Miracle [Tankiverse Fanfic]

[Hippin_in_Hawaii 639]

Miracle

Fanfic in the Tankiverse by Hippin_in_Hawaii

 
Clandestine meetings are typically held in a clandestine fashion. The location selected is far off the beaten path; the hour is late. If it can be arranged, the weather is inclement. And the participants arrive at staggered intervals, each wearing clothing designed to be unobtrusive.
 
Fred called his top-secret conspirators together in his conference tent, smack in the middle of his temporary headquarters in People’s Plaza, at 09:00.
 
Al was the first to arrive. He took the seat nearest the coffee urn. Georgina came next with Phil right behind her. She and Fred shared a lengthy embrace as Phil sat beside Al. While they were still hugging, Liza came in. Nester was last, taking a random seat on the less-crowded side of the table.
 
After a few moments of silence, someone cleared their throat theatrically. Fred and Georgina reluctantly released each other and took adjacent seats. Her hand slipped into his under the table.
 
Fred looked around the table. “My friends,” he said, “it is so good to see you. We’re here today to lay the groundwork for our tomorrow. Not the Federated States’ tomorrow, not the peoples’ tomorrow, but ours.
 
“As a quick overview, things are progressing well. The May 15 ceasefire was honored by both the Coalition and the Alliance. It fell apart two days later, but we tried again on May 21. As you know, that one has held, and in the days since, we’ve been honoring our word and beginning a staged withdrawal from our leading positions.
 
“Although we have yet to establish formal communications with any of the opposing forces, I choose to be hopeful. And I remain optimistic that we will be able both to complete our withdrawal and reinstitute an elected government within our one-year goal.”
 
At this, a couple of snorts were heard. Fred smiled. “I know, most of you find it an aggressive timeline. Since when has that stopped us?” This earned a generous round of laughs as each person reflected on their own particular memory of a seemingly-unwinnable race against the clock.
 
“So, in slightly less than a year, I will be surrendering myself to one of those we now call enemy.” He nodded as everybody shifted in their seats. “I know, I know, no one at this table thinks it’s a good idea. Myself included. I just don’t see buying a lasting peace any other way. So, this is the way it’s going to be. Go.”
 
Albert was the first to speak. “It has to be to either the Coalition or the Alliance. They won’t accept you surrendering to one of the smaller independent nations.”
 
“The Alliance has the stronger claim,” said Nester, “since our initial invasion was against them.”
 
“They also have the death penalty!” exclaimed Georgina. “And that is not, I repeat, NOT going to happen!”
 
Heads bobbed around the table.
 
“Ok,” said Fred. “Coalition it is. Then what happens? I assume a show trial followed by imprisonment.”
 
“Luemberg,” added Nester. “They’ll want you in that high-profile dungeon, want the world to see you caged.”
 
“Luemberg seems likely,” agreed Phil. “That, or some black hole which doesn’t officially exist.”
 
Fred felt Georgina’s grip tightening. He patted her hand with a reassurance he didn’t feel.
 
“You know that trial will just be a show, right?” asked Liza. “I doubt it will last a week. They’ll make a big deal about swift justice for the victims of the war and sweep you off to prison. You’ll be headline news for a few weeks, and then, nothing.”
 
Fred nodded. “Seems likely enough. So, this is our first contingency; I’m imprisoned in Luemberg. It seems the most likely outcome. What do we know?”
 
“Luemberg has been in continuous operation as a maximum security prison for nearly two hundred years,” chirped Al. “Originally a mountain keep, it’s been renovated several times. Some of the original construction is still in place, mostly for administrative and support functions, but one wing is still standing. The majority was constructed after the second world war, and the newest wing is roughly twenty years old. The Coalition claims it is one of the most technologically advanced prisons on the planet.”
 
Liza whistled. “Where’d you get all of that?”
 
Al shrugged. “They have a website.”
 
A round of chuckles filled the room.
 
“Right, so, high on the list of priorities is to get some more information about Luemberg, information that doesn’t come from a propaganda-laden website. But Luemberg is only half of the equation,” sighed Fred.
 
Nester nodded. “You’ve got to disappear. Completely. And we’ve got to make sure that no ties to the Federated States are ever discovered.” He paused. “I’m sorry, Fred, but you can’t ever come home.”
 
Fred nodded, his grip tightening on Georgina’s hand. “That’s a given.” He turned to face Georgina. “Georgie, this is all you. You pick your team and you go. Soon. Find us a new home and make it safe.”
 
There were tears streaming down Georgina’s face. She smiled and nodded, but didn’t speak. Fred turned back to the table. “Once…” His voice cracked, and he faltered. The room waited as he gathered his composure.
 
“After Georgie and her team are gone,” he continued, his voice low, “we’ll try to keep up the appearance of her still being in place. Once people begin to notice her absence, we’ll deny it. Then we’ll plant some rumors that she defected, that she cut a deal with the Alliance and slipped away.”
 
Nester nodded. “Sorry, Georgie. If you’re still here when we surrender, there’s no way you don’t get arrested. If you disappear too late in the game, you’ll be a hunted war criminal. We’ve got to get you under the radar as far as possible, as soon as possible. And to do that, you’ve got to be a coward.”
 
“I know my job,” she said, her voice steady despite the tears running down her face. “Phil?”
 
“Of course,” he answered simply.
 
“I’ll start picking my team. We’ll be ready to leave in two weeks.” She looked at Fred. “You had better make some time for me, love. It’s going to be a while.”
 
“Of course, love,” he answered.
 
No one interrupted the tender gaze. Eventually they both turned back to the table.
 
“I’ll need to do some time,” Fred resumed. “The world needs to see me caged, as Nester said. And they’ll want to know I’m suffering. We’ll need to wait until I’m old news.”
 
Al nodded. “It would be great if you could get word to us, maybe even send us some useful intel.”
 
“As if we’ll get that lucky,” scoffed Fred. “Still, I’ll be watching for any chance. Maybe I can raise messenger pigeons on the roof!”
 
“Let’s use your sentencing date as the reference point,” suggested Liza. “How long is long enough?”
 
“Two years?” asked Nester.
 
Georgina gasped and turned to glare. “Um, maybe eighteen months, then?” he quickly amended.
 
Fred squeezed Georgina’s hand. “I think it certainly needs to be over a year. Barring the incredibly unlikely chance that I can actually communicate from the inside, let’s go with eighteen months.”
 
Glances were shared all around the table. The silence was thick. Nester finally stood. “You all understand why Nienna can’t be here. And why her involvement isn’t possible. But she asked me to send you her love, her silence, and her promise to join you all in the Promised Land, once the country is safe and secure.”
 
Fred nodded. “We’ve all got a lot of planning to do. We’ve got almost a year. Let’s make the most of it.”
 
“Hey,” inserted Al, “we need an operation name.”
 
“No,” contradicted Georgina, “we need a miracle.”
 
“Miracle it is!” said Al.
 
Fred and Georgie sat and held hands as everyone else filed out. “The viewing conditions aren’t that great,” began Fred, “but the Eta Aquarids are happening just now. Feel like spending the night on the roof with me?”



 

Mahalo (thank you) for reading; I hope you enjoyed! This story is part of a series. Information on the series, and links to the other stories, can be found here.

[LOLKILLERTOTHEDEATH 1,921]

Approved!

 

I quite enjoyed reading this article. I can't really think of any changes (perhaps because I'm in a rush so if anybody notices anything I didn't pick up, please let me know). Well done!

[thethiefofvictory 339]

There, proven: my stories were either outright bad or they can't be posted because I'm not a WO1 :P

 

Anyways, just kidding. Wonderful as always! I suppose this is Liberation or War then?

 

“Hey,” inserted Al, “we need an operation name.”

 

“No,” contradicted Georgina, “we need a miracle.”

 

“Miracle it is!” said Al.

 

hehe

Edited July 3, 2018 by thethiefofvictory

[LOLKILLERTOTHEDEATH 1,921]

There, proven: my stories were either outright bad or they can't be posted because I'm not a WO1 :P

 

Anyways, just kidding. Wonderful as always! I suppose this is Liberation or War then?

 

hehe

Oh, I must mention that articles published sooner have got nothing to do with the quality of an article.

[thethiefofvictory 339]

Oh, I must mention that articles published sooner have got nothing to do with the quality of an article.

Oh, I must apologise for my indiscretion then. Thanks for the information!

[Hippin_in_Hawaii 639]

Wonderful as always! I suppose this is Liberation or War then?

Thanks!

 

It actually is the tail of the Coup section. 

[thethiefofvictory 339]

Thanks!

 

It actually is the tail of the Coup section. 

Oh, my bad. I entirely forgot Coup existed  :mellow:

[tweezers 1,034]

 

 

Clandestine meetings are typically held in a clandestine fashion. 

 

Fred called his top-secret conspirators together in his conference tent, smack in the middle of his temporary headquarters in People’s Plaza, at 09:00.

 

The reverse psychology is real.