The Jandel Triangle

[Desertfox]

Phoenix, March 30th 1919

Ta Herangi was in a good mood. The Polynesian Independence movement was progressing smoothly and without a hitch. The dreaded SSS was supposedly in shambles due to internal infighting, and the short Swiss Civil War had helped destroy many of the files the Swiss had on Polynesian activists. It wouldn't be long before the Swiss would fall once and for all and the Maori would rule the Pacific.

A quick glance behind him and a stop in front of a store, convinced Herangi that he was not being followed. Now to stop in a drug store for a quick purchase and then on to the meeting. 

Unfortunately for Herangi, he would never realize his fatal mistake, for the SSS had returned. At an alley, just a block from the safe house where the meeting was to be conducted, two masked men knifed him.

His decapitated body was deposited on the street, and S carved in his back. His head, ina paper bag, delivered to the front step of the safe house...

[Desertfox]

SSS Headquarters Phoenix, April 2nd, 1919


"Lieutenant Gessler, did you or did you not sell state secrets to the Maori?"

"I did not."

"Lieutenant, do you know this man? (lieutenant visibly pales), Ah I see that you do."

"I did no such thing, you can not prove anything!"

"I don't have to. Do you know how the Muslims deal with robbers...? You'll soon find out. Sergent, make sure this man is properly instructed in Muslim law, and while your at it brand him with a T, and toss him into the street. Oh, here is the address of his girlfriend, some Polynesian whore. Burn it down, but make sure she is inside, and make sure everyone knows why."

"You can't do this!!! Not her! Where are my rights!"

"Maybe you'll think twice before stealing secrets again... Bon voyage."

[Desertfox]

Phoenix, April 3rd


Phoenix Daily Star


"The latest shooting of two men in broad daylight brings the recent murder spree to six. All are rumored to be associated with the Maorian sponsored Polynesian Independence Movement. No one has claimed responsibility for this shooting, but only one organization uses the silenced Tommy guns used in the drive-by."

***

"In other news today, the top Maorian diplomat in New Switzerland has been arrested and charged for Child Abuse and Sexual Assault of a pair of twelve year old girls."

[Desertfox]

Offices Southern Cross Shipping Line, April 4th


"Mr. de Viger, we have received reports that you have worked before smuggling Maorian agents into the country."

"Lies! All lies!"

"Take a look at this picture. Is that your ship? And this one, isn't that you talking to a man we are watching carefully? I'm sorry to say this, but your company has just been liquidated, don't bother going to the bank, all your assets have been taken care of. Don't bother going home either, your family will be meeting you here soon, with what you are allowed to keep. Oh by the way, there is an opening in the factory just down the street. Good luck."

[Valles]

April 4, 1919
2919 Zurich Lane
Phoenix, New Switzerland

Rangi Nome had never thought of himself as a particularly heroic sort of person. Even his name was about as generic as you'd ever find. Sure, he worked as a spy - or a clerk for spies - but the head of the Swiss Secret Service had been a canny, suspicious old coot who knew there was more to be gained in careful watchfulness than in open confrontation, so, despite his lack of cover, the odds of something really drastic happening weren't particularly great.

But that was then, and this was now.

The new SSS head, Isard, seemed to be cut from a different cloth - a believer in the virtues of fear... and knives.

Rangi and his fellow clerks had drawn straws... then divvied up the suicide capsules and burned their record carefully.

Short straw, Rangi, stayed behind while the others tried to fade away. He'd bought a Thompson with his own money, not so long ago, and it lay beside him with a box of magazines as he struggled into the steel helmet and breastplate. The doors were locked and barred by braced desks shoved against them.

They'd kill him eventually, of course - but not easily, and not alone.

Since when was he a hero, anyway?

[Valles]

(All right, what's the right approach, then? We do, after all, have edit buttons.)

[Desertfox]

First part's fine. Just tell what your guys are doing, and I'll tell you how the Swiss would react.

[Valles]

(*Edits last post*

(Basically, once it becomes clear that the SSS has the knives out, the Maori will start pulling out, quietly if possible and via armed 'ninja' squads if not, every agent - naturally theirs or 'turned' - that they think might have been compromised, along with any dependents. The network, after all, can be rebuilt, but the trust that the Maori Information Directorate will do its utter damndest to take care of its agents can't be. Dirty Dozen style jailbreaks are a distinct likelihood, come to that...

(And the entire extraction operation, including any needed violent bits, will have been set up redundantly before the rest of the network - so it'll have the tightest security and the smoothest operations out of all the Maori's professional intelligence work)

[Desertfox]

April 10th


"What's the situation?"

"We spooked them bad. An entire network was dismantled and all the agents fled or went into hiding. A few from other networks were also pulled."

"Knee jerk reaction?"

"Yes, but they did have good contingency plans, and they will be a lot more nervous now."

"How long for them to rebuild?"

"No idea, but with the other networks still in place,  could be less than a year."

"Still we have dealt them a blow, and they have to start from scratch. See if we can get a mole in."

"Will do."

"Do you have your target for next month?"

"Yes, execution scheduled for May 1st. It's one of the ones we don't watch closely."

"Excellent. Most excellent."



***


Ad in the Armed Forces newspapers:

We know who you are, you who has sold state secrets abroad. Surrender now and cooperate with the SSS and you and you're family will be spared. If not, their blood will be on what used to be your hand... Choose wisely or pay the price.