resolution of conflict’.” He scoffed. “Peaceful, my foot. There isn’t a peaceful bone in your body, nor will there ever be. We know you better than that, or at least I do.” He leaned over the table. “Either this is a trick, or you’re not Galika Lukanol at all.”
‘The gullible fool.’ Lukanol wanted to grin with triumph. Everything was going according to plan, and Lucama was playing right into his hands without even knowing it. But he managed to maintain the façade, standing slowly with a look of resignation on his face. “Very well, Dario. I didn’t expect you to believe it anyway. But it is me, and this is no trick. I’m only interested in the common good here, and I would like to say we all are.”
He looked at all of them in turn, seemingly imploring them to agree, but in truth gauging their reactions. “For a hundred years we have lived in peace, and we have certainly prospered from it. But now we stand on the brink of conflict once again. Our people are looking to us to resolve these issues here and now. They fear a new war, and who can blame them? War is a travesty. And while I am no pacifist, as my colleague Dario so tactfully pointed out, neither do I wish to see my home fall. I only want the best for our people.”
The others stared at him incredulously, hardly daring to believe that such words could come from his mouth. He saw hope blossoming on the faces of many of them, and a few of the more bold delegates nodded and murmured in agreement.
Dario, however, was not convinced. “Words, Lukanol. Empty words that have already been spouted dozens of times for weeks. You cry for peace and the good of the people, but do you really care? And besides, this world is already a utopia. You said as much yourself.”
Lukanol fixed the tiger in his fierce stare. “It was before you took advantage of the rest of us.” He looked around him at the gathering. “Still, that doesn’t mean we all have to stoop to bickering like children. Can’t we all just make an attempt at diplomacy and peace? Why must we fight over the mines, when we could share the wealth?”
Lucama just shook his head and laughed. “Really, Lukanol. If this is the best case you can make, I think you have exhausted your arguments.” He smiled haughtily. “And in any case, there is no point in negotiating. The mines are ours now, and ours they shall stay. I have no intention of dividing them up. If you have nothing else to bring forth, there’s no further point to this meeting.”
‘Got him,’ Lukanol shouted in his head. Dario had taken the bait; now to spring the trap. “Truthfully I’d hoped it wouldn’t come to this,” he lied. With a flourish, he slid the portfolio he had carried in across the table to Dario. The tiger picked it up warily and opened it, scanning the pages with suspicion. But as he read, his expression changed to one of shock, and his eyes grew wide as he gaped like a beached fish.
“That is the bill I am putting forward,” Lukanol said calmly. “I am calling for the Tigers to completely release their hold on the mines in the territories of the other races, with immediate effect. This is your last chance, Dario. Surrender those territories within the next forty-eight hours. If not…”
He shook his head as though a great burden weighed him down. The other delegates waited anxiously for him to speak again. The entire room went still. No-one moved, no-one spoke, and the sounds of their breaths seemed impossibly loud.
At last, Lukanol lifted his head and looked at the tiger. His eyes seemed to blaze like fire, and Dario froze under the force of his gaze. “If not, and if all other efforts have failed, then we shall declare your defiance an act of war, and shall respond accordingly.”
A gasp reverberated through the room, but Galika remained unflinching. He stared at Dario, waiting for the tiger’s response. Once again he feared that the other feline would break form and acquiesce. ‘Come on, you fool!’ he screamed in his mind. ‘Don’t let that greed of yours fail you now!’
Dario finally seemed to gather his thoughts, though he was quite obviously intimidated. “You… can’t do this.” He shook his head and seemed to grow more confident. “You have no right to declare open war, Lukanol! It won’t stand!”
“Oh, but I have every right. You have invaded the territories of other races, seized control of resources outside of your jurisdiction, and now refuse to see reason. And who knows what is next? If you were bold enough to take control of mines in the territories of others, what is to stop you from expanding your reach?”
Pulling out a small remote, he pressed a series of buttons, activating a holo-projector. A string of text appeared in midair, rotating slowly. With a few more clicks, Galika had highlighted and enlarged a region of text.
“This message was sent just a few days before your seizure of the mines. The sender ID belongs to Dawila Kothapi, grandson of the Tiger’s leading general during the war with Cunia. The swiftness with which you took control of those deposits seemed suspicious, so I decided to search for any record of preparations necessary for such an invasion.”
He began to read. “‘Preparations proceeding smoothly. Weapons and ammunition have been procured, and a force is ready for the command. We expect no resistance when we move in.’”
Galika switched off the projector, and the image vanished. “Now, if that’s not preparations for at least a battle, I’m not sure what is.”
Lucama opened his mouth as if to speak, but only managed a strangled whine. His eyes flitted around the room, watching as all the other delegates turned to face him.
Ezrachi Saticol stood, his eyes narrowing with rage. “How could you?” the cheetah asked, incredulous. As usual, Galika had to suppress the urge to wince at the annoyingly-high tone of the other feline’s voice. “You were willing to jeopardize our unity for your own personal gain? You’ve betrayed us all!” The others rose to their feet, clamoring in anger and accusation.
For a moment Dario glanced around him, looking like a rabbit cornered by hounds. But then, he seemed to grow calmer. He glared at the other delegates, his eyes flashing dangerously. “You had to go poking where you didn’t belong. In truth, I had fully intended to simply keep control of the mines, nothing more. But apparently there is a law against trying to make a simple profit. Whether you wanted a war or not no longer matters.” He slid the portfolio across the table to Galika, along with a withering stare. “War it is.”
No sooner had he finished than the whole room seemed to explode. Everyone began talking and shouting at once, leaping to their feet and hurling accusations at the Tiger’s leader. Hoping for a quick exit, Dario motioned for his assistants and made for the door. The other delegates tried to stop him, and for a moment there was a struggle as those nearest threw themselves in his path. However, Dario simply pushed them aside, bowling over the smaller representatives and clearing a path for the door.
With Dario gone, the remaining delegates quickly began to turn on each other. Accusations were tossed about, and soon blows began to be exchanged. The officers stepped forward to halt the violence, but were simply drawn into the fighting as fists flew and claws flashed. Through it all, only one feline remained calm: Galika Lukanol. A sense of immense satisfaction had filled him, and he struggled to contain the grin he could feel fighting to get free. ‘The last piece falls into place. Now the game begins.’
Within hours, the media was screaming out the news; ‘War Declared’, ‘Distrust Takes Hold’, ‘World Holds Breath for First Move.’ The hammer had fallen, and now all that everyone could do was wait.
For Matakh, it was a crushing blow. With the first report he could feel something in him break, all of the hope he had been clinging to replaced with crushing despair. Tearing his eyes away from the
