Salish Bay, Tawwassen
National House
7:02 am, September 17th
The sun slowly crept it's way over the horizon, shining it's light down onto the streets of Salish Bay, the capital of Tawwassen. A soft breeze blew in off the ocean, as small fishing boats pulled out of the harbour for the days work. The city itself was still in the process of waking up, early morning commuters making their way towards the bullet train that ran throughout the city, and connected the various suburbs nearby. Some others stumbled from bed into the small restaurants and cafes lining the surprisingly empty roadways, while others went out for a brisk jog through one of the man parks that surrounded the Capital.
A few young men and women, wearing the uniforms of the local militia patrolled the waterfront quarter of town, talking among themselves as they scanned the crowds of citizens. Normally, only a handful of militiamen and women would be seen in the District surrounding National House, Tawwassen's Capital Building, but today, security was on high alert, and a number local volunteers had been mustered to make sure nothing out of the ordinary took place.
National House, official the National Convention House of the Confederacy of Tawwassen, had been a hub for businessmen and activists alike before the Revolution. Anthony McGuinness could remember those days well... The days when the Maple Leaf flag had still lined the halls he now walked. He'd first visited the convention center was a teen, attending a Model United Nations conference, and was immediately captivated by it's beauty. Even now, at 36 the view of the Salish Sea from the windows inspired him, the dawn light glinting off the waves lapping the shoreline.
He marched with purpose down the halls of the building, towards the main entrance, his black boots clapping against the polished floor. He was dressed in his military uniform, shiny black boots, crisp green camo fatigues, and a black beret adorned with a blood red rose. His shoulders displayed the rank of Vice-Commander, the second highest rank in the Tawwassian military. As he passed by a window, a looked at his reflection, adjusting his hat.
"You look fine, Tony." McGuinness' wife, Ginny piped up, walking beside him. She was wearing a white skirt and black dress shirt, with a red shawl over her shoulders. She spoke with a faint Irish accent.
McGuinness shrugged, pealing himself away from his reflection and carrying on, "First impressions are everything. Don't want to get off on the wrong foot do we, eh?"
"Don't worry yourself..." Ginny sighed, "Comrade Jingyuan seems a reasonable fellow, I'm sure you'll get on famously."
"You never really know." McGuinness stated coolly, "He's a Centrist... And an Authoritarian for Christ's sake." The two came up on a door, where two guards stood at attention. "He has some sympathies for Socialist Ideals, we know that... But he seems like a tough case to crack." The reached the guards by the door, and McGuinness saluted them, "Have our guests arrived yet?" He asked them.
"Should be here any minute, Comrade." The Guard respond.
McGuinness nodded, "Ma will make a good ally..." He said almost to himself before turning to his wife, kissing her forehead, before walking through the door and out into the front of the National House, hoping that Ma Jingyuan would arrive shortly.
