Azazia
10-09-2005, 05:33
[ooc: this refers to one of the points made on the forums, which I'd advise you all to check with regards to this thread./ooc]
Caliz, Republic of Azazia
The city of Caliz occupied the Cape of Good Tidings, known by residents and locals simply as the Cape. Founded by the Spanish when they conquered the island of Vetraz, the city sat upon the northern coast of the peninsula, a rocky formation rising from the seamount as a largely submerged mountain. On the north shores a small river emptied out, depositing silt, building up some fertile fields and an alluvial plain on which the Spanish had founded their little port. Centuries later, Caliz served as a shipping centre for the island of New Australia and as a tourist resort with its lax laws on gambling, alcohol, and prostitution. The waters on the rockier southern shore were almost always comfortable as they were warmed by the warm Pacific Ocean currents while remaining relatively dry with the warm moist air of the Pacific precipitated on the windward side of the hills and mountains to the south. Along the calm surface of the Strait of Caliz wide palms lined the black beaches where comparatively clean tropical waters ebbed and flowed, drowning out the noise of the most popular fun-loving city in the country.
Yet Ivan Valovich had much different plans for the city. Years ago, before the last election, he had served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs for the then Commonwealth and had been instrumental in the formation of the Imperial Confederacy, which he had urged Prime Minister Tetley to join. Yet, the organization seemed decrepit and weak – although part of that weakness came directly from the charter he and his staffers had devised. Valovich, under orders from Tetley, had needed to develop a document which would keep much of the newly forming United Kingdom’s sovereignty in the hands of His Majesty’s Government. Despite pushes by a few members, Valovich held firm and a weak document had only recently been passed. One of the key components was the establishment of a Treasury and an Economic Security Council that would oversee the use of the Treasury.
Recently, the Republic of Bennington had closed its financial offices and regional treasury in Caliz, choosing to move the facilities to the more government-friendly city of Etar several hundred kilometers to the southeast. Thus, an opening had been created, a government building no longer in use. An opportunity as Valovich saw it. In his quiet retirement, the former foreign minister had kept busy writing papers and essays on political philosophy, supporting his former boss in editorials and television spots here and three. Yet, he now had an opportunity to help resurrect one of the highlights of his life’s work.
During the midst of the Novikovian War he had approached Prime Minister Tetley with a request for the government to purchase the large complex for the purpose of establishing the Treasury for the Imperial Confederacy. With a smile, he remembered the indifference of Alistair. And rightly so, the Royal Navy had recently been getting its pride handed back to it in sunken and scarred ships. But, he had relented after a few days of persuasion and, through some friends in Parliament, managed to have an amendment attached to a wartime budget amendment bill providing for the government purchase of the buildings and their land. And now, Valovich stood on the shoreline property, walking along the marble tile patio enjoying the cool airs descending down the mountains behind him. On the horizon stood the shore of Arista, and between the two coastlines a long queue of container ships, Home Guard patrol vessels and pleasure craft enjoying the beautiful sailing weather.
In the distance Valovich heard a door slam, and turning around he saw an armoured sport utility vehicle idle while a man dressed in a sharp pastel blue suit, with dark sunglasses and a pristine white shirt smiled and waved to the former minister, dressed in his usual charcoal grey suit, and today a linen black shirt. “Thank you meeting me, Lord Exeter.”
“A pleasure as always, Ivan.” Despite the age of Lord Exeter, he embodied a childish exuberance evidenced by his excited mannerisms including waving his hands and nodding emphatically as if meeting a long lost friend instead of the man he had seen just yesterday. “So, this is the building?”
“Indeed it is.”
“Bloody marvelous looking structure if I do say so myself…” muttered the aristocrat. “Are we anticipating any problems within the Confederacy? Because I know some may not take too kindly to our almost unilateral decision to build the Treasury in the UK.”
“I don’t think they really have much of a choice, John. The way I see it, that organization is dying and, like a patient with a lingering blood disease, it needs a massive transfusion and that’s what I’m hoping this action can provide. Would you care to grab a drink?”
“Jolly good, Ivan. Now what, if I may, have you asked me here for?”
“A good question,” Valovich responded while the two walked towards a small mini-bar paid for by Valovich just for today’s meeting. “A very good question. I’d like to see if you had any interest in being the next envoy to the Confederacy.”
Lord Exeter looked down at the shorter man above the wire rim of his glasses. “You’re serious, aren’t you?”
Valovich nodded.
“The organization is in bloody shambles! Hell, I’d be surprised if they could find their head from their ass! They haven’t done a damn thing on the international scene once! They’re all talk, talk, talk but they do diddily squat, Ivan. Diddily squat!”
“Yes, yes. All of that is true. Which is why I want you over there, John. If the organization is to be taken seriously at all, it needs an animated person who has the energy to get things done, to kick some people in the ass, and get the show back on the road. That’s you, John. That’s why I’ve already talked to the Prime Minister about the whole affair. And he agrees.”
Lord Exeter pointed his finger at Valovich and waved it wildly while his other hand poured itself a gin and tonic. “Very clever, ol’ chap. Very clever indeed. Figures you still have the ear of the Prime Minister. And you know that His Majesty can lean on us in the House of Lords, and that the Prime Minister can lean on His Majesty. Alright, ol’ chap. Count me in.”
“Very good. Next up will be the swearing in and all that pomp and circumstance—“
“We aristocrats love that pomp and circumstance, Ivan.”
“Oh, believe me I know, John. I know. But, the next thing we’re going to need you to do is assemble a team of economists and hopefully bring some other fellows over from fellow Confederacy members and initiate a debate on the exact structure of this whole Treasury and Council. A debate that the Prime Minister and I would like to see yield the UK a permanent seat on the Council for the Development of Economic Security.”
“I understand, Ivan. What sort of results are we actually expecting out of this whole deal?”
“I still don’t have a firm grip on it myself, John.” Valovich availed himself of the vodka and poured himself a shot, which he took quickly and smoothly. “It’s entirely possible the members have all forgotten – but then again Caliz could be hosting a large international conference on economic security. Nobody really knows, John. But I’d like you to be at the center of it all.”
Lord Exeter took another long sip from his drink. “Here, here. I serve His Majesty in the House of Lords and will do what is asked of me. God save the King.”
Valovich nodded, nothing the sly seriousness of the statement. “Indeed. God save the King.”
Caliz, Republic of Azazia
The city of Caliz occupied the Cape of Good Tidings, known by residents and locals simply as the Cape. Founded by the Spanish when they conquered the island of Vetraz, the city sat upon the northern coast of the peninsula, a rocky formation rising from the seamount as a largely submerged mountain. On the north shores a small river emptied out, depositing silt, building up some fertile fields and an alluvial plain on which the Spanish had founded their little port. Centuries later, Caliz served as a shipping centre for the island of New Australia and as a tourist resort with its lax laws on gambling, alcohol, and prostitution. The waters on the rockier southern shore were almost always comfortable as they were warmed by the warm Pacific Ocean currents while remaining relatively dry with the warm moist air of the Pacific precipitated on the windward side of the hills and mountains to the south. Along the calm surface of the Strait of Caliz wide palms lined the black beaches where comparatively clean tropical waters ebbed and flowed, drowning out the noise of the most popular fun-loving city in the country.
Yet Ivan Valovich had much different plans for the city. Years ago, before the last election, he had served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs for the then Commonwealth and had been instrumental in the formation of the Imperial Confederacy, which he had urged Prime Minister Tetley to join. Yet, the organization seemed decrepit and weak – although part of that weakness came directly from the charter he and his staffers had devised. Valovich, under orders from Tetley, had needed to develop a document which would keep much of the newly forming United Kingdom’s sovereignty in the hands of His Majesty’s Government. Despite pushes by a few members, Valovich held firm and a weak document had only recently been passed. One of the key components was the establishment of a Treasury and an Economic Security Council that would oversee the use of the Treasury.
Recently, the Republic of Bennington had closed its financial offices and regional treasury in Caliz, choosing to move the facilities to the more government-friendly city of Etar several hundred kilometers to the southeast. Thus, an opening had been created, a government building no longer in use. An opportunity as Valovich saw it. In his quiet retirement, the former foreign minister had kept busy writing papers and essays on political philosophy, supporting his former boss in editorials and television spots here and three. Yet, he now had an opportunity to help resurrect one of the highlights of his life’s work.
During the midst of the Novikovian War he had approached Prime Minister Tetley with a request for the government to purchase the large complex for the purpose of establishing the Treasury for the Imperial Confederacy. With a smile, he remembered the indifference of Alistair. And rightly so, the Royal Navy had recently been getting its pride handed back to it in sunken and scarred ships. But, he had relented after a few days of persuasion and, through some friends in Parliament, managed to have an amendment attached to a wartime budget amendment bill providing for the government purchase of the buildings and their land. And now, Valovich stood on the shoreline property, walking along the marble tile patio enjoying the cool airs descending down the mountains behind him. On the horizon stood the shore of Arista, and between the two coastlines a long queue of container ships, Home Guard patrol vessels and pleasure craft enjoying the beautiful sailing weather.
In the distance Valovich heard a door slam, and turning around he saw an armoured sport utility vehicle idle while a man dressed in a sharp pastel blue suit, with dark sunglasses and a pristine white shirt smiled and waved to the former minister, dressed in his usual charcoal grey suit, and today a linen black shirt. “Thank you meeting me, Lord Exeter.”
“A pleasure as always, Ivan.” Despite the age of Lord Exeter, he embodied a childish exuberance evidenced by his excited mannerisms including waving his hands and nodding emphatically as if meeting a long lost friend instead of the man he had seen just yesterday. “So, this is the building?”
“Indeed it is.”
“Bloody marvelous looking structure if I do say so myself…” muttered the aristocrat. “Are we anticipating any problems within the Confederacy? Because I know some may not take too kindly to our almost unilateral decision to build the Treasury in the UK.”
“I don’t think they really have much of a choice, John. The way I see it, that organization is dying and, like a patient with a lingering blood disease, it needs a massive transfusion and that’s what I’m hoping this action can provide. Would you care to grab a drink?”
“Jolly good, Ivan. Now what, if I may, have you asked me here for?”
“A good question,” Valovich responded while the two walked towards a small mini-bar paid for by Valovich just for today’s meeting. “A very good question. I’d like to see if you had any interest in being the next envoy to the Confederacy.”
Lord Exeter looked down at the shorter man above the wire rim of his glasses. “You’re serious, aren’t you?”
Valovich nodded.
“The organization is in bloody shambles! Hell, I’d be surprised if they could find their head from their ass! They haven’t done a damn thing on the international scene once! They’re all talk, talk, talk but they do diddily squat, Ivan. Diddily squat!”
“Yes, yes. All of that is true. Which is why I want you over there, John. If the organization is to be taken seriously at all, it needs an animated person who has the energy to get things done, to kick some people in the ass, and get the show back on the road. That’s you, John. That’s why I’ve already talked to the Prime Minister about the whole affair. And he agrees.”
Lord Exeter pointed his finger at Valovich and waved it wildly while his other hand poured itself a gin and tonic. “Very clever, ol’ chap. Very clever indeed. Figures you still have the ear of the Prime Minister. And you know that His Majesty can lean on us in the House of Lords, and that the Prime Minister can lean on His Majesty. Alright, ol’ chap. Count me in.”
“Very good. Next up will be the swearing in and all that pomp and circumstance—“
“We aristocrats love that pomp and circumstance, Ivan.”
“Oh, believe me I know, John. I know. But, the next thing we’re going to need you to do is assemble a team of economists and hopefully bring some other fellows over from fellow Confederacy members and initiate a debate on the exact structure of this whole Treasury and Council. A debate that the Prime Minister and I would like to see yield the UK a permanent seat on the Council for the Development of Economic Security.”
“I understand, Ivan. What sort of results are we actually expecting out of this whole deal?”
“I still don’t have a firm grip on it myself, John.” Valovich availed himself of the vodka and poured himself a shot, which he took quickly and smoothly. “It’s entirely possible the members have all forgotten – but then again Caliz could be hosting a large international conference on economic security. Nobody really knows, John. But I’d like you to be at the center of it all.”
Lord Exeter took another long sip from his drink. “Here, here. I serve His Majesty in the House of Lords and will do what is asked of me. God save the King.”
Valovich nodded, nothing the sly seriousness of the statement. “Indeed. God save the King.”