It had taken a while to prepare, but it was worth it. With Yukkirian support, enough planning, and enough diverted resources, the hammer of the interim government came crashing down on the rioters, rather than being another nail in the deathblow of a state. The siege around the Cardonian Embassy, its participants weary from not making much progress the past few months, were unprepared for Royal Vanguard units silently cutting off infrastructure points within New Torress, using the riotiers' own barricades to divide and conquer. Subways were simpler to secure, the trains being able to block the tunnels sufficiently enough that only a lite guard was needed to cut off communications and supplies. Bands of looters became groups of thieves, and then pockets of resistance that were quickly arrested, dividing the hardline protesters with from those who were there for support. In a matter of hours, New Torress was stable again.
With the head of the riots cut off, the tension would slowly die down in Port Irene, New Cortheas, and the Seran Citadel. It wasn’t a foreign occupation after all, and with the entire affair being kept in-house, as it were, talk of Cardonian imperialism began to die down. It didn’t stop completely however, with protests continuing against Terrabis’s northern ally, making any attempt for Cardonian action in the nation a more difficult prospect. Any unrest outside the cities would quickly and quietly fade into the background, as garrison patrols reasserted themselves under the watchful eyes of the Navy. Citizens would get back to their lives, satisfied in the thought that at least they had made their feelings heard.
Through it all, the lockdown would end, allowing Helena Winters to go to a proper hospital to take care of their at least month-old child (which replaces the major news headlines for a few days), and allow others to relax and relieve tension.
Tension that would hopefully not return, when the elections began.
