"...coming to you live..."
Thursday."...from the border between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, here's Toby Briggs."
[ The newscaster is British, blond, shaped like a beanpole, and he's dressed just like you would expect a foreign correspondent would be. He gives off the air of being entirely uncomfortable with his surroundings, and he begins talking, the little desert village behind him coming alive on-camera. ]
"Well, Diana, there appears to have been an intervention of sorts in the villages that populate the Amu Darya river states in Uzbekistan. There have been unconfirmed rumours of humanitarian aid to the region in the form of farming supplies, water, and other such items, but none of the predominant relief agencies have stepped forward to claim credit for this intervention. What is somewhat troubling is the fact that the president of the Uzbek state has yet to release an official statement, but given the tight grip the government there has on the media, it is hardly surprising.
"Unfortunately, we were unable to investigate the situation first-hand due to relations with Uzbekistan, but our information points to a military response to the aid, which may or may not have been repelled. Again, whoever is behind this has yet to reveal themselves.
"We will continue to monitor the situation as closely as possible, and report back as soon as we find more information. From Kazakhstan, I'm Toby Briggs..."
Friday.
"Hello, I'm Toby Briggs. The situation in Kazakhstan appears to be intensifying, with explosions visible even across the mountainous terrain in this region. While the Kazakh military does not appear to be using any tanks or other vehicular support, the signature smell and smoke from mortars dots the skyline.
"Inexplicably, there appear to be shimmering... well, forcefields in place protecting the villages in the Amu Darya region, as well as what can only be described as human-shaped streaks of fire. Locals claim that those streaks and the person responsible for this are one-in-the-same, but this information is clearly not reliable. That the damage can only be massive, but until we receive word from Kazakhstan itself or our other sources, we cannot know for sure.
"One thing that is certain is that we will keep you updated as the situation continues to unfold here. Until then, I am Toby Briggs, signing off..."
Saturday.
"...there seems to have been a momentary cease-fire called in Kazakhstan today, as the president broadcasted a notice to that effect earlier today.
[ Toby Briggs pauses as he presses a hand to his earpiece, listening carefully before continuing. He looks surprised, to say the least. ]
"We... have just received word that the individual responsible for the attacks has negotiated with the President behind closed doors. The entire region surrounding the capital is under his or her control, and the counter-attacks against the Kazakh military have been incredibly successful, to the point where the leader had no choice other than to give in to the demands made. According to our sources, this person, likely metahuman, demanded partial control over the government, and that the Kazakh government vow to cleanse their less-than-stellar human rights record.
"Whether a retaliation from the Taliban or other prominent insurgent group is in the future obviously remains to be seen. Only time will tell in this obviously-delicate balance of power.
"From Uzbekistan, this has been Toby Briggs."
[ OOC: Related to Xavin's Desire!plot. Mod-approved. Xavin won't be responding & this is back-dated to appropriate dates because of semi-hiatus. YOU DID NOT SEE ALL THOSE EDITS, EITHER but I'm done now, promise. ]