* Two Generals Story (Establishes seperation of ideology and "humanity."):
--Dana is a Lieutenant in General #1's army.
--They're about to go into battle against General #2s army. During a pep talk a fresh out-of-the-draft rookie asks why General #1 is wearing an army uniform from State #2's army. She explains they were both friends at one time, had a friendly rivalry, and believes they still do. General #1 wears the uniform in battles as a mark of respect for General #2.
--Battle goes badly, and most of Dana's platoon is captured by the enemy. General #1 and #2 face each other on the battlefield, and after exchanging some stilted "wish we hadn't finally met this way" banter, fight hand to hand, giving it their all. As Dana and her platoon are carted away she sees General #2 kill General #1, then remove his own hat in respect for a dead friend.

* Prison/Negotiation (Establishes situation):
--Dana is processed into the prison, State #2's version of Guantanamo Bay, and essentially tortured for information over the course of a few months. She reveals nothing, or fabrications.
--One day, the torture stops for a week, where she's kept in near solitary confinement. After a week, she is taken to a shower, cleaned up, given a fresh uniform from State #1, with full proper rank. She believes she is being released, but instead is taken directly to State #1's Head of State (to be referred to as HOS from here on out).
--Dana attempts to attack the HOS, but is held back by Thayla, a gigantic burley jarhead kind of man. He simply holds her back, but does not attack or harm her (other than the bruise of nearly crushing her upper arm to keep her from attacking the HOS). HOS just wants to discuss a "matter of some importance."
--HOS sets down a plate of cookies before her. "We have operatives in your army. It seems that you requisitioned these sandwich cookies for your platoon, but never distrubuted them. I'm assuming you kept these for yourself." She eyes them suspiciously, and refuses to take them. "You'd think after a month of prison rations, you'd want these. Maybe you think they're dangerous? Thayla?" Thayla picks up a sandwich cookie, and twists it into two halves. He presents it to Dana. "Take one." She does, and does not eat it. He takes the other and eats it, proving that, at least, that cookie will not kill her. She eats the other one. Thayla continues to twist them in half, eating one, and waiting for Dana to eat the other before doing it again. Throughout the conversation, the plate is finished off between the two of them.
--HOS makes his case: The war in the East is going well, but taking up much of their manpower. They need every able person they can fighting on the eastern front to ensure victory. This has, however, led to the Western Frontier being open. The town of Gafana has recently found large deposits of some [valuable somethings] that a third state on their Western Frontier wants. They've been making noises that they want to invade State #2 for said things.
--With the war going well, but needing manpower, he cannot afford to send people to Gafana. But he can send her. "Patriots are not expendable, you are." He is willing to give her the equivalent rank and privilidge in his army, the promise that she will not be sent to fight against her compatriots on the Eastern Front, to command a platoon of her handpicked officers from her country's POWs, and HOS's handpicked officers (who he cna then order not to kill her, and reasonably expect the order to be obeyed) and maybe, just possibly, once the war is won, she will be sent back. Possibly. It could happen. Don't hold your breath.
--If you decide not to go to the Western Front, Thayla will, right here and now, shoot you in the stomach and leave you to slowly die of sepsis. You know too much about our situation on the West to keep you alive. If you do decide to follow through, I need an assurance of your willingness to follow through with this plan. You and your compatriots will be poisoned with apoison that stays in your system. However, you will be given an antidote every week that keeps you alive. Your POW compatriots in your platoon will also be poisoned and given an antidote to ensure their loyalty. And to ensure delivery of the antidote, my handpicked soldiers will also be poisoned. Their antidote is your antidote.
--She agrees to the offer, not out of a sense of self preservation, but because you can't escape from the enemy dying on the floor of sepsis. And with a half platoon of her men, she just might do it.
--He then offers her and Thayla a glass of milk "for their cookies." Thayla drinks his down. Dana does not. HOS: "There's no better night cap than cookies and warm milk." She again does not drink. "I'd drink up. It contains your first dose of antidote." She then realizes that the cookies WERE actually poisoned.
--On the way back to her cell, escorted by Thayla, she asks "were you just poisoned, too?" He nods "I will be your attaché in the West. My antidote is your antidote." "Were you poisoned because your loyalty is in question?" "I was poisoned because it was ordered of me."

*Gafana Situations - Situations in need of an over arching story
--Gafana is much more remote and desolate than Dana expected. State #2 is large, but far flung with little communication between borders.
--Dana has physical indelible markings as part of her military rank or culture (rank ID tatoos, perhaps, or cultural hair styles?). She wears a State #2 military uniform, and purposely wears it sloppily (jacket open, sleeves rolled up. All rank insignia are from State #1's army, though, and are in pristine condition.
--Inevitable first escape attempt, fails when antidote (which is given every night as milk and cookies) is not given and she collapses a few miles out of town. Thayla finds her and returns her to town.
--Towns people hate Dana as she is "The Enemy." Non-State#1 troops call her "Tarheel." She assumes it's a military rank, but in fact, it means "Traitor."
--She begins protecting the town from skirmishes with State #3. They're more raids than skirmishes, and do not tax her troops much.
--State #2 troop attempts to steal Dana's antidote and destroys it. Thayla takes that troops antidote, giving it to Dana, leaving troop to die within hours.
--She begins to familiarize herself with the town. Taken aback, but curious, about the culture of the area, much different than hers. Imagine Ancient Roman Soldier depositied in Ancient China. People hate her, but are tolerating her as she's protected the town.
--Several years in, she's become, if not friendly by the natives, shakily respected by the natives. They all call her Tarheel, though, which she still thinks is a military rank.
--She attempts another escape, but this time heads back on her own as State #3 instigates a raid, and she realizes that she can't just leave the population underdefended.
--She has made a few friends among the populace, usually merchants who have seen her often, and have treated her well for her money, and, eventually, gotten to know her. They have suffered a bit for it, losing clientele when she comes in (though less and less as time goes by). Friends she has made, however, often lose other friends. Even her friends call her "Tarheel."

*Possible Ending (?)
--War ends, and Dana and what's left of her troops are repatriated. Antidote formula is Given to winning state. Dana must continue to take it, as the poison does not leave her body.
--Military tribunal gives her a discharge choice:dishonorable discharge (she did work for the enemy) or resign without comment (she worked with them so she and her teammates could survive).
--State 1 assigns consulates and and ambassadors to State 2. Due to her extensive work with the area, and actually, a personal request, she goes back to Gafanna as consulate and spends the rest of her days there.