Between the Wars

[circusmaster]

Who: George Smiley and John Watson
When: Backdated to March 6th
Where: A bustling little cafe in sector 4
Summary: Smiley has found another English serviceman in the Port. Not entirely the same, but he hopes to get some updates on his country's history since his home time.
Warnings: None that I can think of at the moment.

Smiley doesn't order much. He never does at places like this, or at least places that resembled this in his time. The coffee shop's styrofoam cups and plastic lids are a change from just a ceramic teacup as he was used to, but at least the steam can't get out and fog his glasses. No one around him takes much notice of him aside from the barista. It's clear she expects him to give a bad tip with the sour look she'd had when she handed him his drink.

That's not much worth his notice, however. Smiley just quietly waits for the army captain he spoke with to arrive. Everyone said how the Cold War was over, how Russia was free, but no one explained it to him fully. Hopefully John could give him the details he needed; not only a factual background but an idea of what public opinion was like in this bizarre now. An answer, ultimately, what became of Britain as the Empire was already lost and even prosperity was shrinking into nothing.

Comments

[acclimatized]

On a whole, John hasn't had many positive experiences with the secret service from his London. Whenever he looked over his shoulder and noticed a sleek black car was stalking him, he'd always climb inside with resignation and prepare himself for another confrontation. Meetings like the ones Mycroft Holmes organized were always beyond his control and John hated it.

But this was the first time he was going to a meeting with someone from the secret service of his own volition. Because of this, Smiley doesn't have to wait very long for John to arrive and he looks around the coffee shop for him. He's fallen back into old, familiar patterns after their conversation yesterday and it's easy to spot the militaristic demeanour to anyone really looking.

[circusmaster]

Smiley's SIS was not so easily equipped as Mycroft's; he couldn't think of the last time he'd seen a proper Black Maria, not since the war. But just as easily recognizable was a soldier's stature, and John carried that in spades when he walked through the cafe door. They hadn't exchanged names, and Smiley didn't want to bring attention to himself, so he wondered briefly how to let the man know where to sit.

Within a few seconds, John gets a text. Alone. Glasses. Though Smiley still wasn't used to this little chunk of plastic they called a phone, the texting option had proved very useful.

[acclimatized]

It's a good thing too because when he receives his text, he was about to tap some bloke on the shoulder engrossed in his kindle. He reaches into his pocket instead and wisely veers away after he reads it, crossing the café and joining Smiley at his table. He nods in greeting as he pulls out a chair and sits down.

[circusmaster]

Smiley returns the nod and sets his coffee down on the table.

"I hope this wasn't too out of your way, captain." He pushes his glasses back in place on his nose. "I apologize for not catching your name beforehand."

[acclimatized]

"No, it's fine. My flat is just, uh... well pretty close by." That'll do for now. He looks around again and it seems like the barista isn't in any hurry to take his order, but they have introductions to exchange anyway. "John Watson."

[circusmaster]

If the name sounds familiar, he gives no outward indication of knowing this.

"George Smiley. Good to be in common company, Captain Watson."

He doesn't sound thrilled, but he's mostly sincere. It's hard for Smiley to sound excited about anything.

"So you mentioned Afghanistan."

[acclimatized]

John doesn't pay much heed to the lack of enthusiasm from the other man as they exchange pleasantries. He's used to dealing with people more indifferent than Smiley and his head bobs down again.

"Likewise." He wets his lips and prepares to go over his military history. "And yes, I did. I completed a couple of tours over there, up until 2011."

[circusmaster]

Smiley considers some of the facts he's already gathered in addition to John's claims.

"So I can assume they aren't a Soviet territory in the future. Someone mentioned that they're Russia again, without a war happening. But there had to be something after 1973."

[acclimatized]

"That's... yeah, sort of. It all got a bit messy towards the end of the seventies." John purses his lips together thoughtfully. "War broke out in 1979, with the Mujahideen versus Russian and DRA troops... but they always claimed Amin and the government had invited them and it wasn't an invasion."

[circusmaster]

Smiley's look becomes pensive as John speaks. Border disputes. Those were expected back in his time, but at least they were held off for a while.

"Was there any Western bloc intervention on the Afghanis' behalf? I can't imagine the UN was pleased with that."

[acclimatized]

"Nope, not really. The UN condemned the invasion about a month after it happened, but Russia vetoed the withdrawal of their troops at a security council."

[circusmaster]

Smiley snorts softly at that. The UN's pussyfooting is what kept him and most of his department employed. Clearly that wasn't going to change.

"And that drained Russia's resources for the eighties, I'm guessing. They were already on poor footing economically." He frowns. "And our involvement? If there was any." Smiley has his doubts.

[acclimatized]

Doubts that John confirms with just a simple shake of his head; there had been scarcely any involvement on their end. "Yep. Soviet forces left Afghanistan by... uh, 1989? And they went into an economic recession and the people just... fought it out amongst themselves."

[circusmaster]

"What about the Commonwealth?"

John looks well dressed enough and speaks not too plainly; at the very least they'd maintained first world status. That was something of a comfort, but it's not enough.

"What kept us occupied in the eighties? And why Afghanistan so much later?"

[acclimatized]

"The Falklands crisis... and milk snatcher Thatcher mostly. Most of the developed world was in the middle of an economic global recession." John has vague memories about that period, even if he didn't understand most of it at the time.

"We... uh, the US and UK forces invaded after a series of terrorist strikes against America; some of the worst in history."

[circusmaster]

Smiley frowns. The Education Secretary?

"Margaret Thatcher as PM. And she got us in military conflict." That's certainly-- unexpected. As for America, less so. It was the price of rising to the top of the pile. But bad enough for Britain to help? Smiley makes mental notes to dig into all this at the library later.

"How much experience did you have?"

[acclimatized]

"She's not too popular these days." That's putting it mildly, John thinks to himself. "I trained at Barts for my medical degree, and then joined the army."