plastic rather than glass, designed to block or deflect even the most high-powered of gunfire, yet no less transparent for all that - behind her, at the city of Meribia spread out in the distance below. Jessica puffed on her cigar, her face lit by the glowing ember and the light of the moon above, one finger idly tracing the thin but noticeable scar along her left cheek. "We will use every tool available to us," she continued, removing the cigar from her lips and waving it toward the scene beyond her, "every weapon, every dirty trick, to eliminate the enemies of our country and secure a better world for mankind. The people of Meribia will either understand the necessity of the sacrifices they make, or they are not worthy in the first place. The Soviet Republic has no need nor place for the weak of will, mind, or body." Her eyes suddenly focused upon Suvorov, who nearly recoiled at the sudden attention. "My father understood this. My brother did not."

"Of course, madam General Secretary." Suvorov managed after a momentary silence to calm his voice. "I meant no-"

"You meant that you find this action distasteful." Jessica turned to glance back outside, her gaze shifting upward toward the moon. "Be honest. I did not appoint you to your position for sycophancy."

"...Yes, madam General Secretary. I don't like this. Even if they have no use to us, these are citizens of the Soviet Republic. We shouldn't be so quick to give them up to foreigners."

"Your objection is noted, much appreciated, and hereby disregarded. And I highly doubt the Coruñan government will do anything untoward to our wayward citizens - their type are charmingly naive about things like that."

"'It is the duty of the wise to conserve the world...'" Meretskov recited.

"'...and the duty of the naive to improve it.'" Jessica smiled in approval at the old Erusian saying. "Yes, for all their weakness, the Coruñans at least believe they are doing the right thing. Just as you seek to do, Grigoriy. That is why you are here."

Suvorov sighed and nodded his acceptance.

"I want the next group across the border within a week. Give the Coruñans time to prepare, but not enough to rethink their stance. Felix?"

"Yes, madam General Secretary?"

"Be sure to have Section 6 keep an eye on their preparations. Once they have the resources in place not to be overwhelmed, I want all those remaining to be sent over in one large group. Until then, we shall keep sending them in waves of a thousand every three to four days."

"Yes ma'am."

"Good." and with that the General Secretary stood and strode up to the window, clasping her hands behind her back and wordlessly bringing the meeting to a close. The ministers, along with Grand Marshal Topolov and the two bodyguards, immediately filed out of the room, leaving Jessica alone with her thoughts. The General Secretary reached to her right, tapping a small switch next to the window and extinguishing the lights, casting the room into darkness. Another switch caused part of the wall in front of her - wood paneling over reinforced concrete and steel - to recede into the floor, extending the window from floor to ceiling.

Quietly, Jessica Del Alkirk looked out over her country, then gazed up at the pale light of the moon above.
 
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Confederate States

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(OOC: Can you provide a list of the diseases these people have?)
President Chacón was walking with the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Secretary of Defense. The Secretary of Health and Human Services, Yolanda Martín, wanted to speak to the President about the health concerns of the new people coming in. Defense Secretary Vélez II wanted to bring up the possibility of AGE.

“We’re estimating 20,000 Meribians coming across the border into the nation. From our initial reports, many of their problems can be rectified, but many are infected with some form of STD. What we can be thankful of is that a STD can only be transmitted through two ways. As for the others, our doctors are still waiting for the tests to comeback,” Secretary Martín said.

“That’s good news thus far. From what you tell me, I do not believe we’ll have a huge outbreak of any disease, unless the Meribians designed it that way,” President Chacón said.

“Which could be a possibility, but unlikely because of the short notice,” Defense Secretary Vélez II said.

“I’ll leave you two to talk, I have to go back to Fort Iglesias,” Secretary Martín said, as she scurried away.

“Madam President, I have to express concern over our country’s safety in our isolation. Should Meribia turn into a hostile nation, having someone on our side to aide us would be more than a blessing,” Secretary Vélez II said.

“I understand your concern, I share it myself. It will be hard to convince the Assembly of the necessity of such a move. Communists are miserably violent and oppressive; it’s only a matter a time before Meribia becomes a knife in our side. If we apply for membership then, it will appear as we are only doing it for the protection of our own state. Until then, we need to move more troops to the border, the Military’s budget will be increased over the days to come. Also, I want you to gather the Joint Chiefs of Staff and draw out an attack plan, just in case it ever comes to that,” President Chacón said.

“We’ll step up counterintelligence as well, my lady,” Secretary Vélez II added.

“Good,” President Chacón said as Vélez II took his leave.
 
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