Fortress One
Foxtrot Sierra Zero One, or Fortress One, was a heavily customised 787 Dream Liner, Molly DeLéan reclined into one of the plus seats as they crossed Novan Airspace, heading for Motokata. The trip would be short, well compared to other trips out of the region. Molly had just declared war on every slave state in the civilised world, this was her whirlwind tour to shore up support from her allies, and to assure others that she had not gone mad.
To her right was her long time aid; Alison; the middle aged blonde woman was a constant companion, confidante and constantly single. Her life was not conducive to relationships, though rumour was she was dating a Marshite semi-seriously. Approaching from one of the offices that had been fit into the airliner, was Jim Gardner, he was a foreign policy advisor. He was a short balding bespectacled man in a shirt an tie that made him look like a salesman, which he was though not any salesman you might see in a car-lot. No his job was more to sell nations to the administration and the Foreign office. State visits, trade deals, treaties and other matters of foreign policy all went through his office before they ever reached the president. When they did, it was his job to sell those ideas to the president and ultimately to take responsibility for them if that nation did something biblically stupid, as did sometimes happen.
His latest project, was the little known nation of Xerut, which was eager to make its mark on the world; Xerut was already turning into quite the useful ally. His other project was this whirlwind tour, visits to Novan allies, and other extra-regional allies, fly the flag etc.
This would be Molly’s first time visiting Motokata, they were a friendly nation but Molly knew little of the inner workings of the state. “Okay Jim, what can you tell me?”
Gardner smiled as he sat down opposite the President.
“Well Madam President” he said taking out a folder marked with the CIS seal on it.
“Motokata was founded by a tight night group of Businessmen on a resources journey and it's since evolved into a Oligarchy-hybrid. It's a tropical country and very humid with large thunderstorms often, this time of year it is quite wet so wet weather gear is advised”
“It’s a peninsula country with major ports and rural areas with rigged mountains and thick jungles”, Gardner said.
“The country is ran by the State Holder who is also the nations Commander-in-Chief, currently that position is filled by Kaori Oda who succeeded from her husband after he was killed by a car bomb. Culturally it's a mix of western and old Japanese. The cities are more Westernised but smaller areas in the south and north are more traditional Japanese. Virtually the entire population is some sort of Asian usually Japanese, there's very few other racial minorities.” He added turning the page in his folder.
“Madam President Motokata is very much an ethnocentric nation, it's very capitalist. Slavery is somewhat borderline while physical abuse against your ‘servant’ is illegal, it’s believed that these servants are paid, though very little due to a semi-rigged class system”
“They have a good variety of food: - beef, fish, pork, rice, chicken and other quinines, belching in a dinner setting not appropriate and also considered very rude to speak while chewing. Where coffee is served one should turn their coffee cup upside down if you don't want coffee”, Gardner said.
“When we land, Motokatan Security has agreed to provide a motorcade, CIS can give you the details on that. When we are formally greeted there are two responses, for men it's a very firm hand shake for women it's a curtsey, the lower the curtsey the more respect it condones, so someone like Kaori Oda would get a pretty low one”
“Our files also indicate they are rather big on dresses”, Gardner said, closing his file.
“Very thorough Mr Gardner”, Molly said.
“Thank you ma’am”, He said.
“Dresses huh?” Molly said.
“Indeed, I have had Alison prepare something in advance for you”, Gardner said with a smile; “I like to be thorough”
“Boy Scout mentality?” Molly teased.
“Indeed”, Gardner replied.
Twenty minutes passed, and Fortress one came to a landing in the capital of Motokata, the aircraft taxing to a private hanger, out of the rain and its door opening up as stairs connected.
Several Secret service – Section -2 were first to disembark; dressed in black suits and shades they would secure the hanger, with the hanger secured, next down was Molly and her aids. Gardner dressed in an expensive looking suit; Alison in a long black dress. Molly in a white dress, that extended down to below the knee, black streaks went up the side, crossing over at her stomach and moving up between her breasts, covering all the important bits but leaving enough on show for those inclined to look.
Looking out of the hanger, it was raining, as expected, now they waited for the Motokatan’s to arrive.
