The room was dimly lit. The burnt-out lights no one had bothered to replace cast their disdain upon its occupants. The silence spoke louder than any of the words they cared to choose truly could.
The Torasgan officer was the one to break it.
“So that’s it, then? Torasgany falls?”
The Pitharian officer nodded.
“Most likely before the year’s end.”
“We had an alliance,” the Torasgan officer said.
“We still do. Against Ekanon. The treaty makes no mention of other countries. Or,” the Pitharian officer continued, “about civil wars.”
“You were helping anyway.”
“Yes. Torasgany falling...is not in our interest, to say the least.”
“Ekanon did,” the Pamarean officer calmly interjected. “Fighting...‘Isimannia’ is one thing. Transporting troops through an Ekanonian blockade to fight an Ekanonian puppet state is quite another.”
“Did she not just say our alliance was against Ekanon?” the Torasgan officer asked, sounding more like he was making a statement than asking a question.
“At no point did Ekanon declare war,” the Pamarean officer replied. “Our hands are tied.”
“I would very much like to have a country to go back to after this.”
“And so would we. Declaring war would be suicide.”
“And so you’re choosing to run away instead?”
“We’ve met so many times over the past few months I forget you aren’t the old commander, may he find rest. No. We have seen what comes of that, and have ruled it out as an option.”
“I preferred the days when these seats were all full,” the Pitharian officer said wistfully.
“What are you doing, then?” the Torasgan officer asked, with newfound patience and a dash of hope the three of them all knew was misplaced.
“You will have full command of all troops the North Akaian Concordat has already deployed to fight in Torasgany’s civil war,” the Pitharian officer stated. “Until they are ordered out or your government surrenders, we will make no attempt to retrieve them. The Concordat will not ship in new troops, but it will run the blockade to supply the Torasgan military with war materiel. Pamarea can contest the seas as long as the canal is operational, and Pitharia has a large contingent of soldiers on standby to make sure it remains so. If your government wishes to order an evacuation, the supply ships can take some of your citizens back, but we cannot guarantee their safety until they arrive at our ports.”
“...Thank you,” the Torasgan officer said, something between relieved and resigned. “I have one more thing I would like to say, though.”
“Yes?” the Pitharian officer prompted.
“All joint planning should happen at meetings sanctioned by the Concordat, but it sounds like you discussed this already.”
“We believe this plan to be best for everyone involved.”
“And we needed as little protest from Torasgan high command as possible. We hope you understand,” the Pamarean officer added.
The Pitharian officer breathed in.
“We’re sorry, but...I think you can imagine why things needed to be done this way,” she finished.
“Yes, yes. It’s...” the Torasgan officer tried to conclude, failing to find the right word. “I’ll report to my government.”
The Torasgan officer stood up and slowly walked out of the room, defeated. The door closing behind him sounded far louder than it actually was.
“I do feel sorry,” the Pamarean officer said, hanging his head. “No matter how many times this happens, it doesn’t get easier.”
“Life’s unfair,” the Pitharian officer said. “So is war. Want a cigar?”
“No, thanks. I feel unwell enough.”
“Suit yourself.” The Pitharian officer lit a cigar for herself, and started laying out cards for a game of solitaire.
The sky outside finally went dark, and the room fell into that all-telling silence once again.
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