Developing relations: an alliance between Maraque and Tshwane?
"Maraquean Airways, flight 223 will be landing shortly. Please fasten your seatbelts, stow your trays and ensure that all seatbacks are in the upright position. Thank you for flying with us today, and we hope your visit is a pleasant one."
As the air hostess replaced the handset, Sarah McDonald turned to her husband, Diarmuid, and smiled. She had been to Maraque only once before, when she was a young girl, but had loved it and had jumped at the opportunity of being Tshwane's ambassador. "You know, darlin'," she said in a cheesy American accent, "I believe that this is one small step for Maraque...crrr...and a giant leap for Tshwane. Would you believe it, Tshwane's first embassy, and we're the ones being sent?" She could barely contain her excitement as the plane landed and they disembarked. Maraque had changed a lot in the past thirty or so years, and from what she could remember it had only gotten better.
As they made their way out of the terminal, Sarah looked around for a sign of the man who was supposed to be meeting them. She had no idea what he looked like, or even what his name was, and wondered if she had gotten the details wrong. She pulled a piece of crumpled paper out of her suit pocket, and scrutinised Jared Grant's handwriting. "Hmm...It says that the Maraqueans would meet us here. I wonder where they are..."
"There they are," said Nkruma Ndidi, one of the top aides to the Emperor, Jovan Norris.
Nkruma Ndidi walked up to the couple. "Hello I'm Nkruma Ndidi. You must be Sarah Mcdonald, yes?" Nkruma Ndidi said as he shook their hands.
"It is great to finally meet you. I'll be taking you to your hotel first, then we'll be off to meet with the Ministeress of State at lunch, and then later with the Emperor."
Nkruma Ndidi escorted the ambassador and her husband outside of Super City International Airport, just as a space shuttle from the nearby Spaceport took off. "Amazing sight, isn't it?" Nkruma Ndidi said, pointing up at the majestic looking aircraft zooming up towards the sky at an immensely high speed, but much like an airplane.
A convey of four vehicles; one Bentley Arnage RL limousine, two Mercedes-Benz GL450 SUVs, and one BMW 760Li were waiting at the curb. The driver put the ambassadors luggage inside and they departed.
"Welcome to Super City. As I understand you've been here once before, yes? About 30 years ago? Ah yes, much has changed. Very much..." Nkruma Ndidi said as they traveled from the airport through the massive, yet quiet and peaceful city that was actually larger than Belgium.
"We'll be there shortly. Any questions?"
Nkruma Ndidi walked up to the couple. "Hello I'm Nkruma Ndidi. You must be Sarah Mcdonald, yes?" Nkruma Ndidi said as he shook their hands.
"Ah, yes," Sarah said with a smile. He had a firm grip, by her standards, and this always made a good impression on her. After all, no one wants to shake hands with a dead squid, now, do they?
Sarah tried not to gasp as she saw the convey that was to drive them to their hotel. She knew that Maraque was a prosperous nation, but had had no idea as to what scale. Climbing in, she fastened her seatbelt and eyed all the tempting buttons that just SCREAMED "Push me!" But delegates don't fiddle with buttons. Ah well.
"Welcome to Super City. As I understand you've been here once before, yes? About 30 years ago? Ah yes, much has changed. Very much..." Nkruma Ndidi said as they traveled from the airport through the massive, yet quiet and peaceful city that was actually larger than Belgium.
"Yes, my parents brought me on a family holiday when I was six years old. I hadn't realised how much has changed. Wasn't that a hospital before?" she asked, pointing to a shiny new skyscraper as they passed it. She nudged her husband as the limo went over a bridge, offering a spectacular view of the incredibly huge city. It was bigger than Tshwane itself, and Sarah couldn't help but gasp in amazement.
"We'll be there shortly. Any questions?"
"I have so many, I honestly don't know where to start!" she exclaimed, slightly overwhelmed by the realisation that she really was an ambassador now, and really did represent her country, and that a wrong word out of her mouth could jeopardise the alliance she was trying to set up. Shrugging, she smiled and shook her head, her eyes still sparkling with excitement and amazement.
"Yes that was actually. The hospital is still around, but it was transported across town to the Vorencia neighborhood when construction of Super City began right around the time you visited."
"Ah, I understand. It must be exciting being in Maraque after so long, especially being an ambassador."
They traveled through the city some more, going through the Business District, where much of the city's 68 million residents shopped everyday. Bright billboards and shops of all scales lined the street. Many people glared at the convey, wondering who was inside. "The Emperor usually travels out alone, so many people assume when they see a large convey like this the Emperor is inside. They love him."
After temporarily stopping at a stoplight the convey finally stopped at the edge of the curb in front of the Emerald Springs Hotel & Spa, one of the finest in the country.
They exited the vehicles among a shrew of flashing lights from several dozen reporters on the scene, and were escorted inside the hotel by massive armed security. "Sorry if the security intimidates you... there was a terrorist attack recently so we've been on high alert."
"Hello welcome to Emerald Springs Hotel. How may I help you?" the woman at the check-in counter said.
"Yes, I'm Nkruma Ndidi checking in the ambassador from Tshwane, Sarah Mcdonald."
"Oh yes, the Ambassador's Suite is ready. Here is the key, you can take the private elevator over there. Room 20000."
"Thank you."
Nkruma Ndidi took the ambassador and her husband to up to the 20,000th room... on the 200th floor. Inside was one of the single most elegant and palatial residences. The ceiling was lined with molding in the shape of various animals in gold plating and diamond encrusted eyes, the floors were marble imported from the region of Northeast Hamburgh in northeastern Maraque, and the walls were a warm and inviting beige. There were dozens of international statues and paintings, and this was only the entrance hall.
Nkruma Ndidi took them on a short tour of the residence, the living room, kitchen, dining room, bedrooms and everything in between. "Please, please be settled. I'll step out for a moment and let you get comfortable. Then we'll be off to lunch."