In 1968, when the reformer Alexóndráj Jež was appointed to the key post of First Secretary of the Agaran Communist Party, there was a brief and problematic spurt of liberalization, similar in many ways to the historically-concurrent Prague Spring. Where the Czechoslovak actions inspired five other Eastern Bloc countries to invade the country, as a prelude to the Soviet invasion (August 20 – 21, 1968) Agaran capitulation spared the country a similar fate, though Alexóndráj Jež, “the Great Negotiatior” successfully petitioned the Soviet Union to support one important Agaran reform, which led to the unification of Ruthenian Agara (in the north) and Germanic Agara (in the southwest.) Jež’s contention that under unification, social and economic inequities between the Agaran halves would be largely eliminated. Jež was correct in this view, and centralized political control by the Unified Agaran Communist Party led to the Soviet Agaran Cultural Revival: a “closet movement” seen by the Soviet Union, and indeed, the West, as Agara’s prickly embrace of its Eastern Bloc status. The 1970s (February, 1971 – March, 1979) saw the apparent rise of the dissident movement in Agara, represented—primarily—by Švetláná Rūdnitskaija; the movement sought, increased liberal political participation in Soviet affairs and greater expression of unified Agaran socio-economic identity, and as expected, the movement faced official Soviet disapproval. As in contemporary Czechoslovakia, dissidents suffered later limitations on work activities, a ban on professional employment, and the refusal of higher education for the dissidents’ children. Police harassment wasn’t a major factor, though imprisonment played a role. In light of recent historical revelations, Švetláná Rūdnitskaija and the Agaran Communist Party, under Alexóndráj Jež were working together in what is now known as “The Elegant Pantomime.” During this time, “vanished” dissidents were taken to reeducation camps in Northern Agara where they “died”. These “dead” Agarans were often issued new official identities as members of the Agaran Secret Police, known to infiltrate any dissident organization springing up in the country. As revealed in the Agaran Declassification Act of 1998, these official police infiltrators were members of the dissident movement, trained to act as covert coordinators and political analysts. Because of the euphemistically-named “police action”, many covert Agaran dissidents “played the pantomime” and were placed into key governmental positions which led to the peaceful dissolution of the Agaran Communist Party during the Clockwork Revolution in November, 1989. * It’s been a while since I’ve been in Agara, The Land of the Machine, and I felt that it was time for a quick return. I was interested in seeing what was happening there, interested in what Jacob and Miranda (two American expatriates) were up to, as well as seeing what Éósláv, Pjótr, and the rest of the “Native Gang” were accomplishing, mis-accomplishing, or drinking. As it turns out, Éósláv was sitting in a window, thinking about history, of his childhood back in Communist times, and thus giving insight into Agara in general, and his vague, 1980s-nostalgia in particular. The faux-historical image accompanying this faux-historical text is actually of Evanston Illinois, not the Agaran city of Preskiyn. I don’t know the name of the river depicted, but in Agara, I’d suspect it’s the River Pó. There will be more Agaran stuff to come, of course. Éósláv and Jacob have a lot to say and show, Miranda has a lot to discover, and Pjótr’s job is still immensely interesting (if cryptic.) As always, thank you for viewing, reading, and commenting, and I hope you’ve enjoyed this brief jaunt into one of my favorite unreal countries.