Aviel Mandebaum - An Israeli War veteran moving to Liberia (Ebanu8) [Rewrite]

A/N: Hey guys, I know that I used to have an active branch here, but unfortunately I lost all steam due to studies and an overall guttered out writing muse. However, I've decided to return with a new rewrite of my old character, this time on a different yet similar premise.

Same characters will be carried over from my previous thread, along with some new additions to be revealed in due time and slight differences compared to the original story, some might not be carried over, and the main stage will be centered on the continent of Africa. Also, following the same reverse harem genre as on my old thread.

In any case, I hope you guys enjoy!

Prologue

A brief history of Liberia:

Liberia, an African nation on the south West African coastline founded by African-American immigrants looking to start a new life, away from the oppressive racism and unequal classism of the United States of America, away from a sub-human treatment of Blacks under the thumb of the Whites in legal courts where the former unfairly lost to the latter. A nation that seemed to have a lot of promise, a nation founded as part of an experiment under the American Colonization Society (ACS).

The first and oldest modern republic to declare independence in July 26, 1847, it was supposed to have a promising future, one of African prosperity under the traditions of its progressive Americo-Liberian culture.

Alas, it was not to be.

The Americo-Liberians - descendants of African-American migrants and local Liberians - became the oppressive bourgeois of their home nation, treating the locals as little better than uneducated, savage barbarians who they could exploit as much as they wanted. A class divide existed between them and the local tribes, and for nearly two centuries since the election of its 1st President Joseph Jenkins Roberts on Jan 3rd, 1848, Liberia was Africa's United States of America.

Of course, the divide was not solely contributed by its American masters; some indigenous Liberian tribes did not relate well to the intrusion of their new colonial masters, and the north of Liberia was like a savage frontier like the American Wild West as compared with the more prosperous south. The Kru and Grebo tribes, in particular, often raided colonial settlements.

Still, the Americo-Liberians contributed much to the divide, even going so far as to exclude indigenous Liberians from birthright citizenship until as late as 1904.

In 1980, political tensions reached their peak, and the ruling president William R. Tolbert was killed in a coup d'état led by Master Sergeant Samuel Doe, ending Americo-Liberian rule and starting two decades of instability, marked by the 1st and 2nd Liberian Civil Wars. 250,000 souls died in these wars, and hundreds of thousands more were displaced and lost their property, and the Liberian economy plummeted by an astronomical 90%.

Only a peace agreement in 2005 ended the civil wars, and even then the damage was already done; national infrastructure and social services were massively disrupted, and there still exists a divide between the south and north halves of Liberia. Furthermore, an outbreak of Ebola between 2013 to 2016 killed many more Liberians, and some were ostracized for cremating the bodies as suggested by WHO. Now, 83% of its population live below the international poverty line as of 2015.

A nation home to five million souls, it is a nation that once signified a spark of hope, brutally and cruelly crushed by the realities of classism and colonialism.

And it was to this very nation that Aviel Mandebaum, retired veteran of the Israeli Defense (IDF), was currently travelling to as part of a business venture-cum-humanitarian effort; building a new hospital designed to provide charity medical services.

---

20th March 2017

Aviel glanced through the window of their humvee, seeing the curious, sunken-eyed looks of hundreds of hungry African children looking at their vehicle. Many had thin limbs and stomachs, and whatever food they harvested was often sold at streets stalls comprised of tarp mats on the hardy African soil.

She wondered how anyone could live with such poverty, when one's stomach hurt so much they contemplated suicide. Born into a rich family of politicians herself, she was never left wanting for anything, her father Adniel a senior member of the Likud Party of the Knesset of Israel, and her mother a wealthy stocks trader.

A beautiful woman of twenty years of age, she was spry and healthy in the prime of her youth, her beautiful white hair dropping down her hair like strands of silk. Her face was chiseled from years of exercise and battle, her bright green eyes holding a piercing gaze, her porcelain skin tinged red from repeated exposure to the sun and heat of the desert. As of now, she was dressed in a simple T-shirt and camouflage-patterned slacks and a pair of military boots.

"I really have to wonder why we're branching out here in Liberia, of all places," Said Aviel, "Not to mean any offense or disrespect to them, but are they really in the capacity to handle giving charity services with how unstable the country is?"

"Your abba's been eager to branch out Israel's diplomacy to other nations, Africa included," Said a man to her side, "We're a small nation, and every ally's a help to both our home and the Likud party."

Wakeyo Ephram Adane, an Ethiopian Jew, resident of Tel Aviv and her old commanding officer, was an unlikely friend Aviel came to know when drinking in one of many bars in Tel Aviv’s red-light district. Bonding over their shared love of drinking, the two of them became drinking buddies ever since.

Holding the rank of Commander, he was a well-connected man with many businessmen and fellow commanders.

"Yeah, but to be frank, the African nations don't have a reputation of being reliable allies to any side," Said Aviel, "And why Liberia of all places? I mean, I get it's still recovering from civil war and needs social services to restart, but I don't really trust the state of its bureaucracy either."

"Well, your aba's insistent on this and that you oversee the project, and he believes that by helping Liberia, he'll also gain valuable allies from an unlikely source," Wakeyo said helplessly, "And truth be told, you don't really have much else to do outside the army, do you?"

Aviel simply punched his shoulder lightly.

"Anyway, we're nearing our destination, so hang tight," Said Wakeyo.

---

"I see the hospital's taking shape," Said Aviel, seeing the concrete skeleton being tended to by hordes of surgeons, "How much longer until it finishes and we can start operations?"

"Just two months more and we'll be able to begin, Ma'am."

"And the medical supplies and equipment?"

"Pre-ordered to arrive just days after the hospital's completion."

Amos Kollie, an Americo-Liberian construction officer placed directly in charge of the hospital project under Aviel, was a middle-aged man with a decade-long career in America, and who only recently returned to try and build his career in his former homeland. He spoke with a thick Floridan accent, his belly slightly bulging from chugging one beer too many, the rest of his body slightly more chiseled from construction labour.

"Very good," Said Aviel, "Keep me updated on progress."

"Of course, Ma'am," Said Amos smilingly.

As Amos went back to the project, Wakeyo then came up to her, saying, "Aviel, your abba's calling for you."

"Wonder what he wants now," Aviel muttered.

---

"What do you mean, the money's not getting through?" Asked Aviel.

"I'm really sorry, Aviel, but..."

The sobbing, voice of Aviel's mother came through like an alarm bell ringing in Aviel's head, and a feeling of trepidation took hold.

"Why are you crying, ima? What's going on?" Asked Aviel.

It took a good few seconds for Aviel's mother Oshrat to steady herself, sniffling as she took deep breaths.

"Your pa's dead, Aviel," Said Oshrat, "Killed in an explosion that toppled the Knesset."

Aviel went shock still, her world suddenly turning upside down as if an earthquake were rocking her very core. She very nearly toppled over if not for Wakeyo holding her steady with a glance of reassurance, her hands and legs turning shaky like she were made of sticks.

"W-What...? I..."

"Aviel... I'm afraid you'll be alone in Liberia for a long time," Said Oshrat, "Listen to me: Get your inheritance as fast as possible, and stay there for your safety. Don't worry about your sisters, I'll take care of them. I love you, Aviel, I love you..."

And the phone call was cut.

Wakeyo helped Aviel sit down on a chair he took, the plush cushion helping her body relax and anchor itself to reality in the midst of her mental turmoil.

"Aviel, what happened?" Asked Wakeyo.

Distraught and mentally disoriented, Aviel was somehow able to muster her words in her clogged throat.

"My abba's dead in an explosion, and my ima's saying I should stay here for my own safety," She said, "She didn't say anything more."

"What? Just like that?" Said Wakeyo, "And what explosion?"

"The Knesset Headquarters," Said Aviel.

"Oh my... God help us," Said Wakeyo, "I-I'll check with my contacts, see what I can get."

"Yes, thank you," Said Aviel, "I'll try to call my ima as well."

Yet even as she took out her phone to call her family, she found a most peculiar addition she never recognised before.