Kabundakan envoy lands in Faktorien.

Faktorien AFB looked still battered by the fighting, whit the shell holes in the runway hastily repaired and the semidemolished hangars.

The maritime bomber rolled past a rearming H.U.E.N.H. ground attack squadron, and stopped on the side of a jeep, with some Kahlawian paratroopers standing in front of it. The major in command nodded to the pilot, and the plane's hatch opened. The paras stepped forward, waiting for the Kabundakan to exit the plane.

The Kabundakan envoy squeezes out of the 'plane, gasping under the weight of an oversized radio set. 'Agent Rosauro Binay, Kabundakan Intelligence, at your service. Where do I need to be?'

"Major Behzad Khachikian, 19th Parachute Brigade "Barq". You'll be escorted to General Bardeman location by me and my squad. It should be of much relief to you knowing that we have already set up a Kahlawian shortwave transmitter in the place, using unbroken diplomatical encription sistems, so you won't need to bring that heavy bag with you. You are free to leave it here."

'If you want to inspect it, fell free to do so; we aware of how sensitive this area is. Your device's encryption may very well be unbroken, but there's no equipment to decrypt in Kabundakan-so it's of absolutely no use to us.'

"As we speak, a similar device is being brought from our embassy in Hammaguitan to your government seat. Decryption will not be a problem. And anyway, I don't see the need to bring along an heavy, unserviceable equipment."

After saying these words, he aims his rifle and fires a single burst right in the radioset.

"Now, since we have setted this question, you'll be searched, blindfolded and brought to the meeting. Is it clear for you?"

'I do have one thing left to attend to, if you'll excuse me.' The agent pulls a tab on the machine, and it starts to make whirring noises and emit smoke.

"Admirable example of protection of secrets. Corporal, search him. All the items in your possession will be taken into custody in a safe here at Faktorien, or if you wish to destroy them. Then, as I said, you'll be blindfolded and brought along. Objections?"

'Lead on.'

The 5 kerbs take place on the jeep, Binay wearing a blind fold and earplugs. They travel for some 3 hours before stopping. When the blindfold is removed, he finds himself in the middle of some hills, in front of a mimetized bunker entrance. A shortwave antenna, mimetized too, can be seen on the top the hill.

Major Khachikian indicates the open door. "There is your man. Go in, we'll wait here."

Inside the bunker, after a short tunnel, Binay finds a room, with spartan but comfortable furniture, and a big armored door, visibly locked. On a table, there is a complete shortwave set, paper and pens, and a loudpeaker, that immediately starts talking.

"Good morning, Citizen Binay. I'm General Bardeman. I understand your government wants to speak to me. Go on please."

'Our government is interested in helping you, but we have a number of issues with... less subtle methods, as the Kahlawains have been doing. We are currently undergoing a major economic restructuring, and so have little cash or industry for military deployment; and our populace also has little taste for foreign intervention, particularly somewhere as distant and obscure as Segerline. Therefore, any help would have to be covert, technological, or both. We've been working on a number of things which may prove useful, but I've not been fully briefed on exactly what they are for security reasons-hence this thing.'
Binay starts fiddling with the settings of the shortwave set, and a booming voice issues from the loudspeaker; 'This is Kubandakan High Command. Identify yourself.'

"I'm General Bardeman, the A.S.A. guide. Nice to meet you citizen, even in this strange way. What is this help of yours about?"

'Don't get your hopes up too high, nothing is operational yet. As I'm sure Agent Binay will have told you, our resources are currently limited; we have to prioritise. Given you're the boots on the ground in this case, we decided it would be best for you to have an input into this prioritisation. So, we have three projects in the works that could help you; which do you want to see first?
They are;

TAGAPIGA; a device to take and return useful intelligence images from outside of the atmosphere-and so beyond possibility of interception, at least without significant advancement in missile technology.

PANGHUKAY; a long-distance, high-speed anti-shipping missiles; potentially able to take out heavy Segerliniean or interventionist warships from outside firing distance.

PAMBUTAS; a class  of submarine with atomic-pile powerplants, intended to be retrofitted for PANGHUKAY; would prove useful for preventing supply shipments between islands'

"So, you are offering us these items for use in our war? Intelligence is not a problem for us, and the naval supremacy will be ours pretty soon."

'We can't say any more at this date, but-we wouldn't be so sure about either of those things.'

"Well, I don't see how you can know something about our future plans. Anyway, go ahead. Tell us something about those weapons of yours, and how yo you project to use them. And, mainly, tell us about what do you want from us for your help."

'What we want in terms of help is the replacement of the segerline government with one more open to international deals, mostly concerning trade-of course, you're doing this anyway. These weapons were ones we were already developing; if you genuinely fell you have no use for them, we don't have much further use for this meeting, although we thank you for your time and consideration.'

"Well, at the moment we don't need military help. We are pretty much fine with our current situation. What we'll appreciate is a purely economic help. You know, the Revolution may be based on ideals, but the world still wants vile money to buy cereals for our people!"

'As stated, we can't help much with that now thanks to the restructuring.. but we'll talk to the treasury department and see what they can do. If we're free to transfer millions of kerbits safely, we won't be needing meetings like these.'

"I see. Well, I guess that your decisions will arrive to us. Now, if you want to discuss something else..."

'That's all that we have to discuss. Thank you for your time.'

"And thank you for your help. Citizen Binay, it has been a pleasure. Sorry for all those strange procedures, but I hope you understand that security is a major concern for us. Goodbye."