NationStates Jolt Archive

KSS Grand Alliance (RCMJS-110)
Orbiting elliptically around Novus Ceti

The General Secretary fastened the last button on his (ironically) navy-blue military coat. Before he'd been elected to General Secretary at the age of twenty-five, he'd served four years in the Navy, rising to the rank of lieutenant commander on his own merits, and after election had continued rising steadily. He wasn't the Grand Admiral - that duty fell to the President, although in wartime the sitting General Secretary would receive a field promotion to Second Admiral.

Each of his sleeves carried five gold, diagonal stripes, indicating his twenty years in the navy. His collar carried three gold squares in a gold rectangle, indicating his rank as a rear admiral, again on his own merits.

He walked out into the polished-mahogany-walled, black-floored corridor, then made a sharp left (acutely aware that the grand total of zero people were watching him) into his office. Sensing his presence, the office's smart system engaged, a flat-screen console rising from the desk.

As he sat down, his screen switched to a radar display, showing a diplomatic transport inbound, carrying the Northern Rangerian delegate. The speed number decreased at an alarming rate, as did the distance number, until the shuttle landed on one of the docking bay arms, which promptly reeled it in.

James Bovill sat back and waited.

Shuttle Kassiopeia
Docking Bay 2 of KSS Grand Alliance

To anyone looking at the diplomatic vessel, the ship looked nigh-identical to other Kostemetsian vessels, save that her markings had been altered to represent her new home country, the Principality of Northern Rangeria.

The heavy landing door hissed as the pressure locks opened, and the door slid slowly down, forming a ramp for the passengers to leave the ship. First to disembark were two Jaegers, dressed in black instead of their usual fatigues, the bayonet-fixed assault rifles slung to the soldier. It was only then that the Northern Rangerian diplomat first appeared.

Politics was largely an old men's game, but the delegate walking down the stairs proved to be a refreshing change to that rule. A tall, beautiful woman with a face befitting a statue of a Greek goddess, Duchess Katrina Raikone could have easily been mistaken for a trophy wife or a Miss Universe candidate, but for the keen intellect sparking her storm-grey eyes. The Principality had no use for airheads in their diplomatic corps, and as the cousin to the ruling Prince she had grown up in the intrigues of politics as well as the turmoil of the War of Independence. Like her bodyguards, she wore jet black, but not as a uniform but as a sleek businesswoman's dress. Her blond hair was bound into a ponytail in the back, and her eyes now sought for her welcome.






OOC: How old is Bovill? You said twenty-five, but that he has served in the Navy for twenty years?

(OOC: Haha, Spartans :p No, some time ago my country jumped forward thirty years... originally, the character was twenty-five, now he's fifty-five... as a matter of fact, he was fifty-five when I handed the fleet over to you; anyway, quick post, will post more tomorrow)

The transmission rang out through the Grand Alliance's Admiral's quarters, and the General Secretary whirled around on his office chair to watch a display showing the second docking bay. Yes, the Duchess was definitely a refreshing exception to the rule.

Clicking the door open, he strode out into the corridor, turned sharply left, and took the twenty feet to the lift at an almost-run; the lifts had been acting up lately, and a bad impression wouldn't be... well... good.

(Bump)

(OOC: Your turn to post, mate)

OOC: Ah, sorry. I thought your last post meant you were going to post again on a later date. Mea culpa.

Lady Katrina could hear the slow buzz of the CCTV cameras in the shuttle hangar. She cast a single glance towards these "Peeping Toms", showing no sign of discomfort at being under this kind of scrutiny. She merely made a small tuck at the hem of her jacket, standing straight as a soldier. She held her briefcase silently, waiting for a bridge officer or perhaps even the Kostemetsian ambassador himself to arrive.

A perceptive one. This should be fun.

The General Secretary leaned casually against the wall of the lift capsule as data streamed into his sunglasses. The latest CCTV data showed Lady Katrina throwing a calm glance at the camera, then straightening her jacket. She had the demeanour of the Republic's most experienced military officers - he was glad the Principality wasn't the enemy.

The lift-shaft proximity warning flashed, giving the Secretary enough time to straighten up and formalise. Then the door slid up into the ceiling, showing the shuttlebay and the Rangerian ambassador. Maintaining a calm demeanour, Bovill strode out of the lift to greet the ambassador.

"Mi'lady, a pleasure to meet you. Welcome to Kostemetsian space."

Lady Katrina's eyes turned immediately to the elevator door, and she quickly regained her military posture. If the woman wondered why this young man was dressed in the garb of a high-ranking military official, she did not let her eyes reveal that information.

She walked up to the man, her eyes locked into his like heat-seeking missiles to the engine core of enemy vessel.

"Thank you, sir", she said calmly. "General Secretary James Bovill, I presume?"

Somewhat surprised at her quick recognition and unwavering gaze, the Secretary acknowledged.

"Yes, that's me. And you are Duchess Katrina Raikone, the ambassador from Northern Rangeria. I apologise if you endured any turbulence on the trip here - many ships have been passing to and from this system lately, and they've rumpled the fabric of space somewhat. Just a second, please."

Pressing the lift button, he watched it glow orange, until the cylindrical lift capsule arrived at the shuttle bay. The door opened, leaving a comfortably large cylindrical space in the interior.

He waited for Lady Katrina to step in. The appropriate multinational identification had already been entered in the onboard databank, so the Ambassador technically had carte blanche over her actions on board; however, he still felt that personal courtesy was a large part of the diplomatic process.

A quick smile graced Lady Katrina's lips when the General Secretary showed he was equally quick to recognize ambassadors from foreign nations. Granted, it was a great deal easier for him.

"You are correct, sir. And no need for apologies. KATK Calewite is a sturdy vessel, much thanks to your provision of ships", she said with a hint of mischief in her eyes. The battle cruiser that had brought her here was flying under diplomatic colours, and it had remained at the edge of sensor range. The sensors had indicated great similarities with this ship and the Unity-class battle cruisers offered by Kostemetsia to the Principality a few years earlier - yet, the Calewite's designation was not mentioned in the manifest. Apparently the Principality had begun shipbuilding of their own, based on Kostemetsian models.

"Thank you", the statuesque noblewoman said as she stepped into the elevator. Her steps made no 'click' or normal high heels, her knee-length boots bearing more resemblance to old-fashioned dress uniform boots than to the latest fashion of Paris. Yet, despite her military air she also gave more than just an impression of gracefulness. This was no dainty flower kept inside the gilded cage of court life; she carried herself with grace and dignity, clearly at ease even in the presence of a high-ranking officer aboard a battleship on orbit around a distant planet. For her, the surroundings seemed as natural as those of a ballroom or a conference hall.

I am the Entertainer
And I know just where I stand
Another serenader
And another long-haired band
Today I am your champion
I may have won your hearts
But I know the game
You'll forget my name
I won't be here in another year
If I don't stay on the charts

The old lyrics drifted unbidden through the Secretary's mind. They seemed to have many parallels to high government... He shook off the wandering thought and focused his attention on his counterpart, assessing the threat she might pose.

He was pretty sure she was or had been a military officer at some point - although since he couldn't tell her age (for once), he couldn't make a judgement as to when that point might have been. His files told him she was related to Prince Mikhail the Fourth, the current monarch of the Principality. Part of her demeanour seemed to back that up - she would definitely know how to behave around aristocracy, he judged.

The proximity warning flashed again, and seven seconds later the lift door opened. The General Secretary stepped out, passively multitasking by walking silently along the corridor and reviewing the Calewite's specifications simultaneously. The Republic could definitely benefit from some of that technology, so he made a mental note to ask Lady Katrina about it. For a civilisation which had only soared into space recently, Northern Rangeria was suspiciously advanced.

Manipulating the corridor electronics with a wave of his hand through the pervasive sensor field, he opened the door to the meeting room.

"Welcome to my humble part-time abode: Conference Room One, Republic Civil-Military Joint Ship one hundred and ten. The crew call it 'The Cocoon'."

At close range, Bovill could more easily tell the woman's age. She wasn't a spring chicken by no means, or some frightful teenager. Her business-like attire did, however, make her seem older, but a good guess would be that she had not yet reached her thirties, or was no more than a year or two into them. She stood by Bovill's side, her lips curving into a polite smile every now and then if she noticed the Kostemetsian official looking at her.

As to KATK Calewite, many of it specs seemed similar to a Unity-class battlecruiser, but scans did show how some of the systems and ablative shielding were built of lesser materials. It was possible that some of the technology was reverse-engineered from Kostemetsian models.

But back in the corridor, Lady Katrina smiled when she heard the general secretary's remark about the 'Cocoon'. "Is there a particular reason they call it that way?" she asked, an amused touch in her voice as she stepped inside, taking in the surroundings.

(OOC: Dude, he's chrono-55, he doesn't have a dirty mind... although the bio-25 might say otherwise :p)

"It's called the Cocoon because it looks almost exactly like one - as you can see."

The General Secretary indicated the featureless white room. No furniture appeared to be in it, but the diplomats and high officials who used it utilised a plastic moulding technology, allowing them to extrude and retract furniture from the floor almost instantaneously. With some slight motions of his hands, he brought up a standard set of furniture, with colour flowing through them as they rose. When the furniture had finished extruding into its up position it was quite neutral - a brown desk in the middle of the room, with a comfortable chair on each side.

"This place is very handy for diplomacy. Please, feel free to take a seat."

(( OOC: Hehe, didn't say he had. I just gave a brief description how old Katrina looks like :D ))

Lady Katrina raised a curious eyebrow when she looked at the furniture extruding from the walls and floor. "Interesting technology, I have to admit", she said as she took her seat by the table, lifting her suitcase on the table beside her. "The ships you sent us do not seem to have this kind of luxury", she added as she opened her briefcase, looking at the General Secretary with bright, intelligent eyes.

The General Secretary returned the Duchess' gaze steadily.

"The technology was only actualised three weeks ago. It's been in steady development for a while now, though - roughly a year and a half. We'd be happy to distribute it through the Northern Rangerian fleet, if that's what you desire.

"Now, of course, we're here to talk diplomacy. But I think it's a good thing to get to know the people you're speaking with. If I may ask, have you a family?"

Folding his dataglasses down and storing them in a pocket, the General Secretary smiled warmly at his opposite number. He'd always enjoyed this part of things, even if it wasn't strictly necessary.

Lady Katrina allowed a small, amused smile pull at her lips. "We shall see, Mr Secretary, we shall see. But I believe we should focus more on important issues. THEN we can discuss matters of luxury in more... detail", she said, her gaze meeting Bovill's.

"As to family... I am unmarried", she then said, sitting straight in her chair. "Quid pro quo, then... Are you, perhaps, married?"

Bringing
Up
My
Post

"No, I'm not, actually. Being of high office in the Commonwealth doesn't make one as eligible as almost two billion people might think. It involves long hours and lots of coffee.

"Now, I believe you said you wanted to get down to important issues... that wish shall be granted," and the General Secretary smiled to show that no negative emotions were meant.

"First, I'd like to address the issue of passport control. I know that it might be somewhat annoying to have fat Kostemetsian tourists galavanting round the Principality, but I'm afraid that for us it's a sadly necessary source of revenue. Without it, we'd be severely hampered in our operations. On behalf of the Commonwealth Tourism Division, I'd like to request that passport controls between the Principality and the Commonwealth be loosened."

"Long hours and lots of coffee, you say? Sounds like a normal day at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs", Lady Katrina said, her previous sternness loosening up now that they were behind closed doors.

"And as to tourists, I am sure that is not the main concern here. The Principality has been an isolationist nation for years, Mr Bovill. The most dire fear we have in relations to passport control is the potential arrival of radicals. I understand that in some space-faring nations there are conflicts based on former colony worlds wanting independence? How would you propose that such elements be kept out, if need be?"

"To be frank, I don't see the Principality having those kinds of problems; but in a hypothetical situation, I would advocate high-resolution scans for all who enter Principality space, including the 'fat Commonwealth tourist' type. We've already started doing that on our outer borders, as I'm sure you're aware.

"Weapons scans, I think, could be achieved with metallic element scanners, which can be shipped in large numbers and are very cheap. For energy weapons, we are developing a type of scanner that will detect the minute wave leakage from an energy weapon's power cell. Tests have shown it currently works against microwave and laser-based technology.

"As for stopping the radicals themselves linking up, I can offer no practical solution. I've heard that back on Earth, during the First War on Terror, some nations had implemented schemes to screen people of a certain appearance - but when the rebels themselves come from all races and subscribe to all creeds, how can one stop them? Kostemetsia itself was born from one such rebellion."

Lady Katrina nodded slowly. "Yes, it was a most unfortunate period in Terran history. Rest assured, however, we weren't thinking of such ethnic profiling. But the counter-measures you suggested seem adequate. I was also going to propose a technology-exchange program, perhaps we could include in it these energy-weapon scanners you mentioned."

"Of course. They're quite cheap, really - about sixty markhaa each, I'd estimate. Your governmental accountants might set up a howl, but as the old Terran proverb goes, 'you can't make an omelette without breaking a few eggs'."

"Show me an accountant that doesn't howl with expenses, and I'll show you an accountant who is deaf, dumb and blind", Lady Katrina chuckled. "I believe we can agree on the matter of removing passport control between the citizens of our respective nations."

"Now, as for ITF matters. It appears the regulators doubt the status of, as they so... individually... put it in their last missive, 'Kosto-Rangerian politics'. How shall the Protectorate and the Principality claims go about reconciliation with the ITF administration? It would appear they think we're trying to launch an evil empire or some such. Although, admittedly, that wouldn't be a bad idea..."

Lady Katrina smiled, flashing a line of pearly whites.

"We-eee-ell, now that you mention it, especially if we all dress up in black leather...", she chuckled. "No, but to be serious. I do not believe we have much to worry about. I believe it was a matter of misunderstanding. To my knowledge, Vuhifell has no claim the Infinitus Tractus Cluster. I believe they may have perceived that our two nations hold said region as a joint territory. Which is not the case."

The Northern Rangerian noblewoman thrummed her nails on the armrest of her chair for a moment before continuing. "In all honesty, Mr Bovill... My cousin, His Majesty the Prince, considers Kostemetsia one of our closest allies. And the same sentiment is echoed in our military and parliament as well. In fact", she said, smiling mischievously. "One of our exploratory vessels in Infinitus Tractus named one of the star systems in our territory Bovillia."

The General Secretary squirmed in his seat, embarrassed and yet pleased by the compliment.

"Please extend my humble thanks to the vessel's crew. I'm quite honoured. Now, I believe there was... ah, yes. We traded a set of specific target neuronal pulse initiation mechanisms to the Principality - signed for by a Nils Aho, I believe - yet we never received any mention of the status of those items. I hope you'll forgive us if we shipped them to the wrong person."

Assuming an appropriately sober expression, he sat quite still, intently awaiting the Lady's answer. He had the oddest feeling this wouldn't turn out well.

Lady Katrina frowned a bit.

"Nils Aho? Why would you send such technology to a former cabinet member?" she asked, clearly not liking what she had just heard. "Such matters usually go through the Ministry of Defence..."

"Hold on - this Nils Aho had verified Principality-Commonwealth government identification, card number 0000095323, security clearance level five. That checks out, and his security privileges for that level allow him to collect classified technology... such as STNPIM. Either he's been unusually, but legitimately authorised to collect this, or we have a large-scale hacking operation on our hands."

The brow of Lady Katrina was now fully frowned, her eyes sparkling, like icy fire.

"Mr Aho has not been a member of any government body in the last decade. If anything, he is something of a pariah because of his connections with Greater Rangeria", the noblewoman almost growled. "I know for certain that he would not have such security clearance."

Oh hell, no! Greater Rangeria?

The thought ran through the General Secretary's head, but he managed, barely, to keep a calm face.

"Mi'lady, there would be at least two accomplices to Mr. Aho in this matter - one person with top-level security clearances from each nation... or one extremely skilled pro-Aho hacker from each nation. Now, as far as I know, nobody in the Commonwealth even knows Mr. Aho's name except the Executive Office staff who delivered the equipment. And all of those men and women have been completely screened for loyalty. It's a paradox."

"Indeed", Lady Katrina said, standing up. "I am sorry, Mr Bovill, but I must request an encrypted channel so I may contact Halsanki. If someone like Nils Aho has access to technology where he or someone of his choosing may probe people's minds, we have a serious security breach in our hands."

Raising a pocketcom to his mouth, the General Secretary calmly said, "Mikel. Give the lady an encrypted channel for as long as she wants, no cost. And if I see you tapping the connection, you'll be panhandling on a street corner within the hour."

Lady Katrina couldn't help but smile a little. She liked this man's policy on leading.

"Thank you, secretary Bovill. I hope we may continue our negotiations after this call. The Home Guard and the Blood Tears take these kind of things very personally", she said then, her eyes sparkling with a fierceness that would have befitted an angred tigress. "Where may I use this channel?"

Boosting
Unresponsive
Multidimensional
Phrequency