The East PacificBoard

A new day dawned upon the autonomous region. Harald sighed, taking a swig of espresso. He couldn’t decide whether time went by fast or slow right now, for puppeteering this felt like trying to rake molasses uphill. It was slow, and gradually trying to slip back down. He could not let this happen. He was pleased, however, by the initiative shown by Rob in his new role, and by the successes seen by the interpretations of his suggestions and subtle coercion. Time was ticking down, and now was as good a time as ever to introduce Rob to the “ghost writer”.

The weather once more was a dreary downpour by noon, the muffled cracks of thunder breaking the silence of the modest meeting room. Several heads of White Rose cells, which have been growing steadily over the past days, patiently waited. At the far end of the room sat Rob, nervously twiddling his hands. He knew not who these people were, nor why he was here, but he was sure that they were comrades of his cause. The bell struck 12 o’clock, and the door promptly opened as Harald moved to sit on the chair on the opposite end of the meeting table. He had since modified his garrison cap, such that the eagle of Felsinsel was hoisting the a five-petaled stellate flower, made of blue lapis and seated in a brass outline. This Bluestar Amsonia crest would glint under the gilded eagle as he sat down, shrugging off his greatcoat and sipping from a flask.

“Willkommen, Rob. You’ve been acquainted with my work and ideas for quite some time, but I’ve never had the pleasure of being your personal acquaintance.” Harald says, leaning back into the shadow cast by the dim lighting of the room.
“Pardon? Your… works and ideas…?”
“I see you are understandably confused, but you must know that these whispers fed into your ears must come from somewhere. It's a terrible shame the fate that befell your predecessor, Isaac was quite useful.”
“Are… are you the ghost writer?”
“Indeed, comrade. Let us simply say I am an expert in the field with an invested interest in Terrabis Seran regaining its righteous land.”
“On that we both agree, it seems.”
“Agree we do indeed, Rob, which is why you find yourself in the position that you hold now. My compliments for your accomplishments.”
“Would I be bold to assume that you had some influence in my ascent to this position?”
“You would not be. I cannot speak to the masses, it would draw too much unwanted attention and questions. You, however, have a proven knack as a people’s person and improvised orator, for that I applaud your service.” Harald’s tone is almost monotonous, with only the slightest hint of empathy.
“I take it this is not for pleasure. What is it that you want?”
“A referendum must be held, Rob. The time has come due. However, it is obvious that Lahnhof will not be as lenient to us in the future. There is a possibility this referendum fails, and there can only be one response. It will be our final response, and only if diplomacy has proven to be not an option.”
Rob sighs, shaking his head. “We will be crushed.”
“No, not if we are prepared. The ARG is already in an opportune position to seize armament, and we have gained support from abroad. We must light the match, but Lahnhof will be the one to ignite their own pyre.”
“I do not know what you are planning, comrade, but… you have not failed us so far.”
“Good. Then let me inform you what I am planning, let us talk strategy and evaluate our available assets.”
The conversation was long winded and would last long into the afternoon and night. Charts, spreadsheets, tables, maps, schematics, and all sorts of documentation would be brought to the table to be pondered, evaluated, cross referenced, and finally into a concise abstract for future plans. Rob, fueled only by the expresso and baked goods provided at the conference, would the next day begin to organize the necessary centers for voting, an endeavor that would consume the majority of the next week. On the third day of preparations, however, he would deliver a speech to an eager press, broadcasting his message across the autonomous region, to prepare people for what was to come.

”Comrades and fellow countrymen, I have a most important announcement, and I shall keep it brief. In three days time, a referendum will be held. I know notice is short, and for that I apologize, but time is of the essence. We will be holding a referendum to gauge the public opinion on whether or not the autonomous region should be ceded to the government of Terrabis-Seran. I want you all to find your local voting center and cast your ballot.

Before you make any decisions, I want you all to think about this. I want you all to look about you, the shared culture that we all have and have been promoting the preservation of, the boom of the small industry brought, the decline of crime thanks to our Autonomous Region Garrison, and the new community of which we all are proudly part of. All that has happened has happened because we followed the model of our kin in Terrabis-Seran. Then look at the past, to what there once was, and look around us, to what exists beyond our influence. The grau of Ären and Zürges have been divided amongst ethnic boundaries, but has much changed there? Tensions have increased along an arbitrary ethnic boundary that has only been reinforced by the passing of law by politicians who do not represent us. Then look here, where we live together as countrymen, together but unique and our individuality preserved. Look to the BUC and the heraldry upon their goods, and see that everyone gets the recognition they deserve. Now, in three days' time, I wish for you all to vote on which way you all believe will lead to the brightest future for us all.

To any of my comrades in Lahnhof who hear my message and the truths of what I speak, I implore you to follow in our footsteps. We will gladly lend support for our fellow kin and countrymen, as we seek a peaceful resolution to our demands.”

In the adjacent provinces, light protests would erupt. The spillover of ideas across the borders would lead to demands for similar occur, and even broader calls to accept the BUC and establish their own contemporary ARGs. The territories once claimed by the Duchy of Terrabis-Seran would be alive with chatter and independent schemes as the actions of the freigaue of Wittingsgau and the far-western freigau of Hahnau would resonate in their sister regions.