Congress of Ishikawa (semi-closed)

[McNernia]

Akagi Castle
Fuijian, Nifon

---

The Prime Minister nodded. “Treylach on the Hveiti Vatn in the lower north. It is a major mining base and the seam in question is somewhat far from that, we have a lot of mines in the plains around, sometimes into the mountains. Rare Earths are a major part of it. Uisce State is one of the best places. Glacial activity was kind to us.” One would know that a lot of Archinian exports were in guns around the Goidelenesia region, and beyond.

“The plan is to mine the area and perhaps engage in building a joint tech hub as on our end your excellency there is interest in technological collaboration most notably in the sector of military and aerospace. We are looking to work with anyone who is willing, Treylach is quite a nice city to do things in such as that.” There would be pictures provided and the city would be a large port with the Art Deco and the Bauhaus of the prosperity of the nineteen sixties and such and the economic planning implemented to ensure stability though the Archinians tended to reach for market policies. The boats that were on the port were large things, barges almost pulled up around Unloading shovels and the large material elevators that were the ones tasked with holding a lot of the bounty of the interior.

“Another export is Grain…” The presence of an aide and the Nifonese chamberlain caused the Prime Minister to nod and assume his seat rather abruptly. Listening to the Empresses speech the Prime Minister smiled. Evidently Kojiro had trained her well enough to get through something like this. His gift was for Kojiro as one knew that he would accept induction into the orders of the Empire.

[Sombreland]

The Princess-Regent, Alavaine, said pleasantly, She ignored his rude comment and forced herself not to blush. "You should ask the Shogun, Maki Kojiro. I have no idea where he is. And no one in my entourage smokes. When I think of that, it's a funny coincidence. I'm afraid I never took to it. My grandfather smoked a lot, and I remember liking it, but his doctors forbid it now. Well, I'd rather not talk about that; it makes me feel sad.

"And the President of Eulabia's name is President Mosley. As for why I am here?" she looked thoughtful. "Because all those refugees coming from your part of Wenchuan have been a very big nuisance. They don't mix well with my people, Kyatze Yang. And so it's good that you are here, because we can figure out what to do about it by talking to one another. I do not think that the Shogun likes the idea of you and I just talking together, but he is out of the room. Here you are, and here I am. What do you think of all those people from your country running off into mine?"

[Taokwang]

The biggest grin crossed the warlord's face as he listened to Alavaine. Yang leaned forward, propping an elbow on the table and tucking his cigar back into his pocket.

"Damn lady, how'd you get blessed with being hot, smart, and brave as hell? That should be outright criminal!" Yang chuckled. "You're right in thinking old Maki will hate us talking. But fuck him, let's talk."

"To tell you the truth, there's a shit-ton of people in Wenchuan, and not all of them are the same kind of people. Hell, the 'Wenchuanis' from the north are completely different from Wenchuanis from the south like me. Different language, culture, history...everything. I don't know what kind of Wenchuanis you got in Somparland, probably a whole mix of 'em. But almost none of them came from Taokwang, I can tell you that much. Most of the folk in Taokwang can barely speak any kind of Wenchuanese. So the ones that you got must of traveled quite a bit to get to ya, and those crazy bastards even braved the mountains of Taokwang to get there. And let me tell you, we don't got too many roads in our state. Some places are still only accessible by rope bridges. So whoever you got is either crazy or desperate."

"Now, I don't really got the means to actually keep an eye on our shared border. I've got crazy asshole commies to my east and that's taking a good majority of my men and guns to keep in check. I've also been told you're a bit shit out of luck as well, since old Maki has a god damn heart attack any time one of your soldiers so much as sneezes. Not much we can do there. So before I go running my mouth and saying some stupid shit, why don't you tell me what exactly you're wanting out of me here?"

[Sombreland]

The Princess-Regent, Alavaine, could not help her blush this time; it heated her face like a lamp. "Kyatze Yang, neither of us, I suspect, wants to waste resources on military activity that does not have a purpose and a useful end. It does not matter why that is for each of us in particular. What you have told me is very important to know. And we are both limited, as you say, by agreements that we have made with the Shogun of Nifon. But...what about better cooperation, in a friendly way?

"First: I hope that at this meeting, you will agree to declare openly that the Wenchuanese coming to us are not welcome in your country. Second: that you would agree to have people watch the border, warning my military officers when there are large numbers of refugees heading for my country. That will make finding them when they enter my country easier and more efficient."

[Taokwang]

Yang Lichang's grin grew even wider as he saw the Princess-Regent's composure crack. Regardless of how the food ended up being once dinner got started or what Kojiro had to say at the meeting, possible diplomatic ties coupled with getting to poke at this princess had Yang sold on the idea that this trip was, indeed, worth it.

"Sure, we could do that," he said with a nod. "I could put a couple scouts along the border and have them radio your guys when they see anything. Very smart move there, Miss Princess. And trust me, I can definitely make an announcement that said refugees are no longer welcome in or going through Taokwang. Won't stop 'em, obviously, but if you think it'll help it's no skin off my back."

"And I'd still like to know if you and Mr. Eulabia over there are doing it together," Yang said, gesturing to Mosley. "It'd be a damn terrible waste of a one-in-a-billion woman like yourself if you were stuck with anything beneath you, and that includes Eulabia, the guys in your posse there, and hell even me! If you ain't tied down yet, good luck Miss. I ain't never met a guy that'd be worthy of a woman like you. Or a woman, if you're into that. There's plenty of other hot, smart, or brave women out there for everyone. But all three together? That's a damn majestic dragon of a woman. And unfortunately that means I'm not interested. I don't wanna be known as the dumbass who tarnished such a majestic creature."

Still grinning, Yang retrieved his cigar once more. Then he began fishing around his pockets for his lighter before remembering its fate. He cursed under his breath, then looked around the room again.

"But seriously, anyone have a lighter on them?"

[Leidenschaftliche]

(Soon)

[Sombreland]

Yang Lichang's grin grew even wider as he saw the Princess-Regent's composure crack. Regardless of how the food ended up being once dinner got started or what Kojiro had to say at the meeting, possible diplomatic ties coupled with getting to poke at this princess had Yang sold on the idea that this trip was, indeed, worth it.

"Sure, we could do that," he said with a nod. "I could put a couple scouts along the border and have them radio your guys when they see anything. Very smart move there, Miss Princess. And trust me, I can definitely make an announcement that said refugees are no longer welcome in or going through Taokwang. Won't stop 'em, obviously, but if you think it'll help it's no skin off my back."

While his manners were very coarse and blunt, the Princess-Regent, Alavaine, warmed to Yang, for he was like her own grandfather. There was a curious blend of wickedness and geniality in him that she liked. This was a man to be treated with care and a respect that had to be straightforward, but at the same time, he had his pleasant moods. For the time being, things were pleasant. Other deals would be offered during this congress, and she would have to see what cards she was left with. But, for now, a good start to the game.

"I'm very glad to have met you, this deal is good, but I like you as well." the Princess-Regent, Alavaine, said to the Kyatze Yang, "Then I think we are off to a good start. I hope that we will continue to get along well. It will make things very much easier between our two countries! There is a great deal more that I would like to hear about your country. Thank you for being so fair about this..."

But then he kept talking about her and Mosley being...intimate. To the annoyance of the Princess-Regent, Alavaine, this kept making her blush, because it was really embarrassing, but it was also about things that were unavoidably true, so she nevertheless responded with composure. "That's not how it works in Sombreland, Kyatze Yang. You are so flattering to me, it will go to my head if I'm not careful! But you see, there are a lot of important families all tangled up in who I will end up having to marry. It must be a Sombrelander; he must follow our religion and customs, he must be from the right caste. And I've never been intimate with anyone. No man at all. Though I have received...adequate instruction." she smiled. "Every place has rules for the rulers as well as for the ordinary folk. My grandfather used to say that it all starts out with the ruler needing to be careful of who is waiting with a knife or gun to take his place, and then gets more....refined...as time goes on. But at the end of the day, he told me, it amounts to the same thing. So..." she sighed but smiled, "A lot rests on who I get into bed with. And I'm never alone for even a second."

[Taokwang]

"You're shitting me," Yang said, tucking the unlit cigar back into his pocket once more. "Damn. Every time I've heard about royals and shit I always imagined you guys lived like you were on top of the world! Didn't think you guys were basically political tools who have to toe the line for your country. Just...damn. Sorry lady, I'm sure they'll let you get laid soon enough. Damn..."

Yang leaned forward, resting one arm on the table in front of him.

"Anyways...the feeling's mutual, Princess. Hell, if I knew you were like this I'd probably have made introductions sooner! I'm glad I decided to show up to this...whatever this is. Also, I hear you got a problem with a famine going on in your place. As a matter of luck, Taokwang is still mostly full of farming folk and this past harvest was pretty good from what I hear. If you all need food, I'm willing to part with some as a...token of friendship. Consider it a gift for being a likeable badass little lady. I'll have the boys start rounding it up as soon as we're done here in Ishikawa."

[Sombreland]

The rude words and vulgar language was rough for the Princess-Regent, Alavaine, but she had learned that people might be very perfectly polite and still very rude and some might be very vulgar but friendly and well meaning. So she was still very embarrassed but held her dignity. "It's not really like what you say. I am on top of the world. I have a lot of servants, property, and I rule my country. It is just that that there are all these concerns over who I get to marry. But I am not in a rush to, you know. I have so much to do, and sometimes I quite enjoy just relaxing when I'm not really busy. But I should get married reasonably soon, for it is best that, if I have children, I am still in the best of health."

"From what you have said, though, Kyatze Yang, you can marry anyone you wish? Are you married?"

"Anyways...the feeling's mutual, Princess. Hell, if I knew you were like this I'd probably have made introductions sooner! I'm glad I decided to show up to this...whatever this is. Also, I hear you got a problem with a famine going on in your place. As a matter of luck, Taokwang is still mostly full of farming folk and this past harvest was pretty good from what I hear. If you all need food, I'm willing to part with some as a...token of friendship. Consider it a gift for being a likeable badass little lady. I'll have the boys start rounding it up as soon as we're done here in Ishikawa."

"Oh really!" beamed the Princess-Regent, Alavaine. "That is so kind of you! But now, this cannot be a one sided relationship! Surely there are concerns that you have, needs that your country has, where I can give something in return! What I would really like to build between us is a good friendship that we can rely on in the future!"

[Taokwang]

"Well, now that you ask..." Yang replied, laughing heartily. "Taokwang is a severely underdeveloped state. And I do mean severely. Many of our villages are still only accessible by rope bridges, if you can believe that. Now, I do have a vision of making a road that you can drive from one side of the country to the other without having to stop, but you can imagine that's going to take a shit-ton of time, money, and labor. I'm not expecting you to cover even half of that, but if you're feeling all friendly and wanting to help I certainly won't turn away a nice gesture."

"As for marriage," the warlord continued, leaning back in his chair and folding his hands over his prodigious gut, "I'm happy to say I am not burdened with such a thing. Nor do I want to be. I could be, if I wanted to, but I'm happy with the way things are. I've got two kids, a daughter and a son, and that's all the family I'm concerned about having for the moment. Besides, I'd honestly get a hell of a lot more joy out of watching the turtles in my pond than having to deal with a marriage."

[Sombreland]

"It sounds like it would be very costly," said the Princess-Regent, Alavaine, as she looked thoughtful. "But a large agricultural nation, with many people and complex needs...should have a road system. And our two countries should explore better relations. It seems to me that we should have good commerce, building of infrastructure, and friendliness between our countries. The tensions right now...they are wasteful. And I would like cooperation. But...we have a difficulty. The Nifonese policy considers your country to be part of their sphere of influence. And any interference within that is seen as acting against their sphere of influence."
she watched him curiously to see how he would react.

[Taokwang]

Yang sighed deeply, rubbing his temples.

"Right, good old Maki, always ready to take a shit in your rice," the warlord murmured. "Well, that's one of the reasons I came to this frozen hellhole. This 'sphere of influence' bullshit ain't gonna work if he shuts Taokwang out from the world, because I know damn well Nifon isn't actually interested in a backwaters corner of Wenchuan like Taokwang. And even if Maki was interested, that just means he's interested in driving up prices and squeezing us for everything we got. Trust me, I know the type pretty damn well. So you can bet your sweet ass I'm going to fight for every millimeter of freedom I can when it comes up. I'm not going to sit idly by while Nifon determines the future of Taokwang just because he's got dreams of a big back yard passing through my mountains. I'm no Nifonese puppet."

[New Aeyariss]

"Your Imperial Majesty, on behalf of my grandfather, King Orian IX, I thank you for this welcome, and for being the host to this summit. Allow me to present you with a small gift in token of that gratitude." She reached back a hand, and, as though by magic, a box the size of two hands, made of red and black lacquer, was placed in it. The box had holes on ether side. Inside was a multi-coloured small tortoise, sleepily blinking. "This tortoise is a kind much admired in my country, for they are believed to be the form to which wise souls transmigrate. Of course, not according to Your Majesty's beliefs but they make fine pets, or they would be a welcome addition to a garden."

The Empress looked at the turtle... then attempted to scream like a little girl. Within the act, she remembered her training, quickly shutting her mouth in a barely registered moment.

She took a second to admire Alvaline's complex haircut. All things fashion connected where, after all, most important in the world after gossip and sex.

"Thank you, your highness!" the EmpRess of Nifon replied "It is a gift most welcome. Perhaps I ought to repay your highness with a shisa cub when I have a chance. They are perfect protectors!"

To her, the Empress of Sombreland seemed a possible friend. She was respectful and knew value of a good present. Perhaps, when no one was looking, Hinata could introduce Alvaline to wonders of weed and pop music against which the churches preached so loudly in Nifon.

She then turned to Mosley

"Your Imperial Majesty, I'm pleased to see you again after all this time. It is a great honour to meet you here in such a beautiful and majestic city where history is being written."

"On behalf of the Empire of Greater Nifon, I welcome your excellency. I am glad that your excellency finds Ishikawa interesting."

Mosley to her seemed a boring man. He seemed professional and work focused - all things that Hinata despised. But even he could not compare to the man she had to address next. To the Nifonese Empress, the Wenchuanese warlord resembled a big, unruly Gorilla which had escaped from the zoo and somehow found itself in this esteemed halls. It was almost comical sight, if not the disgust which the crude wordings of the warlord caused in the at least formal ruler of Nifon. Not that Hinata minded cussing, but she understood that it should not be done in public. Private was a different matter.

The Empress of Nifon did not want to bother to do this, but this guest had to be put in a proper place:

"Lord Yang" she started "As host of this esteemed conference, I request that your Lordship refrains from such vulgar and crude language. It is unbecoming of this place."

She took attention to note all that Yang spoke about Nifon. She found it boring of course, but Kojiro-sama would be pleased with her. He could even let her go on a cruise trip. And on her private yacht she will get so high she will reach heaven.

Finally, she turned to Dan:

"Do you know anywhere I could get a Komino as nice as that for my wife? It's our aniversary soon." He would await a response.

"There are a lot of fashion designers in Nifon. This one is custom made by Onaga Aimi. She owns a company here in Ishikawa-Kyo."

---

The Prime Minister nodded. “Treylach on the Hveiti Vatn in the lower north. It is a major mining base and the seam in question is somewhat far from that, we have a lot of mines in the plains around, sometimes into the mountains. Rare Earths are a major part of it. Uisce State is one of the best places. Glacial activity was kind to us.” One would know that a lot of Archinian exports were in guns around the Goidelenesia region, and beyond.

“The plan is to mine the area and perhaps engage in building a joint tech hub as on our end your excellency there is interest in technological collaboration most notably in the sector of military and aerospace. We are looking to work with anyone who is willing, Treylach is quite a nice city to do things in such as that.” There would be pictures provided and the city would be a large port with the Art Deco and the Bauhaus of the prosperity of the nineteen sixties and such and the economic planning implemented to ensure stability though the Archinians tended to reach for market policies. The boats that were on the port were large things, barges almost pulled up around Unloading shovels and the large material elevators that were the ones tasked with holding a lot of the bounty of the interior.

“Another export is Grain…” The presence of an aide and the Nifonese chamberlain caused the Prime Minister to nod and assume his seat rather abruptly. Listening to the Empresses speech the Prime Minister smiled. Evidently Kojiro had trained her well enough to get through something like this. His gift was for Kojiro as one knew that he would accept induction into the orders of the Empire.

"That would be welcome. I could get Murakami to the mining and NCC to the tech hub. As long as taxes are appropriate, I know they would be willing to operate there. How exactly your excellency proposes we split profits from the mining operation? "

Kojiro paused:

"At this point the Empire of Greater Nifon has no need for more grain import, your excellency, but I thank for the offer."

[Civia Welephilostopia]

"Your Imperial Majesty, on behalf of my grandfather, King Orian IX, I thank you for this welcome, and for being the host to this summit. Allow me to present you with a small gift in token of that gratitude." She reached back a hand, and, as though by magic, a box the size of two hands, made of red and black lacquer, was placed in it. The box had holes on ether side. Inside was a multi-coloured small tortoise, sleepily blinking. "This tortoise is a kind much admired in my country, for they are believed to be the form to which wise souls transmigrate. Of course, not according to Your Majesty's beliefs but they make fine pets, or they would be a welcome addition to a garden."

The Empress looked at the turtle... then attempted to scream like a little girl. Within the act, she remembered her training, quickly shutting her mouth in a barely registered moment.

She took a second to admire Alvaline's complex haircut. All things fashion connected where, after all, most important in the world after gossip and sex.

"Thank you, your highness!" the EmpRess of Nifon replied "It is a gift most welcome. Perhaps I ought to repay your highness with a shisa cub when I have a chance. They are perfect protectors!"

To her, the Empress of Sombreland seemed a possible friend. She was respectful and knew value of a good present. Perhaps, when no one was looking, Hinata could introduce Alvaline to wonders of weed and pop music against which the churches preached so loudly in Nifon.

She then turned to Mosley

"Your Imperial Majesty, I'm pleased to see you again after all this time. It is a great honour to meet you here in such a beautiful and majestic city where history is being written."

"On behalf of the Empire of Greater Nifon, I welcome your excellency. I am glad that your excellency finds Ishikawa interesting."

Mosley to her seemed a boring man. He seemed professional and work focused - all things that Hinata despised. But even he could not compare to the man she had to address next. To the Nifonese Empress, the Wenchuanese warlord resembled a big, unruly Gorilla which had escaped from the zoo and somehow found itself in this esteemed halls. It was almost comical sight, if not the disgust which the crude wordings of the warlord caused in the at least formal ruler of Nifon. Not that Hinata minded cussing, but she understood that it should not be done in public. Private was a different matter.

The Empress of Nifon did not want to bother to do this, but this guest had to be put in a proper place:

"Lord Yang" she started "As host of this esteemed conference, I request that your Lordship refrains from such vulgar and crude language. It is unbecoming of this place."

She took attention to note all that Yang spoke about Nifon. She found it boring of course, but Kojiro-sama would be pleased with her. He could even let her go on a cruise trip. And on her private yacht she will get so high she will reach heaven.

Finally, she turned to Dan:

"Do you know anywhere I could get a Komino as nice as that for my wife? It's our aniversary soon." He would await a response.

"There are a lot of fashion designers in Nifon. This one is custom made by Onaga Aimi. She owns a company here in Ishikawa-Kyo."

"That's great thanks," Mosik would pull out a card, "Could you please write down her number for me? My wife will really enjoy it," He would awkwardly shuffle for a moment before saying, "She's Niffonese you know, from the south, Amazing food."

[Sombreland]

"Right, good old Maki, always ready to take a shit in your rice," the warlord murmured. "Well, that's one of the reasons I came to this frozen hellhole. This 'sphere of influence' bullshit ain't gonna work if he shuts Taokwang out from the world, because I know damn well Nifon isn't actually interested in a backwaters corner of Wenchuan like Taokwang. And even if Maki was interested, that just means he's interested in driving up prices and squeezing us for everything we got. Trust me, I know the type pretty damn well. So you can bet your sweet ass I'm going to fight for every millimeter of freedom I can when it comes up. I'm not going to sit idly by while Nifon determines the future of Taokwang just because he's got dreams of a big back yard passing through my mountains. I'm no Nifonese puppet."

The Princess-Regent, Alavaine, grimaced at the disgusting image he conjured, she could not help it. But she quickly suppressed it because, after all, the Wenchuanese were disgusting people, they could not help themselves. She beckoned Prince Shaladew Kadav to her, and they whispered together briefly before Princess-Regent, Alavaine, nodded and dismissed him. “The sphere of influence will be discussed and debated here. It is the view of my advisors that only a deliberate effort to block Nifonese opportunity or to turn you against Nifon is interference. In other words, building roads and trading is not a deliberate attack on Nifon’s potential. The worst that can happen,” The Princess-Regent smiled, “Is that they insist on helping with the road instead. Otherwise they will have to be openly authoritarian and refuse to let your country develop.”

Earlier, the Princess-Regent, Alavaine, had exchanged words with the Empress, and the monarch of Nifon had appeared friendly, courteous, and pleased with her gift. The Princess-Regent, Alavaine, had clapped her hands excitedly, and said that she would be delighted by a Shiba Izu cub.

So far, the Summit was going rather well for the Princess-Regent, Alavaine. How could it not?

[Taokwang]

"Unfortunately, Princess, I'm very much expecting Maki to be the kind of asshole to block Taokwang from being developed over stupid ideas like 'spheres of influence'. We'll see when it gets there, but I'd bet my f-"

Yang stopped, interrupted by the Nifonese Empress's request for him to behave himself. The warlord scoffed, repositioning his body slightly and turning his attention to the Empress.

"Unbecoming of this place? Lady, it's a building. It's just a bunch of walls, doors, windows, and a roof. I ain't gonna hurt it's feelings with words. But I do know a threat to have me kicked out when I hear one, and I ain't stupid enough to keep going on. You could at least let me smoke in here, though."

Yang started to go for the cigar in his pocket, but stopped halfway through and cursed under his breath as he remembered his current lack of lighter.

"...whenever it is that someone with a light comes through those doors, of course."

[McNernia]

Akagi Castle
Fujian

---

Calgoreach smiled looking at Kojiro as the speech was over and the two of them duly retired to the smaller room to hash out the issue of the various sorts of protocols on trade. “I am thinking that Three ways would be good, 33 percent for Murakami, 33 percent for the State government which needs the revenue and will handle the arrangements for local expertise and 33 percent for Aontu Minerals which will handle the operations on our side. Taxes shouldn’t be a problem, twenty percent at most, combination of State and empire wide taxation.”

Calgoreach was happy that he had garunteed the possibility of better relations. “The Grain is particularly to perhaps help us both get an entrance into Sombreland, it was proposed by some in my party who are among others from the area who advocated for working with your corporations to improve the country and grow our economies against the Neoliberalism.”

He knew that Murakami would be there for the money. If Gin offered the man more and pushed for war. That would set off a powder keg across the region to get the Sombreland uranium. “Though infrastructure planning for a major mining system will take time and I feel that we as leaders will have to put the proposal to our respective colleagues in the Government and the Legislature for a treaty on operation of a mine.”

[Sombreland]

"Unfortunately, Princess, I'm very much expecting Maki to be the kind of asshole to block Taokwang from being developed over stupid ideas like 'spheres of influence'. We'll see when it gets there, but I'd bet my f-"

Yang stopped, interrupted by the Nifonese Empress's request for him to behave himself. The warlord scoffed, repositioning his body slightly and turning his attention to the Empress.

"Unbecoming of this place? Lady, it's a building. It's just a bunch of walls, doors, windows, and a roof. I ain't gonna hurt it's feelings with words. But I do know a threat to have me kicked out when I hear one, and I ain't stupid enough to keep going on. You could at least let me smoke in here, though."

Yang started to go for the cigar in his pocket, but stopped halfway through and cursed under his breath as he remembered his current lack of lighter.

"...whenever it is that someone with a light comes through those doors, of course."

The Princess-Regent, Alavaine, said, "Excuse me, but I believe that the Empress is not talking about the building. There are a number of people here who do not smoke but are also not used to it. So it would be distracting, and one thing we can't have at a summit like this is distraction! But I imagine that with all the talking that will go on, there will be breaks...and then a space can be found suitable for people who enjoy smoking, right?" she asked, glancing pleasantly at the Empress.

[Bolrieg]

Akagi Castle, Ishikawa.

The Bolriegian delegation had not with one but two respective leaders, the first was a man in his middle years where despite the expensive suit and jewellery which would have cost several year salary for most to obtain. Had the look of the man who had seen many battles (most of which was caused by the man himself). The Prime Minister of Bolrieg, Julipine Kladnov had developed a reputation both inside and outside the Kingdom for the antics of the militia he still runs.

In tow was the “President” of Bashiriyya Abdul Nasheed, who was balding with a suit that said “bureaucrat” was also was aging which was shown more by the the greying combover to try and not show he was balding. Who had been in exile in Bolrieg after a power struggle between him and his nephew, then the President of that land. Now since he had been deposed Abdul has been seen at least in Bolrieg as the new Bashiriyyan leader. But despite his attempts to look like presidential, it was obvious the he dared not even sneeze without the approval of the Bolriegians.

While seated in their respective seats during the speeches of the Empress, Kladnov had been writing notes telling Nasheed how to behave and having his staff run back and forth with these notes. After the long speech the two men sought a private meeting with the Shogun. With Kladnov going to where Kojiro is with the “President” tailing him like a small dog.

[Taokwang]

"Can't swear...can't smoke..." the warlord grumbled. "What exactly can I do, huh? Sit here and look pretty?"

Yang sighed defeatedly. Then, after a pause, he gave a half-hearted chuckle.

"You all are lucky you invited Miss Princess here," he said. "Otherwise I'd say to hell with your 'rules' and 'etiquette'. But I respect the princess enough to bite my tongue...for now... Wake me when Maki comes. Or the food. Or if something interesting happens."

And with that, Yang leaned back in his chair and moved his hat to cover his face, dozing off until someone or something would wake him.

[Common Territories]

Akagi Castle
Fuijian, Nifon

Reinhard von Luttenried, along with his entourage, safely arrived to the Congress later than some of the other guests. This had not been a mistake on their part, however. Just as it seemed the real host of the Congress was arriving later than expected, so too had the Luttens who deemed themselves main players of this Congress. Leading his entourage into the dining hall, Reinhard was dressed head-to-toe in all the luxuries his Dukedom could afford. His military themed decorative suit was adorned with familiar Luttenried and Imperial colors and decorations, indicating not only his societal statuses but also his governmental power. The only thing out of order in his otherwise perfect attire was the placement of his rosary. Luttens tended to wear them typically underneath clothing for protection and so they don't obstruct basic movements throughout the day; otherwise Kirche rosaries are typically on their person, but the most devout wear them around their neck at all times, such as how Reinhard does now. Of course the nobility often wore theirs more publicly for Kirche and public support, but the Luttenrieds themselves wore more personalized and luxurious rosaries befitting their exceptionally high status within the Holy Duchy, the Empire, and of course the Kirche itself. Wearing his own rosary above his clothing is no mistake either as Reinhard plans to gift both the Empress and Shogun with their own Luttenried themed rosaries, though admittedly they were both far more expensive than the one he wore now. Reinhard's rosary would serve well as a comparison to how expensive the item truly was.

Behind him were four men from the Luttenried Order. Technically they were attendants and advisors that would serve his needs while in attendance, but in truth they were there as bodyguards as well. Not that they lacked anything in technical knowledge or information to fill the roles as aids, but they were there to look the part and provide assistance whenever the time came. Luttenried didn't have any sort of fear for their heir being in danger while in Nifon, hence why sending only a couple of unarmed staff aimed towards protection was seen as an acceptable compromise; if Nifon ever refused to provide the appropriate protection, the Imperion Coalition within the country would. Of course they wore standard garbs typically worn by high ranking members of the Order and for the purpose of this trip wore some additional paraphernalia indicating whom they were with. One man was in charge of holding the documents being used in today's Congress within a briefcase, another was well versed in languages being spoke today and was thus the main translator, a third man was carrying the gifts while the last man attended to Reinhard's needs as his personal attendant.

The group walked into the gathering with confidence, expecting not an easy mission but one of great importance. Reinhard, the calculating type of negotiator aiming to distract with pleasantries, was all the more invested in this Congress. It was an excellent opportunity to put his life's work on full display and cement his position with the nobles at home more. Not only did Reinhard desire his nation's support along with Imperial support, he knew that his future aspirations required foreign allies within the region. Nifon and some of the other nations present needed to be wooed, or worse, pegged down to size if Reinhard was to become Luttenried's first king. Reinhard was a man on a warpath, a mission in hand that had to be successful at any cost. Now wasn't the time to merely sit by as their enemies squabbled, but rather to act on the Holy Duchy's strong position within the region. Failing to take action may lead to disastrous consequences down the road...

Upon entering, Reinhard made note of whom was in attendance currently and was lead to his own seat at the table. It was explained to him his seat was a reflection of his status, his own position in comparison to those attending the Congress. He looked over and saw whom sat higher than him in Nifon's eyes. A president of a fractured nation in his eyes, a princess of a kingdom that's nearly been to war with Nifon twice in the past year alone (also a topic of interest), and a... pudgy warlord. A fucking lowly, obese Wenchuanese warlord ranked higher in Kojiro's eyes than a longtime ally's heir!? Was this warlord really more important to Kojiro than the next Holy Duke of Luttenried, the Empire's avatar within Kali Yuga!? The obtuse man's comments were loud enough to even be heard where Reinhard's group stood, succeeding only more in boosting Reinhard's rage. Even Reinhard's perfect poker face cracked for a moment at the thought of this swine having more "importance" than he did to anyone. Whether Kojiro personally meant anything by this seating arrangement or not it did not matter anymore. This was a spit in the face to probably the most powerful foreign ally Nifon had in the world; Kojiro not only sat a Luttenried in such a low place, he sat the Empire in the nosebleeds merely because the Emperor or his father couldn't make an appearance. Reinhard would remember this insult, as too would the Holy Duchy and the Empire. If their goals weren't important enough Reinhard thought, walking out right now would have been the acceptable response to such a grave insult.

"This is totally unacceptable! That fat waste of oxygen is more important in their eyes compared to His highness the Count? How can they make such a blunder!? They may as well seat us at the fucking kid's table out back!" One of the aids whispered to another.

"Probably because his obese lard-filled ass blocks out their vision to see they've made an error. I wouldn't be surprised if the reason his country is starving so badly is because he ate all the fucking food. Fat fuck." The other aid replied in the same quiet whisper.

"Silence you two!" Reinhard heard enough, even though he agreed fully to each word that was said. He replied without so much as a twitch in the same quiet tone in order to reduce the chances of anyone overhearing them. It wasn't a shocker most Luttens disliked the Wenchuanese, especially their dictator-like warlords, but now was not the time to risk an incident. "If I've not spoken to you, I expect silence."

"Yes your Highness..." both men whispered back.

With that out of the way, waiting for his own chance, Reinhard eventually approached the Nifonese Empress to give his own greetings. "Your Excellency, it is an honor to make your acquaintance." Reinhard and his party would give a polite half-bow, signaling their respect without committing to a full bow which would have been prohibited. "On behalf of my father, Holy Duke Friedhelm von Luttenried and the Holy Dukedom, I thank you for your kind invitation to today's summit. His Majesty Johannes Christoph Karl also wished to express his gratitude for today's invitation. He apologizes that the Empire only had this solitary Luttenried to act as his arbiter. To make up for this downfall, the Holy Duchy wishes to present Your Majesty with a gift." Reinhard signaled for the man carrying the gifts to step forward and present the contents of his case. Inside were two sets of rosaries crafted by arguably the greatest living jewelers residing in Luttenried. The open case on the left revealed a polished black tourmaline for beads, fine reinforced silk for thread, there was no expense wasted even in a typically cheaper portion of a rosary. Its main feature, the Kogyokist Cross at the end of the beads, was adorned with enough rare metals and expensive minerals to pay off the collective debt of an entire city. Gold and silver dominated the entire frame of the cross with subtle hints of platinum used in select spots as well. Green and black diamonds line the entire cross in an intermarrying pattern, seemingly illuminating the Lord crucified in its center. A second rosary on the right revealed a more modest but similarly designed rosary meant for the Shogun. Rather than focusing on the wealth of the rosary, the Luttenrieds knew the Shogun respected simplicity and higher craftsmanship over extravagant wealth and material beauty. Although similar materials were used in the second rosary, more high-grade durable materials were mixed in with a more simple, modestly laid diamond layout. Rather than shine, the rosary gave a "firm foundation" aura. Of course they came with their own special containers for storage along with a complimentary cleaning kit for hand-cleaning and information packet for materials used and their maintenance.

"As you may know already, in the Kirche der Königlich faith, rosaries are widely used as an anchoring point for the faithful. Faithful like myself wear them in all sorts of fashions, but what's important is that our rosaries act as an anchor for us in times of despair or inner conflict. Another way to put it is that our rosaries act as a beacon of hope for those lost in their darkest hours, helping us to see the Lord's guiding light in the sea of darkness. These specific rosaries not only features the highest craftsmanship Luttenried has to offer, the Holy Duke and I made sure to tailor each rosary specifically to meet Your Majesty's and for His Excellency the Shogun's personal tastes. I know that our faiths differ in that Kogyokists like yourself refrain from using rosaries, but our hope that like the shining colors of the diamonds used, Nifon and Luttenried's relationship remains intertwined due to friendship more so than necessity. These rosaries, I hope, will help act as anchors for your faith in the Lord and for our continued friendship."

[Langenia]

Ishikawa Airport, Nifon

The President of Langenia, Nicolas Furia, was jolted in his seat as his plane touched down on the tarmac at Ishikawa Airport. Taking a break from the dossier on his desk, he looked up to glance at the two companions who had joined him on the trip to Nifon: the Minister of Foreign Affairs Julio Sanchez, a career diplomat, and Minister of National Defense Martin Gonzalez, a former military officer. These two men were loyal friends who Furia knew would obey him, but the primary reason he had them by his side was the competence they provided in their respective areas of jurisdiction, things which would take precedence on the trip.

"Do you two like the cold? We're far from Langenia," Furia said to his subordinates, both of whom were looking down at papers with information on diplomacy and defense.

"I can't say I do, Mr. President," responded Gonzalez, looking up and smiling. "I'm used to the hot weather of our country after spending so many years outside."

"Really?" chimed in Sanchez, "I guess I've developed my own tolerance for it after traveling everywhere." The other two men chuckled.

Furia sighed, changing the lighthearted mood in the office. "Unfortunately, we have to be here. Langenia needs the backing of Nifon, who happen to be one of our most important allies. Especially now in the era we're in, with Ayala causing problems at home and Parador being a problem on our border." Sanchez and Gonzalez shared an uneasy glance, unnerved by Furia's mention of Ernesto Ayala, Furia's strongest political rival, a power-hungry man who sought the presidency and harbored a vendetta against Furia. Moreover, Parador, a nation which bordered Langenia, had been an adversary for more than a half-century. An autocratic regime had come to power there over 20 years ago, sparking internal unrest that always threatened to lead to Langenian involvement.

"Gentlemen," said Furia again, "Kojiro's help can turn out to be extremely helpful for all of us to keep our necks, and to defend the republic."

Sanchez nodded. "It is imperative we shore up our alliances on this trip. I will try and see what I find among the people at the meeting."

"I will deal with my own area of jurisdiction," spoke Gonzalez. "While we are here for the meeting, this trip also presents an opportunity to speak with the Nifonese defense establishment."

"We have our objectives," Furia said nodding. "Now we will fulfill them."

---

Akagi Castle, Nifon

Nicolas Furia relaxed as he took his seat at the conference a little later than the other arrivals, putting on an expression of indifference to what went on around him, yet listening to the murmurs of conversation nearby. He looked around for familiar faces, recognizing representatives from various countries. Accompanying on his left and right were Defense Minister Gonzalez and Foreign Minister Sanchez, both of them there to provide advice and observe the proceedings alongside Furia. The three men were dressed in tuxedo suits, formal attire for the occasion. If one observed the Langenian delegation, they could see their eyes roving around, taking in the others.

"That's a Wenchuanese warlord. Close to him is the Princess-Regent of Sombreland. Also, there's the Empress, the one with the famous, or infamous, reputation," whispered Sanchez to Furia, tilting his head in one direction at a man that looked less-than-stately, and a young woman nearby. Furia narrowed his eyes ever so slightly, discreetly tilting his head in that direction. Then his gaze fell as the Nifonese empress, his eyebrows knit in disapproval, and he continued looking around.
"Quite a group of characters, I have to say," responded the Langenian president. He looked around some more, noticing the Inyurstan subpresidente and Eulabian president Oswald Mosley.

"It appears Calderone was quite busy this time," murmured Furia to Sanchez. "There's the subpresidente of Inyursta. Also, it seems the president of Eulabia made an appearance."
"I'm sure both men had reasons for their actions," said the Foreign Minister quietly. "Anyway, I'm waiting for our good friend and ally Maki Kojiro to make an appearance."
"Indeed," spoke Furia, "it would not be the same without the Shogun of Nifon."

Nearby, Gonzalez yawned, "I just wish we could get these fancy proceedings over with and get on with our business."
"Spoken like a true soldier," the Langenian president chuckled. "No tolerance for these things." With that, Gonzalez and Sanchez stood up and left Furia alone with the other leaders at the table.

[New Aeyariss]

"That's great thanks," Mosik would pull out a card, "Could you please write down her number for me? My wife will really enjoy it," He would awkwardly shuffle for a moment before saying, "She's Niffonese you know, from the south, Amazing food."

"What do you mean south?" the Empress said as she scribbled down the number "Sanin or Sanyō? I personally love visiting Sanyo. Especially Kashima - the mountains there are beautiful!"

Yang stopped, interrupted by the Nifonese Empress's request for him to behave himself. The warlord scoffed, repositioning his body slightly and turning his attention to the Empress.

"Unbecoming of this place? Lady, it's a building. It's just a bunch of walls, doors, windows, and a roof. I ain't gonna hurt it's feelings with words. But I do know a threat to have me kicked out when I hear one, and I ain't stupid enough to keep going on. You could at least let me smoke in here, though."

Yang started to go for the cigar in his pocket, but stopped halfway through and cursed under his breath as he remembered his current lack of lighter.

"...whenever it is that someone with a light comes through those doors, of course."

"If your excellency needs to take a smoke, I would have a servant guide your excellency to the balcony. However, smoking is prohibited inside."

The Empress giggled silently when she noticed Yang embarrass himself.

"Thank you, your excellency. In regards to the earlier statement, this is not just a mere building. This place has been built by the first Chosokame Shogun who ruled for over two centuries. It is a symbol of our state and our culture, and as such it is right of us to expect a certain ettiquette to be followed. Still, I thank your excellency for complying with my request. "

She then snapped her fingers. Servants with large set of trays have entered.

"In such an important event, sadly we can not allow serving alcohol." which she highly regretted "But permit me to offer, as symbol of our hospitality, best Nifonese Sencha."

With that out of the way, waiting for his own chance, Reinhard eventually approached the Nifonese Empress to give his own greetings. "Your Excellency, it is an honor to make your acquaintance." Reinhard and his party would give a polite half-bow, signaling their respect without committing to a full bow which would have been prohibited. "On behalf of my father, Holy Duke Friedhelm von Luttenried and the Holy Dukedom, I thank you for your kind invitation to today's summit. His Majesty Johannes Christoph Karl also wished to express his gratitude for today's invitation. He apologizes that the Empire only had this solitary Luttenried to act as his arbiter. To make up for this downfall, the Holy Duchy wishes to present Your Majesty with a gift." Reinhard signaled for the man carrying the gifts to step forward and present the contents of his case. Inside were two sets of rosaries crafted by arguably the greatest living jewelers residing in Luttenried. The open case on the left revealed a polished black tourmaline for beads, fine reinforced silk for thread, there was no expense wasted even in a typically cheaper portion of a rosary. Its main feature, the Kogyokist Cross at the end of the beads, was adorned with enough rare metals and expensive minerals to pay off the collective debt of an entire city. Gold and silver dominated the entire frame of the cross with subtle hints of platinum used in select spots as well. Green and black diamonds line the entire cross in an intermarrying pattern, seemingly illuminating the Lord crucified in its center. A second rosary on the right revealed a more modest but similarly designed rosary meant for the Shogun. Rather than focusing on the wealth of the rosary, the Luttenrieds knew the Shogun respected simplicity and higher craftsmanship over extravagant wealth and material beauty. Although similar materials were used in the second rosary, more high-grade durable materials were mixed in with a more simple, modestly laid diamond layout. Rather than shine, the rosary gave a "firm foundation" aura. Of course they came with their own special containers for storage along with a complimentary cleaning kit for hand-cleaning and information packet for materials used and their maintenance.

"As you may know already, in the Kirche der Königlich faith, rosaries are widely used as an anchoring point for the faithful. Faithful like myself wear them in all sorts of fashions, but what's important is that our rosaries act as an anchor for us in times of despair or inner conflict. Another way to put it is that our rosaries act as a beacon of hope for those lost in their darkest hours, helping us to see the Lord's guiding light in the sea of darkness. These specific rosaries not only features the highest craftsmanship Luttenried has to offer, the Holy Duke and I made sure to tailor each rosary specifically to meet Your Majesty's and for His Excellency the Shogun's personal tastes. I know that our faiths differ in that Kogyokists like yourself refrain from using rosaries, but our hope that like the shining colors of the diamonds used, Nifon and Luttenried's relationship remains intertwined due to friendship more so than necessity. These rosaries, I hope, will help act as anchors for your faith in the Lord and for our continued friendship."

'"Thank you, your highess!" the Empress said as she accepted the gift. In truth, she did not care about religion, nor believe in God at all unlike her guardian. Her sole spirituality was reduced to new age rituals whenever she needed something. Christianity was too restrictive, forbidding her from smoking, drinking, partying and having affairs. Still, she realized importance of appearances.

Reinhard, to Hinata, looked far more impressive than the fat, uncultured Wenchuani warlord. She was young, handsome and cultured - perhaps a target of a future affair? She would not mind - her head already becoming filled with fantasies.

Calgoreach smiled looking at Kojiro as the speech was over and the two of them duly retired to the smaller room to hash out the issue of the various sorts of protocols on trade. “I am thinking that Three ways would be good, 33 percent for Murakami, 33 percent for the State government which needs the revenue and will handle the arrangements for local expertise and 33 percent for Aontu Minerals which will handle the operations on our side. Taxes shouldn’t be a problem, twenty percent at most, combination of State and empire wide taxation.”

Calgoreach was happy that he had garunteed the possibility of better relations. “The Grain is particularly to perhaps help us both get an entrance into Sombreland, it was proposed by some in my party who are among others from the area who advocated for working with your corporations to improve the country and grow our economies against the Neoliberalism.”

He knew that Murakami would be there for the money. If Gin offered the man more and pushed for war. That would set off a powder keg across the region to get the Sombreland uranium. “Though infrastructure planning for a major mining system will take time and I feel that we as leaders will have to put the proposal to our respective colleagues in the Government and the Legislature for a treaty on operation of a mine.”

"It is agreeable for me" the Shogun answered "With that said, I think we have reached an agreement, let us not leave the other parties waiting, shall we?"

With that, Kojiro quickly returned with the Prime minister of Archinia in tow. He sat on the table, with an empty face displaying no emotion. The guests could only stare into dead eyes that shown absolutely nothing.

"Good evening, your majesties, highnessess and excellencies!" he bowed as she sat to the table "I have to apologise for my temporary absence but his excellency the Prime Minister of Archinia requested a private word with me. With that, I am glad to welcome you; though Denka-sama probably already done so in the name of the Empire. With that, I think it is time we started discussing the important matters that brought us all here. "

[Svadyetsk]

The Houses of Leadership, Revolutionary Square, Duovograd, United Soviet States of Svadyetsk. Three weeks prior.

The tattoo of formal shoes, smart black leather oxfords shined to a mirror finish and with gel inserts concealed within, echoed down the halls of the Houses of Leadership as Viktor Yegorev, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the United Soviet States, hurried through the many corridors of the converted concert house that served as the country's legislature and residence of the head of state. Ascending a staircase, the hardwood floors turned to faded, though still serviceable, carpets. Viktor followed the corridor until he came to an antechamber which housed a desk and a selection of leather chairs. Ensconced behind the desk, a secretary took leisurely sips from a mug of coffee as she perused the General Secretary and President's mail while an army officer in full service dress stood guard next to the door which led into the private office. Somewhat unusually, the other of the General Secretary and President's personal guards who should have been mirroring his comrade was conspicuous in his absence, though there was an officer's uniform hanging over the back of one of the chairs. A handwritten sign taped to the door announced that the office was being redecorated. With a nod, the secretary indicated for Viktor to proceed into the office before he could query the sign.

The office door swung noiselessly shut behind Viktor as he stepped into an ocean of plastic. Great sheets of polymer were draped all over the office furniture and the floor, the white monotony broken here and there by tins of paint with grandiose names for colours printed upon them. The second bodyguard stood bracing a stepladder, clad only in a vest and boxer shorts. The reason for this became abundantly clear as the man atop the ladder vigorously applied the paint roller against the ceiling, the action causing a mist of Proletarian Hue to splatter across the bodyguard's head and shoulders. Proletarian Hue, Viktor mused, was a rather overblown name for a rather nice shade of magnolia.

"Ah, Viktor Sergeyevich," General Secretary and President Alexei Petrov gestured with the paint roller. "Make yourself comfortable." Viktor gingerly sat down on one of the chairs in front of Petrov's desk, the plastic sheet crinkling as he settled. Petrov descended the ladder and placed the paint roller down on a tray, wiping his hands on his trousers once he had done so. The bodyguard saluted and made for the door. Viktor waited patiently as the General Secretary and President, wearing an old shirt and a pair of faded sweatpants, lowered himself into his own chair. There was a pause.

"Comrade General Secretary and President," Viktor began, "The Shogun of Nifon is proposing a conference to decide many important geo-political matters. In my opinion, it is absolutely necessary that we at least send a representative to this conference in order to present our views and to ensure that our interests are respected."

The General Secretary and President looked thoughtful, or at least as thoughtful as a man in paint-spattered sweatpants could look while sitting on a chair covered in plastic. "What did you have in mind?"

Viktor opened his mouth to reply but was interrupted by the door slamming open to admit several of the other ministers of state to the office, most of whom huddled together under the portion of ceiling that wasn't liable to drip all over them. Much to his chagrin, Viktor found himself flanked on the left by the unsettling figure of Gennady Lasko, Minister of State Security, and on the right by General Yuri Mikhailov, the Defence Minister.

"Well," Viktor found his voice again. "It would be best if you were to attend the conference, it would send the message that we are taking these matters very seriously and also it would mean that there would be no need to refer everything back to Duovograd in the event that decisions had to be taken."

"There is one problem," Petrov pointed out. "I don't speak Nifonese. You, on the other hand, do."

"There is no reason why I couldn't attend as part of our delegation," Viktor admitted, "Though my presence would be in an advisory capacity. And, of course, we would have translators with us anyway."

General Mikhailov produced a copy of the diplomatic message announcing the conference and slammed it down on the desk. "The key issue," he growled, "is that we must impress upon the Nifonese and their allies that our sphere of influence be recognised. After all, if Nifon considers the South Furukuran Sea to be their sphere of influence, then they should at least respect ours."

"Which is?" Someone asked from the group of other ministers staring gingerly at the ceiling in case it happened to be wet and none of them had realised it. Mikhailov turned around and glared at the group.

"What the Comrade General means," Viktor said, hoping to distract Mikhailov before he did something violent, "Is that the Greater Rostovian region should be recognised as our sphere of influence."

"After all," Mikhailov added, "We can turn Greater Rostovia into molten glass if we-"

"Don't mention that bit at the conference," Viktor advised Petrov. "Anyway, with regards to the situation in Bashriyya, I think that we should condemn the nature of the attacks carried out by Nifon and its allies while also acknowledging the dangers posed by Bashriyya." Petrov nodded in agreement.

"Indeed, comrades. We wouldn't like Nifon to try to do the same to us," Petrov surveyed the assembled ministers of state. "Though I dare say we are less likely to suffer such a fate, given that our country does not sponsor terrorists." There was the sound of someone coughing from the group, though if one listened closely, it sounded less like a cough and more like someone muttering Kazovia. Petrov sighed. "That was years ago." The assembled ministers nodded in agreement, except for Lasko. As the minister responsible for overseeing the GUVD, the state security and intelligence service, he was fairly certain that members of the GUVD were bankrolling terrorists somewhere, if only because it furthered their vague and nebulous plans for the preservation of the Soviet state.

"Anyway," Petrov reached over and took the communique from the desk. "What about the refugee thing in Sombreland? I believe your department was coming up with a response to that, Viktor?"

Viktor nodded. "The solution that my subordinates and I came up with, after consulting with the other ministries necessary to implement our plan, has three phases. Firstly, we will take vetted Wenchuanese refugees into the United Soviet States. I say vetted, comrades, because we don't want Nifon to slip any spies into our country, not if we can help it. Since we don't quite have the capacity to house all of the refugees right away, it was agreed with Comrade Minister Lasko here that the refugees would be housed in one or more of the penal labour camps, though not in the same manner as convicts. This gives us the ability to house them while also controlling their access to the outside world. It would be, after all, a whole new world for them."

"The plan is not to keep them there permanently," Viktor continued. "With input from the relevant ministries, we plan to introduce the Wenchuanese to our culture and language, thus allowing them to acclimatise to life in the United Soviet States. Initially, we can bring them out to see our country on supervised trips in the company of translators, but as the project continues, they will be able to interact with our citizens on their own. Additionally, we will employ the refugees in the construction sector, teach them the skills necessary to build new housing units. Once this phase is complete, we can allocate units within the apartment blocks to the Wenchuanese who helped to construct them. In this way, our citizens will see them as valued workers, rather than a drain on our country."

"And finally," Viktor paused. The others were watching him carefully. "When the work is completed and our citizens see the Wenchuanese as friends and neighbours rather than outsiders, we can give them citizenship, bring them fully into our society. After all, we have taken them in before, when Wenchuan collapsed into anarchy and warlordism. Why can we not do it again?"

"A good plan," Petrov mused. "It says here that they want to discuss trade."

"Well, we want to keep them out of our country," someone pointed out from the back of the room.

"And we want to export the products of the state enterprises to other countries," Viktor added. "I suppose we shall have to see how that plays out in the conference."

"Well, that's settled, then." Petrov leaned back in his chair. "Anyone has any suggestions or other input, bring it up before the delegation departs. If you want to come, speak to Viktor. In the meantime, what are your thoughts about the skirting boards?"


Akagi Castle, Ishikawa, Empire of Greater Nifon, Present Day

The limousine carrying the General Secretary and President along with the other members of the Soviet delegation screeched to a halt outside the castle. As he got out, Petrov turned and lambasted his head of security again.

"Comrade Colonel, was it really necessary to accuse the baggage handler of being a possible assassin?" Petrov asked sarcastically. "If you and your men hadn't been so eager to point guns at everyone who looked the slightest bit suspicious, we wouldn't be running late. Speaking of guns, please remind me why a diplomatic summit is dangerous enough to warrant bringing assault rifles? Not that our hosts are letting you bring them with us, of course."

Petrov let Colonel Gromov stew for a bit before striding in the direction of the meeting hall, his greatcoat flapping with the speed of his movement. Petrov was dressed in full military dress uniform for the occasion, with the full panoply of medals, as warranted by Svadyetskan military regulations, on display. The ribbons and medallions told the story of an officer turned war hero, of the bloody conflicts that had marred Greater Rostovia in the twilight years of the twentieth century. Petrov had started as the son of the Chief of the General Staff, propelled to higher rank by nepotism in the days when Svadyetsk was more corrupt, its military run by schemers creaming the budget away for their own ends. Fate had placed him under Yuri Mikhailov, perhaps one of the only men to hold the rank of general and yet remain honest. He had resented Petrov at first, seeing him as an untried whelp foisted on him by others. The war with Rostovia had changed that. Petrov had shown himself to be a good commander, and under Mikhailov he learned to hone his skills. When the war dragged on and the links with Kazovia were discovered, Mikhailov and his rising protege were placed in charge of the invasion of that country. It was the men of Petrov's division who took Brezen, the first city to fall. The Soviet advance had been victorious, only to crumble when it hit the mountains and the inevitable counteroffensive. While Mikhailov might have kept his forces in pristine condition, ready for battle, others had neglected their troops. As Petrov and Mikhailov pressed on, their forces were worn down and the reinforcements were found lacking. Tanks, half-rusted and liable to break down at a moments notice, men, competent on paper but untrained in reality, guns, rusting and with the ammunition found missing from the storage depots. The rot that had gripped the People's Army set in and Mikhailov's forces shattered. With his mentor encircled by Kazovian forces and with the liberation of Brezen increasingly on the cards, Petrov had disregarded orders from above, fallen back to the border to regroup with friendly forces. This act had sent him, once a decorated hero, back to Duovograd as a traitor to be shot by the GUVD. Yet he had survived. With the war going badly, the people had risen up. Yuri Pechekin, the dictator, was faced with public opposition and, as GUVD troops gunned down the protestors, the army under Mikhailov turned against him. Chaos reigned, violence gripped Svadyetsk and Pechekin fell. And when it was all over, Mikhailov, the GUVD and what was left of the Communist Party of the United Soviet States sat down to talk about how they could rebuild their country.

They needed a leader. None of the men sitting at the table would accept one of the others. Petrov, still languishing in the bowels of the GUVD headquarters on Yeremenko Square, was the compromise. A war hero, popular with the people. An army man, true, but he was a moderate next to Mikhailov who would have happily walked away from the table and resumed the bloody civil war until the GUVD was no more. Petrov hadn't wanted the job, but he had realised there was no other choice. Peace, or oblivion. And the peace had held. With Mikhailov's help, Petrov had worked the rot from the government, the army, the very fabric of society. It helped, of course, that most of those who had been behind the corruption had died in the chaos or had fled. A new Svadyetsk had been built and, with time, it had gained the confidence of its citizens. The army and the GUVD might not see eye to eye, but things had settled. The peace had held and would continue to do so, if Petrov had anything to say about that.

The doors of the dining hall were opened by the attendants. Petrov strode through. He stood for a second in the doorway, visor cap upon his head, medals clinking quietly. While impressive, it was nothing compared to what would have been on display had Yuri Mikhailov been in attendance: where Petrov and other officers of high rank were liable to jingle when they moved, General Mikhailov tended to clank. In one hand, Petrov held a large leather case, too fat to be an attache case, yet too narrow in width to be a suitcase. He cleared his throat.

"My apologies, comrades, for my tardiness. There was a slight delay with security." Petrov gave a short bow to the Nifonese empress. "Comrade Majesty, I have brought a gift as a token of friendship from the United Soviet States of Svadyetsk to the Empire of Greater Nifon." He turned to Kojiro and the others. "Again, my apologies, esteemed comrades."

Colonel Gromov and the rest of the delegation appeared behind Petrov in the doorway. Petrov glared at him and then turned back to the dining hall.

[Palmyrion]

Empress Rei International Airport
Ishikawa, Nifon
Sometime before arrival at Akagi Castle
[Le Castle Vania - Osaka Phonk (from John Wick 4)]

In the pursuit of such goals - developing Palmyrion's neglected areas whilst keeping such violent groups' heads down - the Lakambini looked for friends outside of the Royal Commonwealth's borders. Now, indeed Palmyrian companies have moved into the said areas to invest in their developmen, but the Royal Commonwealth would need foreign direct investments too. The irony of the situation ran about in her head like a rambunctious child - she was going to market the Royal Commonwealth to the attendees of the Congress of Ishikawa with attracting foreign direct investments and industrial collaboration in mind, at least discreetly, to nations she would likely not see eye-to-eye with when it came to social beliefs. It didn't matter either - the nations of Carloso and Nifon were two nations Palmyrion had normal, if not fruitful, relations with, all with them not meddling in Palmyrion's social policies. Both nations definitely wouldn't like Palmyrion's de jure and de facto acceptance of the LGBT community, recognition and protection of same-sex civil unions and marriages, as well as transgenders able to change their gender (from "Male/Female" to "Trans MTF/FTM" on one's identity certificate), being the tips of the iceberg. Neither would they approve of Palmyrion's legalisation of abortion, restricted though as it was to the most extreme of cases with those seeking one being referred to crisis pregnancy centres and adoption centres (the vast majority keep their kids anyway, and raise them with the help of immediate and extended kin). That didn't matter much in geopolitics - all they smell is money. Money for you, money for me. You scratch my back, I scratch yours. You keep to your yard, I keep to mine.

In the face of larger geopolitics, Palmyrion's culture war and social justice issues were petty; what made more noise in the geopolitical stage, however, were the Sombrelandian refugee crisis, and the Bashriyyan invasion of Sugogo, both of which Palmyrion had dipped its hands into. Sombreland may be a country that, until recently, had been a hermit, and didn't have much interaction with the Royal Commonwealth save for the usual trade volume and diplomatic exchange. With the mutual establishment of embassies between both nations (and one well timed with the refugee crisis reaching new heights), Sombrelandian and Palmyrian relations have reached new - and unknown - frontiers. That the refugee crisis was happening just across the street from Palmyrion's front porch only stressed further the importance of the establishment of such relations; mutual handling of the refugee crisis requires close, timely, and careful cooperation, both nations walking on eggshells every step of the way. Palmyrian interests in Afruika are not to be abandoned either; the issue of Bagongo has been mostly solved, albeit to the tune of the ethnic balkanization of the nation along the Luga river and the consequent ethnic relocations, and within months Palmyrian companies were happily mining and drilling away for minerals and oil and setting up factories in both North and South Bagongo. Palmyrion's interests in Sugogo lay in its rich oil fields and uranium deposits, and to this end has invested in local infrastructure to help win hearts and minds; the invasion by Bashriyya prompted a Palmyrian response, and the death toll for the Palmyrian forces has reached almost a thousand, most of them in the heavy urban fighting in Abujago.

And she was here to do exactly just that: assert to the world that Palmyrion was ready to assert her destiny not only on this pale blue dot, but in the stars above, at least wittily and subliminally. Now the Congress is obviously not going to result with the Lakambini having on-the-spot heart-to-heart talks with, say, Shogun Kojiro or President Tobon, regarding scientific and economic collaboration, but if she was able to make a good impression for the Royal Commonwealth then such heart-to-heart talks would most likely follow smoothly and in due time - if not in the secret after-Congress meetings that might most likely happen, then in the long run as the Lakambini played the long game. The Lakambini had two things to bring to the table: for the Sombreland refugee crisis, she had A Modest Proposal that Sombreland couldn't refuse (not that Sombreland was in a position to refuse anyways), and for the fate of Bashriyya a proposal that would surely make Kojiro smile ear-to-ear.

The VIP plane she was on - Palmyrion's own Air Force One - was slowly descending on an approach to Empress Rei International Airport, carrying its most precious charges onboard: the Lakambini, the newly-elected Chancellor Ricardo Duterte (a retired Palmyrian Army general known for his expertise in Civil-Military Operations), and two 4-man teams of her most trusted bodyguards from the Royal Household Safeguards. The Safeguards were, officially on the books, the Royal Family's close protection and counter-intrusion force, existing to protect the Royal Family and their estates - but they were, officially off the books, also the Lakambini's personal death guard, a direct action and special reconnaissance special forces group answering directly to the Lakambini herself (under the guise of proactively neutralizing direct threats to the monarchy). They were all tired from the trip, one that was marked by several hours and several pit stops across the nations of the Southern Furukuran Sea and the Palmyrian Ocean - first at Sindhustan, followed by a narrow avoidance of Ancorian airspace, then a rest stop at Potomiak followed ultimately by a flight to Ishikawa.

The Chancellor and the Lakambini sat opposite to each other on leather-lined chairs, separated from each other by their finished breakfast, a bottle of wine, a metal bucket full of ice, and two empty wine glasses, having done small talk over breakfast. "First time mong pumunta sa Nifon, Kanselor?" (Is it your first time going to Nifon, Chancellor?) the Lakambini asked, followed by a smirk. "matagal ko nang gustong pumunta dito." (I've long since wanted to go here.) replied the Chancellor.

"Alam mo, Kanselor, the world's gone to shit." the Lakambini remarked. "COVID-19, CaBI19, and the economic devastation that's happening now." she added. "Locally we have our home-brewed brand of rebels, cartels, and gangs, all the while we are looking to develop our neglected regions." the Lakambini said, as she went from a global perspective, to that of a local, Palmyrion-centric one. "Roaring Twenty-Twenties be roaring louder than we expected, Chancellor?" she quipped, afterwards chuckling accompanied by a smirk.

At this point the gravity of the situation was beginning to sink into Duterte's consciousness, and hence why he needed to be dragged all the way to Nifon for this so-called "Congress of Ishikawa". The world was descending into flames, and Palmyrion would go down with it if it doesn't act fast and steel itself.

"I hope you know by now, Chancellor, that the threats we face today are not just military threats. Your skill in civil-military operations, in winning hearts and minds, may be useful in giving you a headstart, but at the end of the day you're still gonna have to start from scratch." the Lakambini said, frankly, of the limitations of her head of government's talents and abilities, one which Duterte internalised non-offensively. This wasn't your typical hearts-and-minds military excursion, this was already playing the mind game that was geopolitics.

"I can say, this is probably the end of history. Or, rather, history putting us in our grave. The world as we know it today is a product of the Red Monsoon. Nifon had bloody rodeos in Dainam and Wenchuan. Carloso literally curb-stomped its way through Acrary and Bourgougia. Palmyrion had a fun time fighting Ancor both on Palmyrian and Sindhustani soil. With gloves off." Duterte remarked. "We're probably one of the few heralds of so-called liberal democracy in this world." he added, gesturing quote-marks with his fingers at the mention of "liberal democracy" "And the irony of being one such herald, Your Majesty..." Duterte said, pausing for a while to add an element of suspense to his next words, "...is that we're a monarchy like our colonisers the Archinians. Think about it -." he added, "-a monarchy, telling itself that it's one of the few heralds of liberal democracy in this rough and tough world, and trying to act like one."

"States such as Nifon and Carloso would laugh at such a thought, Chancellor." the Lakambini remarked. "Sure, Palmyrion shall work to be a beacon of liberty and progress if it wants to be one..." she added, "...but it will be an uphill battle in a game of you-scratch-my-back-I-scratch-yours. If we want liberty and progress, we shall fight for liberty and progress. Time to make friends." she finished.

Lakambini stripped the decorative foil on the wine bottle and de-corked it with a corkscrew, all without asking for assistance from any of the stewards and stewardesses. She was the "I can do it, I'll ask for help if I can't" type of woman, and was so since her childhood. She plucked three ice cubes from the ice bucket using a pair of stainless steel tongs and placed it in her glass, followed by Duterte putting three in his wine glass as well. Both took turns putting red wine into their bottles, the Lakambini going first, and the Lakambini raised her glass to Duterte and said:

"For the Commonwealth." she said, with a tone of sullen patriotism. Duterte clinked his wine with hers, replying with a similarly toned "For the Commonwealth", followed by both drinking their wine in one gulp.

"To all passengers, we are now on the approach run to Empress Rei International Airport. Please fasten seatbelts in preparation for landing." the pilot said over the airplane's PA system. In a moment's notice a flight stewardess came to pick up their used dishes and the wine bottle itself, to be stored for future use. The Lakambini and the Chancellor fastened their seatbelts, and stared at the window to see the metropolis of Ishikawa, complete with a juxtaposition of Nifonese castles of stone and mortar and skyscrapers of concrete, glass, and steel, from above.

Moments later the plane landed on the airport, its landing tires screeching at the tarmac, its body and contents shaking gently as it shakily landed at the tarmac, before coming to a full stop. The plane taxied towards a private terminal, where it halted in front of a waiting entourage. The Lakambini and the Chancellor at once took their seatbelts off and walked for the main entry, whereupon an airplane stair truck provided them with a set of stairs on which they would disembark from the plane and onto the tarmac, where a security detail awaited her and her entourage. The Lakambini and the Chancellor, both wearing a winter parka and a pair of gloves , stepped outside from the plane and onto the airplane stair truck's platform, and from a distance at another private terminal they could see the Carlosian entourage - President Carlos Tobon and whoever he brought with him - engaging in a conversation with a few Nifonese persons before they embarked on their vehicles for the trip to Akagi Castle. The scene in front of them was largely the same: a convoy of cars and armoured vehicles, a sizeable security detail, and a group of Nifonese officers who were there to greet them. Both Lakambini and Chancellor exchanged pleasantries with the Nifonese officers before they embarked on their vehicles and rode to Akagi Castle, driving past the metropolis of Ishikawa and a few curious onlookers. Skyscrapers turned into stout buildings less than ten stories high, followed by two-story residentials, small suburban homes, and a picturesque countryside all in that order, and not before long the imposing figure of the Akagi Castle was visible from a distance.

---

Akagi Castle
Ishikawa, Nifon
[Le Castle Vania - Osaka Phonk (from John Wick 4)]

The Lakambini entered the dining hall as the attendants opened the door, and closed it as she and her entourage arrived on-scene. At the dining hall were three long Nifonese low tables, with utensils neatly arranged and seats assigned for the guests. The walls were covered in Nifonese paintings, with a large collection of samurai armor and weapons along one of them. Guests - all of them important national figures such as heads of state or government - were seated along one of the tables.

The Lakambini and the Palmyrian Chancellor took to their assigned seats, which were quite conveniently near the Shogun and the Empress. "Greetings, esteemed fellow guests," said the Lakambini, giving everyone a slight bow, before turning to the Empress, "and most especially to you, Your Imperial Majesty", giving her a bow fitting of an empress. "Apologies for being late; I had to catch up with the last of my official duties back home." she addressed the rest of the guests, as she took her seat.