NationStates Jolt Archive

Stromburg, Democratic States of Wingarde

The Karmanyakan Marathon B transport touched down on Wingardian soil. First off the aircraft was the Vice Minister of Foreign Relations himself, a man in his early 40's named Daniel Veder. He was a Knight but had long ago left 'sir' on the shelf. He didn't think knighthood belonged in a civilized society. Veder was also the decendant of several Lords Tengil (rulers of Karmanyaka) and related by blood to many important people in Karmanyakan politics. The Veders were big in the Dominion of Karmanyaka

After the Vice Minister followed important representatives of Karmanyakan business, like the president of the Nangiyalan Industry Organization, Knud Horton. There were also a lot of other people including the proposed ambassador to Wingarde, Aiko Suenaga, a woman in her mid 30's, with jet black hair in a pony tail.

The fact that so many high-ranking Karmanyakan officials were rather young, by international standards was the recent political history of the nation. Having only just thrown off the yoke of a closed dictatorship, the Karmanyakan people regarded the former elite with much suspicion. The exceptions were the more radical, younger members of the political community, most of them educated abroad in major democratic nations.

The fact that the current Lord Tengil, Johan Kader, was younger than most earlier rulers was also impoortant. He naturally looked towards his own generation rather than the old, authoritarian clique that had ruled Karmanyaka for centuries.

Now, young Karmanyaka stood on the tarmac ready to shake hands with Wingarde.

Barely a minute later...

A black stretch limousine flying a pair little Wingardian flags just above the headlights came into sight, escorted by two black SUVs. The former came to a stop a few metres away from the Karmanyakan delegation. Out of it came Wilhelm Vanholm, an aged, short and stocky man. Two men appeared from the SUVs parked besides the limo, Federal Secret Service agents. Vanholme approached the vice-minister and stretched his hand, smiling.

"Welcome to Wingarde, ladies and gentlemen. Please follow me. Would you like to visit the generous plot we've reserved for your embassy, or would you rather we headed to the Congress and discuss diplomatic relations?" Wilhelm led the delegation to his black limousine and opened a door for them.

Vice Minister Veder shaked Minister Vanholme's hand and answered back.

"Thank you Mr. Vanholme, we are honored indeed."

He followed a few steps and considered the question.

"I think we can head straight to Congress, but I'd be thankful if you could find a car to take Mr. Frisk and Dr. Iovanescu to the embassy plot." He gestured towards two of the Karmanykans. "Dr. Milena Ioavenscu is the architect who's been given the task of planning and overseeing the construction of the embassy."

"Pleased to meet you Minister. This is my assistant Enar Frisk." the architect smiled her brightest smile and adjusted her thick-lensed glasses.

The group divided into two and Veder and his entourage sat down in the comfortable limousine. In the car followed also one of the Vice Minister's bodyguards, a tall man from the Security Carabineer Police (SeCa) personal protection department.

"Very well, I'll arrange another car to meet out at the Congress and take Frau Ioavenscu and Herr Frisk to the land plot we've reserved for your embassy here in Stromburg." Minister Vanholme shook hands with the members of the Karmanyakan delegation and nodded at the request. Wilhelm entered the limousine last.

"Gunther, back to the Congress, please."


5 minutes later...

The black limousine returned to the Congress of Wingarde along a set path cruising several important avenues of the capital. The black vehicle's large windows offered the passengers a clear view of the outside, despite boasting the best bulletproof protection in the nation.

The minister's limousine pulled over by the long stairs of the Congress, before the front SUV and after the rear one. The driver, Gunther, got out of the car first and opened the passengers' door for Vanholme and the guests. The agents from the escort vehicles flanked the minister and the delegation as the group walked all the way up the stairs, while other FSS operatives guided the Karmanyakan architect and assistant to the car that'd take them to the designated plot. Two guards wearing unique blue dress uniforms, longswords at their side, opened the double doors into the Congress' main building.

After walking through red-carpeted, decorated corridors and a set of stairs, the diplomatic group finally reached the Minister of Foreign Affairs' office. Another guard dressed in blue was staying sentry by the room's door, and opened it for the diplomats.

The waiting room was exquisitely decorated with fine carpets and paintings. One large couch and two small ones were positioned around a little table in the middle of the room, below a fine chandelier hanging from the ceiling. A silver plate with a bottle of whisky, glasses and appetizers was already there. A tall window poured clear light into the place and specially at the coat of arms of Wingarde, over the fireplace directly opposite to it.

"Please, make yourselves comfortable." Wilhelm walked ahead of the delegation, over to one of the small couches and gestured at the Karmanyakans to join him.

The Karmanyakan delegation sat in the car chatting about the surroundings that passed by outside the car windows.

"I thought Wingarde looked stunning from the air, but it's even better close up." Veder commented shortly to Minister Vanholme.

As the group passed through the congress building they stopped briefly to look at paintings and other interesting artifacts, before they reached the waiting room.

Minister Veder sat down in one of the smaller couches and the others took place in the larger. Mr. Horton, the Industry Organization leader was dressed in a wool suit that looked a bit too hot in the tropical climate of Wingarde. He wasn't exactly overweight but had the clearly unhealthy look of people who don't pay for their many restaurant visits themselves. He sat down with a deep sigh and started wiping his brow with a fine silk handkerchief, casting hungry eyes on the ice bucket.

The proposed ambassador, Ms. Suenaga was more suitably dressed in a cream colored linnen business dress. She sat down and adjusted her skirt, stretching for a small bite to eat.

"I've noticed the falcon in the coat of arms. I have a falcon for hunting at my country house in Karmanyaka. Marvellous bird." said Veder conversationally to their host, while sipping a glass of whisky.

--

At the same time the Karmanyakan architect and her assistant arrived with their FSS 'guide' at the designated embassy plot. Dr. Iovanescu stepped out of the car and looked around the site, noting the environment and ground conditions. The assistant, Mr. Frisk climbed out with a briefcase and opened his laptop starting to work immediately.

"Excuse me, Mr. ...?" said Iovanescu to the FSS operative. "Could you tell me about this area and where we are in relation to the rest of Stromburg?"

She was a not entirely unattractive woman in her early fourties, but with dull, thick-lensed glasses that must've been at least ten years old, judging from their design. She had a black, washed out cardigan that seemed perfectly sensible in chilly Katla, but totally out of place in the heat of Stromburg. With different clothes and new glasses she could easily look a lot better.