A Meeting of Two Chancellors [Esq Only|Semi-Open]

[New Zepuha]

Sinro City, New Zepuha
October 2014

---

A knock on the door, "Yes yes, come in?" at this the door opened into a moderately sized office, the curtains were drawn and the light hanging from the ceiling cast a white glow on the room illuminating most of the space. In an ash tray sat a burning cigarette which the man at the desk would occasionally pick it up and take a drag off of it. Before the desk stood a lithe assistant with a serious look on his face. Meeting the gaze of chancellor Bergmann from the desk he smiled. "Honored chancellor, I have good news for you. We are notified that the delegation from Qianrong will be on it's way in due course, and with them being so close, it would be prudent to begin a welcome party." to this Bergmann grunted and nodded at the boy shooing him away. He had to prepare himself and the country for a visit from a foreign national, which had not been done in some amount of time.

Bergmann picked up his phone and quickly finished off his scotch glass before dialing a phone number to the airport. "Is all prepared for the arrival? ... mhm... and the NDF has secured the route to the palace? ... yes, good ... of course clear the highway, how else are we to reach the King's palace? Goodbye." he said clicking the phone down rubbing his temple he sniffed and popped a painkiller. It had been a stressful few days prepping for the arrival and dealing with relocation of various groups of people. The clearing of the route was dangerous work, as keeping the protestors back was a tough issue for the NDF. Unfortunately, like any visit from a foreign national, the liberals came out to criticize Bergmann and the nationalists came out to prod them both. But no rabble rousing should be caused, the HSA had prempted the protest organizers by raiding their homes on trumped charges, with explicit orders from Bergmann not to release them until after the Qianrong chancellor had left.

Tugging on his creme colored suit jacket, blending nicely with a light brown vest and creme pants, he walked down the stairs from his office to meet his escort. He slipped into the long grey limousine that would ferry him to the airport. In escort two motorcycle officers on big Harleys with their blue and reds flashing, they would ride ahead and another pair would trail. Two explorer SUVs with blue and reds flashing would also be one in front and back. This little convoy took the prepared route to the airport, watching the lines of NDF troopers in tall black boots and olive drab BDUs of civil enforcement, they held crowds back under their visored black helmets and long black batons. The limo pulled into a blocked off section of the airport marked off, with the diplomatic runway under guard by NDF troopers with RK-95s slung around their shoulders. There Bergmann got out of his limo and stood next to the honor guard, one officer in resplendent uniforms of each branch of the armed forces. Around Bergmann stood military officers and the mayor of Sinro City, along with his assistant. He checked his watch and smiled a bit, "Alright lads."

[Qianrong]

Sinro City, New Zepuha
October 2014

The Acting Chancellor of Qianrong, Hsieh Jiang-De, strode off the private jet, followed by Foreign Affairs Minister Tran Minh Triet and Acting Defense-Intelligence Minister Guo Tse-Zu. They had been on the plane for several hours, flying from the Qianrongese capital of Yucheng to the capital of New Zepuha. Geographically, New Zepuha wasn't particularly close to Qianrong, but over the past few months, they had begun to align themselves with each other on the global stage.

Hsieh thought back to May, at the last major meeting between a Qianrongese leader and a powerful foreign counterpart. That had been the meeting between Song Li-Chao and Luziyca's Breuvi Shjoraski; at the time, he had been Defense-Intelligence Minister. Qianrong had been close to Luziyca since the earliest days of the FDRQ, when Zheng Hye-Jeou was Chancellor. The Luziycans had used Qianrong against Namor, and in return, Luziyca made sure that Qianrong was stable, in part through a Luziycan base in Yucheng. The Song-Shjoraski meeting was intended to serve as yet another reaffirmation of that alliance- a sign that, in spite of Luziyca's changing relationship to Namor, it remained close to Qianrong. At that meeting, it had seemed like little would change in their relationship; they agreed on dropping numerous trade restrictions, coordinated policies on Oteki and Roubao and Nantai and Riro, and made great progress.

Then, on June third, the whole edifice collapsed. There was an ASQ terrorist attack in Hai Nang, killing several dozen civilians, and- in what was a humiliation for the NSF- the ASQ kidnapped the Chancellor. In the panic that followed, the Cabinet and National Assembly declared him to be the Acting Chancellor, and he had made Guo into the Acting Defense-Intelligence Minister. The nation had been stunned by the scale of the attack, shocked by the ASQ's revival, and horrified by the deaths inflicted. And every so often, to remind the NSF that Chancellor Song was in enemy hands, the ASQ sent videos filled with scenes of torture.

Unfortunately for Qianrong, it seemed that, for the Luziycans, the deal ended with Song's kidnapping. Oh, sure, the Luziycans had helped them develop nuclear weapons, but what good was that against the ASQ? The Luziycan base in Yucheng, filled with Luziycan troops, sat idle as Qianrongese soldiers and civilians died fighting the terrorists. Luziyca had totally failed as an ally, betraying every agreement it had made with the FDRQ, and showed no real interest in ending this egregious betrayal. It was because of the detente, no doubt. Shjoraski was pandering to Fu Wen in Namor right now, and wouldn't dare support Qianrong, lest Namor- which openly despised Qianrong as a former vassal that broke away during the revolutionary periods in Qianrong and Namor alike, and hadn't resumed kowtowing to Namo- end the detente. For the time being, Qianrong had begun its own detente with Namor, but only as a survival mechanism. Once the FDRQ had a true ally, one that Qianrong would stand by, and one that would stand by Qianrong- once they'd found that nation, they had no reason to feign obedience to their enemies in Namo, or stay close to the treacherous dogs in Bethlehem.

He was in Sinro City today because it seemed that New Zepuha was, as far as he could tell, that nation- that ally- that Qianrong needed.

Of course, there were many similarities- autocracies with unhappy ethnic minorities that despised Namo- but the criteria Hsieh had weren't based on that. They were based on whether or not New Zepuha was likely to be a true and helpful ally, as Luziyca had once been. And all the evidence pointed towards the fact that New Zepuha would fill that role. When Namor's navy had unjustly seized the Trang Vai in an act of blatant piracy, the Zepuhans had fought for its return alongside the Qianrongese; Luziyca had stood by and watched. When the ASQ rose again, killing civilians at random, torturing Song Li-Chao, assaulting the National Security Forces, New Zepuha had sent its Jägerkommandos to fight- and, in a few instances, die- to preserve tranquility and stability in Qianrong. Luziyca had not helped whatsoever. When the Luziycans had hid from their obligations as an ally, the Zepuhans had gone above and beyond to help the FDRQ. That, ultimately, was the deciding factor in the policy change.

The three men, followed by Zepuhan and Qianrongese security details, entered a limousine headed for the government building where he would meet Zepuha's Chancellor Bergmann. He turned towards Guo and Tran, and quietly said, "All right, you know why we are here. We are here to ensure that, as soon as possible, Qianrong can replace Luziyca with New Zepuha. We are here to secure lasting agreements on trade and security. Your proposals?"

Tran spoke first. "Qiao Jian-Lin gave me some proposals for what to talk about in economics," he began, referring to Qianrong's Economy-Treasury Minister. "He mentioned that Song had been contemplating pegging the yuan to the Luziycan lira. In place of that, we might seek to peg the yuan to Zepuha's currency. In addition, we need to immediately begin shutting off trade with Luziyca in favor of trade with Zepuha. Free trade agreements and a common embargo policy would be useful in this aspect. I've also found it wise to make sure our foreign policies align."

Hsieh nodded, and turned to Guo, signaling for him to talk. "Firstly, we need to guarantee Zepuhan support for the nuclear program; since Luziyca is likely to cut its aid, we need to ensure a quick but smooth transition, to keep it up and running. Secondly, we need to get Yucheng LAFB out of Luziycan hands, and turn it over to New Zepuha, since Zepuha will actually use it. Thirdly, we need some sort of major war game, likely in the East Namor Sea near Namor as a show of force. Lastly, we need to cooperate on counterterrorism. What I'm thinking for this, is some sort of soldier exchange program meets expeditionary force situation. Both countries send a certain number of squadrons to the other country, to fight against terrorism. Zepuhan troops go to Qianrong to fight the ASQ; Qianrongese troops go to Zepuha to fight Tac Olum. If you can figure out who'll command these units, then it'll be a show of unity, an opportunity to train soldiers in different climes and tactics, and it'll help both countries in our fight against terrorism."

Hsieh smiled. "All right then. I think we're ready." The limousine has reached its destination, and the three got out of the limousine, standing in a v-shape with Hsieh at the front. "Let's do this, gentlemen," he told his two companions as they entered the building, ready to meet Chancellor Bergmann and ditch Luziyca for good.

[New Zepuha]

Sinro City, New Zepuha - Bundestag Building
October 2014

---

Chancellor Bergmann was standing out at the bottom of the front steps of the Bundestag, the main government building in New Zepuha housing the Chancellor's office and the parliamentary chambers, he was flanked by two other officials. To his left stood the new Minister of Defense and the Minister of Home and Infrastructure, respectively Minister von Berhausen and Minister von Pletz. The three stood at the edge of a large crescent formed road that was the front drive of the Bundestag so that one could enter from the left and exit to the right in one continuous motion. The edges of the road were flanked by troopers in immaculate green tunics and black pants with wide gold piping, their green peaked caps with shiny cap badges. All standing with drill rifle M1 Garand rifles held at port arms to present a formal welcome.

Bergmann sighed and watched his breath float away in the cold evening sky. It was the first state visit he had ever conducted and even to that it was the first one in some time for the nation. Though it had already been decided by a coalition vote that he was no longer going to run for a second term, he still had a few months of business to conduct before his leaving. Primarily securing a foothold in Eatern Esquarium to further the anti-Namo policy. It was beneficial to stand by Qianrong for this purpose.

The thought had crossed his mind before inviting the Qianrongese to his country that racism may abound, but when the king made his announcement of reform it had been simple. But long before that the youth of the country had taken over and already dismissed racism with a calm hand, only the old men sitting in government tried to preserve it. Of course there were some racist demonstrators here today, but Bergmann had them moved away from the proceedings.

With that though dismissed Bergmann drew his greatcoat closer to himself and adjusted his blue fedora. "Gentlemen, it is a cold day indeed?" he questioned to several grunts, it was 38 degrees Fahrenheit and chilly, "So, we all have our proposals ready for the Qianrongese? I want to stress the importance of offering the needed assistance, and if need be offer them a chance to meet our nuclear scientists when we visit Petersburg. Also remember, we need to get boots on the ground in Qianrong, a military base gentlemen. That is our primary concern here, the ASQ are a thorn in the side of Qianrong and a convenient target practice for our men. There need to be strategic bombers and men close to Namor agreed? Now, who has the trade proposal up?"

Minister von Pletz spoke up, "Ah yes economics, well seeing as we have a mounting surplus of weaponry," she glanced at the MoD who nodded his approval, ", we have plenty of weaponry to sell to them if need be. But I am primarily concerned with negotiating a free trade agreement, if we can secure that we can secure plentiful and open trade. It'd be a benefit to Qianrong to tap into our coal and oil production yes? I'd also planned on perhaps encouraging the exchange of companies, where we allow some of their companies to establish bases here and ours there at discounted rates and a certain tax-free period."

With Pletz finishing Berhausen raised his dark baritone voice, "Well sir as you stated, the main thrust of our proposal is getting a more permanent base for our troops in Qianrong. From there it will be easy to operate against the ASQ and to keep an eye on Namor and Luziyca. Not to mention as long as we are there to protect them, they should remain as a safe base for our intelligence operatives. We've also drawn up plans to conduct a naval war game exercise in the East Namor sea to show off power."

Bergmann was satisfied at the moment with the plans, and he was sure the King had his own proposals to devise. The nation was undergoing integration of ethnics back into society, it'd take at least 20 years to accomplish the goal of full integration, but it had to start somewhere. The King was notable for his peaceable temperament and desire to do right by society, much to the ire of the elders of the nation, though no one dare defy the King.

Qianrong was a sensitive subject with the world, but for New Zepuha it represented a new opportunity and a new strategic holding. They would not play hardball, but rather play as the beneficent big brother of Qianrong, seeing as New Zepuha had already done more for them than their so called allies in Luziyca were. Not to mention they would be an ideal asset to have in selling nuclear secrets and arms to, and being able to place nukes in the hands of a strong friend so close to bitter enemies is a condition worth having. It was time to tie the knot of friendship.

[Qianrong]

Sinro City, New Zepuha - Bundestag Building
October 2014

---

Chancellor Bergmann was standing out at the bottom of the front steps of the Bundestag, the main government building in New Zepuha housing the Chancellor's office and the parliamentary chambers, he was flanked by two other officials. To his left stood the new Minister of Defense and the Minister of Home and Infrastructure, respectively Minister von Berhausen and Minister von Pletz. The three stood at the edge of a large crescent formed road that was the front drive of the Bundestag so that one could enter from the left and exit to the right in one continuous motion. The edges of the road were flanked by troopers in immaculate green tunics and black pants with wide gold piping, their green peaked caps with shiny cap badges. All standing with drill rifle M1 Garand rifles held at port arms to present a formal welcome.

Bergmann sighed and watched his breath float away in the cold evening sky. It was the first state visit he had ever conducted and even to that it was the first one in some time for the nation. Though it had already been decided by a coalition vote that he was no longer going to run for a second term, he still had a few months of business to conduct before his leaving. Primarily securing a foothold in Eatern Esquarium to further the anti-Namo policy. It was beneficial to stand by Qianrong for this purpose.

The thought had crossed his mind before inviting the Qianrongese to his country that racism may abound, but when the king made his announcement of reform it had been simple. But long before that the youth of the country had taken over and already dismissed racism with a calm hand, only the old men sitting in government tried to preserve it. Of course there were some racist demonstrators here today, but Bergmann had them moved away from the proceedings.

With that though dismissed Bergmann drew his greatcoat closer to himself and adjusted his blue fedora. "Gentlemen, it is a cold day indeed?" he questioned to several grunts, it was 38 degrees Fahrenheit and chilly, "So, we all have our proposals ready for the Qianrongese? I want to stress the importance of offering the needed assistance, and if need be offer them a chance to meet our nuclear scientists when we visit Petersburg. Also remember, we need to get boots on the ground in Qianrong, a military base gentlemen. That is our primary concern here, the ASQ are a thorn in the side of Qianrong and a convenient target practice for our men. There need to be strategic bombers and men close to Namor agreed? Now, who has the trade proposal up?"

Minister von Pletz spoke up, "Ah yes economics, well seeing as we have a mounting surplus of weaponry," she glanced at the MoD who nodded his approval, ", we have plenty of weaponry to sell to them if need be. But I am primarily concerned with negotiating a free trade agreement, if we can secure that we can secure plentiful and open trade. It'd be a benefit to Qianrong to tap into our coal and oil production yes? I'd also planned on perhaps encouraging the exchange of companies, where we allow some of their companies to establish bases here and ours there at discounted rates and a certain tax-free period."

With Pletz finishing Berhausen raised his dark baritone voice, "Well sir as you stated, the main thrust of our proposal is getting a more permanent base for our troops in Qianrong. From there it will be easy to operate against the ASQ and to keep an eye on Namor and Luziyca. Not to mention as long as we are there to protect them, they should remain as a safe base for our intelligence operatives. We've also drawn up plans to conduct a naval war game exercise in the East Namor sea to show off power."

Bergmann was satisfied at the moment with the plans, and he was sure the King had his own proposals to devise. The nation was undergoing integration of ethnics back into society, it'd take at least 20 years to accomplish the goal of full integration, but it had to start somewhere. The King was notable for his peaceable temperament and desire to do right by society, much to the ire of the elders of the nation, though no one dare defy the King.

Qianrong was a sensitive subject with the world, but for New Zepuha it represented a new opportunity and a new strategic holding. They would not play hardball, but rather play as the beneficent big brother of Qianrong, seeing as New Zepuha had already done more for them than their so called allies in Luziyca were. Not to mention they would be an ideal asset to have in selling nuclear secrets and arms to, and being able to place nukes in the hands of a strong friend so close to bitter enemies is a condition worth having. It was time to tie the knot of friendship.

Hsieh, Tran, and Guo approached Bergmann, von Berhausen, and von Pletz, each standing across from their foreign counterpart, all of them surrounded by their security details. The Qianrongese delegates bowed slightly to the New Zepuhans, a traditional greeting in Qianrong, and one that had been made by Qianrongese leaders to foreign ones for centuries. This was followed by a handshake, far more traditional for cultures like Zepuha's.

"It's a pleasure to meet you at last, Chancellor Bergmann. This is Tran Minh Triet, Qianrong's foreign affairs minister, and this is Guo Tse-Zu, the acting minister of Defense and Intelligence. Technically, I hold the position of Defense and Intelligence Minister, but due to the unfortunate circumstances surrounding Chancellor Song, and being Acting Chancellor..." he trailed off, and shook his head slightly before speaking again. "May we head inside, Chancellor Bergmann? It is far colder in New Zepuha than it is in Qianrong."

[New Zepuha]

Seeing the bow did not surprise Bergmann and his associates very much, rather in New Zepuhan culture the bow was reserved for those of noble status or of royal status. Though many nobles had held an elected offices since the seventies, unless you counted the appointed members of the House of Lords. They exchanged handshakes with cool efficiency and Bergmann broke into a creased smile, his age had begun to shown as the stress of the Chancellory bore down on him.

"Ah but the pleasure is all mine Acting Chancellor Hsieh. Greetings to you all, I am glad you could make it here safely and I trust your flight was pleasent. May I introduce you to Minister of Defense, Fritz von Berhausen the Duke of Helensburg, and to Minister of Home and Infrastructure Gerta von Pletz the Countess of Petersburg. Tomorrow when we travel to Petersburg to view the military demonstrations we have prepared for you, we will meet Minister of Foreign Affairs Johann Goebeltz." Bergmann paused to allow the Sergeant at Arms to dismiss his troops from formation, "Yes of course, follow me inside I grow weary of the chill as well." The three turned to walk into the warmth of the Bundestag, he handed off his greatcoat and fedora to a black servant dressed in a white tuxedo who stood to take the others things. When the needed equipment was offloaded to the servant Bergmann led the group across the vast marbled floor to a conference room opened just for them.

Inside the conference room sat a small round oak table seemingly just the right size for them, six inlets sat in the desk allowing one to lay down a laptop or notepad without interfering with the view of others. The carpet was a deep velvet that complimented the dark brown walls around it, on the table were two pitchers of water, six glasses, a box of hand rolled Zuban cigars, and a box of hickory matches. Bergmann allowed his visitors to sit first in the plush leather desk chairs, as was the custom in New Zepuha.

[Qianrong]

Seeing the bow did not surprise Bergmann and his associates very much, rather in New Zepuhan culture the bow was reserved for those of noble status or of royal status. Though many nobles had held an elected offices since the seventies, unless you counted the appointed members of the House of Lords. They exchanged handshakes with cool efficiency and Bergmann broke into a creased smile, his age had begun to shown as the stress of the Chancellory bore down on him.

"Ah but the pleasure is all mine Acting Chancellor Hsieh. Greetings to you all, I am glad you could make it here safely and I trust your flight was pleasent. May I introduce you to Minister of Defense, Fritz von Berhausen the Duke of Helensburg, and to Minister of Home and Infrastructure Gerta von Pletz the Countess of Petersburg. Tomorrow when we travel to Petersburg to view the military demonstrations we have prepared for you, we will meet Minister of Foreign Affairs Johann Goebeltz." Bergmann paused to allow the Sergeant at Arms to dismiss his troops from formation, "Yes of course, follow me inside I grow weary of the chill as well." The three turned to walk into the warmth of the Bundestag, he handed off his greatcoat and fedora to a black servant dressed in a white tuxedo who stood to take the others things. When the needed equipment was offloaded to the servant Bergmann led the group across the vast marbled floor to a conference room opened just for them.

Inside the conference room sat a small round oak table seemingly just the right size for them, six inlets sat in the desk allowing one to lay down a laptop or notepad without interfering with the view of others. The carpet was a deep velvet that complimented the dark brown walls around it, on the table were two pitchers of water, six glasses, a box of hand rolled Zuban cigars, and a box of hickory matches. Bergmann allowed his visitors to sit first in the plush leather desk chairs, as was the custom in New Zepuha.

Hsieh, Guo, and Tran sat down across from their foreign counterparts. "Do you wish to speak first, " Hsieh asked Bergmann, "or should my delegation begin?"

[New Zepuha]

"You are our guests, we will cede the floor to you." Bergmann said taking his seat, unbuttoning his suit jacket.

[Qianrong]

"You are our guests, we will cede the floor to you." Bergmann said taking his seat, unbuttoning his suit jacket.

Hsieh nodded, and stood up.

"Gentlemen," he told the New Zepuhans, "I'm sure you can guess why myself and my ministers are here today. The Christian Republic of Luziyca, our ally since the days of Zheng Hye-Jeou, has utterly failed in its duties as an ally. Following several terrorist attacks led by the ASQ, in which many hundreds of civilians were slaughtered, Qianrong requested Luziycan assistance in fighting the ASQ, according to agreements between Luziyca's president and Chancellor Song Li-Chao. We figured that, with a Luziycan base in Yucheng, with a longstanding alliance, they might aid us in our fight. They have totally and utterly failed in this. They are only now considering activating Yucheng LAFB, and will only now offer help. By now, though, it is too late. They have made their treachery and apathy perfectly clear. As such, it is obvious that Qianrong cannot remain close to Luziyca if it wants to survive."

"Now, as much as I dislike it, I have to admit- Qianrong is not exactly a world power that can carve its own path," he said. "Our nuclear arsenal may not protect us from our larger and wrathful neighbors- Namor, Masseau, Ainin, and now possibly Luziyca seek our imminent destruction, and if we are all honest with ourselves, Qianrong could not survive such a war. As such, we have found ourselves in need of a loyal and powerful ally."

"That is why we are here," Hsieh continued. "New Zepuha was not our ally in June, nor was it particularly close to the FDRQ. And yet you offered us an abundance of help. You have sent your soldiers to join the fight against the ASQ, you have given us assistance in preventing interference by our neighbors, you have been of incredible help to the Qianrongese people, and we thank you- more than you can ever know. You took initiative and did many great deeds while our so-called 'allies' ran and hid. It is totally clear to all who are paying attention that Qianrong's future is with New Zepuha."

"It is time, I think we can all agree, that we turn our informal friendship into formal agreements and ultimately into alliance. We have several proposals that we believe can achieve this goal. Minister Guo?"

Hsieh sat down and Guo stood up. Guo nodded, took out some papers, and began speaking. "We will get to trade in due time, but for both of us, security must obviously be the priority. The National Security Forces and Ministry of Defense and Intelligence have come up with a few major proposals."

"First, the FDRQ plans to order Luziycan forces to vacate the Yucheng base they control as soon as possible, once this meeting is over. Once the Luziycans have left, you can move in. This would give you a permanent base in Qianrong, from which to coordinate your plans in fighting the ASQ. The Yucheng base is also strategically located, a good position for projecting power in the East Namor Sea. Once the Luziycans are gone, we will ensure that the base is yours as soon as possible."

"Second, a show of naval force. Qianrong is an island nation, an archipelago, and our navy is thus critical to our defense. Foreign intervention or invasion might be deterred if we show unity and power in the East Namor Sea. This would best be achieved, we think, by the means of a massive series of naval wargames, located within Qianrongese waters but nearer to Namor, or Ainin, or Masseau- the message being obvious, that Qianrong is not a toy for them to play with or land up for grabs."

"Third, we have created a proposal for a sort of soldier exchange program. Both countries send a certain number of squadrons to the other country, to fight against terrorism. Zepuhan troops go to Qianrong to fight the ASQ; Qianrongese troops go to Zepuha to fight Tac Olum. The benefits to this are numerous: the soldiers involved will gain unique experience fighting in different environments, it will serve as another show of diplomatic unity, and- most critically- it will aid the antiterrorism fight in both countries. The only possible issue, and I'm sure we can work it out, is who would command these forces- their home country, or the country they're in."

Guo sat down, and Hsieh said to the Zepuhans, "Do you have any proposals of your own? Counterproposals? Questions or objections?"

[New Zepuha]

Listening for a short period and the three men nodded with one another and Bergmann rose to his feet. "First I'd like to say that I have no opposition to any one of these proposals, and I am sure my associates will agree with me on this. I am prepared to put as many boots to the ground as I need to secure a toehold against the ASQ. If I may request that our own aircraft be permitted to fly within your airspace, as we have spent years perfecting the arts of stamping out guerrilla targets. The main bulk of our air power would be projected via low-flying combat helicopters, and heavier attacks may be led on a man-guided precision basis." he stopped and let it sink for a moment, "Now I believe von Berhausen has his proposal prepared."

The man nodded his shiny bald head and stood, "Gentlemen, as you know the New Zepuhan armed forces is one of if not the largest active military forces in Esquarium. Not only do I have more than enough troops as my disposal to put down the ASQ but we will be on call at anytime, rest assured of that fact. In our history we have never left a military post before finishing the job, and that is what I intend here. The New Zepuhan armed forces have been fighting militants similar to the ASQ in a variety of environments for nigh on 100 years, and when it comes to weeding them out we excel. Now, for a naval wargame as proposed earlier this month we will arrange with you as to how large of a force to send, currently there is CVBG North patrolling nearest you." his face then grew more serious and his voice smoothed, "I understand as well as you putting troops on the ground and exchanging our troops, a well to do idea that I am happy to arrange, is all good and well but there is a bigger concern. Nuclear armaments, with a stockpile of well over 8,000 warheads [Which is about France level I think?] we are prepared to donate a portion of these along with an exchange of missile scientists to bolster your nuclear capabilities. Our nuclear program has been a well oiled machine for many a decade and I believe you may benefit from shared knowledge of our technology. This of course will need to remain one of the closer guarded exchanges we make." he then smiled cordially and set a dossier on the table, "This is our offer, questions gentlemen?"

[Qianrong]

Listening for a short period and the three men nodded with one another and Bergmann rose to his feet. "First I'd like to say that I have no opposition to any one of these proposals, and I am sure my associates will agree with me on this. I am prepared to put as many boots to the ground as I need to secure a toehold against the ASQ. If I may request that our own aircraft be permitted to fly within your airspace, as we have spent years perfecting the arts of stamping out guerrilla targets. The main bulk of our air power would be projected via low-flying combat helicopters, and heavier attacks may be led on a man-guided precision basis." he stopped and let it sink for a moment, "Now I believe von Berhausen has his proposal prepared."

The man nodded his shiny bald head and stood, "Gentlemen, as you know the New Zepuhan armed forces is one of if not the largest active military forces in Esquarium. Not only do I have more than enough troops as my disposal to put down the ASQ but we will be on call at anytime, rest assured of that fact. In our history we have never left a military post before finishing the job, and that is what I intend here. The New Zepuhan armed forces have been fighting militants similar to the ASQ in a variety of environments for nigh on 100 years, and when it comes to weeding them out we excel. Now, for a naval wargame as proposed earlier this month we will arrange with you as to how large of a force to send, currently there is CVBG North patrolling nearest you." his face then grew more serious and his voice smoothed, "I understand as well as you putting troops on the ground and exchanging our troops, a well to do idea that I am happy to arrange, is all good and well but there is a bigger concern. Nuclear armaments, with a stockpile of well over 8,000 warheads [Which is about France level I think?] we are prepared to donate a portion of these along with an exchange of missile scientists to bolster your nuclear capabilities. Our nuclear program has been a well oiled machine for many a decade and I believe you may benefit from shared knowledge of our technology. This of course will need to remain one of the closer guarded exchanges we make." he then smiled cordially and set a dossier on the table, "This is our offer, questions gentlemen?"

"I do not think we have any questions or objections," Hsieh said, looking towards Tran and Guo. The two shook their heads, so Hsieh turned back to the Zepuhans, nodded, and asked "Is there anything else you wish to propose before we move on to economics?"

[New Zepuha]

Bergmann rubbed his chin before snapping his fingers, "Ah yes there was one more thing I nearly forgot to mention. I'd also like to offer up the support of the Homeland Security Agency and Office of Military Intelligence in aiding in the search for Chancellor Song and to coordinate with your own intelligence services to better counter the ASQ behind the scenes, but that is all I have left to say for that matter."

[Qianrong]

Bergmann rubbed his chin before snapping his fingers, "Ah yes there was one more thing I nearly forgot to mention. I'd also like to offer up the support of the Homeland Security Agency and Office of Military Intelligence in aiding in the search for Chancellor Song and to coordinate with your own intelligence services to better counter the ASQ behind the scenes, but that is all I have left to say for that matter."

"You would have to work in conjunction with the Ministry of Defense and Intelligence and the National Security Forces, but that seems like a good proposal."

Tran coughed. "Is there anything else before we move on to economics?"

[New Zepuha]

"I suppose we can move on," came the feminine voice of the H&I minister. "If you would like to hear our proposals I shall begin right away?"

[Qianrong]

"I suppose we can move on," came the feminine voice of the H&I minister. "If you would like to hear our proposals I shall begin right away?"

"We have no problem with that," Hsieh told the Zepuhans.

[New Zepuha]

"Right thank you," von Pletz said running a stray lock of hair back into it's neat placement on her head, "What I propose is the encouragement of open and free trade as well as business exchange. I would propose a free trade agreement to promote higher amounts of profitable trade to occur with the establishment of a duty free system. This will also encourage the second part of my proposal to occur, a business exchange. As it becomes more profitable to trade with one another so will it be to expand into one anothers nations. To encourage this further is to offer a tax break to companies from our nations to yours and vice versa, we would need to allow companies to operate without corporate tax for five years, as five years is the minimum profitable years to establish a business. Once that is completed, I am sure that the stimulation of commerce will greatly benefit each other. Our final proposal will be to allow your companies to tap into our oil reserves for a discounted rate."

[Qianrong]

"Right thank you," von Pletz said running a stray lock of hair back into it's neat placement on her head, "What I propose is the encouragement of open and free trade as well as business exchange. I would propose a free trade agreement to promote higher amounts of profitable trade to occur with the establishment of a duty free system. This will also encourage the second part of my proposal to occur, a business exchange. As it becomes more profitable to trade with one another so will it be to expand into one anothers nations. To encourage this further is to offer a tax break to companies from our nations to yours and vice versa, we would need to allow companies to operate without corporate tax for five years, as five years is the minimum profitable years to establish a business. Once that is completed, I am sure that the stimulation of commerce will greatly benefit each other. Our final proposal will be to allow your companies to tap into our oil reserves for a discounted rate."

"Agreed," Tran said. "Qianrong needs measures to end dependence on Luziycan trade, and increased trade with New Zepuha will lead to a more diversified economy in both. I have no problems with these proposals."

[New Zepuha]

"Well then, if there is nothing left to discuss as we have covered our main points shall we get a nice photo-op and we can go meet the king for lunch, afterwards I think we can face the press." said Bergmann and Berhausen interjected, "Yes and I think we may all be more agreeable with a fine bit of food in our stomachs." the Zepuhans chuckled at their own dry humor and began to stand up and a secretary placed a sheaf of papers on the desk. "If we are all satisfied let us sign it in blood, so to speak, and get those pictures for the press." Bergmann noted seeing a state photographer enter.

[Qianrong]

"Well then, if there is nothing left to discuss as we have covered our main points shall we get a nice photo-op and we can go meet the king for lunch, afterwards I think we can face the press." said Bergmann and Berhausen interjected, "Yes and I think we may all be more agreeable with a fine bit of food in our stomachs." the Zepuhans chuckled at their own dry humor and began to stand up and a secretary placed a sheaf of papers on the desk. "If we are all satisfied let us sign it in blood, so to speak, and get those pictures for the press." Bergmann noted seeing a state photographer enter.

The Qianrongese nodded, and Hsieh reached across the table to shake Bergmann's hand for a photo.

[New Zepuha]

The photographer took a few snap shots of the two shaking hands and Bergmann leaned over and signed a few release papers. "Well then, shall we go greet the king?"

[Qianrong]

The photographer took a few snap shots of the two shaking hands and Bergmann leaned over and signed a few release papers. "Well then, shall we go greet the king?"

The Qianrongese nodded and agreed.

[New Zepuha]

Bergmann allowed those of his cabinet to leave and go about their duties and exited into the main lobby leading the Qianrongese. "I have arranged a press conference to publicly announce things and answer the baying crowds." he said seeing a slender man standing in the lobby escorted by two policemen. This was the king, dressed in a simple double breasted suit calmly waiting for the group to arrive. "Good to see you all, shall we?" he said leading them into a larger press room where rows of chairs were set up in front of three podiums for the leaders who would mount the stage. The King at the center leaned forward and smiled, "Questions will be taken at this time."

[Qianrong]

Bergmann allowed those of his cabinet to leave and go about their duties and exited into the main lobby leading the Qianrongese. "I have arranged a press conference to publicly announce things and answer the baying crowds." he said seeing a slender man standing in the lobby escorted by two policemen. This was the king, dressed in a simple double breasted suit calmly waiting for the group to arrive. "Good to see you all, shall we?" he said leading them into a larger press room where rows of chairs were set up in front of three podiums for the leaders who would mount the stage. The King at the center leaned forward and smiled, "Questions will be taken at this time."

Hsieh stood behind the podium, with Tran and Guo a little ways behind him.

[Luziyca]

The first reporter to arrive was Joseph Kristanstrommer, and he says in a soothing tone, "Greetings, your excellencies and your majesty. I am Joseph Kristianstrommer, reporting from ITV, and I am here to ask you a few questions."

"To you, Chancellor Hsieh, what is your motivations to switch your allegiances from the Christian Republic to New Zepuha?" he asked in a curious tone of voice. "Is it because of our lack of involvement in assisting the government in defeating the terrorists in Qianrong and finding Chancellor Song until very very recently or is it because of our other reasons, such as an ideology more in common with your nation?"

He then asks the King, "Your majesty, how will the reforms that have promised to end the racial laws in your nation go as planned? Would it be sudden, gradual, or whether it'd be a mixture of both? Also, how do you think the rest of the world will see your reforms? Do you think that they'd lift the sanctions on your nation and allow your economy to blossom?"

Then Kristianstrommer asks Bergmann, "Chancellor Bergmann, what is the advantage of gaining an ally in the East Namorese Sea? Would it help ensure that your shipping remains safe, especially with the seizures of Zepuhan ships by the Namorese government? And are you concerned for the reputation of your nation by making an agreement with a nation which some, especially Namor, consider to be a rogue state?"

Fianlly, Kristanstrommer asks all of them in that same soothing tone that he gave at the beginning, "Lastly, all of you excellencies and your majesty, are there any tangible economic gains to make by making such an agreement that switches Qianrong from a large and powerful economy to a nation with a significantly smaller economy compared to ours?"

[New Zepuha]

Karl listened with a serious air about him and thought for a moment, "I'd like for the reforms to start out in a quickened pace, hence my deployment of the military. Minorities have long held jobs and residence in cities there has been no law against that, rather I am now hoping to gradually roll back their suppression by law. The quickness of the initial movement will be to place displaced families back into their residencies and assure they find employment or some sort of assistance. The more proactive stance of my ages generation has helped to turn the tide in my favor, as we attempt to break the hard trained racism of the old days, most notably changing school curriculum.

I believe that the world will see it as a positive light for our nation to take a step into the modern world, while I will never promise equality, I will promise that the government will never hold them back. As to the sanctions, I am hoping that they will be lifted if any are present. Our trade is on a slow but steady increase and I hope to see it continue that way."

Bergmann then responded to his question in turn, "The main advantage is obviously that of protecting our shipping interests in the West, as trade with Qianrong and a possible Britanno increases we will need to have a strong presence. Just as well, my own doctrine sets out the need to project our power to other part of the world, and with the increased rise of terrorism and our icy relations with Namor I can't afford not to have a base near them. I am not concerned, as I have already stated that this nation will stand by anyone afflicted with the plague of terrorism."

The King answered the final issue on behalf of New Zepuha, "Well, as of now our trade with Luziyca is fairly limited as your nation is near hostile waters that are unprotected. Qianrong will greatly benefit from the natural gas and mineral deposits in New Zepuha, and I believe that an increased level of trade will help to boost and modernize our economies."

[Qianrong]

The first reporter to arrive was Joseph Kristanstrommer, and he says in a soothing tone, "Greetings, your excellencies and your majesty. I am Joseph Kristianstrommer, reporting from ITV, and I am here to ask you a few questions."

"To you, Chancellor Hsieh, what is your motivations to switch your allegiances from the Christian Republic to New Zepuha?" he asked in a curious tone of voice. "Is it because of our lack of involvement in assisting the government in defeating the terrorists in Qianrong and finding Chancellor Song until very very recently or is it because of our other reasons, such as an ideology more in common with your nation?"

"Firstly, it must be stated: I am not the Chancellor of Qianrong. Song Li-Chao is the Chancellor of Qianrong; I am only Acting Chancellor until he is freed from his captivity, and once he has been freed he will resume his duties," Hsieh said.

"However, Song Li-Chao and the circumstances surrounding his absence perfectly illustrate why Qianrong has come to trust New Zepuha. On May 28th, Song Li-Chao was in Kenyen, sitting with Breuvi Shjoraski, working out plans for common defense and economy policies between the two countries, hoping to continue the longstanding relationship between the two countries. And Breuvi Shjoraski agreed, the relationship was important, a common policy was needed. Six days later, not even a week, on June 3rd, Chancellor Song was abducted by the ASQ in an attack that also killed 50 innocent civilians. Luziyca said and did nothing. Breuvi Shjoraski, who had been smiling and shaking his hand six days earlier, who had promised that Luziyca would stand by Qianrong at all times, said and did nothing. In fact, Luziyca made no statements on Chancellor Song's captivity, or on providing any assistance in his rescue, until the 141st day of Song Li-Chao's captivity, in October. Breuvi Shjoraski didn't even find it necessary to comment himself; he had Nikolai Serhoskav send the condolences and the empty promises- meaning Shjoraski himself has still said nothing on the issue."

"This is not how an alliance is supposed to work. Luziyca cannot pick and choose when to help Qianrong if it wants to remain close to us. It has violated the principles of assistance and cooperation that all alliances are based upon. For the Qianrongese people, this is a massive show of treachery and apathy from Bethlehem. We had viewed Luziyca as a faithful nation that we could trust- and in return, it has stood by and watched as Qianrongese men, women, and children were slaughtered by the ASQ. To be blunt, I would say that Luziyca's actions are tantamount to betrayal. In the absence of Luziycan assistance, Qianrong has gone to nations that are willing to do their duties as allies, and are willing to stand by us when we are facing trouble- instead of running away."

"Even more egregious, Serhoskav announced that any Luziycan aid to Qianrong would have strings attached- Qianrong would have to continue blindly trusting the nation that said one thing and acted the opposite way, and would not be able to accept aid from nations that have actually proven themselves useful. This highlights the possibility that Luziyca is simply using us as a pawn, as a tool in the game of global politics. They don't view us as people with lives, with families, with hopes and fears, people in need of assistance as we fight a great evil. They view us as a means to their end. This is despicable and unethical. There are some places where international politics simply does not belong; this fight against terror is one of them. Luziyca, Namor, and some other nations view Qianrong's misery as little more than an opportunity to gain power, and we will not tolerate that. If Luziyca, or Namor, or WETO- if they legitimately wish to aid Qianrong against the ASQ, they should drop their strings, their attempts to grab power, and focus on actually helping Qianrong fight the ASQ. Even as it offers aid, Luziyca shows us that it cares more about gaining power than it does about doing the right thing. This only cements the realizations that have been shown by Luziyca's litany of betrayals since June 3rd."

"By contrast, New Zepuha has done far more than it had to. Before today, there was no formal agreement between Qianrong and New Zepuha, and yet New Zepuha offered its assistance and joined us in our fight. They performed the duties of an ally when they weren't an ally, the inverse of Luziyca. New Zepuha has been immensely helpful in the fight against the ASQ, and as one of my duties is to ensure the safety and security of the Qianrongese people- New Zepuha has vastly outstripped Luziyca in that respect, and for obvious reasons I must choose a nation which does protect Qianrongese national security over one that does not."

Fianlly, Kristanstrommer asks all of them in that same soothing tone that he gave at the beginning, "Lastly, all of you excellencies and your majesty, are there any tangible economic gains to make by making such an agreement that switches Qianrong from a large and powerful economy to a nation with a significantly smaller economy compared to ours?"

"Qianrong will not cease trading with Luziyca- not entirely. Qianrong is diversifying its trade, which will foster our economy and will provide the Qianrongese people access to more of what the world has to offer. Qianrong's economic independence and economic well-being are things that I must consider, and I believe that trading with both Luziyca and New Zepuha will ensure our economic viability regionally and globally.