#so like also don't ask me really complex questions about what's happening in Russia

[oreoambitions]

Someone asked me today to explain what's happening in Gaza, which I thought was a little odd since I'm by no means an expert in that region, but sure. I suppose I am the Adult Person Who Reads The News in the place where I work, so I figured I'd do my best and lead with "I'm not an expert in this, so I recommend you do some reading, but my understanding is-" And then the kid goes, "But I thought your specialty was the East." And I can understand how he got that impression bc I did a lot of explaining when the conflict started in Ukraine but my GUY. My specialty was Eastern EUROPE. Not the MIDDLE EAST oh my god I need to get you a map.

[brandtner]

hey ! I've been trying to study the yugoslavs war but it seems there is a lot of propaganda. You look like to know a lot about this so i was wondering if you could explain them if it's not too much ^^'. Was it just serbs vs croats/bosniaks or was it more complex, and was nato intervention really that bad or was it just to prevent a bigger mess in europe ? Also, if it isnt too personal, what is your view on these events as well as those of your ex-yugoslavs friends (if you have any, sure ^^").

Hello Anon, thanks for a great question.

First of all I think it's very important to know that information about any war is speculation. Real information regarding it's details are often only passed by word, among two country leaders for example. What really happens during a war comes out only afterwards (or might even never come out).

Was it just serbs vs croats/bosniaks or was it more complex[...]?

I wouldn't put it so simply as "Serbs vs Croats/Bosniaks".

Let me just mention before it all, that in 1992, all three of them signed an agreement in Lisbon, but after consulting with America Bosnia withdrew it's signature.

Both Serbs and Croats were trying to partition Bosnia. Republika Srpska wanted an autonomous part of Bosnia in the Yugoslav Serbia and Montenegro and Croats wanted a separate state of Herzeg-Bosnia. When Bosnian Serbs attacked (severely), Bosnia was a fresh independent country (recognized by the world) with no constitution or forces yet. They realise that even with Croatia on their side (like? They're allies but they fail whatever they do together and even fight against each other) they have no chances and they ask the West for help, they decline. Then they try to make this a religion war so they can get support from the muslim allies. They receive men from them, but that is not the problem for Bosniaks, they have a large army, but lack firearms. Then in 1993 it focuses on Croats vs Bosniaks, and ceasefire is soon achieved between them - Herzegovina comes into existence. The last two years are Bosniaks/UN vs Serbs.

With the other side supplied by the entire West, I think it's still a big achievement Serbia lasted that long and fought back the UN when they had no allies (except for intel from Greece, small amounts of unofficial volunteers from Russia, etc).

Now, I think it's important to clarify Serbia and RS - in 1991 Serbia wanted to prevent war and negotiated good conditions for RS with Sarajevo, but RS wouldn't agree on it. Sure Serbia later supported them in the war, but I think it is important to know they tried for peace in the first place. Of course it is hard to say if this war had not have happened if Serbia wouldn't have changed their constitution in 1989. I think it was inevitable.

[...]was nato intervention really that bad or was it just to prevent a bigger mess in europe ?

That war is an insult to Europe and they had to make a statement I guess.

Also, if it isnt too personal, what is your view on these events as well as those of your ex-yugoslavs friends?

It is absolutely devastating that in such age of free information people are still so misinformed about such simple things like there are no innocents during a war, that all three sides are guilty, or that the winner writes history. All sides did atrocious things, crime flourished during that time. War is mainly business.

For me that war is like any other war, but with more intrigues, balkan mannerisms, stupid (comedic) fails and gangsters (among other things), which is what makes it such an incredible story. I have already stopped studying it, but I still examine some pictures and watch an occasional video. I don't see how one could have an opinion on it, but reading about, for example, the invisible F-117 was extremely exciting for the teenage me. Otherwise I feel pity for the Serbs mostly, since I haven't heard any personal stories from other yugos.

Yugos do what you would expect them to do about any conflict: they blame everything on the other side, bring up terrible events unknown to the public that are probably made up. But I think it's okay, I experience that in my own national conflicts of the past - people tend to over blame the other side because they are hurt so bad. In the end you realise both sides did some unfair things, but naturally, you tend to forgive the one which is closer to your heart...

I have only spoken about it with my Serbian friends so I can't really give you an objective opinion. The thing is, even though I lean towards it, I am surely not Serbo-aligned, and any time I have asked them some detail about that war I immediately regretted it - I received never ending paragraphs of rambling about hidden wrong-doings of the neighbours and in the end it all came down to none other than, of course, Kosovo. Not all of them, of course, but mostly the older generation. Against popular belief, none of them say they are innocent or that those crimes didn't happen (although I have met some people who claimed some genocides were made-up).

One friend of mine was around 6 years old in 1991. He remembers that time fondly, albeit it was hard to live in a sanctioned Serbia, I ask him of his experiences and he tells me of... windbreakers. Remember that picture of Serbs laying on the beach, sunbathing, chilling by the river Sava, with the bridge bombarded in the distance? You know, it's a national thing, these people are very optimistic and don't like to worry. Worrying is for western people.

[guigz1-coldwar]

'Meeting friends' : New chapter for "Redemption in a Spirit in a Cold War" is out !

"Meeting friends"

Chapter Summary : As Yirina has discovered that Zasha was still alive and the mysterious source helping the MI5, it's time for Park to meet Yirina's friend......

To read it on AO3, click here !

Words : +3300

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It was Zasha all along......Zasha....my best friend, still alive after all these times, three years that I didn't see them as the last time I saw them was before I left them going away while me, I had to return back either to Russia or somewhere else as maybe asked by Perseus. Three years that I wasn't able to fullfill my promisi to protect them because an asshole decided it was better to left me in an lost place in the north of the USSR for dead instead of letting me live my life but fate....has changed almost everything today.

Realizing the day of my birthday that Zasha was in fact the mysterious MI5 source they called R. was something I never actually expected to happen, believing at first that it could have been anyone else from Perseus but it was my code that was used....a code that only me, Zasha & Portnova know well and if it was the MI5 who received the transmissions, it could have only been Zasha themselves since I know that they were going into England to join Dedov.....that never actually left the USSR....captured by Perseus and that letter in that memory where I recomfort Zed....it was an fake one. I have to fullfill my promise I kept years ago : protect my friends from Perseus.

I know it was going to be hard for me to see them again but I had no choice but to bring them back with me at my side to fight against Perseus. There's things that we couldn't have done together, things that I wasn't able to do too and it was time to catch up the lost time now that we found each other again.

"So, what now ?" Zasha asked as we both stepped out of the apartment complex in the street, with them behind me, still holding their personal bag where they have taken everything that they need and we need too.

"We're gonna join my friend and then, we're maybe gonna go back to West-Berlin." I replied, stopping myself to look at the direction where Park was awaiting for us to come back "You're sure that you want to go back there ?" They nodded to me at my question.

"By the irony, you're going to bring me back to the same city where you helped me escape." They added as we both start to walk on the sideway before getting next to an crosswalk, awaiting for the redlight to show up and to let us walk through the street. "Has the city changed in three years ?"

"Still the same." I scoffed about it, looking at the redlight. "I really want that someday, I will finally leave this city behind me and not going back." I added, making a little breath as the light goes to green, allowing us to walk on the crosswalk. "The MI6 safehouse we live in for the moment....it's the only good place there."

"Let's hope I will like it." Zasha exclaimed as we arrived on the other sidewalk from the street, next to the parking Park is waiting.

"They're making good coffee, I told you." I joked, making them laugh about it again before we had our feets on the parking and I could see Park standing next to the car, her door opened. "Park." I waved at her.

"Yirina." She said, staying at her position, smiling at me and also waving at me.

"I wasn't too long, right ?" She nodded to me as we were approaching the car, Zasha behind me and I could see that they were a little bit stressed to meet someone they didn't know. "Oh, Zasha, she's Helen Park, my partner." I looked at them as the two shook hands, winking at Park in an lovely way. It was like an slow and discreet way to show Zasha that me & Park is something.

"You must be the Zasha Smirnov that Yirina talked a lot about." Park presumed as the two finished to shake hands.

"Uhm....yes....miss Park..." They breathed, losing a little bit of their voice along the way. "It's a pleasure to meet you too."

"Oh, you can call me just Park." She expressed, smiling at them, to reassure them of her good intentions. "I think that's my turn to meet your friends, Yirina." She told me, referring that now, she was the one to meet my friends like I met hers more than a week ago.

"My friends....are your friends." I affirmed to her as she was passing her hand through the hair that was on her face before I start to walk behind the car with Zasha, opening the trunk for them. "So, where are we going now ?" I asked.

"I need to grab something at Century House and then, on our way to get to West-Berlin." She responded, moving to look at us as I was grabbing Zasha's bag to put it inside. "We should be arriving in the evening...maybe the beginning of the night." She then looked around us. "MI5 is going to call off the surveillance they put on Zasha."

"MI5 was watching me ?" Zasha raised an eyebrow at me, looking confused.

"Well, you didn't give your transmission in the usual way and with that, they were going to move to arrest 'Remi Baker'." I replied, making an silent laugh about it as it allowed me to see them again and to discover it was them behind that mysterious source. "By the way, thanks you for celebrating my birthday."  I then closed the trunk, looking at Zasha with an big smile, making an little tap on their shoulder.

"It was some sort of an tribute to you in case you were still alive." They explained as they moved to open the backdoor behind me.

"And finding you again....let's say it's like an big birthday present." I exclaimed as we got ourselves installed in our respectives seats : Park driving and me & Zasha at the passenger seats. "And to say that the day isn't finished." I whispered, looking at Park, smirking, causing her to laugh silently.

"You're right." She admitted before putting her seatbelt on. "Let's get going then." She started the car's engine and we were on our way back to Century House with Zasha.

It wasn't so far, like at almost 800 meters between Zasha's apartment in London and the MI6 headquarters in Century House and for that, we only had 2 minutes of driving to get at our destination. We arrived in the same underground parking like always but this time, Park decided to go alone at her office to retrieve what she needed and we didn't objected about it as she leave us alone, me & Zasha in the car, waiting for her to come back. I wasn't nervous anymore as I know that behind me, it was Zasha.

"Zed ?" I started after I could see Park in the elevator as its doors closed, talking in a low voice that they could hear.

"Yes ?" They said, having their attention, seeing them from the mirror.

"You remember that I told you that I did lose my memories for an while and I'm recovering them back ?" I asked and I saw them nodding through the mirror. "All of this happened because of an man called Russell Adler." I added.

"Wait." They redressed themselves to get their arms posed on my & Park's seats. "You said Russell Adler, right ?" At hearing them, I looked at them fully, surprised that they know that name.

"You know him ?" I questioned them, giving them an confused look.

"Yeah, an CIA agent that has been tracking Perseus since 1968 as far I can remember." They responded and by that, I was sort of jaw-dropped. "We saw his name in some documents that we decrypted at the end of the year 1978." They added with me, raising an eyebrow.

"Seriously ?" I whispered, not believing that I have discovered with Zasha, Adler's existence. "And....and did I have an opinion on him ?"

"To be honest, you were very curious and disgusted by the man by what he did." They continued, unwillingly describing my whole opinion on Russell Adler himself. "We did saw him in some operations that we had in the USSR back in our old Perseus days." My eyes went wide at hearing this.....did Adler knew me before all of this shit that happened to me ? "To maybe reassure you, he never saw us from upclose." I was now more looking relieved but still curious about if Adler knew about me.

"You may have learned that Stitch got his hands on him recently." I exclaimed, looking at them, having my arms on the seat. "And I'm trying to save the man who fucked my life....well, in fact, not for us for the moment."

"Really ?" They asked and honestly, I couldn't know if they were saying it on Adler's capture, the fact that we were trying to save him and the fact that we weren't going to work on him.  "You really have to save the guy who put you in an come ?" It was about saving Adler......

"Honestly, I would have let him like that....." I started, biting my lips and looking away from them. "But the only positive thing I can say about him is that if we don't have him, we all can start to speak fully russian." I added, sounding low about talking positively of Adler. "Even if we're both ex-Perseus, we can't actually fight alone."

"Yeah, I see what you mean." Zasha said, having their left hand on their chin, in an thinking mood "He's like the only man that can bring the fight to Perseus."

"Can say that." I breathed, joining my hands together and looking outside at the elevator. "For the moment, I'm working with Park to bring down Harry Stone."

"The ex-SAS soldier..." Zasha whispered. "You know, I have my eyes on him since some times." They added, revealing unintentionally to me that it was thanks to Zasha that we got the first mission on that warehouse that Stone had on West-Berlin. "I know that he was working with Perseus since a very long time and that the MI6 put her focus back on him."

"Yes, we're tracking him down and his arms trafficking since almost 2 weeks." I told them, looking at the mirror again before taking an deep breath, thinking od something important. "Listen...." I started, turning around to face Zasha. "Park has an long story....an very complicated one with Stone, he was her friend before and since she discovered the truth, Park is hating him so much." I bit the left part of my lips as I redressed myself, still facing Zasha. "There's things that you shouldn't talk with her.....only me can do it."

"I think I can't know ?" I shook my head to them.

"No and it's better, trust me." I affirmed to them as I finally looked in front of me again. "There's only one thing I can tell you." I started to smile, willing to talk about what I was thinking. "Me & Park, we're together in an romantic way." I could see them throught the mirror with wide eyes as I was keeping an smile on my way

"No way !" They peaked their head between the two seats, still with their wide eyes, looking at me. "You're telling me that you're in love."

"Why not ? Park is someone I can count on my life." I affirmed, proud of it as I saw the elevator's door getting opened, revealing Park with an little box in her hands. "She's the best I have met in my life." I added before Park arrived at her door, opening it.

"Wasn't too long ?" She asked as she handed me the box that I put behind my seat.

"Not at all." I replied, having finished as she was getting herself installed back on her seat before I decided to make a move, kissing her right on the left cheek and once I was done, I could see the blushing on her face and Zasha looking surprised.

"Been cheeky, are you, Yiri ?" She looked at me with big lovely eyes before she looked at Zasha, watching the whole scene.  "Oh....you....well, I think she told you."

"No, Zed figured it out by themselves." I said, giving an wink to Zasha, smiling, knowing that now, everybody in the car know.

"Well...." Park started to said, still blushing from my little kiss. "Time for us to go to West-Berlin." She started the car engine and before driving away, she put her eyes on Zasha. "You're ready, Zed ?" She asked and they nodded in approval before we drove off the place.

Frankly, I didn't expect that the feeling of having Park meeting Zasha was going to go very well and for me, it was so much good to see that happening : it was like my old world getting mixed with her own world and now, I was wondering about how it will happen in the future with Zasha in the team and how Garrett & Greta will see Zasha...hopefully good, I prefer. We left Century House to join the airport, taking an plane and going back to West-Berlin.

During the flight that lasted approximatively two hours, we didn't talk too much except about ourselves with Park learning more about my friendship with Zasha, talking about the memories I got back in my head and having their point of view on the spoken events as Park wasn't so willing to talk too much about herself, something I told Zasha about. It went quite well and it was very friendly with of course, me & Park exchanging lovely gazes to each other.

We arrived at West-Berlin in the evening, still at the Tempelhof Airport and each time I was going out of an plane in that place, I was like reseeing myself getting breathless during Park's rescue and we quickly got away from the airport with me, finally driving thanks to Park to the safehouse....because I know the path very well for that. We got there, at the safehouse 20 minutes after we stepped on the Berlinese soil.

"Zed, welcome to West-Berlin !" I exclaimed as I was walking with Zasha, their bag in their hands while Park was awaiting for us at the door. "It's time for us to get to work." I added as we arrived near Park who opened the front door.

"Garrett, Greta, we're here." Park almost said loudly as we entered the safehouse before we got into the living room. "Here you are !" She added as we were seeing Garrett & Greta having ordered some 'Burger Town' for themselves but also for us.

"Oh, Park, didn't hear you." Garrett scoffed about not having hear us, getting up from his couch to greet us. "Uhm....who are they ?" They asked, curious, seeing Zasha staying next to me.

"Garrett, they are my friend : Zasha Smirnov." I replied as Zasha was trembling, offering their hand to him. "They are going to work with us for the future." I added before the two finally shook hands, still seeing Zasha a bit nervous.

"Oh, well, the friends of my friends are my friends." He proclaimed, retaking the same words Garcia told me two days ago in Cuba, causing also Zasha to smile a little from it.

"It's a pleasure, sir !" Zasha breathed as I took their bags in my hands to put it at the place where we were putting ours before I could see Greta moving from her couch to walk to Zasha to shook hands as well.

"Hi, I'm Greta Keller, BND." Greta presented herself to Zasha, shaking hands with them.

"You can call me Garrett by the way and you can call her Greta." Garrett intervened with an smile, already seeing Zasha as an friend and frankly, it was good to see Zasha been accepted by Park's friends.

"Ok then." Zasha whispered to them before we all got installed in the couchs.

"So, now that you have returned, what's the next move ?" Greta asked to the three of us but mainly me & Park.

"Well....we're going to wait one more day until we can go to Moscow to try to talk with Portnova herself." I responded, looking at Zasha when I mentioned Portnova's name, seeing them having their eyes, sort of ashamed. "Unless we got something that will delay our travel here."

"About that..." Zasha started, resisting the urge to got up already from their seats. "I have something for us : have you heard of Sonya Kuzmin, an relative to Stitch ?" They asked to us and hearing that name, my eyes went wide and Zasha know that very well.

"Wait, they're in town ?" They nodded to me.

"Apparently, they are here to work with some Perseus contacts and maybe also Stone ones." They replied, crossing their arms as they started to look at the dashboard. "They're maybe an person of interest for us."

"So you think that we need to capture them before we got to Moscow ?" Garrett suggested and Zasha nodded slowly. "Mmhm, you got an point then, Zasha." He added with an smile.

"But it's kinda late to get ourselves to work...." Greta looked at her watch before putting her eyes back to us "Maybe we can start tomorrow, if you all want." We all nodded to her, apparently just wanting to have some rest now before we finally start to eat.

Park contacted them before she came back from her office, realizing why Garrett & Greta have bought more food than ever for them. Of course, the two didn't forget my birthday and decided to wish me happy birthday by surprise as I was drinking the soda they took for me, almost choking myself with it and I thanked them....not for almost having killed me with that of course.....

An hour passed and we were finished to eat where Zasha could finally verify my claim about the fact that the MI6 is having an lot of coffee in that safehouse and also that Park was making the best coffee and to say, Zasha was loving it by an lot. Garrett & Greta were the first one to go to sleep, having been trying to find any intels on Stone's operations in West-Berlin all day while us....well, we got an birthday to celebrate with Park and I found Zasha again.

"Aw shit..." Zasha yawned, putting their hands in front of their mouth as they were sit on the couch where Garrett & Greta were before while me & Park were together in our cocuh. "It has been an long day." They affirmed as they got up, stretching their arms.

"You're surely want to have some sleep, Zasha." Park exclaimed.

"Yeah, I might need that." They looked at us with an smile "Well, I guess that you two might need some private times together." They said, smirking.

"Oh....you're right." I told them with an big smile on my face, looking at Park, putting my hands on her lap "We have something that we couldn't finish today." I added, winking at Park again.

"If you wonder, there's an empty bedroom for you next to Greta's one just at the right of the top stairs." Park explained to Zasha as we're both got up from our couch.

"Thanks." Zasha smiled before they started to walk with their bag out of the living room. "Good night, Park.....good night, Yirina."

"Good night, Zasha !" Me & Park said in unison before they were out of the room, starting to get up the stairs.

"So...." Park started, getting her hand below my shirt and getting closer to me, having her right arm around my waist. "Where are we taking this ?" She asked me, referring to continue our little move that we start in her office

"Uhm...what if we took it in the car ?" I proposed to her, wanting to be alone and not to disturb the others with maybe our groans and our cries.

"Oh, follow me then !" She breathed, taking my hand as she start to walk away from the room with me as well, taking the car keys with her before we left the house to get to the car. We got inside, installing ourselves in the backseats and then, at the second we got in, that we jumped in each other for an kiss. "Yiri !" Park whispered to me as we broke the kiss to take some air.

"Who's the one cheeky one ?" I questioned her in a seducing tone as I passed my hand through her hair, having my arm around her.

"Since it's your birthday, I'm the one cheeky !" She teased, blushing as she got herself on her back, getting on top. We couldn't stop in our moves as we continued to kiss each other, slowly removing each button of her shirt until we stopped, looking at each other.....

"Mmhm, it's time for you to have your big present that you highly deserve, Yiri !"