Chapter 87 – The Briefing

Entralink – Capital of Pokémon Nation…

In situations of great danger, the security protocols required an emergency session of the Executive Council, informally known as the Cabinet, to be called. A meeting of all of the Government Ministers who would receive briefings and make decisions to be signed off on by the Governor General.

Such a meeting had not been called.

Instead, the people meeting was referred to in the media as the gang of four; The Prime Minister, Deputy, and Treasurer, Attorney-General and Home Secretary. A suite of ever more drastic emergency measures had been passed by parliament following the villain incidents in Geosenge Town, Orre and Mossdeep City vesting more and more power in Prime Minister Dracaena Tabuu. She had taken to governing with only her four closest advisors, reducing the rest of the Cabinet to little more than executives carrying out the Prime Minister's whims with little discretion over their portfolios.

The meeting wasn't even taking place in the cabinet room. Instead, the Prime Minister would summon her advisors to her office, way up in the tallest tower of the Entralink Castle, from where the government ruled. Around a small mahogany table, where briefing papers were neatly folded beside a tea set and refreshments, the fate of the Seven Nations would be decided.

"As you can see, the Halberd is positioned here, about twenty thousand feet above the Aether Paradise facility. Team Plasma's Frigate has positioned itself here about a kilometre away. The immediate area, about a radius of five kilometres, is surrounded by a forcefield generated from the Halberd itself. Nothing can get in our out."

That was Commander Hux, a pale red-haired man dressed in a Black military uniform. The commander of the Sub-Space Army assigned to brief the Prime Minister and her colleagues on the situation. A holographic display was protected onto the table showing the positions of the flying vessels and the very large floating structure miles away in Alola.

"At this stage, we do not believe there is a threat to the local population."

The holographic projections shrank to enable a map of the entire Alola region; all four islands, to be displayed on the table. The Halberd, Frigate and Aether Paradise now seemed like specs compared to the massive islands that rose from the mahogany ocean.

"The distance is too great. Even the Halberd's main cannon cannot reach that far, and our intelligence suggests there isn't enough power on the vessel to use it even if it could."

"Counter measures are underway I take it," barked a woman sitting at the left side of the table. Tall and dark haired this was Julia Dragaro, the Deputy to the Prime Minister and one of Tabuu's closest allies. She had come within a whisper of losing her position in a cabinet reshuffle mere months ago after failing to take a threat from Cipher in the Orre region seriously. The experience had not humbled her, and she tried to dominate the general and the meeting.

"The military doesn't have a permanent installation in Alola," said Hux. "A destroyer has been dispatched from Hoenn, but it's still a few hours away."

"Hmmp….A few hours," Julia repeated disapprovingly, her nostrils flaring.

Hux pursed his lips but said nothing. He had been warned about dealing with politicians. Her role was simple. Explain the situations, explain the options, outline the best option, get instructions to proceed and get out. The briefing would be carried out just like any other military operation.

"Surely there are other options," said Kristina Kochanski. She was the woman on the right side of the table. Attorney-General and another close confidant of the Prime Minister, but someone who did not get along with Dragaro. She made no attempt to hide the intense look of dislike on her face. "Some type of long ranged attack."

"Ummm…" Hux seemed uncertain, and he looked to the head of the table."

"They have all been security briefed. They know about the project. You may speak freely about it, commander."

Dracaena Tabuu. Prime Minister of Pokémon, appointed after the fall of Vanessa Shinobu and re-elected in a landslide after the short-lived Ninja Government. Tall, dark, and formidable, she resembled Iris of the Village of Dragons. Indeed, Tabuu had been born and grown up in the village herself and now served as it's elected member of Parliament. Like Iris she had a long thick hair, which she wore behind her, tied with neat gold bands.

"R-right," stuttered Hux. "It is possible that the device could break through the forcefield and destroy the device, but there are complications. For a start it, it cannot be controlled. It would likely destroy the Aether Foundation as well and could possibly trigger a tsunami, though it's unlikely to be sufficient to cause any serious damage. However, there are a number of civilians who were still in Aether Paradise at the time of the attack, and who have been captured by Team Rocket. A strike with the Ultimate Weapon would take them out as well."

"Civilians," questioned Julia. "Who are we talking about exactly. Employees of the Aether Foundation."

"Mostly yes, but…"

"Well then," said Julia folding her arms on the table. She lent closer to Tabuu. "Prime Minster, as regrettable as it may appear, it would be my view that a rapid and decisive strike against Team Rocket would not only end the situation but send a powerful message to terrorists. That, in my view, would outweigh the costs of the loss of civilian lives. As terrible as that might be. The Aether Foundation can compensate the families. Arceus knows they have enough money. Politically it would show the public we are serious about protecting them and enforcing the law."

"If you would let me finish," Hux said a little louder. Finally, he had worked up the courage to stand up to Julia, if just a little. "The president of the foundation also appears to be caught up in the situation, as are four trainers. One of whom is the president's son."

"Oh." Julia raised her eyebrows. "Well, in that case there can be no question of a weapon strike. Prime Minister, as unpalatable as it seems, perhaps we should treat this as a hostage situation and try and negotiate with Team Rocket. At least until we can secure the release of the President and her family." She kept a straight face, seemingly unabashed by her sudden change in position. "It would be difficult to spin killing.

Tabuu glanced at her, stony faced before her eyes fell back on Hux. "Have Team Rocket indicated what they want yet."

Hux shook his head. "No ma'am, we have not received any communication from them and no demands."

Tabuu nodded, before her eyes side down to Kristina Kochanski, who opened a fila fax in front of her and shifted though an assortment of briefing papers.

"The briefing I've received from Interpol indicate that Team Rocket was interested in the Blinding One. It's an Alolan legend about an apparent powerful creature that had the power to steal the light of the sun. Like most myths it is believed to refer to a legendary Pokémon of some sort, but it's unclear what exactly."

"Does it even exist," asked Julia.

Kristina sighed but bit back the retort she was longing to throw at her. "Team Rocket wouldn't have gone to the risk and effort to steal an experimental aircraft if they didn't have a solid conviction that their target was a real legendary Pokémon. They're out to take over the world and they play the long game."

Having nothing to say to that, Julia changed the topic. "I suppose then the most important question now is. How did Team Rocket even acquire the Halberd in the first place. For what I understand it was top secret."

"Surely that is a question for after the crisis has averted," said Kristina, barely able to keep the contempt out of her voice at this point.

"And with all due respect, report have already been provided to the Prime Minister's office about this," explained Hux. "It was rouge air officer named Elle Hoshino. Her personnel file showed she had some difficulties with authority and a big problem with men. She had been stood down as a pilot after an incident in a bar and wanted revenge. Team Rocket found a way to communicate with her. As far as we can tell, and extensive training reviews were performed after the incident, Team Rocket has not infiltrated the miliary. Instead, they managed to find the engineer who designed the infinite energy system."

"That's the same system the Centurion Spacecraft and the Ultimate Weapon," Tabuu added. "The use of Pokémon aura or life energy as a power source."

"How much does the public know about this?" asked Julia.

"The military managed to keep the incident with the Halberd out of the press," barked Tabuu. Her eyes flashed as she spoke. "Very few knew about it. It's highly classified. Beyond even most of the cabinet is completely unaware. Of the members of parliament, only those gathered here were made aware of its existence. We can keep a lid on the press, that is the least of my concerns. I have considered this situation and the advice of the miliary and this council."

There was brief murmur of laughter from the other three women present at that.

"Commander. Give the order to prepare the weapon for a strike. It will need time to be primed, which will give the opportunity to consider other options and communicate with Team Rocket. We may be able to threaten a resolution to this mess. If worse comes to the worst however, then I agree with my deputies initial advice. The consequences of technology such as the Halberd remaining in the wrongs outweigh the cost of those trainers lives. We have choice but to destroy the vessel."

[Pokémon]

"I confess I'm losing confidence in Julia," the Prime Minister mused bitterly. "She has the twin qualities of sycophancy and domination. Did you see her tying to take over the meeting and dominate Commander Hux like that."

It was several hours after the briefing and Dracaena Tabuu and Kristina Kochanski stood alone in the high tower. Tumblers filled with the finest whiskey Unova had to offer sat on the desk beside a stack of papers an elegant glass flask. Dracaena had her back to Kristina, looking out of the window at the city below. A maze of glass and steel in the shadow of the castle.

"I'm considering another reshuffle. Remind the rest of the ministry who is in charge here. And I would like you to serve as Deputy."

Kristina blinked. She had expecting something like this for a while now. Division within Cabinet made an excellent opportunity to advance for some, but she had to play her cards right. Even if Dracaena was an old friend.

"I would be honoured to serve, Prime Minster, but I can't comment on Julia."

"Oh, you don't have to be diplomatic here," said Dracaena. She turned away from the window to face Kristina. "The next few months will be critical politically. The fallout from the Alolan attack will need to be handled with the utmost delicacy if we are to turn it to political advantage. But the imminent conclusion of the Aether investigation is a more prescient matter. I need people I can trust in my inner circle. Not a brown noser playing by her own rules."

Not wishing to be drawn into criticism of her colleague, Kristina simply replied, "As I said Prime Minister, I would be honoured to serve."

Dracaena pursed her lips as she picked up one of the tumblers and gestured to Kristina to do the same. "Now, Dunbar's investigation. The Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs is due to meet at the end of the month and they will want an interim report. That report will be sealed, not available to the public nor anyone outside of the investigation. My informants tell me that there are some damning allegations about the Aether Foundation to be released, inculpating the President herself. Involvements in Pokémon experimentation in the Unova Region. Can you advise further."

"The Special counsel is an independent office created by the committee," replied Kristina. "Heather Dunbar has the power to use law enforcement resource but doesn't share her findings with Interpol. However, from what the department is aware of, it appears that there were multiple competing conspiracies to influence the outcome of planning and environment litigation in Unova. It relates to a clan of Sneasel and Weavile in the Giant Chasm, who were decimated by a Darkrai from Sinnoh. There are two critical witnesses are an ex-Aether Foundation scientist and a Charmander who was experimented on."

Dracaena took a sip from her Tumbler. "So, Shadow the Darkrai and Pyre the Charmander makes another appearance in this tale. I think I am familiar with that case too. Has Dunbar been able to find anything that would incriminate my office?"

"No, no collusion," said Kristina. "At least nothing that would stick in court. There's likely to be talk of an obstruction charge if the report alleges Interpol was asked to hold off on investigating Lusamine two years ago, when reports of a homicidal Darkrai first started appearing."

"Shouldn't be too hard to address that," said Dracaena. "If the report comes out leaving us relatively unscathed, I will publicly announce a full investigation into Lusamine and her foundation. Then we hunker down and ride out the storm. That is, of course, she survives the battle in Alola. Ha." She laughed darkly, before draining the contents of her tumbler and setting it down.

Kristina took a sip of hers and said nothing.

Dracaena continued. "So, the only question then remains, is how much Heather Dunbar know about Type: Null?"

Kristina frowned. "From what I can tell, probably not much. The investigation only has one source on the inside of the Foundation, a scientist named Lyte who they've managed to flip. But he wasn't at the foundation at the time and won't have any direct information. If she knows anything at all, Dunbar will press for a continuation of the terms of reference and further funding to investigate."

"Which we'll push back on," said Dracaena. "Remind the Pokkén tournament senators to whom their loyalties lie, divide the Ninjas, and quash Raichu Paw. We'll continue to message that it's an opposition witch hunt, while distancing ourselves from the Foundation." She picked up the flask to pour its golden-brown liquid into her tumbler. "Now then. May I offer you another drink?