[Earth II, Closed] Welcome Back Old Friend!

[Cotland]

Earth II: Welcome Back Old Friend!

OOC: This is an Earth II roleplay, and it is at present time closed and for invited participants only. If you are a member of Earth II and wish to participate in this roleplay, please TG me.

If you are not a member of Earth II, but with to become so, please go to this link (linky) and read the first page carefully. Thanks in advance, and enjoy the roleplay.


GARDERMOEN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
OSLO, PROVINCE OF NOREG, REALM OF COTLAND
031000A FEBRUARY, 2014

The mood in the military section of Gardermoen International Airport, the most important of the four airports that served Cotland's capital city of Oslo, was ecstatic to put it mildly. Most Cots were royalists at heart, and for the first time in a decade, the leader of the Empire of Apilonia, King Walker and his new queen would be visiting one of the Apilonians oldest allies. The official state visit had been announced just a month earlier, and vast preperations had been made in the short timespan. It would be a historical visit for several reasons. Firstly, it would be the first visit of the Apilonian royal couple to Cotland. Secondly, the Empire of Apilonia had been invited to and accepted to join the histtoric October Alliance, and the official signing of the October Treaty would take place during the State Visit.

As the aircraft carrying the Apilonian royals had touched down and taxied to the tarmac area, they would find themselves greeted by a large delegation of Cottish officialdom, led by the King of Cotland, Sverre II himself.

The young king stood in the freezing cold, wrapped in a warm, thick grey wolf's fur coat and ditto ushanka to keep out the cold, Behind the king were a number of officials, including the Chancellor of Cotland, the minister of Foreign Affairs, the Apilonian Ambassador to Cotland, and several others stood, similarly dressed. It was after all minus fifteen degrees celsius and windy with mild snow in the air.

A group of Apilonians living in Cotland who had wanted to come (and who had subsequently been screened carefully by the security services) had been allowed in to welcome their King, standing to one side of the thick red carpet that had been laid out (where a few airmen hastily kept clear of snow), while a full company of honour guards drawn from His Majesty the King's Life Guard Regiment stood formed up on the other side of the red carpet. A band, also from the King's Life Guard Regiment was nearby, playing tunes to keep the crowds entertained while they waited. The whole arrival ceremony was a carefully rehearsed, highly formal event that followed a set script, complete with state dinners and what-not later, but the Cots would also be able to put together a proper shindig that definately did not survive the scrutiny of the press and was thus kept under wraps after the formalities had been dealt with.

The arrival ceremony would be a quick affair, with the Apilonian King being welcomed by the Cottish King and, after the mandatory playing of both nation's national anthems, a quick inspection of the honour guard and a quick meet-and-greet with the assembled Apilonians if the King so desired, the entourage would be driven in a high-speed motorcade down to Oslo, where the Apilonian Royal Couple would be lodged in the smallish, but pictoresque and highly luxurious Oscarshall Castle, where the Apilonian royals would be able to relax without anyone but the servant staff and their own staff fussing about. There, the Apilonian royals would have some time to relax and settle in before the next point on the agenda.

An informal luncheon was planned at the Royal Palace in downtown Oslo a little later, by which time the Emperor of Layarteb was expected to arrive in time to join the luncheon. After the luncheon, the Apilonian royals would have the day for their own programme before the Welcome dinner at the historic Akershus Palace in the evening. It would be a relatively informal affair, with the Apilonian Royals and the Emperor of Layarteb and invited guests joining for a night of celebration, feasting and, once the formalities were over and done with, wild debauchery.

As the Apilonian aircraft came to a halt and a set of stairs was rolled up to the door, the band started playing the royal fanfare and the honour guard came to attention and crisply presented arms as the Apilonian king appeared in the doorway. As the Apilonian appeared, King Sverre took off his ushanka and tossed it to a servant as he approached the stairs and the decending Apilonian King and Queen with his arms open wide in greeting.

"Your Majesties, I welcome you both to my Kingdom! How are you?"

[Terra Reborn]

His Majesty King Walker I of Apilonia
Gardermoen International Airport
Oslo, Realm of Cotland
Friday 3rd February 2013, 1000hrs Local Time (0000hrs Imperial Capital Time, 0900hrs Zulu Time)

The VC-25 of the Imperial Air Force which for this flight possessed the callsign Imperial One, meaning that it was carrying the King of Apilonia, began its descent into Gardermoen International Airport. The aircraft was under the capable control of Group Captain Thomas Gantry, a man who had flown multi-engine aircraft of the Imperial Air Force for many years and was a decorated combat veteran having flown vital missions in incredibly dangerous situations. He had therefore been at the top of a very short list when the previous lead pilot for His Majesty had been killed when Imperial One had been shot down over the Rocky Mountains. In the years that had passed he had amply demonstrated that he was a good choice. It was also likely to be very good for his career in the long run, whilst it was almost always the last flying job before being grounded due to age, those who served as the pilot of Imperial One always made air rank and most went on to gain a very high rank in the Imperial Air Force, a direct result of the often close relationship between the King and the pilot of his personal aircraft.

King Walker was looking forward to this visit. It had been nearly ten years since he had been to Cotland, and had been only an Archduke at the time, and he was looking forward to coming back. It was safe to say if there was one place outside of the Empire where the Apilonian Royalty would be given a good welcome; it was the Realm of Cotland, just as the Cottish Monarch would receive a good reception in the Empire. It was also an important moment for the Empire of Apilonia; it had been invited to join the October Alliance, essentially officialising its close relationships with both the Realm of Cotland and the Empire of Layarteb. In either event it was a very important visit, the fact that it was occurring when it was constituted a testament to that. The King and Queen were touring the world over the summer on the Imperial Yacht Apilonia, but the fact that they were coming now meant that it was far too important to wait. Not to mention that this was the first time this was the first overseas visit since the birth of their daughter, the Princess Olivia.

As the VC-25 was taxied towards the appropriate place Walker, his Queen, Jessica, and their entourage assembled near the door that would leave them off the aircraft. Walker was adorned in clothing appropriate for the environment. Specifically he was wearing a heavy wool Greatcoat in the style of the Imperial Navy, with the rank insignia of an Admiral of the Fleet, underneath this Greatcoat he wore the No.1 service uniform of the Imperial Navy, again with the rank of Admiral of the Fleet on the sleeves. As a former officer of the Imperial Navy, in his youth, not to mention as the Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Armed Forces, he was authorised to wear the uniform. And, after all, he was the King. The Queen was adorned in a similar style, but rather that of the Imperial Army. She had after all been a Colonel in the Imperial Army before she had married the King, and was the Royal Colonel-in-Chief of the elite Rifles Regiment. In contrast to her husband’s black Greatcoat hers was Army green and in place of a peaked cap she wore a beret in rifle green. The relationship between the Imperial Royal Family and the military was a close one, always had been and always would be, besides this time there was a reason for Walker in particular to be wearing the uniform of the Imperial Navy.

As the aircraft came to a halt and the stairs were put in place the door was opened. A pair of Imperial Army soldiers, dressed similarly to the Queen but wearing rank insignia of enlisted soldiers, walked down the steps and took position on either side of them. There were men of the Coldstream Guards Regiment of the Imperial Army, specifically the ceremonial unit attached to foreign visitations by the Imperial Monarch. Once they were in place the King and Queen stepped out into view, waving at the crowd. They then made their way down the steps, followed promptly first by a number of Secret Service Agents, who were tasked with the protection of the King, and then the rest of their entourage. The soldiers both saluted sharply as the King passed them, to which he responded with a crisp salute of his own. Walker smiled broadly as Sverre approached them.

“Your Majesty, it is an absolute pleasure to be here,” Walker said warmly. “How are we? Well for myself I’m excited, this is a big occasion for the Empire, and it’s been far too long since I’ve been to Cotland in any event.”

Jessica smiled just as warmly.

“Similar actually, I’ve not been here before, although I’m missing my daughter,” Jessica replied. “Yourself?”

After Sverre replied they began to make their way along, no one wanted to stay out in the cold longer than necessary. They performed a brief inspection of the honour guard, well-turned out as Walker would have expected before making their way along. Walker embraced the Imperial Ambassador; after all she was none other than HRH Princess Anna, The Duchess of the Yukon, the King’s sister. He and Olivia then spent a few minutes shaking hands and speaking to the various Apilonian citizens who had turned out to see them before heading for the motorcade.

[Layarteb]

February 3, 2014 - 11:00 hrs [UTC+1]
Oslo, Norway
Grand Hotel
(59° 54' 49" N, 10° 44' 22" E)

The Emperor and an entourage of dozens of aides, bodyguards, medical personnel, and governmental personnel had landed in Oslo just two hours earlier after a particularly long and turbulent flight. Most of the people flying weren't able to sleep and those who had were envied by those who couldn't. For his part, the Emperor remained largely inside of his private office aboard the VC-30F Condor, tending to last minute paperwork and reading through important documents. Despite his being out of the country for a few days, the business of running the Empire never exactly stopped. To help, the Emperor's bombshell of a receptionist, Judy Mitchell was along for the trip, largely because unlike the rest of the Emperor's receptionists, she was unmarried and without children so no one would suffer back at home for her absence. Brutally efficient and along for her utility rather than her looks, Judy Mitchell was one of those few who slept on the entire flight over to the distance capital.

The Grand Hotel, Oslo's finest and one of its oldest hotels had cleared out its topmost floor, the penthouse suite for the Emperor and his immediate staff, as well as the floor underneath it for the aides and other personnel. One Force Falcon team had gone on ahead to sweep and check the hotel while the other arrived with the Emperor. Additionally, already having gone on ahead were several air force cargo aircraft bringing vehicles for the Emperor and his entourage to use, along with the necessary fuel and repair supplies to operate them without putting a burden on the Realm of Cotland. It was a mighty production indeed but the Cottish weren't going to be bothered by it much. In town were the Apilonian royals as well and they too had made similar accommodations.

There had been fanfare at the airport for the Emperor too but not in the level that the Apilonians had, not because of preference but because of design. The Apilonians were the honored guests of the Cottish, but also of the Layartebians for this was a meeting concerning the expansion of The October Alliance, which had been down to just the Empire and the Cottish Realm for some time now. Today's luncheon was meant to hash out the pleasantries and eventually, the Apilonian King would be presented with a document, signifying his intent to join the Empire of Apilonia with The October Alliance. The Apilonians would be treated as the Cottish were, insofar as the Empire was concerned, and vice versa for the Cottish.

It made sense though, bringing the Apilonians into the alliance. They shared the same core beliefs as the Empire and the Realm, they were committed to fight against the spread of communism and terrorism. The recent assistance that the Apilonians rendered to the Cottish against the pirates of northern Morocco combined with the actions the Apilonians were performing West of the Wall in lieu of the collapsed Armed Republic of Soviet Bloc. Soon enough, the Apilonians would have all of the territory from the Mississippi to the Pacific, thus uniting the North American continent once again. The Emperor personally looked forward to the day when he could officially give the order to scale back the massive border defenses that had been erected along the Mississippi River.

There was more to it than defense matters though. The October Alliance was a full-spectrum alliance. It paved the way for free trade, cultural and political exchange, and other economic benefits. The October Alliance, much maligned through history wasn't just a mutual defense alliance, it was a loose confederation of sovereign nations all realizing the mutual beneficence of cooperating on all matters of the socio-political spectrum. The October Alliance, thus still around for all of these years had been doing something right, even if it was only the Empire and the Cottish Realm left. The inclusion of the Apilonians would, in the Emperor's mind, provide a new era of wealth, trade, and exchange for the members of the alliance, and the Emperor knew that of all of the nations on earth, the Apilonian Empire was the wisest choice.

[Cotland]

GARDERMOEN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
OSLO, PROVINCE OF NOREG, REALM OF COTLAND
031000A FEBRUARY, 2014

King Sverre smiled warmly as he embraced the Apilonian Queen, noting as he gave her a warm hug that Nadia, the twenty year old, second youngest daughter of the Baron of Juneau and his most precious fling during his last visit to Apilonia, was part of the entourage, no doubt one of the Queen's ladies in waiting. Pleased, he made a mental note to discreetly invite her for a private tour of the Palace later that evening before ending the embrace and taking the Apilonian King on a quick inspection of the well turned-out company of Guardsmen as the national anthems played.

When Walker was done with the meet and greet, during which more photographs were taken than when an average-sized Asian tourist group visited any tourist attraction (read: lots of photos were taken), the King guided them to the waiting motorcade and sent them on their way before returning to the blessed warmth of his helicopter which would take him back to Oslo.

As he walked to the helicopter, he sent a text to Nadia, asking her what she was doing later that evening. The reply he got almost immediately was most encouraging: "You <3"

Yes, Sverre thought, the evening promised to be most entertaining.


ROYAL PALACE
OSLO, PROVINCE OF NOREG, REALM OF COTLAND
031200A FEBRUARY, 2014

A few hours later, Sverre stood in the private royal apartment in the west wing of the fourth floor in the Royal Palace, looking out the windows down on the palace plaza where a full company of Guardsmen were assembled, rendering honours to the motorcades that were arriving at the Palace. The motorcades, one carrying the Apilonian Royals and the other carrying the King's Godfather, the Emperor of Layarteb, were spaced about five minutes apart, allowing for proper honours to be rendered and for the distinguished guests to enter the grandiose palace without feeling any rush.

As the visitors arrived, they would be met at the entrance of the Palace by palace servants dressed immaculately in traditional, extravagant servant dress and escorted up a set of elaborate marble stairs, leading to the first floor reception lobby. The lobby was lined by twenty marble columns along the walls, with priceless pieces of art and items on display between the columns, many of the paintings and items displaying Cottish history and might. The whole idea behind the reception lobby was to wow the visitors and impress upon them the grandness of Cotland and its rich, thousand-year history. Normally, visitors would be kept in the reception lobby for a short while, impressing them, but the distinguished visitors were kindly escorted through the large double doors at the far end of the lobby.

As they passed through the doors, which were held up by two servants who bowed deeply as they passed, the visitors found themselves entering a large hall, well lit by large windows and massive chandeliers that hung from the ceiling, some six meters over the floor. This was the Ballroom Hall, where ordinarily receptions were held. Here, the majority of the respective entourages of the visitors would be entertained while the Apilonian royals and the Emperor, along with members of the entourage especially selected by the respective monarchs, would be led through another set of large doors that led into another lavishly decorated hallway to a set of doors with two men with military haircuts, sharp dark suits and a no-nonsense attitude that immediately identified them as security.

The two men nodded and stepped aside to open the door, allowing the visitors into a smaller, though in no way, shape or form unluxurious room, the so-called White Room, so called due to the white walls and white and gold furnishings. Clearly, with the White Room as with all other rooms the visitors had seen so far, money hadn't been an object when they had built and maintained this palace.

Here, sitting in a gleaming white leather chair, King Sverre waited, dressed in a tailor-made navy blue suit that accentuated his fit corpus, the trousers sporting a sharp military press, a matching tie with a perfect double Windsor tie, a crisp white shirt and sharply polished handmade shoes. His longish blonde hair was neatly kept, as was his blonde Van Dyck style beard. As the visitors entered, the young King immediately rose and welcomed the distinguished guests.

"Welcome," The King said, "To my Palace. Please, have a seat."

The King gestured to the gleaming white leather sitting group by the lit fireplace. As the royals sat down, they'd find themselves sitting in some surprisingly comfortable leather chairs.

"We will be ready to dine shortly. Would you care for some refreshments while we wait?"

A servant was ready to produce whatever the guests cared to drink.

[Layarteb]

-- reposting for betterness --

[Terra Reborn]

His Majesty King Walker I of Apilonia
The Royal Palace
Oslo, Realm of Cotland
Friday 3rd February 2013, 1200hrs Local Time (0200hrs Imperial Capital Time, 1100hrs Zulu Time)

Walker looked out from behind the tinted windows of the State Limousine as they drove past the Guardsmen that were rendering honours to them. Whenever the Imperial Monarch travelled abroad the Imperial One aircraft was typically preceded by cargo aircraft carrying both vehicles for the King himself but for the Secret Service, whilst the majority of the retinue and entourage were carried by locally hired vessels. The reason for this was simple, the Imperial Secret Service preferred to keep tight control over the vehicle that was going to be carrying their King, it wasn’t so much that they didn’t trust the locals, especially in this case, but rather they wanted to be able to control as much as possible. The Imperial State Limousine was heavily armoured and heavily modified, designed to protect the King from pretty much any attack that could be conceived and get him safely out of any ambush. It was also luxurious inside and came complete with an uplinked highly encrypted secure satellite phone. In any event for this occasion there were two flags on the front of the limousine, one was the Imperial Flag, the other was that of the Realm of Cotland, as was routine on foreign visits.

Once they were out and into the Palace itself they looked around as they were led through the corridors. Although they were both used to similar surroundings back home they never the less looked around with interest, after all it was all slightly different from back in the Empire, the decorations were slightly different as were the painting and the other artwork. The majority of the retinue was left in the first room, including a pair of smartly dressed men and a pair of Imperial Naval Officers, the latter carrying large heavy looking boxes, the former carrying much smaller boxes, just waiting to be summoned. Walker, Jessica, and Anna, continued into the second room past the security, where they deposited the last of their Secret Service Agents, after all there were going to be no threats inside that second room. They smiled warmly as the young Cottish King rose to meet the older Imperial Royal.

“Thank You indeed,” Walker nodded. “It is indeed a lovely place you have here.”

As they sat down Walker examined the Cottish King. His reputation was well known by those in the know and his exploits were infamous amongst the Empire’s great and good. The various nobles whose young daughters had fallen for the King’s ‘charms’ were invariably less than pleased, but it wasn’t exactly the end of the world as it may have been in the past; after all for the most part most people didn’t expect their wives to be virgins until marriage anymore, not all by any means but most. Never the less it was only going to be a matter of time before Sverre put his foot in it somewhere or another and caused a diplomatic stir but Walker was determined to keep it away from this particular occasion. He had personally instructed for the Cottish King’s known conquests to be kept safely at home, and if their noble parents had complained about being excluded from this particular entourage he had simply given them a very old-fashioned look and let his silence speak volumes. At least by the time Walker’s own daughter was old enough for that kind of thing Sverre would, hopefully, be happily married with children to continue his line.

Not that it was Walker’s concern in any way, this wasn’t his Kingdom after all and he wanted this to go as well as anyone else.

“Apilonian Naval Rum if you’ve got any,” Walker ordered, a call-back (as if his uniform wasn’t enough) to his years in the Imperial Navy.

“Vodka Martini for me,” Jessica added. "Stirred, not shaken."

[Cotland]

ROYAL PALACE
OSLO, PROVINCE OF NOREG, REALM OF COTLAND
031210A FEBRUARY, 2014

“Thank You indeed,” Walker nodded. “It is indeed a lovely place you have here.”

The King smiled as he replied, "Thank you sir, though to my mild chagrin, it is no Fortress Karin."

Within a minute, the ordered beverages appeared, being served to the distinguished guests on a silver tray by a servant. The King himself had a Mint Julep, served as is tradition in a silver cup. The only difference between a Mint Julep served in a bar and the one the King was having was that it was served in a silver cup that dated back to the 1100s.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to propose a small toast. To dear friends."

After they had drank, Sverre noticed one of the higher-ranking servants appearing in the corner of his eye. Looking up to him, the servant bowed deeply and said in Cottish,

"Your Majesty, we are ready."

Giving the servant a kind thanks in Cottish, Sverre turned to his guests again.

"My dear friends, lunch is ready. Shall we?"

With that, the King led the guests into the so-called Private Dining Hall, a 180 square meter hall as elaborately decorated as the previous ones, complete with marble columns and priceless pieces of art on the wall. In the centre of the hall was a dining table large enough to seat everyone comfortably, made of the finest polished dark oak and covered with fine linen and set with exquisite fine china and silverware. Clearly, more tables could be added if needed, allowing for up to fifty people to be seated comforably. A dozen servants stood by the wall, ready to cater to the every whim of the guests.

After everyone had found their seats and gotten settled in, the King nodded and the first entry was brought out.

The menu was a three-course lunch meal, where the starter was a Cottish traditional spicy creamy fish soup with codfish, trout, prawns, and various vegetables, served with freshly baked rolls. The main entry was a deer steak served with a red wine sauce, sautéed vegetables and roasted potatoes; while the dessert consisted of krumkake with cloudberry cream. All dishes served were traditional Cottish cusine.

"My dear ladies and gentlemen," King Sverre said as the servants started serving the food. "We have a saying here in Cotland. 'He who waits for something good, does not wait in vain.' I feel that this is a fitting saying for the occasion. King Walker, our two nations share a long and close past. We have stood together as friends in the best of times and in the worst of times. Yet, there has not been any formal treaty betwen our two countries. I am very glad that you are here in Oslo today, to not only join my Realm and our Layartebian friends, but also so we can all share in this fine meal together as brothers. And sisters. My dear brothers and sisters, I propose a toast to your health!"

[Terra Reborn]

His Majesty King Walker I of Apilonia
The Royal Palace
Oslo, Realm of Cotland
Friday 3rd February 2013, 1210hrs Local Time (0210hrs Imperial Capital Time, 1110hrs Zulu Time)

“To dear friends,” Walker and Jessica intoned in reply to the toast.

They stood and followed the Cottish King into the dining room and were soon settled at the table. It was much as they expected and definitely a continuation of the theme that they had seen so far, specifically professionalism and dignity reflecting a Monarch’s palace, it bode well for the King of course, but also for his entire staff and they did him a credit. Walker looked with approval over the food that was coming out, looking forward to getting at it in a few moments but turned to glance at the Cottish King as he made his toast.

“To all of our healths, my friend,” Walker smiled warmly as they toasted, after it was done he nodded. “Indeed you are correct, the relationship between your Realm and my Empire has always been one of those unspoken but deeply held friendships, it is never the less good for it to finally be formally written, if only to make it clear to all of our enemies the determination of our resolve.”

Walker smiled slightly.

“It is a particularly poignant moment for me, when I first began to lead the Empire back into the light it was just a shadow of its former self and the Realm of Cotland was there for us,” Walker smiled more broadly. “Now over thirty-years on, god help me, the Apilonian Empire has finally reclaimed its Great Power status that it lost all those years ago, and with no small help from you, or indeed the Empire of Layarteb, for that both I and the Empire as a whole are eternally grateful.”

[Layarteb]

February 3, 2014 - 12:15 hrs [UTC+1]
Oslo, Norway
Cottish Royal Palace
(59° 55' 1" N, 10° 46' 42" E)

Situated in a park that was nearly 55 acres in area, the Cottish Royal Palace was a thing of splendor and beauty unmatched in many parts of the world. The Emperor and the necessary members of his entourage all arrived in line and went through the usual formalities of these state events. Photographs were taken and handshakes were exchanged before everyone was led into the inner chambers of the palace. Therein, the Emperor and his entourage separated, they being led to a separate area while he and his longtime, female companion, Doctor Rachel Wilson, were led to the door of the private meeting area, announced, and escorted in, joining King Sverre, King Walker, and Queen Jessica. Though the Emperor put on a good show, he loathed these types of "royalist" formalities. There was just something in the way that royalist countries went through formalities versus non-royalist countries, the Empire particularly.

The Emperor, now sixty-six years old by his birth certificate but less than forty-five physically, was the old man of the room and his companion, Dr. Wilson, his junior by eight years, was only slightly older than King Walker was. In stark contrast, King Sverre was the young buck in the room and therein lied some of the Emperor's present anxiety. The Emperor knew King Sverre's "reputation" better than the young king knew his own reputation and, judging by the appearance of some of the women in the Apilonian entourage; it was more than likely that King Sverre would have plenty of company for the next few days. That worried the Emperor greatly but he suppressed as much of it as possible. As he sized them up quietly and reservedly, the Emperor remembered the time when King Sverre, staying in the Fortress of Comhghall as the Emperor's guest, attempted to sneak in a gaggle of 20-something Layartebian singles for an all-night orgy. Mel Brooks said it best, "It's good to be the king," and the Emperor knew that King Sverre had memorized that line thoroughly.

There was a lot riding on this meeting and with the inclusion of the Apilonian Empire into The October Alliance. In many regards, the Empire had more to lose by an Apilonian rebuke than the Cottish did. The Apilonians were consolidating the disjointed and antagonistic city-states of the American Midwest, fulfilling the role played by the Armed Republic of Soviet Bloc, one of the original members of this very alliance. Since the ARSB fell in the mid-90s, the Empire had turned its western border on the Mississippi into one of the most heavily fortified borders in the world, save for that abutting both the Cottish Realm and the Union of Sovereign Slavic Republics. If the Apilonians quelled the riotous Midwest, and signed into the alliance, the Empire could turn its western border back into what it was in the days of the ARSB. The resources, both physically and economically that the Empire could free up by these two acts were incalculable to the Empire's prosperity.

The last thing the Emperor needed was King Sverre to foul things up because of his raging libido. As an old man, the Emperor knew all too well the desires of the young and now, graced with age and some of the wisdom that came with it, he knew all too well the value in being discreet. Of course, King Sverre was as discreet as any man of his age was and could be but there was a lot that got "through the censors," so to speak. The Emperor had directed the Ministry of Intelligence to establish a small, compartmentalized group within the Ministry of Intelligence whose only job it was to gleam information on King Sverre's extracurricular activities and suppress them from the public's knowledge both in the Empire and in the Realm. It most certainly went without saying that this group had global reach and nearly unyielding influence.

The Emperor was also King Sverre's godfather, his living only relative, the rest having been wiped out in the Cottish Flu Pandemic some thirteen years earlier. King Sverre, then just a child, was spirited away in secrecy to the Empire's Province of Layarteb by the most loyal of royal guards and there he hid until the plague died out and the Cottish government, utterly decimated by casualty, reformed. When he returned triumphantly to Oslo, he did so to nearly unanimous approval of the Cottish people, who loved their royal family almost as much as they loved the act of breathing. The being said, if King Sverre ruined this momentous occasion, the Emperor would be faced with two horrendous choices. He could punish King Sverre and thus the entire Cottish Realm or he could forgive him, as any good parent would - eventually. The Emperor shuddered at the prospect of either so he hoped that King Sverre would be even more discrete during this signing than he ever was.

It was partly for that reason that the Emperor brought Dr. Wilson with him. Though the Emperor had never married, the stunning beauty who stood 5-foot-8 to his 6-foot had been his longtime girlfriend/companion. He'd never wavered in his faithfulness to her and she was one of only a handful of people who knew the Emperor before he was the Emperor. They first met in late 1974 when Dr. Wilson, then eighteen and working in the peace corps in Western Venezuela happened upon the Emperor and his Delta squad during one of their routine training exercises. Her humble abode had been built on their primary training grounds; and during the end of 1974, she got to know him and his squad quite well, cooking supper for them several times. They saw little of one another during 1975 but kept in contact briefly but in 1976, when the Emperor and his unit returned to fight terrorism at home, once again did he encounter Dr. Wilson.

Dr. Wilson was then in school in Layarteb City, obtaining a PhD in science. She was utterly brilliant even then and she got caught up in the violence of the city. They ran into one another during one of the Emperor's scouting missions and though she could have compromised his whole unit, she was wise enough to brush it aside. When the revolution broke out months later, she resisted the government's urging to turn over known rebels and when the Second Layartebian Civil War ended in 1980, she was there by the Emperor's side as he declared victory.

Dr. Wilson had been in his life irregularly ever since, partly because of her work. Though her PhD was in various fields of science, her real focus of study was the paranormal. She was also an integral part of a very mysterious and highly secretive agency within the Layartebian government that conducted paranormal studies. However, unlike the popular "reality" shows such as Ghost Hunters, this agency wasn't about ratings, funding, or notoriety. Instead, they studied ancient texts, history, buildings, religious rites, and so on and so forth. They had a large collection of artifacts from history, some claiming to have possessed magical powers but in truth, history was rife with exaggeration and misunderstanding when it came to the paranormal field.

Outward appearances were what they were though; and Dr. Wilson, equaling the Emperor's height today thanks to her high-heeled shoes, was along for two primary reasons. The first and perhaps most important was to provide Queen Jessica with company while the "men" discussed the alliance and conducted the final, behind-the-scenes discussions. Secondly, the Emperor hoped that she could speak to King Sverre about his habits and his future plans. King Sverre was one of few people in the world who knew their relationship and the role she played to the Emperor. The Emperor kept his private life very private, especially from the public of the world and though Dr. Wilson's closeness to the Emperor was not a secret, only King Sverre knew the true history of the two companions and of the unbreakable bond they both had, that now spanned forty years of world history.

When the hostess approached them with a drink order, the Emperor let Dr. Wilson order first. Her drink of choice was white wine and for the Emperor, it was single malt 18-year old scotch; a bottle of which King Sverre would have certainly set aside personally for his godfather. In the meantime, the Emperor took the opportunity to introduce Dr. Wilson to the Apilonian royals and to greet his godson. The whole ordeal was equally wanted by both the Emperor and by King Sverre but for the purposes of pitch and respect, King Sverre would be making the lead on inviting the Apilonian Empire into The October Alliance. If the King Walker penned his name to the document, he would be given a private tour of the alliance's headquarters in Kungläv, just north of Gothenburg in Sweden, about one hundred and fifty-five miles to the south-southeast of Oslo.

When it was time to eat lunch, the Emperor and Dr. Wilson entered like everyone else and took their seats. The real masterpiece would be the deer steak but the Emperor had an affinity for freshly baked rolls that kept him exercising daily to keep his metabolism on par with his dietary habits. After King Sverre and King Walker both addressed the matter, the Emperor took his own cue though since he was playing a secondary role, he was more there to be seen rather than heard. "The Apilonian Empire has, in my own regard, exceeded expectations, both politically and economically.

"I must admit that I had some initial doubts and I apologize for them but they are born out of hard experience with nations that rise and inevitably fall before they can become stable on their feet. Your own expansion is reminiscent of that which we undertook some thirty-or-so years ago when the ashes of the Republic breathed new life into that of the Empire.

"Your bond with the Cottish Realm has created an unspoken alliance with us as well. We agreed militarily, we agree economically, and politically we are kin. That goes without say that culturally, your nation is rich with heritage and not blinded by pride. What more could I or King Sverre ask for frankly?

"The future is bright for the Apilonian Empire and that is a brightness we wish not to dim but rather feed." The Emperor said. A thought crossed his mind as he uttered those words and reflected on the age gap of the room, Is this the twilight for the Empire and for myself?

[Terra Reborn]

His Majesty King Walker I of Apilonia
The Royal Palace
Oslo, Realm of Cotland
Friday 3rd February 2013, 1210hrs Local Time (0210hrs Imperial Capital Time, 1110hrs Zulu Time)

“Indeed, it is only right for those of us who believe the same and have the same vested interests in those areas that you mentioned to come together for the betterment of all, there are examples in everything from physics to nature as to why some things are stronger together than apart, I think that is certainly true here,” Walker nodded. “You are both I’m sure as painfully aware as I am just how dangerous the world we live in is, even without considering the likes of Hi No Moto there are still countless other potential problems, not necessarily just to ourselves but to our friends around the globe but to international stability, and together I’m sure we can continue the work we’ve all been doing individually for years, that joint-op down in the Med with the pirates is the perfect example.”

Walker glanced over at the Emperor.

“As for ourselves once we’ve secured the rest of North America from the city-states we are likely to stop our expansion, as we’ve both stated the Empire has expanded rapidly in the past few years, as soon as we are in a stable position we need to start consolidating what we’ve got,” Walker commented. “Militarily we can easily hold what we have, even those areas where we are still having to deploy occupation forces, such as Nevada given their history, but I would be most grateful if both the Realm and the Empire could invest economically in the areas that my Empire has claimed most recently, just as the Apilonian Empire will be s a whole, I’m sure that through the October Alliance this will be as advantageous to yourselves in the long-term as it will be for us.”

[Layarteb]

The conquerable world, not including the seas, amounted to 148,940,000 km² and approximately 58% of that was controlled by coherent, regular nations. The remaining 42% was disjointing madness. When it came to the 58%, the top five nations in order of size were the Empire of Layarteb, the Apilonian Empire, the Senatus Populusque Romane, the New African Republic, and the Republic of China. The Empire itself stood with only one close competitor, the Apilonian Empire, which controlled 10.5% of the planet compared to the Empire's 10.7%. Together, the three nations of The October Alliance could control nearly one-quarter of the planet, quite a powerful figure.

Thus, comparing figures, to call this era a "time of reckoning" for the Empire was not far-fetched. The rise of the Apilonian Empire mirrored that of the Layartebian Empire in many ways. Now, some thirty-four years later, the Empire was seeing its military power decline. In just two years, the Empire had fought the bloodiest war in modern history in southeastern China with nothing to show for it, the action in Georgia had been an abysmal disaster, and the mess of Eritrea still rung out whenever some pundit or analyst talked about humanitarianism in Africa.

In truth, the Empire was mere years away from losing its number one spot and that would affect Layartebian pride. Of course, if said nation were in The October Alliance, it might lessen the impact a little. It was a hard realization with no good answer. The Apilonian Empire would overtake the Layartebian Empire in terms of size but it would be a long time before they did so in population. Only the Republic of China was close there and the next closest, the Hi No Moton Empire was a long way off from China. The Apilonians and the Cottish occupied the fourth and fifth slots, respectively. In terms of military size, the Empire occupied the number two slot with only slightly more troops than the Cottish Realm. The Apilonians occupied number four with the Hi No Motons leading the division by nearly two million men.

Of course, there was something that pinged the Emperor's mind as he listened, White Sands is safe again, and by that he meant for the deployment of nuclear weapons. The Empire had several bases abroad that could hold and support air-droppable nuclear bombs but because of instability and national trust, the only base still holding any was in the Cottish Realm. White Sands Air Force Base, the biggest Layartebian base outside of its sovereign borders could hold a few hundred but none had been there since everything West of the Wall went to shit. Deployment there was moot though; there was no nearby enemy where forward deployment made sense. It wasn't like basing them in the Cottish Realm to levy against the Soviets. The Midwest was coming under control, Mexico was friendly, and that was where it stopped.

The Emperor left his train of thought and turned back to the conversation, knowing what the future held for this alliance.

[Cotland]

"As you all know, my own country has only recently succeeded in recovering from the Pandemic that ravaged my realm and people. While we've regained much of our strength in recent years, Cotland is still a mere shadow of its former self. My armies are mostly concentrated along the eastern territories, protecting from the Russians what we recovered after the Panedmic through blood and struggle. Therefore, I'm very happy to invite you to join myself and the Emperor to the family, so to speak. While the world remains at peace at the present, recent history have shown how fast that can change. The Chinese war in '12 is a perfect example of how quickly situations can change." Sverre spoke.

"So too the recent squabble in the Mediterranean. What particularly concerns me, apart from the constant worry of the Russians to the east, is the Hi No Motons. It isn't for nothing that my Pacific Fleet has been greatly strengthened over the past five years, not to mention the great buildup for forces in my new Chinese territories. In my opinion, the Hi No Motons are and must remain our principal opponent in the Pacific area, as the Russians must remain our principal opponent in the European area."

[Terra Reborn]

His Majesty King Walker I of Apilonia
The Royal Palace
Oslo, Realm of Cotland
Friday 3rd February 2013, 1210hrs Local Time (0210hrs Imperial Capital Time, 1110hrs Zulu Time)

“Indeed, of course the Apilonian Empire is in the unenviable position of potentially having to face both the Russians and the Hi No Motons in the Pacific theatre, given the extent of their holdings across the Bering Strait, however due to the terrain I agree that the most likely threat posed by them will be in Europe, as the Hi No Motons will no doubt be the primary threat in the Pacific, as you say,” Walker agreed sagely. “Despite these being the principle opponents I do tend to think that regional powers can give our own regional holdings a bloody nose before more substantial forces can show up, no doubt in the hope that if they can give a sufficiently hard whack we’ll give up, obviously that won’t be the case, its not for naught either that the Imperial Navy has increased the size of its Atlantic and Mediterranean Fleets in recent years, even with Portugal being returned to sovereign government, even if the Empire maintains a substantial stake in its success and stability.”

Walker sighed.

“I think its safe to say we’re all going to face challenges over the coming years,” He stated glumly. “At least we won’t be facing them alone.”

[Layarteb]

With the Pacific being discussed, the Emperor was in a much more informed position than his godson, simply because of the way maps were drawn. The Cottish holdings in the Pacific were slim but not for lack of want surely. "The two likeliest spots of clash in the Pacific would be the Aleutian Islands, should the Apilonian Empire wish to take them back, and the Thai Canal Zone, which the Moton puppet army in Thailand has virtually saturated with artillery.

"The Thai Canal Zone would be our weakest point, as an alliance, despite it being a Layartebian holding. The Thai Canal Zone allows all of us, and the entire world, to bypass the Hi No Moton maritime boundaries that separate Taiwan and the Philippines, limits which I personally see as excessive. This is the biggest point of contention between the Empire and the Hi No Motons. They loathe that the treaty was design in such a way to protect our interests there and no matter what level of troops we deploy, and there are many, at least five divisions, the Hi No Motons will always have the battlefield advantage.

"When the Thai Canal opened, it is not random that we allowed an Apilonian ship to go through first, a warship at that. It was a signal and a message to the Hi No Motons that the Thai Canal was open for business, that it was permanent, and that the Empire intended to broaden its relations with the Apilonians versus enter into oppressive dialogue with them.

"Since then, we have been watching a steady buildup of the Thai Army around the Canal Zone and it's no secret that the Thai Army is really just a 'reserve' unit of the broader, Hi No Moton Army, even if they try to convince the world that Thailand is free and independent." The Emperor said, concluding that train of thought but not his discussion. "With our deployments and with our acknowledgements, it is my desire to create two, intra-alliance units.

"Since you mention the business in Morocco, allow me to start there. I wish for us to create two to four small naval task forces, one or two of which would patrol the oceans on anti-piracy missions. The second is for a joint presence in the Thai Canal Zone, perhaps something small but symbolic enough to tell the Hi No Motons and their puppets that should they endeavor upon conflict and violence against the Thai Canal, they would be making a severely bad choice. The Thai Canal is not there to start a war. The Empire is not there to endeavor upon war but if they should force our hand, then so be it."

[Terra Reborn]

His Majesty King Walker I of Apilonia
The Royal Palace
Oslo, Realm of Cotland
Friday 3rd February 2013, 1210hrs Local Time (0210hrs Imperial Capital Time, 1110hrs Zulu Time)

“The Aleutian Islands are something that the Apilonian Empire would be interested in taking back, part of it is a matter of Pride I’ll freely admit, but if we held them we could install numerous radar stations as well as long range surface to surface and surface to air missiles, essentially giving the Apilonian Home Territories a formidable shield,” Walker replied honestly. “That being said, as long as the Hi No Motons don’t start basing military equipment on them I do not intend to start a war over them, if we otherwise go to war with the Hi No Motons then they’ll be my first objective, but I’m not prepared to start a war that will cost hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of lives on both sides over a few islands.”

Walker nodded.

“It was likewise no surprise that when you asked us to send one of our warships through first that it was the Excalibur, the flagship of the Navy,” Walker nodded. “Those suggestions sound very interesting, the Imperial Navy’s ships at sea are always available for anti-piracy operations, as a result then I would be more than happy to commit Imperial Warships to such an endeavour, and as already stated we appreciate the importance of the Thai Canal, and I am sure the Imperial Admiralty will be able to commit ships to that force as well.”

[Layarteb]

"Steps for steps," replied the Emperor. "When the Hi No Motons took the Aleutian Islands, I must apologize, the Empire was not attentive. Our mission, with regards to the Hi No Motons, insofar as the Pacific is concerned is one of containment. The Aleutians was a failure of that policy. We were focused in the South Pacific, where it appeared that the Hi No Motons were going to make a run on the Solomon Islands. It almost came to blows there but in the midst of it, they snuck in and captured the Aleutians, which now deprive your nation of land that is rightfully yours.

"That land is strategically vital for the containment of the Hi No Motons and by all means, should the Hi No Motons base strategic assets on the island chain it would constitute a clear and present danger not only to your empire but to the broader scope of the Pacific Ocean. There are many hot points throughout the Pacific Ocean and the Aleutians could very well be one but rather one that has been, until now, overlooked by us." The Emperor concluded before taking a sip of water. "The coherency of any plan with the Hi No Motons is something we three must iron out and thankfully, this alliance will facilitate those measures. War games in the Pacific are the first step and while we should not aim to provoke the Hi No Motons, we should certainly make them sweat a little bit."

[Terra Reborn]

His Majesty King Walker I of Apilonia
The Royal Palace
Oslo, Realm of Cotland
Friday 3rd February 2013, 1210hrs Local Time (0210hrs Imperial Capital Time, 1110hrs Zulu Time)

“Indeed, the Hi No Motons’ recent sabre-rattling over the Aleutians is concerning to say the least, although they appeared to have backed down somewhat once my Foreign Secretary made it clear that the Empire was willing to make a military response,” Walker commented with a slight smile. “Hell, there’s even a small chance that I’ll talk them into giving them back, slim of course but the very fact they are willing to hold a meeting to discuss the matter of sovereignty is a big step forwards, although I’m not sure how productive they’ll be as the Apilonian Empire’s posture on them is fairly unyielding.”

Walker shrugged.

“Either way I agree with you entirely, we need to make it clear to the Hi No Motons that we are fully prepared, and able, to take them on in a military confrontation, without provoking that very confrontation if it can be avoided without weakening our position with them,” Walker added. “On a totally different matter, the Imperial Navy will be deploying a third Aircraft Carrier to the Atlantic-Mediterranean theatre, probably a Washington or Australia Class, this is primarily due to increasing tensions with neighbouring nations around the Duchy of Sierra Leone, as well as the continuing instability in the Levant.”

[Layarteb]

"One can only hope that the Hi No Motons will be civilized in regards to this matter of the Aleutians. The Hi No Motons believe first and foremost that the entire breadth of the Pacific Ocean, from Asia to North American, from the Arctic to the Antarctic is their sovereign territory and such thinking does not make for good bedfellows. This mentality, first and foremost, has contributed greatly to their stature in the world. When they first began to consolidate in the dark days of post-Eastasian rule, the Empire wanted nothing more than to be friends but they spat our goodwill back in our face and set upon a battle of wits in the Pacific. We've won some rounds, they've won some rounds. It is a taxing game though and thus I caution you for it." The Emperor said before taking another drink of water before he continued onto the next part.

"Insofar as this messy business in Western Africa is concerned; I hope you will understand that the Empire does not have any desire to commit large amounts of forces. As for the Levant, we feel the same way. We are done with cleaning up the messes of the Amigardian Theocracy and though we still owe some sort of assistance to the decedents of the Hirgizstanians, there is only so much we can do for so long and we have stretched ourselves quite far. We will make our resources available to you but our commitment cannot be much."

[Terra Reborn]

His Majesty King Walker I of Apilonia
The Royal Palace
Oslo, Realm of Cotland
Friday 3rd February 2014, 1210hrs Local Time (0210hrs Imperial Capital Time, 1110hrs Zulu Time)

“Of course, and if it wasn’t for Sierra Leone it is entirely likely that the Apilonian Empire would have very little interest in the entire region, however as a result of last year’s unfortunate business and the territory’s annexation into the Empire, it’s defence has become our concern,” Walker nodded. “After long discussions with my Defence Council we decided that the best bet was to station what forces we can there so as to respond quickly and effectively to any issues, as a result the Carrier will probably be deployed to Corpus Christi, replacing the Audacious which went to Scapa Flow last year, although that does leave the South Atlantic without a proper carrier force, and only the small South Atlantic Station at Freetown.”

Walker frowned.

“Which actually brings me on to another matter, specifically the United Provinces of Bavin, now the Empire has largely kept itself clear of South American matters, although we know that the United Provinces are on the wane…” Walker commented. “I’d appreciate your thoughts on that particular matter.”

[Layarteb]

At the mention of the South Atlantic being without a proper carrier force, the Emperor nearly laughed. The Imperial Layartebian Navy had more than enough hardware in the South Atlantic to cover any trouble spots. "I wouldn't worry much about that, the Imperial Layartebian Navy has enough hardware in the South Atlantic to deal with any unfortunate event, we've been deployed in such a way specifically because of the Bavinese threat. Insofar as they are concerned, the Bavinese are not unlike the Hi No Motons, just with a different brand of insanity.

"The Bavinese see all of South America as rightfully theirs, just as the Hi No Motons see the whole of the Pacific. Fortunately for us, the Bavinese have been far less successful. The continued presence of the Achesians in Brazil has helped keep them in check and the rise of the Republic of South America, which is no friend to the Empire mind you, has been nipping away at them since they first consolidated Bolivia and Paraguay under their banner. The RSA is not unlike the Bavinese too, they are just as much into 'South America for South Americans' as the Bavinese are.

"The Bavinese though, they are collapsing under their own weight, their own policies, and their own weak foundations. You know the saying, 'You can build a throne out of bayonets but you cannot sit on it for very long.' That statement is very true for the Bavinese. Leadership might have changes but the vitriolic propaganda hasn't. The Bavinese still very much blame us for every single flaw and issue in their society. If one were to believe the Bavinese propaganda, why we would have a spy on every corner. If only we could be that omnipresent," the Emperor chuckled. "The Bavinese are a dying breed. The cracks in their foundations are evident and it is only a matter of time before they swallow themselves whole.

"In the event that such discourse should happen, the Empire is in a beneficial position to put a stop to it. We have numerous battle plans draw up in case such an event occurs. Our highest priority will be to neutralize their nuclear facilities, to avoid the launch of ballistic missiles. A follow on strike will eliminate their chain of command, as necessary, to prevent rogue generals from starting a world war. Insofar as your own empire is concerned, I would not worry much about the Bavinese, they are a regional power at best and they're not even holding onto that power very well currently."

[Terra Reborn]

His Majesty King Walker I of Apilonia
The Royal Palace
Oslo, Realm of Cotland
Friday 3rd February 2014, 1210hrs Local Time (0210hrs Imperial Capital Time, 1110hrs Zulu Time)

“Indeed, they are a regional power, if that, but part of the reason why I mentioned the lack of an Imperial Carrier Presence in the South Atlantic is the potential for regional trouble when the United Provinces eventually breaks up, but that is a concern for if and when it happens,” Walker commented. “Never the less your point is well taken, and I appreciate the insight, as I said despite our expansions in recent year the Apilonian Empire’s interests in South America are… limited, to say the least, but of course we will fulfil our treaty obligations whether in the world they may be required.”

[Layarteb]

"To that regard," the Emperor began, noting that there was an ideal opportunity for him to ask about a particular eyesore with regards to South America. "Where does the Republic of South America sit with the Empire of Apilonia? As I mentioned previously, they are no friend to the Empire and I would like your honest reckoning as to your relationship with them, if you would be so kind."

[Terra Reborn]

His Majesty King Walker I of Apilonia
The Royal Palace
Oslo, Realm of Cotland
Friday 3rd February 2014, 1210hrs Local Time (0210hrs Imperial Capital Time, 1110hrs Zulu Time)

“We’ve never had any real problems with them all things considered, but that may be because we’ve never had much interactions with South America, as I’ve said,” Walker replied. “As far as the Imperial Foreign Office is concerned the RSA’s nationalism isn’t necessarily a bad thing, if it unifies the parts of South America that the EoL doesn’t control, and from what we’ve seen as long as they don’t go psycho like the Bavinese… after all they are a democratic government when all is said and done.”

Walker shrugged.

“I admit, it’s possibly because the Imperial Navy is trying to get permission from the RSA to station a small regional squadron out of Valparaiso,” Walker added. “That being said, if things go wrong down there, we will carry out our commitments, as we would anywhere else in the world.

[Layarteb]

"I understand," the Emperor said, fully understanding what it was that the Apilonian king was saying. Perhaps though, the Emperor gave into thought, he did not understand how the RSA truly viewed the Layartebian empire. He would test his waters to see, "I wonder though if you perhaps are being misled by the RSA government, particularly concerning their nationalist sentiments. Now, you are correct that they are more 'grounded' we'll say, than the Bavinese are but do not be misled. That they are a democratic institution does not inhibit them. The Republic of South America believes, like the Bavinese, that only South American nations ought to rule in South America. Despite the breadth of the Province of Worros, the leadership in La Paz do not see us as a South American nation.

"At present, the RSA aims to undermine and remove the Bavinese threat because it is the weakest of them. They began with Bolivia and Paraguay. Then they moved into Chile, capitalizing on the dissonance between Chilean and Bavinese sentiments. Then it was Mato Grosso, which I do not have to explain. Against a unified nation though, Mato Grosso could not stand on its own. Sergipe was another folly, which began with aggression by the RSA portrayed to be aggression by the Empire. We have, despite evidence, yet to convince the Bavinese that we had no part in Sergipe; that is how great their paranoia is.

"The Achesians are a unified nation, stronger than any foe the RSA has fought so to them, the time being is for diplomacy with the Achesians. The Bavinese are the weakest ones in South America and so they are the next target. After the Bavinese fall, the RSA will turn its attention northward. Perhaps they will make a move against Amapá, perhaps against Achesia. I can tell you, in the case of the former, they will be met with severe and stiff resistance from us. Against Achesia, we believe the Achesians can handle their own. It is likely that if they continue on this push, they will move into Achesia. Afterwards, what is left, it is merely us and them. The leadership in La Paz will not be content until they control South America from the Caribbean to Tierra del Fuego. I assure you that if they continue on this path of belligerence, they will incur our wrath." The Emperor said, putting the matter as clearly as possible. Of course, this wasn't his opinion, this was what the Empire had gathered from intelligence reports and the movements of La Paz's administration.

[Terra Reborn]

His Majesty King Walker I of Apilonia
The Royal Palace
Oslo, Realm of Cotland
Friday 3rd February 2014, 1210hrs Local Time (0210hrs Imperial Capital Time, 1110hrs Zulu Time)

“I will of course bow to your superior knowledge and experience in regards to South American nations, indeed any intelligence that can be shared with my government regarding the RSA in particular would be of great help, especially in shaping the Foreign Office’s interactions with them in the future,” Walker commented thoughtfully. “But in either case I strongly hope that they don’t continue on this belligerent path you say they are on, I think we can all agree that we have much more pressing concerns as it is and that we don’t need another.”

Walker sighed and sipped his drink.

“Well, it certainly sounds like there’s a lot of trouble in the world, but then Imperial Intelligence does an extremely effective job of reminding me of that every damn morning when I’m trying to enjoy my breakfast,” Walker said dryly. “But I am hopeful that we’ll be able to at least ensure there is some order in the world, which is one of the reasons why I accepted the invitation to join the October Alliance.”