NationStates Jolt Archive

[OOC: This is a closed RP between me and Hamptonshire for now.]

Pretty soon I'm going to need a vacation from these vacations, he thought.

It was just hours after President Mike Sarzo and First Partner Jay Tyler landed in Woodstock after a short vacation in Sanctaphrax to christen the newly named Sarzo Suite at River Rise. The trip lasted only a few days and Sarzo knew time was of the essence. The Hamptonian Senate was in recess, and that gave him and Hamptonshire's Grand Duke Reginald Leopold I a short window of opportunity to repair frayed relations between the two countries.

Hamptonshire and Sarzonia were allies in a sense. Both countries were members of the Organisation of Maritime Powers and the United Medical Association. However, Sarzonia's recent resignation from NATO was due in part to a strained relationship that began when Hampto-Praetonian relations went south.

The final straw for Sarzonia was a quarantine that Hamptonshire announced of Praetonia after the Jaxus Nine terrorist attack that infected Praetonia with smallpox. Sarzonia's message to Hamptonshire suggested that it would ignore alliance obligations and declare war if the Hamptonians interfered with Sarzonian shipping. Luckily for both sides, the merchant fleet was en route to a Chardonayan position.

Sarzo paced the meeting room in the David Crosby Convention Center nervously as a walking bundle of mixed emotions. His disdain for Hamptonshire was barely disguised, but the Grand Duke asked to meet him personally to try to iron out the countries' differences.

He figured that of all the government officials in Hamptonshire, at least the Grand Duke was the one he respected and liked. When Sarzo came out to the world, one of the strongest statements of support came from the Grand Duke. When Sarzo was captured, it was the Grand Duke who spearheaded Hamptonian involvement in the rescue and restoration operation. Like it or not, he owed a debt to Reginald Leopold I.

"Mr. President, the Grand Duke should be here within the hour."

"Thanks, Grace." Sarzo pored over his notes and waited for Jay to come down from the kitchen. With Princess Anne also coming, Sarzo wanted to make sure that his partner was also there since the Sarzonian President was no longer a bachelor. Finally, Jay walked into the room.

"Glad you could make it," Sarzo grinned. The two men embraced and kissed ever so quickly.

"I had a little trouble with my suit," Tyler said. "Damn thing must have shrunk."

Sarzo smiled. A little lighthearted humour never hurt anyone, especially when things could get heavy before long.

*bump*

*bump*

[OOC: I'll reply later tonight so I can write up a proper post]

The Grand Duke's motorcade quietly made its way through the streets of Woodstock. Only recently Hamptonian paratroopers had left the capital and damaged ships from the 2nd Expeditionary Fleet were still in drydock in Sarzonian ports.

The entire Sarzonian endeavor was of the Grand Duke's doing. With the Royal Senate out of session and most of the Senior Cabinet out of the nation, he was able to put together a plan without interference. There would be a price to pay for his actions. Senator Allenby and other leading NURP Senators were already calling for investigations and hearings. The Royal Senate couldn't do anything to the Grand Duke, but talk began to rise of a "Second Phase of the Hamptonshire First Policies"-- even of the merger of the Foreign and Defense Ministries.

As Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Armed Forces and that nation's chief executive, it was within his powers to act "In the best interests of the Grand Duchy and her Citizens". The Grand Duke never took the use of his Reserve Powers lightly. In 53 years on the throne one could count on a single hand that instances of his use of Reserve Powers.

The Grand Duke thought over the past few weeks as well as the future. At 83, time was catching up to him. Since the death of Crown Prince Louis last year, Reginald Leopold had virtually shut himself up in Hampton Palace. Arthritis had began to ravage his shoulders and back, moving his arms and legs was a painful affair. He never let on to his pain, he just quietly suffered.

"Are we set, Anne?"

"I'm ready, Mon bon père." Since the death of her brother the Princess had begun to refer to her uncle in more familial tones. They were all that they had, no other Pyotr-Hampton was known to be living.

"Great. I really want something happen here. I'm ready to do just about anything it takes. The future is too dark to be walking alone." he grapped Anne's hand and caringly squeezed it. She noticed a look of profound sadness and guilt on his face.

The motorcade stopped infront of the David Crosby Convention Center. The Princess exited first followed by the Grand Duke. He was wearing an identical uniform to the one he wore to meet the Sarzonian Ambassador when word of Sarzo's kidnapping first leaked. With his arm locked in the Princess' for stability, the two walked into the Convention Center.

Miles Clarence had been working the door at "The Cros," as most of the staff called the convention center for a long time. He'd seen so many people come and go in his time at the center that events began to blur. At 68 years old, his youthful exuberance made way for a reflective calm.

That calm would skip its shift for a moment when the Grand Duke and Princess Anne walked up to Clarence.

"I believe the President is expecting me," the Grand Duke said as he labored his way toward Clarence. Clarence's eyes widened slightly at the sight of Reginald Leopold I's naval uniform and his heart jumped a beat at the sight of Anne. After taking a split second to return his "seen it all" veneer.

"Just a moment, your excellency." He punched a button on the wall.

"Yes?"

"The Grand Duke is here to see you, Mr. President."

"Send him in."

"Right this way, sir." Clarence walked slowly as an old gridball injury started acting up in his right knee. Now's not the time to be a former linebacker, he grimaced as he deliberately headed toward the meeting room. When the three people reached the door to the meeting room, Clarence knocked.

"Come," Sarzo said.

Clarence opened the door to let the Grand Duke and the Princess in and Sarzo and Tyler stood to greet them.

"President Mike Sarzo, First Partner Jay Tyler," the Grand Duke bowed deeply, his back in extreme pain, "I thank you for allowing me to visit Sarzonia so soon after the recent unfortunate events." with slight difficulty he stood up straight. He had a smile on his face in part to hide the pain.

"President Sarzo, Mr. Tyler, it is an honor." Princess Anne extended her hand out to shake each man's hand. She was more informal than her uncle. As a Member of Congress, she picked up a more businesslike attitude than her royalist uncle. She and her uncle worked out a routine to try to hide his near constant state of physical pain. As the Grand Duke gathered his composure, she would speak and draw attention from him.

"I hope that we can work through our past difficulties and establish a common basis for the future." She continued as the light her uncle's eyes began to return. "Hampto-Sarzonian relations have been marked by a series of highs and lows. We have both made mistakes. Most of those mistakes have been committed by Hamptonshire. We are here to work for a better future. This is an issue near and dear to the Grand Duke's heart."

Sarzo and Tyler smiled and they shook the hand offered by Princess Anne.

"It is a pleasure to have both of you here. We hope you enjoy your stay here in Woodstock," Sarzo said. Tyler glanced at the Grand Duke, his eyes spotting his discomfort and flashing concern. Tyler walked briskly over to the chair intended for the Grand Duke and pulled it out. He motioned to him to invite him to sit down.

"You look like you could use a bit of a rest, your excellency," Tyler said while Sarzo was busy exchanging niceties with Princess Anne.

"You are correct; we both have made mistakes and we certainly have made our share," Sarzo said. "But this will be an opportunity for us to put the negativity in our combined past behind us and look toward the future."

Sarzo noticed the chair being pulled out by Tyler as he was talking to Princess Anne, and he deliberately reached out to the chair provided for her and pulled it out to offer it to her.

"Thank you Mr. Tyler." the Grand Duke said as he sat in the chair.

Sitting in her chair, Princess Anne reached into her briefcase and pulled out a notepad and several pens. "Thank you, Mr. President."

"President Sarzo, I am willing to do whatever is necessary to cement our future." the Grand Duke continued, "Is there anything you would like to discuss first. I am open to all topics."

Sarzo paused for a moment to reflect on the Grand Duke's words. Whatever is necessary, Sarzo thought. Open to all topics, he thought again. It sure sounded like he was putting the ball squarely in his -- and Sarzonia's -- court.

How about giving me the head of Mel Ziller on a platter, Sarzo thought before dismissing the comment as being inappropriate for the nature of the conference. He knew enough about Ziller to want to challenge him to a duel or take some brass knuckles along to a meeting with him. He knew he would have to weigh things very heavily.

On the one hand, if he were of a mind to take advantage of the Grand Duke, he might be able to put a serious dent into NURP. Even though he didn't have direct dealings with Hamptonian politics, he had a sense that NURP was one of the driving forces behind the policies that put Hamptonshire and Sarzonia at odds.

The state of Hampto-Sarzonian relations was the reason the Grand Duke came in spite of his failing health and despite Sarzo's natural distrust for anything or anyone Hamptonian, he realized an 83 year old man would have made this trip to exchange pleasantries or commiserate. He knew he was either being given an opportunity of a lifetime to put a cold war to sleep or he was being set up for a gigantic fall at the hands of a false friend.

Everyone in Sarzonia and now a growing number of Hamptonians recognized just how tenuous the relationship was. Until the civil war, the two countries were at frequent odds, almost coming to blows over the quarantine of Praetonia. If a single Hamptonian ship had interfered with the convoy, he would have given a shoot on sight order that would likely have resulted in Sarzonia being evicted from NATO. Not only that, but it would have thrown a reluctant country into a shooting war.

All of that factored into Sarzo's mind when the two brief sentences hovered in the air after the Grand Duke spoke them. It was time for Sarzo to redress grievances he and his people were unable to during their time in NATO.

"Your excellency, the first topic I would like to discuss is the decision you along with some of the other nations in your region took to impose a quarantine on Praetonia," Sarzo said, his face gradually turning stony as he spoke. "I am not in any position to render a judgment of your country's friendship with or hostility toward another country as long as either doesn't come to blows or adversely affect Sarzonian interests, but the quarantine served as a defacto naval blockade in the eyes of most of the world. And as Praetonia is one of our closest allies, that could be considered the nadir in Hampto-Sarzonian relations.

"I am concerned that if matters between Hamptonshire and Praetonia escalate into armed conflict, it will put us in a very difficult position of being forced to either choose sides or watch helplessly as two of our friends become mortal enemies of each other. If that situation does come about, I will have to insist that you not interfere with Sarzonian shipping in any way. If you do, I will be forced to ask Parliament to authorize armed intervention."

Sarzo noticed that his face had hardened to a scowl. He stopped speaking for a moment and drew his breath in slowly, deliberately softening his features and trying to project calm.

"An armed intervention against an ally is the last thing I would want. You strike me as a very reasonable and honourable man. I suppose I am letting the experiences of some in my government with some of the less agreeable people in your government cloud my speech for a few minutes and I apologize for that. You came in peace and I certainly don't want that peace to blow up in your face."

Sarzo stopped speaking and picked up a bottled water that was placed in front of him and twisted it open and slowly drank from the bottle. The cool, refreshing water gently slid down his throat and gave his tired vocal chords a much-needed break. He waited for the Grand Duke or Princess Anne to speak next.

*bump*

Princess Anne shuffled her papers and prepared to respond. As she began to open her mouth, the Grand Duke cut her off. "I will admitt that the quarantine of Praetonia was a very delicate affair."

"Action was taken not on behalf of the Grand Duchy of Hamptonshire but on behalf of the entire region. At the time of the incident Hamptonshire was responsibile for intra-regional security and order. Unfortunately, due to various circumstances the New Commonwealth was not able to establish its own regional police force. Therefore, military units from Phoenixius, Chardonay, Tenarius and Hamptonshire had to take up the call to ensure the safety of billions of citizens of the New Commonwealth.

"We had to consider the lives of billions of innocent people in our actions. If a Praetonian ship were to slip through their own self-imposed quarantine what would have stopped it from infecting a neighboring nation? With the Praetonian fleet recalled the entire northwest of the New Commonwealth was left wide open. The measures taken by the region, and I do emphasize that it was a regional decision, were necessary at the time. That does not mean that such an action was taken lightly.

"I realized that our actions may come back to harm us and damage our relations with other nations, but I did what needed to be done. The only reason Hamptonshire acted was because it was at the time in charge of such issues. If the Grand Duchy was not in such a position, we would not have acted. With power comes responsibility. With responsibility comes great burden.

"I will assure that neither the Royal Navy nor the Protectorate Navies will ever fire upon or interfere with third party shipping. I will also assure you that Hamptonshire and Praetonia will not come to blow in the forseeable future. The Grand Duchy has severed all diplomatic contact, save through the OMP, with Praetonia. We have absolutely no intention to deal with Praetonians at all. Oddly, that's one of the only topics that all three Coalitions agree to."

The Grand Duke stopped speaking to drink from a glass of water on the table. Princess Anne took the opportunity to address one final point. "Mr. President, you must understand the domestic political situation of Hamptonshire. None of the three Coalitions holds enough power to genuinely give it control of the Government. NURP's dominance of the Royal Senate has allowed it to replace most of the Cabinet. I won't say that it is the implicit intention of the Nationalist Union to place offensive individuals in sensitive situations but their appointment of Senator Ziller is highly dubious."

Sarzo bit his lip momentarily at the mention of Ziller. It was no secret that his country did not view the Hamptonian Foreign Minister fondly. The only reason a local radio station did not go through with its promotion of two free tickets to Pacitalia for the best computer-generated mutilation of Ziller was a request by the government to hold it off during the conference.

To say that Ziller was a marked man in Sarzonia was to put a political spin on the literary term litotes. Sarzo felt his face clench as Princess Anne mentioned his name.

Calm down Mike Sarzo thought. He took another swig of water, drawing the bottle to his lips slowly, deliberately in an attempt to gain control over his reactions. Calm down Mike. Finally speaking, Sarzo slowly chose his words carefully.

"Indeed. It is unfortunate, but again, I am not here to judge your relations with another country. I suppose that is one area that must remain an agree-to-disagree subject for our countries. I appreciate your reassurances that you will not come to blows with Praetonia, as I am sure you can understand the predicament that would put us in.

"You were right to be concerned about the potential impact on your relations with other countries and I appreciate the fact that decision was not made lightly. That decision was one of the largest contributors to the rift we are trying to repair."

Sarzo thought carefully about how he wanted to approach Ziller. He didn't want to risk angering the Grand Duke and send the 83-year-old leader home to Hamptonshire as a result of an ill-considered comment he could make about the Hamptonian foreign minister.

"Princess Anne, I can appreciate the delicate political situation in your country. As you are aware, Sarzonia is not exactly the picture of political stability at the moment. Politics is not an easy game to play, no matter how much we may want it to be. Having said that, Ziller's conduct as foreign minister has, how shall I say this, caused considerable worry among senior officials in my cabinet. I can't say that I don't share some of their concerns."

Sarzo thought about how he wanted to approach things in the talks. He knew he wanted to give Reginald Leopold I a chance to address his concerns with Sarzonia. He figured he owed him the chance to redress his grievances with the Sarzonian President after a long and tiring trip from Hamptonshire.

"I think if we can come to an understanding of these two issues, I would like to open the floor for you to address your concerns with us," Sarzo said. "That, and plan a joint ceremony for us to confer our Medals of Valor upon Colonel Vincent."

Sarzo drew his breath in again and took a sip of water.

"If I could," the Grand Duke said as he put down his glass, "I would remove Ziller from the Cabinet. I would have him thrown out of the Government and would name Lord Rosecrans Foreign Minister..." his voice trailed off. He stood up and began to slowly pace the room. "If I were to move against Ziller the political consequences would be horrific. My powers are not absolute. Even if I could hold off Allenby and his gang, I am not a young or healthy man. If I push too hard it could be a distinct possibility that the next Grand Duke of Hamptonshire will be Senator Allenby."

He walked behind Princess Anne and grabbed her shoulder, "That would be a prospect to terrible to imagine. If he were to rise to power no one would be safe."

The Princess held her uncle's hand for a moment. She could see the fear in her uncle's eyes. She was the last known direct descendant of the House of Pyotr-Hampton. One year after Reginald Leopold I died the Royal Senate would have to elect a new Grand Duke. She could never be elected Grand Duke, she was too young and inexperiences. Legally, the only other people that could be crowned were setting Royal Senators. As President of the Royal Congress and leader of NURP Senator Allenby was nearly assured of being crowned the next monarch.

With the future in mind, Princess Anne read over her notepad and responded to Sarzo's invitation, "Our concerns with Sarzonia are limited to past diplomatic actions. Hamptonshire, save for the possible instance of the quarantine, has never shown Sarzonia or any Sarzonians any mallace, ill intention, or harm. In addition to the establishment of formalized, bilateral treaties between our two nations, we would like to have a special council or committee established to give Hamptonian and Sarzonian government officials an avenue of discussion, free expression, and understanding to heal past rifts and head off possible future spilts."

The Grand Duke nodded in agreement as he sat down. "As for the Medal of Valor and Medal of Valour ceremony, I would appreciate it if the event was televised. Hamptonshire's top four networks have agreed to carry the broadcast. If possible, I would like to present the award after you give the Colonel the Sarzonian Medal of Valour. There is something 'special' that I wish to do and it would best occur after your presentation." He took another drink of water to soothe his dry throat and continued, "I also hope it is not a problem if I wear the ceremonial Sword of State during the joint ceremony. It has been used for over a millenia. It is not necessary but it is a powerful symbol of the continunity of stablity of the Hamptonian state."

Sarzo sat thoughtfully after the Grand Duke's comments.

"Firstly, if there were a way I could help weaken the influence of either Senator Ziller or Senator Allenby, I would gladly do so. The freedom of your people depends on a government led by honourable men such as you, or honourable women such as Princess Anne," Sarzo said, giving a glance at the Princess as he mentioned her name.

"Secondly, I believe a conference between our two countries along with signing of bilateral treaties would go a long way toward having a misunderstanding lead to an ugly state of affairs between our countries. Parliament has just gone on recess for the holiday season and I also have been given the authority to agree to treaties when the House of Delegates is not in session. If we can come to an understanding here, we would be able to avert a potential public relations disaster.

"I wanted to give you the opportunity to redress potential grievances and prevent this conference from being a one-sided 'bitch session,' as it were," Sarzo continued. "I am pleased that we have both had the oppotunity to address concerns.

"As for televising the ceremonies, all major networks in Sarzonia have announced their intentions to televise the broadcast and I will declare the day a federal holiday. Regarding your request for the use of the Sword of State, I technically must get that request approved by the Secret Service." Sarzo looked at Tyler and smiled, then said, "I believe I still have an 'in' with the Secret Service, so I don't expect there to be a problem.

"I would be most honoured to allow you to follow me onto the podium after I confer the Medal of Valour upon Colonel Vincent. I also will make an announcement of an additional posthumous honour for Colonel Vincent. I very much look forward to the ceremony."

Sarzo sat back. The old Dave Mason song "We Just Disagree" suddenly popped into his head, especially the second half of the chorus: "There ain't no good guy/There ain't no bad guy/There's only you and me/And we just disagree." That song seemed to be symbolic of Hampto-Sarzonian relations when it was just the two leaders discussing issues.

"Unfortunately, anything you or any other foreigner could do to harm NURP would only end up strengthening it in the end. Hamptonians, like all people, have certain collective issues that need to be addressed and worked out. We are good and decent people..." the Grand Duke trailed off and he cast his eyes downward, "there are just some issues that we have to deal with. Unfortunately, we've have never been forced to deal with them before."

The room settled into uncomfortable silence. Princess Anne cleared her throat in hopes of getting her uncle to continue. He remained silent. She had to continue the conversation, "Mr. President, perhaps it would be best if we were to come to an agreement on several treaties or the establishment of an intergovernmental council before the joint ceremony. It would, I think, provide a powerful statement. The ceremony also provides us with an opportunity for widescale live press coverage. Do you agree?"

Sarzo nodded his head.

"Wholeheartedly," Sarzo said. "I believe that such an agreement would send a strong signal to those factions within our governments that we can coexist peacefully and we can settle our differences like mature adults.

"I am interested in listening to your proposal for the mission of the intergovernmental council and I can give you the names of some of the people I would nominate for such a council. Also, I believe the press coverage would be terrific for what we intend to accomplish.

"They say living well is the best revenge. Perhaps we can prove that on an international scale."

*bump*

The Grand Duke sighed in relief.

"This is just my thinking; you can bring up anything you think should be brought up.

The intergovernemental council would consist of three representatives from each nation- one from the Executive and Legislative branches of each government with the final seat going to a member of the military. Every two months our Sarzonian and Hamptonian Defense and/or Foreign Ministers would meet..." he paused for a moment. "You don't need to worry about Senator Ziller, I can keep him out of the loop." He continued, "It would also be my ultimate hope to perhaps, one day, arrange a joint Cabinet meeting."

Princess Anne look down at her notepad and began to read off several bullet points. "The Council's mission would be to provide both of our governments with an open avenue of direct contact. It should also, hopefully, function as a trust building exercise. Each side will be able to directly interact with the other."


OOC: Wrote the post in a hurry.

"Good," Sarzo said. "It would be to our advantage to keep, uh, Ziller out of the loop." As much as he thought the Grand Duke would agree with his off-colour assessment of the Hamptonian Foreign Minister, he felt it was best not to risk salting the air with a decidedly un-presidential barb, even if it were directed at one of the most hated men in Hamptonshire.

"I believe House Speaker Williams and Senior Vice President for External Affairs Lorber would be the first prime legislative and executive representatives on this council," Sarzo said. "As for military, I believe I can convince Admiral Marcus Patinkin to take part in the early going. We can decide upon how we plan the council's meeting and agendae as we go along.

"I think it would be a fantastic idea to have the joint cabinet meeting," Sarzo said. Hesitating for a moment, he added, "though I'll leave it up to you to decide whether Ziller takes part or not. You might want to advise him that he is not too fondly viewed in Sarzonia, so his safety might be a bit of a concern."

Tyler looked at Sarzo for a moment and mouthed a word about the ceremony. Since the main details seemingly were worked out, Sarzo whispered to Tyler that he could set the ceremony up.

A full contingent of Sarzonian media were going to be in attendance and the ceremony was scheduled for 30 minutes after the World Cup Finals match against southern neighbors Crystilakere to avoid a conflict that might anger football fans. The John Paul Stevens Building had a podium set up in front of a statue of Stevens and a band would play to the right of the building. The band was instructed to play the Sarzonian national anthem followed by the Hamptonian anthem and then Senior Vice President Lorber would introduce Sarzo, who would present the Sarzonian Medal of Valour; then Sarzo would introduce the Grand Duke.

Tyler came back after the arrangements had been made and whispered, "all set" into Sarzo's ear. Sarzo had been nailing down the final details of the cabinet meeting with the Grand Duke. Since this face-to-face meeting was taking place in Woodstock, the first meeting would be in Seaburg [OOC: Or whichever capital city you feel's most appropriate].

The Grand Duke was elated at Sarzo's acceptance of the idea. The Council and the treaties would form part of his legacy-- but that legacy would come at a price. He would get his prizes but the cost would be steep. The Nationalist Union would have their reason to merge the Foreign and Defense Ministries under a single department. The last independent and true moderate in the Senior Cabinet, Lord Rosecrans, would be forced out. Senator Ziller, at least for the first few months, would be in charge of the two combined ministries. Reginald Leopold consoled himself by saying It would have happened sooner or later. Allenby was just looking for an excuse.

"I fully agree. Senator Ziller is a dangerously unqualified Foreign Minister. He is a true patriot at heart, but he is a near unquestionning follower of Charles Allenby." the Grand Duke said as he clasped his hands together.

"We," the Princess said in reference to the Council delegates, "would like to have Senator Henry Flint, the Royal Senate's Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committe and head of the Unity Coalition as a representative. He's a good and honest man, a true centrist...he just has all the charisma of a bar of old soap." she chuckled. "Lord Patrick Easton, the President of the Privy Council, Minister of State for Allied Affairs, and former Foreign Minister, would represent the executive branch. You've dealt with him several times before. He's very soft spoken and reserved. You may have had a poor experience with him...that was a bad time for the Grand Duchy." She flipped through pages in her notepad looking for a military man.

The Grand Duke stopped her. He knew the man he could send and rely on. "Fleet Admiral Sir Geoff Kirkssen, the Royal Navy Chief of Staff and Vice Chairman of the Joint High Command Council will stand in for the military.

As for the first meeting, I would suggest Obsidia. The new dual capital is not yet fully completed, but the Count Sussex Foreign Ministry Building has recently been completed. Since Obsidia is a closed city, we will have more control over the atmosphere. Besides, Seaburg is...not exactly entirely friendly territory. The senior senator of Seaburg Province is our good friend Charles Bernard Allenby, Jr."

Princess Anne tapped her uncle on the shoulder. The two began to ready themselves for the ceremony. Ambassador McCarthy was to bring the Medal of Valor and the Sword of State to the Grand Duke immediately before the ceremony started. As Sarzo and Reginald talked over the Council plans, Princess Anne quickly checked her briefcase. She wanted to make sure that the special "gift" was ready for the impending event.


[OOC: Just a tad bit of info, the Hamptonian National Anthem is Wagner's Ride of the Valkyries.

Yep, I have a slight flare for the dramatic.]

"Very well, Obsidia it is," Sarzo said. The ever-changing locale of Hamptonian capitals was a bit confusing to the common citizen, let alone a world leader who was used to one centralised location for a nation's seat of government.

"We are delighted with your choice of Senator Flint and I'm sure Admiral Patinkin would enjoy the opportunity to talk shop with Fleet Admiral Kirkssen," Sarzo said. "Easton, Easton..." Sarzo said, racking his brain for his prior meeting with Lord Patrick Easton. Finally, he recalled an off hand conversation he had with Lorber. He grimaced slightly, but decided it was for the best.

"I'm sure Mr. Lorber might have mixed feelings about seeing Lord Easton, but I think I can convince him to look past prior challenges," Sarzo said.

Tyler sent a text message to the two bands that were set to play the national anthems of both Sarzonia and Hamptonshire. The rock band was in place for the Sarzonian anthem while the Woodstock Chamber Orchestra was in place, set to play the Hamptonian anthem. The security staff also sent a text message to Tyler with "all set" in response to Tyler's query about the Sword of State.

"They should be ready for us," Tyler said. "SNN, the Associated Sarzonian Press, Channel 12, the Woodstock Register, all of them are there."

"Great. I'm ready when you are," Sarzo said.

Within five minutes, two stretch limousines arrived, one would take Sarzo and Tyler to the John Paul Stevens Building while the other would take the Grand Duke and Princess Anne. Mayor Chip Moose ordered the streets between the David Crosby Convention Center and the John Paul Stevens building closed to allow the motorcase to pass through without worrying about rush hour traffic. Even though the announcement of a federal holiday would have minimised traffic anyway, it was still one additional precaution that was the mark of Sarzonian thinking.

En route to the ceremony, Sarzo scribbled some notes for his speech. He would have to give it for the first time live instead of rehearsing it like he usually did, but he thought it would be fine for this occasion.

[OOC: My national anthem is the Fleetwood Mac song "Freedom," so I've got a guitar-heavy rocker for an anthem. That's my own flair for the dramatic, lol.]

The Grand Duke sat in the limo with his eyes closed. The events of the day were starting to wear him out. Right now, at least, he had nothing to worry about: Anne had the suprise in her briefcase, McCarthy would have the sword and medal ready at the building and he already knew what he was going to say at the ceremony. In fifty-three years the Grand Duke had never employed a speech writer. He would either write his own speeches or speak off the cuff.

"How bad do you think this will get for us back home?" Anne quietly asked.

"They may just try to crucify me on top of the Senate Dome." he responded with a chuckle, his eyes still closed.

The limo slowly came to a stop at its prearranged destination. The Grand Duke and the Princess straightened themselves out in preparation for the event. Today was for rememberance, commemoration, and new beginnings- tomorrow would be about the cost.

Sarzo and Tyler both rode in the presidential limo to the John Paul Stevens Building. When they got there, Sarzo stepped out. He nearly tripped over a television camera's wire and staggered into the back of a secret service agent. Right then, Sarzo saw a flash of light that he could tell was from a camera.

The Woodstock Daily Mail strikes again, Sarzo thought. They'll either blow this up into a major catastrophe or claim that I'm doing something untoward with a secret service agent under Jay's nose. He decided to make the best of it and walk more slowly into the building.

The makeshift podium was set up and the bands were ready to go. The press secretary approached Sarzo and nodded.

"And you're on in 10, 9, 8, 7," he began the countdown. Sarzo took a breath and walked slowly to the podium.

"My Fellow Sarzonians," Sarzo began. "Today, I address you on the precipice of history. I am announcing that a new era of understanding shall exist between the Incorporated States of Sarzonia and the Grand Duchy of Hamptonshire."

A polite round of applause followed. Sarzo went on to outline the plans of joint cabinet meetings and the other agreements discussed in the meeting.

"But today is a day of rememberance and of celebration. I am here to posthumously honour Colonel Vincent of the Hamptonian special police force for his courage and dedication in my rescue from the Restore Sarzonia Task Force."

A louder round of applause interrupted Sarzo. He stood there, smiling slightly as the applause slowly died down.

"It is now that I present the Medal of Valour to Colonel Vincent's family. His oldest son shall accept on his behalf." The boy climed the steps of the building slowly, accepting the medal and posing for pictures with Sarzo.

"Your father was the picture of dedication and of courage in the face of hostile fire and difficult odds. He shall always have a place in Sarzonian hearts and in our history. In addition, I would also like to present him with an honourary commission as Field General in the Incorporated Sarzonian Army for his unwavering determination in leading the rescue efforts."

The crowd applauded wildly after a brief gasp of shock. Even Tyler raised his eyebrows in surprise. Sarzo didn't even tell him about the honour.

"Now, to continue the ceremony, the Grand Duke of Hamptonshire, Reginald Leopold I, Magnus Dux, shall present the Hamptonian Medal of Valor to the family of Colonel Vincent. Your excellency?"

Sarzo stepped aside and turned, waiting for the Grand Duke to walk to the podium.

[OOC: This is just to show that I haven't forgotten. I'm just a little distracted by the Holidays to make a post right now. I should have one up in a day or two.]

[OOC: That's fine with me. Enjoy the holidays! That's what they're there for.]

The Grand Duke slowly rose from his chair and walked toward the podium. The box containing the Medal of Valor had already been placed in a convenient place. As he prepared to talk he steadied the Sword of State now strapped to his side. With a slight breath he began:

"Thank you, Mr. President.

Friends, dignitaries, Sarzonians, Hamptonians and all people here today and watching us on television- It is with a solemn heart that I come to you today.

We are gathered her for the expressed purpose of honoring Colonel Vincent, a dedicated officer of the Royal Police. In a deeper sense we are also honoring and commemorating all those that fought and died to protect democracy and liberty in the Incorporated States of Sarzonia. Thousands of young men and women from more than four nations gave their lives in the line of duty. Each one of those brave children of Sarzonia, Isselemere-Nieland, Pacilitia and Hamptonshire went into battle not for themselves or for some abstract sense of honor and duty. They all reacted to the call of friendship and dire need. Friends and allies cannot idly standby whilst chaos and totalitarianism arise. The deaths of those that would help protect Sarzonia are tragic enough. Mr. Wilson's continued presence as the illegitimate leader of an illegitimate regime would have been a greated, and avoidable, tragedy.

Colonel Vincent's actions during the rescue of President Sarzo are entirely worthy of commendation, praise and rememberance. We must also temper this with the knowledge that many people, both dead and alive, fully dedicated themselves to their duties and missions. Colonel Vincent rightly deserves the Medal of Valor and all of the privileges attached to it, but he also, in a sense, symbolizes all those who went above and beyond the call of duty."

Vincent's eldest son, Adam, returned onstage to receive his father's medal. Only eleven years old Adam was deeply disturbed by the death of his father, but he also was aware of the international media presence all around him. He wanted to cry, he wanted to be back home with his mother and grandparents; he didn't want to be there.

The Grand Duke pulled out the box and openned it. The brillant silver, ivory and cobalt blue medal caught the light and began to glimmer. The Medal of Valor was the highest military award possible. Colonel Vincent's widow would receive a 50,000 Tinstaffl (about $93,000 USD) a year pension for the rest of her life. Adam and his younger sister Margaret would be eligible for life-time free education from all Royal Colleges, Academies and Institutes as well as guaranteed spots in the military academy of their choice. The Colonel's name would forever be engraved on the Wall of the Honored in the heart of Hamptonshire City.

"Adam," the eldery Grand Duke said in a grandfatherly tone, "please come forward, son."

The audience began to applaud to scene. The Grand Duke hestitently smiled as he handed the medal to Jacob. When he stooped down (the Grand Duke is 6'5" and Adam is about 5' even) the Grand Duke noticed the anguish and sorrow in the boy's eyes. Without second thought he went down on one kneed and hugged Adam. As much as Adam wanted to maintain his limited composure, tears began to fall down his face onto the Grand Duke's shoulder.

"It's alright. Everything will work out." he whispered to the boy now in his arms. "It's okay to cry." The two figures, the crying young boy and the aging old man trying to comfort him, just stayed there for what seemed like an eternity. Adam stopped crying and walked off the stage into the arms of his mother.

Once Adam left the stage the Grand Duke tried to stand up without assistance. Try as he might, he couldn't stand by himself. The pain was nearly unbearable. With a motion of the hand Princess Anne came to his side and helped her uncle back to the podium.

The Sarzonians in attendance did not attach much importance to that last scene of Grand Ducal infirmity. To the Hamptonians in the audience and at home, however, it was a startling revelation. Everyone knew that the Grand Duke's health was not what it used to be. Rumors would spread through the capital every few months about a health scare but they were all dismissed. Even at age 83, Reginald Leopold I presented himself as vigorous. Now for the first time the mortality of Hamptonshire's long reigning monarch was up for public consumption.

Back at the podium the Grand Duke quitely asked the Princess of the small package in her briefcase. He quickly placed it on top of the podium. He continued his speech:

"As President Sarzo earlier said, today the Incorporated States of Sarzonia and the Grand Duchy of Hamptonshire have come to several profound and long term agreements concerning our individual and collective future. We are fully dedicated to all these agreements and it is my personal hope that they are but the beginning of a new stage...a new era in Hampto-Sarzonian Relations.

To mark this new beginning, as well as to recognize the past and cement the future, I bring this gift."

He took the simple black box in his left hand and held it up in plain view of all in attendance. On the lid of the box was the Seal of the Grand Duchy of Hamptonshire above the Grand Ducal Crest. With great care he placed the box back on top of the podium. He then in one smooth motion removed the "Sword of State" from its position. He strained to hold it up while Princess Anne and President Sarzo discretely waved off security officers.

"Our legends state that the great Danish king Ragnar Lodbrok himself used this sword in the ninth century A.D. For over a thousand years the Grand Dukes and Duchesses of Hamptonshire have kept the Sword. As long as there has been a Hamptonshire, this Sword has been there."

He brought the Sword down to his side, resting the tip on the floor while using it to support his weight.

"Every monarch in our history- the Kings of Yespani, the Dukes of Hampton, and the Grand Dukes of Hamptonshire, has been coronated using the Sword of State. The Royal Congress is brought in and out of session by the Sword. By this Sword war is declared. By this sword peace is secured.

It is held in our laws that the Sword of State must be used during important and critical Acts of State. That is what brings me to my gift- to the box.

Over a millennium ago the first Grand Duke, my direct ancestor, created Hamptonshire's highest award. In one thousand years it has been awarded less than two hundred times. There is no honor higher, no distinction greater than it. It would be impossible to understate the importance and value. When awarded the honoree immediately gains the hereditary rank of Marquess and the title of Lord. Of course, in respect to Sarzonian law such honors will be withheld until Parliament gives its assent. Rest assured that this award brings with it more benefits that I could possibly list.."

The Grand Duke carefully openned the box and revealed the highly polished plantium, silver, gold and blue sapphire star shaped medallion. Each of the five points of the star brilliantly reflected the light. In the center a gold and ivory eagle with outstretched wings-- it was the Order of the Sacred Eagle.

"President Micheal Sarzo in recognition of your service, and the service of the Incorporated States of Sarzonia, I do hereby name you Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Sacred Eagle."

The Grand Duke turned from the podium and walked toward the stunned looking Sarzo. With the Order in his left hand and the Sword in his right hand the Grand Duke waited for Sarzo to approach and accept the award.


[OOC: Sorry about the wait. When Sarzo comes up just RP that he either lets the Grand Duke tap him on each shoulder twice with the Sword of State or something else if you feel that such a gesture would break Sarzonian laws.]

With his eyes bulging widely, Sarzo slowly knelt down to allow the Grand Duke to tap him on the shoulders with the Sword of State. He solemnly closed his eyes and bowed his head slightly. The Grand Duke tapped Sarzo lightly on each shoulder to symbolize the honour.

Parliament would have to approve the motion to allow the title of nobility, but with Sarzo being the recipient, the precedent was that Lewis would need to sign off on behalf of the President in addition to Parliament's approval. Unbeknownst to any in the audience, the House of Delegates and Senate were conducting a quick vote. After the vote, Lewis quickly signed off on the decision.

When Sarzo arose and stepped away from the podium, Senate President Pro Tempore Karen Beltran walked up to Sarzo with a note. We approve of the conferrence of this title of nobility, the note said. SVP-I Lewis has signed her consent. With a slight smile, he told the Grand Duke.

"Parliament has given its consent to conferring this incredible honour on me," Sarzo said. "I humbly thank you for this honour."

The Grand Duke carefully pinned the large medal to Sarzo's jacket. Leaning in toward him he quitely replied"It is my honor to give this to you and your family." He nodded at the Sarzonian First Partner as he spoke to Sarzo.

With the brilliant emblem of the Order of the Sacred Eagle pinned to Sarzo cameras began to wildly flash and audience members began to rise to their feet to applaud.

"Perhaps we should get the others up here with us." he said in reference to Princess Anne and Taylor.

The two came to the center of the stand to join the Grand Duke and President in a gesture of friendship and victory.

That is certainly a show stopper, Princess Anne thought to herself, this press conference may just have hit its high.


[OOC: As always you can take this where you want it to be taken.]

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