The Ayatollah meets His Excellency, President for Life (Tamora and Zimalia)

[Markus]

Ramin Rafsanjani was on his way to Zimalia for a hastily prepared visit. The wave of sanctions that various powers had imposed on Tamora had an unexpected effect behind the scenes. There was always a struggle between two factions in the Foreign Office. The dominant but increasingly weakening faction was that advocating for total isolationism from the affairs of Mundus, while the other favored a more nuanced approached: maintaining a very reserved stance yet look for opportunities to expand the influence of Tamora: both economically and religiously. The sanctions against Tamora had tilted the balance in favor of those advocating for Tamora to be active on the world stage since total isolationism clearly hadn't meant the other nations left Tamora alone.

   So it was for this reason that Ramin was headed to Zimalia. His task was simple yet not exactly easy to achieve. He would have to use this opportunity to open relations with Zimalia and set the groundwork a future friendship based on mutual need. Tamora needed a new market for investments and selling goods and Zimalia hopefully needed protection and investment in their economy. But Tamora was not all about economics like Heyra, Ramin would also need to secure the President's permission to send missionaries to Zimalia alongside aid workers. All that had to be done without arousing too much opposition from the regional powers which closely guarded their spheres of influence against any intrusion.

   Others might feel the pressure of such a task, but not Ramin. His strong faith and the childhood he spent in relative poverty made him an incurable optimist. It was his idea to assemble the current small aerial convoy. The fist plane, Sukhoi Superjet 100, would comprise of his delegation: diplomats, aid workers, medics and preachers while the second, much larger plane, Antonov An-124 Ruslan, would have building materials, food, medical supplies for his delegation to give to the local population. The plane also carried a couple of gifts for the President: one Porsche Cayenne, one Mercedes-Benz G-Class, one Ferrari California, one Rolls Royce and one Bugatti Veyron. The cars covered a wide range of tastes in the hope at least one of them would be pleasing to the President. The cars also had various luxury options added to them make them even more exclusive than they already were. Ramin couldn't help but smile when he thought the president's gifts were worth about the same as the aid he was bringing for his people.

   After the convoy reached the Zimalian airport and the two planes parked, Ramin waited for the airplane's door to open and went down the stairs smiling towards his hosts. 

[DaveIronside]

Binyamin was looking forward to this, it wasn't common for Zimalia to get to welcome foreign guests. This was mainly due to them being seen as rather less wholesome than many nations but that just showed how unknowledgeable global leaders were. Binyamin knew the truth, if it wasn't for him the tribes that made up Zimalia would be waging a constant string of civil wars yet since he'd assumed the control of the nation there hadn't been a single attempt. Yes he'd had to be harsh, it was the only language some of the tribes understood, especially the Afolayans, if you didn't give them the odd collective slap they soon stepped out of line. To have the Ayatollah come to visit was exciting and Elwes planned to make the most of it. He'd had his soldiers that made up his bodyguard personally do and collect journalists and photographers from their homes and now they stood just behind the President ready to report whatever the hell he told them too.

Binyamin himself had ordered three new suits for the visit and having woken up this morning he'd selected a rather expensive white suit that vaguely resembled a naval uniform. He'd arrived in one of his favourite vehicles, a large bright red Cadillac accompanied by a large posse of advisors who in effect where all cousins, nephews or other relatives that were his yes men. Now they stood around casually waiting for the arrival of Rafsanjani with a few other officials. His daughter Tina, named after his favourite musician Tina Turner, stood playing with one of the sights designed to impress their guest. She was petting the three month old lion cub who seemed to be enjoying the attention. The cub got a little too rough and Binyamin pulled on its leash roughly easily subduing the little creature. "Do not tire the little thing out" he ordered his daughter who obedient as always stood and returned to the phalanx of the Lewes family who stood behind the Cadillac.

As Rafsanjani arrived and made his way towards the President he moved towards him, the tiny lion trotting alongside him as it had been trained to do. "Ramin, my good friend" the President said warmly as he approached, he reached a bear paw sized hand out and shook Ramin's before pulling him into a manly embrace. "Welcome! Welcome" he beamed, "This, this little chap, he is for you. A lion for the Great Lion.....send him to East Moreland and I suspect they can even teach the little man to use a sword hey" Lewes let out a loud laugh at his own little joke as he turned to stand next to Rafsanjani as a herd of photographers rushed round taking photos, "Here" Binyamin bent down and scooped up the lion which seemed to enjoy the contact. Binyamin held the cat in his arms for a photo before thrusting it into the visitors arms. "He is yours now, a powerful man such as you needs a powerful companion yes? What says power more than the King of all the Jungle." Binyamin handed the leash to the lions new master, "Please come, come we have much to discuss." he lead the way towards the Cadillac and once more took the lion and scooped it into the back seat before making his way towards the drivers seat and opening the door. He suddenly turned to his son Blessing and cuffed him around the head yelling at him in a tribal language and the 17 year old quickly ran round to the passengers side and opened the door for the Ayatollah and waited for him to take a seat. The boy then reached inside his jacket and removed a pair of gold rimmed sunglasses.

"For you Sir" Blessing said as he politely unfolded the glasses arms and seemed to move towards placing them on Ramin's face personally before thinking better of it as his fathers expression seemed disapproving. "Please, enjoy your time in our land" the boy bowed, gently closed the door and made his way off. Without a further word Binyamin wheelspinned away across the tarmac causing panic among his entoruage who scurried out the Presidents way as his protection unit rushed after him as he drove off with just the Ayatollah and the Lion in the car.

"You know those cars you brought are beautiful. I shall need to one day close the airport and come and play in them, I very much like the big foreign cars. Here we get many many old Mercedes, I suppose you could say Zimalia is where they come to die." He chuckled once more. They reached where the cars had been lined up and he slowed the Cadillac slightly as they went past. "I think the Rolls Royce will be saved for special occasions, such as when I have great important men like yourself come and stay. Thank you for your generosity, there was no need as you are my guest and your prescence is the greatest of gifts" They'd passed the line up now and once more Binyamin floored the accelerator and left the airfield. They made their way along a smooth tarmac road, but each road leading off it was little more than compacted dirt or stone chips. The route ahead had been cleared and the President was pushing the car well above the posted speed limit as they cut through a small town which had only one proper road. Soon the shacks gave way to the countryside and Binyamin enjoyed telling the Ayatollah all about the various natural landmarks they passed. Half an hour later they entered the Presidents estate and as they pulled up at the main house a young boy came hurrying down the steps, he could be no more than six years of age.

"Papa, Papa" he called as he launched himself at Binyamin who caught him and picked him up playfully tucking him under one arm with ease. "Welcome home" the boy smiled as he was carried back the way he'd come. "Welcome to Zimalia Sir" the boy added as though nothing was a miss as they entered the house. "Please let me take your shoes" the boy knelt and helped Ramin remove his footwear before placing them on a shelf neatly, he picked up a pair of soft comfortable looking slippers and helped the Ayatollah into them. "I'm Joseph Sir" the boy said eagerly, "Be at home" he ran off having earned an approving look from his father.

"Joseph is a good boy" Binyamin said proudly. "And he is right, while you are here this is your home, come and go as you please. You need anything, and I mean anything....even a playfriend for your new lion......what name will you give him? ......then you just ask and we shall make it happen." Binyamin picked a thick cigar out of a metallic case as he escorted Ramin towards the veranda. Once outside the elevated view allowed them to see over the compounds wall and out onto the countryside, about half a mile away at the bottom of the hill was a watering hole and a few animals were gathered around it. "Sit, sit, tell me the news of your homeland and what makes you come visit our land." There were binoculars on the table, "We have an abundance of wildlife here, take a look" he urged once more, "If you wish we can go on safari while you are here, see your little lions big brothers and sisters, or maybe we can go hunting, get you a nice Elephant head or something for your wall back home."

[Markus]

Ramin knew the Zimalian president was a towering man yet he was still surprised when he met him in person. Never before had he felt so small, President Elwes was truly a giant. He thanked Binyamin for his generous and certainly unexpected gift and laughed heartedly at the joke about the lion using the sword. Ramin, like most Tamorans, was more of a formal person yet the President's attitude "disarmed" him. It was so different from what he had been used to that he was honestly enjoying himself and kept smiling through the whole thing. He also petted the small beast he received as gift. He chuckled when he thought about what his wife will say when he brings it home.

As the President was examining the cars, Ramin said to the President: "It is a small gift for you from the Emperor. He wanted to be here to meet you in person but sadly other matters kept away." 
Ramin appreciated the hospitality he was shown and was sure thank everyone he went into contact with. Once they reached the mansion, he complimented the President for his fine home and thanked Joseph for the help. He also praised Binyamin for his family saying: "You are truly blessed to have so many sons and such a wonderful family".
Ramin figured the President might ask him to name his new pet. He thought of naming it Beatrice but it wasn't female, the second option was Benson, after the name of the Emperor of Paracambi but since Paracambi had provided help to Zimalia that also wasn't an option. So he said: "I am going to call him Alborz, "the highest one". It's a name that I believe fits such a majestic and proud creature".

Ramin took the binoculars and examined the wildlife. He hadn't travelled a lot outside his home country, something that not many foreign affairs ministers could say, and he was genuinely excited to see the exotic animals.
"Oh I'd definitely go on a hunt!" said Ramin visibly excited. He quickly regained his composure remembering his mission here and focusing on that:

"My homeland of Tamora is going through a gradual change. We have decided that it's in our best interest to no longer stay in isolation on the world stage and instead seek out potential friends and partners. Not too long ago, the nation of Paracambi, followed by Lodja and Rokkenjima decided to impose sanctions on us because they do not like how we do things in Tamora. When we heard Rokkenjima's statement about Zimalia and the eagerness to attack your peaceful nation that felt like a déjà vu for us. But what has moved many in Tamora was your speech. The way you stood alone yet unafraid against the might of Rokkenjima's war machine was both moving and inspiring for us. It was in that moment that we realized what perhaps was obvious but were too blind to see. That although our  nations are different they have much in common and, more importantly, that we walk a common path.

So I come here first as a sign of support, to let the world see that Tamora stands by you, shoulder to shoulder in this difficult times. Second, I would like to offer to extend the presence of our squadron for as long as necessary, in order to make sure the enemies of peace do not make further attempts against Zimalia.

Thirdly, I come to see if we can find mutual economic opportunities. Tamora has money to invest and is always looking for mining and agriculture opportunities but also other sectors. Our companies are interested in having access to your market and would like to sell here without tariffs. I wouldn't be honest with your if I told you that our goods are the best, with few exceptions they are not but they are affordable.

And the final reason for coming here is to offer humanitarian aid to Zimalia. As i said before, we mostly keep to ourselves  but that is changing and we want to help others. So we are looking for the most impoverished part of Zimalia to lend a hand and build a better future for the people there. We realize we can't help everybody so we would like to concentrate our efforts on one area. So we would ask you to let us have a humanitarian presence in Zimalia and tell us where to better concentrate our efforts.   

So that is why I am here. We hope to build bonds between our two great nations so we can each stand together against all obstacles. " 

[DaveIronside]

"You know a family is like a pride of lions. There is the alpha male naturally, then a alpha female, the rest jockey for position beneath them. The problem with so many sons is that one day they think they are the Alpha, for now that is fine as I am still more than capable of boxing their ears, but they get stronger everyday and soon, well I shall become an old tired Lion." he smiled as though looking forward to that moment, "But that is many many years ahead, as my physical strength may fade like the wise lion I shall out smart them." he grinned. "But they are good boys at heart which is what matters, they love their family, they love their friends and their country. I hope one day one of them may even gain enough experience of politics to step in and succeed me." He finished speaking as Ramin examined the animals from a far. Hearing his host wanted to hunt he turned round and barked some orders at an aide in Berko, his tribal language, "You get that breeder on the phone, I want a lion, a gazelle and hmm.... an ostrich setting up for a hunt, the bigger the better." The man nodded and disappeared off. "Arrangements will be made for your hunt" he said turning again to Ramin, we usually find plenty of game so I hope we'll be lucky."

As talk turned to business it got off with a tricky start, "I would ask a favour, Paracambi are like our cousins, our skin is the same and many a Paracambian can trace their lines back to us here. I suspect many of you naughty Tamoran's may have helped them leave here yes." he burst out laughing, "Oh don't worry, most of those your nation and the Seleucid took as slaves were Afolyan, we would not complain if you came and took wild animals home with you so why would we care if you took the Afolayan?" He left the question an awkwardly long moment not really expecting an answer. "But like any family we understand their can be issues and we do not always see eye to eye. Now I must protect my people, so if you came and try taking any of my people now I would likely slap your wrists" he slapped the back of his own hand as though demonstrating what he meant. "But what is happening to your nation is unfair, we will help where we can, how we can, if you have any ideas how we can do that then I am all ears. We shall be two pillars of the same house standing united against the worlds unjust measures. Now as for your shiny squadron of fighters they are more than welcome to stay enjoy our hospitality. It is my hope that they will meet pretty Zimalian women who will seduce them into staying here, along with their planes of course." He boomed out laughing once more, "Rest assured those men will be treated as the heroes they are, please pass my thanks to their families for allowing their abscence"

As Ramin spoke of the economic matters Binyamin barked once more in Berko and his large entourage finished. "Talking of money is such a dirty affair" he began once he was sure he was alone. "I am happy to help you invest in our nation and there are many oppurtunities, but matching you up with those happy to work with you will take time, it will mean some of my family taking time away from their studies, time away from their family and I would suspect that would mean they would need to be compensated for the work that they will do. It also tends to be the case that the mining and agriculture investments damage our environment, Zimalia will need compensating for that.  I also can ensure our government can lower tariffs, but it will take some time and I may need to..hmm...convince people to see things our way. The outside world may paint me as this all powerful dictator type but that is not the case, wheels do need to be greased from time to time to ensure people see things my way. It will still be cheaper than paying tariffs though, much much cheaper. Now what exactly do you want to invest in, we have large farms at present growing for private owners, subsistence farming, you could see these turn to cash crops with ease. Then we have quiet a few small scale mines that struggle, you could perhaps easily take them over but what minerals do you desire?"

[Markus]

"The past is the past" said Ramin referring to the slavery issue and not wanting to lecture the President on how Tamora and Royal Seleucid were different in their approach and role  "You have my word that we won't be doing anything here without your consent. We will not even begin our aid mission without your explicit approval. We come as friends, and friends respect each other."

"The best thing we can do about the nations that are unjustly attempting to punish both Tamora and Zimalia is increase cooperation between us. Our two nations have much potential for growth and our populations are large. In time will outgrow them. But let us not linger on unpleasant aspects, dear friend and instead look to the future. And the future is bright."

As the entourage of the President left, Ramin resumed:

"First allow me to thank you for your hospitality for both me and the fact that the squadron will remain here. I will pass on your thanks to the families of the pilots, may their service build a long-lasting bond between our nations. 
I am well aware of the hard work that you, your family and your staff will have to put in order for us to find the best possible opportunities and rest assured that Tamora will repay the help lavishly. Friends do not take advantage of each other and the last thing we would want is for you to say we have been ungrateful" Ramin is smiling as he says this. " Working long hours never pleases any wife. I should know." Ramin chuckles. " I am sure we can arrange in the more distant future a state visit to Tamora that will show her and the world the fruits of our work".

"But let's get to the heart of the matter. Please forgive my inexperience on this but my idea is that we should all be invested in what happens in Zimalia and the business we do here. So let me propose this: the Tamoran companies that invest here will pay a "voluntary" contribution to you of 25% of their after taxes profits. I believe that encourages all of us to be interested in the well running of the businessess: the potential sellers to be found as soon as possible, the permits to be granted as fast as possible, the environment to be protected of course but to not put undue burden on the businesses, and the taxes to be paid but reasonable and not cripple the companies as to not leave enough for the owners and patrons." as he says patrons he stops, bows his head in his respect to the president."I believe everybody wins that way: the Zimalian people get jobs, the owners get a return on their investment, and the investments will be significant,  and the patrons are also rewarded for their vision as well as constant vigilance to secure a stable business environment in Zimalia."   Ramin pauses for a couple of moments allowing the Zimalian President to think this over. "Now between friends such as us, trust shouldn't be a problem but in order to avoid any uncertainty all companies will of course be audited by a third party, so everybody can be sure there are no dishonest maneuvers to hide the profits."

"As for the tariff issue, I propose as a similar arrangement. Should the tariffs be dropped, Tamoran companies would have to pay a "voluntary contribution" of 5%  of the value of the good exported to Zimalia. That way everyone involved in the process would be interested in keeping goods tariff free. Does this sound fair to you?"

"We are interested in subsistence farming. We want to see Zimalia grow and we will turn those farming communities into prosperous and efficient ones. That won't happen overnight but we are here for the long run.  As for the minerals, we are interested in: uranium, titanium, palladium, lithium  zinc, precious metals (gold, silver, platinum) and precious stones. "

[DaveIronside]

"As long as these companies get their payments done in a timely fashion then I have no issues with trusting them" Binyamin explained, "As for permits and the like clearly their must be, at least to the casual observer, the view that these permits have come about naturally. I will however ensure that the application is processed by people I know will place the document at the top of the pile, its remarkable how quickly paperwork can get done with the proper organisation of a desk." As he often did he chuckled at his own thoughts, "Of course these desks will need proper document trays and these are not cheap, once I recieve the appropriate amount for office supplies we can probably get things done in 48 hours. I think these intrays you see in an office are what" he seemed to be thinking deeply about office supplies, "Say $20,000 each, that will mean these wonderful companies of yours can then start trading as soon as they can find an appropriate site and resources. I have one more condition however." He opened a silver box on the centre of the table and removed a large brown cigar, he twisted the box offering them to his guest. "It should be simple, I will need as your a foreign employer to make sure you look after my people properly. We have in this nation the Zimalian Union of Labour, one of many trade unions in existence." In truth the ZUL was not a true labour union, it was more a gang, in the employ of Binyamin, they ensured loyalty of the man on the street to his policies, swelled the numbers at pro-government events, and in return Elwes ensured they got first pick of the best jobs. "They are excellent at making sure that the rights of our workers are protected, much better than the cowboys in other Unions, I would insist that card carrying members of the ZUL are the majority of workers in any enterprise. If you say yes then I can have my staff send you lists of existing mineral extraction companies that will be losing their contracts. For example the Rouletta Mining Company own a reasonably large mine where we have found precious metals, even some nice shiny diamonds, they have not been the most ethical and will be stripped of their contract." What Binyamin actually meant was they didn't pay enough bribes and so were no longer profitable.

[Markus]

Ramin smiled as the Binyamin explained how things worked in Zimalia. It was exactly what the government of Tamora had hoped to be and was pleased. He politely refused taking a cigar. As an Manist Ayatollah he was vehemently opposed to smoking. He might be more liberal than most clerics  but not that liberal.

As Binyamin explained how paperwork is "handled" in Zimalia, Ramin said: "That's why I always say you need to have competent people in order for things to work. Naturally competent people need lots of supplies considering how much work they do. The companies will of course cover these costs without question."   

"As for the Zimalian Union of Labour, we will of course work with them and make sure mining companies and any businesses that operate in cities meet the requirements. However, for farming, especially when considering we are looking to acquire subsistence farms, that might be a problem. In the farming sector we had hoped to acquire land in the poor rural areas and at first we will need lots of low skilled employees and farming is not exactly the most profitable of businesses. Now of course workers' rights must be respected equally across Zimalia, regardless of the place where the company operates. So maybe the Zimalian Union of Labour could agree to a more flexible arrangement for the farming sector? And by that I mean small farms must have a minimum of one employee from ZUL, a medium farm two and a large one a minimum of five. Please also consider that ZUP are most likely much better skilled than the average worker and thus they will cost more."

" I am glad you mentioned a mine with precious metals. I was meaning to ask you for a couple of things before we agree on a deal. The first would be for your okay to move our embassy to a new location. Since the friendship between our two nations is likely only to grow, we would like our embassy to reflect that. We were thinking  of buying a 10 acres plot on the outskirts of Mogebbe if that's okay with you. Should we sign an agreement, we expect an influx of Tamoran citizens to Zimalia and we would like to be prepared. The second request, which is related to mining precious gems, we would like to have Royal Seleucid be a part of the deal under the same conditions. They are our friends and Tamora vouches for them. They also have great know-how when it comes to mining of precious stones so that is likely to provide even better profits and will be in the interest of both Zimalia and RS. If that inconveniences you in any way then maybe you can allow us to subcontract some of the mining to them instead. 

The last point, which for us is the most important, we would like to have your blessing to do missionary work in Zimalia: spread the word of the Prophet and construct temples when and where we find it is appropriate. As you probably know, religion is important for Tamorans and being able to practice our faith as well as do missionary work is vital. I would also like to point out that our missionaries also provides aid to those in need. It goes hand in hand for our faith. I know other countries have sent missionaries to Zimalia but we want to make sure we have your approval when it comes to our religious activity. "

[DaveIronside]

Binyamin saw an oppurtunity, he could achieve in one fell swoop something he'd been looking for a chance to do for years and better still he could blame some multi-national company for it. "If you are looking at farms most are owned by private individuals or by the tribes that make up our nation. I have a way around working with the Union that may help both of us. Our nation is made up of four tribes the largest is the Afolayans, they have a disproportanate share of the land thanks to the former government favouring them. What I would like to happen is that the farms you work with which are owned by Afolayans employ staff from the three different tribes. I would like you to set them quotas and try and push for contracts that impose financial penalties on failure. With luck many of the Afolayans will be forced to hand over their farms to either our government or your farming companies, either way we will then either sell the land to a new person, or install a manager. This way we do land redistribution without the fear of  being accused of some ridicoulous racial issue." He leaned back, the Tamorans seemed not concerned by the normal or legal way of doing business and that gave Binyamin a chance to push some of his more radical ideas.

He noticed one of his aides stood nervously at the side of the gate that lead to the area he and Ramin where talking in, "Riquelme come here" Binyamin yelled and the man briskly walked up. "You have news?" he asked the man.

"Yes Your Excellency, the safari is ready whenever you and your esteemed guest wish to depart." he gave a swift bow to the pair in turn and then disappeared off.

"Excellent" Binyamin clapped, "First I think you may need some attire" he lead the man into his home and in one of the rooms a selection of various hunting clothing in camolague and khaki while he waited downstairs. When the changed Ramin arrived a convoy of open top jeeps was waiting, "It is a short ride to the safari grounds where we shall see what game we can find for you." They pulled out the gates and headed down a tarmac road before heading cross country. "Now you asked about having Royal Seleucid get involved, if you wish to share this deal with them then who am I to say no, you wish to spread the administrative burden then that is your business, you wish to share your inevitable profits.....well that makes you a much more generous fellow than I would be. You feel free to sub-contract to whomever so long as they abide by the Union issue and the financial side." They reached an area of mesh fenced land that seemed to go on for miles, a gate was opened and two teenage boys waved at the convoy as they entered. "This is the front drive" Binyamin gestured. The road would go on for a full ten minutes leading them through scrub land and bush with various fences criss crossing. Occasionally an animal could be seen such as a springbok, or a giraffe. "Now as for missionaries then I must point out we have little laws on religion. Now the issue you have is that people are fiercely loyal to their tribe. In the past we've had Catholics, Muslims, even the Cult of Helus try exactly what you propose but the influence of the tribes is far too strong. But do not let me put you off trying." He bellowed with laughter as the convoy pulled up at the main lodge.

Over the next half an hour the staff at the safari breeding centre instructed Ramin on how to use their rifles and crossbows as well as where to shoot the various animals. Once they were confident the man wasn't an awful shot he was lead to a zebra patterned jeep along with Binyamin and two guides. "Hello Your Excellency, Mr. Ayatollah sir" The small skinny man with three missing teeth smiled a gappy grin. "I am George and today we will together get some game yes.....Mr.Ayatollah I think for you we know where some lions are." With that George headed off talking about some of the game they'd see. They pulled into a large fenced area and slowed down to a crawl. "Here we have some Wild Boer but they are too smelly for great men" they skirted the watering hole where the virtually tame creatures wallowed and drank oblivious of the passing vehicle. George's colleague jumped out, opened the next gate an waited for them to pass before closing it behind them, he then scurried up and leapt back into the front passenger seat.

After skirting the lake that sat in the centre of this massive paddock they came to a tree, it had a ladder up against it and the first guide clambered up with a rifle and rucksack, he then waved for Ramin and Binyamin to follow. When they reached the top their was a huge open platform with four seats, an ice box and a sun umbrella, it was George who began getting everyone settled with a drink, some snacks and various other niceties before placing a cross bow down. "Now Mr.Ayatollah sir, you can choose crossbow or rifle. I would suggest rifle as a lion's hide is thicker than you expect, but if you want to try a cross bow feel free." Having let Ramin make his choice of weapon they sat and waited. Behind them a  lion was ushered into the enclosure that seemed to fill the savannah and then with some bait having been left in the long grass near the lake the lion came down. He began drinking and where perfectly poised for the shot, George lowed his voice from behind Ramin, "Take careful aim, you see where his front legs go up to his shoulder, their is a shadow on his side, aim for the point of the shadow. That is his heart and should give a clean kill." George's friend had his own assault rifle on his shoulder and was already standing on the top rung of the ladder ready to dispatch the lion if Ramin's shot was not perfect.

[Markus]

Ramin was a little surprised by the President's suggestion. He didn't expect Benyamin to endorse such a plan. After the Rouletta Mining Company proposal and now this, it became clear the president would sell anyone expect his family for personal gain. Heyrans could learn a thing or two from the Zimalian president.

"An excellent suggestion and one that will prove beneficial to both parties". Ramin had a feeling this land distribution thing would not be as easy as it was presented but it wasn't his problem.

When the President mentioned Royal Seleucid, Ramin smiled and replied joyfully: "We are very generous with our friends, you'll see."

"Nothing pleases us more than hearing you say that. Our missioners will be thrilled."

Ramin listened carefully at the instructions on how to use both weapons. Tamora was very permissive when it came to firearms so he had some limited experience using them. He knew enough to be very careful about safety and to listen to instructions. When it came to crossbows, those were completely alien to him. He did his best to understand how to use it but he had already made up his mind on what he intended to choose.
When the time to shoot came, Ramin did not need much encouragement from George to choose the rifle. He listened carefully to Geroge's instructions, took his time at aiming and shot. Much to his surprise he seemed that his shot had hit the animal as intended, killing the beast. Ramin could feel his heart racing from the excitement of the kill. Until he pulled the trigger he had manage to bury his excitement and emotions and focus on the kill. Now that was over, excitement won the better of him:

"Thank you Mr. President, that was a wonderful experience. I never felt anything like it my life." Ramin didn't even realize that he should have used a more informal addressing when speaking to the President since until then the entire meeting he had addressed him as "friend", avoiding formal titles. Excitement got the better of him and made him leave his guard down. Tamorans were always more comfortable speaking in formal manner when addressing members outside of family or close friends.

After a short while Ramin got back to the main purpose of the visit: establishing a working relation.

"You have been very generous indeed, my friend. You have welcomed me into your home, invited me to hunt and yet we have talked about business without ever asking you what you want.
So please forgive my lack of manners for not asking this before. What can Tamora do for Zimalia , for you or for your family? We may not be as rich as other countries but we are resourceful." It was an open question and gave the president the chance to ask anything raging from a new business proposal to a personal favor for one of his kids or something else entirely.     

[DaveIronside]

As the two politicians clambered back down out of the hide and reached the off road vehicle one of the Presidents aides who had been following had laid out a cloth across the bonnet of the vehicle with a variety of finger foods on. Binyamin took Ramin to allow him to pose with the lion and get all the pictures he wanted. By the time they had done the aide had poured two tall glasses of iced orange juice and presented them to the pair as they approached. "I trust we had a successful hunt Your Excellency" the man said rather formally as he replaced the jug of orange into a cool box.

"Very successful Henry" Binyamin smiled as he raised a glass to Ramin. "Now we just need to wait for the men to do their job." As the pair watched Henry produce two folding chairs and set them up, taking the time to brush the smallest spot of dust from Ramin's, Binyamin explained, "Henry is what I suspect many would call a Butler, he essentially takes care of the small things so I can focus on the big ones, he's very very good at it too." Binyamin took a pasty stuffed with vegetables from a plate and bit into it. "They will take about half an hour to decapitate the lion and then we can head off, they will skin it once we're gone. They'll send the lion skin on before you leave for home and of course we'll get the head preserved and stuffed. It will strike the fear of God into anyone coming into your office, just sat there behind you snarling at them." Binyamin mimicked the lion. "Now you asked if there is anything you can do for Zimalia. This is an underestimate of what you have done, you've brought jobs, investment and oppurtunity for our people. This is exactly what we need. Now unless you're going to wave a magic wand, let the Afolayans stop being a pain in my ass, hacksaw us away from the bloody Morelanders and find a cure for HIV/AIDS then I think you have done much more than anyone can expect. All that is left I think is for us to enjoy a little picnic, wait for your Lion to be beheaded and enjoy the sunshine." The President closed his eyes and leaned back on his chair as though making the most of the sunny afternoon.

[Markus]

Ramin greatly enjoyed taking pictures with the lion. It wasn't something he'd done before.

After finishing his "photo-shoot", he resumed his meeting with the president. As he heard Binyamin's "wishes", he smiled and said: "We don't have a magic wand, but we'll see what we can do about the first and the last of your needs." after a moment of pause he added "We will also pray for your second wish to happen but there's little else we can do there".

"It has been a pleasure to meet you in person and this has been a fruitful meeting. Thank you again for the wonderful hunt, the trophy and the cub! They will forever remind me of Zimalia" said Ramin to the Zimalian President as he made his way to the car. It had been indeed an experience Ramin will not forget and will share with his wife and kids.