114 A Little Closer
Right after the phone call with the Kaiser’s investigative team to help them find the Black Hand terrorists, Alexander was swamped with paperwork submitted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with a statement containing hatred towards Ruthenians.
Alexander could only click his tongue, even though they weren’t the ones that do it, their reputation and dignity has been tarnished.
“Get me on the phone with President Coolidge, this racial hate must stop,” Alexander ordered Sergei who had just gotten out from his rest.
“I understand that, Your Majesty,”
Alexander leans forward on the table as he massaged his forehead, it seems trouble is never-ending ever since he officially became the Tsar of Ruthenia.
“I’ve been under pressure from external and internal politics. The Imperial Council wants me to do something about the people in foreign countries, fearing that their jobs might be lost, and if it is lost, they’ll blame me for it, and if I do something, the foreign countries will see it as a hostile intervention. Shit…why do people in your era are easily swayed by mere words? Do they not have a brain to ascertain and validate if the information is correct?”
Alexander spoke without thinking as he let his thoughts spill out, the frustration also made him forget that Earth is still plagued by mob mentality and his old Harrier Industries was the target of the said mob for years.
“Your Majesty?” Sergei tilted his head to the side, “what do you mean by people in my era?” he asked, puzzled by the Tsar’s strange choice of words.
Alexander cursed inwardly, realizing that he just went out of character and blurted something that can serve as a ground for suspicion.
“Forget about it, just get me on the line with President Coolidge, and also, we need to call the Kaiser for a formal statement from the Deutschland Empire right now! Have them tell the world that we are not the one who caused this…do this and hopefully the world will return back to the peace it once had three days ago.”
“But didn’t you just speak with his majesty, Kaiser Wilhelm, hours ago…Your Majesty?” Sergei pointed.
“. . .I did, but I forgot,” Alexander said flatly. “I can easily get lost from all the orders of business. I was hoping you’d do it,”
“Leave it to me, Your Majesty,” Sergei bowed before leaving his office.
Alexander sighed, feeling tired. His stomach growls loudly, reminding him that his body needs nutrients.
He took a look at his watch, it was 5 p.m. in the afternoon. He hadn’t eaten since morning, so he decided on ordering something on the phone.
Twenty minutes later, A servant came to bring Alexander’s order.
They were let in by the guards while Alexander helped himself to some tea from the samovar station.
“Here is Your Majesty’s order,” the servant handed over Alexander’s food, which consisted of a scrambled egg and sausage breakfast bowl. It was just a light snack to keep him going. The same Thomas always had when he is busied with work.
Alexander smiled at the servant before taking a bite from the eggs and chewing slowly. His eyes closed as he savored the taste.
“It’s good, you may leave now,” Alexander mumbled while wiping the corner of his mouth.
“Understood, Your Majesty.”
Just as he was eating, Dmitri Kaniv, his Minister of Internal Affairs, entered his office.
“Your Majesty, you asked for me?”
Alexander quickly nodded “Yes, please sit down.”
The minister nodded before taking a seat. He waited until the emperor finished his snack before speaking again.
“How are the joint investigations progressing?” Alexander inquired.
“It’s progressing very well, Your Majesty. The Deutschland Empire and the Austrean Empire have been cooperative with us compared to yesterday when there is tension and distrust among us. Is this why you called for me Your Majesty?”
“Of course not,” Alexander scoffed softly. “I called you here to talk to you about the security of the Ruthenia Empire, not just inside but outside. Your Ministry has been doing a great job protecting Ruthenia from within but I’m kind of worrying about the external threats such as the terror attack that could involve us in a way that threatens national security. I was hoping to create a new agency similar to the secret police but working on foreign soil,” Alexander paused as he gave him the file. “You can refer to this outline,”
Dmitri narrowed his eyes as he read the first line.
“An outline for creating a new foreign intelligence named Foreign Intelligence Service…”
“It’s similar to Britannia’s MI6, but a lot more advanced. In light of the tragedy that has transpired in the Deutschland Empire, I believe that this agency will prove crucial for national defense. Henceforth, I will convince the Imperial Council to increase the budget of the Ministry of Internal Affairs to support the creation…”
“I understand Your Majesty, please give me two days to work around this,” Dmitri said before standing up.
The telephone at his table rang.
“Looks like we’ve reached Washington,” Alexander said as he bit his lower lip. “You may go back to your work,” He gestured his hand. “Thank you for the time.” ρꪖꪕᦔꪖꪕꪫꪣꫀꪶ
“Certainly, Your Majesty,” Dmitri walked out of Alexander’s office.
Once Dmitri closed the door behind him, Alexander picked up the phone.
The call was connected and the person on the other line greeted Alexander with a “Your Majesty, what can I do for you?”
“Good afternoon, President Hoover. I wish to speak with you about some urgent matter.”
“Oh, really, what is it?” President Coolidge inquired on the other line.
“President Coolidge, are you aware of the current state of Europa?”
“Yes, I was just briefed by my secretary yesterday about the bombings in Deutschland Empire. It’s a tragedy…”
“I think so too but we are also getting from our embassy in Washington saying that Ruthenian officials or descent are facing harassment from the public in your country…Please, President Coolidge, I need you to put a stop to it. We are not the ones who bombed Berlin, it was the Black Hand. If you don’t believe my words, you can contact Kaiser Wilheim himself and he’ll fill you in the details…”
“I understand your Majesty, however, that’s just a normal public reaction…”
“No, it was an irrational one,” Alexander corrected. “Look, President Coolidge, I understand your fear, but you have to believe me. Please. This isn’t how we start our friendship, not when we are about to sign an economic treaty which will benefit both of our countries…”
“It depends, the public outcry is rather strong in their advocation to kicking out Ruthenians and demanded Congress to push a proposal for it. That of which I am wholly against. But I’ll see what I can do to solve it, Emperor Alexander. ” President Coolidge said.
“Thank you, Mr. President,” Alexander hung up the telephone.
Alexander slumped into his chair. This wasn’t good. He knew how much damage the tragedy had done to his country’s image abroad. If this was the plan of the Black Hand, then he would say they’ve done a good job isolating them.
Their tactic of creating chaos and taking advantage of that chaos by alienating Ruthenians, hmm. What is the Black Hand trying to achieve here? Overthrow the Kaiser? Or just revenge?
It fears him that he knows little about the Black Hand.
Ten minutes later, Sergei arrived in his office.
“Your Majesty, there’s something you need to hear,” he said.
“What is it?”
“The Deutschland Empire has acknowledged that the attack was made by the terrorist known as Black Hand. There was a shootout in Berlin where the military and the Black Hand operatives engaged one another.”
“Okay now that we got the Deutschland Empire acknowledged that it wasn’t us, what’s the catch?”
“Your Majesty, there’s still fear among the populace, and they are demanding that Ruthenia stop exporting televisions and even radios.”
“That simple? Okay fine, I understand.”
“Not only that sir.”
“What do you mean?”
“They are also calling for the deportation of the Ruthenians…”
‘Damn it!’
Alexander slammed his hand on the table, small items jumped on the table and startling Sergei. “There is no way I would do that. “
“Your Majesty?”
“A ban on television is something I can do but deport all the Ruthenian living in the Deutschland Empire just because they are scared? That’s bullshit. What about the livelihood and the life they’ve built living in that country? Look, I’m not the kind of guy who is looking for an easy way out. Tell the Kaiser that I won’t abide by his second term. His citizens are just shocked and are going through a stage of grief, in a month or two they’ll realize it wasn’t the Ruthenians’ fault,”
“Understood, Your Majesty.”
The phone rang and Alexander picks up.
“Your majesty, the ambassadors to Britannia and Yamato are here to see you.”
‘What do they want now?’, Alexander felt a headache coming on
“Send them into my office. Thank you.”, Alexander puts down the phone.