NationStates Jolt Archive

A dozen ceremonial Guards stood about the moderately large, wood-pannelled conference room. Each man was stock still and holding a long, slender bronze spear in his right hand against his scarlet-red and purple-sashed uniform. There was a pair of doors at each end of the room, and in the middle was a solid Praetonian oak conference table which took up a great deal of the room lengthwise but was small enough across for two people to stand either side and shake hands. On the side facing towards the centre of the building was placed a Praetonian small flag weighed down with a bronze base, and on the far side a similar holder carrying a Roman flag.

The doors on the Praetonian side of the table were opened by a further two Guards standing sentry in the corridor outside, and the 3-man Praetonian delegation entered the room, each carrying a leather-bound folder containing the relevant documents. They sat down, and began chattering amongst themselves, checking that their papers were in order. The man in the center was the Prime Minister, The Right Honourable Lucius Agrippa, MP. Sitting to his left was the Governor General of Neo-Praetonia, Sir Gregorius Ferrus, and to the right was the Minister for the Colonies, Lord Galius Lucundus.

The door at the Roman end of the table suddenly opened, and the Praetonian Ministers put down their pens and documents. Another red-coated and purple-sashed man, this time also wearing a tricone hat, walked elegantly into the room and said in a booming voice, "Their Excellencies, the Delegates from RomeW." The man turned to one side, leaving the doorway clear, and the Roman diplomats walked in. The Praetonian Ministers sprang from their seats and shook hands with the Roman delegates, behind whom the announcer walked out of the room and closed the doors behind him.

"Welcome to Praetonia, Your Excellency," said the Prime Minister to the most senior Roman diplomat, offering him a seat.

OOC: You can simply refer to my nation as "Rome". The "W" was just there to create the nation.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," said Giorgius Redomius, the Governor of Romanus Eropidus. "I must say, what a beautiful room this is." He said this while taking his seat.

"So, let's get started. Where do you want to begin?"

[OOC: Oh sorry. I'll call you Rome from now on then.]

"Thankyou. I do take pride in our civil architecture myself," the Prime Minister said politely, "Shall we begin with an agreement of mutual protection concerning our colonies? In the past Neo-Praetonia and Romanus Eropidus have been the predominant colonies, however in recent times we have seen the rise of the massive expanse of Vastivan Manium territories, and the potentially hostile expansion of Nyctoni territories on our Eastern border. Our position is that a mutual defensive pact would aid both of our colonies in facing off any potential threats."

[OOC: Oh sorry. I'll call you Rome from now on then.]

"Thankyou. I do take pride in our civil architecture myself," the Prime Minister said politely, "Shall we begin with an agreement of mutual protection concerning our colonies? In the past Neo-Praetonia and Romanus Eropidus have been the predominant colonies, however in recent times we have seen the rise of the massive expanse of Vastivan Manium territories, and the potentially hostile expansion of Nyctoni territories on our Eastern border. Our position is that a mutual defensive pact would aid both of our colonies in facing off any potential threats."

OOC: No worries.

"We agree with that. We currently hold no hostility towards Nycton or Vastiva, but we cannot be indifferent about the possibility of a threat.

"Now, as for the parameters regarding a defence pact:

"We wish to adopt a policy of 'an attack on one is an attack on all' approach to an attack. Thoughts?"

(OOC2: Will respond later. I must get off-line now.)

"Oh quite," the Prime Minister said quickly, "We are not anticipating war, but one must be prepared. What I would like to see coming out of these discussions would indeed be a mutual defence policy, and also a solid committment to, should war be declared upon either of our colonies by a colony lying on the river, troops on the border of said colony to back up any attempt by the Imperial Navy to force a passage through the river. Would this be acceptable?"

OOC: Sorry I took so long...been busy.

"Oh quite," the Prime Minister said quickly, "We are not anticipating war, but one must be prepared. What I would like to see coming out of these discussions would indeed be a mutual defence policy, and also a solid committment to, should war be declared upon either of our colonies by a colony lying on the river, troops on the border of said colony to back up any attempt by the Imperial Navy to force a passage through the river. Would this be acceptable?"

The Governor laughed a little. "You can refer to Nycton here by name- that won't trouble me. I just don't want the public to know that we discussed about Nycton.

"As for your offer we find that acceptable. We now just need to work out how to co-ordinate such an activity. I suggest that our first course of action is to decide how to divide the land between our two colonies. Any ideas?"