Velna welcomed the Colonel and Ethel to the hold of the airship. She sat back on the chair behind her table.

“So I must assume that the Madame has taken care of the matter?”

“I’m afraid so,” Colonel Vito said. He rested both elbows on the armrests. “I’m afraid that I have failed you in this task, Milady.”

“It’s no matter. With the Lady chasing after Wendy, she will be back soon.”

Colonel Vito nodded. The confidence in Lady Velna was sure. He might not have spent enough time with this faction, but he was clear on who was the strongest among them. The title of Lady Death wasn’t earned from her powers, but her actions in a war that had happened years ago.

“I have failed in getting her. My promise to care for Miss Wendy’s safety had been for naught. The plan was supposed to lure the leaders out, in a way it worked, but it didn't do anything other than endanger the life of President Wendy Otto.”

Lady Velna nodded. “Your failure has been surprising. But that is how things are with plans, one problem could disrupt the plan, and I believe that there is no such thing as a perfect plan. Plans are volatile, they can be ruined by one piece that has failed to do its work. I do not think that you are ruined because of one failure,” she shook her head. Her words are calm and soothing. Not like the Lady Bellatrix that had thorns in it. “So far, our cooperation has been wonderful, and your missions clean. Of course, you must understand that after this awful incident, that clear record has been dirtied.

“Truthfully, I do dislike the idea of endangering our close family. Ever since the war of Helion, where Lazonians slaughtered one another, we abhorred losing our kin. We hate it when they are lost to us. We cherish those who don’t have the same blood. When we came to Holmia, it was always about business, but your government, and the head of the state, who like the Confederate of Athesia, has a head of state, a King that rules the Turian Continent. I heard that it won’t be long until a New King sits on the throne. A new king means new papers to be signed on, new agreements, and changes in the agreement.”

Lady Velna traced her index finger on a piece of document. Colonel Vit followed her finger while watching her slightly narrowed eyes.

“Recently, we’ve been invited, and though our companies and industries are somewhat doing well. There are always competitors who are willing to slander us. Some call us funders of war.

She paused. The silence between her pause made Ethel move her hand around while Lady Velna thought of her words before continuing.

“Forgive me for the long pause. But there is no need to lie about the true nature. We profit from the industries, but the Lazonian Industries of Jorvi had been prosperous. Glorious lands, and despite fifty-seven years of hard labor and digging, there are still parts of Lazon that are untamed. Millions of cargo arrives everyday, and some exports deliver tons of meats, steel, and products that are sustaining this current era. Our era is made of electronics and recently our research and development has made advancements in such things. Though there are countries ,especially far south, and in the middlemost of the world that are lacking compared to our progress. They have something to offer which is copper, lead, aluminum, iron and tin, as well as other metals such as cadmium and nickel. Gold and silver are also viable as imports and exports.

“Of course, we can’t forget about resins, gums, saccharides, cellulose, gelatine, peptides, which are used in applications such as sensors, signal transducers, transient, implantable and modular electronics. Our advancement of technology can be said to have been traced by Holmia and the introduction of the Hydroelectric Crystal, and collaborative studies of Lazon and Holmia.

“Printed circuit boards are also valuable these days.  We use them everywhere and some believe that it won’t take long for us to reach more heights of technology. But even with that, we are still not connected to the whole world. There are still continents, though we have started to contact, are usually hostile and prejudiced against us who some of the sentient tribes call as ‘smooth-skins’ that do not have their roughness. Of course, these uneducated tribes have inferior and barbaric civilization, the smarter ones had joined us in this game of civilization and entered global politics. Nonetheless, we are not interested in their culture, their history, or their way of life. Others can take care of that, and if they choose to cooperate, then let it be so.”

Colonel Vito felt lost at her words. Lady Velna noticed the look on her face, smiled, and took her finger away from the table.

“Forgive me, sometimes I forget myself. But again, I told you of cooperation, and these untamed, uncivilized, barbarians who still know nothing of why we want to acquire their resources. Perhaps, in a long future, where their diplomats learned, they would recall that we have cheated them of their resources, and advanced ourselves while they are still trying to understand how steam powers an engine.”

She chuckled. Then she placed a hand on her mouth. She was far too different when she’s not with Lady Bellatrix and Lady Velna. The reserved Lady who usually keeps to herself was launching a tirade of words at him. How she got into this topic, Colonel Vito wasn’t so sure yet. Nonetheless, he could listen, and wait for her to slow down.

“Ah. Busy man, you don’t have time for long words, so I will simplify it. Recent changes might make it difficult for us to operate, and although travel by ship and plane is viable, it would be best if we have a land route. And that land route is located at Egneia, though torn apart by our actions, still holds a strategic and economic point in the map.

She took out a map, pointed her finger on the land bridge connecting Egneia. “Recent studies showed that there is a reason why our demikin foes were so desperate to run away from their homeland. Though we’ve reduced their population through our methodical genocide of their alien-like race. It doesn't mean we’ve stopped scouring. Every action has a reason, and that reason was said to be this.”

On the map was what Colonel Vito identified as a landmark for a  giant volcano.

“A super volcano that connects their mainland, our topographic and volcanology experts have called it the crosshair of fire. The demikins, when we take a look at their bodies, showed that they are sensitive, for a race that lives in an archipelago of Feria and Boria. We had bombed Feria to oblivion, and there is nothing left there other than the radioactive wasteland. Even if we do nothing for years, they would still die of the ‘green wind’ that they feared so much.  However, this supervolcano, though located miles away, would trigger a reaction. Ashes for thousands of miles, dim skies, and colder weather. Plants, animals, and people would die. Buildings will be crushed, and the splintered fragments carried by the ashes would bury the closest country in three feet of ashes. It would be a global catastrophe unseen by the ages. The change would be catastrophic, and not only that it would affect the coastlines, cities, towns, villages. There is a chance that the explosion would cause a trigger in the continents, causing volcanoes to explode.”

She dragged her finger on the volcano located North of Flost City, and Northeast of the Empire.

“Camrid Volcano, with a height of nine thousand feet, this volcano has been responsible for the green nights that have blessed the Confederacy throughout the years. It may be a problem for the people of Confederacy, but it will act as a chain, and once it explodes, then the volcanoes undiscovered in Magni-Azia, Champier, Withamia, and Turian would cause a devastating effect. We still lack the proper technology, and even if we do. There is nothing we can do in the face of mother nature herself.”

Colonel Vito swallowed, “Not even the Ladies of the Pact?”

“We are strong, but not strong enough to stop a volcanic explosion, that is the same as trying to stop a mother of all bombs with our bare bodies. You should know that there are many reasons why we intend to continue our war with the demikins. It is the justification, the solution, and payment for our efforts. Nonetheless, there are many parts, much paperwork that is needed to be done in hopes to do all this. A change of policy, and righteous ideals could tore the League of Nations apart. Perhaps, we might be lucky enough that the volcano would not explode, and we can peacefully collect resources and continue this prospering world. Still, we don’t deal with what if’s. That is why we needed to crush this movement, and continue our movement to the land bridges, and make use of the native resources to uplift Holmia’s economical troubles.”

There was no mockery in her words. But Holmia’s situation was somewhat worse than before it started its deployment to the Easternside of the world. That was the truth, and if they stop their operations in Egneia, it would cost a depression unlike Holmia had ever seen.

Of course, Holmia wasn’t so reliant that it would suffer if they cut down their operations. It would hardly be noticed by the civilians, but it would be noticed by the suppliers, politicians, and corporations that demand the running of said operations.

Holmia was in-debt to itself. A resource halt won’t cripple the Holmian States, but the political storm would. The commodity currency of gold, silver, and hydroelectric crystals was important to the ‘organs’ of the Holmian Union, and if they cannot get what they want.

Then it would certainly cause trouble. Not to mention that other than the political pain and economic pain it would cause on the Turian Continent, the threat of a supervolcano was something that they needed to examine in secrecy.

There were troubles that could not be solved through just pointing a gun at someone. If anything, this mess about the antiwar movements should have been easier if it wasn’t for the magiborne themselves who were unwilling to patrol the Easternside, and kept their operations safe.

If anything, Colonel Vito was just glad that the problem with the magiborne, the antiwar movements, and some of the Magi that are against the current policies of the Turian Continent might settle down after Miss Wendy is safe.

“What a mess, I’m just glad that I am not part of the public relations office.”

Lady Velna smiled at that while Ethel dutifully nodded. At least that was something that they could agree with.

“Nonetheless, such problems shall be handled with patience, and careful examination. Problems are meant to be broken down into parts, and solved until all parts of the problem are solved. I have confidence in my Lady to rescue Miss Wendy. So let’s go back to what you came here for, there is nothing to apologize. Of course, if something had happened to her, then  you can understand if I don’t want to speak or see you again, Colonel.”

Lady Velna’s smile was venomous. All of the Ladies of the Pact had this smile that made him want to freeze up.

“I understand. Still, do you have any idea who this faction is?”

“We have an idea, but there are problems regarding identifying who this third-party, nonetheless all shall be revealed soon.”

Colonel Vito thanked Jove for that. At least now he could focus his efforts on Knia, and answer to whatever the head of the state would ask him.

Not all problems were about bullets and fist. Sometimes, the worst ones were about the superiors he had to explain why he did this and that.