Author Topic: Classical Neighbours  (Read 1872 times)

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Offline Cass

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Classical Neighbours
« on: June 04, 2022, 11:57:17 PM »

To:- His Imperial Majesty Emperor Marco Lupin IX

Since the restoration of our monarchy I am ashamed to say that we have done little to connect with our Abertonian neighbours. I am confident that given an opportunity we could turn our little corner of the Ardian Gulf into a prosperous one as we co-operate to make our lands supportive of each other. It is my hope that you will allow myself and a selection of my Ministers to come and visit. I am hopeful of beneficial meetings and finding ground for mutual co-operation.

Best Regards

Queen Atalanta II of Cassiopeia.

Offline Abertone

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Re: Classical Neighbours
« Reply #1 on: June 11, 2022, 12:02:06 AM »
"The Annex" was a series of offices and boardrooms that sat next to the wing in the Imperial Palace that the Emperor called home. There were several members of office staff already tapping away and busying themselves with piles of paper and cups of coffee despite it being just 7:30am. "The Annex" was a long thin building with a single office dominating the connecting end between the building and the Palace. It was home to Lt. Di Augastino one of several Advocatus who worked for the Imperial Family. To many she was known as the "Gatekeeper" as beyond one of the doors to her office lay the Emperors private lounge and beyond that his suites. If you wanted a meeting with him you first had to pass through the tall, slender officers domain.

One person who seldom had any difficultly though passing through this checkpoint was Graziano Lupin. Firstly this was because he was the Emperors cousin and maybe more importantly because he was the Imperial Consul and with Emperor Marco being rather less engaged in government than an Emperor should be it meant his cousin was the real leader of the Empire. He himself had planted Serena Di Augastino in the office she now called home knowing she'd likely be unswayed by the Emperors womanising charms and the fact that she actually frightened him a little bit. The icing on the cake though was that she was his sister-in-law and so he believed he could trust her to be a kind of informer on his cousins stupidity. "Is the Emperor up?" Graziano asked as he swung Serena's office door closed behind him and began helping himself to some of the fresh percolated coffee.

"His Imperial Majesty has company" Serena said disapprovingly.

"When is she leaving?" Graziano sat in the chair utilised by guests to the office and tossed his file folder onto the desk. Instinctively Serena straightened it and stood up, she checked the various motion sensors in the Imperial Suite on the wall next to her.

"Well one has already left" Serena frowned, "Naturally we ensured a Praetorian vehicle took her out the back and got her home in one piece. However it appears young Ginevra from the kitchen is still keeping him company." Graziano sighed, this was a far too common occurence. The young 20 year old girl was an apprentice chef in the kitchen and rather a beautiful young girl. She was though rather naive and anytime Marco felt a bit lonely, or in this case adventurous, he promised her the world and now they were in a situation where the pair where still in the suite with the Queen of Cassiopeia due to arrive.

"Extract the Emperor Liutenant." Graziano chuckled as he savoured the coffee.

"Yes sir" Serena gave a playful half salute, "I pray I don't need to bleach my eyeballs this time." the pair laughed as Serena gave a warning knock, waited a mirco-second and then entered the Emperors suites. She ensured she was loud, "Your Imperial Majesty we have guests in an hour." she yelled as she carefully examined the scene, several drinks glasses and empty wine bottles at various places, a half eaten cheese board and a womans black dress across the floor. She stepped over, wrapped on the bed-room door and braced herself. No sound came and so she cautiously opened the door. The Emperor and the kitchen girl. This was not the first time Serena had seen such a sight and as Ginevra tried to cover herself Marco just swung himself out of bed. "Your Majesty its time to be leaving, you have twenty minutes."

Marco simply chuckled, "My brother dispatched you didn't he?" The Emperor didn't wait for a response but instead simply picked up a towel from off the chair next to the bed before addressing Ginevra, "Serena here sill see you out" he informed her rather callously. Serena waited for the sound of the shower before motioning to Ginevra to be going. The girl nervously got her things together, dressed and headed towards the suites front door that lead to the Palace.

"You should know by now" Ginerva paused as Serena's hand slammed the minutely open door shut. "My office." she jerked her head and Ginerva made her way back to where Graziano was just draining the last of the thick dark coffee he had been sipping. She blushed as he saw her.

"Ginerva?" Graziano wasn't 100% sure of her name but the girl nodded. "Look I don't wish to be horrible. You should not be leaving my cousins bedroom. Do you have family in Abertone?" He asked warmly.

"No Sir" Ginerva looked nervous.

"Good" Graziano stood and turned to address Serena, "Please ensure that Ginerva here is assigned to my private staff, naturally that will require a resettlement grant and I think we can ensure a payraise." Serena wrote in a notebook and threw it in a draw. "Thank you" Graziano knew if it was in "the book" it was as good as done. He then gently took hold of Ginerva's arm, "The Praetorians will take you home and tomorrow help you pack." he watched the girl leave with a smile on her face pleased with her promotion. "Is he ready?" he asked Serena now they were alone.

"Soon" she responded. Fifteen Minutes later Marco appeared dressed in a smart white suit with pink shirt, no tie. It was rather less formal than Graziano approved of but at least he was dressed. The trio headed outside where a black uniformed Praetorian escort awaited. The airport was about a 30 minute drive from the Palace for a regular driver but with outriders and staff watching traffic lights to ensure they were always green the journey took closer to 20. They arrived without much time to spare, just enough for a brief run through of the occasion, a band for national anthems, an honour guard of some 200 Praetorians, a hand picked crowd of journalists and government officials.

As the aircraft was announced as inbound by the airports control tower Marco turned to Serena, "Cassiopeia, thats the one with the young new Queen isn't it?" He asked.

Serena looked down and took a deep breath, "No Your Majesty" she fought the urge to shake her head, "That's Lodja, they recently crowned Queen Natalya. This is Queen Atalanta, she's been Queen for some time now, 2018 I believe. She's...." Serena checked a folder quickly, "42 years of age. Ex-Naval officer" she hoped the Emperor's lack of preparation wouldn't be a problem but a reassuring wink from Graziano left her at least a bit more calm.

"And her husbands name, King....." Marco waited for a response while waving a hand as though it would help conjure up a name.

"Unmarried" Serena replied.

"Really" the Emperor raised an eyebrow. "I could perhaps enjoy this diplomacy" He turned to face the aircraft that was now touching down giving Serena and Graziano time to exchange concerned looks. By now though it was going to be too late as the aircraft was preparing to let the Queen leave. Graziano only tried to reassure himself that the Queen was a similar age to his cousin and he went for younger women usually. As the Queen arrived the Emperor bowed warmly and gave the most delicate of handshakes. "Queen Atalanta, we are grateful for you taking time from your busy schedule to come and pay us a visit. I am delighted to meet you and look forward to getting to know you better. In the short years we've been rulers we have done very little to bring our nations closer together and I've been praying that this opportunity is the first of many for us to meet. "

Offline Cass

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Re: Classical Neighbours
« Reply #2 on: June 16, 2022, 08:43:06 PM »
The Queen of Cassiopeia was only too aware of the Emperors perhaps less noble personal traits but this was a relationship that was necessary for her Realm as it was with their neighbour whom had given so many Cassiopeians fleeing the Junta a safe place. For the Celestial Consul Nomiki Giannopoulos these meeting was rather significant on a personal level. During he time of the Junta she had stayed behind feeling as an elected politican it was her duty to try and serve the people, meanwhile her husband had taken her then 7 year old son and four year old daughter over the border into Abertone. It was then ten years until she saw them in the flesh again in this nation. It would be a further 12 months before they left Abertone to rejoin their mother. Nomiki's daughter Danai even was as fluent in the language of Abertone as Cassiopeia, something Nomiki had taken advantage of before coming by learning a few useful phrases. Despite the very personal connection though it was still the Queen who would lead the conversation for now.

"Emperor Marco" she said warmly. "Thank you for agreeing to meet us. As well as being neighbours you've a history of being a good friend to us and we have been lacking in returning that friendship. With this in mind we would like to present you with this." The Queen handed over a gold laurel wreath, a symbol of victory in her nations heritage. "The commanders of the loyalist Army, Navy and Air Force units that helped us win back our freedom were presented with one of these." Each of the leaves was embossed with the date "16th May 2018" marking the day of victory. "Without your nation harbouring so many of our people we wouldn't have been able to take back our homeland and so it was as much a victory of yours as it was ours." She handed the token over. "Many of our youngsters still consider Abertone a home as much as they do Cassiopeia." Atalanta stepped aside and allowed Nomiki to speak.

"I for one have a great deal to thank your nation for. My two children and husband took refuge her and my daughter Danai has spent the majority of her life in your homeland." She explained. "On behalf of all the parents of Cassiopeia I would like to thank you and your people for what they did for our children. It is this connection that we must make stronger and as such I have a desire that my daughter and those like her will be free to move between the land of her birth and he land of her childhood. So perhaps when we begin talks such an arrangement can be at the front and centre?" She asked.

Offline Abertone

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Re: Classical Neighbours
« Reply #3 on: June 16, 2022, 09:56:37 PM »
Emperor Marco had to admit that the Queen was pretty enough but at least ten years to old to peak his interest.  In her youth he suspected she would have been a beauty but at 42 years of age her best years were behind her. He had hoped when her heard Nomiki was coming she may be some young glamorous politician but again some past her best former beauty had appeared. Marco though had his ego stroked when the token of victory arrived. As Queen Atalanta handed over the victory wreath Marco considered placing it upon his head as he'd seen great Emperors of the past drawn on books and prominent artworks, a glance at his cousin Graziano  was rather disapproving and so the Emperor stopped and instead thanked his guest. "Queen Atalanta we were, and still are, proud to think of ourselves as having been involved in helping you and your people at their time of need. Ours though was merely the role of being a good neighbour. I would say that I am sure one day you will return the gesture but please forgive me when I say I hope such a day never comes." Graziano was surprised at the way though the Emperor responded to Nomiki. As she spoke of the children he gave her a hug, "Consul....Nomiki" the Emperor stepped back and smiled, "I would not want a child of any nation to be unsafe. I am proud that our people where able to give your daughter, son and other children a place they feel safe. They will always be welcome within the Empire but we need to find a way to make that happen. That's possible isn't it?" Marco turned to his cousin.

Graziano suspected that he would be the one actually conducting the business of the meeting and not the Emperor. He nodded as his cousin asked his question. "Your Majesty, Consul." He nodded respectively to each in turn. "WHile I think this is a good place to start an airports tarmac is perhaps not the place to do it. If you'd care to follow me." Serena was stood a few steps behind Graziano and now strode ahead to open the door of the waiting vehicles. Marco waited for Atlanta to take a seat and slid in next to her. Graziano waited for everyone to be sat, thanked Serena and then joined the others. The ride back to the Palace was equally as quick as the ride to the airport as once more every light was on green. At the Palace the King's private suite had been returned to a regal looking environment rather than the scene of last nights debauchery.  The Emperor sat in his favourite arm-chair around the coffee table which Serena had arranged a few bottles of wine, a pitcher of ice water and some teas in beautiful blue ceramic pots. The Emperor played host ensuring everyone had drinks and then as Graziano began the business of diplomacy sat back with a nice glass of red wine.

"Queen Atalanta its clear we share some personal connections as your Consul here as demonstrated. I'm keen to allow those who have a connection to our country to come back time and again as seemlessly as possible. If people like Danai consider us one of their homelands than I think it beholds us to ensure that she and those like her are never excluded from coming here." Graziano paused as he topped up his tea. " Perhaps you could tell us a little about your daughter and her experiences here?" He asked Nomiki before savouring his tea while he listened, once she was done he moved back to the discussions about border crossing. "What I propose isn't exactly visa free but is the next best thing. It would though require us sharing data on criminal records. What I propose is that an individual still needs a passport to enter each nation. Upon arrival at a port of entry they present their passport and so long as they have no criminal record or are not on a wanted list they are free to cross and for 90 days can travel, study or conduct business here. A person may do that once every six months. Anyone wishing to stay for longer or visit more frequently would be expected to obtain a visa. I suspect this will help people like Danai maintain contact with her friends here, it will help both our nations boost tourism and allow small businesses to engage with each other. It falls short of a fully fluid border but I think you could say this is a fair compromise. If this is acceptable I'd like to bring up....."he paused and looked at the Emperor who seemed more interested in tracing a finger around the top of his wine glass then engaging, "I'd like to bring up" Graziano changed his tone to indicate his cousin should pay attention, "that we should perhaps examine the idea of embassies as I believe your nation has some particularities in that regard we have yet to fulfil?"

"Yes...yes that is something important" Marco nodded as though it was his own suggestion.

Offline Cass

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Re: Classical Neighbours
« Reply #4 on: June 23, 2022, 10:57:59 PM »
Atalanta preferred to stick to water while they talked maybe if there was something worth celebrating she would conclude with a wine but first there was business to get straight. She sat back as Nomiki tried her best to explain Graziano's question.

"Danai left me when she was four years old and I did not see her again until she was 14 that I did so again. To have missed out on all those years breaks my heart as I think about it even now." Atalanta could see that Nomiki was welling up and placed a supporting hand on her leg. "Her father did an amazing job and raised an intelligent and hard working girl. She speaks Abertonian, Cassopeian and Latin like they are her native tongues and has a love of sailing. She at times resents what had happened to her but it was necessary, many Cassiopian families were wiped out, many women lost children and many children lost their mothers. Myself and Danai are fortunate that now she's 19 we have a chance to build our relationship. I've been lucky enough to meet her best friends from Abertone and they are lovely young people. A credit to your nation that they took a young foreign girl under their wing and made them part of their community and I know she won't be the only one of her generation to know this. Allowing her to utilise this system you suggest would be a good step forward."

Atalanta nodded at the final sentence. "I agree. I think what you've outlined Consul is a good idea and I fully support it. Now as for embassies that is correct. There is a sacred ritual performed in terms of welcoming them to the Complex of the Goddess which is a little like Lodja's Isle or the Lijiang Golden Enclave. Its also a way of our Gods blessing the appointment, something considered important in our culture. We have though grounds to consider its future as it was suspected that one nation had sent someone unable to undertake the traditions on purpose." The Queen looked displeased at that memory. "The opening of embassies though is important so we shall ensure that we make sure whoever you send is accepted and given due reverence. It would be my intention to find a noble who had sheltered in Abertone and send them as our own representative."

Offline Abertone

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Re: Classical Neighbours
« Reply #5 on: June 26, 2022, 04:13:49 PM »
Marco seemed uninterested at the discussions of the Consuls daughter. It was left to his own Consul to take the lead once more. "In order to create unity between our nations could we consider a twinning between our schools. There must be many such examples of where youngsters from your nation are back home having spent some time here, Abertone can't have been a refuge just for Danai. It would be a nice way to ensure that those bonds of friendship last. As for the embassy issue if you let us know what the requirements are then naturally we'll comply. The last thing we want to do is sully this friendship that is just blossoming. Now once we have ambassadors in place we'd like to consider some kind of economic co-operation. Is this perhaps a step too far for a first meeting?"

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Re: Classical Neighbours
« Reply #6 on: August 03, 2022, 10:08:26 AM »
The Queen was pleased they at least had one thing in the bank. "The ambassadorial issue is a simple one, you send someone the usual way and we simply have a little ceremony where they formally are welcomed to the nation and present credentials. Each ambassador is presented a ceremonial laurel wreath to wear on their heads, traditionally these were used to symbolise a visiting dignitary in the Complex of the Queen but naturally today ID badges are more practical but the tradition continues and the wreath acts more as a symbol of friendship and I suspect a nice keepsake of what I pray will be a productive and enjoyable time in our nation."

As the Consul turned matters to economic interests she considered a few things. "We are members of SUN. An organisation that aims to promote international co-operation while maintaining each nations right to create their own policies. I would have considered offering a Abertone-SUN agreement however with your signature of the Abrahamic Declaration I think such a move would not be possible to push through however that does not stop us going something between us. We share a land border and making it possible for products to move between the two as easily as possible is a good step forward. What I propose therefore is that we put in place a system where we recognise that goods and products that are made within our nations, along with raw materials can cross the frontier as seamlessly as possible. I propose therefore at crossing points we have a specialist lane for our trade traffic. Where possible we recognise that we have compatible standards on things. So for example I suspect the quality and safety of electrical products is the same in both nations. Therefore an item like say a microwave oven could cross without further checks. We could at the same time lower tariffs on these goods that share a compatible standard. This would be the foundation I'd like to begin with."

Offline Abertone

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Re: Classical Neighbours
« Reply #7 on: August 03, 2022, 11:32:46 AM »
Graziano liked the idea put forward but did have some reservations. "I'd be happy to have our civil service explore the process you've talked about. I think it'd be a very useful one although time consuming but at the end of the day that is what we employ those people for. My concern though is this. You have an extensive trade agreement with three other nations. They would profit from this arrangement by simply being able to export first to you and then to us. So they could take advantage of fewer checks and reduced tariffs. I would therefore insist that each transport include a certificate of origin as to where the parts of its shipment came from. Historically we have purchased equipment from you for our military and we'd like that to continue so having these easy access routes is going to help that. As it stands then we have on the table lower tariffs, perhaps a reduction to zero?, then we have a seamless border crossing process for people in some circumstances such as those who stayed here for a while during your Junta's period and ambassadors. Could we maybe suggest a final connection. Seeing as we have military equipment that originated in your nation and we share the vast majority of the coast of the Adrdian Gulf could we discuss perhaps some joint operations in regards to ensuring smuggling doesn't take place. With our connections to the Eastern part of the Empire there are at times people who take liberties with this. I'm suggesting we put on some occasional joint customs operations, target vessels we have suspicions of with a joint Cassiopeia and Abertone search and eventually include the Iwi in this. The Iwi is a nation I've little contact with perhaps you could suggest a way forward there"

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Re: Classical Neighbours
« Reply #8 on: August 13, 2022, 09:52:06 PM »
Atalanta considered her words carefully. "The Maori are a group of people that sadly I've a similar level of experience with as you have. They are a people we greatly admire but to be honest we don't have much diplomatic connection with them. Perhaps if we finalise this arrangement we could examine a potential double meeting with them?"

Quote from:  Treaty Between Abertone and Cassioepeia

As a result of an agreement between Emperor Marco and Queen Atalanta the nations of Abertone and Cassiopeia agree to the following

1. The two nations agree to gradually lower tariffs on trade in items that originate in either nation over the next five years. The aim is to have these at no higher than 0.5% by 2027.

2. The two nations agree not to take part in economic practices designed at damaging the other.

3. All items moving under Article 1 shall be accompanied by a certificate of proof regarding the items origin.

4. The two nations shall maintain active embassies between them.

5. Both nations agree to share data on criminal records.

6. Anyone with no criminal record, a valid passport and not deemed a threat to national security may enter the other nation for 90 days visa free. While there they may enjoy leisure, study or business.

7. An individual may spend 90 days a year visa free in the other.

8. The two nations agree to share information regarding criminal activity in the Ardian Gulf.

9. The two nations agree to joint patrols and operations designed to stop any criminal activity in the Ardian Gulf area.

10. The two nations agree to pursue a course of action regarding Article 8 & 9 that will eventually bring the Unified Iwi into the agreement.

Signed