Friction and friendship. [MT/PMT] [Closed]

[Crysuko]

For years now, Crysuko and Tekniania have tentatively co-existed, but differences in laws and policies have resulted in a great deal of tension between the respective nations. Diplomats, politicians and ideologues on both sides have begun to create diplomatic tension between them. While nowhere near a military conflict, a more civil peace between the nations is desired. This already multifaceted issue is compounded by the personal friendship between their respective heads of state. The General Secretary of Crysuko and The Speaker of Tekniania have a "red telephone" sort of relationship, with a direct and unfiltered line of communication to the other's office. Recently, they have been speaking more and more, saddened that their respective countries are being pushed apart by their respectice ideologies.

This problem cannot be allowed to fester any longer, and General Secretary Diane Newton proposes that a summit be held in the northernmost city of Col-Talsis. It's pleasent weather and tourist infrastructure making it a good place for such a summit to take place, where it can be hosted at the Talsis Bay View hotel, a colonial era manor renovated into a hotel for the people, but diplomatic summits are sometimes held here as a show of the nation's wealth and success. After consulting foreign secretary Karl Morton on the matter, the initial preperations would be made. A message was also composed to be sent to The Speaker for their consideration.

Dear Speaker.
I am aware that there has been a great deal of friction and disagreements building between our respective states, and I propose a solution to this. Put simply, we hold a diplomatic summit in the city of Col-Talsis such that any difficulties can be formally worked out and a mutual treaty signed so that any friciton past or present can be put behind us, and kept that way for the future. The preperations can be begin at once on your assent to this, unless you have any other suggestions. Please get back to me soon. -General Secretary Diane Newton.

https://i.imgur.com/tCSht7h.jpeg
(Map of Crysuko included for reference)

[Tekniania]

A LETTER to the General Secretary of the United Socialist States of Crysuko,

I thank you, Madam General Secretary, for the invitation and I sincerely accept it. Once I have concluded my current business here in Tekniania City, I shall depart immediately for Col Talsis. As per tradition, I shall be travelling on the SGS Liberty, the Teknianian flagship. I ask that a place be provided in the nearby bay for it to safely drop anchor. I will also be taking along with me, as per tradition, a cohort of Council Guards for my protection. My husband shall be accompanying me as a representative of the Allied Guard, of which I am a member, though that is currently superseded by my duties as Speaker.

Most sincerely,
The Right Honourable, The Speaker of the General Council of the Allied States of Tekniania Falaniku Tamatoa SGC

---

And soon enough, after a few votes in the General Council and a Special Council, the SGS Liberty, with great pomp and fanfare, arrived in the port of Tekniania City, its 1 kilometre of pure Teknianian steel too big to fit into the port, and so it had to drop anchor way outside, sending out a boat to pick up The Speaker. She was quickly shown to her guest quarters, though she already knew her way to them, partly because she had served on the ship and because she had already travelled on it a few times.

It set sail, its internal nuclear reactor providing power for the entire ship to accelerate to quite a high speed and provide power for all of the onboard amenities, such as a full football court, which doubled as a storage bay for anti-air shells. In a day's time, the SGS Liberty, the biggest warship to ever grace the seas, was within viewing range of the city where the conference was due to take place. All precautions had been taken and the onboard crew, though they knew that this was pretty much a shipping mission, were still told to man their posts at all times, should any unfriendly power wish to interfere in The Speaker's life.

[Crysuko]

Col-Talsis port authority.

"Port authority calling SGS Libery. Come in, Liberty. We have been appraised of your arrival, and central berth number 3 has been cleared for your arrival, all docking paperwork has been waived. Welcome to Crysuko" The P-A officer hailed to the incoming ship. In the port itself, an almose festival like atmosphere was being set up. With the respective state flags of the nations hung down the main street to the bay view hotel which would host the event. The finest and most skilled diplomats and policy experts had been summoned, as well as a unit of Red Guard to ensure the safety of the General Secretary and other dignitaries.

It was a good day for it, with a bright sun high in a clear blue sky, a warm wind sweeping across the city. The people had been informed of this in advance, as the staff of the hotel were putting in extra effort (with a generous incentive, of course) to make the place look as pristine and proper as possible. While the party members present did their best to practice their rhetoric, perhaps to gain a slight upper hand in any treaty negotiations. But nothing aggressive, we're all trying to be friends here. An armoured limosine would be waiting for the foreign dignitaries at the docks, ready to take them to meet the General Secretary and party big shots. The press were also present, eager to get their scoop of the day's events as many around the country were glued to radio sets and live feeds. It was a nationwide event, after all.

[Tekniania]

The SGS Liberty received the call and answered affirmatively. It had also been decorated overnight, with pennants hung across the ship with the Teknianian flag and emblem, as well as the Sea Guard pennant and insignia. Now clearly within view, the standard greeting procedures began aboard the ship. First, a 5 second burst of the main fog horn, a symbol of the ship, and then a salute of all the ship's guns firing, which there were quite a few of, considering that Teknianians don't believe in aircraft carriers and do believe in many guns with high calibers. It swung into port, moving faster than most had thought possible for a ship of this size (1 kilometre in length, 150 metres across) and dropped anchor in the bay.

On the Bridge, a state of high alert was declared and all anti-air weapons were to be readied immediately for fire, just as a precaution. Every detail of the massive ship was visible in the port. The Speaker, a tall, slim woman stepped out onto the open air bridge wing, waving to the adoring crowd, with the pin on her lapel displaying the Teknianian and Crysukoan flags crossed. The crowd went quite wild while she was there, waving. After a few minutes, she stepped back inside and a covered boat launched from somewhere hidden from view, so the side facing the ocean and she was on her way to the docks.

There, she stepped out and moved towards the officials standing there, her husband at her side in his olive drab Land Guard uniform and 8 Council Guards, all clad in white, shiny uniforms with quite modern looking staves with unknown functions stood behind and around her.

[Crysuko]

General Secretary Newton flanked by a pair of honour guard in red and black dress uniforms, each with a ceremonial saber at the sides. The G-S herself was dressed in finery, black and gold adorned with medals and braids. Smiling for the press being held back by a line of police, she extended a hand as an initial show of good faith. TV crews had since arrived, with every major news source broadcasting the event for all to see. The Red Guard offered a formal salute to the Speaker's counterparts, the red star on their cap badges hewn from genuine ruby glistening brightly in the sun, uniforms immaculate. For the most hardline and devoted soldiers, being appointed to the red guard was the honour to top all honours.

The Crysukon flagship, the CSS Emancipator was also in port, flying full ceremonial regalia. Despite being a supercarrier, the sailors stood on the upper deck watching the scene below, with a wing of fighters preparing to give a formation fly-by as an air show to those on the ground, trailing red and gold smoke behind them. A fireworks display was planned for the evening as well, and the finest chefs in the country had been hurried in to prepared an evening meal for the delegates and dignitaties.

[Tekniania]

And roughly the same could be said for the Council Guard. Most of the soldiers in it were former Colonels, sometimes Generals, all incredibly deadly and incredibly motivated to protect those that they were assigned to protect. They, however, did not salute back, simply staring ahead and around the area, looking for threats. Doing anything that could compromise operational security, such as taking hands off ones weapons, were grounds for demotion and even discharging from the Guard entirely.

The Speaker stepped forward and gave the General Secretary a firm handshake, giving a smile and turning a few times for all the different press outlets. "Good morning, Madam General Secretary. Quite the crowd, no?" Her husband gave the General Secretary a smile too, though also keeping his hand on a heavily ceremonial rapier at his side, much less useful than the weapons carried by the Council Guard.

[Crysuko]

"We're very happy to have you" Newton replied, making sure all the camera got a good look at the show of good faith. The red guard did feel slightly snubbed at their salute not being returned, but ultimately understood the need for professionalism, especially at a time such as this. "Shall we make our way to the venue? There's transport waiting, and all security arrangements will be available to your own units. Our diplomatic staff are eager to begin today's work, and further pleasentries can take place after" she explained calmly. The motocade which would take them up there was waiting, with police motorcycles escorting them, but security forces were scattered along the route, quietly keeping the roads clear and safe.

[Tekniania]

Choosing to omit the fact that everything that she could tell her about the route she already knew, courtesy of the Special Guard. "I'm not used to cars, but I'll get familiar with them soon enough while I'm here." She walked with the General Secretary towards the motorcade and into the car indicated by the Crysukoan guards, with her own Council Guard forming up at the door while she got in, and only then getting in themselves, quickly scattering out across the vehicle and monitoring the road and area.

"Please, do tell me about the venue, I've been told that it's one of your old colonial buildings."

[Crysuko]

The vehicle was spacious, enough for both leaders to have a good bit of personal space. "Indeed, it dates back to the 1700s, prior to our independence from Britain and Spain in the early 19th. It's been used by various wealthy individuals and governers since, but was remodelled into a high class hotel after the revolution. Mercifully, this city suffered minimal damage. But it will make an ideal venue, as the main hall has been used for diplomatic events before. There will be several of our finest diplomats present to help smooth over any tensions between our nations, I'm quite sure we'll be able straighten out any misunderstandings and put that chapter behind us"

[Tekniania]

"Very good, General Secretary." She looked out the window and out at the road, slowly shaking her head. "A blessing that we don't have cars, this just isn't efficient. You have half of your city reserved for cars, why? Just have some urban, pedestrian space, public transport, trains." She turned back towards Diane. "Yes, I've brought quite a few of my own diplomats with me too, they've arranged for transport themselves, I do hope you don't mind us going a bit behind your back with that." Falaniku smiled tightly, not showing too many emotions.

[Crysuko]

"Most of the city was built over the course of 400 years, so it became necessary to provision for motor vehicles to allow post-war rebuilding and rabid economic development to take place. Though there are projects to transition to walkable areas, especially in residential districts. Andyour own diplomats finding their way is quite alright, they can't miss it. I've always rather liked Baroque architecture, and it frequently attracts high ranking party members and other such individuals. May I ask, how does the average person in your nation get around? Primarily focused on public transport and such? Walkable cities are very much in fashion these days"

[Tekniania]

"Hmm, a very good question, though, I must admit, one I've heard many times. Tekniania is an island nation spread out across half an ocean, and of those islands most are quite small. If you want to get somewhere, walking is the best option, many have bikes as well. The biggest islands, Kivoli, Savali, Kitanatahugiha, those have trams and buses, all of those I mentioned have metros as well. My son, Willem, took the Tekniania City Metro to school when I was a General Councillor." Tamatoa looked over at her husband and quickly smiled, giving a small laugh. "It's not hard to get anywhere, we barely had any cars before the ban anyway, only some people had them because they were just useless and expensive."

[Crysuko]

After a short while of sharing polite chat, they arrive at the destination. A grand Baroque manor house on a hill, overlooking much of the city and its beaches. Another handful of guards are present to escort us in, the staff of the place exhaustively briefed and prepared as to the gravity of the situation, and how there cannot be even the slightest mistake. Also waiting there is a smartly dressed older hispanic man. "Pleasure to meet you, Speaker. I am Antonio Vasquez, concierge of this establishment. Should you require any services, then I and the staff will be happy to provide. Would you like to take a look around, or get straight to business? All the delegates have arrived, and are settling in nicely"

[Tekniania]

"I do think that business should take precedence. Do expect that you get a visit from my personal guards at some time, they'll want to have a talk about security arrangements." While what she had said was true, she also knew the layout of the building by heart, once more as a courtesy from the Special Guard. "For now, show me to where the conference is taking place, so that we can begin as soon as possible. Thank you for your courtesy, Mr Vasquez." She followed him to the main hall, where... (you'll probably want to explain what's there)

---

Meanwhile, on the SGS Liberty, all preparations were taking place for their little show in the evening, with fireworks being prepared. On the Bridge, the ship's commanding officer, Vice Admiral Fa'Amoe, was overlooking a situation report, hoping that all the embarked Sea Guards would, while the conference was taking place, get a chance to disembark. "Guardswoman," he turned towards the communications officer who was decyphering a report from Allied Command, "radio to the port authorities and tell them to relay a request to the person in charge of the local military zone, they're probably in charge of these things, that we want permission for shore leave to take place during the conference."

The Guardswoman 2nd Class immediately turned towards her radio console and sent out the request. "This is SGS Liberty to Col-Talsis Port Authority. We are asking that you relay a request to the person in command of this area for our sailors to disembark during this conference. Over."

[Crysuko]

The main hall of the manor where the conference would take place was massive, with a high and intricately decorated ceiling. The floors were of polished black marble, and the mahogany walls decorated with paintings of important individuals or a small group thereof, and scenes of battles and heroism. A pair of Crysukon delegates to weigh in on the proceedings and advise the General Secretary were also present, as was Foreign secretary Karl Morton. A tall and thin, greying man in a neat tan suit. Those present rose in respect for both leaders, with various papers in front of each man. A jug of water and glasses were also present, with the concierge within earshot should anything else be needed. "Let's take our seats and go over the agenda, shall we?" Newton concluded, takign a seat next to Morton with the advisors on either side of them.

Meanwhile in the harbor, the port authority radioed back. "Roger that, Liberty. Your crew has clearence to disembark and enter civilian zones. Local authorities have given clearence, over"

[Tekniania]

Just as Tamatoa was taking a seat, the door to the hall opened once more and a group of Teknianian delegates, all slightly tanned, some in suits, some in traditional clothing also entered, quickly giving a small nod towards the table. "And we would be the Teknianian delegation, hopefully you did not get into it too much without us." There were only 4 of them: one, the person speaking, was the Commissioner of External Affairs, a very senior position in the government, Akeakami Fuga. At his side, an older woman, the Commissioner of Peace, and then two young men behind them, diplomatic aides, one being the Teknianian ambassador to Crysuko and another an aide from the Department of External Affairs, brought from Tekniania. They all took their seats at the table, flanking The Speaker. Meanwhile, the Council Guards dispersed throughout the room, doing their best to keep everyone safe while not intruding too much.

"Yes, the agenda, that is something that we have not been told about, please do inform us about it." Tamatoa continued, quite unbothered by how the Teknianian diplomatic team had arrived. She carefully opened up a folder that she had pulled out of somewhere and quickly went over the first page with her eyes, just as she pulled out a pen, also out of somewhere, and set it down on the folder, looking over the Crysukoan diplomats. "Let's get down to business, shall we?"

---

On the SGS Liberty, Admiral Fa'Amoe was now walking through the bowels of the ship, first down three decks to where the crewmen lived and then towards the showers. Delta Shift had just gone off-duty, it now being precisely 1400 hours, and they were probably getting ready to relax for the rest of the day. He swung open the door and stepped in front of it, looking over at the mass of crewmen. "Anyone of you who wants to go ashore can do so. DO NOT, and I repeat, DO NOT cause trouble. We're trying to make peace with these Crysukoans, so NO DRINKING, no... SMOKING and NO FIGHTING. I want every single one of you back onboard by 2100 hours or I'm bringing out the cat o' nine tails. Understood, Guardsmen?" The steamy room somewhat obscured the deep bass of their "YES SIR!". "And send someone to tell that to the Guardswomen."

And soon enough, a mass of those covered boats was launching towards the port, full of Guardsmen and Guardswomen hoping to swim a little, get some food, have some fun was approaching the port, giving the dockmaster a hell of a time trying to find a place to put them all. Fortunately, these sailors had experience with finding spaces to put their ships and disembarking without causing too much trouble.

[Crysuko]

Morton spoke next after a nod from the General Secretary. "Item number one which I think we ought to deal with first is that of the matter of controlled speech. It is a common point of contest between our respective people that speech and expression laws are considerably more strict that in your homeland. For example, if someone were to espouse reactionary views on an internet forum, especially chronically then that is grounds for arrest. Especially if these views are bigoted in nature. The re-education program these malcontents are required to take has also caused some upset, with references aplenty to a certain Mr. Orwell. I would just like to qualify that this system is intended to protect potentially vulnerable groups, such as other races, genders and sexual orientations. The re-education program is holistic in nature, and is intended to find where these backwards views come from, and help them come to the conclusion that they should be discarded. There is no threat of force, enhanced interrogation and most certainly no psychosurgery. But, I am willing to recieve your input on the matter" he addressed the Speaker.

Meanwhile at the docks, there were jetties and piers for small craft which the landing boats could be moored to. The local eateries, bars and entertainers had been informed of the new arrivals and had stocked up accordingly. Neon signs offering cheap booze, vice and other services a sailor might want were all lit up. Temptation would assault them from all angles.

[Tekniania]

"This is a matter discussed heavily in Tekniania - should there be restrictions on what you can and can't say? We have taken a firm stance on no, because we do not believe that that treats the cause of the problem. You restrict what people can say, you restrict that person's right to an opinion, the right to discussion and debate on that opinion. Instead, we allow almost anyone to say almost anything, but with the caveat of culture - we argue, we argue a lot. You can say that you don't like a certain group, but you will be debated and you will lose, you are but others are many, and we recognise that we can change our opinions and we do that, often. This, of course, may not work with your nation, I am describing the system that works for us because of our specific cultural conditions. I would, however, encourage you to reconsider what you think to be grounds for someone to be sent to these programs, such as the reactionary views you mentioned." Falaniku spoke measuredly, considering every word and making sure that everyone heard her and understood her, placing immense gravity on every word.

"Another point of contention that we would like to mention is the conscription that you engage in. We firmly disagree with the practice on the grounds that it violates a person's inherent right to life and right to movement, and we are members, founding members of an international treaty working to end the practice." She quickly latched onto the general idea of how this was going to happen and took over the conversation.

---

Almost all of the visiting crewmen were giving the cheap drink and cheap women a pass, with the occasional slip-up which was quickly corrected by more senior officers grabbing anyone they saw sneaking away and dragging them back to the docks to wait for any boat that was going back. You couldn't, however, catch everyone, and around 20 crewmen, mostly junior officers and non-coms did manage to get into these locations. The general mass of them, however, headed to the beach, most already only in underwear. This had been a thing explained to every new recruit - if you're on shore leave in a foreign country, best not to swim the traditional Teknianian way.

[Crysuko]

Morton listened intently, leaning forward slightly with his brow furrowed slightly. "I see, but bearing in mind that what is considered reactionary has a very tight and well founded definition, it is not intended to be a blunt instrument to attack those who speak ill of the state. There aren't enough hours in the day the pursue all those with an axe to grind, so we focus only on those making a clear and present threat of harm. Hate speech is legally considered an act of violence here. Regarding conscription, I'll make sure we're on the same page. Able bodied individuals undergo six months of basic training with any branch of the military, and may return to civilian life afterwards if they so choose. There are of course exceptions, someone with an anxiety or depressive disorder, or other mental or physical illnesses can be excepted, for example. As a socialist country, we frequently are threatened, directly or no, by other world powers. And we must be ready to rise to that challenge"

At the coast, the water was proving fine for swimming. The warm weather combined with stringest water quality regulations made ideal conditions for it. The Sandcastle, a bar popular with local sailors and mariners was packed to the rafters as happy hour rolled around, and drinking songs were belted out of many a drunkard. There would of course be other "services" available in nearby places, which they would be covertly nudged towards.

[Tekniania]

"Yes, that is what we are talking about. 6 months in a young person's life is an eternity. And, if I follow correctly, that then qualifies them to be immediately called up if a war breaks out. That is what we are talking about. Freedom of movement and right to life. No-one should have to die for their country if they don't want to, that is the position that we take and have always taken. Most of the population refuses it outright, it almost never comes up in General Council sittings except when discussing countries like yours. We... can accept other countries using it and having it, but conscription will, and I am speaking from experience, weaken your position at the negotiating table if you wish for any sort of deal with us." Now the External Affairs Commissioner piped up, without any argument from The Speaker.

"Madam General Secretary, we have also shown you that conscription isn't necessary to protect one's country. We do not have it, and yet we have, arguably, one of the strongest navies in the world, rivaling that of Brazilistan and Marche Noire. We would be willing to help you defend your country, your sovereignty, if you would seriously consider dropping this practice." Tamatoa's measure voice spoke up once more, carefully glancing then at the folder in front of her, then at the Crysukoans.

---

Swimming - a national sport of Tekniania. The beach quickly filled with Sea Guards, splashing about and roasting in the Sun. Most took the opportunity to acquire some soft refreshments from The Sandcastle, not daring to touch the alcohol or other services. Yes, professional integrity did play a part in it, but also because corporal punishment was, uniquely among the Allied Guard branches, still allowed for very heavy infringements, such as bringing dishonour to Tekniania or conduct unbecoming of Sea Guards.

[Crysuko]

“It proved necessary during a period of our history where we faced direct invasion from a foreign power of similar stature to us, without reserves to call up we’d have faced annihilation as a result. Even recently, in an overseas possession, our land was directly attacked. Again, the levied troops proved vital in repelling them at a time in which native Crysukons faced ethnic cleansing. It may be practical to rescind the practice for the mainland, but for outlying territories which will need to mobilise a defence quickly, it has proven necessary if not vital” Newton explained. “So, would you consider the following compromise. For mainland Crysuko, conscription can cease effective once the current round is completed, and moved to a volunteer service. But, can be continued in outlying autonomous zones.”

Down at the beach, the sailors and sea guard had proven something of a local curiosity. With many civilians, mariners and workers interacting and making casual talk with them. Though every worker had precisely the same outfit. Blue boiler suit, grey gloves and white hard hat with steel toed boots. Even those of duty often looked similar in style.

[Tekniania]

"We can offer to send peacekeeping forces to these outlying territories and then keep them there while you muster up a volunteer force large enough to protect them on your own. We can also give your soldiers training on amphibious landings, allowing you to quickly move troops to your overseas possessions if war breaks out, the Land Guard has quite a bit of experience in these matters." Now the diplomatic aide spoke up, evidently someone authorised to speak on matters relating to defence.

"Consider these matters with your own defence staff at an appropriate time, now is not the time to make brash decisions. Trade is also important. We can offer up our immense IT sector and the TekniLink satellite program, developed by our space agency, in return for a steady supply of grain or other common foodstuffs." The Speaker quickly moved off this topic, trying to cover as much ground as she could in this short first meeting. "You have outlying territories and you need to communicate with them, these satellites are top of the line, providing broadband connection instantenously and without any deep-sea cables."

---

The boiler suit people were just as much an attraction for the Sea Guards as they were for the boiler suit people. The only ones wearing such clothes back at home were those working at nuclear power plants, pretty much no-one else wore them, clothes like these were just nowhere to be seen. One's clothing was considered a part of their identity, so most tried to show off what they could do with it, and being dressed the same way as others was considered iffy, maybe except for schoolchildren who wore uniforms.

[Crysuko]

One of the advisors, a military man spoke next. "The situation there as of current is stable, so may I suggest the expansion of the CPDF in the area, as a supplement to the existing garrison. Apart from the state apparatus, technically and able to act as a rapid response force without need to hold conscription over the heads of its members. Other states have similar arrangements with paramilitaries, and I think that should act as an effective means to transition away from national service." He concluded. The next advisor, an economic expert spoke next. "As for the economic offers mentioned, we are currently preparing the Marathon-5 satellite array. 10 such platforms have recently completed manufacturing, with the aim to connect all Crysukon territories with an estimated peak data rate of 128 megabits per second, essentially allowing satellite internet to outlying and isolated areas. We can allow access to these and existing ComSats to allow mutual access to each other's civilian internet." he explained.

At the beach, the situation remained friendly. With the visitors causing a local stir due to the presence of a foreign flagship in the harbour, which local news agencies and photographers were having a field day with. A handful of civil guard lingered in the area to keep an eye on things, watching innocuously from a handful of points, but the authorities were unconcerned with the visitors. Foreign tourists were a common sight around these parts and this was proving little different.

[Tekniania]

Tamatoa looked back at her advisors with a mischievous smile. "Quite... slow internet connections, wouldn't you say? Our TekniLink satellites each provide a connection rate of, at the risk of being corrected by my advisors, 1 and a half gigabits per second?" The diplomatic aide, a young man, simply nodded, also grinning. "Yes, one and a half. Another idea could be an education partnership, whereby Teknianian students can learn at Crysukoan schools and Crysukoans at Teknianian schools, everyone could benefit from leaving their own little bubble once in a while." Her parenthood shined through a bit here. "Such programs have worker incredibly well in the past in our schools."

[Crysuko]

“That is the estimated data rate of a satellite designed to provide communications to remote areas, I must put a fine point on. The terrestrial internet connections available are competitive with international standards, but I don’t want to turn this into a game of who has the bigger numbers. My offer of access to Marathon-5 and existing civilian communication infrastructure still stands, such that a farmer in the outlying territories could communicate with an inner city civilian in your capital quite happily. Also, what say you to my comrade’s proposal regarding a paramilitary compromise to settle the conscription issue?” The General secretary addressed calmly, not wanting to appear to be technologically behind.