Enlightenment

[hawk11]

The prime minister abhored war in all its forms, and his staff was not surprised when he came into the executive office with a flask on his belt and a cigarette in his mouth. These were his stress habits. He only smoked when there was a world war raging, and he only drank when Palintine could be destroyed at any moment. With war in Europe and the leader of the Hanseatic Commonwealth hiding in his nation, the prime minister had "nationalized" the nearest liquor store. He smelled as if he had bathed in 80-proof and his usually prim-and-proper military uniform was dishelved. No one in the building dared tell him he was unfit for work as he strode through the building flanked by one of his aides.

"We ordered takeout from that outback restaruant last night on Ocean Avenue," the aide said as they moved into the elevator. They were speaking in code.

"Ah, didn't know they did takeout." the minister half-grunted. "Was it good?"

"Yeah."

"Good," the prime minister said as he pressed the button for the third floor. "Last time I went there, they overcooked my steak. Where'd you put the leftovers?"

"We found some room in the office-fridge."

"How did you manage that? Whenever I look, there's never any space. It's like no one ever eats"

"There was room in the back, guess you never saw it."

"Mind if I have some?"

"I'm sure someone will as most of the boxes have names on them. If you ask around lunch, someone might let you." The elevator chimed as the doors opened, and the prime minister was entirely up to speed on the situation. The Lady Protector had arrived safely and was being hidden somewhere the prime minister did not know about for her own protection. Once the situation became better, his staff would inform him of her whereabouts. Knowing his staff, they probably stuffed her in some bunker somewhere. A free-spirit like the Lady Protector would go nuts in a matter of days. Yes, Palintinian VIP bunkers were well-furnished and nice by civilian standards, but they were still restricting. Not to mention the Lady would be hanging out with soldiers most of the time, and Palintine's best-and-brightest weren't much for conversation.

"Well then, I'll have to ask around." The two men continued walking through the office-space to his office. Most of the workers in the front office were there for purely cosmetic appearance. They were mostly bureaucrats, pushing papers wherever they needed to go and granting licenses of various sorts to Palintinian citizens, but the prime minister liked to maintain a busy atmosphere near his office. To foreign guests, it made Palintine seem like a nation with leaders that never stopped working. It also helped reinforce the image of Palintine as a nation of business, earning it the nickname "The Elective Bureaucracy of Palintine" in some circles. But for today, the third floor office-space was barren. State holiday, the prime minister forgets which one.

"Yes," his aide said. "Also, you should fix your tie." The prime minister glanced down. The tie was outside the uniform's coat, and the half-Windsor knot was coming undone.

"Nah, it's fine." They came to the door of his office. The prime minister saw three manilla folders lying on his desk and sighed. Two of them, one detailing the Lady Protector's arrival and the other the European war, were expected; however, a third one meant that somewhere in Palintine there was a problem. As if sensing the prime minister's disapproval, the aide chimed in.

"The third report will interest you."

"Not very reassuring," the prime minister said as he strode across the office in a noticably curved line. "I'm always interested in the nation's problems."

"If you call ancient discoveries a problem." That got the minister's attention. He gingerly opened the first file.

TO: The Executive Office of Palintine, District Branch #6

FROM: Special Hainan Research and Development Team Headquarters, Haikou

RE: FWD: FWD: FWD: See within

BODY:

Governor:

Our team has made an interesting discovery related to the history of the region. We are asking permission to further explore what we believe is a temple dating back possibly as early as the Han dynasty. Please see detailed report attached to proper paperwork.

Regards,

Team Leader

The prime minister browsed the report. It was definitely interesting. Because the prime minister had declared Hainan a strategically important area, all discoveries were sent to him. The research and development team he commissioned to search forests for different types of wood usually sent him reports of discovering new supplies of teak. This was the first discovery of a human nature.

"Why is this coming to me?" The prime minister finished reading the report and had set it on his desk.

"The team is requesting permission to research it further; however the local executive branch feels it doesn't have the proper authority to make a ruling on it."

"Nonsense. I've given them all the authority in the world to mine resources there."

"Exactly. Resources."

"Ah," the prime minister said as it dawned on him. Discovering resources and ancient human structures were on the same paperwork, but actually interacting with them required a completely different permit. These permits required a good amount of paperwork, and the executive office branch of Hainan realized this and sent it up the chain for executive approval. Their motivations probably had something to do with not wanting to file it as an executive decision negates all paperwork (save the executive filling out the order). "Clever."

"So we should grant them the permit?"

"Yes," the prime minister said. And it was done. The prime minister felt cheated now that he had to fill out the forms; a way to get out of it crossed his mind. "Prepare transport to Hainan."

"Excuse me?" His aide looked genuinely confused. The prime minister stood up from his chair and handed him the file.

"If we're going to fill out the paperwork for an executive order, I want to see it for myself. We're wasting a fair amount of time doing their work for them."

"Yes, but isn't going personally a little excessive?"

"Yes," The prime minister said as he moved to the mirror. He frowned at what he saw. "Yes it is definitely excessive." He adjusted several badges on his uniform.

"Then why are you doing it?" The prime minister, still looking himself over in the mirror, took the flask off his belt and tossed it over his shoulder to his aide.

"Because I'm a crazy, drunk, Bond-villain-in-a-mask wannabe." He pulls the mask down over his face, tossing his cigarette onto the floor in the same motion. "Get that refilled for me; I'm going to need it."

Edited June 17, 2009 by hawk_11

[Subtleknifewielder]

OOC: Oh, nice...