galvarelli/anti-refugee-protests-3.txt

Calvin fumed as Adrienne gave him her briefing.
Three yaks dead, including a guard.
Dozens more injured.
Fortunately, no one from the Barns had been badly injured, but at least one family had had to flee their burning house.

―Old Imperial is slammed, they're saying, Vaughan said.
	They were in trouble with the malacusis stuff even before this.
	Grove has some capacity, but transport's going to be a problem.
	We should commandeer the tramways again.

Calvin nodded.

―Done.
	I'll have Adam make the call to get the Tramway Office running.
	And we can open up some emergency aid funds as needed.
	Captain, are there any Guards who weren't at the riot who can be allocated there?
	We're going to have trouble getting staff at the Tramway Office this late, so some extra hands to help clear streets will be helpful.

Captain Adrienne nodded.

―We can do that.
	Lieutenant Trebly will be on the next shift quite soon, so I will have him also at Grove to coordinate receiving patients as well.

―Good.
	Thank you Captain.
	Anything else?

―Well, yes, sir.
	Lieutenant Hermann says that once the Garrison officers realised we were from the Guard, they turned and incited the crowd.
	Accused us of being secret police, suppressing them.
	It, boiled over from there.
	It's a shambles, sir.

―Where's Hermann now? Nikki asked.

―Over at the Garrison, with a few Guards.
	We've commandeered some of their holding cells, and we're hoping they don't give us any trouble.
	Especially because I don't think they can be trusted to guard any of their own members who are under arrest.
	Sir, I think that their failure to maintain order led to one of my men getting killed.
	Charging them with misconduct is going to be a nightmare, and I'd really like to make sure we have your support on that.

Calvin nodded.

―Adrienne, you're dismissed for now.
	You have our full support in going after the Garrison officers who failed to uphold their duty.

Adrienne nodded, turned and left.
Calvin sent Adam notes on what orders needed to send out, got back and sat down with a massive sigh.

―If only we could take down the whole lot of them, Vaughan said.

―Actually, I may be able to help on that front, Nikki said.
	At the very least go after Darius.

All eyes landed on her.
Calvin leaned forward.

―You were certainly busy during all of this.

―I have a collection of memos and letters from Darius's office at Justice.
	Still going through them, but they include assurances to Hierarchy officials that the Garrison would respect any Flocks that wished to protest.
	Some memos too, ways to downplay any violence from Meadowlarkers to reduce arrests.

―Is that enough to charge Darius with anything? Vaughan asked.

―Not quite, Calvin said.
	Right, Nikki?

―Yep, Nikki nodded in agreement.
	Nothing directly from Darius, and we can't use it in court.

Calvin nodded.
Of course, Nikki finding a less than legal solution to a problem was nothing new.
It did still bother him.
Without her, he wouldn't have this to use, but with her he couldn't use it.
At least, he couldn't use it and feel good about himself.

―I'm not comfortable blackmailing him, Nikki, Calvin said.

―I figured, Cal.
	Just being prepared, in case we need it.

Calvin nodded, then sighed and rubbed his face.
No good decisions happened at this time of night.

―You have a statement ready? he asked Nikki.

―Yeah, want me to read it?

―Is it a good one?

―Not my best, not my worst, she said.
	Seven out of ten, I'd say.

―That's fine, I don't need to see it then.
	Any word on that group that showed up?
	Is that another headache we need to pay attention to.

―I don't think so, sir, Vaughan said.
	As Adrienne said, they were there to try to help the Guard out.
	The New Meadowlark, because they want to separate the Meadowlark from the Hierarchy.
	Basically a new Flock, separate from all the other Flocks.

Calvin didn't quite understand what that meant.
The Meadowlark was what the Hierarchy taught, not something on its own.

―Cal, I disagree.
	They showed up en masse, armed.
	How did they organise and respond so quickly?
	Especially since we've never heard of them.
	The Guard only barely beat them there.

―Like the Captain said, the ones that broke laws were arrested.
	We have bigger problems than a single Flock showing up and helping us.
	And why would they even be on our radar at all?
	We don't monitor every new Flock.
	We couldn't even if we wanted to.

Calvin felt a low simmer in his veins.
On the one hand, he knew this group was potentially trouble.
But on the other, he didn't entirely disagree with Vaughan.
Before he could respond either way, Adam knocked.

Vaughan opened the door for him, and Adam walked in.

―Sir, the Hierarch wants to talk to you.
	He says he wants to head over immediately.
	Is that okay?

Calvin felt a slight preemptive headache at the prospect of dealing with Auroklos now.

―Did he give you any more information?

―No, just that it's important.

―Adam, this is the goddamn President's office, Nikki said.
	Everything here is important.

―Nikki, I promise, I told him exactly that.

Calvin didn't want to deal with the two of them sniping at each other, and interjected immediately.

―Fine, Adam, tell him to come here.

Vaughan gave him a surprised look, so Calvin explained.

―Look, we have to talk to him about the riot anyway.
	Either we see a condemnation of everyone involved, directly from the Hierarchy, or we're tearing the whole thing down.

Nikki started to open her mouth to explain why that was impossible, so Calvin interrupted her.

―I know, I know.
	Voters will turn.
	But Auroklos is our guy, he knows the drill.
	This is worth threatening their budget over.
	The Council know they're on shaky ground already, right? # Council is made up of 9 Ennearchs, along with Councillors

Nikki shrugged.

―Again, Cal, everyone knows that Auroklos is willing to play ball with us.
	Not saying it's a bad thing for him to make a statement, just, it's not going to actually fix anything.
	Won't stop extremist Flocks at all.

―There were some Hierarchy folks at the protest, right? Vaughan asked.
	Are any of them in custody?
	Or were they at least IDed?

―I saw them, Calvin answered.
	Were wearing what looked like practicant robes.

―They might pay more attention to Auroklos, Nikki said, but they'll also have a better sense of what's being coerced out of him.
	And again, Cal, if we need extra leverage...

―Do the letters you have implicate Auroklos in the violence at all?

―No, not directly.
	But we can make the implication.

Calvin nodded, although he felt uneasy.

-------------

It wasn't long until Auroklos arrived, wearing the full regalia of the Hierarch.
He came alone, as he usually did.

―President Calvin, thank you for indulging me at this hour.
	I have a matter of grave concern I would discuss with you in private.

He indicated Nikki and Vaughan.

―Welcome, Hierarch.
	These are trusted members of my office, I can assure you.

Auroklos looked overly hesitant, as though to put on a show of accommodating the request.
Calvin's forehead started to feel stretched, the beginnings of a headache spreading down to his temples.

―Well, Calvin, if you insist, my hands are tied.
	I bring you bleak news, a rather unhappy development from the sorry events earlier today.

―Hierarch, if you mean the riots caused by the Flocks, stoked by Hierarchy Practicants, there are many unhappy developments.
	I think it would be best if the Hierarchy could punish those within the Order who are responsible, and denonuce the vile garbage spewed to the farm animals they wronged.

Auroklos looked annoyed, and waved the statement away.

―That is unimportant.
	Calvin―

―It's President Calvin.
	Or Your Excellency.
	Hierarch Auroklos, I have respected your office, and while you stand here, you should respect mine.

Some glimmer of life and resistance came into the Hierarch's eyes.

―Respect my office by threatening to attack the Order, to replace me in my role?

―I am making no threats, Hierarch.
	Merely asking for courtesy.

―A veiled dagger is no less sharp for being hidden, your Excellency.
	Fine, I have no desire to support the attacks on the poor wretches trying to force the way into our city.
	In the end, we lost people as well, for nothing.
	If you identify those Practicants responsible, the Hierarchy will not stop you from pursuing justice against them.
	Another issue, one far more pressing, brings me here, however.
	You are familiar with the epidemic spreading through Northhaven, correct?

Calvin nodded, intrigued.

―Well, I think it is not unreasonable to say that it has had an unusually large effect on the Flocks in Northhaven.
	Those kept awake for days on end, or kept from working, or simply driven mad by the effects of it.
	They're the ones who are pushing the Flocks to violence.
	But, a message from Yakaterina has brought me even greater turmoil, your Excellency.
	You see, the source of the problem is not a simple parasite or worm, or indeed any other mundane medical malady.
	Instead, something more insidious is at play.
	I believe it to be the work of a Voiced being.
	One who has managed to attack the city.
	More than that, I believe it to be related to the New Meadowlark.

―You think the New Meadowlark, the group that showed up to fight your supporters, is secretly responsible for an epidemic?
	Isn't that a bit too convenient, Hierarch?

―Indeed, President Calvin, I would.
	I will merely add this.
	My predecessor Yakaterina bids me to pass on a message directly to you, in reply to your inquiries.

Calvin saw the look that Nikki flashed him.
One of slight disgust and surprise, welded together with disappointment.