  To His Majesty the King of Hindia Belanda, His Royal Hindia Belandan Highness King Willem-Alexander 1st of November, 2017 Your Majesty, It is my distinct pleasure, following my conversations with your Prime Minister Bambang Susilo, to extend a warm invitation to yourself and your delegations for a state visit to the Greater Island Kingdom of New Hayesalia. Celebrating 75 years of relations between the Hayesalian Union and New Hayesalia with Hindia Belanda is a cause for great celebration and a further development of our relationships - political, cultural, economic, defence - to ready them for the coming century. To this end, the New Hayesalian Embassy in Jakarta has advised me of your intent to nominate the persons below as honoured guests of the Greater Island Kingdom.
We welcome the arrival of the aforementioned dignitaries at Air Force Station North Revnami at a time to be further orchestrated with the Hindia Belandan Embassy in Revnami. We shall furthermore welcome a further delegations of aides, press, security service officials, and diplomatic corps members to travel alongside the Governor-General and other guests. You can expect transportation, security, experiences, accomodations and other necessities to be appropriately organised for the Hindia Belanese delegation. To welcome the Governor-General and other honoured guests, a Welcoming Ceremony will be held at the Parliament Complex Parade Grounds in Revnami upon their arrival. A full itinerary appropriate for a three day visit will be furnished to your Household Offices and shall include a suitable State Dinner, a tour of the Parliament, an overview of developments in the New Hayesalian Military, and a visit to the site of Hollow Bastion. As such, your delegates will likely depart New Hayesalia from Air Force Station Valley Cluse, in Piltomana, in the early afternoon. I, and my Government, are excited for the arrival of your delegates and we intend to present a remarkable introduction to New Hayesalia, with insights to our history, culture, developments, and infrastructure. Daniel Hayes, MP, ONH Prime Minister of New Hayesalia The Greater Island Kingdom of New Hayesalia Amalgamated July 21, 2009 This is an official message of the New Hayesalian Government. This message may be disseminated in accordance with the security classification noted above. |
AIR FORCE STATION NORTH REVNAMI, 9th OF DECEMBER
"Viceroy One, North Revnami Tower, you are clear to land runway wun-zero. Welcome to New Hayesalia."
Revnami's heat was, at best, described as a bit warm. Smack-bang in the transitional area of the mediterranean coastal climates of the nation's internal seas, and the subtropical heat of the other middle and southern provinces, humidity and dryness competing each day to decide how the city would be heated that day. The result was a tricky-to-predict weather pattern for the local area, characterised by 300+ days of sunshine a year and summer temperatures upwards of 30 degrees celcius. Today the weather was merciful by comparison, sitting at 27 with a comfortable breeze and a little bit of cloud cover. Of course the representatives of a fellow tropical, southern nation would see very few problems in adjusting to the weather in comparison to New Hayesalian's northern friends, such as the United NW Canadians or the Vannish.
The airport that constituted this relatively small air force base had been designed to support highly strategic assets. The Government's VIP aircraft were based here; as were the similar 'doomsday planes' acting as emergency national control centres if the worst was ever to happen. A detachment of AWACS and tanker airplanes further cemented the strategic assets here. Further units based here included a detachment from the New Hayesalian gendarmerie force, the Royal Montmarian Guard. Uniformed members and Air Force Military Police stood at strategic areas, blocking access to the arrival area for the leaders inbound; plain-clothed and tactically dressed members, some armed with rifles and rangefinders, stood at points of a great height, looking for any threat to the incoming VIP jet. The lives of many visitors depended on them - if not so much more.
On the tarmac proper stood a small group of Military members, stood at rest. Stood uniformly in three ranks, the uniformed members of the six Military services were represented by nine members apiece. Those 54 troops, medals and awards glancing sunlight, stood behind a banner party of four. A Navy Officer with the rank of Lieutenant stood next to an Army officer, wearing the insignia of a Major. The New Hayesalian flag was carried behind them both by another soldier, a Sergeant; an Air Force member of the equivalent rank carried the flag of Hindia Belanda in the exact same manner. All had been dressed in the most perfectly cut and maintained uniforms in their various shades of green, black, and blue. There were but two unifying . The 54 men of the welcoming guard carried the main battle rifle of the Military, the Ripper Mk3; the leading Navy Officer, however, carried his sword, whilst the senior Army officer carried nothing. Excluding him, all of the members assembled wore teal coloured berets with a silver device pinned to them - the Coat of Arms of New Hayesalia. The Army Officer was in fact assigned the duty of Aide-de-Camp for the Governor-General, and as such wore an intricate golden aigulette across his left shoulder and breast.
Two more airmen stood at the end of the honour guard, with the furled red carpet waiting at their feet. This would lead directly from the air stairs, yet to be deployed from the back of a small truck, to a path where limousines would collect the five key dignitaries - transit vans had been organised for the other members of the Delegation. By a feat of routing, those vans would take a more immediate route to the Parliament Complex, and the limousines a scenic route.
The first sign of the arriving aircraft was reported by a Montmarian Guardsman, who waved a green flag for the Naval officer leading the welcoming guard. Viceroy One was on final approach to the tropical archipelago. A graceful aircraft, the Boeing 787-8 of the Flight of His Majesty's Government took no qualms on landing. The news media of New Hayesalia and Hindia Belanda captured the arriving flight, two puffs of smoke announcing touchdown at Air Force Station North Revnami.
A direct and quick taxi brought the aircraft perfectly into position - a credit to the military pilots - and the air stairs bearing the coat of arms of New Hayesalia at it's apex was locked into place. With the soldiers called to attention, the two junior airmen marched with the red carpet, unfurling it from a wooden holder as they did so, perfectly spaced to reach the end of the airstairs. With this, they turned about, and quickly marched out of view.
The arrival was in fact the boring part. The views of airport hangars and grey apron, however well maintained, was not supposed to be the 'shock and awe' introduction to Revnami. So, as the Governor-General and his lovely wife stepped from the aircraft with a wave and a smile - his moustache and bald spot immediately recognised - it was for the cameras. As the couple began down the steps, followed by the other three dignitaries, the Major stepped forwards and left, coming to a halt centrally. He snapped immediately to full attention, and brought up his hand in salute. With the GG's ackonwledgement, it then became a handshake.
"Welcome to Revnami, Your Majesty. And indeed, to you all." the Major said. He was an older man, approaching 50, with white hair and a firm face betraying years of good service in his nation's Army. A full chest of medals certainly helped to affirm this.
"The Prime Minister and Crown Prince Irving await your presence at the Parliament Complex for a Welcoming Ceremony. My name is Major Terrence Kelly, and I will be your aide-de-camp during this visit. My staff and I have been assigned to your offices as Aide De Camps. Anything you wish for or require during your time spent here will be seen to, and we will see to such things with pride and efficiency."
Camera shutters snapped as, in a row of three, the Aide, Governor-General, and wife moved down the red carpet. The Navy Lieutenant commanding the welcoming guard called the man to present arms, and following a smooth snapping of feet and a raising of rifles to the sky, the salute of the troops was complete. From the corner of another hangar came two limousines. Built from the structure of Tesla Model S sedans, the limousines were copiously armoured as expected, whilst remaining comfortable. Driven by suited members of the Royal Montmarian Guard - in it's dual role as the 'secret service' of New Hayesalia - they came to a perfectly timed halt. Four more airmen opened the rear doors of each of the two limousines. The viceregal couple and the Aide moved into the first limousine, featuring two seats facing forewards and two facing backwards, repeated in the second car, occupied by Lodewijk, Hadiningraat, and Hadisoemirna. For the first time ever, the deputy Aide-De-Camp was a member of the Netforce - the cyber branch of the New Hayesalian Military. The Assistant Director, a rank equivalent to an Army Captain, stepped out to welcome them to the vehicle, before re-entering and providing them with any requested information about New Hayesalia or the upcoming events.
Moving from the air base, the VIP limousines slotted into a motorcade rivalling almost any state's. As the comfortable transit vans rocketed in their own motorcade to the Parliament Complex to take their positions, the limousies joined a convoy of no less than forty vehicles. The entire suite, including red marked police cars and motorbikes, unmarked police and RMG security vehicles - even an unmarked ambulance and HAZMAT response van - moved smoothly onto the Revnami Ring Road.
"You won't often see cars on the road around here, Sir," the Major said, pointing out the relatively low flow of traffic on the opposite lane. "In the capital cities and other large cities, we've had a ban or a tariff on private vehicles. Congestion is a non-issue in places like this, and I can personally guarantee you that public transportation is second to none."
A bridge passed overhead, where a number of bicyclists had pulled out their camera phones to watch the motorcade beneath. The Governor General asked about other modes of transit.
"Cycling is big, of course. You can actually access a grant of Ќ1300 - about $250 NS dollars - to buy a bicycle every three years. A lot of city bikes are priced at precisely that amount, so the take-up rate has been extraordinary. I'll direct your attention to something of note in a moment."
The drive to Revnami would take, in your average car, about 14 minutes from here. To the Parliament Complex, about 20. This drive, along Highway Capital 1 and the Revnami Ring Road, had removed traffic from the lane headed into the city and cleared the path for the motorcade, it's sirens going and lights flashing. New Hayesalian citizens had set themselves up on hills and balconies with cameras, watching and recording the particularly large motorcade passing through. But it was the city out the windows of the most appeal to the riders.
The city of Revnami was one of the most advanced capitals in the world. Millions upon millions lived here, and the construction boom in recent decades and the New Hayesalian appreciation for good architecture meant the suburbs were not filled with artificial cookie cutter housing, nor the grey commie-block apartments. Each building that the riders saw, peering across the highway and into the suburbs, had been built by architects seeking to make names for themselves. The National Sustainability Projects which had been taken on in recent years also contributed - there was a truly massive number of solar panels on each of the stunning houses. As a point of note, 113% of domestic power use was generated by these solar panels and stored by in-house batteries.
Looking above, a stunning sight could be seen. New Hayesalian public transport was famous around the world, and the Hindia Belandan VIPs had just seen their first part of it. A gondola, a car able to fit six people and their bikes- which were also subsidised by the national government- moved along it's wires overhead. The Revnami public transport system, built around these high-flying cable cars, is able to move up to 30 million people daily in these alone, operating 24/7 and at a low cost, with inner-city trains and the occasional bus and ferry service picking up the slack.
Interesting too were the steady stream of rainbow coloured drones flying overhead, following paths set by navigation markers installed with some respectable camouflage across the entire city. These drones, operated by the NH Post service, were 'Matternet.' In a city the size of Revnami, delivering post in trucks could easily contribute to the old problems of congestion. Considering the general ban on using cars and trucks in the city without an expensive permit, the less trucks on the road meant savings and more city efficiency. As such, the inexpensive and light drones flew autonomously around the city, following the intricate network of nav-markers, delivering millions of letters and small packages per day, with only the largest packages needing to be put into trucks and dropped off.
New Hayesalia was damn good at efficiency.
The crowning shot of the city really came as the Highway rose to a bridge, extending across the large river known as Lake Neike- technically, not a lake, but a river narrowing to a very small creek just past the Air Force Station - this was the Jae Snider Bridge. In a country where architecture was nearly a national sport, every time a government wanted to open a bridge they could guarantee a sea of intriguing, quirky and beautiful proposals and this bridge had been no different. The six lane bridge (the motorcade in the middle left lane) was simple yet elegant, but it's lack of spires and wires had been for a reason. From this height, all of the city centre was in view. The Parliament Complex, flanked by the glass offices of the embassies on Pavillion Drive sat to the viewers left on the peak of the bridge, on the right side bank of the lake.
The city proper was most impressive. A large, Olympic-type stadium was to the immediate foreground on the left bank of the river, a long national mall and arts precinct behind and surrounding, followed on by the CBD of Revnami, each of the stunning sky-high buildings competing like rainforest trees to be the highest and most beautiful. None stood out as far as reaching the height of the 104 storey tall Capital Life Tower, green 'grass-n-glass' windows building up to the shining and unusual peak.
At night, spotlights and LEDs on the buildings turned the city into a centrally-orchestrated light show (OOC: like this on every building.) instead of the usual drab yellows and blacks of the rest of the world's global cities. This was a common theme around all of New Hayesalia's big cities, with an annual competition for the most impressive and beautiful displays. It was a real benefit as well- people around the world were attracted to Mardi Gras in New Hayesalia when entire cities, absolutely literally, turned into rainbows; though on days of national mourning and tragedy the cities sat dark, illuminated only by office lights, streetlights, and spire beacons.
As the motorcade came to the end of the bridge, it turned to the left exit towards the Parliament Complex, slowing as the limousines turned further left onto a separate road, made by master stonemasons and showing hundreds of symbols of the various provinces of New Hayesalia. The road led into the main Parliamentary courtyards, but it also surrounded the Parade Ground, around the Parliament proper.
The Parliament Complex is truly one of New Hayesalia's crown jewels, with regard to the nation's respected architectural heritage and appreciation. At Building 1, the massive structure stood high over the additional Ministerial buildings nearby, playing host to three of New Hayesalia's four Parliamentary houses. Citizens were gathering and buzzing for the arrival. The Parade Ground, an immaculately-kept public park at the left side of the Parliament, was the very hub of activity, with bleachers erected for ticket-holders and some lucky members of the public. Stood in front of the glass Parliament building, partially frosted to present a gigantic monochrome New Hayesalian Coat of Arms to the Revnami city, and topped by an enormous New Hayesalian flag loosely blowing, the assembled crowd anxiously awaited.
On the Parade Ground stood eight groups of Military personnel, led by a few more. These were the elite ceremonial troops of the New Hayesalian Military, the Amalgamation Guard, all wearing the teal berets of the small detachment at the air base. Six formations waited at ease for the arrival of the Hindia Belanese guests. From the point of view of the dias, to which they faced, they stood in two ranks of three formations. At the front left stood the black-uniformed Navy, with the Army and Air Force taking up centre and right positions in their tan and dark blue uniforms. Behind the three were the smaller, more specialised services- the Marines stood in their khaki, gold-trimmed tunics behind their Navy colleagues, the Queen's own Royal Montmarian Guards in their black tunics behind the Army, and the grey uniformed members of New Hayesalia's electronic warfare branch, the Netforce, behind the NHAF.
The troops, numbering eight across and twelve deep for each formation, were immaculately presented, wearing a variety of medals and insignia. What they shared was the white Airman's belt of the Amalgamation Guard, teal blue berets bearing a silver badge of the Coat of Arms (or, in the case of the RMG, their traditional black bicornes with a teal blue ribboning and pin) and an immense pride for their job. Behind the six main formations, the New Hayesalian Military Massed Band stood with their instruments, dressed in the full menagerie of uniforms, a dull rainbow of colours standing out as quite unorganised compared to the formations ahead. Further back, in an area cleared of civilians, stood the Gunners Section. As a clear mark of difference to most nations, they did not use historical cannons or howitzers. In recognition of New Hayesalia's famed preference for self propelled artillery guns, they had brought their section of four Panzerhaubitze 2E SPGs, immaculately maintained and cleaned, with their members standing in small formations outside of their vehicles in the Army's tan uniforms.
The Parade commander, an Army Colonel, stood to the very front. Behind him stood three members- from left to right stood a junior officer of the Royal Montmarian Guard, the Army and the Navy. Behind them stood another set of junior officers, with an Army officer to the left followed by Navy, Air Force, Marines, RMG and Netforce in order. Of these nine officers, each held a flag or ensign, shrouded in a black casing.
The crowd had been separated into three main areas. Behind the dais, raised seating had been put in place, and dual citizens of Hindia Belanda and New Hayesalia, as well as notable citizens and delegates, were allowed into this main area. To the left and right of the parade sat ticketed general members of the public and invitees, held in by felt ropes and NH National Police members in their black uniforms. All had been given small flags of both nations to wave, of course.
As the limousines neared the first corner, the first announcement was made and the drum corps played a short fanfare.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the Prime Minister of New Hayesalia, The Honourable Daniel Hayes; and His Highness Crown Prince Irving."
The military presence snapped to attention, and the crowd began to applaud.
The Prime Ministerhimself emerged, wearing a sash and insignia of the Order of New Hayesalia due to his military role as Head of State and Commander in Chief, to some applause. Aside him was a younger man, slimmer with some extra height, with light brown hair and a boyish face withholding his position as the first-in-line to the Montmarian throne. He wore the necklet of the Royal Montmarian Order, the rank of a Knight, the Royal equivalent to the Order of New Hayesalia. The re-elected Prime Minister stood beaming at the podium, his not-inconsiderable popularity on show. He looked to the crowd, waving proudly and standing at the forefront of the parade, behind the road separating the crowd from the dais. The waving of New Hayesalian and Hindia Belandan flags behind was a good display of colour.
The two limousines slowly rolled up to the event, perfectly timed to arrive shortly after Hayes and the Crown Prince emerged. It was good to avoid the awkwardness of standing alone for an extended period of time while you waited. A Marine and a Soldier emerged for the first, a sailor and airmen for the second; taking up position on either side of the road. Then, the Teslas finally arrived, after having turned the second corner on the square road around the Parade Ground. The doors were opened by the military members and the five dignitaries stood yet again, shortly followed by their aide de camps who stood aside as the Prime Minister welcomed them with a hand shake for the men and kiss on the cheek for the ladies, so replicated by the Crown Prince, as the two doormen left and the Tesla made it's exit along the art-filled road.
The Prime Minister, Crown Prince, and the Hindia Belandan dignitaries made their way along a row of dignitaries, people including New Hayesalia's Deputy PM, Tanya Voronina; Foreign Minister Matthias Belthas MP; Chief Justice, Francois Oiloire; Defence Minister Þórarinn Baier MP; Field Marshal Eli Knight, Chief of Military; the New Hayesalian Ambassador to Hindia Belanda, Molly Saxede; and HB's own Ambassador, Ananta Hadiningrat.
After exchanging pleasantries with those and other dignitaries, the party of seven made their way to the dais, where a podium stood on the raised platform overlooking the parade. The group aside of the podium as the parade commander made his first orders.
"PA-RAAADE! PRE-SENT, ARMS!"
In near perfect sync, the hundreds of service members on parade pulled their Ripper Mk3 rifles, a bullpup assault rifle, to their shoulders, their muzzles pointed to the sky and gloved hands holding the stock of their weapons.
"BANNER PART-IES, SHOW, THE BANNERS!"
Six service members emerged from the front ranks, equally placed along in the Navy, Army and Air Force formations. Those holding the first six banners, still shrouded in black bags, pulled their poles from the holders and held them forward. With rifles slung, the six members removed the shrouds. From left to right, the Navy Ensign, Army Banner, Air Force Ensign, Marines Ensign, RMG Banner and Netforce Ensign were revealed, all but featuring a large and smiling Hayesalian Sun.
Three of the members pocketed the black bags and returned to their positions, resuming arms. The remaining three approached the forward three banners, performing the same actions and revealing the Monarch's Flag, the flag of New Hayesalia, and the Flag of Hindia Belanda, to the audience's applause. When the three returned, a voice on the public announcement system rang out.
Please stand for the Hindia Belandan national anthem, followed by the New Hayesalian national anthem.
The audience complied readily, the band beginning to expertly play the Bonds of Nusantara, with the music played by the bands enhanced by the placement of subtle microphones and surround sound speakers positioned around the site. A drum roll broke the two anthems apart, and the short version of the New Hayesalian anthem, Alight, began to play, with the audience proudly singing along. It was indeed faster, with a passionate playing by an experienced band, and the anthems shared some marked similairities; they praised the efforts of a nation seperated into islands, and while the tumultuous history of New Hayesalia's historic civil wars was most certainly covered in song, the passion for unity and success was an element most remarkably shared.
Immediately following, the four Panzers, whose crews had manned them rather quietly, played their part. Each fired a blast of 155mm howitzer fire, seven or six blanks each from the three main Panzers (as the fourth served as reserve) which could be easily heard across the lake, 19 blasts in all played as the National Anthems concluded - alas, the Governor General was not considered the head of state.
"ATTEN-TION!"
The Parade Commander now approached the dais, inviting the three to inspect the formations. As the Prime Minister, Crown Prince, and Governor-General accepted, to the salute of the Colonel, the band played the Squadron Review from now until the time their leaders returned to the dias - Beginnings.
The three, led by the PM and GG and escorted by the Colonel and Crown Prince in the rear ranks, inspected slowly the front ranks of the first three formations, before performing the same for the back ranks and watching the Massed Band behind play the Review. The trio now returned to the dais, not before shaking hands with citizens on one side of the Parade Ground- led of course by a plain clothes member of the Royal Montmarian Guard.
The parade was now stood to ease, and the Prime Minister was first to speak, in his famously deep New Hayesalian accent.
"Good morning, to those of us here in New Hayesalia watching; and a good morning to those at home in Hindia Belanda. A good morning to the members of the Amalgamation Guard with us here today, and a good morning to our dignitaries behind me. But of course, we must wish our best greetings to our delegates here with us. I firstly must welcome His Excellency, the Governor-General of Hindia Belanda Mohammed Salim, and Her Excellency the Honourable Viceregal Consort Anneke Salim. I also welcome The Honourable Madames Julia Lodewijk, Defence Minister and Ratna Hadiningraat, Minister for Culture, Education and Science. Lastly, and certainly not least, I welcome Her Worship Amarinta Hadisoemirna, Mayor of Bandar Kunti."
The Prime Minister then, in Bahasa, Dutch, and English, welcomed them to New Hayesalia and to Revnami.
"I am most honoured, on behalf of all New Hayesalia, to welcome our valued dignitaries here today. I, and my Government, have been eager to welcome Hindia Belanda to emerge as an ever-closer friend of New Hayesalia. Many of us here today have made travels to your fine nation, not least of which including my friend and former Union Committee Chair, The Honourable Deanna Joliet."
The audience applauded, the former national leader standing and waving from the raised bleachers.
"Deanna is particularly well travelled through your nation, and she has told me some exceptional stories about the nature and character of Hindia Belanda. All of them reflect an absolute love and respect of your nation and people which, I am sure, are commonly shared among visitors. I have, of course, travelled there. My experience being dumped by a nasty wave in Bali was, perhaps, less complimentary than Deanna's."
The crowd chuckled, as did the dignitaries.
"Our nations have made some exceptional strides in forming closer relations. Our businesses compliment each other: Belandan textiles reach a world economy on New Hayesalian ships, New Hayesalian manufacturing relies on the high quality resources produced in Hindia Belanda, and our financial markets are competitive but connected. Trade and tourism both enhance our cultural links, as does a consistent flow of students and expatriates between our great nations. Our doors are opened for Hindia Belanda, as are yours. Our intent is to open them even just a bit more, and to work together on issues such as countering scourges like international piracy and slavery, rogue states, and fair trading practices. We are united often in our outlook, and so I hope we can become united in approach."
"This is indeed a short speech to represent a long history between our nations, so I refer to the motto of Hindia Belanda - Ik zal handhaven. It means, 'we will uphold.' It speaks of one of New Hayesalia's core values, that of Determination. Our others, of Freedom and Compassion, are ones held in act as much as spirit in Hindia Belanda - I believe it is this sharing of our core values, our love for democracy, and our passion for our nations, peoples, and environments, that make us the great states we are today. So I must again welcome the esteemed dignitaries with me today to New Hayesalia; may we be ever-closer in our unity for it."
The crowd applauded, and the Prime Minister stepped aside for the Governor-General's speech.