NationStates Jolt Archive

The Citadel
Imperium, Commonwealth Republic of New Britain

The rain dripped from the heavy stone parapets onto the dark cobbled plaza below. The clouds fell from the sky, enveloping the entire city in thick grey fog – although from any one spot the remainder of the city was out of sight as if each man himself became an island in this nation of islands. Yet the jackets of the guards and men posted outside the buildings did little to comfort them as the temperature was cool from the offshore breeze which blew in along the estuary outside the Citadel walls.

Today doesn’t just feel cold, thought an island moving across the cobblestone sea, today is cold. Although the man felt that the day was cold, he knew that by the end it could end up boiling hot, a fever so powerful it could tear the binding fabric of these islands into shreds. Each shred a separate island.

He donned his smooth grey fedora and wrapped his thick rain-proofed woolen coat around his suit and watched as two bright lights sliced through the fog, swerving just before reaching him. The rear door to the limousine opened from the inside, revealing a member of the Parliamentary Security Force – a force designed to protect MPs throughout the Commonwealth of Azazia. And as the man reflected on the PSF’s origins he shuddered at the word Commonwealth.

He found the warmed interior far too artificial, but he welcomed it as his body warmed against the chilling effect of the raw weather, which had worked its way into his bones. He removed his hat and placed it on his side, and while looking down found a briefcase by his left foot. “Blake,” he called to the man across from him – who had remained silent and unseen until this moment, “I trust that the speech is prepared?”

The questioned man nodded in the dim interior lighting. “Yes, sir. You’ll find a black leather folder inside, and the speech is inside of that. I take it that meets with your approval?”

“Indeed.” And with that he resumed his silence, contemplating the words that he knew almost by heart. In half an hour the world as he knew, as the man across from him knew, as even the driver knew would be defrocked of its innocence and exposed for what it was destined to be. It only seemed far too appropriate that on this day the world could not see this usually splendid capital city, with its glass and steel spires spiraling towards the heavens, scraping the skies where the gods were once reputed to live, pointing towards the heavens which now bore the fruit of this nation’s hard work. On this day, not even the Prime Minister could see the world he ruled when standing in the center of its power.

Parliament Building

The interior of the glass and concrete structure provided a more luminescent view of the human geography of the archipelago nation. From the seat to the right of the throne, reserved for the Emperor when he sat in on sessions, was a smaller – but still distinguished chair made from a strong native wood that when polished gave off a warm red glow under the bright lights. The chair was upholstered with the finest leather and through its often usage was found by all to be an extremely comfortable chair, remarkable considering its rather austere and formal aesthetics. Today, however, the Prime Minister’s seat brought upon nothing but anxiety, not of the un-nerving type which manifested itself through sweat or shaking hands and trembling lips, but of the type merely uncertain of the path of the future. For the course of this nation was about to change, and he was the one at the helm. In front of him, facing him, was the whole of the Parliament, summoned for an important announcement concerning the fundamental governance of the Commonwealth of Azazia. He could see all the cabinet members in their front row seats, and the remainder of his majority party behind them; and it was this majority party so staunchly behind him that assured him that his plan would become law amending the Commonwealth Constitution. As the speaker wrapped up his speech, he began to tune into the words spoken, listening for his cue, and then he saw the speaker turn to face him. “And now I present to you, the honourable Prime Minister Alistair Tetley.” To which he heard a rather rapturous applause.

Slowly he rose from his chair making sure to smile at the large group of MPs and reporters, aware that this was being broadcast live over the nation’s political channels. In theory, even some of the public schools were tuned into this broadcast. But now, it was his time to lead. To be the Prime Minister of the… well for now, the Commonwealth of Azazia.

Ladies and gentlemen, citizens, comrades, I come before you all today honoured and privileged to have your confidence and respect as the Prime Minister. There is nothing more satisfying in my life than serving this nation in its highest elected position – with the exception of my family of course, any failure to mention so would surely leave this highest elected official sleeping on the lowliest of couches.. A polite bit of laughter echoed throughout the chamber, allowing Tetley to catch his breath and refocus.

However, today I come not to bore you with my less-than-stellar attempts at humour, but to outline for you the glorious vision I have for this whole nation and all her people in the future – both immediate and distant. The cliché follows that all great journeys begin with a single step, and that is certainly true; however, no great journey can begin without having some sense of purpose, of destination – even if the exact destination is not known, we all still have some semblance of where we shall like to find ourselves at journey’s end. Today, we will begin together the process of opening that door and lifting that first foot forward. Today we will hoist our sails and ready our walking sticks and place our lives on our backs as we work hard to reach the end of this coming journey.

And this journey is the creation of a new state spanning the globe in its reach. From ocean to ocean and pole to pole, this Parliament, this city, this nation will touch and influence events around the world as none of us have ever dreamed possible.

Some of you deride this ideal as imperial greed. And in part you are correct; this is greed of a state that is an empire. However, those that make such claims misunderstand the motives of this government and this great nation. Our greed is not for mere flags on foreign lands, nor is it for fluffing our annual profit margins, nor is it to expand the power and influence of the Commonwealth’s armed forces. Our greed is that of our way of life and desiring to share it with the whole world. Our desire is to spread democracy to lands and people living under the shadow of the iron fists of tyranny and despotism. Our desire is to ensure that all men and women are treated equally under not only the law but by everyday citizens. Our desire is to increase the luxury of every man and woman on this planet. Our desire is to provide medicine to those who are sick, education to those less-skilled that ourselves, security to those who live in fear, and freedom to those who live by the whims of others.

Our empire will be a liberal empire. Every citizen will be represented in this Parliament. Every citizen will vote for their representative, and in so doing will have a voice in the management of this government and will hold those elected to being responsible members of this government. Every citizen will be equal under the law, man and woman, black and white, heterosexual and homosexual. Every citizen will have equal opportunities to advance in this empire and will be able to become whatever they want with the right amount of hard work and effort. Every citizen will have the right to private property and the right to do with that as they will without undue influence of this government. Every citizen will have the right to practice their own religion so long as this does not limit the right of another’s choice. Every citizen in this empire will be free.

Tetley smiled when the crowd began to applaud and cheer once again, interrupting his speech for a good while. It seemed as if there was little to fear from his own government if these signs could be believed. However, there was no way to gauge the reaction in the general populace let alone the international sphere. When the noise had quieted to an acceptable level, he continued on with what were certainly to be the more controversial issues of his speech.

And so, in an effort to secure these goals and visions of this state and her people I submit to you these amendments to the Commonwealth Constitution, Tetley withdrew a large stack of documents and placed them on the table to his side – he had no intention of reading them all just enough to please the crowd, or infuriate them. These Commonwealth Republics will now formally be known as the United Commonwealth of Azazia, with His Majesty Tsar Mikhail I as monarch and head of state. The government will consist of this legislature, from which the office of Prime Minister will be filled, and from outside of which he or she can choose to fill his portfolios.

The United Commonwealth will consist of the Commonwealth Republics as they exist today, as well as the Royal Territories as they currently exist. That framework will not change. However, there will be the creation of a colonial office that will coordinate and oversee all work being done in United Commonwealth colonies. The goal of these colonies is to promote economic and political development to a level in which the colony would be able to participate on a level equal to that of the United Commonwealth. It is at this point the people will in public referendums decide upon whether or not to become independent or remain a member of the United Commonwealth as a Commonwealth Republic.

It is my hope, and the hope of my government, that in time, many such colonies will be founded. And within several generations the native peoples will be prosperous and successful and actively contributing to the political, economic, and cultural discourses in the United Commonwealth. Through the openness of this new state we will promote the ideals of liberalism and the freedoms it entails. We will shine as a beacon of hope to the world, a peak to which all aspire to climb, and a plateau never to be reached.

Ladies, and gentlemen, citizens, and comrades, we now bear a great burden, perhaps heavier than that of Atlas, to bring civilization, hope, and freedom to the world where it has never existed, or once did but has seen that flame extinguished. I ask you to support me in achieving this goal and together we will make this nation and this people great. And we will bring better lives to those who seek them.

Tetley took a stoop back, signaling the end of his speech – at which there was a definite partisan divide of applause. All of a sudden it seemed that such nation building here in his own country would be far more difficult than he had imagined. And for sure, he would be hearing about his goals from his constituents and members of the international sphere who would be displeased and perhaps threatened by these remarks. Little did he know the light rain outside was ready to develop into a downpour.

Commonwealth News Network – 18:00 Primetime Broadcast

Kim Henley provided a bright, smiling, and quite attractive face to the hundreds of millions of nightly viewers. Several years back the network had decided to opt for younger, more attractive looking anchors in order to regain their preeminent spot in the nightly ratings. Unlike the more distinguished men of the past, Henley didn’t comprehend the news herself, she just read off the teleprompters in a fashion that made it seem like she did. And so tonight would be no different, and as the counters ticked down from ten seconds, she merely reviewed the words which she was about to speak – not the content.

In an unseen voice-in fade, the screen flashed an image of the globe, that while spinning focused in on the Commonwealth and slowly zoomed into the city of Breningrad, where the network broadcast center was located. “This is Nightly World News with anchor, Kim Henley.”

3,2, and go.

“Good evening, we begin today here at home where Parliament prepares to begin its debates regarding Prime Minister Tetley’s plan to transform the Royal Commonwealth into a formal empire. First we take you to John Lyon reporting from Parliament, in Imperium.”

The screen cut from Henley’s face to a more rugged and elderly face of a man who was in charge of national politics. His brown hair and warm blue eyes were complemented by a smile as he began his own report. “The past decade in Commonwealth history has seen the slow evolution of a highly isolated nation into a formal empire; that is if Prime Minister Tetley receives the votes necessary to amend the Commonwealth Constitution.

“Five days ago, Prime Minister Tetley addressed Parliament in a special joint session where he called for the establishment of a unified Commonwealth that would become a formal empire.” Lyon’s voice paused as the screen cut to a video of Tetley’s speech to Parliament.

And this journey is the creation of a new state spanning the globe in its reach. From ocean to ocean and pole to pole, this Parliament, this city, this nation will touch and influence events around the world as none of us have ever dreamed possible.

“The exact details of the union of the Commonwealth Republics call for a tightened federal style of government, bringing more control to Imperium and the Emperor. The opposition, most notably Daniel Collins of the Conservative Party, have decried Tetley’s proposed policy changes.” The screen quickly cut away to a speech given by Collins later in the week, the gaunt blonde-haired man riling the MPs in his typical fiery fashion of rhetoric.

These… these, I hesitate to call them changes for they are mere outrages against our system! These changes are the antithesis of our beloved Commonwealth. We will be forgoing all that this nation was founded upon. And for what? So that the Democratic Socialists can increase the size and scope of this government and then bankrupt us all!

The Citadel
Imperium, Commonwealth Republic of New Britain

Lyons report continued, “Unfortunately for the opposition parties, Tetley’s ruling Democratic Socialist Party maintains a slim majority in both houses, and enough of a majority in both to pass the amendments. The only possible problem for Tetley would be the possible ramifications of a vote in favour of imperialism. Some predict that if such a vote occurs, a massive change of power could occur in Parliament in elections scheduled for a few months from now. However –“

Alistair Tetley clicked the OFF button. He was well aware of the potential repercussions at the polls, there was a good possibility that his party could lose. But at the same time, it was imperative that the Commonwealth begin to adapt to its new role as an imperial power. As it stood, formal independence would need to be granted to its new territories and that would ultimately lead to – at least the potential of – economic collapse for one of the world’s strongest economies. That would spell destabilization and the need for foreign intervention. And when that intervention came, the Commonwealth would cede its sovereignty to a foreign power, or a coalition of foreign powers. All of whom would want their own piece of the Commonwealth.

And Tetley was determined to prevent that.

Conservative Party Headquarters
Imperium, Commonwealth Republic of New Britain

Daniel Collins sat in his comfortable reading chair, sipping his evening glass of whiskey, running through the next day’s legislation. The end of the list was his opportunity to seize power, the proposal to create an empire out of the Commonwealth.

Tetley was merely interested in larger government, and the entire social welfare state. But he couldn’t see that this wasn’t in the best interests of the people. The manufacturing sector continued to experience negative growth because of Tetley’s fair trade principles. The pension system was set to begin becoming a drain on the economy within the coming decades, and yet he pretended all was fine. Now he wanted to expand the number of people in the Commonwealth, which would surely lead to the future collapse of Azazia.

And so he was determined to put up a fight that would force the people to see the flaws of the Tetley administration. He couldn’t prevent the legislation from passing, but he could make sure the Democratic Socialists paid for it in their control of Parliament.

Mountains Outside Imperium, Commonwealth Republic of New Britain

Daniel Collins was a man with a short fuse, oft revealed in his fiery speeches in Parliament. The thing blonde-haired man confused none, his hair should have been red, his body rotund to match his ultimate contempt for everything the Prime Minister’s government stood for, including the PM’s own good looks. However, Collins was similar to Tetley in that one regard of good looks. That and he was also a politician.

With the recent imperialistic aggressions of the Commonwealth, and the growing list of casualties with which they were associated, Collins had been preparing for a blitz on the campaign trail; his goal being to destroy the Tetley regime. Although Tetley’s party controlled Parliament, Collins could muster enough MPs to block the passage of the bill, at least until the election came about – and then the time would come for a referendum not only on the imperial actions of the government, but of the idea of empire itself.

In his dark wood-furnished study he poured himself some brandy for his evening consumption. Across from him sat the large plate windows through which his mountain villa could view the whole of the capital Imperium. On clear nights such as this evening, the stars twinkled from horizon to zenith as the skyscrapers merged into the night sky, blending the heavens and the earth into a single realm that Collins saw as the rightful place of the Commonwealth. In time, he thought, in time I shall have control, and can fix the mistakes which Alistair has made.

The Citadel
Imperium, Commonwealth Republic of New Britain

The old fortress had seen its share of battles, the brick and stone walls pitted with musket and rifle fire while concrete slabs had filled the holes left from cannon and artillery fire. At the corners, however, the turrets still stood with flags raised high and viewing the courtyard where the seat of power was located.

Tetley, however, worried not about the history of his own building, but the history and now the future of his own political career. In Parliament, Collins was succeeding in bringing the remainder of the government under his control. Guryev’s Socialist Revolutionary Party had announced its decision to part ways with the traditional alliance between the Democratic Socialist Party and itself, after what Guryev was claiming were “betrayals on the fundamental principles of socialism.” The Communists were never satisfied by anyone but their own government, and so Cooling had predictably joined with Collins simply in order to oust Tetley’s Democratic Socialists. And lastly were the bloody Christian Democrats spewing their reprehensible right-wing morality; and of course they wanted the progressive policies that Tetley had instituted flat out repealed, then outlawed.

In the matter of weeks, Tetley’s proposed legislation on founding an empire had gone from likely to unlikely with the adept manipulation of Collins. And although Tetley’s party held the majority, it wasn’t enough of one to pass the necessary amendments to the Commonwealth Constitution. In short, Collins was going to allow the bills to languish and rot as he ratcheted up the campaign rhetoric before the election. Tetley had his final card to play, as the Prime Minister he could call for general elections any time he saw fit, and instead of elections in three months, he would call for them in a week.

Tetley was well-liked, and the only possible means for Collins to defeat him was to spend time on his speeches and presentations. And by moving up the elections, Tetley would deny his opponent that time, and force him to make do with an ad hoc campaign while Tetley saw to it that his backup plan went into full effect.

He drank his glass of water brought into him earlier by his secretary, and then buzzed her back. “If you would, I could use some more water, and phone Ivan, I need to speak with him immediately.”