NationStates Jolt Archive

President Keith Johnson of Geneticon sat behind his desk at the House and stared at his watch. 8:52... the leaders should be arriving at the airport at any moment. He sifted through the mountain of papers on his red wood desk and grimaced. He hoped the meeting with this new delegate would go well.

It wasn't too often that Keith entertained the idea of a summit, but with Beltway it was different. He felt like they have friendly relations already. Let's hope this goes well...

Keith lifted up a paper, pretending to himself that he was actually working. In reality, his mind was on the leaders headed for his capital. And the meeting to come. He had sent James down to meet the leaders and greet them on the Geneticon soil. He hoped James was the right person. Of course he is... James is always the best.

Keith looked back at his watch. 8:56...

---

Jorge drove the limo on the highway of Geneticon to the familiar Geneticon International Airport. He pulled up to the curb and stared at the time reader on the dashboard. 8:57... Just in time.

Jorge turned and looked to James. "We're here sir, you got three minutes to spare."

"Thank you Jorge." James said merrily, as he stepped out of the vehicle and headed towards the lobby of the airport. He walked through the sliding glass doors and evaded Jorge's view by stepping behind a rather annoyingly placed generic trees.

Science these days...

Jorge stepped out of the car and walked around to the passenger's side. He leaned his back against the passenger's door and waited for the return of James, and the arrival of the Beltway dignitaries.

The aging 747 touched down on the tarmac of Geneticon International Airport, in the capital of that nation. The ramp went down, and the small group of businessmen and politicians, escorted by bodyguards and Secret Service agents, on the plane stepped down onto the runway. The band was playing "The Star-Spangled Banner," flags were flying, the Geneticon President was there; it was all going as planned.

Admiral Thad Cochrane himself, CEO of Baltimore Shipyards; Matthew Parkinson of Maryland Mining; aging but powerful Senator Steny Hoyer (D-Howard); MP Daniel Wordsmith (R-Loudon), the youthful Republican member of the Parliament Foreign Relations Committee;and the Prime Minister himself, Timothy Kaine, ex-governor of Virginia and leader of the Democratic Party in The Beltway - all these people were there, talking quietly amongst themselves, walking across the tarmac to the waiting Geneticon dignitaries.

--poke--

It just so happened that only James Cartwright was there to greet them. He walked up to the leaders slowly and his hand went forth to greet the first he met. "Hello sirs, I am Presidential aide James Cartwright. I was sent to welcome you here and escort you to the House where you will meet with the President."

James smiled and shook each of the dignitaries hands. "The limo out front will be able to hold all of us plus your guards. Please follow me. By the way, who is in charge of this group?"

"I am. Timothy Kaine, Prime Minister of The Beltway," Kaine said. "I could have sworn I saw your President amid all those guards. I must say, I'm impressed by your security detail."

Kaine and the group followed Cartwright to the limo. Kaine himself was a bit surprised that only one aide had come, especially since he had informed President Johnson that there'd be a group of delegates coming. It would be difficult for Cartwright to answer everyone's questions; private conversations were where things got done, in Kaine's experience...

"Thank you, we take great pride in our security here in Geneticon. Especially our military. We have one of the finest ones in the world, and thanks to your nation and it's companies, it has been and will be made finer."

Cartwright got into the limo and sat beside Kaine. He turned to speak with Admiral Cohcrane "So, about the submarine that we ordered several weeks ago from Baltimore Shipyards, when do you think the design will be completed. We are most anxious to aquire that submarine."

He turned back to Kaine, "If you have any questions, do not hesistate to ask."

---

Jorge weaved the car in and out of traffic. 9:23... With any luck they would reach the House by 10 a.m. It would be close. Jorge had the touch of a professional, of course, he was.

He did not waste time moving through traffic, and the security cars hovered around the limo as fast as Jorge hovered through the crowd of vehicles.

bump

Sorry; forgot about this.

"Mr. Cartwright, I am interested in your policies with regards to trade. Personally, I'm in favor of free trade, and am especially interested in setting up a free-trade agreement with your nation," PM Kaine said.

"Yes, Prime Minister, trade has long been an important issue within Geneticon. We believe in free trade and would likely be happy to come to an agreement with Beltway concerning the matter, but of course the President would have to give his approval. I am sure he would though..."

James smiled and took out a pill, popping it into his mouth and guzzling it down with a bottle of Geneticon Cola. "Delicious," he commented licking his lips. "Would you care to try some of our famous soda?"

He held out an unopened bottle to the Prime Minister and glanced at his watch as he did so. 9:26... They should be at the House within the next five minutes.

"Sure. Who bottles it?" Kaine said, taking the can, then glancing out the window out of the corner of his eye.

"Mr. Cartwright, what is your stance on Kraven?" Senator Steny Hoyer suddenly asked before Cartwright could answer Kaine.

Cartwright popped another pill in his mouth and washed it down with the Cola. Good stuff... "This particular Cola is bottled by Geneticon Plastics, a unique company which actually aided in the creation of Plastic Y, an important component in most of our military aircraft. No doubt you have heard of it."

James closed his eyes and whispered something that no one could hear. Jen... Suddenly his eyes shot open and he again stared at the PM from the Beltway.

He was a little suprised by the question about Kraven, but James thought it best to not go too deep into the subject this early on in the meeting. Heck, they weren't even at the House yet. "We have not had any relations with the government of Kraven. Geneticon is a co-founder of CASS, and a close ally of it's nations. Pythogria is a nation we heavily rely on as a friend. That should tell you a little about our stance."

He peered down at the beautiful watch on the wrist of the Prime Minister. Certainly expensive watch... 9:29... Two minutes 'till arriving. "Who produces such an incredible watch Prime Minister?"

"To be honest, I don't know who actually made this watch. It was given to me by my father, who got it from his mother, who got it from some unknown relative who was a watchmaker. Still, it is quite nice," Kaine replied.

"To be sure it is." James said quietly.

The watch now revealed arrival time. 9:31...

Right on schedule, Jorge pulled the limo past the gate and into the elaborate driveway of the House. The lawn on each side was an amazing deep and bright green, and scattered trees blew in the light wind. It was truly spectacular to the normal viewer.

The limo pulled to a halt ten seconds later, and Jorge opened the door for the leaders. "We are hear sir."

James pulled himself our first and brushed his suit of, staring at the ground. "Thank you Jorge." He looked up at the leaders from The Beltway and smiled. He gestured towards the huge oak double doors of the House that opening were opening as he spoke. "This way gentlemen."

He walked swiftly through the doors and climbed the winding stairs to the second story of the building. He came to a door four doors down on the right and knocked quietly.

A deep, kind voice answered the disturbance. "Come in."

James entered the room and took his seat beside President Keith Johnson who sat at the head of the long rectangular table. This was the huge summit room.

The Beltway's delegates and their attendant aides took their seats around the conference table. It was odd that it was rectangular; Kaine expected a circular table, which would have allowed for easier communication.

"I take it that you're the president of Geneticon," Kaine said, looking across the table at the man who had just spoken. "What would you like to discuss first?"

Keith stood and wlaked over to the Prime Minister with a smile on his face. He thrust out his hand in an offer of friendship to the man. "Yes, I'm President Keith Johnson, I assume you are Prime Minister Kaine. Pleased to meet you sir."

Keith shook the hand of every man in the room, his warm, welcoming nature taking over. "Thank you all for coming, we have much to discuss so I suppose we should begin."

He took his seat and James sat beside him with an anxious look, staring at and shifting through hundreds of papers in front of him, seemingly barely aware that anyone else was in the room.

"The first thing I wish to discuss in the uranium that James discovered in Geneticon a few weeks ago. I hear that you are interested in it?" He paused for a response.

This was Matthew Parkinson's cue to speak, and he did: "Indeed, Mr. President. Maryland Mining is interested in securing the right to mine one-twentieth - or five percent - of the uranium found at the site. How much uranium is that projected to be? We will hire local miners and are prepared to offer you, in addition to the final fee for the mining rights, a 5% stake in our company. Would this be satisfactory?"

This was Matthew Parkinson's cue to speak, and he did: "Indeed, Mr. President. Maryland Mining is interested in securing the right to mine one-twentieth - or five percent - of the uranium found at the site. How much uranium is that projected to be? We will hire local miners and are prepared to offer you, in addition to the final fee for the mining rights, a 5% stake in our company. Would this be satisfactory?"

"Quite satisfactory Mr. Parkinson. The projection for that ammount of land is about..." President Johnson stared up into the sky... calculating the number in his head. "... about 300 billion pounds of uranium. Is this enough? The mining rights will be 3 billion USDs for that as well as 5% in your company and pay for the workers."

The President knocked a pencil against the table slowly. "Can we agree to those terms?"

"Excellent. I'll wire you the money and send the shares of stock to your government to determine to whom the stock should be awarded. Personally, I suggest that you give the stock to the company that owns the site," the CEO of Maryland Mining replied.

"The site is owned by Geneticon Armed Forces Engineering, please make your wire and the shares out to them."

The President smiled and sipped the water on the table in front of him.

"Now, how are things at the Baltimore Shipyards? Is our submarine going to be ready soon? We wired you the money for this order almost a year ago..."

Use fluid time, my friend...

"A year ago? As far as I recall, it's only been a few months. We've run into delays; however, we expect to finalize the design in about a month," Cochrane replied, masking his sudden flash of anger rather poorly.

OOC: Fluid enough. Good cover though...

IC:

"I'm sorry if I have angered you by my question." President Johnson said calmy, "But we don't shell out 50 billion dollars without wanting results, or at least an annual report as to what is going on. I apoligize for even bringing it up."

President Johnson took another slurp of his cool water. James looked up from his papers suddenly and whispered into Keith's ear. Johnson looked inquisitively at the Prime Minister and questioned,

"I hear that you want a free trade agreement... what do you propose?"