MARK TUELLO'S LETTER

Dear Ms. Strand,

I trust this finds you well. I am happy to address issues and concerns you may have about actions of The United States Government-in-exile. These actions are in relation to your concerns about the extradition of Commander Fred Waterford from Canadian custody, into the custody of the de facto Republic of Gilead. The US took that action as part of the Canadian Emergency Measures Act, with the direction of the Canadian federal Minister of Public Safety,as well as their Attorney General.

I am well aware of the anecdotal narrative of the chain of custody of Commander Waterford. You are correct, that chain began with him in ICC custody at the ITWC, subject to Canadian courts. As mentioned, the next link of the chain was by virtue of permission of the Canadian Public Safety Minister and Attorney General, plus their federal Executive Council. Then, as per agreement, Commander Waterford was handed off to New Gilead authorities at the border, albeit at the acknowledged 'disputed area'. Following that, much is unknown and perhaps unknowable. Whereas Canadians and Americans acted within the bounds of legislation and jurisdiction, it is unknown what Gilead law and/or procedure would define as 'legal activity' (from their point of view) in the 'disputed area'.

That is a question best directed to them.

What is known is that Commander Waterford's body was found hanged within the disputed area, in the ungoverned space in disputed sovereignty between the de facto Republic of Gilead and Canada. (This area is in the former northern area of the U.S. State of Vermont.)

While this explanation may seem to be 'overly bureaucratic', making mention of these distinctions, the U.S. Government plays by international rules of inter-government conflicts. While it is clear that the Government of Canada has no jurisdiction over any alleged 'murder', it simply is unclear if the Government of The United States does. The government of Vermont no longer exists.

Despite what you claim. Any charge of 'murder' that the US Government would entertain, is defined by laws relating to what Americans do outside of the country. Given the disputed nature of the territory in question, it is unclear that even if a crime had been committed, it had been committed 'outside of The United States'.

Yes, we are aware that for most of his time in custody in Canada, Commander Waterford had been afforded the rights as someone accused of crimes under the International Criminal Court's jurisdiction. Such rights included access to competent legal counsel, as well as the freedom from arbitrary measures. You wanted me to explain what had changed, which allowed his extradition to Gilead.

First and foremost, The Republic of Gilead had requested his extradition through normal diplomatic channels, in this case through representative from Switzerland. As such Commander Waterford had not been subject to arbitrary measures, as his disputes within the detention process were arbitrated under Canada's Crimes Against Humanity and Warcrimes Act, (year 2000).

Yes it is true that Commander Waterford was in negotiation with the ICC and our own US Government about pleading guilty to reduced charges in exchange for his own testimony about Gilead. But the Canadian Court ruled against that 'plea deal', as you called it. Canadian sovereignty overrules both ICC standards as well as the laws of the United States-in-exile. Once ruled upon, the avenue for extradition to Gilead opened. The legislation covering this assumed that his own need for further legal assistance had been exhausted. In essence, once arrested for the purposes of extradition, his 'rights' under ICC protection no longer existed, but were governed by the specific extradition agreement.

Of note, Gilead itself requested no legal assistance for Commander Waterford. So none was required at our end.

I, personally, handled the events of the extradition. I escorted Commander Waterford to the southern Canadian border where we were met by verified officials of The Republic of Gilead. Legally speaking, it is simply immaterial that the territory south of that was 'in dispute'. My authority ended where Canada ended, as per the Canadian ministers' directive. Obviously, The Commander's disposition following the hand-over was neither in the domain of the Government of The United States' nor The Government of Canada.

On a personal note, I find it surprising in the extreme that it is you raising these concerns. If anyone should be held to account for Commander Waterford's death, it is the New Gilead District of Gilead. It was they who exercised possibly illegitimate jurisdiction in otherwise disputed territory. However, I'm sure even you would agree that that is a matter internal to Gilead. With that said, it is not in dispute that their jurisdiction had been administered by two of New Gilead's Commanders.

Why you would want to investigate any other alleged accountability is beyond me.

I remain faithfully yours. If there are any further questions of clarification I am happy to provide it.

Mark Tuello

U.S. Citizens liaison

Government of The United States-in-exile

Fairbanks, Alaska

S. Government Field Office, US Consulate, Toronto, Canada)

I'M NOT DONE WITH YOU

Rachel Tapping was at her desk when Mark Tuello entered. Feigning indifference to him, she did not look up, but just kept typing away at the keyboard with her gaze purposely averted from his.

She let him stand there, long enough that he started to shift weight from foot to foot.

She took her hands off of the keyboard, put one hand to the top of the laptop screen, counted to 10, then closed it.

"Ms. Tapping," Tuello asked, "can I sit?"

"You may not be here that long, Mark," she said, not even trying to hide the 'snipe'. She paused, "Have you heard back yet from Moira Strand?"

"No, I don't expect to," he replied.

"I bet," Tapping quipped.

"Is that it, Ms. Tapping?" Tuello asked.

"No, I'm not nearly done with you." Tapping folded her hands on the desk, said, "so, Mark, what have we learned?"

Tuello was about to say, 'I guess I've learned to keep June Osborne on a shorter leash'. But he didn't. Now was not the time to go for 'laughs'.

Osborne was nowhere to be found since the Waterford disaster. Despite what he'd written to Strand, Osborne could very well be in some real, legal peril. Dr. Malek as well. Maybe even a dozen other former Handmaids of Gilead.

Maybe even Tuello himself, with Commanders Blaine and Lawrence as unindicted, coconspirators.

So said Rachel Tapping, Consul-General of the Toronto Consulate of the United States of America-in-exile. Who outranked Mark Tuello.

TO COMMANDER LAWRENCE

Under the protection of Section 4 of the Security of Information Act (Canada, 2001). It is intended for the eyes of the addressee only. Any unauthorized possession of either this communique or any unauthorized divulging of its contents is prohibited by law. Any questions may be directed to the Attorney General of Canada, an officer of Her Majesty in right of Canada.

Commander Joseph Lawrence

New Gilead District,

Commanders Chancery, Boston,

De facto Republic of Gilead.

Dear Commander Lawrence

On behalf of of The Government of The United States-in-exile, and with concurrence of The Government of Canada, I write to protest your District's illegal actions on Canadian soil.

To whit, the illegal presence of Gilead Commando Guardians in Toronto, Canada. If you are not aware, six of whom are presumed to have been eutralized by Canadian Armed Forces, assisted by my office. The remaining four are being held at an undisclosed location, by virtue of the Emergencies Act (Canada, 1988).

I also protest in the strongest terms the summary, extrajudicial executions of Gilead citizens, namely women who are already held in enslavement as 'Handmaids', 'Marthas', and 'Econowives' as well as others. Whereas Gilead media does not outright connect the two, it is plain that these executions are being done to pressure the Government of Canada to extradite June Osborne back to your de facto State.

Both governments, of The United States and of Canada, demand that that action cease immediately. As such, government officials within your country who play a part in either legislating, consenting to or implementing these executions will be subject to actions of the International Criminal Court.

Any and all official communication you might have regarding the disposition of the four remaining commandos of Gilead may be made formally to us through The Government of Switzerland.

Mark Tuello

U.S. Citizens liaison

Government of The United States-in-exile

Fairbanks, Alaska

(U.S. Government Field Office, Toronto, Canada)

TRANSCRIPT OF PRIVILEGED CONVERSATION

FOR EYES ONLY - TOP SECRET

Joseph Lawrence: Hey, Mark! How ya doing?

Mark Tuello: I take it this is a secure line?

JL: At my end or yours? You guys are the Boy Scouts.

MT: It's secure here.

JL: I feel better already. Hey, nice letter! It actually didn't say anything, but you took the right severe tone.

MT: Are you actually executing women over June Osborne?

JL: That woman, Osborne I mean, is a disaster. Blaine tells me to leave it alone, that we'll all live longer.

MT: You know our government's position on Waterford, don't you?

JL: Once again, the right amount of indignation. Without actually saying anything.

MT: Did Blaine really turn over Waterford to that group?

JL: Wanna hear something funny? When he was running, Waterford - just before the end - reversed course. He must have got confused in the woods. If he had continued straight he would have been in Canada. By a few feet. How do you spell, 'diplomatic crisis'? But alas, fortune was not on Dear Fred's side. They hanged him twenty feet away from the northern frontier. But still in the disputed area.

MT: My government sees no jurisdiction for itself.

JL: So I gathered.

MT: What about you people?

JL: For Waterford!? Don't make me laugh. Osborne is the big catch.

MT: So, what about Mrs Waterford?

JL: Hey, Mark do yourself a favour. When you shake hands with her, count your fingers after.

MT: I'm serious. It was your Chancery which requested Fred Waterford's extradition. Should we be ready to receive a request about Serena?

JL: Ha! This is why you Americans lost the lower 48.

MT: Focus, Joseph, focus. What are you planning for Mrs. Waterford.

JL: Well, nothing. Not while she is 'with child', as they say.

MT: After?

JL: This is why you Americans are always a step behind. Serena knows the score. Shit, she wrote most of the music. Soon as she steps across that line, we put her in a red cloak and assign her to some limp-dicked Commander. Probably me! She knows that. She's fertile, Mark. Her husband is history. Do you know anything about Gilead?

MT: Ok, I wanted to be sure.

JL: I'm not telling you how to run your operation, Mark. But you should be offering her the Moon. She's ready to sing. Fred probably thought he had you by the short hairs.

MT: I've read the transcript between Mrs Waterford and Naomi Putnam. By the way, Commander Putnam did not come up here to discuss trade - did he!

JL: We figured it was 50-50 you'd let him visit Fred. Which you did, so predictable. So 'democratic'.

MT: Well, it is my take that it was Naomi who'd spooked Serena.

JL: Let's just say that even an ignoramus like Fred could read between the lines of what Warren put to him. 'Thought and prayers', my ass. Fred and Serena had to redo their calculus when it was evident they were without patrons.

MT: Which reminds me. Apologies for asking - why are you still alive?

JL: Lucky I guess.

MT: I'm thinking it is more to do with patronage. Help me out here.

JL: Would you believe, I'm alive because of my own artful maneuvering?

MT: Seriously Joseph. Just with what Osborne has said, don't they put even Commanders like you on the Wall? Like Deeds? Best I can figure, it's Blaine who's on your side.

JL: Certainly doesn't hurt.

MT: Ok, never mind. I've gone off script.

JL: You guys keep missing things. The biggest thing you miss is believing that women here have no power. You think we've legislated women out of existence. Truth is that power cannot be harnessed that way - it always accumulates at the crevices. You stamp it down here, it pops up over there.

MT: What are you talking about? The Aunts? You once told me, and I quote, 'you don't fuck with the Aunts'.

JL: Ergo, your question. Why am I alive? Hell, why am I now directing Gilead's military response to your lame adventures? You probably think I set the commandos to go get June.

MT: You've dodged a lot, especially considering your connection to Angel's Flight.

JL: God, I hate that term. You realize that about 50 of those kids are now pining for Gilead. As we speak. That's all that accomplished.

MT: Ok. I have to go. What do you want done with the four commandos?

JL: Keep them.

MT: Doesn't that send the wrong message to your military? 'Don't leave anyone in the field', that sort of thing?

JL: Yet it is you who are evil incarnate. Not us. By the way, how's the weather in Fairbanks this time of year?

MT: Ok, I guess we really are done. We'll talk.

JL: I don't get out a lot these days, and you're my main man, Mark.

MT: Goodbye, Commander Lawrence.