The Cassadia Talks (Closed)

[New Edom]

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[New Edom]

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[The Republic Of Cassadia]

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[The Republic Of Cassadia]

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[The Republic Of Cassadia]

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[The Republic Of Cassadia]

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The capital city of The Holy Kingdom Of Cassadia - the City of Carthage is a huge coastal city which stretches for a hundred fifty kilometers, east and west along the Country’s Northern Coast, bearing slightly to the east of the country’s most central geographical point - with the capital city of Cassadia also being, curiously shaped like a deformed semi-round, half a circle.

The Capital of Carthage was truly a city to behold in every possible right. Its size occupied a vast expanse of land that stretched as far as one’s eye could see, even beyond the horizon, when one looked at the ‘’Kingdom’s Crown Jewel’’ ,from the view of a bird’s eye, to witness a its vast expanse of buildings made in a variety of styles throughout the last two and a half centuries or even older than that.

The architectural styles of the ‘’Old’’ quarter of Carthage was home to many historically priceless buildings which often were of a couple hundred or more years old. All of which were constructed in variety styles, ranging from Vernacular(Germanic), to Renaissance, Romanesque and Gothic(Revivalist) architectural styles. With the more ‘’recent’’ being Old and Revivalist Baroque along with Victorian and Pombaline architectural schools whose construction works came to dominate, most of the capital’s architectural aesthetical look(even today) from the 16th up until the early 20th century.

The vast historical architectural treasures of the Cassadian capital of Carthage, being mainly concentrated in and around the Kitay-gorod and the Kremlin. So much so, that said buildings composed most of the ‘’Historical’’ quarter of the city. With the architectural styles of the city getting older as one got deeper into the city.

The city itself is split in half by the icy Sava River(1/3rd of the city is located on the western bank of the river) and organized into several concentric ‘’Rings’’. At the very center, lies the Kremlin Fortress, Glory Square and the ancient neighborhood of Kitay-gorod, which in Old Cassadian, Kitai-Gorod stood for ‘’Basket-town’’, since the walls which surrounded the city were originally made of baskets filled with clay). With the surrounding beltways composed of the Boulevard Ring (the innermost), the Garden Ring, the Outer Ring and the New Ring (the outermost). The areas in and between the the New Ring, as well as some areas to the latter's immediate north into the Outer Ring, are mostly working-class neighborhoods whose main economic activity stems from the Service Sector, Manufacturing and Heavy Industry, while most of the districts between the Garden Ring and partly in the Outer Ring are residential.

The city of Carthage is also characteristic for its (often) tight cobblestone alleyways and wide street boulevards on which a never-ending streams of automobiles was a daily sight that almost always stretched the infrastructure to its acceptable capacities, especially during ‘’peak hours’’. Despite the serious - almost three and a half decade, effort of the Carthage Municipality and Crown-Government to alleviate the pressure off the infrastructure of the city through various projects and schemes such as the widening of streets, construction of ‘’stacked’’ interchanges and over-and-under-passes for pedestrian and vehicular traffic, as well as investment in modernizing and expanding public transportation.

Another set of changes, in which great strides were made was, into the expansion of existing sections of older city districts by having to significantly ‘’build up the space’’ with high-rise apartment complexes or with offices, or with other types of commercial-oriented buildings. Another kind of construction activity that was given the go-ahead were the commission of newer shopping malls/centers and company headquarters of both, local branches of international companies and brands or of(a more common sight) Cassadian ‘’Big Business’’ corporations and conglomerates. All of this was built on plots of land that were previously used mainly as parks or as ‘’ open green spaces’’ lawns. Such kind of construction activity mostly took place in the Boulevard and Garden Ring.

This joint project, of the Crown-Government and the Municipality of Carthage, while mostly successful in resolving the long-enduring problem of overcrowding and partially with traffic jams , also spawned it’s own set of problems like periodic ‘’nerve blowing’’ traffic jams and a ‘’stubborn’’ case of air pollution.

The Holy Kingdom of Cassadia
Carthage Metropolitan Administrative Region
Royal Department of Foreign Affairs building

Joachim Von Ribbentrop looked through the glass window of his office, overlooking a wide cobblestone street below, which went past by the Department of Foreign Affairs building’s front entrance to its premises.

Another advantage to the office was the pleasant addition of a having a great view of the grand and serene canal through which the majestic, icy Sava River ended as its delta ended in the Northern Cassadian Sea,. Whose waters initially flowed down from a notable place in Cassadia(especially popular with tourists who were mountain climbers, hikers and skiers) - a place of huge mountain ranges composed of several ‘’tight knit’’ expansive mountain chains where several large mountain streams converged into a singular basin, to make up one river which ran all the way north into the Northern Cassadian Sea. The streams that made the majestic Sava River originating from this often mystical place, found only in the interior of Cassadia.

Kavkaz.

It was a land rich in rare-earth minerals, crucial in the manufacturing of all kinds of electronics and appliances as well as also being home to the witty, hardy peoples of Abkhazians, Ossetians and Chechens who called the vast expanse of the sprawling mountain ranges, vistas and sleepy valleys, home.

Joachim Von Ribbentrop was a no ordinary official laboring in the typical work environment associated with running a desk job half of the time. It did not stem from that as his position was much more, one could say ‘’prestigious’’. By that he was the head of this particular Crown-Government institution, as Royal Secretary of the Royal Department of Foreign Affairs. A government structure responsible for managing, Cassadia’s foreign affairs with the nations of Krillin and beyond, as well as with other relevant external actors.

Obviously such a job required a certain kind of ‘’person-to-people’’ character. One able to handle this specific, yet demanding work load when working at the Royal Department of Foreign Affairs.

Which was more or less interesting considering that this middle-aged, physically unimposing, slightly short, 5’8 of a man with a short, combed over sandy blond hair and pale complexion, gave off an obvious physical body language that revealed a couple character traits of this personality. An obvious one unmasked the character of Joachim Von Ribbentrop as someone who was withdrawn, quiet soul often dwelling in its own thoughts and machinations for most of the time.

Such a trait would have been viewed by many as disqualifying. Especially a position that was considered to be fit only for extroverts, rather than for someone such as Joachim Von Ribbentrop. When one considered the obvious qualities which were required, particularly in the charisma and social skills department.

Yet here he was. This ‘’weirdo’’ of a man who once was just the unassuming son of an officer who served on one of the Strategic Missile Forces's Nuclear Submarines – was appointed to a position as head of a greatly respected institution.

Surprisingly it was not because of some corrupt scheme, closely tied to nepotism, bribery or corrupt patronage as it often went in a lot cases in mostly rural provincial ( and a few urban) municipal administrations as was often the case with the Crown-Government when local governance was concerned. Joachim Von Ribbentrop was appointed to the highest office in the department back when he was serving as Chief Ambassador to Great Britain.

His appointment was not without merit, mostly due to his now-former, position as an envoy to Great Britain. Strangely, had to do with his earlier job where he had accumulated a lot of valuable experience. After finishing his higher education at Ashford Academy(a school awhere the late Empress Marriane Von Peacecraft, also studied at) he received a bachelor in Law and Economics after this, he did his 3-year minimum mandatory military service in the Royal Land Force as a regular grunt – finally being honorably discharged with a rank of Junior Sergeant. Subsequently making a name for himself as senior sales representative to a winemaking company based in the Bulgarian Khanate( one of Cassadia’s ‘’self-governing territories’’) – proving himself to be a crafty negotiator, one able to hammer out difficult, but long-term beneficial deals with foreign companies - when traveling the world.

Joachim Von Ribbentrop shifted his gaze away from the window to his oak partner’s-style, office desk. There, on it, besides his Personal Computer, were several crimson snake-leather folders, stacked on top of one another - all bearing the coat of arms of both the country and the Royal Cassadian Family-The Great Seal of The Fire Phoenix.

But one folder was separate from all the rest. Which was on top of the PC’s keyboard, its leather covers wide open to reveal a document paper which bore quiet an interesting content.

In the mind of Joachim that is.

The slavo-germanic man marched off leisurely, away from the window, towards his desk, coming to a halt after getting around the desk, as he pulled a leather chair behind from the desk in front of the computer. He took the leather folder one more time, reading through the document along with checking for any errors he may have made in writing this document.

As soon as he finished with the task of finalizing the document’s content. Leaning forward in his chair, the foreign affairs secretary pressed a button on a phone on his desk.

‘’Yes, Your Excellency.’’ A sweet female voice called over the line.

‘’Come to my office. I have an errand for you to make.’’ Ribbentrop ordered plainly, while switching on his desk’s computer, as the voice on the other side quickly answered with ‘’Right away’’ to his command.

It was not long before the slight creak of the heavy mahogany double-door opened to reveal a tall, blue-eyed woman dressed in an immaculate white two-piece pantsuit, standing at 5’7 with slim violin-shaped curvy figure, gold blond hair which were done in two braids going down to her waist.

It was Slavya, his personal secretary.

‘’What is it, that You require of my summoning, Your Excellency?’’ The blond haired woman asked submissively her superior. To which Joachim took the leather folder with the particular document, extending it, in a way which it pointed towards her.

‘’I want You to take this to the Communications Sub-Department. And tell them to have it wired to the Foreign Ministry of New Edom through the Special Communication Messaging System.’’ The Foreign Affairs secretary commanded, in a tone clearly implying that this task should be done as urgently as possible.

Thankfully the high-ranking Crown-Government minister didn’t need to be more direct, as Slavya immediately caught on to what he meant. Quickly going over to his desk and taking the valuable folder from his arm, turning away as she headed for the exit, rocking her bottom while on the way. Something that Joachim Von Ribbentrop greatly admired, before delving back into his current assignment on a batch of papers concerning finalizing the full legal framework of the Common Treaty Organization.

Speaking of documents, it didn't take long for the specific article of paper was relayed to its intended recipients.

Sender: Joachim Von Ribbentrop Royal Secretary of Foreign Affairs
Recipient: Hosidus Geta Minister of Foreign Affairs
Security: Highest

Your Excellency,

On behalf of the Cassadian People, Her Imperial Majesty Empress Relena Von Peacecraft, her noble Crown-Government institutions as well as every member of the Royal Cabinet of the Crown-Government. Would like to extend a hand to your great country, as one Great Civilization to another, in the hopes of establishing diplomatic relations that We hope, would be the start of a great blossoming relationship(in the areas of economic, defense-related matters as well as in other relevant political and security issues) which we hope you would find to be of mutual interest between us for the sake of both our great nations.

First things first which We believe should be in order, would be for a set of arrangements to be made in regards to a meeting between representatives from our Cassadian Royal Department of Foreign Affairs and Your Ministry of Foreign Affairs on initiating talks between our two Great Countries about hammering out an agreement on establishing diplomatic relations such as the construction of embassies in both of our countries.

Furthermore, We would also be delighted if in these agreements you would be open to the thought of additionally exploring, the establishment of bilateral ties in the spheres of trade and cultural exchange.

Our country is open to having Your people set the time, place as well as avenue in which the said talks could be held. Provided You are comfortable with such an arrangement. It would be advisable if these talks could be set up in either the Holy Empire Of New Edom or in the Holy Kingdom Of Cassadia. Or perhaps it would be preferable to You if these negotiations are to be held in a more neutral environment such as a third-party country like Novitera or Ejorike, a nation located in our region of Krillin.

Your Excellency, if You are positive to the idea of taking the first steps of opening a new door, especially to new economic opportunities by being in agreement to the proposed talks, then We are more than ready to provide You with a list of Royal Department of Foreign Affairs as well as other Crown-Government representatives.

*Duchess Dorothy de la Catalonia- former lady-in-waiting to Her Imperial Majesty Relena Von Peacecraft, currently Co-Chairwoman of the Royal Chamber of Commerce
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*Sergei Lavrov- Deputy Royal Secretary of Foreign Affairs, former ambassador to Jajal
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*Yuri Bezmenov- General Counselor of the General Reconnaissance Bureau, former Inquisitum informant
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*Sergei Kislyak-Ambassador without portfolio
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*Security Detail belonging to the Royal Ninth Directorate of the GRB- 36 plain-clothed security personnel

*Security Detail belonging to the Royal Fourth Directorate of the GRB- 18 heavily armed security personnel
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The transportation issue for our representatives will be taken care of by the General Reconnaissance Bureau.
A Boeing 747-200 is to be commandeered from Her Imperial Majesty's personal Royal Air Fleet.

An AN-124 Ruslan will take the motorcade for our representatives along with the aforementioned security personnel belonging to the GRB protection details of the Fourth and Ninth Directorate.

All of whom are to arrive ahead of the delegation at an earlier date, with the objective being, establishing proper security protocols for our delegation and assessing the present security environment in your nation and avenue where said talks are going to take place.

All these necessary precautionary measures are to be taken ahead of time, before the arrival of our representatives. In order to ensure sufficient protection is provided to our delegation for the duration of their stay. Therefore We hope that Your security forces and intelligence agencies shall be most cooperative with the endeavour of our agents.

We hope You find this letter well.

I Have The Honour To Be,
Royal Secretary of Foreign Affairs Joachim Von Ribbentrop

[New Edom]

To: His Excellency, Royal Secretary of Foreign Affairs Joachim Von Ribbentrop
From: His Excellency, Foreign Minister Hosidius Geta
Subject: Economic and Security Talks
Security: Highest

Your Excellency,

I hope that all is well for you at this time, for your country, administration, and yourself.

Your officials and entourage will be met with by the following:

First: It will be my pleasure to welcome your delegation myself, in company with senior officials from my own ministry including Senior Undersecretary Elizabeth Corbulo, Undersecretary for Transmarine Affairs Basil Jerome.

Second: Security will be provided both by National Militia under the Ministry of Justice as well as uniformed troops from the 14th Regiment of Hussars. While we promise that our capital is very safe, there have been examples of civil unrest within the last 3 years, and we wish to guarantee the safety of your delegation. The designated landing has been arranged at Fineberg International Airport, and the motorcade will be escorted from there to the hotel where your people have been provided, at our government’s expense, with what we hope will be suitable accomodations.

Third: Your officials have been placed at the Majestic Hotel in Fineberg, which is within 3 blocks of the Palace of Justice and Foreign Ministry where the primary talks will take place. Your senior delegates have, on Their Majesties’ hospitality, each Royal Marlborough Suite. Your senior officials have been given Majestic Suites, and the main body of your delegation Deluxe Rooms. We hope this will be acceptable.

Fourth: The evening of your delegations’ arrival, a soiree and dinner has been arranged at the home of Prince Tiglath-Pileser to welcome them to New Edom. Your delegates will be introduced to the President of the Council of Ministers, Count Emil Sharra, at this occasion.

Fifth: Before the conclusion of the negotiations, your senior delegates are invited to a garden party and luncheon at Betharan Palace and will be presented to Their Majesties.

I look very greatly to meeting with your delegation, negotiating with them, and presenting them to Their Majesties.

I have the honour to be
Hosidius Geta
Foreign Minister

[The Republic Of Cassadia]

[OOC: I untended this to consist of only one post. Unfortunately I exceeded the word limit and had to split it into two parts. This is Part 1]
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Evening
Carthage Metropolitan Region
Somewhere in the Boulevard Ring

Joachim Von Ribbentrop looked through a set of papers that were lying in a dark brown leather folder, bearing the emblem of the respected institution he has been heading with great dedication to the best of his at times limited abilities, for the last, almost five years after he was appointed to this post …unexpectedly, by Empress Relena Von Peacecraft.

It was a post for which Joachim Von Ribbentrop felt great deal of thankfulness and regretful feelings at the same time - when it came to think about it as to where he once was when compared to his current station.

And it was about time to see if whether or not the negative feelings about his job outweighed the ones that were positive.
Joachim Von Ribbentrop either made a great leap of faith or great fall with this decision he had taken great risk of on embarking to unilaterally initiate this drive, to have in his opinion – have Cassadia seek diplomatic relations with a fellow and devout Christian country that is the nation of New Edom.

Though sadly, it was a country familiar to only a few geography professors, defense analysts, obscure story-hungry journalists with nothing better to do and their tiny audiences.
And Yuri Bezmenov, but that was a whole other matter altogether.

The Secretary of Foreign Affairs shifted in the back seat of his Royal Cabinet-issued,armored Maybach S600 Pullman executive limousine. Looking through the car-window on his right, witnessing the beauty that was the Cassadian capital at night – a marvelous city of neon lights that never slept, with its rows of pombaline buildings along both banks of the Sava River. A mega city called home by almost 30 million people, if one took into account the Metro Areainto account - and then again it was an overall great city to live in. That is, if one was to not consider the periodic ‘’rage inducing’’ traffic jams.

In which Joachim Von Ribbentrop and his motorcade currently had found themselves in.

The predicament happened on a boulevard road that led directly to a plus-shaped junction which connected the western and eastern parts of Carthage through Lions’s Bridge – named after the bronze lion sculptures which were adorned on high, neoclassical column pedestals at both ends of the bridge.

The lead vehicle of the foreign secretary’s motorcade – which consisted of three vehicles, the foreign secretary’s and two escort security vehicles, both late-90s model G-wagons – one at the front of Joachim’s mercedez and the other vehicle at the back of the convoy formation - all manned by a security detail of the Fourth Directorate of the General Reconnaissance Bureau.

Suddenly, out of nowhere the lead G-wagon unexpectedly hit its brakes, grounding the car to a screeching halt as the G-wagon’s tires rubbed against the asphalt, leaving wheel tracks in its wake.

The driver of the foreign secretary’s Maybach was quick to follow suit himself - hitting pedal to the metal on the brakes, stopping the luxury vehicle, dead in its tracks almost immediately thanks to a number of ‘’aftermarket’’ ,tuning changes on the limousine, such as more powerful brakes, engine and transmission to compensate for the added weight that was put on the car from being ‘’armored-up’’ with ALON bulletproof glass on the front, side and rear windows of the car as well as composite armor panels in the doors and sidewalls and radiator of the Maybach.

The force created by this instant halt of movement, made Joachim to lurch forward from his seat unexpectedly, only to be thankfully, caught by the retractable table put up earlier from the glove compartment which had been to the left of him, its retractable surface spread wide open, so that he could have somewhere to put a number of papers he had to finalize. Even though this saving act of not hitting the TV was not without the fact that it send his documents flying in every direction, onto the floor and behind the front seats of the limousine compartment.

Joachim Von Ribbentrop quickly gathered his scattered papers back into his folder.

‘’The heck just happened!’’ Joachim barked in outrage against this unexpected situation.

His driver, bald, tanned - a product of his recent military service in former brasilistan, well-toned muscular, man in his late 30s dressed in a grey two-piece suit with white undershirt under the shirt jacket, a part of his bodyguard detail was quick to act on the foreign secretary’s call for answers, as he tried to contact the lead vehicle through a radio earpiece that he had in his right ear.

A quick reply from the lead escort car led him to turn around to face the respected foreign secretary.

‘’Sir, the guys in front said there was a traffic accident just now, on the intersection, dead ahead. Apparently a garbage truck chewed right though half the front body of some hatchback.’’ The bodyguard said, addressing the Joachim’s frustrations.

‘’Da mu eba maikata.’’ Joachim cursed under his breath. ’’How long will it take for a Road Safety Agency towing truck to get here?!’’ The visibly agitated foreign secretary exclaimed as he was about to exit the vehicle.

‘’We’re in the evening rush hour. Taking in the traffic, I’d say response to the scene, is going to take…an hour, usually, to get to this location, if they’re fast enough that is.’’ The strongly-built driver/bodyguard answered after a brief pause of pondering.

‘’I DON’T HAVE ONE HOUR!’’ Snapped Joachim in rage.’’ I have to get to the Palace of Carthage in half an hour, Dammit!’’ Screamed the still fuming senior high-ranking official – worried that his career was on the line….and maybe even his head if he went by historical precedence, especially when it came to handling such ‘’gross’’ overreach of the authority by figures past, while in the service of the Crown-Government – which painted all-around bleak picture for his future career prospects .

The blond-haired, middle-aged man opened the door, exiting the vehicle as he marched along the separating line between the river bank’s sidewalk and the motorway, towards the front of the motorcade, in the hope of assessing how long the column of vehicles went before the intersection – the squad of bodyguards in the front vehicle immediately noticing on their rear-view mirrors, that the person they were supposed to protect was standing out in the open with just his driver/bodyguard beside him, quickly exited their vehicle, frantically rushing towards the foreign secretary before creating a perimeter with their bodies around the senior Royal Cabinet member, between him and a crowd that was quickly noticing of his presence- making the security detail attached to the (sometimes-volatile) Royal Cabinet Secretary quite nervous as a small crowd of civilians began to gather.

A single member of the security detail - a tall, slender individual, carrying an X95, face concealed by a black half-face balaclava, quickly came out of the formation as he came up to Joachim.

He was a part of the VIP protection detachment of his ‘’uniformed’’ bodyguard force, showed by the open carry of military gear like the grey BDU fatigues along with other gear like ‘’FAST’’ lightweight helmets, ‘’Plate Carrier’’ ballistic vests, knee and elbow protective pads, thigh pistol holster for his Hi-Power 10 as well as a tactical utility belt holding pouches holding all kinds of practical instruments like a couple tear gas grenades, flashbangs, K-bar knife and a collapsible baton among other things.

‘’Sir I highly advise that you return to the car, this is an exposed environment – protocol dictates, we are to assume this is a high-risk area and threat to your wellbeing.’’ The discretely physically powerful uniformed member of the protection detail, counseled the still-fuming foreign secretary.

Joachim Von Ribbentrop looked up to the heavily armed bodyguard, his gaze meeting his, before shifting his eyes onto the edge of the riverbank past his security guards, then back to his motorcade and again it fell on his driver and the uniformed bodyguard.

He noticed that his motorcade was in the most right lane of the boulevard, just next to the spacious riverbank sidewalk.

Joachim got an idea.

‘’Agent John, I want your men, back in their vehicles.’’ Ordered the blond middle-aged official, to his men of lesser station, sternly, as he turned his back on them, going back in the direction of his Mercedez, which made in turn for the foreign secretary’s armed guards to dissolve their human shield around the Crown-Government official, as they quickly jogged back to their escort security vehicles.

The head of the Royal Department of Foreign Affairs, lowered his head as he entered through the right side-door of the Maybach limousine, his driver/bodyguard holding the door wide open for him as Joachim got into the luxurious vehicle, making himself comfortable in his seat

Upon completion of this straight-up-porter task, the man who served as a driver to the foreign secretary, closed to the door of the Mercedez, its blackened windows hiding Joachim Von Ribbentrop from the outside world, as he got around the back of the car to get into the driver’s driver’s seat and fastening his seatbelt. But not before noticing that the collapsible reflective glass which separated the driver’s compartment from the passenger one had been retracted, making both spaces accessible to one another.

The well-built driver quickly then, went around the front end of the vehicle’s rear bumper, getting into the driver’s seat and fastening his seatbelt. But not before noticing that the collapsible reflective glass which separated the driver’s compartment from the passenger one had been retracted, making both spaces accessible to one another.

It was why Joachim was leaning onto the separation barrier staring intently at the front escort security vehicle, G-Wagon. The high-ranking Royal Cabinet secretary turned his attention to the driver who was half-looking up to him, eyes focused to the best of his ability that was his peripheral vision.

‘’Agent Kamen, I must have your earpiece….may I? Joachim called on the man, the last two words uttered out of duty for courtesy’s sake.

The member of the Royal Secretary of Foreign obliged him, taking of the transmitter off his ear, extending the hand that bore the earpiece, which the blond-haired promptly snatched it and placed it his ear, the spiral elastic rubber cable uncomfortably extending upwards from his shirt due to the fact it went down all the way to Kamen’s collar, to which the radio was attached.

‘’Iron Eagle to Caravan, we are going off the road. I want this convoy up and running and over that bridge ASAP!’’ Joachim ordered to the entire security detail that was responsible for his safety.’’ Shield 1, since you are the lead vehicle – you shall lead the way, to the rest of the Caravan I say maintain current motorcade formation, as of now I order that abiding by traffic regulations null….Over? Joachim Von Ribbentrop ordered to his subordinates, as the responses to his call over the coms came one after the other.

‘’This is Shield 1, we copy sir, turning on emergency lights.’’

‘’This is Shield 2, affirmative, turning on emergency lights.’’

The chain of actions to come was swift, blue and red lights began to flicker from each vehicle, coming from bellow every pair of front and rear lights of the two black mercedez SUVs that were part of the motorcade. All of this as the driver of the front G-Wagon began to spin the wheel rightwards, all the way. Progressively the boxy vehicle began to move right, climbing over the kerbside and onto the terrazzo-paved sidewalk as the rest of the convoy followed, climbing over the kerbside - the foreign secretary’s car having great difficulty because of the Maybach’s lower ground clearance.

This left the crowd dumbfounded as to what they had just witnessed.

After getting the annoying problem of getting the bulky luxurious limousine onto the sidewalk, thanks to no small part of the back G-wagon which had firmly, but gently pushed it, thanks to bulbar, carefully moving Mercedez-Maybach forwards, over the kerbside and onto the terrazzo pavement - the lead G-Wagon which had stopped when the driver saw that their VIP’s car had great difficulty getting on the sidewalk, even discussing the possibility of disembarking their SUV and getting behind the Maybach so that they can push it over what seemed to be a great obstacle for the automobile.

Though they had to cancel their deliberations when the rear escort security vehicle disrupted the experienced veterans over the comms, radioing to those in the lead vehicle, that they would be the ones to help Joachim’s car get over this obstacle.

The convoy of vehicles began to pick up speed at a steady rate, passing by many stands which were selling a wide range of miscellaneous trinkets and cultural goods, from souvenirs like small sculptures to magnets that were attached to tiny pieces of ceramic bearing often, masterfully handcrafted drawings of many famous landmarks of Carthage or landscapes of the serene and peaceful Cassadian countryside.

Another type of entrepreneur was the street painter of which both banks of the Sava River did not have a shortage of this type of vendor – many offering a variety of paintings in small-mid-large dimension canvas paintings depicting examples of personal portraits of people, buildings, historical events of whose depictions were regularly of the ‘’recent’’ variety, most of them being the historical chapter of Cassadian History depicting the initial war with Brasilistan and its subsequent early waves of insurgencies, and many more.

The motorcade cautiously made their way, past these people of self-made businessmen (and businesswomen) rolling along the riverbank, with the lead G-wagon pulling ahead, followed closely by Joachim’s Pullman and rear G-class model shadowing from behind as the driver regularly beeped on the car’s powerful horn on pedestrians he thought were getting too close for comfort to the convoy.

In due time, the motorcade was approaching a downward staircase which served as an entrance leading into the Carthage Underground Metro - further back but still close to the intersection connecting Lion’s Bridge.

John had to react quickly. Decreasing the speed suddenly as he turned on his left taillight to signal for the rest of the convoy to follow his lead - making a sharp left turn, almost having to stop in front of the entrance as he skillfully guided the vehicle finally to the left side of the metro entrance without delay and accelerating before….

‘’Fuck!!’’John uttered loudly an all-too-familiar English word while simultaneously hitting the brakes, instantly grinding the heavy vehicle dead in its track. Though it was not without a price as the Pullman limousine kissed the rear bumper of the boxy vehicle, leaving scratches and bended sections - almost all belonging to Joachim’s automobile.

‘’Hen to Shield 1, what in the bloody hell just happened over there!?’’ The driver/bodyguard, part of the foreign secretary’s protection detail called out over the chatter, visibly agitated and angry judging by his voice.

‘’Shield 1 to Hen…..it seems that we have a slight obstacle, again, up ahead. A LAFKA stand sir- right next to the left corner, at the back of the metro entrance….space is tight, we’ll have to go slowly on this one.’’ Agent-John answered over the comms.

He put the stick shift into first gear, slowly carefully picking up the needed speed as John prepared to take a right turn, suddenly accelerated as he made the G-Wagon lurch forward, trying to get through the space between the enclosed stand and the corner. Spinning the wheel all the way to left – taking the corner so hard, the G-Wagon leaned slightly to the ground, before immediately spanning it all the way to the right, passing between the two obstacles effortlessly because of the move the long-time bodyguard had just pulled off.

The rest of the motorcade trailed closely after the first vehicle passed through, just as fast as the first convoy car, making several bystanders in direct proximity to them, jump back in shock, some of them unleashing tirades, rich with expletive curse words, because of how dangerously close the automobiles passed them by, most of the ‘’colorful’’ off-the-cuff being remarks about his mother.

The convoy retracted back into a singular straight line formation, as there weren’t any more obstacles that got in the way of this caravan of expensive vehicles, as anyone who was even remotely in front of the line of cars was howled out of the way by the lead G-Wagon’s powerful horn.

Progressively the speed of the cars increased with each passing moment, as pedestrians made way for the auto-caravan to pass, while the cars slowed down again near the approach to Lion’s Bridge where the sidewalk ended and met a four-way junction, with only the right turn, leading to the western side of the city, where the Royal Palace of Carthage was located.

The place where Joachim Von Ribbentrop, Royal Secretary of Foreign Affairs would present his case on why he had committed this brazen breach of the protocol of decision-making that made the Royal Cabinet of the Crown-Government regarding this certain, very recent action of his, where he would be either, simply sacked, or would lose something even more than just his job.

He said mentally a prayer to the Lord for the last not to happen.

Again the gross violators of even the most basic traffic regulations, slowed down – having to decrease their speed as they made a right turn around the corner and then straight back to the excellently paved road on which automobiles were supposed to drive on!

Speeding directly after, at the turn of the corner, giving several people in the motorcade who were positioned to the left side of each of the motorcade vehicles - to manage to catch a clear glimpse of what had transpired at the center of the road junction – witnessing the horror scene. Pieces of car scattered throughout, in and around the center of the intersection with the garbage truck, having smashed the car vertically through the front part of a Volkswagen Coupe, flattening it like a pancake.

What other there was – was the crowd that had gathered around the scene of this tragedy, one could see several policemen lucky enough to have been near at the time of the incident and a crowd of a couple dozen people, both pedestrians and drivers alike running to the aid of a woman unfortunate enough to have been the owner of the VW. Some tending to the one injured in this accident, by having to hold up her head to rest in the lap of one of the rescuers, while another was pouring water onto her face just as several others were bandaging the many wounds she had suffered in this brutal, unfortunate accident.

Joachim Von Ribbentrop paid little attention to this ongoing matter.

Predictably, the lead car got smoothly back onto the road, followed closely by Joachim’s Pullman and trailing closely by the last G-Wagon in the rear end of the motorcade. The Pullman was not as lucky as the other powerful boxy cars, having unfortunately a much lower ground clearance than the other automobiles, the vehicle slammed headfirst with its front bumper into the asphalt, which produced a good number of sparks from the rubbing of aluminium and asphalt pavement, the loud, piercing metallic sound reverberating from either ends of the street for a split second.

With a loud metallic thump the convoy was now back on actual road again. The slavo-germanic Cassadian was just glad he had gotten this annoying ordeal out of the way.

‘’At least I am going to get fired on time!’’ Said and chuckled mentally Joachim to himself, amused with the current predicament he had gotten himself in.

[The Republic Of Cassadia]

[OOC: I untended this to consist of only one post. Unfortunately I exceeded the word limit and had to split it into two parts. This is Part 2]

Flashback Start

The tap of buttons on a keyboard was the only thing coming out as a sound from the spacious office space, which had been mostly drowned in the quietness of the room. The flicker of the computer screen instantaneously displaying the pixels that made up the letters as they progressively came to form words, the words into sentences, the sentences into paragraphs, the paragraphs into texts and the texts into documents.

‘’Finally! It’s done.’’ Mentally cried out Joachim Von Ribbentrop in relief, sighting out of lazily as he attached a now-finished document file on his computer to be made into print, through the printer option of the (Crown-Government approved) office program. The short buzzing rumble kicked off in the internal mechanics of the machine, coming to life as it began to churn out article after article of paper.

Lying back in his chair, the computer screen’s light reflected off the shades of his glasses, the computer screen still flickering rather brightly, its display illuminating the little corner of his office with its light – for Joachim did not bother to have the room’s lights turned on, out stubborn unwillingness to get up from his chair.

The landline telephone, suddenly began to ring out of the blue, while the light on one of the telephone’s buttons began to blip in regularly up on the phone’s screen, above the number keyboard of the phone which had one of four ‘’channels’’, a rather convenient feature.

Joachim picked up the phone, putting it to his ear.

‘’Yes Slavya, what is it?’’ Asked the Foreign Secretary in a polite, if slightly annoyed tone.

‘’It’s Zelenski Your Excellency.’’ His secretary answered, however anxiously.’’ He says it’s urgent and wants to inquire with you immediately on a matter he said that will only want have it discussed with you alone.’’ Slavya explained further, her voice seemingly bearing deep anxiety on the unexpected issue at hand, which Joachim failed to notice.

‘’No problem, just patch me through, and I’ll talk to him.’’ Plainly stated, the almost milk-white skinned, Royal Cabinet member.

Joachim let out a heavy sight as he put the phone, slightly away from his head, staring intently for the bleeping light on the landline phone to turn green. ‘’Just what business does he want to have with me in eight in the evening all of a sudden. Isn’t that rabbit supposed to be still getting around on how our government works!’’ Internally pondered Joachim in his conscience, but not for long, as the landline’s button turned green, derailing his thought process from delving on the reason for this personal annoyance from afflicting his consciousness, any further.

He pressed the button. ’’This is Royal Secretary Of Foreign Affairs Joachim Von Ribbentrop. To whom am I speaking?’’ He asked, in a visibly annoyed tone to whoever was on the other end of the line.

‘’It’s me, Joachim.’’ A plain, shockingly feminine, youthful yet mature voice answered simply to his verification request. Rather than the man who was supposed to take that same line of a question.

It took a nanosecond for the member of the Crown-Government, who was charged with managing the foreign affairs with other countries, to recognize who really was on the end of the phone. The revelation making him jump from his seat as his heartbeat and breathing increasingly became irregular, his legs became weaker, his palms and brow sweaty.

‘’Yo..You-r. YOUR MAJESTY?!’’ Exclaimed the shocked man; in nervous, shocked bewilderment as to whom he really was addressing. Before finally, regaining his footing.

‘’A thousand apologies for my insolence Your Majesty, but to what do I owe the honor of having such an unannounced call from your august person?’’ The foreign secretary asked, switching to his humble, servile tone in addressing the obvious member of Royalty who stood on the other end of the phone with him.

‘’Not for a good occasion I suppose.’’ The young woman’s voice called out, in addressing the worried-sick man’s question.’’ I received all the details on a certain kind of action, you unilaterally took, a while earlier today.’’ The woman’s voice coldly began, scolding him almost like a child who had gotten in trouble.’’

‘’Which was that you unilaterally took liberty in contacting a foreign country and then proceeding to launch a drive for establishing diplomatic ties…with an unknown, extra-regional country.’’ The voice filled with, youth yet, also with anger began. ‘’While I had been away, YOU, in my absence, went over the established process when the kind of decisions of this magnitude have to be approved by me to be set into motion.’’ The female voice further added to the guilty Royal Cabinet member, in an almost mocking, frosty contempt.

‘’I am summoning you to the Palace of Carthage to address your future employment in the Royal Cabinet and in the Crown-Government in general.’’ Said sonorously the female voice to the senior official, whom it seemed she treated him as nothing more than a petty troublemaker.

‘’And I want you there in approximately one hour. A minute more and you can forget ever seeking any kind of employment for the Crown-Government.’’ She commanded with a degree of increasing tension in her voice, the kind of voice which edged more and more, towards that of seething anger, hitting the man’s very senses like a chilling frost in the coldest month of winter.

‘’Your Majesty, I…’’

‘’IS THAT CLEAR JOACHIM!’’ Thundered the angry woman on the other end of the phone, with seeping anger like a river bursting through the seams, cut off the meek voice of the foreign secretary that foolishly tried to justify himself for his gross misdemeanor that was his brazen write-off of Crown-Government rules and regulations when it came to its decisions during policymaking. Be they on administration, internal or foreign affairs, which covered the management of diplomatic and bilateral relations with other countries.

Something that Joachim fully comprehended and still dared to knowingly bypass.

And now regretted though, but it was too late for that now.

‘’I really should have waited until the Full Session of the cabinet…What do I do!’’ Mentally panicked the now, almost disgraced, Royal Cabinet secretary.

Joachim Von Ribbentrop felt an electric lightning-like sensation running down his spine. He took a big gulp, as fat drops of sweat ran down his face.

‘’I stand and obey, Your Majesty.’’ He solemnly replied for his positive confirmation to the demand of his Better.

‘’We’ll see.’’ The mature, but youthful voice stated, before hanging up.

Shacking, the government official put down the phone with a slow delicate move. Only after which he burst out a heavy gasp, breathing with difficulty as if he had been choked during these moments, he had spent on the phone with the Empress.

Flashback’s End

The Royal Palace of Carthage
A Short Time Later

The sight of it was truly something to behold.

Even from a certain foreign secretary, who seemed, to himself, to be enjoying probably his last moments as head of a greatly respected government institution. One of Cassadia’s dozen Royal Departments who commanded the respect, even of entities traditionally hostile to the Holy Kingdom Of Cassadia, such as the World Assembly whose track record of relations with the remote, but developed and expansive country usually dumbed down to an annual, almost ritual-like condemnation of Cassadia for its ‘’illegal annexation, occupation, brutalization of Brasilistan and its institutionally enshrined discrimination and maltreatment of the Brasilistani people….often escalating into systematic organized genocide’’ For which ‘’crimes’’ against the usual parties; the World Assembly had made it its mission to expand, maintain and further pile on evermore increasing mountain of past, current and future sanctions and embargoes, forbidding its member states from trading with the pariah country.

Legitimately that is.

Joachim Von Ribbentrop was taken aback in awe as his motorcade closed in the distance with the majestic building on the horizon, just on the other end of the wide boulevard - its façade rising majestically while also firmly towering over the parks and trees which made up for its surroundings; comprised of four big park areas around one of the biggest buildings in Carthage.

The palace’s size imposing itself on the locale of mostly rows of linden trees, adjacent on each side of the wide main streets/boulevards as well as parks and other green spaces in which linden and oak trees were carefully planted smartly to be aesthetically satisfying from every angle.

Another important piece of the premises were the artificial streams connected to each other through simple stone canals, the neatly arranged cobblestone footpaths laid between the trees of the countryside-aesthetic, meadow-like parks along with additional extra features. Those being, the custom-made steel benches, Greek-esque gazebos that dotted the scenery with their rising trademark white marble collums and domes. Pleasing to both, the common and capricious eye. All of this located almost exclusively within walking distance of the Royal Palace of Carthage.

Such ‘’green spaces’’ like the parks and lawns, like those surrounding the Royal Palace Of Carthage were coming to be an increasingly rare sight in Carthage these days as such places were being overwhelmingly bulldozed to make way for the ever-expanding urban jungle of apartment, shopping centers or office buildings, along with many other commercial and recreational facilities as the urban jungle of concrete, glass and steel replaced Mother Nature with the one of Man.

At an intersection bearing to the right off the palace’s front façade was one of the few entrances that lead openly to accessing the premises and the buildings itself by concrete block-paved road.

The entrance into the premises however, was restricted as it was obstructed by a tall double-door estate gate, crafted by the nation’s finest metallurgists a richly ornamented pattern on each door, to form spectacular oval-and-square-shaped flower patterns around the Great Seal of The Fire Phoenix, serving equally as both the coat of arms of the country and the Royal Standard of the Royal Cassadian Family.

The estate gate was not the only measure that blocked open access to the Palace of Carthage however. Further security measures included a checkpoint (white, half the size of a shipping container checkpoint cabin, boom barrier) and a large security contingent of openly armed uniformed Knight-Agents from the Cassadian Royal Guard. Tough-looking fellows, with strongly-built physiques under their black fatigues, though there were those with rolled sleeves on their uniforms on whom, one could see big limbed arms with veins bulging from them like steel cables, as if most of the Royal Guards (Knight-Agents) were made to train with hitting train tracks since the days of their early youth. Though most such features of the security detail were covered under, by their black fatigue BDUs, furthermore being equipped with other personal gear such as bean-shaped ‘’FAST’’ helmets almost always sporting; either a set of NVGs or tactical headsets that were wired to their radios. Along with equipment the Knight-Agents usually were issued with, like highly customized configurations of the AR-15 platform assault rifles, sporting a diverse assortment of optics (EO TECHs, AGOGs) and other attachments ( fore grips, suppressors, laser sights ), ‘’plate carrier’’ ballistic vests with additional protective gear like elbow-and-kneepads along with other gear to their set of equipment being collapsible batons, stun and tear gas grenades among others which were ones that were more discreetly stored in the pouches of their tactical utility belts.

The security detail manning guard duty at the entrance point to the Royal Palace Of Carthage, maintained full security posture on their assigned post - day and night, on a rotational basis, in order to have a ‘’full’’ permanent presence of fixed, high-number of ‘’Knight-Agent’’ guards manning the gate. Such security procedures were executed in a similar fashion in every type of role, situation and mission, when it came to protecting the Cassadian Royal Family, no matter if whether or not, one Knight-Agent would serve on the Personal Mission, Outer or Peripheral security ring.

At the first sight of the approaching speeding column of automobiles - the gate’s hydraulic mechanisms spanned into action, triggered wirelessly by an overwatch officer from the Security Control & Coordination Center back in the palace, splitting the gate inwards wide open, as the expensive vehicles that seemed to look, a moment, ago, like dots in the distance from the other end of the boulevard, to dash through the entrance, only interrupted by a slight perfectly curved bump in the road that was from the retracted into the pavement hydraulic bollard (designed to stop speeding vehicles from ramming through the gate).

This mattered little, as the small caravan of cars whizzed through the gate entrance, driving along the tight road, first vehicle in the lead of the line of cars, their speed beginning to quickly decrease until they pulled over in front of the central entrance to the building that was the Carthagenian Royal Palace.

Joachim Von Ribbentrop did not and could not wait for his driver to get out of the sedan, so as to hold the door for him like some servile butler. No, the urgency on the matter at hand made him lurch from his seat, hand stretched toward the door yanking it open, facing the glass doors of the palace’s front entrance. Promptly exiting the luxury Mercedes, to find a greeting party consisting of one member of the Palace’s domestic staff, Joachim recognized the servant, she was on the domestic servant group, assigned wholly for tending to the needs of Prince Rolo and the part of the palace that was left entirely to the Empress’s ‘’baby’’ brother.

He had no doubt she was the one made to greet and then guide him towards the designated meeting room where he would probably meet the end of his professional career.

But, Joachim had no time, even for this basic ceremony.

‘’Which conference room is the Cabinet convened in.’’ Joachim frankly said to the maid. Beating her to the bush apparently as the young woman only had time to open her mouth, only for the Royal Cabinet secretary to cut her off pre-emptively.

‘’The second conference room in the East Wing, third floor, on the right, before the last room at the end of the corridor…’’

‘’I know where that is.’’ The Crown-Government official grumbled, cutting off the senior-ranking, yet still relatively young maid from finishing her sentence. He turned on her, unexpectedly as he made few steps back to the car, hurriedly opening the door to the back seat compartment, grabbing his coat and laptop bag which he threw the handle over his shoulder while again approaching the pretty maid pretty maid, handing over his coat in her hands.

‘’Have it put in my office, I speculate that the Cabinet meeting will be short, so I’ll just waste time if I did this myself.’’ Almost breathlessly instructed to the palace staff employee as he dashed away from her, clenching his briefcase and laptop bag over his shoulder that dangled while he ran, towards the entrance, quickly sprinting through the entrance and climbing up the immaculate marble staircase, making another turn where they ended, only to begin climbing another set of stairs which led to an upper floor.

If there was one benefit to military service, it was the physical strength and endurance the Drill Instructors molded into you whether that was marching drills, obstacle courses, marksmanship practice, nightguard duty, week-long military exercises and so much more.

Joachim admitted bitterly how thankful he was for how the D.Is shouted and even beat him into shape to keep up with the rest of the platoon. Transforming Joachim, who hailed from an almost aristocratic family and thus a spoiled youth into a, man.

He was truly thankful for that…because he ran like as if his job and even his life, depended on him. Blitzing along the hallways of the palace, which were luxuriously constructed with decorative marble columns built into the walls and frames shaped into the walls on which pictures, portraits of past and present, decorated Armed Forces officers, Crown-Government officials and Royal Cabinet members eternally watched the opulent corridors of power.

Joachim had hoped for such a day, when his own portrait would be hung up among the various other personalities that strengthened and defended the country and Crown in so many ways that he could only attempt to fathom.

Sadly it was all for naught now.

The foreign secretary was closing in on the conference room, turning a corner to a yet another long corridor. Though it was not really a hurdle to Joachim, due to having to do such marathons Cabinet (maybe it was for Kislyak due to his condition, but that was another matter altogether) to Cabinet sessions with senior Crown-Government bureaucrats and other secretaries of the Royal Cabinet or with the Monarch herself.

Now with the final destination in sight, the impeccably dressed middle aged Slavo-Germanic man paced himself off his heavy jog back to walking, stopping briefly in front of the dark-brown oversized antique oak door, readjusting his red shirt-tie and re-lifting his trousers and re-tucking his shirt back into them, taking a deep breath and crossing himself before stretching out his hand on the door handle…again taking a deep breath, yanking the door wide open, almost barging in rather entering the conference room, to those who witnessed his unceremonious entry.

Fortunately his Employer was not there…..For now.

The room was one of those comfy and spacious little conference rooms one could find in the offices of a company he used to work at, years ago. It had, a white double layered ceiling, spotless shiny marble floor on which several square-shape ring red patterns were drawn, one along the near border edges of the room and the other along the outer edges of the timber-made long rectangular conference table (waxed in dark brown and light chocolate brown in the center) in the middle, complimented by the gray executive office chairs whose seat’s material was made out of organic leather, light beige mortar walls along which ran several lines carved slightly into the walls and ran around all four walls of the room - lines spaced evenly from each other. Further features in the room were the fake wall-sized windows which had view of nothing other than its non-transparent glass that was lit up by LED lights behind them to simulate outdoor light, though the bright lights of the fake windows were obscured by a set of dark beige decorative goblet curtains that obscured almost the entirety of the fake windows.

A couple of characters were present in the room; the Director of the General Reconnaissance Bureau Hafez Nonnete Putina, adopted daughter to the man who led the agency before her, was a woman of middle age, brunette haired, brown-skinned with a voluptuous and athletic physique stemming from a long and honorable service in the Royal Land Force as a ‘’precision marksman’’, later enrolling in the elite and highly-selective Sniper School of the Royal Marine Corp with the hopes of serving as a Scout Sniper, passing the intense physical and mental endurance training course. Further information was hard to come by, but from what he knew Hafez was in some kind of an SOF detachment tasked with conducting cross-border reconnaissance missions into Parnello, to monitor the activities and movements of ISEB and its high-ranking HVTs. Further than that, things started to get muddy as anything beyond the fact that Nonnete was later recruited into the GRB after around a dozen high-risk missions along the border with Parnello and New Carthage - was highly classified.

All in all Hafez Nonnete was a nice, very intelligent woman, approachable by all accounts. If one knew how to be on her right side that is. Currently she was sitting on one of the chair at the far left corner, leaning forward, slightly to the right, viewing some kind of contents from a folder being pointed out several details on the aforementioned content attached to the folder, was held up by an aging man wearing black retro square glasses, wrinkle-faced and with white combed-back hair. Who like Hafez wore the cement raven-black officer uniform consisting of a peaked officer’s cap, trousers with white double stripes and a tunic coat on which on the left breast pocket were pinned a modest quantity ‘’fruit salad’’ of the officers’ most important service ribbons and medals.

The old man was the other person wearing the same uniform. Yuri Bezmenov the General Counselor of the GRB. A post that had mostly an advisory role, though still an important one because of his first-hand knowledge and experience in all things relating to every and any matter of national security, counter-terrorism and defense related issues, especially the sphere and art of ‘’ ideological subversion’’, something with which he had first-hand knowledge of as his day as an full-time informant of the Inquisitum, thrust him into the rabbit hole of a disgusting movement while working undercover as the Chief Editor of a ‘’homophile’’ magazine during the student protest movements of the 60s when universities became cancerous islands of instability and riot, regularly spilling over into the city districts the campuses bordered.

It taught him valuable information on how these movements functioned, recruited and hoped to spread to have their ideologies become the Law.

Also another aging figure sitting on the second last chair on the right, who faced Joachim across the room, was the tall, slender, long and oval-faced with broad shouldered with a receding graying hairline, Deputy-Royal Secretary of Foreign Sergei Lavrov.

The last character, who was the only one standing in the room, was again on the other side of the room, pacing slowly back and forth in front of the center edge of the table, facing the wall and with a phone to his ear, was the newly appointed Prime-Secretary of the Royal Cabinet, Volodymyr Zelenski, a lean, big-nosed man with an even bigger forehead, oval-faced with combed-over dry raven hair and small brown eyes and of shorter stature than even Joachim, though only slightly. A teacher-turned-Chief of the Royal Cabinet and Co-head of the Crown-Government whose main responsibility of the post was overseeing that all the bureaucratic and administrative functions of the Crown-Governments of all its Royal Departments, local and regional administrations, financial matters of allocating spending to national and local budgets including economic policy and preserving the territorial integrity of the country when it came to managing relations with the self-governing territories. Hence from the lowest municipal bureaucrat to the Governor-General of an Oblast to a Royal Secretary of a Crown-Government department – all came down to making sure that all clogs in the machine ran smoothly and flawlessly like a well-oiled machine.

A responsibility that Royal Secretary of Foreign Affairs Joachim Von Ribbentrop, overstepped with the unilateral action that he took - even in the highest government posts of the land, the one ‘’golden rule’’ was the continued maintenance of the functionality of governance of the country’s civil, bureaucratic and administrative institutions, law and order as well as economic functions, was the only innovation one was allowed to practice. As the power to change the laws and make decisions on those spheres was still reserved for one person in the country – be they in general on the policy-making on the economy, taxes, military and administrative affairs as well as foreign-policy.

That function, rested with his ‘’employer’’, The Monarch of Cassadia, both its Head-of-state and government, Empress Relena Von Peacecraft.

He remembered the day he had been called to service. It was little after the death of Emperor Charles (IX) Von Peacecraft, a loving father and a faithful husband who had fathered five children with the stoic, matronly Marianne of the House Of Lamperouge, hailing from a family bearing a petty noble rank, of French descent whose ancestors fled the country because of the militancy of the French Revolution, its mob and their guillotine.

To his enemies, Charles was an uncompromising tyrant, always at the ready to unleash a vendetta of shrewdly-guided, vengeful reactionism against any sign or source of opposition, be they against his rule, the Crown, the Crown-Government, The Orthodox Church or at Christianity, or the social order and worldview of the Christian and heavily conservative Cassadian society in general.

However, almost universally, to most Cassadians, Charles Von Peacecraft was a father of the nation, a larger than life figure who had uplifted Cassadia almost by-the-hair, into being a modern nation, in terms of human and economic development. thanks to a combination of decrees, policies, orders, all combined into a single framework of National Projects aiming to bring technological and economic modernization to the entire territory of the country, and thus to Freeborn Cassadians, bringing about a previously unseen unprecedented level of standard of living in terms of quality of life, healthcare, public transport and infrastructure only topped by proper, longtime First-World nations.

Nevertheless, it achieved a long-sought status among the Economic Tigers of Krillin, leading the rest of the Krillin the Region, in Manufacturing, Light and Heavy Industry; particularly in the production of textiles, cosmetics, consumer electronics, computer software and hardware, precision machine tools and hardware, medical equipment, pharmaceuticals, agricultural equipment, plastics(high-performance, commodity, engineering), construction machinery, aeronautics (aircraft, rockets and satellites) as well as automobile manufacturing and assembly - churning out a large volume of regular, luxury and special purpose automobiles and lorries from the assembly lines.

Most of these industries, diverse in their fields, uses and applications, were spread out into thousands of enterprises of assembly plants and factories throughout the entire territory, in the whereabouts of cities and small towns, bringing to many of these parts of the country an unseen level of modernization, growth and prosperity that brought with it the staples of a developed nation, development of infrastructure like highways, tunnels, bridges as well as airports (both regional and provincial) connecting the entire country in an impressive spider web of infrastructure.

This infrastructure would prove key in providing for a home-grown supply chain the necessary for the production of required components and parts for Cassadia’s mainline products which its industries and enterprises had to offer, so that the flow of goods is not impacted by disruption or because of international events which happened every so often on the world stage.

Contracts were contracts, and orders had to be fulfilled after all, be they for domestic or international clients.

Trickiest of which, in terms of doing business were the international companies. As understandably those who wanted to even consider partaking in the Cassadian economy in any way whatsoever had to able to overlook the fact that Cassadia has been for a long time now, under the hammer of a long string of sanctions and embargoes, forbidding WA member states to enter in business, financial or economic activity, importing or exporting goods to or from, with the Cassadian state or its companies and other business entities and persons. Therefore risks and costs had to be calculated.

The WA even went as far as to sanction the entities of third-party states that weren’t member of the notorious international body. A scheme, thought up by the Security Council in the beginning of the last decade, in order to further corner and isolate the Holy Kingdom from the world.

‘’Bastards, scoundrels, witches, faggots!’’ Was the first thing that came into his mind, every time anything World Assembly-related invaded the routine of his work, or especially when the worked itself revolved around this accursed organization.

He remembered how hard it was for the wine-making company he worked at to conduct business after those measures by the Security Council came into effect. Though it was not long after, that workarounds were created to ‘’bust around’’ these unfair restrictions; shell companies, Caribbean bank accounts, middle men, circumventing export laws of foreign countries.

Nothing has been the same since. Every single Cassadian businessman or company had to use a creative combination of these mafia-like methods to even have a chance at turning a profit out of such high-risk, but high-reward job for one’s business enterprise, especially when that involved anything related to import or export of luxury commodities and consumer goods or raw materials.

Joachim’s state of mind returned from his bitter memory trip, back into the real world, the ‘’rabbit’’ Prime-Secretary had just ended a phone call with someone, no doubt his wife if the repeated assurances and justifications about what he was currently doing had been of any indication.

Zelensky sighed in disappointment as he took in the arrival of the blonde-haired Cassadian, throwing a gaze onto the waxed spotless surface of the walnut conference table, giving a long expression of himself of his reflection off the surface’s table before turning back his eyes onto the foreign secretary.

‘’I’m impressed…you are not late even though I predicted you would be, to her.’’ Said the co-head of government, quite bewildered at how he managed to avoid rush hour.

‘’I have my ways Volodya, stick around for a little while in this kind of work and you’ll see that avoiding the hustle and bustle of traffic jams is not the only thing a royal secretary is capable of.’’ Spitefully replied Joachim to the ‘’rabbit’’, despite the fact that Zelenski had been in the Royal Cabinet of the Crown-Government for nearly seven months.

‘’I don’t think it’s appropriate to address my current tenure as a member of the Royal Cabinet in that manner Joachim…’’ Zelenski countered back at him.’’ Especially as I am not the one who won’t be sticking around.‘’ Verbally biting back at the Germanic character, almost smug at his predicament. Finding great consolation in the fact.

It worked, Zelenski saw Joachim’s right eyebrow slightly twitching

‘’Whatever…’’ Joachim said and sighting in resignation, as way to get out of this pointless squabble, even the other colleagues in the room briefly stopped what they were doing to stand aback at this statement.’’ I’ll have my place on the corporate board of Zagreus Winery, and you’ll have your profession as history teacher at your Zhytomyr Foreign-Languages High-school back, hm…’’

‘’OOF, why don’t you two just sit down on your assess’, and do what you have to do each amongst yourselves.’’ Cut Hafez into their conversation, visibly irritated that two adults were going at it like teenagers who were about to have a fight.

‘’ Come on Director Hafez, you know it has been quite the ride with these two. Give these kids some slack.’’ The ‘’guru’’ Yuri Bezmenov called on fatherly to the former sniper.

‘’Not before Her Majesty replaces these two debili with people who don’t take unilateral decisions and actually have record in the civilian government.’’ The intelligence Director angrily complained to the General Counselor her displeasure with the two Royal Cabinet secretaries.

‘’HEEEY!’’ The two wallowed, upset by Hafez’s insult

‘’I said it and I am not taking back these words.’’ Hafez doubled down, crossing her arms over her busty chest, giving the two men each, a brief look of contempt.

‘’I don’t think indulging in dysfunction is beneficial to the decision making capability of this Body Politc, Hafez.’’ Called out a man, across the opposite side of the table to her, who had until now, been multitasking between a laptop, phone and a set of government papers.

Sergei Lavrov, the eternal Deputy Royal Secretary of Foreign Affairs was an old yet fit, slightly gray haired, tall man with a long service record that spanned almost two decades of continuous service on the post, outlasting the last two people who held the top position in the Department.

‘’Sergei, now is not the tim..’’

‘’But it is!’’ Sergei stubbornly interjected the former’ intelligence officer mid-sentence.’’ The world around us is throwing all manners of problems and attempts to inflict disaster on our country.’’ The deputy looked her straight into the eye then gazed momentarily on Joachim and Zelenski.

‘’And the Islamic Emirate of Brasilistan and the World Assembly are not the only threats around, we also have enemies from within. Just to remind everyone, I am not referring to the Abolitionists Army, or other various kind of subversive folk…I am talking about this kind of petty squabbles and childish grudges that will be our downfall.’’ The now long-faced elder added.

‘’Besides graft of course – we all remember what happened with Lukashenko, thankfully, at least Relena had the mercy to offer him resignation rather than arrest…Her Majesty viewed Luka as something of a father figure after Charles passed away……poor girl.’’ Lavrov recalled the experiences to everyone in the room, especially the mention of Lukashenko’s fate on that day when the entire Cabinet was summoned, the memory of which made all who that had been present on that day to shiver – the tears, the shouting, the feel of betrayal on Relena’s part was a recent, vivid memory.

‘’I have stated this before and I’ll reiterate it again – remember what His Majesty entrusted to all of us. To look after Relena as if she were our own, to aid and guide her in governing Cassadia, and help her tackle the issues with a steady, but firm hand. Giving Her Majesty the necessary knowledge of the internal processes and protocols of government, the country’s laws and so much more.’’ The long, big limbed elder re-gave an often repeated speech to remind his colleagues of their core purpose of their posts.

The conversation however would be cut short as the door behind Zelenski, which led into the conference room suddenly opened, through which two men in suits came out, with another four other people following shortly after. Each taking corner of the room to stand guard, eyeing the doors and occupants in the room, all tough looking and physically powerful despite most of them not looking the part of a ‘’pile of muscles made to lift train tracks since childhood’’.

These imposing figures were of the Royal Guard, elite bodyguards, Knight-Agents, the finest of whom were assigned duties to fill the various roles that comprised the Personal Protection Mission of ensuring that the most stringent of security measures were taken and that no expense was to be spared when seeking such acquisition of providing one of the most multi-layered security rings around the Cassadian Royal Family, no matter how determined, well trained, equipped and prepared those potential threats were.

Few nations could boast or afford of having such a protection service for their heads-of-state, when it came to the equipment and training of the security, support and technical personal or the heavily modified fleets of vehicles and aircraft sporting the latest and most sophisticated electronic/jamming countermeasures and armor protection. Neither could it rival the hundreds of unaccountable bunkers and ‘’safe houses’’ spread out across the country. These distant sanctuaries could take the form of bunkers built under many of the vast estates that the Crown had in its possession, or remote bunkers of military bases and Royal Department of Defense or Crown-Government buildings located deep into the interior of the country. Main purpose of such facilities being in place to allow for the continued maintenance of the operational Command&Control of the Royal Cassadian Armed Forces, its assets (land, air and naval) including command of the Nuclear Deterrent along with housing key Crown-Government officials and bureaucrats who would continue to keep the institutions of the Crown-Government largely, still functional in many parts of the country.

Dressed in expensive-looking, custom tailored two piece suits, wearing reflective shades and radio earpieces, each of the bodyguards carried a diverse package of lethal and non-lethal weapons and assorted gear; collapsible batons, K-Bar knives, pepper spray, tear gas grenades, flashbangs and tazers besides more lethal instruments such as pistols (Sig Sauer P229 .357) and compact version submachine guns (MP5K). All of that discretely concealed between the jacket and undershirt articles of clothing, holstered in modified combat webbing around their torsos, so as to not impede the physical movements of a carrier. The sight of the weapons and gear was obstructed by their suit jackets, hiding the sight of their arsenals.

Everyone knew who was about to come into the room, following the entrance of the sharply dressed bodyguards. Those who were seated – Hafez, Yuri and Sergei stood up, while both the Prime-Secretary and the Foreign, remained standing, all shifted to face the entrance as sound of specific high-heeled footsteps became rapidly louder and closer, the sound reverberating off the marble floor until the one who made the sound, now stood at the door frame.

A young mature woman yet still her face bore many girlish features, honey blonde hair which feel down to the middle of her back ran in a tight braid halfway around it – slightly below her shoulders, dressed in a shoulder-less, virginal white dress that ran down below her knee - Empress Relena Von Peacecraft, the head-of-state of the Holy Kingdom of Cassadia and its undisputed absolute monarch as dictated by ancient as well as modern statutes of the Royal Law. A collection of legal texts, a dozen tomes thick; regulating everything from the most ancient and trivial things (such as the act of being barefoot in the presence of a Royal to be verboten) to how the very constitution of property, inheritance, economic and political rights and obligations were structured, to how the very institutions that comprised the Crown-Government worked or even to exist in the first place.

In a moment, all the present secretaries of the Royal Cabinet and officers of the General Reconnaissance Bureau stood to attention in her presence, with all the men solemnly bowing – right hand on the chest where the heart was, bending down slightly, with faces lowered, eyes starring the floor while the only woman besides Empress Relena, bowed in a curtsy pose, again face lowered and eyes staring at the floor.

The young Empress scanned around the room with her deep blue icy eyes, noting the presence of all the people she had summoned. Surprisingly her Secretary of Foreign Affairs was present to the meeting which Relena had summoned not only over the antic of the particular cabinet member.

The young Monarch deep in thought, looked down to the pristine marble floor, crossing her arms over her perky round bust as she phlegmatically went over to the chair that faced the ‘’troublemaker’’, who was standing on the other side of the room, facing all of them.

A bodyguard to the right of he, went quick on his feet, dashing instantly slightly past her so as to pull back the office chair from the expensive table, getting the Empress seated comfortably in her chair.

With this action, all the other Cabinet Members and GRB officers sat down after their Empress – a simple protocol of the etiquette of the court.

‘’Thank you, Knight-Agent Heero.’’ Relena said in an unusually radiant tone to the raven haired long-limbed fit and nimble man. Like all Knight-Agents dressed in a sharp black two-piece suit, on his jacket a pinned badge on his right, which had the symbol of the Fire Phoenix, made in a crimson red ring around the coat of arms itself, inscribed under it - the words in golden letters "Королевска Касадскаi Гвардiя". Very unusual of her to express herself so radiantly,

Then again, Knight-Agent Heero Yuri wasn’t just another elite bodyguard. He was something more to the Empress, more than just a lover (who was also her first)…Heero was something more than that to Relena. They both felt the same.

Unfortunately she could not thoroughly explore those feeling further, as she had been pressed for a while with an immense responsibility, ever since she ascended to the throne along with the heavy burden of ruling a huge, sometimes complex nation that was been shunned quite viciously in some parts of the world by the international community. As if the fate of the country rested solely entirely upon her shoulders.

It sometimes made her sick to her stomach.

‘’Today I called to session - You who are present, to this meeting for one simple reason.’’ Declared Relena in a way that explained everything to her cabinet members, arms on the table, hands raised and interlocked covering the lower part of her face. The gaze of the Empress’ eyes focused like a hawk on the one was guilty of the antic, hiding a furious expression.

All faces turned attentively from Relena to Joachim Von Ribbentrop who gulped from the, while expected attention, still immensely stressful situation.

He began to get off his chair when;

‘’Sit!’’ The Empress commanded in a raised voice to the accused party, standing from across the table. Like a parent who was about to give a child a serious scolding.

He obeyed it like a primal instinct.

‘’ Foreign Secretary Joachim, would you mind if you have anything to say about pursuing unauthorized action of negotiating with a foreign power.’’ Began the upset and angered Monarch.

‘’Without my consent! How do you plead to this, you know that such kind of decision are to be taken during only when the Royal Cabinet is in full session and under my guidance.’’ Exclaimed frustratingly as she quoted an excerpt of the guidelines all Crown-Government employees, officials, bureaucrats and secretaries were obliged to follow to the letter.

‘’A thousand apologies Your Majesty, I pray you excuse my petty insolence, but there is a reason why I discerned that this course of action was most suitable in light of the present situation.’’

‘’And what is this situation that you speak of?’’ The Empress inquired contemptuously

‘’That the state of extended recess on which the Crown-Government was put under like on autopilot would impair our ability to make the necessary responsive decision-making to present issues like the one..’’

‘’You caused!’’ Relena roared, loudly cut off the secretary, who felt his body hair straighten in reaction.

‘’Forgive my grotesque incompetence Your Majesty, but the flow of world events is not bound by our wishes, what I did was..’’

‘’That you violated some very important internal regu..’’ The furious Empress stopped as he her eyes caught Yuri Bezmenov raising his hand.

‘’Speak Mr. Bezmenov.’’ The monarch allowed in her short address to the aged former intelligence officer, like how one would be deeply respectful to one’s elders. One of the many social norms of Cassadian society.

‘’Your Majesty, the core of the matter lies in the now-passed act of initiating negotiations for the establishment of diplomatic relations with the nation of the Holy Empire of New Edom.’’ The man of near advanced age began, pausing to take a glass of water, before continuing on.

‘’What we should focus on here, is to decide whether this objective should be continued or not. Keep in mind, this act has already been set in motion and believe me, a train that has begun to move is hard to stop.’’ Counseled wisely Bezmenov to the young Monarch.

This made affairs to slow down seemingly, for everyone at the least. The Empress paused to sleep on the issue for a short while, causing a tense, calm silence set in.

‘’What is it, that this nation is so important enough to warrant our attention?’’ Asked the Peacecraft, puzzled.

‘’Quite a few things Your Majesty, New Ed..’’ Joachim opened his mouth just as quickly as he was cut off.

‘’Leave it to me, boy. I’ve studied this country continuously since before you were even able to go to school.’’ Interjected the old, GRB ‘’guru’’.
And so the General Counselor began to go on to give a lecture-long crash course about the country, explaining matters of importance; like the economy and history of the country such as its formation as well as its more recent chapters like the Civil Wars, the wars with Damoclea, the Delvian States and Gavinium Nova as well as the country’s transition to a constitutional monarchy in recent years.

Other things important enough to be mentioned, if the visibly positive tone of Bezmenov was any indication. Was that New Edom was a Christian nation, with a deeply religious and moral society that was even more pious on average when compared to the Cassadian (of course that urbanites would be less practicing than those in small towns and rural areas).

Except…

‘’Yo..You are serious!? That people over there go around naked as if it’s normal? Asked the young woman – shocked, cheeks flushing red like a tomato.

‘’Ahhh, yes, but the good thing is that, it is not practiced universally by the entire nation. It is however mandatory when having to receive certain sacraments like confession and the Eucharist, I think…Most of their denominations call this way of living as holy nudism, the belief being that the LORD’s forgiveness of Adam and Eve for the Original Sin has therefore admonished humanity as a result, also.’’ The old man explained while rubbing his graying white hair on the back of his head and neck. Embarrassed just like all the others in the room. Save for the stone-faced statues of the bodyguards.

The reactions to the room were all the same, to different degrees of embarrassment; Sergei Lavrov crossing himself in amusement - humored by the scandal of the conversation, Zelenski holding both hands to his face, Hafez exclaiming that ‘’I’ve fallen in love with these people already!’’ and Joachim left with a cartoonish gape.

‘’Well…so far things seem to be in order…Joachim consider this an extraordinary favor on my part…I think this course of action should be pursued and completed’’ The Empress was the first to speak up after the initial shock subsided. Surprising everyone in the room.

‘’But, I want the delegation list revised.’’ She added, turning briefly to the Zelenski and Joachim.’’ And you Zelenski and Joachim shall be the one to head it.’’ Relena further instructed, to the discomfort of both of them.

‘’What about Duchess Dorothy, Your Majesty?’’ Joachim asked.

‘’I’ll phone Dorothy myself. She can hand over a personal message of mine to Elijah and Mara, on my behalf. Of course she can also discuss the financing of any potential future projects on which our two countries may embark on."

"Her husband owns Sberbank after all.’’ Empress Relena elaborated to the pardoned foreign secretary.

‘’Have the correspondence ready at once.’’

‘’Sergei, you are going with them too.’’

‘’Director Hafez, I want a security details of elements from each of the 4th and 9th Directorate to be assigned to the delegation at once and for the necessary gear and equipment to be loaded and ready. I also want two Ruslans to be ready for the tarmac.’’

‘’Inform the delegation members to pack. Give them a rundown on the nation especially about the ‘’nude’’ part, Bezmenov I want your people to prepare a detailed, in-depth report on the nation of New Edom; economy, military capabilities, politics, foreign relations - everything.’’

The spark was lit, starting a fire from all the orders their Empress issued, with her Royal Cabinet secretaries and intelligence officers, taking notes and giving replies of ‘’Yes, Your Majesty!

All in all, everyone had a lot of work ahead of them.

And it was only September.

[The Republic Of Cassadia]

To: His Excellency, Foreign Minister Hosidus Geta
From: His Excellency, Royal Secretary of Foreign Affairs Joachim Von Ribbentrop
Subject: Diplomatic Relations
Encryption: Highest

Your Excellency,

I pray that all is well with your country, government and health of your Monarch, especially His Majesty The King-Emperor Elijah IV.

Indeed, the senior members of the delegation will very much appreciate this gesture of warm and generous welcoming hospitality, which no doubt shall be offered as if it was on behalf of your great nation.

Though now I have to address the affairs on several matter that had been (and were not) discussed in our last correspondence;

1. While Her Imperial Majesty Empress Relena Von Peacecraft has given her blessing and prayers that the pursuit to have this noble quest of diplomatic, bilateral relations and eventually of friendship between our great nations, to succeed. Her Imperial Majesty had to nevertheless, modify the Delegation list, by removing and adding in their place several individuals out which I am a surprising member of. The factor that matters here is that the decision to also add His Excellency, Prime-Secretary Volodymyr Zelenski, will be unfortunately a complicated equation that I pray, your side does not find as too stressful.

2. And by ''complicated equation'' and ''stressful'', what I mean is the specific matter of delegation security. An affair that seriously complicates everything with the inclusion of My Person and His, as the provision of security now becomes something that requires the stepping in, of specialized security institution dedicated specifically with such tasks, as providing security to very important, senior Crown-Government officials such as myself and His Excellency Royal Prime Secretary Volodymyr Zelenski.

3. And what complicates this affair further, is that the Standard Security Protocol under which the Royal Ninth Directorate Of The General Reconnaissance Bureau operates under, are a set of many stringent protocols some of which that your side may consider insensitive and invasive. Those kind of protocols in regards to which are most not for compromise to the security institution.

Though the composition of the protection detail and its protocols can be compromised if your side can appeal toe Dame, Director Of The General Reconnaissance Bureau Colonel Hafez Nonnette Putina who can overrule the will of the Sub-Director of the Royal Ninth Directorate Lieutenant-General Fyodor Khodorkovsky. But then again I speculate that it would be highly unlikely as the matter concerns quite important and close individuals to Her Imperial Majesty Empress Relena Von Peacecraft on which she is not going to agree on revising the security detail.

4. I would be honored to attend the event program your side has been so kind to chart for the upcoming visit of my country's Delegation.

5. Sub-Director of the Royal Ninth Directorate Lieutenant-General Fyodor Khodorkovsky shall brief your Ministers of Justice and Police to describe to your people the Standard Security Protocol in some detail as well as to request their approval of it, to be carried out.

Speaking of Delegations, here is the revised members list.

1.Royal Prime-Secretary Volodymyr Zelenski

2. Royal Secretary of Foreign Affairs Joachim Von Ribbentrop

3. Deputy Royal Secretary of Foreign Affairs Sergei Lavrov

4. General Counselor Yuri Bezmenov

5. Duchess Dorothy de la Catalonia

I Have The Honor To Be
Royal Secretary of Foreign Affairs Joachim Von Ribbentrop

[The Republic Of Cassadia]

To: Minister of Police General John Ashod
To: Minister of Justice Gabrielle Balaam
From: Sub-Director Of The Royal Ninth Directorate Of The General Reconnaissance Bureau Lieutenant-General Fyodor Khodorkovsky Subject: Delegation Security
Encryption Level: Highest

Your Excellencies,

I hope all is well within your nation at this time, and that your nation’s Monarchs, especially His Majesty, The King-Emperor is in good health.

With the recent correspondences in which an agreement was reached, to hold the first ever diplomatic talks between both of our countries. It is my directorate that has been assigned the responsibility to provide all the necessary protection detail around the delegation members, including the location which shall serve as the delegation’s residence - has been entrusted to my Directorate to provide the needed personnel and instruments needed to enact the highest level of protection measure that comprehensively insures the safety of our senior delegation members.

While the assurances on the side of your representatives have made claims that the Capital of Fineberg is safe and that your promises of assigning elements from such a prestigious unit such as your 14th Hussars to the protection detail to our delegation, while greatly appreciated, is a task that rests solely on my Directorate. The reason being our Standard Security Protocol under which my protective mission personnel are required to operate under, when fulfilling the functions of being a protection detail to high-ranking individuals and officials of my nation’s Crown-Government, decrees for establishing the highest level of vigilance and security precautions available.

No matter whether that security environment of a said public or private space is deemed to be threat-free, as it is not sufficient enough for my Directorate, for even the most sterile environments can hide its fair share of security risks.

For this reason, after deliberating between senior officers of my Directorate and Chief Preventor Baron Zechs Merquise of the Royal Guard, we have unanimously agreed and so has Her Imperial Majesty Empress Relena Von Peacecraft. That with approval from relevant leadership of your security forces, my country’s Royal Guard can dispatch an Investigation Mission team of Special Knight-Agents to assess the security situation and environment around which my country’s delegation shall have to reside in, throughout the entire duration of the negotiations.

In order to familiarize your relevant security forces with the Standard Security Protocol. I would like to present several crucial protocols and measures concerning the Investigation Mission themselves, as well as their objectives to establish a reliable, temporary infrastructure of security precautions that’s needed to be set up before our delegation can arrive.

1. The arrival of the Protective Mission detail of my Directorate along with the transportation element, provided by the Royal Fourth Directorate is going to precede the arrival of the delegation.

2. That cooperation is extended to the Special Knight Agents of the Investigation Mission. One of the crucial, key areas of cooperation of your security forces with the Investigation Mission. That is the provision of a full list of all the employees of the Majestic Hotel, currently on contract for the purposes of vetting any individuals found among the staff of the Majestic Hotel, found to be with criminal records or with any current or past activism on behalf or membership into FSE-class organizations, political parties, NGOs and other associations (i.e feminist, communist, anti-monarchist, homosexual).

*My Directorate would like to request that any such individuals be asked not to attend their workplace until the completion of nation’s delegation work visit to your country.

*My Directorate would like to request, to perform, the same background procedure on the domestic staff currently employed by His Highness Prince Tiglath Pileser’s estate.

*The Royal Office of Her Imperial Majesty Empress Relena Von Peacecraft shall reimburse any and all disruptions to the Majestic Hotel or to the estate of His Highness Prince Tiglath Pileser, for the disruption of the routine and business one said establishments, which my nation’s delegation security detail may have cause throughout the duration of my country’s delegation.

3. Furthermore we would like to request an approval of specially equipped and trained members of our protection detail to be given full access to the kitchen quarters of the Majestic Hotel and the estate of His Highness Tiglath Pileser.

Security Procedures that are to be made in regards to this specific matter of the Standard Security Protocol are;

*Performing periodic and regular unannounced accounting of inventory of all food products.

*Monitoring of kitchen personnel either wirelessly through CCTV, installed by members of our detail, or when needed, the kitchen staff shall be monitored personally by members of the bodyguard detail when the kitchen staff to prepare the course dishes for the members of my nation’s delegation.

*Every prepared dish shall be scanned by special equipment, brought in by our assigned security will scan each successive course, for any deliberately inserted bacteriological, chemical or radiological bodies or substances. Said specialized members of our protection detail shall serve the courses themselves, dressed as butlers.
4. Under the Standard Security Protocol, further measures in need of implementation in advance of the arrival of my country’s delegation are;

*Suspending the movement of vehicular or cart traffic running along or through the route leading to Majestic Hotel in advance of the motorcade of the delegation upon their plane’s touchdown in Fineberg International Airport. My Directorate’s protection detail will also have to check each stop along the delegation's route with bomb-sniffing dogs and as well as clearing nearby streets of all parked cars. This precaution is to ensure that no car bomb can be parked near the Majestic Hotel.

*Every hospital within a 10-minute drive from the transit route of the motorcade is to be notified of the arrival of my country’s delegation. We would like to request that an agent from the protection detail is to be stationed at each hospital, ready to coordinate with doctors and other agents in the event of a medical emergency.

*Additional security measures needed are a complete sweep of every room in each of the suites, where our senior members of the delegation shall be staying at. So that no bugging devices or concealed explosives, remain hidden. Furthermore, bulletproof plastic is to be placed over the glass of the windows. These measures also stipulate the removal of phones and TV ensuring that the room is devoid of wiretapping and eavesdropping devices. Which shall be replaced and replace with electronics of our own that are secure.

*Under the Standard Security Protocol concerning the protection of senior members of my country’s delegation. The floor, on which the suites are on (living arrangements of our senior members), will have to have the floors above and below the rooms cordoned off, access to the suites shall be restricted to everyone, except to those of my Directorate’s security detail and the senior members themselves.

5. A web of three security rings is to provide the security while at the Majestic Hotel. My Directorate’s security detail will deploy in and around the Majestic Hotel. Two of the outermost rings – the Outer ring, manned by general personnel, in civilian clothes though openly, heavily armed, while the outer Peripheral perimeter of the Majestic Hotel is to be secured by armed, uniformed security personnel. The Personal Mission around the delegation consists of plain-clothed security personnel of my Directorate.

Here is the proposed composed order of Personal Security Mission detail of the Ninth Directorate of the General Reconnaissance Bureau, needed to assure the wellbeing of our delegation:

36x Personal Mission security personnel
46x Outer Security Ring personnel
24x Peripheral Security Ring personnel

4x Chevrolet Suburban Electronic Countermeasures
6x Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon 463 (armor-plated and with bulletproof glass)
5x Mercedes-Benz S-class 2009 model (armor-plated and with bulletproof glass)
2x Mercedes-Benz Sprinter (906) NCV3 (armor-plated and with bulletproof glass)
6x Toyota J200 (armor-plated and with bulletproof glass)

x OCP multicam uniforms
x body-armor(Plate Carrier)
x OPS-Core helmets
xL-3 GPNVG-18 – ANVIS night-vision goggles
x combat webbing Chest Rigs (Guardian, Chicom derivatives)
x 3M™ Peltor™ Comtac XPI Headset Ground Force Issue For PRR - Standard Boom
x Accuracy International AWM Precision Sniper Rifles
x AR-15 platform Assault Rifles( with SOPMOD kits containing attachments like fore-grips, suppressors, red-dot sight optics etc.)
x Milkor MGL Automatic Grenade Launchers
x MP5K Submachine-guns
x UMP-45 Submachine-guns
x G-36 Assault Rifles
xGlock-17
x Sig-Sauer P229 (.357 SIG)

I hope your people understand the cause why the Crown-Government has set for such a muscular security force to be assembled for this trip. That reason being the Royal-Prime Secretary Volodymyr Zelenski whose position within the institutions of my country is a co-Head Of Government.

I Have The Honor To Be
Sub-Director Of The Royal Ninth Directorate Of The General Reconnaissance Bureau
Lieutenant-General Fyodor Khodorkovsky

[New Edom]

Fineberg, New Edom

At that time, Count Falk was still Commander of the Imperial Guard. He was a handsome man, who looked splendid in the full dress uniform of the Royal Cavalry Guards, was known for his beautiful and charming wife, his sense of comme il faut, and for being very loyal to the House of Obed. “There is a message here in this letter,” he observed as the highest members of the Inner Circle of the Imperial Household were meeting to discuss the diplomatic visit and preliminaries with ministerial colleagues. “The specific mention of the 14th Hussars. Some, observing recent history, might accuse them of excessive zeal. Expressing a preference for them not only approves of the conduct of them and of their commanders, but also suggests that they even want excessive zeal.”

Prince Enoch Tubal Cain was chairing this meeting, and it was in his spacious office. The smells of mint, anise and lilacs blended, for there were tea, anise-cakes and an open window near a great lilac tree heavy with blossoms. He took a drag on a heavy scented Ikram’s and said, “John?”

General John Ashdod was also puffing on a cigarette. “I generally approve of their concern for security. Except that of course monitoring of staff, kitchen staff and so on, the idea that we cannot be responsible is insulting and ridiculous. Naturally, we shall be in charge of such things. Either they will have to trust our competence or not. In the wake of all those demonstrations it seems wise. I do want to look over profiles of their personnel though. It is a as good an excuse as any to go through the Majestic Hotel with a fine toothed comb. It’s a haunt of foreigners anyway.”

Peter Misabel, the Deputy Minister of Justice, who was, as usual, standing in for the Minister, rubbed his long face. “I agree. Sir,” he said, turning to Prince Enoch, “This presents the following agencies and ministries with tasks: Police, Justice, Imperial Guard, Ministry of Defense, Culture, Transport. I suggest that one of these be generally responsible for signals and communication.”

“That should be the Ministry of Police,” put in General Ashdod.

“Far easier if we simply detach a signals company for that,” said General Unwerth, the Minister of Defense. “Your little fellows will be overwhelmed with making sure no one puts too much salt in their soup, Johnny.”

Ashdod smirked. “Yes, that’s all you think we do. Very nice.”

“Sir,” said Unwerth to Prince Enoch, “Think of it. The main body of security personnel on the street controlling movement and protecting transportation will be the 14th Hussars and the Royal Cavalry Guards. That’s Military District of Fineberg. Might as well keep it all in one basket, eh?”

Prince Enoch studied the room. “Security oversight and personal security is Ministry of Police. Ministry of Justice coordinates civilian agencies. Defense will coordinate signals, transportation, area security.” his manner was languid, disinterested, routine.

To: His Excellency, Royal Secretary of Foreign Affairs Joachim Von Ribbentrop
From: His Excellency, Foreign Minister Hosidius Geta
Subject: Economic and Security Talks
Security: Highest


My dear Minister,

I hope that this message finds you well. The changes to the delegation list are reasonable and are approved by my government. Along with these changes, some changes have been proposed to security protocols. While the general approach is agreeable, there are particular details that must be addressed.

First: my colleagues at Ministry of Justice, Police and Defense will address the concerns about security.

Second: The additions to the delegation are approved, pending agreements regarding security.

Third: the notion of reimbursal is not acceptable. Hospitality is sacred to our culture, which perhaps your government did not know, and so especially when beginning new relationships it is very important that it be offered generously and freely. Her Majesty’s kind offer will hopefully be able to be explained as being more understandable to our people it if it is offered as reciprocal when our own delegation visits your country.



I have the honour to be
Hosidius Geta
Foreign Minister

To:Sub-Director Of The Royal Ninth Directorate Of The General Reconnaissance Bureau Lieutenant-General Fyodor Khodorkovsky
From:General John Ashdod, Minister of Police
Subject:Delegation Security
Encryption:Most Secret, Eyes Only
[hr][/rhr]


Dear General,


Our government of course wishes to make sure that the first major meeting of our governments goes well, and that there are no disruptions of security. However, there are some details which we must present.

First: it must be made clear that all security operations that do not directly pertain to the personal security of your delegates is under Edomite supervision while in our own country. That is to say, all control of movements and communications not within your own delegation.

Second, while your security teams may observe our investigation of the hotel and of the private estate of HSH Prince Tiglath Pileser, they are to limit their role to that of observers and will not actively direct any investigation.

Third: here is the organizational plan for the operation.

Ministry of Defense
Command and Control: Military District of Fineberg
CG: Major-General Adam Merari
Imperial Household: The Royal Cavalry Guards
Road and movement security: 14th Regiment of Hussars,
Helicopter transport: National Navy Squadron Number 30
Signals and Communication: B Company, 7th Signals Regiment
Material Security: A Company, 1st Battalion, Chemical, Biological, Nuclear Combat Engineers, 6yh Combat Engineers Regiment

Ministry of Police

Council Police Information Security Office (Providing cyber security and electronic intelligence, inserted plainclothes operatives in key designated areas such as the Majestic Hotel, Pileser estate.)
Council Police Protective Detail Directorate (Providing direct personal security services and mirroring delegates’ security(

Ministry of Justice

The Ministry of Justice officials, including Fineberg Urban Militia, will provide additional street security where direct access to delegates and their movements is not a concern. They will also be responsible for monitoring any persons of interest during the conference.


General John Ashdod, Minister of Police
Gabrielle Balaam, Minister of Justice

[The Republic Of Cassadia]

Royal Palace of Carthage
Somewhere in another Conference Room

As was typical of every palace that had been built over the ages since the beginning of time when the Human Race evolved into more and more complex societies, a division of the roles of labor and functions in those societies began to take shape, such of those who with natural leadership skills became chieftains of the tribe, a unit of societal organisation that would later become nations with kings at the helm, ruling over the lands, fiefdoms and kingdoms as they saw appropriate. Their power over the jurisdictions as well as the affairs and functions of state being final and supreme, over all others as it was a gift bestowed on certain men by the Lord who had ordained them.

With the emergence of kingdoms, came the estates of those rulers. With the first ones being rather modest though still great by the standards of the time as befitting one of Royalty, great exception being the ancient Kings of yore of Mesopotamia, whose great works reverberated throughout the ages before most of them fell victims to the Sands of Time as much as to God’s will. Whose existence now would only be mentioned either in the ancient songs, stories and poetry composed as well as the surviving personal possessions of the people who lived in time of those Ancient Days.

A palace befitting those of Royalty was not only to house those of Regal stock in great comfort, luxury and opulence. While every single such estate was at its core centered to these needs, this would have not been possible had it not been for the many servants, chefs, entertainers, concubines and mistresses’ along with the mandatory inclusion of guards providing necessary protection – as it would be impossible to maintain a Royal Palace without the collective duties and effort of all these elements.

As every palatial building before it, the Royal Palace of Carthage functioned all the same as any other palace that came before, built on the orders, vision and functions to cater to wishes of Emperor Charles (VII) Von Peacecraft.

Designed by Chief Architects, Nina Einstein and Albert Nicholas, what they created was one of the biggest buildings in all of Krillin, at the least it's purpose was to not only serve as the main residence of Cassadian Royal Family, but it was also built to house all the main ‘’sub-office section offices’’ of the Royal Office along with all the Royal-Cabinet Secretaries of the Crown-Government under one roof. With ground first broke and construction beginning from mid-1980 to 1997, under which period of time, the site would be a sight of non-stop construction conducted by units of the Engineering Corps of the Royal Land Force, with the building nearing completion in 1997 in its entirety, with only the matter of interior design of the building for the future offices of the Crown-Government and the apartment quarters of the Royal Family, being left up to the planning board of the Chief Architects.

And of course for the another purpose was the 1000th jubilee anniversary of Nimrod (I) Von Peacecraft, celebrating his triumph in the ‘’Unification of the Tribes’’. An almost lifelong quest of Cassadia’s future first Emperor's unfettered conviction to be the one and only Monarch over all the Monarchs in the Land Of The Fire Phoenix. An odyssey of a quest, leaving in its wake the blood, bones and ruin of peoples, city-states, tribes and kingdoms, some of which had been ‘’removed from the register of existence’’ in pursuit of this great mission. This process of blood, carnage and treacherous intrigue would take up most of Nimrod’s natural life cycle, nevertheless he achieved what he sought, being was crowned as Emperor over the Realm of The Fire Phoenix, in the Cathedral of all-Saints, in Carthage, in 1001 A.D. where all Emperors from this point onwards would be crowned at.

This state of the palace being in a state of near-completion however would be not last long, when on September 21st 1998, several teams of Hizb Al-Shahid jihadists would hijack five planes, on the orders of Hamza Al-Barnani, the group’s leader. Three of these planes would go on to hit the Krillin Carthage Stock Exchange & Trade Building causing a the skyscraper to collapse in on itself, a result of the several partial proportional structural collapses, in several spots, to the steel structure of the building.

The fourth circled over the main HQ of the General Staff of the Royal Armed Forces, before it hit the east side of the building. The headquarters of the General Staff, designed to absorb the blastwave of a nearby high-yield nuclear blast, took the hit better than the rest. Receiving only minor structural damages to portion that was hit, with wide gaping hole in the wall from the ramming of the plane into the building.

The Palace of Carthage would not be as lucky as the General Staff HQ unfortunately, even though it was built to meet the same standards as the building of the General Staff. The angle from which the plane hit the section that housed the Apartments of the Royal Family resulted in large explosion that caused half of that certain part of the palace’s structure to collapse, because the plane exploded half-way into the building - due to the full fuel tanks that the plane carried when it left off, inadvertently turning into something akin to a bunker buster bomb.

This was the biggest terrorist attack ever recorded in the history of the nation as well as the world, which would be rivaled in scope, only by another similar event akin to these same barbaric acts that transpired this time, in a country far, far away in 2001.

A ‘’psychosis’’ paranoia would ensue permanently over the next several years among the institutions of the Crown-Government, its law-enforcement and security services, and especially the Emperor himself. This would result in the expansion and overhaul of the country’s entire security forces; to unleashing a pervasive surveillance infrastructure apparatus upon the entire populace - that would collect the private information and personal affairs and relationships of every man, woman and even children (made even easier with advances in digital and cellular technology) , to humiliating strip-searches at border control checkpoints and airport customs, to the further militarization of the police and ‘’blank check’’ for high-ranking military officers to draw whatever ‘’counter-insurgency operations’’ they deemed were necessary in order to pacify New Carthage.

All of this would culminate with the introduction of the Anti-Terrorist Act, a comprehensive set of laws that would give authorities, legal sweeping powers to arrest anyone on the basis of national security, something that while previously practiced extensively by the authorities-that-be, would now be codified as a legitimate law and those even accused on terror-related charges would require the accuser to be stripped of even the right defend oneself at court, by Royal Law – something that even before was perceived by a wide portion of the international legal community to be something that existed only on the paper of the Law, which had now been legally removed by the stroke of a pen.

Now the legal aspect of handling those charged of terrorism would be handled not by civilian or military courts, but by ‘’Special Courts’’ to which no access to the public, attendants, jury or even the Accuser’s legal defense, were allowed. These ‘’courts’’ served less as courts and more as sentence-dishing factories, the trial only being a ceremony lasting only few dozen minutes at the most.
Speaking of issues of security….

Currently a small assembly of many characters convened and were seated around a conference table, surrounded by walls of glass which were non-transparent from the outside, dividing the gang of security officers, Preventors, Knight-Agents and Royal-Cabinet secretaries – from the rest of the room. The main room being a modernist-looking and aesthetically futuristic room (the last being the result of thorough renovation) taking up the size of two tennis courts. With an interior that was furnitured with four rows of tables situated adjacently to each other, front and back. On every one of these tables, great terminal of computer monitors, flickered incessantly, their displays divided by several square splitscreens which broadcasted live surveillance footage of high-resolution CCTV cameras, placed throughout the palace. Other high-end features which the CCTV had, was reliable facial recognition software modified to recognize the identities of palace staff or individuals with an officially granted access to the palace. Such draconian measure was implemented in case a ‘’Negative Security Factor’’ hatched an attempt to infiltrate the Royal Palace using legitimate security clearance passes’ and disguise, be it a maid, butler, servant, courtier, Knight-Agent or a Crown-Government bureaucrat or official – a marvelous feat only possible thanks to advances in Artificial Intelligence and a mutually beneficial, military and security bilateral agreement with a powerful country from a distant region, halfway across the world know as the People’s Republic of China.

Baron Sechs Marquise, Chief Preventor of The Royal Guards along with Special Knight Agents and Section Preventors, inclined in their seats, watching with interest the intelligence briefing being given, by Yuri Bezmenov, of the city’s layout of Fineberg. Especially of importance was the transit route and local area, in and around the Majestic Hotel including the building’s internal layout. Furthermore the briefing contained other segments, centered on the capital’s history both past and present as well as its politics - by politics meaning the examining activities of groups, NGOs and political organizations, modeled or influenced after what they sure to be Foreign Subversive Elements in ideology and substance.

Currently present were the Royal Secretary of Foreign Affairs along with the deputy of that office Joachim Von Ribbentrop and Sergei Lavrov, Royal Prime-Secretary Volodymyr Zelenski, Sub-Director of The Royal Ninth

Directorate Fyodor Khodorkovsky as well as selected Special Knight-Agents, chosen to head the Investigative Mission were tasked to analyze and investigate the security situation on-the-ground in order to secure a safe environment, prior to the delegation’s visit.

‘’ Intelligence that we compiled on the activities of these organizations not only suggests, but it has been made clear to us. To conclude with factually empirical, definite confidence, the conclusion that the position of every single one of these organizations is that of advocacy for the eventual legalization of certain acts as well as further agitation for additional rights in relation for broadening it from tolerance, to normalization to finally acceptance and celebration through attaining special protected status and access to adoption services, the Institution Of Marriage and all its benefits and privileges it entails.’’ The old, veteran informant read out the intelligence report aloud by heart, standing in front of the seated group as the rest either attentively listened to him or followed the intelligence report as he went along or had moved on to other parts of it.

‘’I think we all know as to what kind of *group* we are referring to here.’’ Interrupted Baron Sechs Marquise, as he ran hand through his hair, along the surface of the scalp, his utterance of the word ‘’group’’ filled with sarcastic hostile contempt under his breath, the statement giving a pause for the rest of the assembled members of the board to let out a few rich chuckles and laughter, in reaction to it.
The General Counselor gave a faint, humored smile too, however brief, before readjusting his square glasses, causing them to reflect sunlight off the contacts as he lowered his head into the ground.

‘’Well, it’s not just the fags or their activists and ‘’allies’’ that are included into the list you know.’’ Declared Bezmenov to the long-haired blond man, interjecting the however brief, laughter filling the room.

‘’Though judging by recent events that occurred in their capital suggests that this particular ‘’matter’’ at hand is quite heated, more so than…let’s say - feminism or communism for that matter. It’s disappointing in a way, when it comes to our supposed enemies, for such a tiny element to wield such a disproportionate bullhorn and pull on society…I can understand those desiring utopian systems like mob-rule, communism or even feminism since if – for example. Such corrosive ideologies for our society can appeal to a significant part of the population, if left unmolested.’’ Said the young aristocrat head lowered and on his hands as he stared down at the pages of the report.

‘’Marquise, what are trying to get to us?.’’ Asked the old man to the baron, whose puzzling elaboration rubbed the senses of the old security service officer, and that way was not in a good.

‘’What I am saying is that we should focus a little more of our efforts on combing through the background history of any of the staff of the Majestic Hotel and the estate of that Pileser guy.’’

‘’Prince Tiglath Pileser’’ Interjected Joachim into the conversation to remind the noble on manners and ceremony.

‘’Whatever, anyway….we should be eyeing individuals whom are registered members or supporters of these political FSEs. Especially these…’’ Marquise pointed to a spot on the report.

‘’The Organization for Free Expression, The Ecumenical Council of New Edom, Fineberg Petition Group for Civil Rights and Freedoms, Church Human Rights Interests of the Tabernacle and the Edomite Freedom Coalition.’’ The Chief Preventor listed them, facial expression dropping like a rock with every organization mentioned.

‘’The good thing about all of this is that, these groups overwhelmingly use social media such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Another positive thing about this is that we can identify whom is a potential Negative Security Factor just by track down who has upvoted or followed the pages of these groups other than such individuals being already registered members of these groups themselves.’’

‘’Aren’t most Edomites, still too poor or members of that deranged ETC cult of theirs, to have things such as smartphones or use of the Internet.’’ The foreign secretary decided cut in the conversation.

‘’While that might have been true five or seven years ago, the facts are that currently; since the end of their civil war, there has been a massive influx of migrants from the countryside, rural or less prosperous places, like Glasstower. With new investments from abroad as well as economic growth, centered around urban areas like Fineberg, there has been naturally, phone usage along with the Internet has skyrocketed….thank God we banned that society ravisher back in the 90s.’’ The scholar that was the General Counselor elaborated - The Internet, was replaced with a Crown-Government sponsored, local Cassadian Intranet infrastructure which like its bigger counterpart, had many locally-programmed-and-coded, fully functional knock-off apps and other software based on many of the most popular foreign apps and programs. Despite the fact that these Cassadian products had the knock-off stigma label on them, that was not enough to stop them from being well-liked and were thus were used almost universally by anyone who had a smartphone and an Intranet connection, because of a modern fable of a ‘’Great Firewall’’ preventing the World Wide Web from penetrating into the country, as well as for a fact that any foreign app or software would outright, simply not function on any Cassadian-made phone, computer or other devices.

Like certain more slick foreign counterparts. The Cassadian Intranet as well as Tech industry had devised several well-crafted social media apps, such as INcontact(a hybrid between Twitter and Facebook), WeFilm( based on the same premise as YouTube), MYgallery(an app very similar to that of Instagram) and FoodPhoenix, a food catering company whose services specialized in fulfilling delivery orders of hungry costumers.

All Cassadian digital products were heavily monitored by the Militsiya and the GRB. And while the Internet was banned in the country, there were still special laws, which allowed for its usage for certain purposes like research and communication to few entrusted, important private individuals as well as the Crown-Government institutions including law-enforcement agencies, the security services and the Armed Forces.

‘’General Fyodor, you may speak.’’ Affirmed Sechs to the high-ranking security officer’s request. Whohad only now noticed that the general had been with a raised his hand for over a little while now. A highly decorated man who had previously been involved with overseeing clandestine cross-border, counter insurgency operations spearheaded by special operation forces, in the Republic of Parnello.
The permanently frowning, tall, white haired, lean man stood up from his chair.

‘’We have all the required resources, personnel and equipment, necessary to fulfill all the tasks of achieving the desired, mandatory security measures before the delegation would need when it arrives.’’ Declared to all in the room – seemingly disinterested almost passing off as robotic, if one was to judge the tone of the officer’s voice.

‘’No we don’t! Priority distribution of reso….’’

‘’You are saying it like that because your people are not in charge of the protection detail.’’ Fyodor cut of the long-haired noble scornfully, already knowing what he was about to say, eyeing him murderously.
Typical inter-institution rivalry. The Crown-Government was choke-full of them.

‘’You know I can just discontinue the Investigation Mission off the protection detail, right.’’

‘’You know Her Majesty won’t be happy when I inform her of your unannounced decision of yours, that…well I don’t know, personally approved of.’’ Countered the late middle-aged general on Sechs, reminding him of the discussion they had jointly with Empress Relena on the matter. The two waged a silent war of tense stares.

‘’Okay, okay, you win! They will remain where they stand, but…’’

‘’Gentlemen, there is something important coming up.’’ Joachim derailed the rails of the conversation, as he saw a notification pop up on his computer, its emblem and sound specific, it was from directly from his Department. Taking a few seconds to read through the message he received in his notification inbox, on his Crown-Government issued laptop, his eyes shot wide open.
‘’What is it?’’ Yuri questioned the foreign secretary.

‘’I got a message from the Foreign Affairs Department…it says that the Edomites have responded to our latest correspondence letters.’’
This got everyone’s attention.

‘’I’ve wrote them back to have Slavya send them through a secure e-mail, General Fyodor I think you should ask your people at the Ninth too. See if they have replied to your correspondence as well’’ Politely suggested the foreign secretary to the veteran.

Fyodor reached a bag under the table. Producing an expensive leather executive bag bearing the bat-logo of the General Reconnaissance Bureau from underneath the table, opening it and setting the laptop up on the table, turning it on.

‘’Yes, I got mine as well.’’

‘’Then you two should get to work right away then, now excuse me gentlemen for I have to go and get myself some coffee, I’ll be back in a minute.’’ Said Yuri Bezmenov as he walked over to the glass door before exiting the conference room, the ‘’old scholar horse’’ as many in the defense and intelligence community came to call him.

The rest of those still present in the room went on about the specific work that was still at hand. Studying the urban terrain of Fineberg, repeatedly going through inventory lists of equipment and personnel needed to be allocated for the security detail including logistics and such.

And so the group went hard at work.

[The Republic Of Cassadia]

To: His Excellency, Foreign Minister Hosidus Geta
From: His Excellency, Royal Secretary of Foreign Affairs Joachim Von Ribbentrop
Subject: Diplomatic Summit
Encryption: Highest


Dear colleague,


I hope this finds you well. My person and those concerned with this upcoming assignment of the diplomatic, economic and security negotiations summit, are delighted of the approval of the revised list of my country’s senior Delegation members. On the other hand while it is appreciative that your understanding including reservations, of the doctrine that the Royal Ninth Directorate has to operate by in order to insure that the safety of our my Delegation is well taken care of. Which can only be provided by elements of my nation’s Royal Guard, including of the Royal Fourth and Ninth Directorate of the General Reconnaissance Bureau which are to comprise the main body of the security detail that is to be responsible for the wellbeing of my nation’s Delegation.

Your nation’s Ministries of Police and Justice should receive by now, a joint message from the Sub-Director of the Royal Ninth Directorate of The General Reconnaissance Bureau Fyodor Khodorkovsky and Chief Preventor Sechs Marquise of the Her Imperial Majesty’s Royal Guard. To clarify and a reach a final agreement with your people on the issue of the final plan for security measures for my Delegation.

To end this correspondence on a final note. We have heeded some your concerns you addressed to us, specifically on the matter of hospitality. While this has been a unfortunate misunderstanding, I would like to again, remind you that the individuals in charge of these particular institutions of my nation that specialize in the protection of very important Crown-Government officials, is their duty that stems from their training to be draconian with the precautions when such specialized personnel have to take when the safety of Crown-Government officials is at stake.

I hope that the date is close at hand, when I and the rest of my Delegation meet and sit on one table with your officials from the Foreign Ministry of your nation, along with yourself. It shall also be my greatest honor and pleasure to be summoned by Your Imperial Majesties.


I Have The Honor To Be,
Royal Secretary of Foreign Affairs Joachim Von Ribbentrop

[The Republic Of Cassadia]

---

To: General John Ashod, Minister of Police
From: Sub-Director Of The Royal Ninth Directorate Of The General Reconnaissance Bureau Lieutenant-General Fyodor Khodorkovsky
Subject: Delegation Security
Encryption: Most Secret, Eyes Only

---

Dear colleague,


In regards for the desire of success to come out of this summit, my country’s governments stand to be on the same page as your government. However on the matter of executing the Standard Security Protocol, my Directorate’s position remains iron-clad which is for insuring the safety and wellbeing for my nation’s Delegation.

While your organizational plan pertaining the security situation around my nation’s Delegation is acceptable in the eyes of our government, it has nevertheless forced us into voicing a couple of reservations concerning two aspects of the operational plan.

1. While it is agreeable that any of the environment that are not connected to the immediate security to my government’s Delegation should be almost entirely handled by elements of your security forces. Security environment in and around the private estate of HSH Prince Tiglath Pileser and Majestic Hotel, should be handled by my Directorate’s protection detail as well as the Investigative Mission of Her Imperial Majesty’s Royal Guard. This will involve your government’s approval to execute the Standard Security Protocols and its measures on the grounds of both of these properties including the surrounding locale of the Majestic Hotel, as clarified in the previous correspondence with your Ministry and the Ministry of Justice.

2. While your reservation for my Directorate’s request to investigate the backgrounds is understandable, it would be unacceptable for my Directorate’s protection detail to be reduced to that of an observant passive party. As the Chief Preventor of Her Imperial Majesty’s Royal Guard has contributed an Investigative Mission team comprised of several Special Knight-Agents whose service in protecting the Cassadian Royal Family has made them accumulate extensive experience in pre-empting potential Negative Security Factors from making attempts on the lives of members of the Royal Family.

Often such plots are motivated by pre-meditated, political convictions often influenced or subscribed to FSE (Foreign Subversive Element) ideologies such as anarchism, feminism, communism, anti-royalism and homosexual advocacy.

While launching an investigation into the background for any previous criminal records or participation in illegal armed groups, on individuals employed both on and not, on contract with the Majestic Hotel and the estate of His Highness Prince Tiglath Pileser is a good obvious step to make, it is nevertheless not enough, as participation in iterations of FSE-inspired, influenced political groups, political parties, NGOs or other kinds of associations can carry their own clear and present, potential risk.

That can manifest in being registered member of such organization or being a participant in their activities. Furthermore thanks to social media; public support, advocacy or subscription to the manifestos, positions or general solidarity with these FSEs including ‘’upvoting’’ and ‘’following’’ the official accounts of public figures and ‘’pages’’ of the FSE formations. This has made it all the more easier for us to identify the potential Negative Security Factors through this methodology of also including the digital online history of persons currently on contract in both properties.

Personal history of active participation, whether past or current, in either active or defunct organizations, associations, political parties, unions or advocacy groups that are directly or indirectly modeled or influenced by Foreign Subversive Elements to conduct its subversive objectives. A number of FSEs-style political and civic formations in your country that we have found problematic are the following:

*Feminist Party of New Edom
*Communist Party of New Edom
*Anarcho-Syndicalist Party
*The Organization for Free Expression
*The Ecumenical Council of New Edom
*Fineberg Petition Group for Civil Rights and Freedoms
*Church Human Rights Interests of the Tabernacle
*Edomite Freedom Coalition
*any former or active ‘’communes’’ still operating within your country

My Directorate has with high-confidence, come to the conclusion that Persons with a history of either former or active participation, public support, advocacy or subscription to their platforms, positions or manifestos shall be of potential detriment to the security environment around the delegation of my country, hence such individuals are to be considered as Potential Negative Security Factors (PNSF). In light of this security challenge, individuals discerned from the domestic staff of both estates, found to cover the category of PNSF are to be handled with the same security procedure as those with criminal background -that is have them not attend to their workplaces throughout the entire duration of the stay of my nation’s delegation.

3. Finally I would like to provide a list of the Investigation Mission team that is to be dispatched to your nation. The team is to arrive a little in advance of the protection detail so as to analyze, discern and set up the temporary infrastructure and operational action plan, as well as to assess and analyze the surrounding and interior environment of both properties including the identities of all employed by the Majestic Hotel and the estate of His Highness Prince Tiglath Pileser.

1. Chief Special Knight-Agent Sasha Belii

2. Deputy Chief Special-Knight Agent Heero Yuri

3.Special Knight-Agent Viktor Pchyolkin

4. Special Knight-Agent Valery Filatov

5. Special Knight-Agent Vladimir Kaverin

6. Special Knight-Agent Kosmos Kholmogorov

7. Special Knight-Agent Pchela Degratyev

xH.I.M 333rd Royal Guard Signals Regiment A company
xH.I.M Royal Guard Transportation&Logistics Command

My Directorate is hopeful that your government recognizes our uncompromising duty to protect my nation’s Delegation.

We Have The Honor To Be,
Sub-Director Of The Royal Ninth Directorate Of The General Reconnaissance Bureau Lieutenant-General, Fyodor Khodorkovsky
Chief Preventor of H.I.M Royal Guard, Baron Sechs Marquise

[New Edom]

To:Sub-Director Of The Royal Ninth Directorate Of The General Reconnaissance Bureau Lieutenant-General Fyodor Khodorkovsky
From:General John Ashdod, Minister of Police
Subject:Delegation Security
Encryption:Most Secret, Eyes Only

---

Dear General,

While your agents' participation in investigation is acceptable, and while your own security teams' direct protection of your own people is of course sensible, New Edom is a sovereign state. The idea of your people having control over Edomite property, for whatever length of time, is unthinkable and will not be tolerated. If I have misunderstood your intent, I will be glad to stand corrected, but security for both the Majestic Hotel and the property of Prince PIleser must be under Edomite supervision at all times. Nothing else will be acceptable.


General John Ashdod, Minister of Police
Gabrielle Balaam, Minister of Justice