NationStates Jolt Archive

It was a matter of necessity, really... ever since the Kahanistani had opened up their free trade zone, there had been a spike of Macisikani interests in that nation. Enough now, the civil service felt, to warrant an embassy...

*******

To: the Foreign Minister of Kahanistan, or equivalent.
From: Ministry of External Affairs

Dear sir/madam,

His Serene Majesty's Government has noted that, since the establishment of the Seven Nations Minerals Corporation in your Free Trade Zone, there has been an increasing investment of money and manpower in your nation by His Serene Majesty's Subjects.

For this reason, His Serene Majesty's Government requests an exchange of Ambassadors between our two nations. With your permission, and acceptance of the terms of our Embassy Agreement, we shall dispatch the Lord Cellachan deMalara to represent the interests of His Serene Majesty's Government and Subjects in your nation.

The terms of the Embassy Agreement can be found at http://www.freewebs.com/macisikan/diplomaticagreement.html

Yours Sincerely,
Justina Valdir,
Minister for External Affairs

Official Statement of the Free Republic of Kahanistan
Ministry of Foreign Affairs

It is my opinion that we should meet and discuss this further. There are political factions opposing the foreign businesses entering our nation, and impending elections to take place in less than two weeks.

I assume this embassy will be reciprocated, and ask that our own citizens be involved in the building of the actual embassy building. We can meet at a location in our capital or of your choosing.

Signed,
Rachel C. Levitt,
Minister of Foreign Affairs

Valdir blinked at the Kahanistani response.
"That's what deputy and junior ministers are for..." she muttered, flicking her fingers in the direction of the intercom.
"Peter? Get me Aldreset. Now."

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To: Rachel C. Levitt, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Kahanistan
From: Ministry of External Affairs
Subject: RE:

Minister Levitt, Greetings.

Regarding your desire to meet, we are willing to dispatch the Deputy Minister for External Affairs, Count Ethelred Aldreset, to your nation to engage in negotiations; regrettably, Minister Valdir's presence is required in Arn-Maciska at present. Deputy Minister Aldreset can be dispatched within the next 24 hours. Lord deMalara, who is current nominee in the event that our negotiations are successful, will accompany the delegation.

His Serene Majesty's diplomatic mission in Kahanistan would of course be reciprocated; you would be welcomed, indeed, encouraged to establish an Embassy in Arn-Maciska, and subordinate consulates in all applicable Covenant capitals.

Please be aware that should you wish to employ your own nationals for the construction of your embassy compound they will require medical certification and working visas.

Office of the Minster of External Affairs
Arn-Maciska

Official Statement of the Free Republic of Kahanistan
Ministry of Foreign Affairs

This is acceptable; our own proposed Ambassador, Dr. Ali al-Gazar, will accompany me. We can meet in my office in our capital.

Signed,
Rachel C. Levitt,
Minister of Foreign Affairs

Aldreset must have already been halfway there. Within 12 hours of the first flurry of messages, a diplomatic jet signalled the Kahanistani air traffic controllers; they had special envoys from the UIK on board, and were requesting permission to land.

Advance notice was sent by Valdir's office, along with a thank-you note to Levitt for agreeing to meet and negotiate with the Deputy Minister on the matter.

The A.T.C.'s granted permission to land, escorted by F-35's and a few surviving GLI-76 fighters, veterans of the latest war.

A military officer stood at the airport where the Covenant aircraft landed. He greeted them curtly and nodded to an APC. "This will take us to the Foreign Ministry."

The envoys, clad in dark suits, seemed slightly surprised by the use of an APC, but Kahanistan had been hurt a lot lately.

With murmured thanks and polite nods, they deftly climbed aboard, and waited out the journey to the Ministry with an air of quiet patience.

In the Ministry, the guard who had met them silently led them to the Minister's office. A short, auburn-haired woman around 40 years old opened the door, wearing a figure-hugging red dress that emphasised her wide hips and substantial cleavage. Across from her desk sat a skinny Arab man of about the same age, dressed in Western clothing: a loose-fitting jacket and thick, baggy trousers.

"Mr. Aldreset, I presume?" said the woman. "I'm Rachel Levitt, Minister of Foreign Affairs... at least till the next election. This is Dr. Ali al-Gazar."

The Macisikani she greeted ranged from average height to tall, and where immaculately, though darkly, dressed, as well as being rather more pale than the Kahanistani doctor. They clutched black hats, and Aldreset bore a cane.

"Minister Levitt, delighted, Dr. al-Gazar," the Deputy Minister bowed from the waist and added with a smile "it's your lordship actually, but that's not important. This is Lord deMalara, hopefully the good doctor's opposite number," a man in his thirties bowed. "And Father Irvani, who would be the pontifical nuncio," this one was slightly shorter, and bore an briefcase.

"Thank you for receiving us at such short notice," Irvani said quietly.

"Why do we have a pontifical nuncio?" asked the Minister curiously. "Our government doesn't have one. Anyway, pleased to meet you."

She pulled two chairs up to her desk and sat down at her chair. "First things first... there is opposition to the foreign investment by several political factions, and that may prove problematic after the elections. Second, our native businesses are suffering, and this is a bone of contention; it's contributing to the opposition. Finally... we're looking for a way our own businesses can be strong, and need to lay down facts on the ground that the opposition can't easily change when they are elected, and we have impending elections for a new President and Senate."

Irvani looked surprised, but it was Aldreset who answered, seating himself.

"Not from the Roman Catholic Pontiff Minister," he said simply. "But from the Pontefix Maximus of the Maciskan Orthodox Church; His Serene Majesty is Emperor, King, and Pope. The Ambassador will represent the Covenant and is in charge of the whole mission."

"I'm here in case the Church has specific concerns," Irvani supplied, "or in case you have specific concerns about the Church's conduct. We don't send out any missionaries, before you ask. Any of our activities here would be to service any expatriates we have. For diplomatic purposes, I rank as a consul, and answer to the Ambassador."

Aldreset paused a moment, then took over.
"Minister, correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the central part of your economy is currently foreign investment?"

He let the question hang as deMalara handed him a blackberry; he tapped at it. "This isn't my primary mission, but we can discuss the matter... let's see..." he looked up. "According to this, the Seven Nations Minerals Corporation represents over 90% of our investments in your nation; they are interested in developing your inland mineral deposits, and are willing to work as equal partners with local companies and corporations to do so. Equal division of investment, profits, and so on..." he glanced down, and tapped at it again.

While he did so deMalara spoke up.
"Minister, am I correct in assuming that the vast majority of the foreign investors in your nation are simply using your people as cheap labour, rather than assisting with the development of your national economy?"

"Just making things clear. There is an openly anti-Catholic political party in Kahanistan, and it has nearly ten percent of popular support. It's a backlash against the Catholicism of the Doomani," said Levitt. "Yes, foreign investment is the central part of our economy. Communists see it as exploitation of our position, and Nationalists see it as a form of enslavement to foreign powers."

"I like to see it as trade, and I don't think any major political faction wants to totally cut off trade, but we don't like to depend on other nations too much. Your economic proposal seems acceptable, but I'd have to talk to some of the major leaders of native businesses here... and I personally don't think we're being exploited any more than any other war-ravaged nation... I hate to call us third world, but we're in a position of being exploited by less war-ravaged nations, and that's strengthening nationalistic and even openly fascist movements in Kahanistan."

"I confess we had no idea as to the extent of the situation," deMalara looked embarrassed. "In fact, our last concrete records for your nation still list your capital city as Najester... none of the three of us actually knows the name of the city we're currently in; we had to go off SNMC's database..."

"Speaking of who-" Aldreset suddenly said, "-it says here that SNMC's current operations here employ just under a thousand Macisikani nationals... indicators are that they have a lot of money, and no where and no way to spend it, short of waiting to go home for holidays or leave... big potential for tourism there..." he looked up. "Personally I've always thought that if you develop the other nation's economy, it makes you both rich, and makes them inclined to think nicely of you. Mutual benefits for everybody," he added with a smile, which then dropped.

"Sadly Minister, although Lord deMalara is correct in that we don't know much about your nation, we do know that you are weaker than you have been at any time in the past, and dare I say, have only just pulled back from the brink of collapse..." his tone was sympathetic.

"New Masada," said Levitt. "From the Hebrew word metzuda, fortress, also the name of the capital of Havenic Kahanistan. We've been uprooted, from the Middle East to Haven, and then to the Western Atlantic. I suppose they could spend money here... the native businesses are struggling for the most part. We're a socially liberal nation, so things like drugs and prostitution are legal here. Most crime here consists of armed robberies and muggings of foreign nationals seen as wealthy, and smuggling into less liberal nations."

"As for me... I'm not an economist. I'm a politician. I don't know a lot about economics, or about how fiscal policy affects the greater... economic... system," she said.

"As for weakness... we have a current military of about a million, so we're pretty weak. Our engineers still design decent weapons, but need the military infrastructure to make them in greater quantities. We try selling, but the market is so flooded that's nearly impossible."

"New Masada... apt, I think," this was Father Irvani.

"Socially liberal?" deMalara suddenly looked very interested. "We issue travel advice regarding every nation we have an embassy with-" Aldreset cut him off.

"And you can interrogate the good Minister over that in a moment my lord," he said quietly. "Regarding the nationals' spending habits in your nation... Kahanistan is not really seen as safe, but the basic problem comes down to the simple matter of your businesses not selling much of anything they really want. Manufactured goods can be purchased at a fraction of the cost back in the Covenant, drug use would land them in trouble with the company, and in rehab... weapons aren't something we'd be interested in..." he paused a moment, then continued.

"Does your island have any areas of natural beauty? Or other potential tourist attractions that could be developed? Not only would that lure them out of their compound, but would also have the potential of attracting tourists from the Covenant proper."

"Jugo Beach, in the south," said the Minister, showing a map (http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i206/Kahanistan/newrepublic.jpg) of the newly relocated nation. "I go there on weekends. We also have some sweet ski locations up north, open ten months out of the year. I take it the prostitutes aren't appealing to you." Levitt smiled oddly.

Aldreset smiled himself.
"I am extremely married," he replied, "And sexual health tests are invasive enough as it is," he said bending over the map. "Since we seem to be moving towards tourism issues, my lord," he held out his hand a moment, and deMalara nodded.

"Thank you sir, Minister, you mentioned that you were a socially liberal nation, and as I was saying, we issue travel advice regarding every nation we have an embassy with... of particular concern to us is the attitude local persons may have towards homosexual, transsexual, and intersex travellers - some nations are extremely hostile. Am I to understand that you are not one of those nations? And are there any other security or health concerns we would need to advise our citizens on?"

Aldreset was muttering quietly to himself while Irvani looked over his shoulder. Something about "maglev transport routes here and here..."

"Married? That's too bad," said Levitt. She ran her hands over her cleavage.

"Hate crimes against Catholics are a bit too common for my tastes. Homophobia is much rarer, and found mainly among National Socialists and the few fundamentalists of various religions we have. The Anti-Catholic party, the largest and most powerful of our extremist parties, bills itself as opposing 'sexual and religious puritanism' but also wants to deport Catholics."

She smiled softly. "Maglev transports... are rare here, but we would like to have 99% of our infrastructure built by our own people. I am not a nationalist, but a centrist. I'd like to see our economy become strong."

deMalara was the only one looking at Levitt at the time, and his response was to glance pointedly at his left hand; a wedding band gleamed on the third finger.

"I don't think we'll need to issue a specific caution for our tourists," he replied. "Which only leaves me with one question... have you considered the Diplomatic Agreement?"

"Imperial law prohibits the exportation of technologies in the fashion you suggest," Aldreset said, still looking at the map. "We'd be limited to either funding, or assisting with construction based of your own designs, and it won't be for free," he looked up. "His Serene Majesty's Government is not in the business of making hand-outs, only hand-ups.

"That's fine," said Levitt calmly. "The Nationalists would lynch me if I took handouts. They're fine with handups as long as that's all they are. We have the technology to create maglevs, but it's highly expensive here, what with the limited demand for them, if that's the export of technology you refer to. Our economy is weak, but we want to build most of the infrastructure that would strengthen it."

"Good, good, building it yourself will be a boon to your construction industry..." Aldreset looked up. "If you want to use our engineers, and have it built to Covenant Safety Standards, you'd need to negotiate a contract with a relevant chartered company, but a maglev system would provide superfast and easy transport across your island, and would be a massive incentive to the power industry... but it won't be cheap. Not by a long shot. And unless you're very lucky, borrowing is a bad idea," he handed the map back.

"My advice is to contact the ViZionarians. Ask them how they came back from the brink; they might have some pointers for you... and they hate the Doomani with equal fervour," he added with a smile.

"Luck is not something we trust in," Levitt replied, smiling. "So borrowing is... not on the table. I should think ViZion would feel the same way, as how they suffered. "I'm an ex-marine myself, though I never had the pleasure of fighting the Doomani. We might negotiate, unless there's a way to get one of our own companies chartered for this."

Aldreset gave the Minister an unreadable look, then smiled.

"Well, I can say with certainty that your native companies have never been accredited, so if you want the system built to Covenant safety standards..." he let his voice trail off as Irvani touched his elbow.

"Yes, indeed; Minister, regarding the Diplomatic Agreement, does it meet with your approval? Just bear in mind that the rules on diplomatic immunity will be changed soon; a differentiation in grades and a bit of an extension there."

"The Diplomatic Agreement is acceptable," said Levitt absently. "Of course, I... or my successor... will want to know the details of the changes you decide upon. Anyway, how would one of our corporations go about getting accredited?"

Aldreset smiled again.

"Capital, capital. The Ambassador-General will see about the actual construction of the compound and its security, the particulars and so on... now, as to accreditation..." his eyes unfocused for a moment.

"To be accredited by the Secretariat of State for Trade to construct transportation infrastructure to the Unified CSS standard would require your company to produce the blueprints for a viable transportation link between two population centres," he seemed to be reading from an internal list. "The design must meet pre-approved guidelines about materials composition and structural integrity, which are classified commercial-in-confidence. The link must be able to be used by commuters, industrial, and commercial carriers. It must cross at least two different environmental zones. In populated areas it must be enclosed or behind safety barriers; these things travel at several hundred kilometres per hour after all," the Deputy Minister paused to draw breath.

"The line, when it is built, will need to be inspected from end-to-end every four months without fail by your own regulatory body. Then they have to build at least ten kilometres of it, and test it. There will be regular and random safety inspections of the line. Finally, it must remain fault-free for the year-long probationary period. Just one fault that causes a cancellation of services for safety reasons will blow it. And all this is after a six-month vetting process of the company; accounts, tax returns, business practices, all have to be audited; if you lie about your money, you'll lie about safety. Plus the engineers who design and work on the link itself will need to be vetted internally by your company; I rather doubt that, for example, Doomingsland would be above causing sabotage," the list came to a finish, and the Deputy Minister focused on the room again.

"It seems like a lot, I know, and the fees are expensive, but in the Terran Domain MagLev system we've had only three accidents bad enough to close a line, and exactly four people have died since the system became operational," it was a statement delivered blandly, without any boasting or pride.

"So, any terrorist who decides to commit a terrorist act can unilaterally void any accreditation we might get, after we've invested billions of badly needed shekels into it... it's probably a better idea to use our own standards, which are more lenient. Routine safety inspections every three months, and a certified security service attached to it. Of course, I don't know how we'd monitor thousands of kilometres of track so some terrorist doesn't plant a bomb on a track in some remote part of the boondocks."

"Not exactly," Aldreset replied. "Shutting down because of security concerns is different from shutting down due to safety concerns. One is you're worried a terrorist might blow up the 8:45 to the city. The other is that you're worried the 8:45 will come off the tracks because the magnets aren't aligned properly, or worse, watching it actually happen..." he shifted in his chair.

"Accreditation tests not only your construction standards, but your security measures. You can cause a lot of damage by bombing a MagLev due to the insane speeds the trains travel..." he glanced at deMalara then looked back at the Minister. "And if I were a terrorist, I wouldn't wait until it was out the back end of beyond to blow it up. I'd wait until it was in a very urban area, where if it came off the rails it would go straight through a couple of city blocks and kill everyone in its way. Preferably near a hospital or some such."

Behind him deMalara and Irvani exchanged slightly amused glances.

"Truthfully," Irvani said, "it'd be easier and cheaper to have an already-accredited company work with your own. Mind you, the Unified CSS Standard is not very well known... We aren't, as you may have gathered, the most welcoming or social nation in the world," he added the understatement as an afterthought.

"I'll have to agree with you," said Levitt. "I'd like to have as many of our own personnel involved as possible, though. By the way, I'd probably blow the tracks in the boonies - less police to catch me and I'd still kill a load of passengers. Plus, the medical staff would have more trouble arriving on time. The cities here are crawling with police, Civil Defence, and anti-terrorist units. So, back to the embassy... do you have any specifications? The only restrictions we have are no torture or detention facilities and no espionage - we had to specify that when there was suspicion a nation had kidnapped one of our politicians and held him in the embassy. Nuclear bunkers are accepted and encouraged, as are most kinds of weaponry. An embassy won't have the facilities to store nuclear weapons, so we aren't worried about that."

Aldreset shrugged, as if to say who knew the way depraved madmen thought.

"Regarding the Embassy," his eyes did the unfocusing-thing again. "We usually have a compound with three main buildings; the living quarters, an office/admin block, and a chapel..."

"The Ambassador's house is separate in the larger ones," Irvani interjected.

"The compounds are walled," Aldreset continued with a nod. "Usually tall, thick, dark, and heavy, like the gates, and topped with sharp nasty things like spikes or broken glass. Visitors without an appointment are not encouraged. A helipad is included, as are two groundcars as standard..." he glanced at deMalara and got a nod. "But seeing as we were brought here in an APC I'm thinking something a little heavier should be employed?"

Irvani took over.

"The chapel is often constructed of native stone, preferably granite. Bronze bells, a golden cross, and silver candlesticks are imported from the Covenant. The chapel is there for our staff and Macisikani nationals; you have no Maciskan Orthodox natives as far as we know, so I rather think that would be the extend of our real ecclesiastical presence. As the Embassy Archdeacon I'd be the head of the Church in your nation, with a staff of about two to four aides..." he shrugged. "I rather doubt we'd have much to really do," he looked back to the Deputy Minister.

"Torture is illegal in the Covenant, detention facilities are not needed; this is an Embassy, not a prison. Espionage... well, you'll have to live with the knowledge that SIS Counterintelligence will insinuate itself in there..." he sighed. "But that's more because they don't trust you. They don't trust anyone really. Lovely people otherwise. Now nuclear bunker? That's not a normal thing, but you have some rather nasty opponents.... yes, thoroughly good idea. Along with chemical suits and such. Oh, and there's a "clinic" in the admin block; Tourism is starting to demand medical certificates for tourists, and the plan is to have an Embassy doctor to issue them for a modest fee. Before I move onto security, may I ask; exactly how safe is this city?"

"Damn secure, I'd say," said Levitt. "We have a population of fifteen million in the capital, at least twelve million are armed, we have a garrison of five infantry, three artillery and two armoured divisions... some 250,000 troops total, we have an air force base on the outskirts of the city, enough food and water to withstand two years' siege, and weekly N.B.R.C. warfare drills. On top of that, the base has enough ABM's to protect the capital from a first-strike nuclear attack. We're a kilometre high in the mountains, so enemy infantry will have a hell of a time getting up here. Armour and artillery - forget it. Use whatever weapons you deem necessary."

"If your clinic wants to expand, many of our people might want vaccinations, and that could be an income source until we get our own medical infrastructure up again. We won't interfere with proselytism if your Church seeks to convert any of our citizens to the Macisikani Orthodox Church. We have freedom of religion, but we're still curbing hate crimes against Catholics."

"And safety for the average citizen?" this was deMalara. "I'm asking about incidence of violent crime, muggings and robberies and the like... I must say, you're coping remarkably well for what is in reality a nation that has been chased halfway across the globe by the Doomani."

Irvani steepled his fingers. "Consular clinics legally can only diagnose and certify, not prescribe cures or treatments. However, clinics operated by various clerical orders may well be opened... as our Church uses the orthodox double-barrred version of the cross for its symbol, there shouldn't be confusion between us and Catholicism, despite similarities in the liturgies and trappings... and the ordination of women is another difference. Since you've indicated no objection, my brothers and sisters will probably attempt to make at least a few converts."

Aldreset seemed to be thinking about something else entirely.

"You're still worried about the Doomani, or others, showing up to finish what's been started," it wasn't quite a question.


ooc: if you like, you can list Maciskan Orthodox as a minor religion in your nation.

"We get a lot of stickups and muggings going on in the S.E.Z.'s. Robberies of foreigners people think are rich, random serious assaults on foreign workers by people opposed to the S.E.Z. programme, hate-motivated violence, people associating the Doomani with Catholics in general. Drug dealers and prostitutes use the S.E.Z.'s to push their business, many of us are too poor to afford them, and while drugs and prostitution are legal here, the fact that they're illegal in a lot of countries the foreign businesses come from means dealers can sell higher in the S.E.Z. Outside the S.E.Z., the worst you'll get is the occasional beating up of Catholics, and vandalism of churches."

deMalara had neither notebook nor blackberry, but nonetheless gave the impression he was taking notes.

"As I understand the matter," Aldreset said, "SNMC has a very strict anti-drug policy for its operations... ore processing and loading is not a forgiving industry, and anything that impairs judgement is... discouraged, as is any importation of drugs to the Covenant."

Nothing was said on the subject of prostitution.

"I'm not familiar with what the S.N.M.C. is, I don't think you've explained the abbreviation," said the Minister. "We will allow you to apply your own laws within the embassy, so if one of your citizens buys drugs here, and takes them into the embassy, then you can deal with that as you see fit, hopefully not by executing drug users... we've seen nations that do just that."

"As for things like ore processing, just like we have laws against driving while intoxicated - by alcohol, narcotics, anything that clouds the mind - we have laws against operating heavy machinery under that condition. I don't intend to get into a debate over our respective drug laws."

"Unless you have anything further to discuss with me, I believe Dr. al-Gazar is ready to assume his duties as ambassador. Do you have a place for him to operate until the embassy complex is completed?"

"I haven't?" Aldeset looked surprised. "SNMC is the Seven Nations Minerals Corporation. The main company we have invested in your SEZ".

"Drug offences don't carry the death penalty," Irvani said primly.

"Anyway it's the company's anti-drug regulations and employment conditions that would control their employees in your nation, not our laws, which only concern your citizens when they seek to enter our jurisdiction, and vice versa of course," Aldreset said, playing pre-emptive peacemaker. "The only laws of ours applicable to our citizens in your nation have to do with child sex crimes, treason, and the like.
"The good doctor will be housed in Embassy House until your embassy compound is constructed; we have anticipated this problem. Lord deMalara's staff will arrive in full when our mission is constructed, but he shall have to return with me to receive his credentials... if you don't have a temporary facility, and assuming you have the requisite secure communications links set up, he can conduct his business from Arn-Maciska until the mission is constructed."

"We don't have a temporary facility," said the Minister. "Our efforts are aimed for now at three main goals: 1. Feed the people. 2. Build the army. 3. Build infrastructure that will replenish the economy. Our secure comm links are all in the hands of the military. I suppose we could put him in a military base, but if the current conflict with Praetonia escalates to war, he could be in danger."

Aldreset chuckled dryly.
"I think not," he said. "Stationing our mission in one of your bases would nullify either the diplomatic immunity afforded to the mission, or deny you the use of the base for the duration of his excellency's stay... and our missions tend to have more than just a single man in them, mmm?" Irvani had leaned forward and whispered something in his superior's ear.

"Ah, yes, a naval solution," Aldreset said. "This would be a single elderly naval vessel flying our flag and carrying a diplomatic transponder... assuming you'd consent to the Covenant stationing a military vessel in one of your harbours. It would function as a mobile embassy; until the compound is actually constructed, when we'd take it back, it would be the compound. We can arrange for a direct communications link for you from here to the destroyer, and it would use its own facilities to link to Arn-Maciska," he seemed pleased with his suggestion, until Irvani leaned forward again.

"Oh... you think so? Really?" Irvani nodded, "Ok," Aldreset turned back to face the Minister, his face serious.
"If you're concerned about it being used in a hostile manner, then let me assure you of three things; firstly, we haven't started a fight with another nation in two hundred years, secondly, this is a diplomatic vessel and it would be against international law. Thirdly," he smiled, without humour this time. "There's no reason."

"An armed destroyer? We aren't concerned about it being used against us, but if the Praetonians attack, they will see an armed warship flying a flag other than theirs as one of our allies. It would have to be something like a hospital ship, which is already protected by international law."

Aldreset's smile turned predatory.

"The particulars of the vessel would be worked out by the Ambassador-General," he replied, "but It would be a consular vessel, marked clearly as such. Attacks are not recommended. And frankly, we trust our guns more than we trust any Praetonian respect for international law."

"Very well," said Levitt. "Let's hope they don't attack until we've sorted this out. If that is all... I can credential Dr. al-Gazar right here, and send him off." She pulled a folder containing documents, credentials, and what information the new Ambassador would need to know.

"The good doctor will get a set of notes and supplementary materials from the Secretariat of State for Ambassadorial Affairs when he arrives," Aldreset said with a nod to the man. "All about living in Arn-Maciska, settling in, and so on. He's coming to be immersed in quite an alien culture after all.
"But I believe that settles everything we need," he said, "I hope you can work out a peaceable outcome to this unpleasantness with Praetonia," the three Macisikani stood, and raised their right hands, palm outwards.

"Fair weather and good harvests to you, Minister Levitt of the Free Republic of Kahanistan," they chorused. It was clearly a farewell of some sort.

The Minister nodded and handed her folder over to the new Ambassador. He approached the Macisikani and joined them out.

Aldreset was quite happy to offer the Kahanistani Ambassador a lift to the Covenant if needed, otherwise he went back with his fellows.

When the newest Kahanistani Ambassador arrived in Arn-Maciska, he found himself neatly slotted into the system of the Secretariat of State for Ambassadorial Affairs, who worked with him to arrange practically everything; embassy design, construction, location within the Diplomatic precinct, work visas for the Kahanistani builders (though there was a fee associated with using foreign labour), and so on. The only thing they couldn't help with was the presentation of the credentials; the Palace moved at its own pace, and set its own date for the five-minute accreditation ceremony.

deMalara returned with Irvani aboard a modified destroyer. The CDS Cordaxa had had its removed, the storage and living quarters expanded, and a white paint-job. Covenant flags flew prominently, and the words CONSULAR VESSEL were written on the sides in large, easy-to-understand-and-hard-to-miss text.

There had been debate over the model, but the Ambassador-General ruled that a hospital ship, not being used for medical purposes, would undermine the whole system.

Of course, anyone with a sonar or just good eyes would have noticed the sleek dark shapes of the ship's twin submarine escorts slipping into and out of the bay. They would return when the time came for the Cordaxa to come home when the actual mission itself was completed.

All in all, it had been quite a satisfactory mission.