Two Dragons Unfurl Their Coils [Earth II]

[Freistaat-Ostafrika]

14 October 2019 - 12:05hrs [UTC+8]
Oumún International Airport
Oumún, Nanfang Republic

With a week to go before the summit in Cidade Imperial, the Nanfang Republic and its friendly nations were continuing with all manner of technical talks and meetings at a civil service level. The summit itself was intended to simply involve national leaders discussing the proposed defensive alliance in an attempt to highlight any particular issues which would require further consideration, but this did not stop a certain element of anticipation from building. As far as the population of the Nanfang Republic were concerned, this summit was an example of President Yang continuing to deliver on her ambition to see the Republic take its place as a genuine world power; despite all of the flowery and respectful language used in official statements, the Nanfang population knew that their nation would clearly be the 'first among equals' in such an alliance and this was something that they would greatly approve. Of course the populations of the other potential allied nations had their own views regarding this proposed alliance, although those views were almost universally positive. The pursuit of closer ties with the Nanfang Republic had been beneficial in economic terms for all nations concerned, and so the alliance was perceived by the majority of the involved African nations as a way to continue enriching themselves while siding with a major power which had no interest in conquest. The United Arab Emirates and the Kingdom of Travancore were happy to seek the alliance with the Nanfang Republic as it would grant them a protective umbrella that they both sought, and Nanjing's influence served to allay any potential concerns about being in the same alliance as Freistaat Ostafrika, as the Nanfang Republic had privately assured both governments that they would blunt any attempts by Dar es Salaam to reassert influence over their former client states. For Freistaat Ostafrika, the proposed alliance was portrayed as a recognition of their state's influential position. After all, they controlled the majority of the strategic islands in the Indian Ocean and would be the second-most militarily capable nation in the proposed alliance. Membership of Nanjing's 'club' would provide Ostafrika with economic opportunities as well as an opportunity to cement themselves as one of the most powerful nations in the Indian Ocean region, with Nanfang support. As for Singapura Raya, they were happy to tie themselves even more closely to their massive northern cousin and join such an important enterprise.

Meanwhile, Marshal Tangwongsan of the Kingdom of Ayutthaya was understandably pleased to have received an official invitation from President Yang to attend the summit as a 'guest observer'. Issued after phonecall consultations with the other leaders who would be attending, the invitation would give the Marshal an opportunity to meet with his peers and discuss the possibilities that Ayutthayan membership of the proposed alliance would present. He would also be privy to the deliberations of the original ten attendees although he would have no official vote on their decisions; the Marshal understood that Ayutthaya was something of a latecomer to the alliance proposal and so the other ten national leaders were allowing him to see what their proposed alliance would entail, allowing him to judge whether or not membership would be something that Ayutthaya actually desired.

Not everyone was talking about the upcoming summit, however. BeBe was far more focused on his trip to Oumún, where he would be staying with Liao Darui in his penthouse. The pair had been regularly communicating since Darui's performance at BeBe's birthday party and subsequent stay in Singapura during part of August, and they had become increasingly fond of each other despite the fact that they had not seen one another in person for over two months. BeBe's cheery and playful personality had provided Darui with much to smile about during the wrangling over both his career and his divorce, and the young Singapuran was always more than happy to simply chat about everyday things with the Oumún native or to provide a sympathetic ear. Now that his divorce was completed, Darui was single once again and could therefore finally spend time with BeBe with the aim of a potential romantic relationship in mind. The younger man had left Darui in no doubt about his interest but had still respected Darui's decision not to do anything 'inappropriate' until the divorce was finalised, and he had surprised Darui slightly by not sending any racy messages or pictures even though the divorce was complete. The simple fact was that BeBe had decided to save anything particularly lascivious for when he and Darui were alone together.

Eager to make a start to his journey, BeBe had departed from Singapura Changi Airport at eight o'clock in the morning on the Xuanlong's CBJ business jet. Not really one for early mornings and having been up at six o'clock, a rather ungodly hour for him if truth be told, BeBe had wasted little time in retreating to the aircraft's VIP bedroom for some extra sleep while the flight was in the air. The aircraft touched down at Oumún International Airport approximately four hours after departing Singapura, by which time BeBe had awoken, changed into fresh clothing, and emerged from the bedroom feeling a bit more like himself once again. It was a rather typical warm Oumún afternoon with light cloud and a temperature hovering near 25°C, so BeBe was glad to have opted for something basic in comparison to some of his usual fashion choices. He emerged from the aircraft dressed in a floral design t-shirt, a pair of white jeans, and a pair of black heeled boots, with his hair pulled back into a high ponytail. The staff at Oumún International were highly experienced with handling private aircraft and their occupants, so his passport was checked by a staff member who cheerfully greeted him as he stepped onto the tarmac and his luggage was checked over with a portable X-ray luggage scanner. A luggage cart then ferried both him and his bags through the airport terminal to the main entrance and exit, where he was dropped off with a smile and best wishes for a pleasant stay in the autonomous territory. As he exited the terminal, BeBe beamed as Darui jogged over to him and hugged him.

"How was the flight?"

"Honestly, I kinda slept through most of it."

Darui laughed and took BeBe's luggage. "Come on, the car's over here."

The pair began chatting as they walked the short distance to Darui's black Qiantu K50 all-electric sports car which was parked up in a pre-booked 'premium parking space' close to the terminal. Once the luggage had been loaded in, Darui and BeBe hopped into the roadster and began heading for Darui's penthouse located in central Oumún.

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14 October 2019 - 12:25hrs [UTC+8]
L'Arc Oumún
Oumún, Nanfang Republic

After encountering a little bit of heavy traffic along their route over the New Oumún-Dàngzǎi Bridge, the Qiantu K50 pulled into the parking garage which was part of the L'Arc Oumún. One of the newer casinos in the gambling capital of much of Asia, L'Arc Oumún stood at fifty-six storeys which included a twenty-two storey deluxe hotel at the lower floors, shopping centre, outdoor pool, and gymnasium as well as the requisite gaming opportunities. The higher floors of the building were occupied by residential condominiums and residents enjoyed the same access to casino facilities as hotel guests. It had to be said that L'Arc Oumún was not one of the behemoth casinos like the Venetian Oumún or the Grand Lisboa, but that made it a quieter choice for residential occupants who all enjoyed excellent views of the city from their windows. As L'Arc was owned by the Liao family through their flagship corporate holding, the Liao Tourism and Entertainment Company, Darui had been able to get a superb deal on a five thousand square foot penthouse on the fifty-sixth floor. Stylishly decorated in off-whites and very light browns, the penthouse provided Darui with a comfortable and rather private home with very few neighbours either on the same floor or below. Darui and BeBe took the elevator from the parking garage all the way up to the fifty-sixth floor, then BeBe's eyes widened as Darui opened the penthouse door and gestured for him to enter.

"Wow, nice place. Check out that view!"

Darui smirked as he brought in BeBe's luggage and closed the door while the younger man dashed over to the ceiling-high windows of the living room, which afforded a view of the smaller nearby buildings and past them, Nam Van Bay and the shipping that traversed its waters.

"Don't you have a similar view from the Chairman Suite at the Trinity?"

BeBe shrugged as he continued to look out. "Well yeah, but this is a view of Oumún. I've never been here before."

"I'll have to show you the sights then. You took me around Singapura, I should really return the favour." Darui walked over until he was stood next to BeBe. "There's also Hēunggóng, Guangzhou, quite a few other big cities within a couple of hours from here. Lots of awesome shops and restaurants if you're interested in giving them a try."

"Sure thing." BeBe side-stepped closer and slipped his hand into Darui's hand while continuing to inspect the view before them, causing Darui to smile and give BeBe's hand a gentle squeeze as they entwined their fingers. "I will admit that there's something else I'd rather do now that I'm here."

"Make me 'forget my honeymoon'?"

BeBe giggled. "You said that you'd ask me to visit after the divorce so that we can see what happens when we're both free, single, and interested. Well here we are. We've been talking regularly since August, we had a lot of fun together when you were in Singapura, and from the way you were talking on your last day in Singapura you would've had me in a heartbeat if you hadn't been married at the time. So here we are, two single and interested adults-"

He was cut off as Darui turned to face him, leaned forward and gently kissed him on the lips. After a few moments, Darui broke the kiss and gazed into BeBe's eyes. "Point taken."

"So now do I get to take your point?" BeBe's eyes gleamed with mischief as he gently grabbed Darui's crotch, laughing as Darui responded by picking him up bridal-style and carrying him into the penthouse's master bedroom.

[Freistaat-Ostafrika]

15 October 2019 - 01:39hrs [UTC+8]
L'Arc Oumún
Oumún, Nanfang Republic

The bright lights of Oumún sparkled as Darui gazed out of the windows of his penthouse's master bedroom, the exceedingly late hour being no impediment to the enjoyment of the city's patrons. As the only territory of the Nanfang Republic where gambling was legal, Oumún was a playground for the wealthy and influential of the Republic as well as those from other nations who wished to rub shoulders and network with them. The hardworking staff of the territory's casinos were highly experienced in dealing with requests for less-than-legal services from their clientele, knowing where to procure what was requested as well as having considerable experience of cleaning up afterwards if necessary. Darui was aware that his family's centre of power had a somewhat dubious side and he was vaguely aware of 'the side of the family that wasn't talked about', but the careful attention of his grandmother meant that he knew nothing specific. Not because she thought he couldn't handle such information, rather it was a case of her trying to keep him out of anything incriminating. As a result he had no idea that his second cousin Siyong was the Sagacious Devil of the Howling Devil-Tigers syndicate, just as he had no idea that his bed was currently occupied by the younger brother of the Xuanlong of the Thrashing Dragons syndicate. Truth be told, he would probably consider it rather cool if he knew.

Despite enjoying quite an amount of physical activity during the previous afternoon and night, taking a break in the evening in order to treat BeBe to dinner at L'Arc Oumún's 'Old Shanghai' restaurant, Darui was finding it difficult to sleep and was therefore standing at the bedroom window, deep in thought. It had been a long time since he last lived as 'Liao Darui'. He had set that aside when he became 'Darui Liao-Margrave' and at that time he would not have believed that he'd ever go back, yet here he was. His train of thought was interrupted as he felt a set of fingertips gently dancing their way from the centre of his back up to his left shoulder, followed by a somewhat sleepy-sounding murmur.

"Can't sleep?"

Darui smiled to himself as he turned his head and lightly kissed BeBe's fingers, then raised his left hand to his shoulder and gently held his companion's hand. "Just thinking. It's been one hell of a year so far."

"Mmm." BeBe wrapped his free arm around Darui's chest and rested his head between Darui's shoulder blades, making a slight contented sound. "I hope you think that your year's gotten better recently."

"Definitely better. My grandmother always told me to find 'a nice young man like us', I really should've listened to her back then."

"Absolutely. Then again, if you had then we might never have met, so maybe you marrying Lysander the Shrew wasn't all bad in the end."

Darui turned to face BeBe and chuckled. "That's one way of looking it. All I know is that meeting you has been the best thing to happen to me in a long time."

The pair shared a kiss for a few moments before BeBe began to step backwards, taking Darui's hand in an attempt to lead him while giving a seductive smile. "Wanna come back to bed?"

Darui let out a slight groan of appreciation as he looked BeBe up and down. "When you put it like that....yeah, I really do."

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15 October 2019 - 16:00hrs [UTC+1]
Palácio da Nação
Cidade Imperial, Grande Império do Zaire

"So preparations are almost complete for the summit?"

Príncipe Florêncio nodded in response to the question posed by his father, Imperador Adalberto I of the Grande Império do Zaire. "That's correct, father. The visiting national leaders will be staying at their respective embassies during their downtime while they are here, so accommodation has thankfully not been a concern. The addition of Marshal Tangwongsan to the list of attendees has had no negative impact to our preparations, simply a case of tweaking the seating plan for dinner when you host our visitors. I have to admit that having Ayutthaya in this proposed alliance would be an advantage to all of us, so with your permission I'll talk to the Marshal about the potential for cooperation."

The ruler of the 'Grand Empire' gave a sound of approval. The pair were strolling through the opulent corridors of the Palácio da Nação, the primary imperial residence in Zaire, as they discussed the upcoming summit that they were particularly pleased to be hosting. One of their primary motives for tying themselves to the Nanfang Republic and its friendly nations was to raise Zaire's international profile and influence, and this summit would undoubtedly help with that.

"You have my permission to do as you see fit, Florêncio. I trust in your judgement, after all you will be inheriting the Leopard Throne in due time. I highly doubt that you would do anything which would weaken your future empire."

Florêncio avoided smirking as his father mentioned 'trust'. Adalberto was still unaware of Florêncio's business arrangement with the Thrashing Dragons which saw the syndicate cultivating marijuana in the provinces of North Kivu and South Kivu, and the prince was not about to inform Adalberto about his intention to explore the possibility of further ventures with the organisation.

"I appreciate that confidence in my judgement, father. Hmm, I wonder how the Margraves are handling the fact that they weren't invited to this important international conference?"

The pair exchanged broad smiles at the thought of their oftentime rivals not being in attendance. Adalberto then snorted derisively.

"They're probably still licking the wound left by Lysander's divorce. That family prides itself on everyone doing as they're told, but they've actually had someone leave their ranks. I'm tempted to award Liao Darui the Imperial Order of Merit simply for showing that the Margraves are not as monolithic as they portray themselves."

"Perhaps we should invite him to perform here in Cidade Imperial, his music's not bad and we could ensure a considerable turnout for him. Imagine how irritated Alexander Margrave would be if his ex-grandson-in-law were to perform here at the invitation of the Imperial House of Dourado, especially since most of the empire's nobility would turn out for it simply based on our own attendance."

Adalberto laughed heartily at the idea. "We could frame it as a gesture of cultural interest and score points with Nanjing at the same time as vexing the Margraves. Certainly something to keep in mind."

[Freistaat-Ostafrika]

21 October 2019 - 13:30hrs [UTC+1]
Palácio da Nação
Cidade Imperial, Grande Império do Zaire

With the start of the summit in Cidade Imperial, the Zairian capital was the focus of many eyes around the world. The various attendees had arrived in Zaire over the weekend and taken their time to settle into their accommodations, with their respective embassies playing host to them during their stay in the Grand Empire. The list of attendees was fairly considerable and consisted primarily of the national leaders of the Nanfang Republic and its friendly nations. President Yang Mingshu of the Nanfang Republic was the obvious central attendee as she had been the one to officially announce the summit and the whole alliance proposal had been her brainchild in the first place. President Najwan Wakiman represented the nation of Singapura Raya, eager to expand his international profile. The ever-casual Maharajah Rama Varma VII attended on behalf of the Kingdom of Travancore, while Emir Rashid Al Maktoum would be representing the United Arab Emirates in his capacity as Prime Minister. Präsident Friedrich Luxenberg provided Ostafrikan representation, bringing his rather amiable charm to the proceedings. Imperador Adalberto of Zaire would be representing the host nation during the summit along with Príncipe Florêncio, and the list of original attendees would be completed with the presence of the leaders of four other African nations: President Zakari Akinrinade of the Republic of Nigeria, King Manukosi III of the Shoshanga Kingdom, President Abilio Muteka of the Republic of Ndongo, and King Avonowanga II of the Kingdom of Orungu. Due to interest from other nations outside of the initial ten invitees, two other dignitaries would also be in attendance as 'guest observers'. The first was Marshal Dusit Tangwongsan who would be representing the Kingdom of Ayutthaya due to his desire to strengthen his nation, viewing a closer association with the neighbouring Nanfang Republic as the best way to achieve such a goal. The Marshal's intention was for Ayutthaya to become a full member of the organisation which was under discussion at the summit and so he would be paying careful attention to the deliberations and decisions of the ten core attendees.

The second dignitary attending as a 'guest observer' would be Timothy Fisher, the Minister of Foreign Affairs for the Empire of Layarteb. President Yang had taken the decision to inform the Layartebians of her alliance proposal and Ayutthaya's subsequent interest because she viewed such a course of action as being particularly prudent. The Empire had a presence in proximity to several of the prospective alliance members and was a significant trading partner for many of them. The Layartebian administration of Hainan put them off the coast of both the Nanfang Republic and the Kingdom of Ayutthaya, with Hainan connected to the Nanfang province of Guangdong via the 28-kilometre-long Qiongzhou Bridge-Tunnel. Control of Ceylon put a Layartebian presence a mere three hundred and eighty kilometres from Travancore's capital of Thiruvananthapuram. The Layartebian-controlled canal which cut through the Kra Isthmus was flanked on both sides by Ayutthayan territory, and the Empire possessed a naval base at nearby Penang in Singapura Raya. Freistaat Ostafrika had also enjoyed a good relationship with the Layartebians with both nations being part of the CTF-100 multinational anti-piracy task force, with a number of joint operations under their belts. As a result of these ties between the Layartebians and the potential members of the proposed alliance, President Yang had been considering the possibility of an 'observer member' status for her alliance idea and Fisher's presence would give her an opportunity to sound him out on the sort of obligations that the Empire would be comfortable with in an observer role, as well as the benefits that they would be most interested in. Although the 'observer member' status was being established primarily in order to include the Layartebians in a positive association with her proposed organisation, President Yang recognised that there may be other nations which would be interested in such a status.

The venue for the summit was the Palácio da Nação, which had been selected for several reasons. It was by far the most stylish building in the Grande Império do Zaire so it could be used to make a good impression, and as the primary imperial residence it meant that Imperador Adalberto and Príncipe Florêncio would not have to travel far. The palace also featured a state-of-the-art conference room which would be an ideal location to hold the summit discussions. There was also the added aspect of the Imperial House of Dourado inviting the other attendees into their home for the discussions, something of a demonstration of the family's attitude towards the prospect of the proposed alliance. Finally, holding the summit at the Palácio da Nação meant that the attendees would be safely discussing matters within the most secure building in the whole of Zaire. Security was always tight for the Imperial House of Dourado on a day-to-day basis and so the summit would be guarded by two companies of the elite Guarda Imperial. The vehicles of the attendees would pass the massive mausoleum of Imperador Afonso I which was located on the approach to the palace complex, before passing through the heavily guarded main gates of the palace grounds and proceeding up a two-lane avenue towards the palace itself, the avenue lined with the national flags of those nations represented at the summit. Upon arrival at the main entrance of the palace, attendees would have their vehicle doors opened for them by immaculately uniformed royal servants before being personally greeted by Imperador Adalberto and his wife Imperatrix Elisabete. Each attendee would then be escorted by an additional royal servant, through the opulent corridors of the palace to the second floor conference room. The conference room appeared to be something out of an old European royal palace, perhaps unsurprising given the Portuguese ancestry of the Dourados. The walls were white with gilt trimming and featured a collection of expensive artwork, while the ceiling was decorated with a mural that depicted a stylised map of the Grande Império do Zaire. The large circular table at the heart of the conference room was also white with gilt trim, as were the comfortable high-backed armchairs which surrounded it. Each seating position also featured a microphone, a pitcher of water with a glass, and a translator earpiece. However in this particular instance the translator earpieces would not be required as all of the attendees spoke English at a good level of competency at least, thus providing them with a useful lingua franca.

Once the attendees had all arrived and exchanged pleasantries, they took their seats and Imperador Adalberto invited President Yang to begin. She donned a pair of stylish spectacles, which almost granted her the appearance of a schoolmistress, then leaned forward to speak into her microphone.

"I would like to begin by thanking the Grande Império do Zaire and the Imperial House of Dourado for hosting this summit. This is my first visit to Zaire and I hope it will be the first of many visits to this beautiful nation. Now, we are gathered here to discuss a proposal that ten of us have all agreed to in principle. Marshal Tangwongsan and Minister Fisher are here to observe and we will undoubtedly seek their input on the matters we have to discuss, so I would like to thank them for attending.

"Two months ago I asked the Nanfang Republic's ambassadorial corps to approach nine of our closest friends with an idea. An idea of a defensive military alliance between us. Since the Singapura Conference in early January, there has been a deepening of relations between the ten nations that attended that conference. Trade has increased and diplomatic cooperation has strengthened. I believe that we should now look to an even more formal declaration of the friendship between us. The world in which we live can often change from peaceful to combative with disturbing speed, and there are nations in this world which would gladly undermine the rule of law and security in other nations. It is because of this that I feel we should establish a united front against nations and entities which would bring down our states if given the opportunity. The ambassadors reported back with very positive information and so our respective bureaucracies and civil services began discussions, so we are here to discuss and vote on the ideas that have emerged from those technical discussions."

She took a sip of water before continuing.

"This alliance would be purely defensive in nature. If a member of the alliance is attacked then it would be treated as an attack against all members. If a member were to be an aggressor against another nation then the rest of the alliance would be under no obligation to assist in that aggression. Other alliance members would be free to assist on a unilateral basis but the alliance as a whole would be under no obligation. That is something that found unanimous approval during the technical discussions, am I correct that this is still the case?"

A ripple of assent made its way around the other nine original invitees to the proposal, earning a nod of approval from President Yang.

"Excellent. I believe that we can safely state that none of us have expansionist ambitions at this time, but it is best to provide a guarantee that alliance members would not be drawn into a war started by one of their own for their own gratification. To further ensure that alliance members do not impose upon each other, usage of each other's military facilities and bases will be subject to a principle of presumed refusal. That means that we request permission to use each other's facilities. I believe that it is far more respectful to seek assent rather than presuming it. This also means that alliance members will not necessarily have to state a refusal to allow other members to utilise their facilities. It is of course the right of any member to make their facilties available to all with a universal announcement, but that is something that would not be expected of anyone. In a similar vein, there is to be no expectation of being permitted to permanently station forces within the territory of another alliance member. That is something to be discussed on a case-by-case basis between the members involved. I am aware that there have already been discussions and proposals regarding permanent stationing of forces involving certain alliance members, and that those discussions are still ongoing. Again, this was a matter which received approval during the lower-level discussions. I personally cannot see any reason to oppose it, but I am open to discuss it if anyone has any objections to bring."

No objections were raised to that particular idea. It provided a potential limit to the reach of the more powerful members of the alliance although that could easily be bypassed with promises of investment or similar incentives if necessary. The UAE and Travancore would approve of the clause because it would prevent Ostafrikan forces from returning to their nations without their express consent, but it would also provide Ostafrika with an opportunity to gain a quid pro quo from the Nanfang Republic if Nanjing wished to make use of the Ostafrikan naval bases scattered around the Indian Ocean. While there was a clear desire among the original ten nations to form the alliance, there was no doubt that they would all be looking out for their own national self-interest as members. President Yang turned her attention to Marshal Tangwongsan.

"Marshal. As the Kingdom of Ayutthaya is seeking full membership of the alliance under discussion, do you have any additional thoughts on the two primary tenets?"

Marshal Tangwongsan cleared his throat. "I find them to be most agreeable, Madam President. Ayutthaya has no expansionist ambition and so we would not seek to draw others into a war of our own making. If we were to come under attack from a foreign power then we would find it most reassuring to know that we have friends ready to support us. I also believe that the policy on facility and base usage is particularly mindful of national sovereignty and affords a great deal of respect to alliance members. It is, after all, only right to ask if you can use something that belongs to someone else, even if you are both friends."

President Yang smiled and nodded before turning to address Timothy Fisher.

"Minister Fisher. The Empire of Layarteb enjoys good relations with the other nations gathered here today and we wish to continue enjoying your friendship. That is why we have been frank and open regarding the proposed alliance, the Empire has holdings and interests in close proximity to several of us and we wish to make it abundantly clear that this alliance would in no way threaten those holdings and interests. With that in mind we intend to create a second tier of membership for the alliance. 'Full members', as it were, and 'observers'. The status of observer would be open to nations that wish to closely associate with the full members of the alliance without becoming full members themselves. As this summit is a forum for discussion, I would like to hear what you and the Empire would view as acceptable obligations and benefits for an observer state."

[Layarteb]

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Monday, October 21^st, 2019 | 13:30 hrs [UTC+1]

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Cidade Imperial, Grande Império do Zaire | Palácio da Nação
4° 18' 9" S, 15° 16' 48" E

The fifty-nine-year-old Minister of Foreign Affairs was finding adjusting to jet lag that much more difficult now that he'd grown a year older. Flying to Zaire had been a long flight, despite the favorable tailwinds in that direction. Sitting with the various dignitaries and heads of state for this meeting was truly his element though and the statesman in him bristled to the surface. To President Yang, he leaned ever so slightly forward at the table, engaging the room as he did so. "It is good to hear madam President that our holdings and our interests will be preserved. There are no nations amongst us who do not cherish the holdings we have worked to hard to build and to obtain. To that regard, we respect the host nations and the surrounding areas to those very holdings in the same manner that we wish our sovereignty to be respected.

"It is not full membership that we seek because of our commitment to the October Alliance. It would be unfair for us to commit full membership to you and unfair to the Realm of Cotland; however, the October Alliance charter does not dissuade from the individual member nations from forming their own pacts and agreements with other nations and bodies. For that we are grateful to see that observer status can be upheld.

"Politically speaking, the Empire has no desire to steer or to govern this alliance. I should expect that we are not expected to take on such a role as an observer. Militarily, we wish to cooperate with the member states but we do not expect mutual defense nor do we hope that is expected out of us. Would we rally to the cause of our allies? Of course, and that goes without question. We only ask that our holdings, which are dependent upon your protection, receive it as you would request us to do the same to you. For that we offer promises of non-intervention unless requested and we should look at those case-by-case. Economically speaking, on the other hand, we hope to have benefits and access both to your markets and vice versa, free trade even if it is on the table. We believe fully in a reciprocal relationship when it comes to trade. We should not open our markets fully to see roadblocks upon yours.

"Beyond that we only wish that international conventions, agreed to and negotiated between member states, remain active and if not, are either renegotiated or terminated in accordance to the conventions' clauses."

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[Freistaat-Ostafrika]

The fifty-nine-year-old Minister of Foreign Affairs was finding adjusting to jet lag that much more difficult now that he'd grown a year older. Flying to Zaire had been a long flight, despite the favorable tailwinds in that direction. Sitting with the various dignitaries and heads of state for this meeting was truly his element though and the statesman in him bristled to the surface. To President Yang, he leaned ever so slightly forward at the table, engaging the room as he did so. "It is good to hear madam President that our holdings and our interests will be preserved. There are no nations amongst us who do not cherish the holdings we have worked to hard to build and to obtain. To that regard, we respect the host nations and the surrounding areas to those very holdings in the same manner that we wish our sovereignty to be respected.

"It is not full membership that we seek because of our commitment to the October Alliance. It would be unfair for us to commit full membership to you and unfair to the Realm of Cotland; however, the October Alliance charter does not dissuade from the individual member nations from forming their own pacts and agreements with other nations and bodies. For that we are grateful to see that observer status can be upheld.

"Politically speaking, the Empire has no desire to steer or to govern this alliance. I should expect that we are not expected to take on such a role as an observer. Militarily, we wish to cooperate with the member states but we do not expect mutual defense nor do we hope that is expected out of us. Would we rally to the cause of our allies? Of course, and that goes without question. We only ask that our holdings, which are dependent upon your protection, receive it as you would request us to do the same to you. For that we offer promises of non-intervention unless requested and we should look at those case-by-case. Economically speaking, on the other hand, we hope to have benefits and access both to your markets and vice versa, free trade even if it is on the table. We believe fully in a reciprocal relationship when it comes to trade. We should not open our markets fully to see roadblocks upon yours.

"Beyond that we only wish that international conventions, agreed to and negotiated between member states, remain active and if not, are either renegotiated or terminated in accordance to the conventions' clauses."

President Yang nodded understandingly and offered an agreeable smile as Minister Fisher finished speaking.

"Your stance on membership is completely understandable, Mister Fisher. The Empire of Layarteb has a long-standing commitment to the October Alliance and the Realm of Cotland, and we would not expect you to choose our formative organisation over such a historical affiliation.

"It sounds as though your idea of the obligations and benefits of an observer role aligns closely with my own. Military dialogue and potential cooperation but no obligation of mutual defense. I believe that we would have no qualms about helping to protect your holdings in our 'neck of the woods' as it were, after all those holdings are both strategic friends and valued trading partners. We would also reciprocate the agreements of non-intervention, and we would continue to adhere to existing international conventions."

She paused for a moment before addressing his mention of economic benefits.

"It is fortuitous that you mentioned market access and the like. It is my intention for this defensive alliance to become a solid foundation upon which we can build future agreements and intergovernmental agencies, and I regard a free trade area comprised of all alliance members to be an important ambition. Other ambitions include cultural cooperation, joint energy and infrastructure projects, a joint investment bank, and greater security cooperation. Access for observer members can be discussed as each of these future ambitions is achieved, but I personally believe that it would be prudent for the free trade area to be something that both full and observer members of the alliance would have access to."

[-The United Federation of Nations-]

The Honourable James L. Rodriguez, Ambassador of the United Federation of Nations to Grand Empire of Zaire
Embassy of the United Federation of Nations, Cidade Imperial
The Grand Empire of Zaire
Monday 21st October 2019, 1300hrs Local Time

At much the same time as the conference was taking place, a far smaller meeting was taken place in the Federation Embassy, not too far away in the modest chancery that housed the diplomatic mission. Although the Federation was committed to diplomatic relations with all sovereign nation-states, indeed this commitment was enshrined in the Articles of the Federation, various parts of the world tended to have a smaller presence than others. Between a lack of nearby Federation member-states, limited trade relations and a general lack of Federation nations in-country, the only thing that kept Zaire from hosting an even smaller Federation diplomatic mission was the proximity of Ostafrika. Although Federation relations with the OAG had warmed over recent months, following the Gulf Crisis of 2018 which had seen Bahrain and Qatar join the Federation, there was still a lingering suspicion from both sides about the others motives, especially after the war of words that had erupted during the crisis. The Federation did not view the Ostafrikans as a true hostile entity, indeed the Federation tended to avoid such absolutes unless presented with indisputable evidence to the contrary, but keeping an eye on them and seeing what they were up to was of some priority to the Federation Government.

When word had reached the Federation, initially through the Federation Intelligence Service (FIS), that a conference was being put together, of which Ostafrika would be attending, there had been a great deal of interest shown. Federation Intelligence had been working diligently to uncover the details of what had been discussed as far back as the Singapore Conference, and the revelation that a far-reaching defensive alliance across Africa, South East Asia and the Indian Ocean had come as a substantial surprise. It made sense in many respects, the Federation becoming involved in the region due to Qatar and Bahrain was substantial to say the least, and it stood to reason that regional powers would see the benefit of banding together against encroachments. Of course, this meant that for the staffs of Federation Diplomatic Missions all over the region, no to mention back a the Department of the Exterior, and doubtless other Federal agencies, it was a substantial change to the geopolitical landscape, and discussions, such as the one about to take place in the Federation Embassy in Zaire, about what the potential implications were.

Chaired by the Federation Ambassador, James Louis Rodriguez, a native of the Republic of New Mexico, the meeting consisted of the Rodriguez’ senior staff from the diplomatic mission, as well as the Defence Attaché, Lt. Colonel Holly G. Bennett from Defence Force Tactical, and the Chief of Station from the FIS, Special Officer-in-Charge Edward C. Moore.

“Good afternoon, Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you for all coming together this afternoon, as you all know the conference taking place a short distance from us here represents a substantial change in the geopolitical landscape, for both Africa and Southeast Asia,” Ambassador Rodriguez said as a preamble. “This is going to impact all of us, in every aspect of our role here, so I’ve asked SOC Moore to give us a run down on what we know of this conference and the alliance it looks to be intending to form.”

Special Officer in Charge Moore nodded and leant forward onto the conference table, looking around at the other men and women around the table. Moore was an experienced member of the Federation Intelligence Service, having previously served in the Federal Marine Corps in his youth, although his assignment here as Chief of Station was his first as the senior FIS officer in the country; although success during this time of rapid change would do his future career wonders. Although he would not going to detail here, Moore had already advised the Ambassador that he fully intended to work with his case officers to build and develop an intelligence network here in the Grand Empire, given that it had just shot up the priority list at FIS Headquarters.

“Thank You, Mister Ambassador; you’ll all be aware that this alliance has been a long time in coming; its roots go as far back as the conference in Singapore, some months ago, and behind-the-scenes discussions and negotiations have been going on since then,” SOC Moore began his briefing. “By all accounts, this alliance is going to start life as a multi-lateral mutual defence pact between the signatories, however we have it on good authority that the leading voices within the alliance would not be opposed to deeper economic ties, and potential closer political co-ordination and cohesion.”

Moore paused.

“Mutual cooperation on this scale is unprecedented, particularly in such a short timeframe, outside of the Federation itself of course, and the UFN has always been a political union as much as anything else, even if our member-states retain a substantial degree of sovereignty,” Moore continued. “Now, we’re not saying that this constitutes the rise of another nation-state like our own, the Federation has always been a unique achievement in human history and we do not anticipate that changing, however we cannot underestimate the benefits for all the prospective members of this new alliance, if they pull it off.”

Moore paused again to sip at his glass of iced water on the conference table in front of him.

“Federation Intelligence is of the opinion that there is significant political will amongst the member-nations to make the defensive, and likely the economic, links work in pretty short order, only time will tell with regards to whether this alliance will lead to a deeper political union, however even if it is only the first two aspects, the situation is a step-change in geopolitical situation in Afrika and South-East Asia,” Moore continued. “This development could not have come at a worse time for the Federation, with Bahrain and Qatar completing their integration into the fold, and with the Special Envoy to Kurdistan reporting that a ‘Yes’ vote in a referendum in the near future is a very real possibility, the Federation’s interests in the region, although still comparatively limited, are growing, especially as our corporations expand into new markets; coming face-to-face with this new bloc is a sub-optimal development to say the least.”

Moore paused again.

“That being said, Federation Intelligence is hopeful that the likes of the Nanfang Republic may very serve as a stabilising influence for the other, more unstable or more unpredictable elements of the alliance, which may in fact result in a net-positive outcome for the UFN,” Moore added. “That is the opinion that the Department of the Exterior has chosen to take, although the FIS will continue to operate in a manner that treats this new alliance, and its members, as a potential foe, as the Federation would be at a substantial disadvantage in any military engagement in-theatre, vis-à-vis this new block, at least until reinforcements could arrive from North America or the Mediterranean.”

Moore leant back in his chair; his overview concluded.

“So, we’re being cautiously optimistic,” Ambassador Rodriguez commented with a slight smile. “To sum-up the posture that this diplomatic mission will take; our role remains to foster positive relations, but I want it made clear to everyone, that discussion of this new bloc is to be kept to the highest level, Secretary Palmer is very clear on her desire to carefully control the messaging around the new alliance.”

The gathered diplomats nodded their understanding as the Ambassador name-dropped the Secretary of the Exterior, Renee Palmer, who had recently seen the conclusion of the longest project of her professional career; successfully bringing the Kingdom of Spain, the Republic of Portugal and the Kingdom of Morocco into the Federation. All could understand that their ultimate boss would want to avoid a diplomatic crisis so soon after her, and the Department’s, moment of glory.

“What do we make of the fact that the Empire of Layarteb was invited as an ‘observer’, due presumably to Sri Lanka,” Thomas J. Clarke, Minister for Political Affairs, the senior diplomat in the mission responsible for the political relationship between the Federation and the Grand Empire, commented. “Whilst we with Qatar, Bahrain and soon Kurdistan were not.”

“We’re not certain at this point, truth be told; we suspect there may be an underlying feeling amongst some members of the new bloc, whom I am sure that I don’t need to name, that view the presence of the Federation in the region as interlopers, or outsiders,” Ambassador Rodriguez replied. “They likely, therefore, see those member-states as ours in the region as having made their bed with the Federation, and therefore don’t need, or deserve, an invitation themselves individually, which shuts us out at both the Federal and the member-state level.”

“Doesn’t seem very neighbourly, Mister Ambassador,” Lt. Colonel Bennet commented, speaking for the first time.

“No, it doesn’t,” Ambassador Rodriguez agreed. “As much as the Federation will always seek peaceful co-existence, why don’t you run us through Eastern Sector’s thinking about this development.”

Lt. Colonel Bennet nodded and leant forward on the conference table. Although all Defence Attachés hailed from Defence Force Tactical, the branch of the United Defence Force responsible for threat analysis and tactical operations, they worked closely with the Sector Command in which their posting was based. Given the lack of any substantial Federation presence in Africa, the continent was split between European Sector, for the north and west parts of the continent, and Eastern Sector, for the south and east. The Eastern Sector Command, which had always had a large area-of-responsibility, from East Africa to Oceania, its importance had grown steadily with Qatar and Bahrain joining, and that had only increased over the past months as this new bloc took shape.

“The Eastern Sector has already seen a substantial increase in military operations since Bahrain and Qatar joined-up, with the forward-deployment of Carrier Strike Group Six to the Persian Gulf, as well as an up-tick in routine deployments by naval assets across the theatre,” Lt. Colonel Bennet explained. “The operational plans division at Eastern Sector Headquarters has always assumed fairly rapid reinforcement from Malta and beyond, with the local forces, small Federal continents and the Navy being sufficient to hold the line until that can happen.”

Bennet paused a moment for any questions, of which there were none.

“The issue facing us now is two-fold; the first is the prospect of a land-locked member-state in the Eastern Sector AOR, which means that not only is naval support some distance away, but an enemy invasion across the land we’re talking about could occur very quickly,” Lt. Colonel Bennet replied. “The second is the potential threat posed by this new alliance; up until now the individual nation-states of this region have not had the strength to face off against the Federation in any form of prolonged warfare, this new alliance would likely have the capacity to go toe-to-toe with us.”

Bennet paused again.

“To counter this, Defence Force Command is looking at the options to increase the long-range striking power of the UDF in the region, a squadron from the 12th Bomb Wing has already deployed to Qatar as part of efforts to protect Kurdistan during the referendum,” Lt. Colonel Bennet continued. “Based on current planning at Defence Force Operations, this is only likely to increase, indeed a full wing of bombers is not outside the realms of possibility, in short we can no longer assume a defensive posture in the region, we need to beef up our offensive strike capability… if we need it.”

“That could be viewed provocatively, Colonel,” Minister Clarke commented dryly.

“Yes, it could,” Lt. Colonel Bennet agreed. “But our choices are limited, I’m afraid.”

“As much as we don’t want to provoke any hostility, ladies and gentlemen, we don’t want to be caught flat-footed,” Ambassador Rodriguez said firmly. “The same is true in the diplomatic arena as the military, so I expect all of you to keep up to speed, we cannot afford to slow down on this, people, so let’s be about it.”

[Freistaat-Ostafrika]

23 October 2019 - 19:30hrs [UTC+8]
Marina Bay Trinity
Singapura, Singapura Raya

The Cidade Imperial summit ended on the evening of October 22nd with a firm agreement regarding various aspects of the proposed defensive alliance between the Nanfang Republic and their affiliates. Full members of the alliance would treat an attack upon one of their number as an attack upon all, something which gave the smaller nations considerable confidence as it meant that the Nanfang Republic would come to their assistance if they were attacked. There would be no requirement for member nations to assist each other in aggressive wars, a clause designed to stop smaller members from going on expansionist sprees and using the military of the larger members to protect themselves or assist their aggression. Potential future members would be required to begin with 'observer' status and then graduate to full membership, with both stages subject to a unanimous approval vote. This would give smaller members an equal say in the alliance's expansion compared to larger members, and there was an interpretation among some that smaller members might be able to extract promises of investment and the like from larger members in return for voting in favour of potential members that they might otherwise refuse. As this requirement had not been signed into any formal charter as yet due to the non-existence of any formal alliance charter, the Kingdom of Ayutthaya had been offered the opportunity to be fast-tracked into the founding membership and Marshal Tangwongsan had graciously accepted. The Marshal had listened to the discussions, giving his own opinions and insights when asked, and he felt that Ayutthaya would be very comfortable within the organisation which was now closer to official formation.

There had also been some discussion and agreement regarding the structure of the alliance organisation. A headquarters building would be constructed within one of the founding eleven full members and a council of permanent representatives from member nations would be established, regularly meeting at the alliance headquarters to discuss any issues related to the organisation. This proposed council would then be responsible for creating any subsidiary bodies that were deemed necessary to ensure the smooth administration of the alliance, freeing up national ministers to pursue other agendas. Tentative discussion regarding future ventures such as a free trade area between alliance members had produced positive responses and such ventures would therefore be discussed in greater detail once the alliance itself had been formally established. Finally the benefits and obligations of 'observer' status had been agreed upon. Military cooperation would be encouraged with no obligation of mutual defense, and there would also be non-intervention guarantees which were in actuality potentially flexible depending on specific situations. Observer members would also gain access to future ventures depending on their sensitivity but it was a given that observer members would gain access to the now-openly considered free trade area. The various national leaders would now return to their respective capitals and task their civil servants with finalising the technical and legal aspects of the agreed proposals, as doing so would then provide a formal treaty for the leaders to sign.

While the summit had been bringing the attending nations closer together, there had been some degree of movement within the criminal underworld of eastern Asia. BeBe had decided to extend his stay in Oumún for another week as he and Darui were greatly enjoying each other's company, and the Xuanlong of the Thrashing Dragons syndicate had been happy to indulge his younger brother. Not one to leave anything to chance, the Xuanlong also decided to contact his counterpart in the Liao-led Howling Devil-Tigers syndicate. Officially known as the 'Sagacious Devil', Liao Siyong was Darui's second cousin and therefore the Xuanlong had taken the step of informing him of the current situation between Darui and BeBe as a show of respect, since BeBe was currently in the Devil-Tiger homebase of Oumún. The contact had been greeted with appreciation by the Sagacious Devil who had reciprocated by requesting a meeting with the Xuanlong at the earliest possible opportunity in order to discuss 'family affairs', and the Xuanlong had wasted little time in clearing his calendar to meet with him. It was a rare opportunity for the Xuanlong to hold face-to-face discussions with his counterpart as they usually kept to their own traditional spheres of influence, the Xuanlong in Singapura Raya and the Kingdom of Ayutthaya while the Sagacious Devil kept to Oumún, Hēunggóng, and the southern provinces of the Nanfang Republic. While there were certainly other organised crime groups within the Nanfang Republic, the Howling Devil-Tigers were regarded as the top dogs in their territory and the syndicate had taken down several would-be usurpers during their time. The Sagacious Devil had quietly flown into Singapura on his own private jet and been ferried by limousine to the Marina Bay Trinity, where he and his bodyguards were shown up to the Chairman Suite for the meeting.

The two criminal kingpins were quite similar in their appearance, both dressed in black business suits and both wearing their black hair in a slicked back style. The two primary differences were that the Sagacious Devil was clean-shaven compared to the Xuanlong's trimmed goatee, and that the Sagacious Devil wore a pair of square-rimmed spectacles whereas the Xuanlong wore none. Both men had two bodyguards present in the main living room of the Chairman Suite and both had prepared their own drinks at the suite's bar; not necessarily out of mistrust but simply because that was how things had always been done in the past between the organisations. The Xuanlong and the Sagacious Devil now sat on opposite couches with their besuited bodyguards stood flanking their respective pieces of furniture. The Sagacious Devil took a sip from his martini and nodded approvingly at his own preparation skills before smiling at his counterpart.

"So my cousin Darui and your little brother Beibeilong. How did that happen?"

The Xuanlong chuckled. "It's a long story. The short version is that Darui was here back in January with the Margraves for that conference about Ostafrika, BeBe ran into him in a corridor and jokingly propositioned him in front of Lysander. BeBe then wanted Darui to perform here for his twenty-first birthday in August, they quickly hit it off during Darui's stay. Darui didn't want to cheat on Lysander despite the issues they were having so he and BeBe kept in touch after he returned to the Nanfang Republic; once the divorce was finalised Darui invited BeBe to stay with him in Oumún. We're now in week number two of that stay after BeBe informed me that Darui asked him to stay longer than the initially planned single week."

"I can't say I was sorry to see that divorce go through, I've had very few dealings with the Margraves but I'm aware of what they're like. Thankfully I'm on the side of the family that doesn't have to do business with them, we decided that it was best for them to not be brought into our business. If they were then they might try to take it over, and that is something that I would never allow to happen. So Darui's moved on from a twenty-seven-year-old business heir to a twenty-one-year-old who is actually a fan of his music. I'm impressed, I didn't think he'd have it in him. So does he know anything about your family business?"

The Xuanlong shook his head at the Sagacious Devil's question. "No, we've kept things very close to our chest. He knows that we're wealthy and that we're in the business world, I know that BeBe will find a way to answer any specific questions without giving any information away. I must admit that I'm glad to see they're getting along well. BeBe's previous boyfriends from within our business have always been rather disappointing."

"I can well imagine." The Sagacious Devil wagged his finger. "Some of our fellow businessmen believe in violence first or simply have no concept of civility. Thankfully the two of us are rather different from that. I have no issues with any relationship between Darui and BeBe, if they make each other happy then that it is all I need to know. I appreciate the fact that you personally informed me about it once you realised that it was potentially going somewhere and I also appreciate the fact that you are doing everything you can to keep Darui in the dark about your business. I believe that I am correct to state that if their relationship does not work out then neither of us will do anything outside of showing sympathy."

The Xuanlong nodded and sipped at his own barley water. "You are indeed correct. BeBe's old enough to make his own decisions and his own mistakes, if things don't work out with Darui then I will simply offer a brotherly shoulder to cry on."

"Excellent. If by some chance Darui does discover the true nature of your business, I would appreciate it if I could be informed as soon as possible."

"Of course, that's not a problem." The Xuanlong paused for a moment before broaching a different subject. "So what do you think of this alliance idea that's been talked about?"

The Sagacious Devil smiled slightly. "It could be interesting. Especially if they press ahead with that free trade idea, it could potentially open up some new business opportunities."

"Would you be interested in getting a headstart on some of those potential new opportunities?"

The Sagacious Devil leaned forward and narrowed his eyes. "What do you have in mind?"

"Well, I've recently held discussions with the Makinde Clan, they're the largest syndicate in Nigeria. The Thrashing Dragons have also established a good relationship with Príncipe Florêncio of Zaire and he's interested in some further dealings. I know that the Howling Devil-Tigers have traditionally kept to the Nanfang Republic but I feel that we could mirror the closeness and warmth that exists between our respective national governments. Doing so could make us all even wealthier than we already are." The Xuanlong smirked as he saw the cogs turning in the Sagacious Devil's mind.

"You're suggesting some form of alliance of our own."

"The Howling Devil-Tigers and the Thrashing Dragons are more sophisticated and more civilised than our counterparts in other nations within President Yang's pet project. I would suggest that we could keep our own defined spheres of influence and home territories but we could potentially work together to bring our vision of order and stability to the underworlds of those nations represented at the Cidade Imperial summit. Aside from the Layartebians obviously, I have no interest in doing anything that might antagonise them if I can help it. What I'm proposing is the formation of our own 'governing body' where our organisations work with the largest and most successful criminal groups in allied nations. Establishing firm spheres of influence and home territories wherever possible and then cooperating on joint ventures wherever possible."

The Sagacious Devil made a clear sound of interest. "It's an intriguing idea. The Devil-Tigers and the Dragons bringing sophistication and civility to our counterparts in Africa and elsewhere. I'll have to give it a great deal of thought, you understand."

"Of course, of course. Now, might I tempt you to join me tonight at this resort's theatre? I have a reserved private box and tonight's performance is 'Wang Kui Betrays Guiying', by a Shaoxing opera troupe."

"Why not? We don't simply talk about sophistication and civility, we practise it as well."

[Freistaat-Ostafrika]

25 October 2019 - 11:30hrs [UTC+8]
Palace of the Republic
Nanjing, Nanfang Republic

President Yang smiled as she addressed the weekly meeting of the Nanfang Republic's ministerial cabinet with regard to the bilateral agreements that she had reached with several of the other prospective members of the proposed alliance, as the summit in Cidade Imperial had not been exclusively focused on the wider framework of the alliance organisation. There had been plenty of opportunities for her to 'informally chat' with other national leaders about their ambitions for a relationship with the Nanfang Republic; some of these ambitions were already known to the Nanfang cabinet while others had been raised for the first time at the summit.

"Pursuant to suggestions which arose during the ambassadorial consultation period prior to the summit, I conducted one-on-one discussions with several of my peers in Cidade Imperial regarding their own ideas for close cooperation with us. Maharajah Rama Varma VII of Travancore, President Muteka of Ndongo, and President Wakiman of Singapura Raya have all confirmed that they wish to host Nanfang Republic military forces. We have agreed that each of these nations would therefore play host to a Rapid Reaction Force. This will provide us with a effective force presence in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Central Africa. In addition to this, the Maharajah and President Muteka expressed their hope that their military forces could receive training from our own personnel, as did King Manukosi III of Shoshanga. Since this would provide us with an opportunity to build professionalism and discipline within allied militaries, I told them that I would recommend this idea."

Defense Minister Tang Dongwei raised his hand. "As you requested during the consultation period back in August, the Ministry of Defense has conducted an evaluation of the potential effectiveness of such training programs. We believe that training programs for allied nations would not only be effective in raising the standards of allied militaries but they would also provide a method for us to improve the effectiveness of potential joint operations. If allied militaries are already well-versed in our methods and practises then they will prove to be more effective in cooperation. With that in mind, perhaps we could increase the potential uptake for foreign students at our military academies. Imagine the effectiveness of allied liaison officers and battlefield commanders working with our military if they were educated at our own institutions."

President Yang nodded agreeably. "An excellent idea. We should discuss the idea with the Ostafrikans and the Ayutthayans, their institutions also produce disciplined and effective officers. It would of course be entirely their own decision if they wished to accept larger numbers of foreign applicants to their military academies. Perhaps we could also propose investment in the military institutions of our other allies in an attempt to foster more effective indigenous officer training?"

"Absolutely, Madam President. Was there any discussion regarding armaments and equipment acquisition?"

"Indeed there was. The vast majority of allied nations are intent on acquiring Nanfang armaments and equipment as they recognise the quality of our products. Over time this would allow us to achieve a high level of standardisation within the alliance as most nations would be using the same equipment. Ostafrika has expressed an interest in potential joint development projects for the future, while Ayutthaya would be interested in acquiring further production licenses for Nanfang equipment. President Akinrinade of Nigeria also reiterated his idea regarding Nanfang investment in the Nigerian arms industry, as he believes that it would provide easier access to our equipment for African allies if Nigeria has the capability and licenses to manufacture it. Naturally this would provide a boost for the Nigerian economy as well."

Minister Tang adjusted the folder in front of him. "We examined the idea when it was first posited during the consultation period, there is some positive potential to it but it requires greater examination of the Nigerian industrial base. I recommend a comprehensive fact-finding mission to the Republic of Nigeria in order to determine the full potential extent of the idea."

"Agreed." President Yang then returned her attention to the cabinet as a whole. "Due to the fact that all proposed full members of the alliance were in complete agreement on the aspects of the initial defensive treaty, technical and legal discussions between respective civil services and bureaucracies are expected to reach a conclusion within a matter of weeks. In short, ministers, we hope to have a treaty ready to be signed by the first week of December. As this alliance represents a stronger and more prosperous future for its signatories I shall invite my counterparts to officially sign the treaty in a city which always looks towards the future, namely the city of Shenzhen."

[Freistaat-Ostafrika]

30 October 2019 - 14:00hrs [UTC+3]
Department of State Security Headquarters
Dar es Salaam, Freistaat Ostafrika

Niklas Carstens stepped out of his chauffeur-driven black Sonderklasse sedan and pulled a disapproving face at the prospect of the meeting that he was about to walk into. The morning's meeting of the Aufsichstrat had concluded that in light of the successful summit in Cidade Imperial and the impending creation of the proposed alliance organisation, it was time for the Department of State Security to begin winding down certain operations which were still continuing in their soon-to-be allies of Nigeria, Orungu, Ndongo, and Shoshanga. While Carstens was an Aufsichstrat member and therefore possessed substantial authority and oversight over Ostafrikan intelligence, he honestly disliked the prospect of delivering unfortunate news to the man who was actually his subordinate although it never truly appeared that way. Direktor Wilhelm Treich was a hard-nosed and sharp sixty-four-year-old who stood six feet tall with thinning grey hair, a veteran of espionage and intelligence operations who had made it clear that he had no desire to move from his current position. The rest of the Vorstand respected Treich for his efficiency, and the members of the DSS respected their Direktor for his dedication and unwavering loyalty to their department. Carstens, on the other hand, always hated being focused upon by Treich's steely gray-blue gaze. Carstens was only three inches shorter than Treich but the Direktor still managed to glare down his hooked nose at his superior, making Carstens feel like a disobedient schoolboy before his headmaster.

Dressed in a smart business suit, Carstens made his way through the utilitarian corridors of DSS headquarters, a tall but rather nondescript building located a few blocks away from the OAG headquarters building of Zentrale. Aside from a small plaque by the front entrance denoting the building's occupants, there was no external sign that it housed the security and intelligency agency of Ostafrika. That was precisely how Direktor Treich preferred to be, no flash or show but simple substance. Upon reaching the top floor of the building via an elevator which played no music whatsoever, Carstens reached Treich's reception room and was immediately waved through by the no-nonsense receptionist who regarded him coldly over his spectacles. As he entered the Direktor's rather spartan office, Carstens took a moment to locate him as Treich was not sat at his desk but was rather gazing out at the view of Dar es Salaam afforded by their elevation.

"So what is to be this time, Herr Carstens? You only ever visit after an Aufsichstrat meeting if you have something to inflict upon us."

Carstens involuntarily took a step back as Treich turned to face him, setting his jaw and fixing him with that same steely glare. "Last time you visited on a Wednesday, you wanted me to throw several of my longest-serving operatives under the bus for foreign consumption."

"Herr Direktor, in light of our deepening ties with the Nanfang Republic and the other nations at the Cidade Imperial summit, the Aufsichstrat has determined that we need to begin the dissolution and termination of covert operations in those African nations which will soon be our allies."

Treich's left eyebrow twitched slightly. "I see. Is it to be all operations or simply those that could be discovered?"

"All operations unless they are actually beneficial to the nations in question. Anti-terrorism investigations and the like are to continue, we shall be cooperating with other agencies in that regard."

"You mean that we shall be having our hands tied behind our backs in that regard. Herr Carstens, we will be diluting our effectiveness if we bring in less experienced agencies. I would not be surprised if the agencies you want us to coordinate with are compromised or at the least cooperating with those that we are investigating. Are you telling me that the Aufsichstrat genuinely believes that the likes of Orungu and Ndongo can provide beneficial input into intelligence operations?"

Carstens took a step forward but still found it difficult to meet Treich's gaze, a situation made even worse by the Direktor's constantly calm and even voice.

"We have made the decision that we cannot continue conducting operations in nations that are to be our allies, if those operations are potentially harmful. You will therefore begin the withdrawal of operatives involved in any such operations, and the Aufsichstrat will expect official confirmation of the termination of any operations which fall under the stated parameters."

"Is that a direct order, Herr Carstens?"

"Of course it is."

Treich then stepped closer until he began slowly circling Carstens like a shark. "The Aufsichstrat understands that this could be a lengthy process, I assume? We cannot simply issue orders and have all operations ended within a week. Undercover operatives must have time to withdraw, assets must be extracted. It could take a month or more."

"As long as it is done, Direktor. Our analysis suggests that the treaty signing could only be about a month away given the progress of technical and legal discussions. We do not wish to sign an alliance treaty only to be discovered to be conducting clandestine operations within the territory of our allies."

Treich stopped circling Carstens and returned to his spot at the window. "You have been heard. We shall perform an orderly and efficient withdrawal of operatives and assets from that nations in question, their governments will be unaware of the operations that we have been conducting within their borders."

Realising that the conversation had evidently now been ended, Carstens scowled at the back of Direktor Treich and left the office, unaware that Treich had seen the scowl in the reflected image of his office in the window pane.

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30 October 2019 - 18:00hrs [UTC+3]
Department of State Security Headquarters
Dar es Salaam, Freistaat Ostafrika

Direktor Treich was deep in thought while sat at his desk, fingers steepled as he considered his options. He had indeed relayed the Aufsichstrat's order to wind down operations in Ostafrika's soon-to-be allies in Africa, although he had made it clear that the process was to be carried out as thoroughly and carefully as possible, knowing full well that this would take a great deal of time. Treich still nursed a grudge over the Aufsichstrat's blaming of 'faulty intelligence' for the sanctions debacle of 2018, regarding it as a personal insult that his agency's capability had been called into question in order for the Aufsichstrat to save face internationally. He also found it egregious that several operatives who were close to retirement had ended up taking personal blame for the 'faulty intelligence'; while Treich appreciated their willingness to accept early retirement, he despised the fact that they had been put in the position in the first place.

A knock on the office door brought Treich out of his thoughtfulness. "Come in."

He nodded as Hugo Rittmeyer entered the office. The balding fifty-nine-year-old walked to the desk and stopped sharply, giving a respectful nod. "You wished to see me, Direktor?"

"Yes, take a seat." Treich waited until Rittmeyer was seated before continuing. "What we are about to discuss is strictly confidential and will not be divulged to any individual without my permission."

"Of course, Direktor."

"In your capacity as Abteilungsleiter of the Organised Crime Division, refresh my memory regarding the recent activities of the Makinde Clan of Nigeria."

Rittmeyer cleared his throat. "Just over a month ago Adewale Makinde travelled to Singapura for what we believe to be a meeting with representatives of the native Singapuran criminal organisation, known rather colourfully as the 'Thrashing Dragons'. Our informants in the Nigerian underworld reported that the Makinde Clan had been in talks with the Thrashing Dragons regarding some sort of business arrangement, likely involving narcotics. While marijuana is easily cultivated in Nigeria, the Thrashing Dragons are believed to be one of the most influential narcotics producers in the world. Opium and the subsequent heroin, methamphetamines, there are even unconfirmed rumours of coca cultivation in the rural areas of Singapura Raya. We don't know much more than that about the Dragons due to our primary focus being on Africa but it's probably not unreasonable to consider them to be highly wealthy."

"So in your opinion, is it likely that the Makinde Clan would be purchasing narcotics from Asia in order to distribute them in Africa?"

"I believe that it is a logical conclusion."

Treich sat back in his chair, fingers still steepled. "The Aufsichstrat wish us to terminate all operations in other nations unless they would be beneficial to those nations. This situation in particular would raise something of a dilemma. If we were to attempt to disrupt this narcotics trade then it would be beneficial by reducing the volume of narcotics flooding into Africa. On the other hand, disrupting the trade could embolden other African criminal organisations to move against the Makinde Clan, and that could spark violent conflict in Nigera as well as in other states. If the Thrashing Dragons are indeed as influential as they sound then they likely have influence in Singapuran society and the Singapuran economy, so acting to disrupt them could cause problems for Singapura."

Rittmeyer initially frowned but soon smiled slightly as he could begin to see where Treich was heading with this. "That would be a fair conclusion, Direktor. If I might be so bold, maintaining a stable status quo could be seen as beneficial to the nations affected."

"Indeed. I want you to continue monitoring the activities of Adewale Makinde but take no actions. This is a brave new world for Africa, Hugo. Freistaat Ostafrika and our soon-to-be allies on this continent will be enjoying the fruits of Asian friendship and investment. I believe that it behooves the Department of State Security to engage constructively with certain organisations which intend to operate within the territories of this international alliance, in order to determine the extent of their influence and potentially limit their impact upon Ostafrika, or at the very least to remain aware of their impact upon Ostafrika. Other intelligence agencies in Africa will be left to conduct their own investigations and operations in this field as we cannot appear to be patronising or imperialistic towards our neighbours.

"There are other potential benefits which could arise from constructive engagement. We could give ourselves an extra layer of distance from assassinations if the act is carried out by a criminal thug. The DSS could extend our reach considerably through working with less scrupulous organisations, and I am certain that we could provide various forms of assistance to them in return without threatening the national security of Freistaat Ostafrika."

Rittmeyer nodded. "I agree with that assessment, Direktor. I shall personally inform you of any relevant developments in regard to this matter."

[Freistaat-Ostafrika]

15 November 2019 - 11:00hrs [UTC+8]
Palace of the Republic
Nanjing, Nanfang Republic

"So we begin this week's cabinet meeting with excellent news. The technical and legal discussions regarding the proposed defensive alliance have successfully concluded ahead of schedule so we can proceed with the official signing of the treaty earlier than anticipated. This is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our civil service as well as the civil services and bureaucracies of other member states, so we will find some way of rewarding those involved in the discussions on our side."

President Yang paused and smiled as the rest of the Nanfang Republic's cabinet politely applauded.

"As a result of this progress, I propose that we hold the official singing in ten days on Monday the twenty-fifth of November. The venue for the signing shall be the city of Shenzhen as I have previously suggested. The city is known for being forward-thinking and has provided several of our technological advances, so I believe it is fitting for an event so important for our future to take place in a city which is an important part of our future. The precise venue shall be the Shenzhen Civic Centre, a more than suitable building as the roof is shaped like the wings of Dapeng and it will also symbolise our nation 'spreading our wings'.

"Let me be blunt about this. This alliance will be of great importance not only to us specifically but also to Asia, Africa, and the world. The eleven founding full members of this alliance will bring one-point-eight billion people into an organisation which will aim to bring security and stability. Through security and stability, we can achieve prosperity. I believe that our full members share that outlook with the alliance's first observer member, the Empire of Layarteb. If you count the Layartebians, that brings the population of our alliance to two-point-four billion people. Almost two and a half billion people across twelve nations which are either allied to each other or associated with that central alliance. There will be those who will wish to work with us and there will be those who will wish to provoke us. Those who wish to work with us will find our alliance to be cooperative and respectful of those who respect us. Those who wish to provoke us will find that to be a most unwise decision. The Nanfang Republic does not seek conflict with others and we will always attempt to achieve a peaceful resolution if an alliance member encounters a dispute, but we will take action if an alliance member should find themselves under attack. We are, after all, a nation that keeps our promises.

"Of course, as a nation we do gain a great deal from the establishment of this alliance. Not only do we gain allies in our own region of the world but we also gain a substantial part of Africa as allies. We gain greater access to developing economies and their mineral wealth. We gain the opportunity to play a significant role in the further development of Africa. We gain an extended reach in terms of military projection as well as influence. We also gain a strengthening of our relationship with the Empire of Layarteb."

She now leaned forward and rested her clasped hands on the conference table before her.

"I want full media saturation on this matter. I want experts being interviewed, I want you all as cabinet ministers to put yourselves forward for interviewing as well. I shall also make myself available for media interviews. I wish to see Nanfang Central Television running daily segments on the benefits of this alliance for our nation, tastefully spun to ensure that there is no hint of so-called 'neocolonialism', as well as segments detailing the positive effects that the alliance could have for not only its membership but also the world."

Commerce Minister Lin Jian raised her hand. "Madam President, is there a name that we can use for the alliance while discussing it?"

"Officially it is to be named the 'Afro-Asian Unity and Cooperation Organisation', but that is a little wordy. Refer to it as...the 'Shenzhen Pact'."

[Freistaat-Ostafrika]

25 November 2019 - 13:00hrs [UTC+8]
Shenzhen Civic Centre
Shenzhen, Guangdong Province
Nanfang Republic

To say that this particular Monday was being viewed as an important day by the Nanfang Republic would be something of an understatement. This was to be the day that President Yang Mingshu's major foreign policy initiative came to fruition and the Nanfang Republic became part of a major international organisation that they themselves played a central role in creating. Media across the Republic had been broadcasting in good cheer since the early hours of the morning and the imminent treaty signing had been the subject of discussion at many water coolers and school gates across the nation. Months of technical and legal discussions between various nations had led to the Cidade Imperial summit and now finally to the signing of the Shenzhen Unity and Cooperation Treaty, as it had been named after the city where it would be signed.

Located in the Futian Central Business District at the heart of the city of Shenzhen, the Shenzhen Civic Centre was one of the numerous buildings which represented the future-facing nature of the Nanfang Republic's leading technology hub. At almost eighty-five metres tall the Civic Centre housed a museum, a historical archive, various government offices, and other associated establishments. It also housed a large conference hall with a capacity of two thousand five hundred attendees and it would be this conference hall which served as the specific venue for the signing of the treaty which gave birth to the Afro-Asian Unity and Cooperation Organisation, to be more popularly known as the 'Shenzhen Pact'. The Civic Centre's most striking feature was its roof, which spanned four hundred and eighty-six metres with a width of one hundred and fifty-four metres. The roof was meant to represent the wings of a mythical bird named Dapeng, the same creature which lent its name to the Dapeng District of Shenzhen and the nearby Dapeng Peninsula which was known for having some of the most beautiful beaches in the Nanfang Republic. There had always been a great deal of debate about Dapeng and the meaning behind the story which featured it but President Yang had selected the Civic Centre because to her eyes, the wings symbolised the way that the Nanfang Republic were 'spreading their wings' internationally. Due to the number of national leaders and other representatives who would be in attendance for this event, security was extremely tight in the centre of Shenzhen. Manned checkpoints had been established along all possible approaches to the Civic Centre while attendees received recommended travel route information from the Interior Ministry and the Ministry of State Security, giving them details of the most secure routes for them to utilise when travelling from their accommodation to the Civic Centre and vice versa.

The roster of attendees at the Shenzhen treaty signing would be rather similar to the roster of attendees that showed up at the Cidade Imperial summit. The national leaders of the now-eleven founding full members would be present to sign the treaty on behalf of their respective nations, in a clear demonstration of just how important they viewed the alliance organisation to be, as well as to seize the opportunity to be photographed once again in the distinguished company of their peers. An invitation had also been extended to the Empire of Layarteb to send a representative of their choosing due to their status as the Shenzhen Pact's founding observer member, as well as the fact that having two major world powers represented at the signing would only serve to reinforce the treaty's significance. Five-star hotels around the city had been drafted into providing accommodation for the national leaders and their respective entourages, with both the Interior Ministry and the Ministry of State Security providing security details to the hotels in addition to the security details brought by the various representatives.

The treaty itself was not an overly long document although individual articles of the treaty came with an explanatory appendix if it was deemed to be necessary. The important parts of the text of the treaty were as follows:

The Shenzhen Unity and Cooperation Treaty
To create a framework for cooperation and friendship between signatory nations

The Full Parties to this Treaty reaffirm their desire to coexist peacefully with all peoples and all governments. They are determined to safeguard the sovereignty and civilisation of their peoples, founded on the principles of stable governance and the rule of law. They seek to promote stability, security, and well-being within all Full Parties to this Treaty. They are resolved to unite their efforts for collective defence and for the preservation of peace and security. They therefore agree to this Shenzhen Unity and Cooperation Treaty:

Article 1

There shall be a second tier of Party to the Treaty, referred to from this point on as 'Observer Party'. Observer Parties are defined as nations which seek friendship and cooperation with the Full Parties to the Treaty but do not seek the status of Full Party due to existing international commitments or internal political status. Observer Parties will not be subject to all following Articles of the Treaty due to their desire for a looser affiliation with the Full Parties of the Treaty, and it will be clearly noted how the following Articles of the Treaty would apply to Observer Parties.

Article 2

The Full Parties undertake to settle any international dispute in which they may be involved by peaceful means in such a manner that international peace and security are not endangered, and to refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force unless no other option remains open to them. Observer Parties are free to conduct their international diplomacy in whichever manner they see fit, provided that it does not bring them into conflict with Full Parties to the Treaty. If an Observer Party comes into diplomatic conflict with a Full Party then discussion will be strongly encouraged in order to resolve any issues.

Article 3

The Full Parties will contribute toward the further development of peaceful and friendly international relations by strengthening cultural and political ties between themselves and with non-Parties when possible. They will seek to eliminate conflict in their international economic policies and will encourage economic collaboration between any or all of them. Observer Parties are free and welcome to join Full Parties in the achievement of these goals.

Article 4

In order to more effectively achieve the objectives of this Treaty, the Full Parties, separately and jointly, by means of continuous and effective self-help and mutual aid, will maintain and develop their individual and collective capacity to resist armed attack. Observer Parties are under no such obligation and are free to develop their military capacity as they see fit.

Article 5

The Full Parties will consult together whenever, in the opinion of any of them, the territorial integrity, political independence or security of any of the Full Parties is threatened. Full Parties will also consult together whenever an Observer Party is so threatened but the Observer Party in question will also be consulted if this is the case.

Article 6

The Full Parties agree that an armed attack against one or more of them shall be considered an attack against them all and consequently they agree that, if such an armed attack occurs, each of them, in exercise of the right of individual or collective self-defence, will assist the Full Party or Full Parties so attacked by taking forthwith, individually and in concert with the other Full Parties, such action as it deems necessary, including the use of armed force, to restore and maintain the security of all Full Parties to the Treaty. Observer Parties are under no obligation to defend Full Parties and equally Full Parties are under no obligation to defend Observer Parties. Equally there is no prohibition against Observer Parties defending Full Parties or Full Parties defending Observer Parties.

Article 7

For the purpose of Article 6, an armed attack on one or more of the Parties is deemed to include an armed attack on the territory of any of the Parties or upon the forces, vessels, or aircraft of any of the Parties.

Article 8

The Full Parties hereby establish a Council, on which each of them shall be represented, to consider matters concerning the implementation of this Treaty. The Council shall be so organised as to be able to meet promptly at any time. The Council shall set up such subsidiary bodies as may be necessary; in particular it shall establish immediately a defence committee which shall recommend measures for the implementation of Articles 4 and 6. Observer Parties are welcome to maintain a representative on the Council in an observation and consultation role.

Article 9

The Full Parties may, by unanimous agreement, invite any other State in a position to further the principles of this Treaty to accede to this Treaty. Any State so invited may become an Observer Party to the Treaty by depositing its instrument of accession with the Government of the Nanfang Republic. The Government of the Nanfang Republic will inform each of the Parties of the deposit of each such instrument of accession. The Full Parties may also, by unanimous agreement, offer the position of Full Party to any Observer Party at any time. Refusal of Full Party status shall not jeopardise relations between the Observer Party and all other Full Parties and Observer Parties.

[Layarteb]

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Monday, November 25^th, 2019 | 13:00 hrs [UTC+8]

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Shenzhen, Guangdong Province | Shenzhen Civic Centre
22° 32' 47" N, 114° 3' 15" E

Ever since the Layartebian Revolution, the country had been ruled over by a dual executive arrangement. The Emperor was head of state and caretaker of the Layartebian government, which was ruled over by the Chief Minister. The Chief Minister was elected to office by an electoral vote of the country, which aimed to give rural areas as much say and voice in the government as urban areas. It was hardly a perfect system but it worked. The Chief Minister was thusly head of the Legislative Council, the unicameral, legislative branch of the Layartebian government. The legislative capital was Washington City while the country's main capital was Layarteb City. The Empire's executive and legislative branches existed by a careful balance of power. The Emperor could not enact or suggest domestic laws and the Chief Minister did not have control over the military. The Emperor could dismiss the government but the government could not dismiss him though there was an avenue for impeachment; albeit, it required considerable wrongdoing to be brought forth. In addition, while the Emperor and the Cabinet could negotiate treaties, they could not sign them, a further check on the executive's power.

This meant that the Legislative Council had to ratify the treaties and international agreements of the variety that the Shenzhen Pact was. Following Minister Fisher's trip to Cidade Imperial in October, the Legislative Council debated the necessity and the merits of the pact. When the pact's language was forwarded to the Legislative Council following its finalization, the debate was relatively short and, by a majority vote, the Legislative Council approved observer status for the Shenzhen Pact. This meant that Chief Minister Jonathan Walker would have to fly all the way across the world to Shenzhen to sign the agreement though he did not do so alone. Minister Fisher of Foreign Affairs was with him.

Now, at the signing, they had both been in attendance for the ceremonies though it was Chief Minister Walker's signature that went onto the document. The Shenzhen Pact, he would go on to say, would provide the Empire with "economic and political benefits" as well as "join the Empire and the member states of the Shenzhen Pact in a new partnership."

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[Freistaat-Ostafrika]

25 November 2019 - 13:00hrs [UTC+8]
Shenzhen Civic Centre
Shenzhen, Guangdong Province
Nanfang Republic

The signing ceremony itself was a simple enough affair, providing plenty of photographic opportunities for the heavily vetted media presence. One by one the representatives of the signatory nations emerged onto the stage as they were introduced, several of them taking the opportunity to wave to the media as they made their way to the large ornate table where the treaty document sat awaiting their signature. Each representative would be offered the large high-backed chair at the table to sit upon while signing the treaty, then once their signature was attached to the treaty each representative would take up position near the chair as their peers followed suit. President Yang Mingshu was the final national representative to step out onto the stage, waving happily to the appreciation of those of the Nanfang media who were present. While some may have found it a little odd to see the primary instigator of the treaty becoming the final signatory of the founding membership, it was in fact arranged to create a photo opportunity where President Yang would be seated and signing the treaty while surrounded by the representatives of the other founding members. This way, it would look as though the rest of the family had gathered around their matriarch as she gave final approval to the treaty; not that it would be described in that way at any point, but as they say, 'a picture is worth a thousand words'. Once the signing ceremony was completed and there had been the customary photo opportunity of the representatives standing together, with President Yang and Chief Minister Walker positioned next to each other at the centre of the group, each national representative was given the opportunity to address the assembled media and the audiences watching the broadcast. Comfortable seating was provided for the other representatives so that they could all remain on the stage during the addresses. Most of the language used by the representatives was quite similar from speech to speech. Much was made of the opportunities presented by the coming together of so many nations and that the Shenzhen Pact could prove to be a force for stability in the world. Finally President Yang's turn to address the media and the viewers came, so she stepped up to the positioned podium and slightly adjusted her spectacles before beginning.

"Fellow signatories, invited representatives of the media, viewers around the world. This is without a doubt one of the proudest moments of my life. Being up here with the representatives of so many nations who all share the view that stability, security, and prosperity are the way forward in the world. The Shenzhen Pact is an organisation built upon mutual respect and peaceful coexistence, dedicated to ensuring stability in the world where it is possible for us to do so. Allow me to address claims that will undoubtedly be made by those who do not understand such concepts. The Shenzhen Pact will always continue to adhere to existing international conventions. The Shenzhen Pact does not seek military expansionism. The Shenzhen Pact does not seek conflict. The Shenzhen Pact seeks to encourage the strengthening of economic and political ties between its member nations, be they full members or observer members. The Shenzhen Pact seeks to foster greater understanding between its members. The Shenzhen Pact will always seek a peaceful resolution to any dispute between one of our members and a non-member state. With the Shenzhen Pact, we seek to create a family of nations.

"Do not make the mistake of doubting our resolve, however. Article Six of the treaty we have signed makes our resolve as clear as day. We will always seek peaceful resolutions and peaceful coexistence borne from mutual respect with non-member nations, but we will not hesitate to defend ourselves if we are attacked. We hope that it will never have to come to that. We hope that the Shenzhen Pact will be able to continue existing side-by-side with all other nations, as peaceful coexistence creates the right environment for closer economic and political ties, which in turn creates the right environment for all nations to enjoy stability, security, and prosperity.

"Now, this family is not an exclusive family. While the official title of the Shenzhen Pact may be the 'Afro-Asian Unity and Cooperation Organisation', we will always welcome applicants and future members from elsewhere in the world. Any nation sharing our beliefs and attitudes, any nation sharing an ambition for a more secure and prosperous world, feel free to approach us. Inspect our charter. Discuss matters with our member nations. Whether you seek a close formal relationship as a full member or a more flexible relationship as an observer member, we would welcome your interest and we would discuss which type of relationship would be best. We do of course understand that the Shenzhen Pact may not be of interest to all nations. If you have no interest in joining our organisation then all we ask is that you afford us the respect that we afford to you.

"As it stands right at this moment, the Shenzhen Pact encompasses one-point-eight billion people within its full members. When you include the Empire of Layarteb, our founding observer member, that becomes two-point-four billion people. That is just over thirty-one percent of the global population. Just over thirty-one percent of the global population, working together in pursuit of mutual stability, mutual security, and mutual prosperity. We have ambitions which will help us to achieve those three objectives. Cultural cooperation, joint energy and infrastructure projects, a joint investment bank, greater security cooperation, and the establishment of a free trade regime. The treaty we have signed today is the foundation for a brighter and more peaceful future, a future that can be achieved by nations working together within the Pact and by the Pact working together with nations outside its membership. Thank you."

[Freistaat-Ostafrika]

29 November 2019 - 20:00hrs [UTC+8]
Marina Bay Trinity
Singapura, Singapura Raya

"So I hear that BeBe is invited to Darui's birthday party in eleven days where he's going to meet the family. Apparently Darui is positively beaming over their relationship."

The Xuanlong nodded with a smirk at the Sagacious Devil's opening line as the two kingpins settled down in the lounge of the Chairman Suite, drinks in hand. Their previous face-to-face meeting had ended quite well after the pair had attended an opera performance, and it was becoming clear that they had a few things in common other than their desire to see their respective family members happy. The head of the Howling Devil-Tigers had requested a second meeting with the head of the Thrashing Dragons to 'discuss matters' and the Xuanlong had once again wasted no time in clearing his calendar in order to meet with his northern counterpart.

"Yes, he's visiting Darui for the weekend at the moment then he's back here for a few days before the party and he's staying with Darui for the week following the party. Will you be attending the celebrations?"

"Of course. I'll keep an eye on things for you to make sure no-one is unpleasant to BeBe although I wouldn't worry about it too much. Everyone's just relieved to see Darui happy after his divorce, especially with a 'nice young man like us' as Liao Baozhai puts it."

"I appreciate that, thank you. You know, I'm starting to think that they need to get a penthouse or some other place in Da Nang, it's about halfway between Singapura and Oumún so it would cut down on the travel time. BeBe is the happiest he's been for a very long time, it can make him a little excitable at times but if he's happy then so be it. I suspect that he's scheming some sort of vacation to Phuket in the near future, he was asking me about which resorts we own or have an interest in."

"Considering that Darui's vacations with Lysander Margrave usually consisted of a closed bubble in Margrave-owned five-star everything where they would only be able to mix with the 'right sort of people', getting away to Phuket might be a nice change of pace for him. Anyway, we have something to discuss other than family affairs. I've been considering that idea you put forward when I was here last month, the concept of an alliance within the underworld of the Shenzhen Pact. Now that the Pact has become a reality I think that your idea could well be worth pursuing."

The Xuanlong smiled. "I'm glad to hear that. I've also been giving it a great deal of thought in order to flesh it out. The basic idea would be the formation of a confederation of like-minded organisations. The Howling Devil-Tigers, the Thrashing Dragons, the Makinde Clan in Nigeria, the Ngola Group in Ndongo, Príncipe Florêncio and his agents in Zaire. Clear delineations of spheres of influence and territories, cooperative ventures in Pact member states which either do not have a clearly prominent underworld organisation or perhaps veer more towards corruption within government circles as Zaire does. If disputes arise then we meet to solve them like civilised people."

The Sagacious Devil sat in thought for a moment. "The organisational structure of the Shenzhen Pact could work out well for us in matters of membership expansion. If a nation were to apply for membership then we could open lines of communication with that nation's primary syndicate or syndicates if they should exist, allowing us to hold negotiations of our own while the political wrangling takes place. That would apply equally to observer members or potential full members, as potential full members must become observer members as a first stage. Of course not all members or potential members would be easily handled in this manner, I for one have reservations about attempting to talk to any groups in the mainland Empire of Layarteb. The EoL could prove to be an exceedingly difficult opponent if they thought of us as a threat to their security."

"That's why we would stick to those nations where we know we aren't going to be targeted aggressively. Organised crime groups in the outer territories of the Empire would be easier to do business with than ones in the mainland, but it's unlikely that we'd be able to actually have one of those groups as part of our confederation. Ostafrika would be another potential issue as I can't say that I've ever heard of Ostafrikan organised crime. It may well exist but unless we know for definite then I'd recommend steering clear."

"A fair assessment. I must admit, the more I consider it the more I like this idea. It not only works to reduce potential conflict in our world of business but it could also help to strengthen our positions if a hostile group attempts to move in on our territories. We are more likely to become wealthier if we cooperate than if we compete, and our own organisations already have something of that sort of relationship. As you so aptly described it before, we would be bringing stability, civility, and sophistication to an economy which is in dire need of such things. If you are able to organise a summit of our own, as it were, then I will attend."

The Xuanlong raised his glass. "I'll drink to that. If we aim for a meeting in the New Year then I believe that to be the most feasible possibility. While we wouldn't necessarily want to seek to emulate the Shenzhen Pact, I do think that Zaire may be the best location for such a meeting. We could happily discuss matters without too many agencies being aware that there is even anyone meeting, let alone why."

The Sagacious Devil chuckled and raised his own glass. "To the future then. Or as President Yang always likes to say..."

The two kingpins rose from their seats and clinked their glasses before speaking in unison with broad grins.

"To stability, security, and prosperity!"