Azazia
17-04-2005, 20:13
Outside Breningrad, West Oceania
The spring sun shown down on the United Kingdom, the chirps and songs of the tropical birds coming from the few remaining forests on the hills and mountains outside the major cities lent a musical cadence to the otherwise monotony of the business day that the first day of spring was. On the island of New Australia, outside the city of Breningrad sat upon the crest of a hill a large villa, its Corinthian palisade overlooking the long estuary that fed into the mighty port of Breningrad, the busiest in the entire nation. Further west, to the north of the city, sat the nation’s largest naval base where from the shaded walk one could see the large supercarriers and battlecruisers in addition to the comparatively tiny destroyers and frigates, and the ants and insects of patrol boats securing the busy sea route.
Down the central axis of the palisade were a set of broad steps, flanked by neatly trimmed bushes sporting blossoms of hues from whites to pinks to blues. At the end near the bottom level stood two Egyptian-styled obelisks carved with hieroglyphs that translated into sentences praising the Pharaoh Ramses the Great. They were two finds from an Azazian dig in Egypt, and had been given as gifts to the company that had sponsored the find. However, when the company went bankrupt Alistair Tetley purchased the two and had them adorn his favourite house.
Looking quickly back east, he saw his magnificent home, furnished in marble with statues in the Hellenistic style dotting the green spaces. He also had behind the house a small triumphant arch, donated by Parliament after his nation’s military victories in Lindim, which led ultimately to the reinstatement of Prime Minister Fuego. Tetley was a man of history, who knew that all empires started small. Athens a mere acropolis, Rome a set of communities on seven hills. And so it would be with the city of Imperium, the capital of the United Kingdom. He and his successors would help build an empire that would bring peace and prosperity to the Pacific region, and free the islands from the strife and poverty that afflicted most all of them.
Amidst these thoughts of the rise and fall of nations came his chief aide, a tall lanky man whose face was speckled with freckles. “Sir, this came for you from the capital.”
“What is it Geoffrey?”
“A diplomatic letter, sir. From the nation of Celack.”
The name sounded familiar, perhaps from the long-lost histories of the nation, when Azazia had been active in world affairs, though with her small size she played a role of little consequence and had doubtlessly been forgotten up until this point, with the now powerful forces of the United Kingdom requiring recognition from most, if not all nations. “Thank you, if you would though, being as the hour approaches noon, could you call Maximillian to prepare lunch. Ham and Swiss on wheat, some iced tea too. And get what you wish Geoffrey, and then feel free to join me up here. The weather is so beautiful today.”
The aide left silently as Tetley pulled a small pocket knife from his khakis. At his home he could abandon the suit and dress instead in a comfortable short-sleeve silk patterned shirt. Far more comfortable than his well-known dark three-piece suits. The letter itself was plain and to the point, worth making note of, worth Tetley’s appreciation for sure. On his mini-vacations he often did not care for the formal pomp and circumstance that came with being Prime Minister.
However, this letter could indeed change the history of the Kingdom – for the better or for the worse was up to history to decide of course. After providing assistance to Euroslavia in their recent internal conflict, apparently several nations had taken note of the character if not the power of the small token force of ships dispatched by his government. While greatly outnumbered, and eventually defeated – most ships having been sunk – the admiral had managed to cripple a force eight times larger and better prepared than his own, even at the expense of his own life. Some were already calling him Azazia’s own Nelson.
That was, however, neither here nor there. The fact was that the New Alliance Treaty Organization, or more simply NATO, had invited the Kingdom to join its ranks.
Imperium, New Britain
Several days had passed since Tetley had received the official invitation, and after some correspondence with the nation of Celack and briefing Parliament leaders on the letter, the time had come to bring forth the question of joining the organization before the whole of Parliament.
The building itself was of modern construction and accordingly afforded the chamber with a great deal of natural light from the high glass and concrete ceilings. Tetley sat to the right of the king, who still was ill with cancer – although that had not been revealed to the public as of yet – and so he was the most senior member of the government present. And as the speaker rambled along with his introduction and all the laurels to go with the position of Prime Minister, he could only tap his fingers and take a deep breath while he waited to begin his speech. As the speaker took a step back and began to clap, Tetley rose to the floor.
Outside Breningrad, West Oceania
The night had come to this region of the world, the stars blocked from sight by the enormous amount of light directed skyward from the enormous metropolis that consumed most of the United Kingdom’s archipelago. However, the view from the top floor bedroom provided a terrestrial star-lit landscape with specks of light dotting the dark ocean and islands as people worked their nights away in office towers, and drove at high speeds on the freeways, and as high-speed commuter trains crisscrossed the island. In the distance landing lights on aircraft and green and red harbour lights denoted the path for arriving and departing ships.
But behind him, on the desk in his bedroom, lay a piece of paper that held the stars for the United Kingdom. In an extremely close vote, the measure to accept NATO’s invitation had been passed. Of course, Daniel Collins and the Conservative Party had mustered all their strength to oppose the acceptance – but through the slim majority lead of Tetley’s own Democratic Socialists Collins had failed. Of course, the vote was still only won by a dozen or so votes, fourteen to be exact. Collins had warned about potential conflicts with other nations who spewed their own vitriol against all members of NATO almost on principle. Foremost at Collins’ speech was the Right Wing Collective, another organization with which the Kingdom had little contact. Collins warned of hardships and the threat of war.
But in the end, the goal of joining the organization was to bring about fresh markets for Azazian goods and services, new friends and allies, and to learn and experience new cultures and ways of life. There was no reason, so far as Tetley could see, as to why the Kingdom could not maintain healthy relations with all parties. Yes, the sad fact was that in this strange world there was seemingly little room for compromise and moderation. The left hated the right, and the right hated the left. Sometimes it seemed as if these nations had no balance within themselves. The Kingdom was likely evenly split, a third right, a third left, a third in the middle. It merely happened that certain parties were more efficient at wooing voters and getting the voters out, hence his own Democratic Socialist Party held the office of Prime Minister.
But there were all concerns for another day. In time, the Kingdom would become well-known to the world, hopefully for being an advocate of free-trade and fairness and equality. At least Tetley hoped so. There were still many years left ahead of him for his own life, and beyond that many lay ahead for the Kingdom. He secretly hoped, even more than anything else, that he had made the right choice.
Tetley closed his blinds and picked up the book by his bedside. The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire. Sighing, he placed it back on the nightstand and crawled into his bed. Closing his eyes, he fell asleep to thoughts about the rise and fall of nations. Especially the United Kingdom of Azazia.
The spring sun shown down on the United Kingdom, the chirps and songs of the tropical birds coming from the few remaining forests on the hills and mountains outside the major cities lent a musical cadence to the otherwise monotony of the business day that the first day of spring was. On the island of New Australia, outside the city of Breningrad sat upon the crest of a hill a large villa, its Corinthian palisade overlooking the long estuary that fed into the mighty port of Breningrad, the busiest in the entire nation. Further west, to the north of the city, sat the nation’s largest naval base where from the shaded walk one could see the large supercarriers and battlecruisers in addition to the comparatively tiny destroyers and frigates, and the ants and insects of patrol boats securing the busy sea route.
Down the central axis of the palisade were a set of broad steps, flanked by neatly trimmed bushes sporting blossoms of hues from whites to pinks to blues. At the end near the bottom level stood two Egyptian-styled obelisks carved with hieroglyphs that translated into sentences praising the Pharaoh Ramses the Great. They were two finds from an Azazian dig in Egypt, and had been given as gifts to the company that had sponsored the find. However, when the company went bankrupt Alistair Tetley purchased the two and had them adorn his favourite house.
Looking quickly back east, he saw his magnificent home, furnished in marble with statues in the Hellenistic style dotting the green spaces. He also had behind the house a small triumphant arch, donated by Parliament after his nation’s military victories in Lindim, which led ultimately to the reinstatement of Prime Minister Fuego. Tetley was a man of history, who knew that all empires started small. Athens a mere acropolis, Rome a set of communities on seven hills. And so it would be with the city of Imperium, the capital of the United Kingdom. He and his successors would help build an empire that would bring peace and prosperity to the Pacific region, and free the islands from the strife and poverty that afflicted most all of them.
Amidst these thoughts of the rise and fall of nations came his chief aide, a tall lanky man whose face was speckled with freckles. “Sir, this came for you from the capital.”
“What is it Geoffrey?”
“A diplomatic letter, sir. From the nation of Celack.”
The name sounded familiar, perhaps from the long-lost histories of the nation, when Azazia had been active in world affairs, though with her small size she played a role of little consequence and had doubtlessly been forgotten up until this point, with the now powerful forces of the United Kingdom requiring recognition from most, if not all nations. “Thank you, if you would though, being as the hour approaches noon, could you call Maximillian to prepare lunch. Ham and Swiss on wheat, some iced tea too. And get what you wish Geoffrey, and then feel free to join me up here. The weather is so beautiful today.”
The aide left silently as Tetley pulled a small pocket knife from his khakis. At his home he could abandon the suit and dress instead in a comfortable short-sleeve silk patterned shirt. Far more comfortable than his well-known dark three-piece suits. The letter itself was plain and to the point, worth making note of, worth Tetley’s appreciation for sure. On his mini-vacations he often did not care for the formal pomp and circumstance that came with being Prime Minister.
However, this letter could indeed change the history of the Kingdom – for the better or for the worse was up to history to decide of course. After providing assistance to Euroslavia in their recent internal conflict, apparently several nations had taken note of the character if not the power of the small token force of ships dispatched by his government. While greatly outnumbered, and eventually defeated – most ships having been sunk – the admiral had managed to cripple a force eight times larger and better prepared than his own, even at the expense of his own life. Some were already calling him Azazia’s own Nelson.
That was, however, neither here nor there. The fact was that the New Alliance Treaty Organization, or more simply NATO, had invited the Kingdom to join its ranks.
Imperium, New Britain
Several days had passed since Tetley had received the official invitation, and after some correspondence with the nation of Celack and briefing Parliament leaders on the letter, the time had come to bring forth the question of joining the organization before the whole of Parliament.
The building itself was of modern construction and accordingly afforded the chamber with a great deal of natural light from the high glass and concrete ceilings. Tetley sat to the right of the king, who still was ill with cancer – although that had not been revealed to the public as of yet – and so he was the most senior member of the government present. And as the speaker rambled along with his introduction and all the laurels to go with the position of Prime Minister, he could only tap his fingers and take a deep breath while he waited to begin his speech. As the speaker took a step back and began to clap, Tetley rose to the floor.
Outside Breningrad, West Oceania
The night had come to this region of the world, the stars blocked from sight by the enormous amount of light directed skyward from the enormous metropolis that consumed most of the United Kingdom’s archipelago. However, the view from the top floor bedroom provided a terrestrial star-lit landscape with specks of light dotting the dark ocean and islands as people worked their nights away in office towers, and drove at high speeds on the freeways, and as high-speed commuter trains crisscrossed the island. In the distance landing lights on aircraft and green and red harbour lights denoted the path for arriving and departing ships.
But behind him, on the desk in his bedroom, lay a piece of paper that held the stars for the United Kingdom. In an extremely close vote, the measure to accept NATO’s invitation had been passed. Of course, Daniel Collins and the Conservative Party had mustered all their strength to oppose the acceptance – but through the slim majority lead of Tetley’s own Democratic Socialists Collins had failed. Of course, the vote was still only won by a dozen or so votes, fourteen to be exact. Collins had warned about potential conflicts with other nations who spewed their own vitriol against all members of NATO almost on principle. Foremost at Collins’ speech was the Right Wing Collective, another organization with which the Kingdom had little contact. Collins warned of hardships and the threat of war.
But in the end, the goal of joining the organization was to bring about fresh markets for Azazian goods and services, new friends and allies, and to learn and experience new cultures and ways of life. There was no reason, so far as Tetley could see, as to why the Kingdom could not maintain healthy relations with all parties. Yes, the sad fact was that in this strange world there was seemingly little room for compromise and moderation. The left hated the right, and the right hated the left. Sometimes it seemed as if these nations had no balance within themselves. The Kingdom was likely evenly split, a third right, a third left, a third in the middle. It merely happened that certain parties were more efficient at wooing voters and getting the voters out, hence his own Democratic Socialist Party held the office of Prime Minister.
But there were all concerns for another day. In time, the Kingdom would become well-known to the world, hopefully for being an advocate of free-trade and fairness and equality. At least Tetley hoped so. There were still many years left ahead of him for his own life, and beyond that many lay ahead for the Kingdom. He secretly hoped, even more than anything else, that he had made the right choice.
Tetley closed his blinds and picked up the book by his bedside. The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire. Sighing, he placed it back on the nightstand and crawled into his bed. Closing his eyes, he fell asleep to thoughts about the rise and fall of nations. Especially the United Kingdom of Azazia.