"Did you read the newspaper?" Mordecai asked excitedly. "The Jennymaesian president is stepping down. Setting up some beauty shop in Soho, if you can believe that. Do you think she was made an offer she couldn't refuse?"
The Mosestarian chieftain (may his nose ever be likened to an eagle's just beak) smiled patiently. "Optics, my dear Mordecai, optics. The Empress, for all her talk of weapons of mass, green, banana-flavoured lip-destruction, is really on our side. Don't you see?"
Mordecai shook his head.
"First of all, the treachurous Jomés Band."
Mordecai gasked. "But Jomés Band was an international agent and hero."
"Tsk, tsk, tsk, Mordecai. The man is a womaniser and a cad. Do you really think he is a good role model for Mosestaria's youth? But the dear Empress exposed him for what he was, and with their televised wedding, no decent woman will ever be seduced by him ever again."
"But, but... He did it all for Chief and Chiefdom..." Mordecai stuttered.
"Jomés Band did it for Jomés Band," the Chieftain replied sagely. "The so-called philanthropist would sell his own mother in order to earn enough to purchase, or even rent, yet another pair of ruby-red lips. He revealed our secrets to our enemy, something a true patriot would never do."
Mordecai nodded sadly.
"And the Jennymaesian dynasty. The Empress's marriage, and her subsequent anulment, assures us that the Jennymaesian dynasty ends with the current Empress. Can you imagine what the Jennymaesian Pope would announce to the Jennymaesian faithful now, if there were to be an heir produced - albeit an illegitimate one?"
Mordecai nodded again, seeing that the Chieftain's explanation made sense.
"And finally, the consolidation of Jennymaesia and Rubyland - it has just made it one step easier for Mosestaria to unite the nations, when the Rubyland President is finally dealt with..."
Mordecai nodded again. "But why all the threats and posturing, if the Empress is really on our side?"
"Because Mordecai, the Jennymaesian people have certain expectations of their Empress, and certain prejudices against Mosestaria and its Chieftain. In order for there not to be rebellion, the Chieftain must be installed most carefully. If the Empress were just to openly hand the Empire over to the Chieftain, there would certainly be outrage and accusations of treason..."
Mordecai nodded again, hopefully. It really was getting difficult for him to understand who were the allies and who were the enemies in this grand scenario of conquest, what with all the crossing and double-crossing and reverse psychology...