All Out War?

The invasion of Yudila left the world on edge. I read more about the war every day. The Yudilan people were a hardy bunch and resisted the Clestian invasion with all their might. The Yudilan military had set up intricate trench systems and anti-drone systems. Clestia was somewhat careful about how indiscriminate their attacks were, too. Clestia was still fearful of a potential attack from the Socialist Council Federation of Iomas, so they purposefully were more selective in their targeting of military targets. 

The General Secretary Tudec Laine of the Iomas Worker's Party had come under a lot of pressure for dragging his feet in attacking Clestia. The main internal opposition came from the Chief of the General Staff Joseph Rollo and the Minister of Foreign Affairs Robert Bentley. Their outspoken criticisms of Tudec had been made public accidentally or intentionally. Joseph thought that if Iomas didn't respond, they were showing weakness. He favoured a tit-for-tat approach in diplomacy. In his view cooperation should be rewarded while any offences should be punished. The foreign minister thought that not responding to the war would weaken the international socialist movement. If the Council Federation sold out Yudila for their own national security they would send a clear message that the Council Federation would not help other Socialists, potentially isolating them. Both had been put under temporary house arrest for breaking party discipline by propagating anti-party sentiments.

Tudec in his part was worried mainly about defending his own country against the Social Imperium of Eislath. If Iomas and Clestia entered into a one-sided conflict, Eislath would doubtlessly exploit the opportunity to expand. He had scheduled a conference of nations in Kluria, a minor power that was a Technocratic nation. His main hope was to solve the problem diplomatically. There were lots of secret talks happening at Kluria between the various countries. 

A few months passed with little happening. After Summer was over I entered grade two. The invasion of Yudila was still ongoing when suddenly Eislath declared war on the Free City of Liebec. Liebec had been a good ally of Clestia, sharing many of the same ideological and cultural values. Only a week thereafter, Iomas declared war on the Ork Ascendancy of Yucia. It was a minor power ruled by Orks. They weren't direct allies of any major power but had often cooperated with Eislath out of a shared commitment to Social Darwinism.

It instantly became obvious to all that some kind of secret deal had been struck between the major powers so that they didn't step on each other toes. The only ones that had to suffer were some minor powers. The Yudilans who were still fighting in the hope that Iomas would intervene saw the writing on the wall and instantly surrendered. Liebec lasted little more than a week against Eislath before being taken over and Yucia held out for five months before the Orks finally surrendered. Marking an end to the hot war and thankfully the potential of an all-out war.

Vagan fled to Iomas where he received a small dacha from the government. Most of the leaders of Yucia were publically executed for crimes against the people by the Socialist government and Yucia was made into a Council Republic and absorbed into the Council Federation. Yudila was taken over by a temporary military junta that would operate for the foreseeable future until Yudila was supposedly capable of democratic self-governance. Meaning they would be given democratic self-government only after Clestia could sufficiently ensure that only candidates loyal to Clestia could win those elections. In Liebac all the quote-un-quote "inferior races" were enslaved for the benefit of the quote-un-quote "superior race".

A year passed after the end of the war. Clestia was suffering under a recession. Due to the severe debt and due to inflation the Clestian government had passed multiple austerity measures, cutting back on all types of social programs. Military spending however was still increasing. Lobbying from the military-industrial complex was most likely the main culprit, but the international context was also a culprit. Unemployment was a rising problem. Small businesses were also suffering, with Alex Drossel's father selling his bakery.

Because the Drossel family could no longer afford the apartment they ended up sharing one with us. At least until they could get back on their feet. They took my room and I had to share a room with my sister. All that meant, was that I got more time in training and indoctrinating Alex.

"Alex, always remember, the only language Fascists understand is violence," I said to him as he was doing sit-ups. "And what are Fascists?"

"Fascists are um... the enemies of freedom, who prey on the irrationality of the masses to cause chaos and brutality."

"Correct." 

Alex had recently beaten up some knuckleheads at school for making racist comments about elves and dwarfs. He had gotten two strikes afterward. He had proudly insisted that he was only doing a service to the community by beating up Fascists. Kids learn so fast, it honestly brought a tear to my eyes. Though we do need to work on the not getting caught part. Unnecessary confrontation with the law should be avoided.

"Is Mrs. Sastro a fascist?" He asked as he finished his sixtieth sit up.

"Not quite, Mrs. Sastro certainly has some Fascism particles in her, but she's not quite at the true Fascism level. She's just a narcissist who gets off on tormenting children."

Sharp populist rhetoric within the left and right was on the rise within Clestia and society was falling into two main fault lines. The conservative National Unity Party were increasingly drawing on anti-Ork and Dwarf rhetoric, often labelling them as potential fifth columns for Socialism. Meanwhile, the center-left thirdway social democratic People's Progress Party also started drawing on left populist rhetoric. They criticized military overspending and increasing austerity in other sectors. 

In a year would be elections and increasing crowds were attending the rallies. My father was well-connected to the Executive Committee of the People's Progress Party because many of them were his patients. In his youth father had been an Autonomist and through that had made connections with some people of the EC of the PPP. He was sort of the main doctor for the EC of the PPP, especially since we lived so close to the center of the city where the Parliament building stood. And that was why we were eventually invited to the house of the candidate for Chancellor of the PPP, Kenneth Rivera. 

"Ah remember the old times, when we were all living at the 32A?" Kenneth asked my dad while they were both sitting in the living room eating from a plate of olives and cheeses. "Those were times."

Kenneth Rivera was a middle-aged stout-looking Ork with a bald shaved head and a nicely tailored grey suit. He had been a Union organizer for the Marclaw powerplant before becoming a politician. Apparently, he had met my father through living at 32A a commune they had helped defend against police raids. 

"You really knew how to take a baton to the head, I'll give you that," my father commented dryly.

"Thank the Gods we had a medical student on board," Kenneth chuckled.

"You can say that again, remember that time you were nearly bleeding out."

As my father and Kenneth were joyfully reminiscing I was put next to the son of Rivera, Christopher Rivera. He was a shy kid who was absorbed into his drawings.

"You have an amazing talent at drawing," I said. 

The kid smiled and squirmed at being complimented, "Th... Thanks."

"So how are the elections going?" My dad asked and I curiously peaked over curiously.

"So far so good. The polls are up. We are campaigning hard in the south and the east. I think the voters are tired of years of the same government. I think this election is primarily about people wanting change."

"I have seen the smear campaign all the major newspaper have launched against you recently. The papers really seem to be having it out for you," father said.

"Yeah, you have to expect that kind of thing. The rich would rather invest millions in the press than pay even a cent more on taxes. But don't worry we have gotten more than enough grass roots support and the unions seem to be overwhelming on our side this time. Gordon Kohl and his cronies can spread as many lies about us as they want, the people have started to question the news more and more."

"I hope you are right. The aggressive expansionist rhetoric from some on the right is not a good sign," my father shook his head.