Post

Argent wrote:

snipping because i also got a little out of hand XD excuse for the large post

Prince Zixin sits at his assigned place at the round table that currently sits in the audience hall of the Sheng Arabia Governor General's estate. As he observes the room the Prince rests his chin on his fist which is supported by his arm that leans against the arm of his chair. The hall is not very large, but its ornately carved stone pillars and various wall decorations of weapons and tapestries give it the desired effect. He watches quietly as the other five men sat at the table either speak with each or bicker all at once in a great ruckus. These are the colonial rulers of Sheng Arabia. Each man rules over the largest cities in Sheng Arabia and govern the attached governorates that cover large segments of Sheng Arabia. The council is split between 3 installed Chinese rulers and three native Arabic rulers. The Governor General, Xiong Da of Muscat, sits as head of the council.

Currently the rulers bicker among themselves with no one really listening to anyone; save for Zixin who sits and watches observantly just as instructed by Jin-ho. The ruckus is only broken up by Xiong Da slamming his fist against the desk in his office.

"Order!" The large man bellows loudly. The group ceases their squabbling and return their attention to Xiong Da. "That's better." He declares plopping himself back down his chair. "Now, I cannot waste time here. I have an army prepared to move at any call from the Imperial Court. Let's make this quick."

The first to bark up their opinion is none other than Tang Kesan, the governor of Sana'a which is the provincial capital of Yemen. A small four eyed rat faced man who has built himself on the backs of others. Zixin despised him the most on this council. A low born opportunist that has forgotten his origins and now lords himself oppressively over his people and takes any chance to undermine others in his favor. "Governor General Xiong, this whole situation is ridiculous. Prince Zixin spoke publicly and used his authority without the consent of this council to make a provocative declaration. All he was supposed to do was table a peace meeting. Not start a rebellion. The lose of the oil field and the cause of this conflict is on him." The whining bureaucrat insisted fervently.

The group of men then turned their attention to Zixin. "Well, your highness, what do you have to say. You have been quiet." The Governor General asked as he relaxed back into his chair and pulled his hand along his shiny bald head.

Zixin took in a breathe and sat himself tall and straight, exuding royal grace and charm, "Yes, I did indeed commit that offense. I spoke without the consent of this council. And my speech incensed the Yafa'i and their allies. For that reason they have said what they have said and attacked the oil fields."

"See! He admits it. I should be relieved of this meeting. I approve of any punishment that you may see fitting." Tang Kesan interrupted with a proud smile and prepared to get up.

"Shut up and sit, Kesan, and let him finish. You're not going anywhere yet." The Governor General grumbled which deflated Kesan. "Continue, your highness."

Zixin bowed his head graciously, "Thank you, Governor General. As I was saying, my words did indeed result in this unfortunate outcome. However, I might remind those on this council, and especially Lord Tang, that it is our responsibility to protect the people who we rule over on the behalf of the Empire and my dear aunt, the Grand Empress. It is our solemn duty to maintain law and order. To deliver justice where injustice has been committed." Zixin looks around the room at the men at the table looking for acknowledgment of his statement. The gathered men nodded their heads in agreement.

With their agreement to his stated fact, Zixin continued, "The Yafa'i have acted out of line. They assaulted not only the caravans of the Shiekhs of Amiri and Fadhli, whom I brought peace between, but the Yafa'i killed Shiekh Juma of the Fadhli. They also had the audacity to attack my royal guardsmen. An insult to not only myself, but to the Imperial Dynasty. As we all know, to attack the dynasty is to attack the Grand Empress. To attack the Grand Empress is to attack the whole Empire."

The group vigorously agreed with the Prince, with the Governor General giving a gruff and enthusiastic, "Absolutely!" which was seconded by Tang Kesan as he inspected his glasses to clean them with a cloth.

"I swiftly responded in kind as was fitting for a faction who insulted our empire, our dynasty, and our Grand Empress." Zixin insisted sternly before looking over to Tang Kesan, "Or would the good gentleman of Sana'a had preferred to allow their slanderous actions to go without reproach and without punishment for sake of maintaining the flow of oil?" Zixin accused while maintaining the grace of his princely position.

Tang Kesan sputtered, dropping his glasses, in nervous panic. "No! Not at all! They are villains and deserve nothing better than to have the hides whipped clean from their bones." Repositioning his glasses to their rightful place, Kesan swallowed hard as he felt his throat grow dry. "What I merely insisted was that it should have been a joint condemnation. With approved wording. Perhaps with wording that would have allowed us an avenue to negotiate with them and avoid the needless destruction of property...and lives of course. After all, the situation in the area has been tumultuous at best. It only needed a spark or wrong word to blow the powder keg." He nodded agreeing with himself as spoke.

"That is true." Sheikh Maktoum the elderly ruler of Dubai spoke up as he adjusted his own amber tinted glasses. "The situation has not been peaceable in the Yemeni region for some time. All it needed was a spark to set the flame." The group of men mumbled in agreement with Sheikh Maktoum which allowed Kesan a momentary smile in confidence.

"The honorable Sheikh of Dubai is correct. The region has been unstable for some time now." The Prince interjected. "But why?"

"They are unruly tribesmen that resent our wealth and power." Tang Kesan quickly answered with a pompous chuckle to the room looking to have others join him. When no one joined him, the laugh died in his throat as he let out a nervous cough.

"Then why have they not been brought into order?" Prince Zixin quickly shot back. "Many of these tribes in question are in fact under your jurisdiction as governor of Sana'a. In fact, the Yafa'i are under your jurisdiction and you seemed to have failed to keep them at heel in the first place. They of course being the ones to commit the brazen ambush on the caravan in my territory."

Tang Kesan's eyes grew wide with the Prince's accusation. "I..I...I did not think that coming down heavy handed was prudent for the situation."

"And the siege of the Marib Basin where the oil fields are? Why were they not properly garrisoned and are now surrounded? And why have you yet to break the siege? Governor?" Zixin pointedly interrogated the Sana'a Governor.

"Ah, well that...that is because." Kesan began with a sputter as a sheen of sweat shined along his temples. "It was...we were not expecting an attack...and so..."

Zixin abruptly cuts in with a bang on his hand on the table, "Is it because you have dramatically cut your garrison so as to reduce the budget costs to maintain it and pocket the difference? Thus defrauding the Imperial Government and the Grand Empress, as well as threatening the regions stability!" He accused stabbing his finger out at Kesan's.

The assembled rulers gasped at the accusation. Their shocked expressions quickly gave way to furrowed brows and deep frowns as they looked at the accused governor.

"No! Never!" Kesan cried out. Seeing the still frowning faces Kesan turned his attention back to Zixin. Stabbing out his own finger to wave at Zixin, "How dare you lobby these baseless accusations against me! I have been a loyal servant to the Empire my whole life! I have done nothing but good for Sana'a in my many years as its governor!"

"Silence, Tang Kesan!" The Governor General ordered in a bellow. "Do you have evidence to back up this accusation, Prince Zixin?!" Xiong Da demanded loudly.

Opening a panel in the table reveals a small key board and disc slot. Zixin types in a few short commands on the keyboard and inserts the disc that he retrieves from the inside breast of his silk robe. It instantly uploads several images and documents to a screen that reveals itself at the center of the table as it powers on.

"I have been investigating the rapid destabilization of the region and documented my findings." The Prince answered. "I discovered that the Governor of Sana'a has not only nearly eliminated the governorate's garrison, save for the immediate guards of the city and his palace, but that he has also devastatingly reduced the aid and welfare programs for the people of his territory and especially those of the countryside tribal groups and clans. Despite all this, Governor Kesan's budget report to the Governor General and to the Imperial Court shows him in the red and in need of additional funds for the garrison and aid to the locals." The scowls of the assembled rulers only further deepen as Zixin reveals more and more of Kesan's scheming. Governor General Xiong's eyes blaze with rage as his face turns red.

The Prince presses on as Tang Kesan's face turns white as a sheet, "The tribal territories have destabilized because the presence of the Empire in the region has all but disappeared except for the oil fields. The cut off of aid has reduced food and water security throughout all of Northern Yemen. If you want someone to blame for the unrest in Arabia, you can squarely lay it at the feet of Tang Kesan who has stolen from the people and the Empire to line his own pockets!"

"Ya Kalb! Yikhrib Baytak!" Sheikh Khalifa, the ruler of Abu Dhabi, swore in his native Arabic as he slammed his hands against the table and rises to his feet. "You are lower than dogs and swine!" He continues to swear at Kesan.

Sheikh Haitham of Salalah cries out as he stands to his own feet, "Governor General, seize that villain!"

"Guards! Seize Tang Kesan!" The Governor General roars throwing his chair back as he stands.

On Xiong Da's order several guards standing just outside the doors to the audience hall rush in with their sidearms in hand. Xiong Da again orders as they enter, "Seize Governor Tang!" They rush to surround the man in question who cowers in his chair as the imposing armored guardsmen approach him.

"No!" Kesan cries out as two of the guards seize him by either arm. "No! You don't understand! Let me explain! It's all a misunderstanding!" He continues to cry and struggle pathetically against the overwhelming strength of the guards that drag him from his chair and take him from the room kicking.

As Kesan's cries faded out of the room and down the hall, Xiong Da approached the Prince who looked up at the imposingly large man. "We will of course need to review all of this evidence and an official investigation will have to be launched, but..." Xiong Da places his closed fist into his other open palm and bows to the Prince Zixin, "We are greatful that you brought this injustice to light."

Not expecting such a salute from the Governor General of Sheng Arabia, Zixin was taken aback. Before he could respond Zixin watched as the three Sheikhs rested their hands over the hearts and bowed their heads to him. Folding his hands together, he bows to the room, "You honor me with your thanks. But I am unworthy of praise, for I am but the servant to the Empire and doing my duty."

"Accept praise when it is offered, your highness. In the world today it seldom comes." Sheikh Maktoum states as he rounds the table to stand before the Prince and offers his right hand; which Zixin takes and gently shakes. "Maashallah." The Shiekh says in praise which is then followed by the other two Sheikhs that speak the same praise.

"Now then." Xiong Da announces, "Let us adjourn here for today and we will pick up next time. I have many things which must be attended to. I am sure you all have your own agendas to look after." He says to end the meeting. The Sheikhs shake hands with both Governor General Xiong Da and Prince Zixin before exiting the room together speaking among themselves.

As Zixin prepares to leave, Xiong Da steps ahead of him to stop him. "Keep your line of communications open, your highness. I may call upon you and impose some new responsibilities. I believe the Imperial Court will be impressed to hear of all this." He states with confident nod and slight smirk. He then about faces and exits the room himself.

Safely onboard his jet at the Muscat airport, Zixin seats himself in the lavish cabin as the plane prepares for take off to return him to Aden. Letting out a sigh and resting his eyes for a moment he opens them to find Jin-ho now sitting across from him.

Zixin chuckles with a smile to his cohort, "I think that went swimmingly, don't you? Your agents' reconnaissance work was superb. Even the parts that they took some artistic license too."