From Victoria With Love
The following is based on true events. Names have been changed to protect participants' identities.
Issue date: 11/26/09 Section: Stranded
06/11/2009
1700 Eastern Standard Time
43°40'00.70" N
79°23'24.60" W
Somewhere in St. Michael's College
The Objective: By order of the Victorian Intelligence Agency (VIA), gain access to the top secret meeting of a hostile major campus political club, and manipulate their electoral proceedings in our favour.
The Agents: Ms. Strawberry Fields, a rookie fresh out of the academy, and myself, Agent 0042, a three year veteran of the Agency.
Preparations: Some days in advance, Ms. Fields used her female wiles to ensnare a top executive (code-name Stephen) of the target club, in order to gain entrance. Pretending to be a film and English student, she not untruthfully convinced him of her political na'veté. Stephen invited Ms. Fields to the club meeting to vote for him, as he perceived her to be an easily manipulated voter. But Ms. Fields simultaneously persuaded Stephen to let her run in the elections and he agreed to support her candidacy.
Mission Log: The afternoon of the meeting, Ms. Fields brings me along to manipulate political proceedings. Stephen greets us, believing he is simply bringing in two extra votes to guarantee his own electoral victory: the VIA has other plans.
To mask my political credentials, I am severely under-dressed; whereas others are wearing formal attire and even suits, I sport track pants and a t-shirt, claiming to have just finished a yoga lesson. My disguise a success, the club ignores us and becomes embroiled in political debate over campus issues which I covertly attempt to explain to Ms. Fields, though with little success. Meanwhile, we sign in and announce Ms. Fields's candidacy in the elections, though not without some measure of shock, especially when her purported film and English focus is revealed.
Having tapped into Stephen's phone communication grid, we witness him texting his supporters to vote for Ms. Fields; our plan seems to be going off swimmingly. However, we have not reckoned on the obstinacy of Stephen's opponents within the club, who demand a speech from each candidate. Ms. Fields begins an attempt to bluff her way through, but fortunately our wooing of Stephen pays off; he intercedes, claiming he had told her there would be no speech required, but vouching for her interest in the club. Meanwhile, I begin to grow wary of the tension between the two factions, although the vote proceeds smoothly and discussion falls back into more mundane campus issues.
Then a real crisis strikes after votes have been cast; a member of the opposing faction directly challenges Fields' right to run, citing from memory electoral procedure in the club's constitution. After hurried whispers and negotiations with his supporters and rivals, Stephen again proves his worth by heading off this debate. In response to these challenges, Ms. Fields unleashes her charm to distract her detractors, and deliberation returns to the recent initiatives of rival political groups and possibilities for expansion of their own movement.
However, it soon becomes apparent that Ms. Fields is turning up the charm too much, particularly seeing how, among a score of club members, only one besides herself is a woman. As some club members stare openly at her, others even begin to pass around a box of Tic-Tacs in excitement. Unfortunately it later becomes apparent that this is not enough, and the deep political rift between the two camps has only briefly subsided. It bursts forth once again when two new club members arrive - Stephen warns us "they are my enemies."
I want to flee before open conflict erupts and the situation becomes FUBAR, but I can't risk blowing our cover. And, thank Gooch, an avenue of escape is presented by Stephen himself; he warns us to "get out of here, now" and, upon further inquiries, to "just go now." It seems that he too senses the rising tension, and our cover of na'veté has paid off once again; Ms. Fields improvises admirably, implying that we have another engagement to attend, and so we return to VIA headquarters unscathed.
After Action Report: The mission was a complete success, with infiltration achieved and no casualties. Lack of an exit strategy was resolved through divine intervention, and reconnaissance indicates that Ms. Fields was indeed successful in obtaining electoral victory with Stephen none the wiser. However, it is an indicator of how fortunate we were that an enormous fight did indeed erupt when electoral results were announced, just after we had made our escape.
VIA Headquarters
150 Charles Street West
Rob '0042' Rubbini
1700 Eastern Standard Time
43°40'00.70" N
79°23'24.60" W
Somewhere in St. Michael's College
The Objective: By order of the Victorian Intelligence Agency (VIA), gain access to the top secret meeting of a hostile major campus political club, and manipulate their electoral proceedings in our favour.
The Agents: Ms. Strawberry Fields, a rookie fresh out of the academy, and myself, Agent 0042, a three year veteran of the Agency.
Preparations: Some days in advance, Ms. Fields used her female wiles to ensnare a top executive (code-name Stephen) of the target club, in order to gain entrance. Pretending to be a film and English student, she not untruthfully convinced him of her political na'veté. Stephen invited Ms. Fields to the club meeting to vote for him, as he perceived her to be an easily manipulated voter. But Ms. Fields simultaneously persuaded Stephen to let her run in the elections and he agreed to support her candidacy.
Mission Log: The afternoon of the meeting, Ms. Fields brings me along to manipulate political proceedings. Stephen greets us, believing he is simply bringing in two extra votes to guarantee his own electoral victory: the VIA has other plans.
To mask my political credentials, I am severely under-dressed; whereas others are wearing formal attire and even suits, I sport track pants and a t-shirt, claiming to have just finished a yoga lesson. My disguise a success, the club ignores us and becomes embroiled in political debate over campus issues which I covertly attempt to explain to Ms. Fields, though with little success. Meanwhile, we sign in and announce Ms. Fields's candidacy in the elections, though not without some measure of shock, especially when her purported film and English focus is revealed.
Having tapped into Stephen's phone communication grid, we witness him texting his supporters to vote for Ms. Fields; our plan seems to be going off swimmingly. However, we have not reckoned on the obstinacy of Stephen's opponents within the club, who demand a speech from each candidate. Ms. Fields begins an attempt to bluff her way through, but fortunately our wooing of Stephen pays off; he intercedes, claiming he had told her there would be no speech required, but vouching for her interest in the club. Meanwhile, I begin to grow wary of the tension between the two factions, although the vote proceeds smoothly and discussion falls back into more mundane campus issues.
Then a real crisis strikes after votes have been cast; a member of the opposing faction directly challenges Fields' right to run, citing from memory electoral procedure in the club's constitution. After hurried whispers and negotiations with his supporters and rivals, Stephen again proves his worth by heading off this debate. In response to these challenges, Ms. Fields unleashes her charm to distract her detractors, and deliberation returns to the recent initiatives of rival political groups and possibilities for expansion of their own movement.
However, it soon becomes apparent that Ms. Fields is turning up the charm too much, particularly seeing how, among a score of club members, only one besides herself is a woman. As some club members stare openly at her, others even begin to pass around a box of Tic-Tacs in excitement. Unfortunately it later becomes apparent that this is not enough, and the deep political rift between the two camps has only briefly subsided. It bursts forth once again when two new club members arrive - Stephen warns us "they are my enemies."
I want to flee before open conflict erupts and the situation becomes FUBAR, but I can't risk blowing our cover. And, thank Gooch, an avenue of escape is presented by Stephen himself; he warns us to "get out of here, now" and, upon further inquiries, to "just go now." It seems that he too senses the rising tension, and our cover of na'veté has paid off once again; Ms. Fields improvises admirably, implying that we have another engagement to attend, and so we return to VIA headquarters unscathed.
After Action Report: The mission was a complete success, with infiltration achieved and no casualties. Lack of an exit strategy was resolved through divine intervention, and reconnaissance indicates that Ms. Fields was indeed successful in obtaining electoral victory with Stephen none the wiser. However, it is an indicator of how fortunate we were that an enormous fight did indeed erupt when electoral results were announced, just after we had made our escape.
VIA Headquarters
150 Charles Street West
Rob '0042' Rubbini
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