NationStates Jolt Archive

OOC: If anybody wonders, this is taking place AFTER the party thread.

IC:

1. Free trade – The United States of Allanea and the United Republics of Tiburon will thus re-affirm their intent to maintain free trade status.

2.Strategic Military Presense – The United States of Allanea will allow the United Republics Armed Forces to rent land in the State of Hestonia to use as military compounds, but no weapons of mass destruction may be held on the premises.

3.Military Contract Grants and Allotments – The United States of Allanea will contract the United Republics x for 1 billion Allanean Dollars worth of equipment and services per year for the next ten years.

4.Confederation Status - The United Republics of Tiburon will transfer the Two Rivers Confederation under Allanean control, and the States of the Confederation will become part of the Union in the United States of Allanea not later than after ten years, and they will maintain Territory status in the United States until such a time.

Alexander Kazansky threw himself back in the chair as he signed the paper. Hundreds of years ago, the ancestors of today’s Allaneans left the North American continent in search of freedom. They found it, but the tales and the history of America have remained in their hearts and minds – the stories of Lexington and Concord. Of the Alamo. Of Chancellorsville.

You could say, without exaggeration, that for the Allaneans, the North American continent was their Zion. Today, the Aliya was about to begin. He was smiling broadly for the first time in years as he turned to his aide.

“Johny, get an aircraft ready. We’re going to Nashville.

Nashville International Airport, Nashville, the Two Rivers Confederation
Wednesday, May 28, NCE 201, 10:15 AM

As Allanea's Air Force One touched down on Nashville International Airport, Nova Starfighter and James Murphy, the Governor of the Two Rivers Confederation, waited nervously. An official transfer of power for such a large and strategic swath of land was quite rare... but the Confederates had grown unhappy with Tiburonese rule. It was mainly political- they couldn't complain about economics or the state of democracy within the Tiburonese protectorate, but the nation that protected them was just too liberal. Of course, the Confederates loved Tiburonese like brothers, and vice versa. But it was time for a slight change- and compared to a Decisive Action or a Kahta, Allanea was a godsend.

Slowly, with trembling feet, Alexander began to descend from his aircraft, sometimes missing a step or two. He remembered this country from well before Allanea existed, and on the memory on an immortal being such things imprint pretty well. He walked down the staircase to the ground, oblivious to the occasion, to his job, to the steel cigar of the aircraft behind him or the greeting party before him. He just walked forward and down, forward and down, until his foot touched the tarmac-covered, kerosene-stained runway. His knees were trembling, and he needed a conscious effort not to drop to his knees and kiss the ground that waited for him for centuries. Inaudibly, barely moving his lipshe breathed out two words:

I’m home.

Then he walked up to the governor. ”Good day, Sir. “I assume it is you I will be taking the business over from, right?” he said with a mild smile as he shook the governor’s hand. ”Is there anything special we should know before we proceed?”

Governor Murphy smiled warmly. "Not really much has changed around here. About three years ago, Coca-Cola and CNN both moved from Atlanta to Houston, after the Uranian invasion did serious damage to Atlanta. Atlanta itself's still rebuilding, though. How's about we take you and your friends on a brief tour? Kinda like a homecoming. Welcome home, by the way. I'm Governor James Murphy, and I know you've met President Starfighter..."

Kazansky smiled back, shaking Starfighter’s hand as he did so. “Indeed we had,” he answered, “indeed we had.” – he looked around. “So, where are we going?” – behind him, a small entourage of cabinet members and clerks has assembled, some already taking notes. “I do think you would want to brief us some.” He did not tell President Starfighter – certainly, he already knew – that Allanea already had plans for certain places – Concord University. Knob Creek. Parris Island. But still, he’d like a look around. “I haven’t been here for a long while, after all…”

Nova began to look off, towards the distance. He was not only the President who had begun improving relations- he had also, at one point, led an assault on Allanean forces. Never to kill- he could say with pride that he had not suffered one enemy or friendly casualty during his battles. Ever.

How things change. And yet they stay the same.

It was Murphy that answered. "Well, we've got a helicopter ready, so we can take you all around the cities and forests to show ya the solid South as it is now." With that, a CH-820 Nightblitz* began initiating its motors, ready for the grand tour of the return.

*The Confederacy stopped naming its helicopters after Native American tribes once they ran out of tribes.

"Indeed," said Kazansky as he began walking towards the airport. "The solid South." With a brisk pace he followed Murphy towards the helicopter. "You know, The Crow is still popular in some circles in Allanea. It appeals to something in our national character. Those movie studios in West Virginia, do they still work?"

Kazansky was followed by his cadre of aides - people, who, unlike him, were never in the former United States of America. For them, the place was the stuff of history books or legends. It was said once, that for the dwarves of Liang, Moria was Zion. This, on the other hand, was the same - for the Allaneans.

OOC: The Crow was filmed in West Virginia, IIRC.

As Murphy and Kazansky boarded the helicopter, Nova turned around and began walking towards a Tiburonese helicopter, waving good-bye to both of them. "This is no longer a Tiburonese matter- it is solely between the people of the Confederation and Allanea now."

Murphy nodded, and waved. Tiburon was much respected in the Confederation, and vice versa. "Mr. Kazansky, you'd be surprised how much better the movie studios are." At that moment, though, he lost his amiability and became completely serious. "Mr. Kazansky... as you may or may not know, we cherish their freedoms dearly. All of this president-for-eternity business... it won't sit well. We need elections, you know, and Tiburon's been excellent to us in many regards, including that. I hope, for your sake and mine, that Allanea does the same."

Kazansky smiled amiably: "Oh, certainly. People overvalue my job, really. I am not a "great and mighty President". I am more of a "janitor-for-life" of the United States of Allanea. Given that our Federal Government is very small, and is getting smaller, not bigger, it's not too much of a hassle. I sign papers and command the military, other than that, I don't really do much, especially since we privatised the United States Postal Service. "

He nodded at Murphy as the helicopter ascended, "In fact, you will find your own power decreased as well, Mr. Murphy. I intend to basically return the Confederation to the old system that was used here during the Old Common Era - except, of course, there won't be no trade tariffs, we learned that much from you." - Kazansky winked at Murphy, reminding him of the role that trade tariffs played in sparking the old Civil War - "I have with me a copy of a Congressional Bill that appoints you Surveyor-General of the Confederacy. It's now your job to map our and submit, within one year, districts and other structure needed for proper elections and the setting up of a court system with accordance to the Constitution, and then we can make the Confederation states a full part of the United States of Allanea, with Congressmen, Senators, and all. Further," - he handed Murphy another paper. "Here. This is the New States Education Assistance Act (http://forums2.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=412788). It allows for the transfer of 150 billion Allanean Dollars as grants and assitance to the best universities and colleges of the South. Further, we intend to contract companies from the region for large-scale military contracts - think of it as Jefferson's Gunboat Economics, Take Two.

And now, how is Dixie doing?"

OOC: Heh. You're the only person thus far to pick up on the Old/New Common Era thing, although Tiburon is about 250 years older than the New Common Era calendar.

IC: Murphy sighed in relief and smiled. It would be a welcome change, back to the 2000s and early 2010s in the OCE, before the election of 2012 shifted power in the United States back to the north... and permanently cemented the border at the Ohio River.

"It's doin' just fine. Atlanta's still the crownin' jewel of the South, and the backwoods of Kentucky are still a sight to behold. Cape Canaveral's still operational, although it is in a bit of disuse, since we just use the USF launchpad over in Texas. And, of course, we're still one of the greatest nations on Earth. Everything you remember, Mr. President."

Alexander Kazansky smiled: "Heh. President. This is possibly my last major act in the job, before I retire - you know I am retiring, right? And I personally am going to move out right here to ol' Dixie, somewhere in those very same backwoods, Sir. " In his mind, Kazansky began calculating. They would have 22 out of 60 Senate votes. A lot, a lot of power. He realized that they wouldn't want the same things he would have, not always, at least - but then, this was the price of freedom - and he would be sitting back here and relaxing. "Then I am going to be drinking Knob Creek whiskey and listening to good music for the rest of my eternal life."

"Cape Canaveral? Still operatoinal? Why that's positively wonderful. Tell me, is Graceland still there? And the races in Daytona, they still be after holdin' them every year an' all?" - Kazansky smiled happily, slipping into the accent near-unconsciously. And behind him in the helicopter, a Presidential aide turned on his MP3 player.

We say grace and we say mam
and if you ain't into that we don't give a damn.
We came from the West Virginia coal mine's
and the Rocky Mountains and the Western skies
and we can skin a buck, we can run a trout line
and a country boy can survive, country folks can survive...