Personal Wars

[Naz]

*A non-descript TV playing the international new network flickers against the darkness of the room it's presently in*

The lead set of anchors move on from a crisis in international finances to a breaking story, the female co-host with a heavy British accent segways into the next story*

"And on top of the hour we have new reports of the ongoing civil war brewing between the Democratic nation of Ayira and local supporters of the disposed dictator General Siad Toure. Also known to international community as "The Butcher" for his bloody rule for twenty years of theft, rape and torture of his citizenry until the revolt that sent him into hiding six years ago.

We now have new reports that the Peacekeeping force, that has been characterized by its Opponents as an "utter failure" to protect itself, the citizens or the industrial oil producing facilities, has been ordered to pull out. Last month we reported to you about the abduction of 200 peacekeeping soldiers that were later found beheaded sixty miles from the capital. The responsibly for such actions has been put on the militant arm of General Toure, the RLC, (Revolutionary Liberation Collective)

The government of Ayira has released a press statement that it "deeply regrets the setbacks of its military" but "reassures its commitment to defeating the rebels and bringing back peace to the region"

*The camera pans to her male co-host*

"But from our reports on the ground that commitment has been waving along with any progress in securing that freedom with the now pullout date of peacekeeping forces later this month. For more details we go to our on site correspondent Lisa Cho. Lisa?"

*The screen changes to live feed from on top of a building with the night scape of the city behind her*

"Thank you Charles, we have been covering this story since the beginning of the fighting in the country-side against the rebels over a year ago. And bringing you the destruction and fear its causing in the northern half of the country now under full control of the rebel factions."

*Cut to a series of videos of intense fighting in the country-side jungles, burning villages and piles of dead bodies of civilian and democratic forces along dirt roads*

"Several sources have told me that at the earlier onset of this accouchement today government ministers had a closed door meeting for six hours with several representatives from the international alliance that had set up the peacekeeping mission in the first place. Nobody is sure what was discussed at that meeting but one can be very sure the future for this nation could be in doubt if nothing is done"

"This is Lisa Cho, reporting from you live in Port Louis the captial, Ayira."


*Somewhere in the background of the night sky the silhouettes of several cargo planes lumbering toward the airport. Their cargo of men and material lining up for approach in local airspace as inside the cockpit of the lead aircraft the communications officer sitting at his terminal shouted over the heavy whine of the prop engines filling the air.

"Colonel! Call for you on secure encrypted channel"

He shouted leaning back in the chair toward the opened cockpit door leading into the belly of the plane. Felix Vos's back to the door as the red glowing light from the interior basked his body in a odd demonic glow. He stood in front of boxes of crates filled with ammunition and other equipment as his right hand slammed down the tip of one of his bone blades into the wood fixing it there until he removed it. Felix's head turned as he placed his personal receiver up to his ear.

"Go ahead.."

One the other end.

"Colonel...we have been given permission to land your men...the operation is a go..for now..were taking a risk by doing this..not to mention having this backlash on us if things go south and word gets out you belonging to us."

"Have they ever Deputy Director?"

Felix took a drag of his smoke grumbling lightly. Knowing that the key members of the UN voted on this creation of service when diplomacy failed. It had failed like he knew it would in this case. This wouldn't be their first test in the field but the first time they were being let off the leash in terms of full scale unconventional war. The oil companies and government of Ayira would claim they hired him and would provide the necessary paperwork and bank transfers to show them paying his private miltary company. (Legion Defence International) The money was real but a good portion it had been funneled into their accounts to offset the costs. If things went south they would take the blame, as they had agreed.

This arm of the UN wasn't legal, if the right people knew it had been created it would undermine the entire organization from top to bottom. Almost all of the members didn't know of any connection and even the ones who did know didn't want to. The ruling members had voted on this in secret, the US abstained from the vote not wishing to know what extent Felix Vos would be involved. After-all they had never heard of the man. Plausible deniability is what protected them from scandal.

If any head were to roll it would be the Deputy Director, Marshal Wash, while everybody else washed their hands of it and simply walked away. It was his name they could link to the money and the large discretionary funds and his orders on paperwork allowing flights to pass through customs unchecked and problems with local authorities to simply go away. They wanted to be a sharp stick but didn't want to get their hands dirty when political pressure and public opinion might view their acts as unsavory. Felix was their personal trash collector of sorts and had so far proved his usefulness.

"This is why you recruited me Sir...we will get the job done..do I have clearence to land?"

"Yes..happy hunting.."

There was a pause from Felix as he fixed on the dagger still pierced into the crate before him.

"Sir..if I do this..I want you to keep your word..."

"Mister Vos I am looking into the matter...if I proceed with your proposal when I see fit..now if there is anything else..*click*"

Felix muttered a few choice curses as he shifted on his heel toward the cockpit leaning over the front pilot seat.

"Take us in Skip...inform all other flights we have clearence..the op is go.."

The plane turned into the wind and started its decent toward the tarmac the landing lights flicking their orange glow over the sheild and snake emblem painted onto the wing of the aircraft.