The Conclusion [IC thread]

[Yohannes]

The Conclusion

Synopsis
I. Out of character [OOC] explanation thread
II. The Ruled and the Ruler

[Yohannes]

The Ruled and the Ruler

A deafening shock waved through the floor, and the flagship’s deck were asphyxiated by the blaze. All through the night, cast on the moonlight above, shone through the waters below. “Cold”, he could feel it amidst the tumult -- the orders roared to and fro, the flash was an instant, and the frigate struggle to maintain her composure. The master’s mate, who surely could not be more than one expectant mother’s growing boy, hold on for dear life. But the Rose of May, a distance apart, could not betray opposition, as her hull, wretched, ever slowly descended into the darkness. “Lieutenant’s order to stay in the lead, further forward, not so”, he turned to the midshipwoman watching. Adelbert Steiner may be just a mother’s boy, but neither would that result in a lack of stoicism expected of his bearing.

“Tuan…” the midshipwoman spoke to address her Malay superior – and secret partner – in his language. He surely must be aware of the disparity stacking against the Rose of May, their own, and the rest of forty eight to follow on their wake. Never has the heat of the moment dulled the sense of Her Majesty’s subject. But they are meeting adversity, in the waters surrounding the region of ten-thousand islands, and unlike their West Pacific compatriots, “… we are alone.” The master’s mate turned to face his subordinate, lover, and smiled. “Rose of May were vanquished in the name of Her Majesty’s rightful commerce, protecting the rights and liberty of our people… to conduct trade uninterrupted.” She, Elisabeth Aitken, disliked capitulation. But forty eight to two hundreds were a ratio of more than four’s adversity.

“Route full ahead”, he ordered, and she obeyed. Her agreement not born of submission, but of equal respect, and love of spirit. And on that very last moment, she turned;

“Tell me… what a life of serenity’s guardians is?”

“A life of… perpetuity?” Excalibur II’s vertical launching system had delivered what remained of her inadequate strength, he could sense from the background. He could feel the more than warranted reply, as steel clashed with steel, to come anytime soon.

He turned to face her; “It is a life… without liberty”, and could not, would not, hold as his tears, rolling down his handsome, brown cheek, accompanied the sentence of his expectation:

“I love you.”

Elisabeth gazed through his eyes, reading, searching, and upon receiving her confirmation, smiling, as their visions turned to hue.


The Electors’ Beehive
Te Whanganui a Tara
The Kingdom of Alexandria

The Parliament of Her Majesty assembled itself on that day in one pernicious mood, the injurious publicity of yet another protection screen failing to do its more than expected part latching onto each and every one member’s sensitivity. They, in their expectation as representatives of their electorates, could not protect their commercial interests. But the debate has well and truly went past its maturity, continuing since the era of the late Wilhelm of the 80s, to the civil disobedience and ever increasing close border movement of our time. It was a case of one’s sacrifice for the other. But they were politicians, and though the payroll of the Navy’s many men were complaisantly expendable, theirs were not. And theirs would disappear into the air, unless a compromising solution was made to save the day. Not just their day, but also were the days of those they represent - their health, education, and future. “Standing before the House, Question number one, please rise, The Honourable Loseton Peters of Yohannes First.”

“I speak before all of you today, asking to the Minister of the Navy, The Honourable James Whatakiri-Bell, as to the following…”

“… Why are we powerless, in the face of ever higher house prices in our major cities, as young, enterprising, middle Yohannesians with young family in view for the future, were forevermore locked of ever owning a house in their very own country, and nation, and while in the midst of it all, the Minister cannot even adequately explain the purpose of the eleven brand new aircraft carriers to be constructed…?”

“While our health sectors are run down by new settlers and migrants, some would say new citizens of our nation, education system lacking in funding to adequately provide food for the poorest and neediest young members of our society… much needed money were washed away to build ships, with the purpose of none other but to protect the interests of big businesses abroad.”

“Thank you.”

The speaker, goldilock of the far north region, Alexandra Jan von Friesland, stood and motioned for the Minister to stand, “The Honourable James Whatakiri-Bell.”

“… Actually, unlike our friend Loseton and the opposition Yohannes First members facing us there, we in Imperial are more sensible and updated to the whole picture… where do Mr Peters think money comes from? Down chuted down from the trees like apples, granny smith, in midseason? I don’t think so.”

“Where do prestige comes from…?” shouted back Peters, subtly hinting to the recent loss of forty three ships in the distant waters of ten thousand islands region last week, and the national mourning to follow. “… It comes from the pocket of our workers to the bottom of the sea.”

“I would like to take my objection to such a despicable comment made, Ms Speaker, by Mr Peters, especially considering the heavy mourning of family members of deceased service personnel.”

“Time to stop playing politics, Whatakiri boy!” shouted a Yohannes First member seated on the left corner, followed by the equally loud replies of Imperial members of the House.

“Order…!” the speaker stood.

“There will be no one to reply any further following on my warning as previously said, and the fact that I am standing here meant that the next one to…”

“… Man those ships with future immigrants from the eastern lands”, Peters said to his fellow member seated next to him.

“… Order!”

“Let the yellow perils flood our education and healthcare sector, meanwhile.”

“The Honourable Loseton Peters…” the Speaker motioned for him to leave the house, as the leader of Yohannes First continued to mutter contrary to the warning.

“Question number two, The Honourable Alice Bell of the Green Party.”

“Thank you, Ms Speaker”, the member of parliament of the Western Hutt electorate stood.

“My question must be directed to the Minister of the Navy… and surprisingly, and I know this is out of the norm of this House, be directed to the Chancellor himself.”

“What will his government do, in the face of ever higher surmounting odds facing the Commonwealth Navy, and equally lacking education and healthcare sectors of the nineteen countries?”

“It surely must be a case of one over the other. A navy to guard our trade routes and seaway of commerce around the thousand nations abroad, and the hundred regions beyond.”

“… or a people well-fed, well looked after, well taken care of, and a future generation of smiling, prospering Yohannesians ready to face the odds of our modern society.”

“… Because let’s face it: The Commonwealth Navy as it stands cannot adequately protect and escort our merchant fleets, and it most certainly cannot also protect us from any possible military threats to the core realms of our nation itself.”

“It is badly overextended, and we do not have the fund to maintain it at its present size, let alone expanding it any further.”

“I would like to seek leave to table the following…”

“There will be… no need for that”, the Chancellor stood, drawing the eyes of all members of the House.

“Ms. Speaker, I would like to, for the very first time perhaps in the history of this House, agreed with our opposition members, the Green Party, and the member standing before me.”

“Indeed… we as a nation cannot afford the Navy as of the present, any more than we can afford to neglect the housing pressure, healthcare crisis and education overstretching.”

“It is to that effect that… I would like to announce the pledge of the Imperial government to appoint a select committee by next week, with the long term view of sharply reducing the size of the Navy, and possibly detaching ourselves from select commercial and trading arrangements we consider as comparatively unfavourable to us in certain nations…”

“Give us numbers…!” bellowed the rowdy Labour members facing him.

“I am honestly smiling… Labour… wanting to hear number and facts!” The Chancellor turned to his fellow party members, met with equally loud collective laughter from his side of the House.

“What I can tell you is this: The World Assembly Security Council of nations have entrusted us with the responsibility of promoting peace and commerce.”

“We may not be able to, after all, promote the former, but we will, I promise you, and we most certainly will, guarantee the latter, at least as far as the commercial interests and trade of our allied, partner and friendly nations are concerned.”

“The time has come for us, as a nation, to admit that the course of expansion, whether it by route of diplomacy, commerce, or the military, is never limitless. They say the opportunity is endless, but we have found out, as a nation, that that opportunity has brought us further problems down the line. Our Navy, the first and foremost symbol of our nation overseas, is badly overextended, while our people are looking for change.”

“A change in how we prioritise our spending… a change in how we conduct our relations abroad, and by that, I mean, no further relations, a change… where we as a government concentrate prosperity from within, and not without.

“I promise to serve under the platform of prosperity and stability, and I will do just that.”

“To conclude to the members of this House…”

“In five days’ time, Her Majesty’s Select Committee, appointed by me, will conduct talks with their counterpart in the government of our closest ally and trading partner, Lamoni.”

“… To be followed by further talks and negotiations with more trading partners of the nineteen countries abroad. We will get through this period, and I assure you and the people we represent, that never, under my Chancellorship, shall Her Majesty’s realms fall to the wayside.”

[Lynion]

Vamperial Kingdom of Lynion
Vamperial Temple, Lynscertia Island


“I don’t believe so,” Lucus started as he walked the hallways alongside Lord Revan Pearce. “I still think the Tigers have a chance of getting the flag this season,” The pair had been discussing the national football (soccer) competition while walking towards the war room. Lucus was a man who broke down problems and tries to solve them. He didn’t understand the concept of been a fan of a football team.

“Not a chance,” Revan stated firmly. “The Hurricanes have the best team hands down,” Revan tighten his fist as Lucus shrugged his shoulders. “Remind me who’s on top?”

“Don’t you mean, who are tied for the top position?” Lucus corrected him. Revan shake his head as the pair came before the war room. “Besides, I believe we have another issue to observe,” With that, Lucus opened the door and waited for Revan to pass him.

Revan patted Lucus on the shoulder and walked into the war room, unaware of what had happened. King Vladimir and King Taishi Ci were gathered around a conference table with a number of advisors and members of the Vamperial Council. Lucus raised an eyebrow and sat down on the opposite end alongside Revan. The two kings were quietly whispering something before turning to Revan and Lucus seated across from them. The mood was of concern as Taishi Ci, the oldest of the two, hushed the discussion.

“Thank you for coming so soon,” Taishi Ci started as the pair nodded in response. “However, I’ve have an unusual request to ask of you two,” He breathed deeply then carried on. “Recently, the trade fleet from Yohannes has arrived without a naval escort. When questioned about their arrival, they told us that Yohannes was going through some form of an economic issue. We’re not sure how bad it is and we’re having trouble contacting them. We’re not sure what is happening, so we need you to lead an expedition fleet to investigate,”

Revan leaned back in his chair for a moment and thought about it. If Yohannes was going through a possible civil war, coup, invasion, conflict or an economic collapse, they should do something else. He wasn’t one to question the higher ups, but that’s because he usually served with High Vamp Kingston. Who was away for a much needed vacation with his wife. The two kings sitting before him were both very young and starting to make a name for themselves.

“My lords,” Lucus started as he caught Revan off guard. “If I may be open and bold,” he waited for them to nod in approval before advancing. “May I suggest we send a small fleet with a few knights and masters to investigate Yohannes?” Lucus asked. “I don’t mean to cause offence to Lord Pearce, but I’m confident we don’t need a lord just yet,”

“I have to agree with the young master,” Revan actually supported Lucus for a change.

“Normally we would,” Vladimir admitted. “However, intelligence has indicated they have lost a number of their ships, around 40 from what we heard in the channels. Their economy hasn’t been doing so well, in fact, it may be on the brink of collapse. With our trading routes with Yohannes, we fear that it may affect us,” Vladimir informed the pair. “Therefore, we will be dispatching the 92nd Legion under Lord Pearce’s command with Master Longshanks as his second in command. We’re also dispatching Arbiter Cornwell, and Ambassador Kidd with full authority to ensure any form of economic relief that may be required by Yohannes. We’ll also grant you a handful of knights and masters to accompany you. However, this is to be seen as a peacekeeping mission. If Yohannes doesn’t require military support, you will be sent back home. If you are needed, then you are to follow their requests,” Vladimir briefed them.

“Lord Pearce will command the expedition and will set sail with the Yohannes Trade Convoy back to Yohannes,” Taishi Ci ended. “Any questions?” The pair looked at each other and then Pearce shakes his head at the kings. “Right, you set sail this evening. We’ll try a telegram to Yohannes explaining the situation,”

The pair rose from their seats, saluted the kings and walked out of the door. The mood had gone silent between them. With Lynion being at peace for nearly seven years, it would appear good they weren’t going into a warzone. Instead, conducting a peace keeping mission. If the Yohannes wanted them.

TO whom it may concern of the Yohannes Government,

Greetings.

On behalf of the Vamperial Kingdom, we are thankful for your trade and friendship that you have shared with our nation. While we tend to stay out of the business of other nations, we do however feel the need to bring something before you. We are concerned after we have heard the loss of Yohannes ships recently. We are also gravely concerned about the recent Yohannes trade convoy’s entering Vamperial waters without their naval escort.

We understand that times can be tough, but we fear more may be occurring than what we currently know. Please take this as a concern from both a friend and a trading partner. With more of your trade fleets arriving without their naval escorts, we are using our own navy to ensure a safeguard to the Vamperial Kingdom. Therefore, I’m sure you will understand about the decision that was made by the Monarchy, the High King, the Vamperial Council, Assembly of the Arbiters and the Gathering of the Ministers. It was a thoroughly debated decision that was made on all levels.

During these concerning times we are doing the following. When your trade fleets arrive within distance of the Vamperial Kingdom, the Vamperial Navy and Air Force are being dispatched to provide an escort. In addition, we have sent a large naval fleet with the current returning trade fleet. It consists of a full fleet, the 92nd Legion, and a number of officials including economic officials.

Please, do not see this as any form of an attack on you. But see this as a concern friend checking on another. You the word of the Vamperial Kingdom we will not go against any requests you may have. The 92nd will only be deployed on peacekeeping missions if required by the Government of Yohannes. We have a wealth of economic support we can grant you if you are having issues with your economy.

If you do not need the assistance, we will gladly hold them back, yet we will send a team to observe the status of Yohannes. We will await for your response.

Signed,

High King Vamp Kingston
King Taishi Ci Kingston
King Vladimir Kingston
Vamperial Council
Assembly of Arbiters
Gathering of the Ministers.