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Part 35 - Fracture

(Alexei)

"Good gods," Nathan gasped, his voice exiting Alexei's headset via the old computer he'd set up in the corner of his sparsely furnished, green-walled bedroom. "You should see this."

"What?"

"A video I've found about the protests there. It was broadcast on TV a little earlier this evening."

"Another?" he queried, an edge of despair to his words.

"This one's from a news channel here in Linvendia. A pretty big one, too."

Alexei gave his furrowed brow a quick, exasperated rub, not wishing for it to be seen via the webcam. "This is the first time we have spoken in over a week... only the third time since you left." Nathan remained silent, sat within a living room that technology helped to make seem closeby, rather than on the other side of an ocean. Whether this proved to be a blessing or a curse, Alexei couldn't tell. "I am sorry... it is not that I do not care, far from it. It is just..."

"No, I know... I didn't really plan on spending the whole evening sharing links with you, either."

"Hey, no," he mumbled sadly at the sight of his husky's hanging head. "...It is okay."

"Really?"

Alexei smiled, doing all he could to help lift the mood. "Come, shall we watch?"

"Last one, promise," came the reply, far perkier than the last. "We'll watch it from the beginning together."

They pressed play in unison, watching a leopard news anchor introduce her evening news show.

"...This evening, I'm joined by our foreign affairs correspondent, Justin Knowles, reporting to us live from the Velikan capital, Zelengorod. Justin, good evening."

"Good evening, Anthea," answered the well-groomed, red-furred weasel; his voice uncharacteristically deep for a member of his species.

"Justin, a lot's being made here in Linvendia, and indeed across the entire Polcian continent, of the protests taking place there in Velika. What can you tell us about this latest spate of unrest?"

City traffic bustled behind the reporter, both the streetlights and those of the surrounding buildings illuminating the street corner he stood up. "Well, Anthea, peaceful protests against companies associated with Polcia are nothing new here in Velika. In fact, there was a time when they might have struggled to make the news here. Over the last two or three months however, the steady rise in the number of these demonstrations is becoming news in itself, especially here in Polcian districts such as this."

"Is it possible to speculate what has led to this increase, Justin? Is it simply a question of there being a greater number of Velikans unhappy with a Polcian presence there?"

"Not necessarily. While the number of protests has grown, it has only been by a modest amount. What's really noticeable however is not only their frequency, but also the intensity of the demonstrations here in the capital, and other large cities..."

Alexei scratched at the fur of his neck, the idea of increased aggression towards Polcians here in his homeland an unsettling one. 'Why have they not reported this in our news yet?' He waited for a reaction from Nathan, who'd simply remained silent and continued watching.

"...You'll no doubt remember the protests that marred the opening of Vostia Industries' joint Polcian-Velikan manufacturing facility two months ago. Dozens of police officers and civilians alike ended up hospitalised when elements within the protester group sparked violent clashes. A real fear here is that these scenes will become the norm."

"So why this rise in anger?" the anchor queried. "Why are pockets of the Velikan public so up in arms?"

"The belief here is that a lot of it boils down to comments made over the past few months by Velikan president, Dmitry Tatrenko, in which he promised to foster even closer ties with the nations of Polcia."

"Surely that's a positive thing?"

The weasel gave a firm nod. "On the face of it, yes, it is. Mr. Tatrenko's outlook on transoceanic relations have been generally well-received in Velika's larger cities. In saying that however, there are those, particularly in rural and less-affluent areas of the country, that see this as yet more attention and funding being directed away from themselves and their mounting issues.

"Would you say there's a chance these dissenting voices could grow further?" The concern in the leopard anchor's voice upped a level. "Could they prove a threat to President Tatrenko and his Free Democratic Party in the elections scheduled for next year?"

"That's certainly an opinion that's gathering momentum here, Anthea. Opposition parties, the highly-nationalist Velikan Progress Union in particular, are citing this as an example of the government willfully putting its citizens' interests behind their need to chase wealth. The VPU, traditionally a minority party, but one whose support numbers are steadily swelling, are quick to point out growing disparity between rich and poor. They state that under the current leadership, whose focus is on 'Polcian business interests', this disparity will only increase..."

"The VPU," Nathan rumbled. "That's the group Yuri and his friends have a hard on for."

"Yes. They are... were... considered a joke party."

"Seems like people are treating them a lot more seriously now."

"Still only a small number. They are like the fourth or fifth biggest party in Velika. They hold no power."

Nathan hesitated with a reply, his gentle breathing blowing through Alexei's headset. "You think it'll be the same story this time next year?"

"...I hope so."

They turned back to the video upon hearing the news anchor's next question: "What of recent reports coming out of Velika that these protests are also sparking threats towards Polcians themselves?"

"These are the rumours, yes," the reporter confirmed. "The VPU have been one of the biggest instigators of unrest in recent years, but they have been quick to distance themselves from this latest suggestion they support violence towards Polcians. Those living here however suggest it's not an incredible leap of logic to connect the party, and the rise in nationalist feeling, to the rumours of violent threats."

"Rumours," Nathan scoffed. "What happened to your shop isn't a rumour, nor's their abduction of me."

Alexei's ears folded, only his headphones stopping them from lying completely flat. He thought back to the fire's aftermath, back to his bed inside the ambulance. The smell of smoke and the tightness in his chest returned, as did the sound of Yuri's incensed rant as he found himself being carried off into police custody.

'It is not just me who feels this way!... People like me will take a stand, because no-one else will! The VPU will be in power one day...'

At the time, Alexei had brushed those words off as belonging to an unbalanced, sadistic thug. Disturbingly, a little over a month on, Yuri's prophecy appeared far more grounded in reality than it did that night.

"Hey!" Nathan yelped, "I know this guy!"

Alexei refocused on his monitor. "You do?" He watched as a pre-recorded interview with a Polcian otter played out on screen, the streets behind him heaving with fellow residents under day's light.

"Yeah! His name's Chris. I met him on the ferry on my way to visit you."

"I only moved here from Andrera a month and a half ago with my family. Things started out great; my job's good and my colleagues, Velikan and Polcian, are very welcoming."

"How have things been lately?" Asked the weasel from off-camera, "Have you noticed a change?"

"Definitely. Over the last two or three weeks, there's been a lot more talk here in the district about the protests happening around the country. There's also been talk of some Polcians getting threatened, attacked even."

"Really, attacked?"

"Yeah, sure. I've not met anyone who's seen, heard or experienced anything, but it's been hard to miss the extra security presence on the train line into the city centre, as well as in the city itself. Some say it's precaution, but..."

"Do you feel safe here in Zelengorod?"

"...Honestly, it's all a little unsettling. As much as there's opportunities here, and the majority of Velikans have been fantastic to me and my family... we're seriously considering whether having a plan to head home might be a good idea."

"Poor guy," Nathan muttered. "He's got nothing to go back to in Andrera. Things must be getting bad for him to be thinking like that."

Alexei's ears flicked down all over again. "This... I hate what is happening here... even if it is a minority." He reached through the gap in the back of his chair to adjust his tail, easing the discomfort as it began wrapping and tucking itself sorrowfully. "I'm not sure if it is because I pay more attention now, but it feels like things are worse since you have returned to Polcia."

"Same here." Nathan dipped his muzzle, setting Alexei's heart breaking with the thought that he could no longer reach out to comfort him. "I certainly never noticed videos like this before, but in this last month or so since getting back... I've seen more than I can ever remember seeing at any other point in the past."

"It makes me wonder how much is really being done to fight this. Yuri is locked up, yes, but people like that fox and bear, they are still able to roam, even after all this time..."

"So, the police haven't caught up to them yet?"

"No... Yuri did not talk, and the police... They have had no success in finding them, even with Erik's statement." Alexei rumbled an intense growl before adding, "Useless."

Nathan didn't reply, his dipping ears the only response forthcoming.

"They are free to threaten like the rest of this fucking anti-Polcian group, and that _is_what they are, no matter what they call themselves... I hate what they did to you... to us."

"I hate it too, hon," Nathan finally answered. "I especially hate what you're having to go through because of it. I hate that all the problems they've caused have made it so difficult for us to talk together regularly now."

"I agree." Alexei looked down despondently. 'I wish Nate was here with me... but how can a Polcian live here with all these troubles... how could he... we--'

A loud sigh rattled through the wolf's headset, startling him out of his thoughtful trance. "How've things been for you there, Alex?"

He looked up to the screen, finding Nathan's small, sweet smile shining back at him. "My grandfather has been... difficult." Alexei quickly glanced over his shoulder, checking that the old, oak wood door on the other side of his room remained closed. Other than his husky, the biggest loss he'd experienced in these last few weeks had been his sense of privacy. "All he speaks of is the shop. Every day, he speaks of the plan to rebuild, he speaks of how soon it will be before we can reopen."

"Wait... You don't want to?"

He met the surprised response with an awkward twitch of his lips. "No... Yes... I do not know."

"I see." Nathan balanced his voice, no doubt picking up on the topic's sensitivity. "I thought the shop... It was your pride and joy."

"This is correct... It was." Alexei began fidgeting in his seat. He'd yet to divulge his feelings on the matter to anyone. 'If I cannot say this to Nate, who can I say it to?'

"And now?"

"Now... I do not know if I have the will to start again."

"Does your grandfather know how you feel?"

Alexei shook his head vigorously. "He would never understand." He chose not to wait for an answer, taking the opportunity to divert the conversation away from himself. "How is work going?

"Work," Nathan answered with a scoffed sigh. "It's going fantastic."

Alexei cringed a little at the sarcasm, guilty at turning the focus onto his husky's troubles to hide his own. "You told me you had problems, because you came here. What are they to do? I really hope you will not be punished."

Met with silence, Alexei considered telling him not to worry about answering. Before he got the chance to, Nathan unclasped his paws and looked back to the camera. "Remember I told you about the grilling I got from my boss on the first day back over lying about going to Velika?"

"Yes."

"Well, I wound up in a formal meeting over the whole thing the week after. Richard was there again, so was Peter, the head of Personnel." Nathan unleashed a threatening growl before continuing on. "I fucking hate that fox, making it all formal like this. After all, if it wasn't for his personal views, his issues, I'd have never needed to lie about where I was going in the first place!"

Meekly, Alexei filled the break in the rant. "What did you say?"

"As much as part of me wanted to jump out my seat, point a finger and scream at him for being a sizeist prick... Really, there was nothing I could say; he'd nailed me. Just like in the first meeting, I had to sit there and take what I had coming to me.

"And... What was the result?"

"The result?" Nathan snarled. "An official warning for misconduct."

"A warning? For going on vacation?"

"I know! I can't fucking believe they managed to make it stick... I tell you, if it weren't for Richard's views, and probably the views of a good number of the older generation in my company, it probably wouldn't have!"

"By the stars. I'm sorry to hear this, Nate. I really am." The heartache at not being able to reach out and cuddle his little husky panged all over again. "What does this mean now?"

"It means..." Nathan's voice lost its intensity, desperation replacing rage. "One more step outta line in the next six months, and I'll be up in front of a disciplinary hearing. In my boss's words, that means they'd 'review my employment within the company'."

"They would fire you!?"

"If I screw up and get in trouble again, it sure seems like it!"

"If you do not mind me saying, Nate, your company is terrible."

"Mind!? I encourage it!" Nathan chuckled briefly. "They're ungrateful, slave-driving, sizeist pricks."

"Since this meeting, what has happened?"

"I've done my best to stay out of trouble." His frown of annoyance returned, prompting Alexei to wish he'd never asked the question. "I'll tell you something though, even with that bastard Richard riding me extra hard, I've done the bare minimum of work. Starting early and finishing late? Fuck that."

Their conversation stuttered to a halt, giving Alexei the chance to remember the video he'd left playing at half-volume in the background. He closed it quickly and turned his attention back to the visibly dejected husky sitting alone in his apartment. "This sounds reasonable, given what has happened. They do not deserve your best efforts."

"You're telling me."

"Is there not a person you can speak with? It sounds to me that you have been treated very unfairly." Alexei stroked his chin thoughtfully, desperate to do something, anything to help. "Is there a union?"

"No unions here," Nathan grunted. "Not for my kind of work at least. There are government advice centres... stuff like that."

"You will go to one? You will see if you can get your company punished?"

"I could..."

"...But?"

"I don't know," he groaned, running a paw back and forth through the sandy blond fur atop his head. "Part of me wants to get that fucking fox back for this, but another part... I just don't think I have have the energy... the will." Nathan gave a heavy sigh, focusing his eyes directly at his webcam. "I just... I feel empty, like everything in the world's turned to grey and nothing really matters anymore."

"Oh, Nate." Alexei bit his lip, unable to resist reaching out to touch his partner's image. Nathan's words had resonated so closely to his own feelings that it was as if he'd spoken for the both of them. "It seems that things are not going well... in Velika, or Polcia."

"No..." Nathan appeared to move his paw to own his screen in response. "It doesn't."

"Nate?"

"Yeah?"

Alexei stroked his finger down the side of his husky's face, the warmth of the monitor offering up a poor imitation of the real thing. "I miss you so very much."

"Me too... Every single day."