Not all weapons explode
Speeches were normally made by the likes of the Premier and the members of the Blue Moon Political Assembly. But everyone knew that Blue Moon was run by the military; for the most part, it was sparsely populated enough that it was a viable means for them to govern their nation. This sparse population was what had caused Olaf and his predecessors to turn to their neighbors for industry and imports. If other lands were doing all the work, then Blue Moon would prosper.
But this speech was made to discourage that idea of entitlement. Blue Moon had been devastated, and its rich resources had been sapped by the Black Hole armies. Now, humbled, and relying on the kindness of their neighbors, the proud leader of Blue Moon was more than willing to set aside his ego, and allow foreign aid assist in rebuilding and securing their resources for all their benefit.
Olaf didn't understand most of the concepts he was speaking about. But the summary was that the Blue Moon 'Resource Allocation Departments'- the formal name for the state-owned corporations, were going to open up and allow for increased interaction with foreign investments. Normally, it was Blue Moon RADs investing overseas, and they remained quite powerful in the world economy. But Blue Moon had the greatest reserves of untapped resources in the world; resources all nations needed access to.
And Blue Moon needed to be rebuilt.
The speech went on for several minutes, with Olaf struggling to endorse ideas he'd barely heard of, much less understood. With the machines of Green Earth, Yellow Comet workers, Orange Star administration and, of course, Blue Moon money, Blue Moon would be rebuilt using its own resources. And then Omega Land would be reborn together.
The cause for the sudden public appearance of Olaf was to alleviate tensions and arguments. Many hardliners wanted Blue Moon to force cooperation, and liberals wanted Blue Moon to disarm. Olaf was the undisputed real leader of their country. The RADs kept the army supplied, the people kept the RADs working, and the army ensured that the RADs didn't become too corrupt. In times past, corruption in the RADs was tolerated, because Blue Moon's resource and labor base was in conquered territories. But Blue Moon wasn't built upon the blood and sweat of others anymore.
"For generations, our country has been built upon the blood and sweat of our neighbors, people who are now our allies and our friends," Olaf began winding down the speech, "Now, we have bled for our country. It's time to sweat for it, too. But we were not the only ones to bleed for Blue Moon in the face of Black Hole aggression. There is no reason we cannot be merely allies of convenience. We cannot forget that we are not the only ones who bled for Blue Moon; we do not have to be the only ones to sweat for our country."
He raised his arms dramatically.
"Let there be peace!" he cried, and the crowd of reporters, politicians, and civilians cheered. He grinned widely, and turned to Grit, who gave him a thumbs-up. Now was the time of truth.
"And now I must address our friends abroad. Blue moon will-"
What Blue Moon intended to do was not heard that day, for the crack of a rifle superseded the massive speakers, and there was a flash of blood, and a scream from Commander Sasha. Olaf looked down, and towards Grit, who was now covered in blood. CO Colin ran to his friend, but there was another crack of the rifle, and the boy collapsed to the ground. Soldiers rushed onto the stage, ushering Sasha and Olaf off-stage. Olaf clocked more than one trooper trying to get at his friends, and Sasha screamed for her little brother. Olaf looked back, and saw a Trooper take a bullet to the head trying to drag Grit off the stage.
"Brish!" one of the troops trying to drag Olaf away shouted. Olaf stopped struggling, and instead grabbed the trooper. His duties as the Commander of Blue Moon were more important, he realized.
"Let's go, trooper," Olaf growled, "You'll just slow down your fellows."
The trooper didn't protest, and Olaf became cooperative. An assassin! Who would be so bold! And they shot Grit, not him! If they wanted to decapitate Blue Moon, they should have shot Olaf! Not Grit! Shooting Olaf is to shoot the country. Shooting grit, and Colin-COLIN! For their sake, the boy better be fine!
Olaf was shoved into an armored limousine, a separate one from Sasha, and scrambled to different places. Standard protocol.
"I want hourly updates on Grit and Colin," Olaf instructed to some Lieutenant, "I don't care, if anything happens, I'm the first to know, do you understand me?"
He remembered the trooper that had been shot.
"Also, there was a trooper that was shot. His last name was Brish. I want his information, and draw up the paperwork for the Medal of Valor, hear?"
"Anything else, General?"
Olaf sighed, thinking.
"Yes, get a press conference together. I'm not going to allow some terrorist dictate the course of action that Blue Moon takes!"
"Of course, General. I'll assume you would also like a bottle of Vodka?"
"What's your name, Lieutenant?"
"Lieutenant Gregory Carmine, sir."
"I'm putting you in for a transfer. It's hard to find a man who takes proper prerogative in his duties. You don't find that kind of initiative in a lot of officers."
"Of course, sir. I'll start working on the paperwork. And the vodka. Yours and mine. Is that all, sir?"
Olaf couldn't help but laugh. He sniffed. Springtime. Rain and pollen, two things he despised.
"No, thank you, Lieutenant. That will be all."
Olaf hung up, and started thinking. What the hell just happened? His best friend had just been shot! That's what happened! He's gone to war for smaller deeds! It boiled his blood that he didn't have a culprit right before him to strangle and destroy! And only months after the defeat of that despicable Black Hole Bolt Guard and whatnot! Oh, the snows this winter would be stained red!
Suddenly, the carphone rang, and he picked it up.
"What?" he barked.
"General Olaf, this is General Nell. I just saw."
"Oh! Nell! It's good to hear from you. Let it be known that there will be blood for this! Shoot me, and I can respect you! But shoot the boy…"
"I understand, General. We're all praying for their recovery. But my condolences aren't why I called. I called because I believe I know who is responsible."
"It's Black Hole! I just know it!"
"No," Nell's voice wavered, and she gulped, "It was one of ours, General."
"What?"
"The sniper was an Orange Star soldier, General. And we don't think there's much we can do to stop him if he tries to kill again."