The other countries were turning into enemies. The Racellian incursion was mentioned in three different articles including one on crop irrigation. He still had a list of words he didn’t know, but the context clarified many of the meanings.
His report was eight pages long which was exceptional for a single publication. Quint didn’t have access to previously reviewed journals, but he wondered when the slanted articles began. Did they predate Colleto’s rise to power?
“Do we have a Gussellian expert anywhere?” Quint asked the colonel when he submitted his reports from his work the previous day.
“Access would come through General Obellia’s office.” The colonel looked down at Quint’s Gussellian journal analysis. “You want verification of what you found?”
Quint nodded. “I may be missing something.”
“I’ll take this to the general today and see what he has to say. On first glance it seems you have connected a lot of strings.”
“I don’t want them cast in our direction,” Quint said.
Two weeks later an orderly was waiting for Quint to arrive for work.
“Colonel Gerocie wanted you to read this and then come to her office, sir.” The orderly struggled saying the honorific.
It was a newssheet with the day’s date. Quint read the first page and could tell why it was suddenly a priority.
A herald arrived from Gussellia for the council. Gussellia had just announced an alliance with Vinellia, whom it shared a border on the southeast side of the country. The king of Vinellia recognized Pacci Colleto as the emperor of a united Gussellia which included his country. The king would continue to administer Vinellia, subservient to Gussellia.
Quint sat back in his new chair and smelled the fresh paint of his office. He had to do the work himself, but his space looked much better even if it was the only office in the basement of the building.
He hoped thinking about his freshened environment would help cushion the blow, but it didn’t. Gussellia was now an empire consisting of almost half of South Fenola. One down and two to go for Pacci Colleto, thought Quint.
He analyzed the article as he usually did and read the rest of the newssheet, looking for related articles and spotted one that discussed the usefulness of a council style of government. The article was ostensibly for the council model, but Quint identified a few paragraphs that cast doubt on the model in favor of a stronger executive, like a kingdom or an empire. He didn’t recall an article like that before and included it with his analysis of the article on the formation of the Gussellian Empire.
The same orderly showed up and asked Quint to accompany him to the Colonel’s office.
Quint was astounded to greet General Obellia and Henricco Lucheccia. That was three levels of the diplomatic corps.
“Sit, Tirolo,” Lucheccia said. “You have an analysis of this morning’s article?”
Quint saluted and handed his work along with the newssheet to Colonel Gerocie. She read it and handed it to Lucheccia.
He nodded as he read. “This is consistent with your other reports on our delegation to Nornotta.”
“It is. The dictator is no more. Pacci Colleto now styles himself as an emperor,” Quint said. “He said he has taken a liking to ruling.”
“And Baltacco’s daughter had come up with a different view of Colleto, if you sifted through all the insults to you, Captain Tirolo,” the general said.
“What do you suggest we do?” Henricco said.
“Fight or capitulate,” Quint said. “I’m sure that was the alternatives that Pacci Colleto gave the king of Vinellia.”
“It was,” Henricco said. “I don’t think the council has an appetite for capitulation.”
“Then you have to fire some generals.” Quint looked at Obellia. “That doesn’t include you, general.”
“Good. How gracious of you, Captain,” the general said tugging on his tunic. “What kind of position are you in to suggest something as drastic as that?”
“Because they aren’t good battle strategists. If Racellia uses the tired old tactics I’ve seen on two occasions, we will lose as we did when we last fought Gussellia and Barellia.”
“We didn’t lose in Barellia,” General Obellia said.
“Did we win?” Quint asked.
“Uh.”
“He has a point, general,” Henricco said.
“And how would we prosecute a war?”
Quint laughed. “I’m not the one to ask. You should talk to Colonel Sarrefo of the Strategic Operations division of the Wizard Corps. Let him be honest. The wizard corps leadership and the army leadership are not serving the country well, in my opinion.”
“And you’d be executed if you voiced that opinion anywhere but here, Tirolo,” Obellia said. “Grand Marshal Guilica would be the first to plunge the blade.”
“Quint gives us accurate information without thinking about the consequences. See why I like his analyses?” Colonel Gerocie said.
“I’ll get together with Sarrefo this afternoon. I think I’ve heard enough.” The general turned to Quint. “In this case I think the objectivity of a hubite gives me hope that we won’t be swallowed up by Gussellia.”
“You are dismissed, captain,” Gerocie said. “You still have catching up to do.”
Quint stood and saluted before leaving the office. When he was alone in his office, he put his head in his hands and took some deep breaths. The comment that rolled through his mind was the one about being executed for his opinions.
Colonel Gerocie had all the proof she needed if someone wanted to execute him. To a reasonable person what was proven was analysis, but to someone like General Baltacco, the truth wasn’t necessary.
