Valinon
09-06-2006, 21:25
Friedelinde Alderman, Empress of the Valinor and Sovereign of the United Star Empire, puts the comp-pad on her desk and takes a deep breath. She looks at the faces of Lady Diedre Rolt, her Prime Minister and First Minister for Imperial Affairs; Duke Adrian Sterling, First Minister for Foreign Affairs; and Lord Erwin von Ribbentrop, Kammerherr.
“The Hegemony rampaging across the Raumreich, Reichskamphen in a state of chaos, Roanian being assaulted by a group of Orcs, and now this,” she jabs her finger in the direction of the comp-pad bearing the news from Excalbia. “The last crisis the Star Empire can afford at this point is to lose another vital ally and ideological colleague in the Sol system. I am afraid that we will need to address this with at least some form of action immediately.”
“Military action, Your Majesty?” Sterling asks quietly.
“We can neither afford that at this moment, Adrian, nor would I be inclined to sanction military action against Excalbia at any particular time so long as current circumstances of both our and their government continue to endure. But demonstrating the solidarity between Excalbia and Valinon, as the fraternity that exists between imperial governments, will not hurt at this point. Do we still have the proposed plan for negotiating a treaty port on the northern portion of the Excalbian Isles?” Friedelinde regards Sterling quietly.
“Yes, Your Majesty. I had suspended them due to the current situation in the Oversector, but the basic foundations for the negotiations have been put into place.”
Friedelinde nods, “I believe it is time we put that plan into motion then, Adrian. Draft a suitable message to the Excalbian foreign minister and inform Lord Reinstadler that he will need to brush up on affairs in Excalbia—I want him to pay personal attention to all details of this process. I am not interested in immediate results, just do your best to make sure that the trumpets are blown and that our interest in the treaty port—and negotiating with the current government and its authorities—are made self evident to the public and the opposition members of the Excalbian government. Our participation in the affair in Iansisle and our support for House Callahan should be forward enough in the minds of the Excalbians to dissuade any radicals.”
“What about the Confederation of Sovereign States and the Dominion of Upper Virginia, Your Majesty?” Diedre Rolt says carefully. “They are the two other local states on Excalbia, surely it would be wise to open dialogue with both of them.”
“The Confederation perhaps, Diedre,” Friedelinde says quietly eying the reports on the other two Excalbian states through her n-plants optical wet-ware, “but Upper Virginia? Tentative contact would be all I want to consider at this point, the entire situation is far too unstable and I have no desire to commit the Star Empire to another possible brushfire conflict. Besides, from the way the situation stands Upper Virginia cannot do any foreign affairs without the expressed consent or salutary neglect of the Excalbian state. They are, for better or worse, a muzzled nation.”
“Perhaps simply opening dialogue would be wise though, Your Majesty,” Sterling adds eying the Prime Minister. “It does not seem the Excalbians are limiting the Dominion’s ability to accept diplomatic missions, merely the ability to make far-reaching policies. And if we entreat with them as if they are a sovereign and independent state that may well accord us enough good will in their eyes that they will leave us alone.”
Friedelinde pauses for a moment and regards her Prime Minister and Foreign Minister. She watches as the age-wrinkle outlined eyes of von Ribbentrop do the same. The growing conflict between Rolt—as leader of the moderate and to some extent the liberal members of the United Lords umbrella coalition—and Sterling—as leader of the moderate conservatives who had wanted distance with the hard line Centrists—has become the pronounced state of affairs as war with Ortaga approaches. It has become the central hallmark of the growing split within the United Lords, and the signs that the umbrella party’s control over the Congress of Lords—and therefore the government—may be coming to a sudden and rather dramatic close.
Friedelinde ponders what she is seeing. Is it some desperate, and particularly small, attempt at reconciliation between the two sides, or just because Rolt’s and Sterling’s opinions might still concur on this issue. Friedelinde shrugs inwardly and presses onward.
“A valid point, Adrian. Diedre. Open negotiations with the Excalbians, and then open diplomatic dialogue with the Confederation and the Dominion. I would recommend considering trade concessions and possibly a full trade agreement with the Confederation, personally. Considering their historically good relations with the Knootians, they will no doubt jump at such offers.”
“I will pass that along to Lord Reinstadler, Your Majesty.”
“Good,” she picks up the comp-pad and reads back through the headlines. “Is that all in regards to this situation, Adrian?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Then I believe that was all for the day. Erwin,” the old Kammerherr stops after standing from his chair.
“Your Majesty?”
“Be on call if you would in regards to this. Since a treaty port will be crown territory, it will need a direct envoy of the crown to sign the formal documentation before all is said and done.”
“I am at your service, Majesty.”
**********
Message To: The Honorable Sir Albert Cummings, His Imperial Majesty’s Minister of State for the Holy Empire of Excalbia
Message From: Duke Adrian Sterling, First Minister for Her Imperial Majesty’s Foreign Affairs, Duke of Valprietza, Knight-Companion of the Order of Emperor Penrod the Great
Message Re: Opening Negotiations
Sir Albert,
Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Friedelinde Alderman I, and Her Imperial Majesty’s Government are interested in securing the rights to a treaty port and adjutant territorial zone in the unclaimed territories of the Northern Excalbian Isles. We wish to formally open negotiations with His Imperial Majesty and His Imperial Majesty’s Government before the next standard month has passed, and have empowered Lord Wilhelm Reinstadler, Fourth Minister for Her Imperial Majesty’s Foreign Affairs and Ambassador-at-large to Earth, to serve as the representative of Her Imperial Majesty and Her Imperial Majesty’s Government. Lord Reinstadler has been notified of this development, and will entreat with corresponding representatives of His Imperial Majesty’s Government at a time and location of their choice.
With that being said, Her Imperial Majesty wishes me to detail the possible locations the United Star Empire is considering as a possible location for this proposed treaty port. First and foremost is the natural bay located on the northeastern isthmus of the unclaimed territories, in the immediate foothills of the main mountain chain of the Isles. A secondary proposed location is to the south, at the river mouth that partially delineates the border of the Confederation of Sovereign States. Her Imperial Majesty and Her Imperial Majesty’s Government are of course willing to hear other possible locations voiced, and will look forward to hearing any and all additional proposals of the Holy Empire at the future conference.
Finally, Her Imperial Majesty and Her Imperial Majesty’s Government wishes to make an additional proposal to His Imperial Majesty and His Imperial Majesty’s Government regarding the conference to deal with this issue. Her Imperial Majesty and Her Imperial Majesty’s Government would greatly appreciate the gesture if an envoy of the Confederation of Sovereign States, acting in an observer capacity, were allowed to attend the conference. We would further greatly appreciate it if the possibility of an observer-envoy of the Dominion of Upper Virginia were also taken under consideration by the Holy Imperial Government of Excalbia. The United Star Empire of Valinon wishes to be able to accord equally beneficial relations with the other nations present on the Excalbian Isles, on top of those we will enjoy with the Holy Empire. We feel that their attendance at this conference will serve to generate a sense of solidarity and mutual benefit between the greater Excalbian community and the United Star Empire.
Her Imperial Majesty and Her Imperial Majesty’s Government will look forward to a reply from the Holy Empire in earnest, and hope that together the Holy Empire of Excalbia and the United Star Empire of Valinon will enjoy a long, beneficial, and stalwart relationship with each other.
With sincerest respects,
Adrian Sterling
Duke of Valprietza
“The Hegemony rampaging across the Raumreich, Reichskamphen in a state of chaos, Roanian being assaulted by a group of Orcs, and now this,” she jabs her finger in the direction of the comp-pad bearing the news from Excalbia. “The last crisis the Star Empire can afford at this point is to lose another vital ally and ideological colleague in the Sol system. I am afraid that we will need to address this with at least some form of action immediately.”
“Military action, Your Majesty?” Sterling asks quietly.
“We can neither afford that at this moment, Adrian, nor would I be inclined to sanction military action against Excalbia at any particular time so long as current circumstances of both our and their government continue to endure. But demonstrating the solidarity between Excalbia and Valinon, as the fraternity that exists between imperial governments, will not hurt at this point. Do we still have the proposed plan for negotiating a treaty port on the northern portion of the Excalbian Isles?” Friedelinde regards Sterling quietly.
“Yes, Your Majesty. I had suspended them due to the current situation in the Oversector, but the basic foundations for the negotiations have been put into place.”
Friedelinde nods, “I believe it is time we put that plan into motion then, Adrian. Draft a suitable message to the Excalbian foreign minister and inform Lord Reinstadler that he will need to brush up on affairs in Excalbia—I want him to pay personal attention to all details of this process. I am not interested in immediate results, just do your best to make sure that the trumpets are blown and that our interest in the treaty port—and negotiating with the current government and its authorities—are made self evident to the public and the opposition members of the Excalbian government. Our participation in the affair in Iansisle and our support for House Callahan should be forward enough in the minds of the Excalbians to dissuade any radicals.”
“What about the Confederation of Sovereign States and the Dominion of Upper Virginia, Your Majesty?” Diedre Rolt says carefully. “They are the two other local states on Excalbia, surely it would be wise to open dialogue with both of them.”
“The Confederation perhaps, Diedre,” Friedelinde says quietly eying the reports on the other two Excalbian states through her n-plants optical wet-ware, “but Upper Virginia? Tentative contact would be all I want to consider at this point, the entire situation is far too unstable and I have no desire to commit the Star Empire to another possible brushfire conflict. Besides, from the way the situation stands Upper Virginia cannot do any foreign affairs without the expressed consent or salutary neglect of the Excalbian state. They are, for better or worse, a muzzled nation.”
“Perhaps simply opening dialogue would be wise though, Your Majesty,” Sterling adds eying the Prime Minister. “It does not seem the Excalbians are limiting the Dominion’s ability to accept diplomatic missions, merely the ability to make far-reaching policies. And if we entreat with them as if they are a sovereign and independent state that may well accord us enough good will in their eyes that they will leave us alone.”
Friedelinde pauses for a moment and regards her Prime Minister and Foreign Minister. She watches as the age-wrinkle outlined eyes of von Ribbentrop do the same. The growing conflict between Rolt—as leader of the moderate and to some extent the liberal members of the United Lords umbrella coalition—and Sterling—as leader of the moderate conservatives who had wanted distance with the hard line Centrists—has become the pronounced state of affairs as war with Ortaga approaches. It has become the central hallmark of the growing split within the United Lords, and the signs that the umbrella party’s control over the Congress of Lords—and therefore the government—may be coming to a sudden and rather dramatic close.
Friedelinde ponders what she is seeing. Is it some desperate, and particularly small, attempt at reconciliation between the two sides, or just because Rolt’s and Sterling’s opinions might still concur on this issue. Friedelinde shrugs inwardly and presses onward.
“A valid point, Adrian. Diedre. Open negotiations with the Excalbians, and then open diplomatic dialogue with the Confederation and the Dominion. I would recommend considering trade concessions and possibly a full trade agreement with the Confederation, personally. Considering their historically good relations with the Knootians, they will no doubt jump at such offers.”
“I will pass that along to Lord Reinstadler, Your Majesty.”
“Good,” she picks up the comp-pad and reads back through the headlines. “Is that all in regards to this situation, Adrian?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Then I believe that was all for the day. Erwin,” the old Kammerherr stops after standing from his chair.
“Your Majesty?”
“Be on call if you would in regards to this. Since a treaty port will be crown territory, it will need a direct envoy of the crown to sign the formal documentation before all is said and done.”
“I am at your service, Majesty.”
**********
Message To: The Honorable Sir Albert Cummings, His Imperial Majesty’s Minister of State for the Holy Empire of Excalbia
Message From: Duke Adrian Sterling, First Minister for Her Imperial Majesty’s Foreign Affairs, Duke of Valprietza, Knight-Companion of the Order of Emperor Penrod the Great
Message Re: Opening Negotiations
Sir Albert,
Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Friedelinde Alderman I, and Her Imperial Majesty’s Government are interested in securing the rights to a treaty port and adjutant territorial zone in the unclaimed territories of the Northern Excalbian Isles. We wish to formally open negotiations with His Imperial Majesty and His Imperial Majesty’s Government before the next standard month has passed, and have empowered Lord Wilhelm Reinstadler, Fourth Minister for Her Imperial Majesty’s Foreign Affairs and Ambassador-at-large to Earth, to serve as the representative of Her Imperial Majesty and Her Imperial Majesty’s Government. Lord Reinstadler has been notified of this development, and will entreat with corresponding representatives of His Imperial Majesty’s Government at a time and location of their choice.
With that being said, Her Imperial Majesty wishes me to detail the possible locations the United Star Empire is considering as a possible location for this proposed treaty port. First and foremost is the natural bay located on the northeastern isthmus of the unclaimed territories, in the immediate foothills of the main mountain chain of the Isles. A secondary proposed location is to the south, at the river mouth that partially delineates the border of the Confederation of Sovereign States. Her Imperial Majesty and Her Imperial Majesty’s Government are of course willing to hear other possible locations voiced, and will look forward to hearing any and all additional proposals of the Holy Empire at the future conference.
Finally, Her Imperial Majesty and Her Imperial Majesty’s Government wishes to make an additional proposal to His Imperial Majesty and His Imperial Majesty’s Government regarding the conference to deal with this issue. Her Imperial Majesty and Her Imperial Majesty’s Government would greatly appreciate the gesture if an envoy of the Confederation of Sovereign States, acting in an observer capacity, were allowed to attend the conference. We would further greatly appreciate it if the possibility of an observer-envoy of the Dominion of Upper Virginia were also taken under consideration by the Holy Imperial Government of Excalbia. The United Star Empire of Valinon wishes to be able to accord equally beneficial relations with the other nations present on the Excalbian Isles, on top of those we will enjoy with the Holy Empire. We feel that their attendance at this conference will serve to generate a sense of solidarity and mutual benefit between the greater Excalbian community and the United Star Empire.
Her Imperial Majesty and Her Imperial Majesty’s Government will look forward to a reply from the Holy Empire in earnest, and hope that together the Holy Empire of Excalbia and the United Star Empire of Valinon will enjoy a long, beneficial, and stalwart relationship with each other.
With sincerest respects,
Adrian Sterling
Duke of Valprietza