Author Notes:
Ayy~! Honestly, this RM chapter is a bit of a chill one, imo. There's not really much to go on, other than future-proofing, honestly.
That said, this should also lay the groundwork for Volume 5, a volume that is decisively less volatile and explosive than Volume 4... Maybe.
... Maybe.
Anyway, here's to a happy new month! Thank you so much for once again accompanying my Mom and I, dear Patrons and Readers~! I wish you all a great day and a great reading experience!
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OBOM Visual Guide:
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The DMZ Park Rangers are the people who run the security gamut for the vast European Natural Reserve that is more or less a tourism and research park featuring Jurassic-era and ancient, if not mystical, creatures. Just from the DMZ, Demilitarized Zone, part of their name, one can understand that the Park Rangers aren't exactly a military force. They can best be likened to a Self-defense Force, but more often than not, they act as a specialized police force that aids the regular DMZ police in safeguarding the prized specimens of the European Natural Reserve from poachers and other volatile subjects. This means that it's indeed odd that the Park Rangers are seen anywhere but their Ranger Stations or animal holding pens.
Yet, here they are, greeting one of, if not the most hated, governmental bodies in Europe currently, the Revolutionary Command Council. Tales of their racist supremacist doctrine and the deplorable actions they took to enforce it have spread far and wide. For Josip Broz, who introduced himself as Tito, it would be unwise of him to associate with these biased Polish councilmen. It will no doubt bring a bad reputation for the rest of the Park Rangers and the larger DMZ as a whole. More than that, it will risk the very existence of the DMZ, which is supposed to be neutral and impartial toward any political movement worldwide.
Now, you may be wondering, what's the deal with the DMZ and the European Natural Reserve? The latter is exactly what it sounds like: a site that hosts a great many rare, endangered species in the hope of appreciating them, learning more about them, and recovering their dwindled populations.
However, it has to be noted that the idea of a European Natural Reserve comes about in a more humanitarian manner. The tumultuous Balkan region was hit hard in the Ragnarok event, causing a great many people to be displaced and lose their jobs. The environment of the Balkans also went through a major shift, making it unsuitable for agricultural development. No doubt, a great many people in the Balkans would starve if they stayed. Refugees would go on to swarm the nations that were still recovering from the just-finished Great War if the issue was left unresolved. To prevent such an outcome, and to protect their hard-earned nationality, the Belkan Reich convened the leaders of Europe to help create the European Natural Reserve, centering on the protection and preservation of the precious environment and wildlife that may or may not be native to Europe. Of the many species that would go on to be included in the natural reserve, many of which were rare, endangered, previously thought to be extinct, and even magical species that the Reich donated from their holdings inside the World Tree. Some magical animals, in particular, featured terraforming effects on the landscape around them. A few of which were, of course, suggested by the Reich as a method to help reclaim and recover the battered land of the Balkan region.
The leaders of Europe at the time seized the opportunity, if only to lessen the chronic burden of a possible Balkan refugee tide that would overwhelm their currently fragile economy. Soon enough, with or without the agreement of the then-ineffective governing bodies of the Balkans, the European Natural Reserve was formed, and a collective effort was made by many nations to both tame the unruly land and people of the region. Cracked soils soon turned arable, dead forest soon turned green, and the scarce and malnourished wildlife of the Balkans back then was replaced by massive dinosaurs, mystifying peacocks, and strong, ancient bulls whose species once fought the heroes of a bygone Greek era. Of course, that's not to say there aren't any normal animals in the DMZ of now, but they're more of a sideshow and for self-sustaining.
With the formation of the European Natural Reserve, the once badly affected people of the Balkans started to recover, finding new jobs, income, and most importantly, food sources, whether this was from relief packages or from a successfully raised cow after a couple of years had passed. However, the European Natural Reserve soon presented itself as a money-making machine and a wealth of knowledge waiting to be uncovered. Should a single nation manage to seize control of the European Natural Reserve, it would no doubt infringe on the interests of a great many others who contributed manpower, money, and even their sovereignities. So, yet another convention of leaders was made, this time to decide on the ownership of the European Natural Reserve.
Long story short, after a few brawls between politicians, it was decided that the European Natural Reserve belonged to no one; that it should be made a separate entity of its own. Whether by hook or by crook or by sheer populace pressure, a few nations were dissolved to expand the European Natural Reserve even further, making it a territory that shares its borders with Belka, Polania, and Rusviet. With the acquired lands and wealth of manpower and resources, the condition was ripe to elevate the European Natural Reserve into a completely neutral entity on the geopolitical stage, and thus the Demilitarized Zone was born.
True to its name and nature, the DMZ will never have a standing military force, only a policing one to uphold the laws, protect the people, and the assets that go on to be more than just money-making attractions. Additionally, the DMZ runs in a democratic manner, with a council formed between people holding key positions in the DMZ, like the Chief Director of Healthcare, Chief Researcher, Chief Manager of Tourism, and so on... Tito, while being the Commander of the DMZ Park Rangers, is also a Chief of Security and naturally has a seat in the council of the DMZ. It goes without saying that the council of the DMZ conducts itself a lot more upstandingly than the Revolutionary Command Council of the Polanian regime.
Still, now that little history lesson about the DMZ and the European Natural Reserve is done, let's continue with whatever is going on in this strange, clandestine meeting.
Tito receives the Revolutionary Command Council without much fanfare. He really can't provide a performance band when this whole meeting is supposed to be kept away from prying eyes. Meeting the Revolutionary Command Council in person, maintaining a faux cordial state with its Chairman, is already raising enough red flags as is. Should his trusted men fail to keep potential nosy people out of the way, Tito losing his status as a Chief of Security would be the last of his concerns. Even if he survives the DMZ council's punishment, he won't be able to get past the people that prompted him to conduct this reception anyway.
When Tito sends the Polanian Chairman, Jankowski, and his motley group of snobbist councilmen that can't wait to spend a few days touring and enjoying the attractions of the European Natural Reserve, away back to their vehicles, he is then approached by the Captain of the mercenary group that protects the Polanians.
"May I call you Mister Tito?" The Captain greets Tito in a voice that he identifies as a straight-A American.
"Just Tito is fine." Tito says, accepting the smoke that the American Captain casually offers.
"Then you can call me Jack, Jack of Garm Company. You think we will be able to see... What was it called again...? Ah, yes. You think we will be able to see a Micropachycephalosaurus Hongtuyanensis grazing in the wild?" The Captain asks a seemingly casual question while lighting up the cigarette in Tito's hand with a matchstick.
Tito, hearing the question, immediately recalls something, thus linking the keywords in Jack's question to an entity that is affiliated with them both.
"I am impressed that you can say the full binomial in one go, Jack. However, I think you are mistaken. There's no dinosaur here with a binomial of Micropachycephalosaurus Hongtuyanensis, at least not that we know of." Tito chuckles before bringing the cigarette up to his mouth, making a subtle glance around to ensure that their next conversation won't be heard by anyone else. "I am also impressed that you could make it this far without much of a scratch, Jack."
"Let's just say I owe a drink to the group that gave me the directions I need. Though I sure as hell don't even know their real names, nor where to find them." Jack says with a wry smile.
Tito gives Jack's shoulder a pat before turning to the side, waving for a Ranger to start leading the mercenary convoy to go ahead. Tito says as the rumbles of engines start to be heard all around them.
"I will share something I learned from my dealings with them, Jack. Consider this a gesture of friendship as we may cross paths later on."
"And that is?"
"ONI works in mysterious ways." Tito replies to Jack's curiosity. "But they most certainly are working on the winning side of things. If they tell you to jump, you jump. If you really have to ask questions, then ask the smart ones, not the ones that will land you in unmarked graves."
"Duly noted." Jack nods, taking the advice to heart, given what he has managed to glimpse from the Reich's intelligence agency. "Should I hazard a guess that the very graves you mentioned are reserved for the unknowing councilmen going on ahead of us?"
The question was asked when the vehicles carrying the Revolutionary Command Council just drove by them.
Tito, hearing it, replies simply. "Oh no, it's much worse. Graves are usually for when one has bodies that need burying. Once we're done with them, there won't be anything left recognizable to conduct a burial rite."
"And I think that's enough of an answer, and I need not ask anything else." Jack smiles disarmingly at that, raising both his hands in surrender.
But then Jack notices the gun in Tito's waist holster. Whistling, he says.
"Damn, that's a nice piece of iron you have there."
Tito looks down, smiling proudly as he rests his fingers on the cold metal of the revolver by his waist.
"Believe it or not, I got this from a poacher that ran the Rangers afoul way back. The bastard got a real good shot that nearly ended me before I could ram him with my car. Got a hold of this piece of iron when it went through my windshield at speed. From my research, it's a Colt Single Action Army, which you Americans should be well familiar with."
"Damn straight it is." Jack replies with a smirk. "As a matter of fact, I have been thinking of getting one myself, ever since the popularity of revolvers is on the rise, thanks to the new emerging crime syndicate in South America."
"South America?" Tito raises an eyebrow at the term. "Haven't heard anything about that place in a while. What's going on over there?"
"Honestly?" Jack replies with a scratch of his head. "I don't really know how to describe the whole shuffle there, but it's weird. There's this crime syndicate in Brazil, based around Fordlandia of all places, who have managed to effectively wrest control from the hands of the Brazilian government. The crime syndicate then goes on to form a dictatorship, with its boss lady being made President for life. Funny thing is, the criminals here are actually the honorable sorts, at least more so than the former Brazilian government, so the dictatorship and the President lady enjoy a lot of popular support. And since the new President of Brazil is a connoisseur of fine revolvers..."
Jack chuckles wryly. "The decision is made to adopt revolvers as Brazil's official service pistol, right after adjusting the nation's policy to better cater to the welfare of the Brazilian people. Understandably, Colt and other companies that are well adept in crafting good revolvers jump at the opportunity for a potential long-term contract with the new Brazilian government. They don't care if the current President has ties to an actual criminal organization or not."
Tito falls silent after hearing the regaled tale. As Jack said, it's weird, albeit possibly a dramatic one given how criminals managed to sit in the presidential seat.
"And what of the other nations? How were their reactions to this shuffle?" Tito finally asks after a moment.
"Confused, at best." Jack shrugs. "Though I heard that Mexico and Argentina ain't liking the power shuffle. But Brazil, for now, seems to enjoy some goodwill from the USA and Belka, so I don't think anyone would dare touch them, at least not yet. As for why Brazil is on good terms with the two superpowers, I think it's because the new government opened up access to the rich Amazon jungle in exchange for cheaper imports. But I could be wrong on that front; I only heard it from my boys in the trench."
"Wait, do you think ONI has anything to do with this?" Jack suddenly realizes a very frightening possibility after he answered Tito's query. "I mean, it's ONI we're talking about."
Hearing that, Tito's brain stalls before he shakily raises a finger to his mouth. "We never have this conversation, for both our sakes."
Jack agrees immediately with a forceful nod before changing the topic.
"Come on, let's not keep my boys and the Polanians waiting."