- Not to be confused with the Kōsa Council.
The Council (連絡会 Renraku-kai), initially translated as the Network, is the liaison committee made up of the branch leaders of Roanapur's four most powerful crime syndicates: the Hong Kong Triad, Hotel Moscow, Cosa Nostra, and the Nuevo Laredo Cartel, the last of which took over the Colombian Cartel's seat. Among the bosses, Mister Chang of the Triad is the one who leads the meetings and summons the other three leaders whenever there are threats to their business interests, when there is a problem involving major bloodshed in the city, or both.
Members[]
Over a couple of years in the mid-1990s, the Council has changed leaders on a few occasions. At the beginning of the Black Lagoon series, the first Council was made up of Mister Chang, Balalaika, Abrego, and Verrocchio. After Verrocchio's death, Ronnie the Jaws took his place as Cosa Nostra's Thai branch leader in the second era of the Council. Likewise, after Abrego was purged from the Colombian Cartel, Gustavo took over his position in the third era, but he gave up his Council seat after the Colombian Cartel permanently left Roanapur. As of 1997, the fourth and current Council is led by Mister Chang, Balalaika, Ronnie the Jaws, and Fernando Lobos.
History[]
The Council was formed in the aftermath of the November 1993 gunfight between Balalaika and Mister Chang.[1]
Calm down, two men[]
While she was skimming pornographic video tapes for information, Balalaika remarked to Rock and Revy that she had to attend a Council meeting concerning an influx of unauthorized drug shipments outside the agreed-upon routes by an unknown third party. Not known to the Council but later discovered by Rock, the Rip-Off Church was the culprit behind the drug shipments.[2]
Bloodsport Fairy tale[]
When members of Hotel Moscow and other mafias were suddenly being murdered, Chang summoned an emergency meeting with Balalaika, Verrocchio, and Abrego. Remarking that he had wanted to avoid repeating the bloodshed and bullets that birthed the Council and their relative peacetime, Chang chided the other bosses to cooperate with one another. Frustrated since six members of Hotel Moscow had been killed, the highest number of murders among the mafias, Balalaika asserted that she did not meet with the bosses to socialize. Verrocchio and Balalaika exchanged harsh words about each other's ethnic backgrounds, prompting Chang to interrupt them. Continuing to guide the meeting, the Triad leader reminded them that every single mafia's priority was to advance their businesses and make profits. He then informed Balalaika that two of his guys, one member of the 14K and one of his direct lieutenants, were murdered at a brothel on Rachada Street.
Unfazed, Balalaika then ordered Abrego to speak up, but the Colombian leader merely retorted that he thought he was on good terms with her, denying the accusation. She then turned her fury to Verrocchio, who claimed that one of his own fixers got killed and told Chang that the murderer had to be an outsider who was unfamiliar with Roanapur. Accepting their testimony, Chang declared that they would assume a foreign element and issue a statement to their respective subordinates to avoid more bloodshed. Disappointed with the lack of progress, Balalaika insulted the meeting as a pointless endeavor, so Boris prepared her military coat. Although the Triad boss advised her not to say anything rash, Balalaika sternly responded that they were not buddies and that she only came to the Council meeting to make it clear that Hotel Moscow would use any means necessary to kill the perpetrator, their family and their abettors.[3]
After two more murders of Hotel Moscow members, Balalaika discovered that the murderers were two Romanian children who were hosted by Verrocchio in order to assassinate her. The twins turned on Verrocchio at the same time that she and Chang formed an alliance to hunt down the children.[4] Outside Verrocchio's headquarters, Chang heard the Italians being slaughtered inside,[5] resulting in a brief manhunt throughout the city that night which ended in Balalaika successfully arranging both twins' murders.[6]
El Baile de la muerte / Roberta's Blood Trail[]
Sometime after Verrocchio's death, Ronnie the Jaws was sent in to replace him as Cosa Nostra's branch leader. Chang summoned Ronnie and the others to another Council meeting when he confirmed that Roberta had returned to Roanapur to kill a group of U.S. troops who accidentally murdered Diego Lovelace in a covert operation. At The Golden Swingin Night Club, Chang barred the mafia leaders and their associates from bringing weapons inside the building. Seeing that Balalaika arrived last, Ronnie joked about her attitude, with Balalaika sitting down and in turn insulting Ronnie and his friend Tommaso. When the Italians and Balalaika continued insulting each other, Chang passive-aggresively interrupted them by slamming his foot down onto the table. Keeping his cool, Chang informed them about Roberta's enemies but clarified that they did not know their reason for being in Roanapur of all places. Knowing about the Colombians' bar fight with Fabiola Iglesias, Chang encouraged Abrego and Gustavo to tell everyone what they knew since they took action first.
When Gustavo spoke to Abrego in Spanish about what they should have said next, Ronnie ordered them to speak in English, but they assured him that they had nothing to do with the bombing that killed Diego. Abrego then elaborated that FARC allied with his cartel after the Medellín Cartel got crushed, which resulted in FARC wanting more stable relations by requesting their cartel to kill Roberta since she deserted from FARC. Blowing out a puff of smoke, Abrego proclaimed that his orders were from his jefe in the very top, telling Chang that the Colombians would not accept anyone interfering in their mission to kill Roberta. Laughing, Balalaika told Chang that she was fine with Abrego's desire since she had no concern regarding what happened to the killer maid.
When Ronnie recommended putting a bounty on Roberta's head at the least, Balalaika retorted that the maid was not their enemy but instead the U.S. forces since they could carry out an anti-drug campaign. Coldly smiling and smoking her cigar, Balalaika commented that they could wipe out the Americans, making Ronnie and Abrego hesitate since interference with the Americans would end up bad for them. Interrupting the three leaders' arguing, Chang stated that Roanapur had been a den of crime and vice for 35 years and had not ended up in international news due to the syndicates' wisdom in keeping the public eye off the city. He then responded that the Triad's position was to maintain the city's survival, urging the other mafia heads to not interfere with the U.S. government personnel until they could confirm that their mission was to meddle in Roanapur's affairs. Putting out his cigarette, he warned them not to get hot-headed since all four bosses would be losers if they killed each other or had shortsightedness.[7] Afterward a day or two later, Chang managed to convince Balalaika to help the U.S. soldiers flee Roanapur while he would arrange transportation for both Roberta and the troops to carry out their fighting outside Roanapur.[1] Against Chang's advice, Abrego attempted to murder Roberta in Roanapur by bringing in a FARC unit from Colombia,[8] but his own plans went awry and he got purged from the Colombian Cartel.[9]
L'homme sombre[]
Because several Black men belonging to the four mafias got assassinated, Chang again summoned a Council meeting at The Golden Swingin Night Club to determine a course of action. Entering the meeting room, Balalaika smiled as Chang informed her and Ronnie that Gustavo could not attend since he had to return to South America to help his cartel push back against the Nuevo Laredo Cartel and the United States government. Recollecting that various individuals like promoters, bouncers, and others were murdered, Chang recalled that the murderers were cased as five women wearing all-black suits. Hearing about the suits, Ronnie accused Chang of being complicit since he was fond of wearing black suits and could get rid of his own lackeys to tip the scales in the Triad's favor. Rebuffing his allegation, Chang reminded him that his own Black men got murdered while Balalaika added that Chang's style to tip the scales would be swiftly rushing through Visconti Foods. Ronnie also wondered if Gustavo was responsible but retracted his guess once hearing about the Colombian Cartel's problems. Ending the meeting, Chang suggested that they should spread rumor of the killings around Roanapur to lure the women out, to which the impatient Ronnie suggested putting out a hit squad. Advising against it, Chang recommended avoiding any overt action to prevent scaring tourists out of the profitable red-light districts in Thailand.[10]
Accordingly, Revy on Chang's behalf informed her fellow pirates in the Lagoon Company about the murders, gaining Dutch's attention. Concerned about Dutch's likelihood as a target, Rock visited Chang and told him that the Lagoon Company would have to get involved. Although not wanting further trouble for the Council, Chang agreed and told Rock to visit Jinx, a Black man who survived an attempt on his life. In addition, Chang called Shenhua to give Rock and Revy further protection during their investigation.[11] Once the three captured one of the assassins, Le Majeur, and persuaded her to betray the French assassins, Rock also persuaded Dutch to help execute his ambush plan, claiming that he was acting on the Council's behalf. Subsequently, Rock then visited Balalaika to get the Vysotniki's help and explained his plan. Agreeing to his plan, Balalaika replied that she would let the Council know that she sanctioned Rock's scheme.[12]
Approximately four nights later, the surviving assassin and traitor Majeur was brought to the next Council meeting to have her fate determined. When the bag over Majeur's head was lifted, Ronnie chuckled and asked if they were serious since he perceived Majeur to be an ordinary woman. Chang told the attendees the information that Rock relayed to him regarding Majeur's betrayal. Rock himself said to Ronnie during the meeting that Le Majeur could be a valuable asset, with Chang agreeing but stating that Balalaika would be given the final say on her fate since most of the Black men killed were contracted under Hotel Moscow. With her dagger eyes, Balalaika angrily informed Majeur that her French friends killed two Vysotniki and wounded six others. She then proposed to Majeur that she would allow her to live on the condition that the latter would become property of Hotel Moscow and act as an unquestioning shield when summoned, to which she agreed. Sighing, Balalaika remarked that she had gone soft, making Chang smile.
Skeptical of Majeur's loyalty, Ronnie interrupted to claim that a traitor to her own group would always be a traitor to any other group that she joined. To their surprise, Revy vouched for Majeur's fidelity and offered to take her in under the Lagoon Company, piquing Balalaika's interest. Once Balalaika accepted the terms, Chang reiterated to everyone that Majeur would be under Hotel Moscow's control, finishing the meeting. In conclusion, Balalaika told Majeur that she would have to get her own food and was not an official member of Hotel Moscow. Revy kindly responded that she would make sure that Majeur did jobs for the Lagoon Company in the meantime, and Ronnie was dismayed at the outcome. Leaving the meeting with Boris after donning her military coat, Balalaika advised Revy to let her know how to reach her once the ex-assassin settled in.[13]
El réquiem de los Desalmados[]
Due to suffering heavy losses in South America, the Colombian Cartel permanently departed from Roanapur, thereby rescinding their seat on the Council. As a result, their territory in Roanapur was equally divided between the other three crime syndicates and the Nuevo Laredo Cartel.[14] Accordingly, Chang called for a new meeting to discuss the appointment of the latter cartel to take their place. Some day before the meeting, he phoned the Lagoon Company office to speak with Rock about inviting him to attend the meeting as a neutral observer. On the scheduled night, members of the Triad vetted each mafia boss's entry into The Golden Swingin Night Club. Soon, Chang commenced the meeting once Fernando Lobos arrived. Acknowledging Lobos's thanks, he summarized that the Council meetings were for preventing the trouble the mafias had back in 1993. Commenting that being a Council member required a certain minimum of responsibility, he then asked Lobos where his other representative was.
Assuring him that he would arrive, Lobos answered that he heard the man recently arrived at the airport. At that point, one of Chang's subordinates introduced Gris el Tigres, the head of the Nuevo Laredo Cartel's ally Los Soldados, to the Council. Sitting down, Gris joked that he was disappointed because he heard Roanapur was like Dante's Inferno. The newcomer asserted that despite his rivalry with Hotel Moscow, he came to Roanapur to tell Balalaika something in person. Chang listened to Gris explain his cartel's ex-military origins and thank the Russian woman for her inspiration. Glaring at him, she asked why he crossed swords with Hotel Moscow if he truly understood the Russian mafia so well.
Glaring back at her, he explicated that he was not holding back against her forces precisely because he was dealing with Hotel Moscow, asserting that he would do everything to crush her group. Admitting that he wished things did not become heated up, Chang warned them that they needed to focus on their original agenda item: the approval of the Nuevo Laredo Cartel to the Council. The Triad boss repeated that their goal was to vote on the matter, especially because Hotel Moscow and the Nuevo Laredo Cartel were still feuding in the Mexico–U.S. border region. Assuring them that he wanted no trouble back home, Lobos professed that his boss, Jefe Guerrera, told him that the matter could be settled with the destruction of the Guadalajara Cartel. Though Chang was satisfied with the idea, Gris vehemently disagreed, exclaiming that as long as they were allying with the Nuevo Laredo Cartel, they could not expose their backs to their enemy.[15]
Irked, Ronnie the Jaws rhetorically asked him to repeat what he just said. Restating that Hotel Moscow's willingness to talk was not enough to settle their feud, Gris claimed that back in Mexico, those who attempted to negotiate with their enemy got deceived and consequently murdered. Lobos was shocked at his words, including Gris emphasizing that he would not budge on forgiving what Hotel Moscow and the Guadalajara Cartel did to his syndicate in Cananea. Addressing Balalaika, Gris stated that appropriate actions needed to be taken to end a conflict, elaborating that his men did not want Vasily Krivchenko, who ran Hotel Moscow's operations in California and Cananea, remaining alive. Warning her not to play dumb, he affirmed that he came to Roanapur to kill Krivchenko to satisfy the men of Los Eses. Unfazed, she asked what he would do if she refused his request, to which Gris answered that it would be war between them.
Surprised, Ronnie retorted that he had some nerve to pick a fight with them, joking that not even God could help him. As the two men insulted each other, Mister Chang asked Gris what the point was in starting another conflict given that Hotel Moscow suffered more losses during the conflicts in the Mexico–U.S. border region. Annoyed, Gris said that it was Hotel Moscow who needed to think about the point since Los Eses would normally have hit the Russians in Mexico so hard that they would never recover. Laughing, Balalaika remarked that he had quite the gall and accepted his challenge. Grinning, she mentioned that her men were also not satisfied with the conclusion in California either, adding that she was not the type of person to tolerate disrespect.
Raising his hand, Rock asked Chang for permission to propose an idea, which the latter allowed. Assuring Gris that he was merely an observer and long-time resident of Roanapur, the ex-salaryman added that he belonged to no organization. Chang vouched for Rock's wisdom, and Rock began by pointing out that peace was what all organizations in Roanapur strived for, including Lobos's. Recalling the division of the Colombian Cartel's territory, he posited that the Nuevo Laredo Cartel could take some of Hotel Moscow's territory in return for sparing Krivchenko. Knowing that Balalaika wanted something in return, Rock explained that a treaty of amity with Nuevo Laredo would be best because Hotel Moscow would have time to assess the final deal without unnecessary bloodshed. Whereas Ronnie and Chang were content with the proposal, Balalaika rhetorically asked if they thought the Russians would agree to being less powerful than Nuevo Laredo. Politely urging her to agree to the terms, Rock reasoned that starting a war went against the spirit of the Council. Though Lobos accepted the initial plan of not taking any shares of territory, Gris sternly disagreed and claimed that Rock could not comprehend that what they wanted was for Krivchenko to die, not profit or peace.
Lobos shouted at him in shock, but he joked that the former seemed to forget that Mexico was a very unforgiving land supposedly in contrast to Roanapur. Feeling tense, the other three Council heads warned Gris that he could not do as he pleased in Roanapur, but he professed that their statuses meant nothing to him. He also chastised Balalaika for thinking that she was able to take on his forces, stating one last time that he only wanted Krivchenko's head. Smirking, she warned him that he had sealed his fate, to which Gris replied that he was willing to take on anyone who got in his way, surprising Ronnie, Lobos and Rock. Gris proclaimed that war would commence as soon as he exited the nightclub. Rock pleaded with him to reconsider, but the crime boss ignored him and joked that he would enjoy the fighting. After the meeting, the Triad, Cosa Nostra and Hotel Moscow prepared to increase security in their respective territory in preparation for a potential gang war.[14]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Chapter 56: El Baile de la muerte Part 13
- ↑ Episode 07: Calm Down, Two Men
- ↑ Episode 13: The Vampire Twins Comen
- ↑ Chapter 12: Bloodsport Fairy tale Part 2
- ↑ Chapter 13: Bloodsport Fairy tale Part 3
- ↑ Episode 15: Swan Song at Dawn
- ↑ Chapter 53: El Baile de la muerte Part 10
- ↑ Chapter 57: El Baile de la muerte Part 14
- ↑ Chapter 61: El Baile de la muerte Part 18
- ↑ Chapter 103: L'homme sombre Part 2
- ↑ Chapter 105: L'homme sombre Part 4
- ↑ Chapter 109: L'homme sombre Part 8
- ↑ Chapter 113: L'homme sombre Part 12
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Chapter 118: El réquiem de los Desalmados Part 2
- ↑ Chapter 117: El réquiem de los Desalmados Part 1