Ascending the Great Pyramid and Great Wall

[The Young Pope]

To:- Bektaten-Hesy-Re, Sovereign of Sovereigns, Divine of Appearance, Beloved of Amun, Chosen of Ra, Lord of the Three Lands, High Priest of Every Temple, The Living Horus.

It is with such great joy and pleasure that I'm personally writing this message, in order to graciously accept the invitation put forth by Her Divine Majesty whereby Sinsu and Clysperis, known amongst mankind as the most Ancient and Greatest civilizations that was ever conceived, will discuss a bi-lateral treaty that will only strengthen both realms.

Our realms display a lot of similarities despite the differences, especially in the fact that their peoples respect and maintain their traditions and customs in an evolving world surrounding them, never letting anyone else dictate what to do and how to act, instead shaping their own Destiny at hand. One more important aspect is that Clysperis decided to show its support for Sinsic admission into OPEN, something which deeply honors us and can't be forgotten, forever enshrined in our hearts and minds to repay this debt one day.

As much as Premier Deng would've like to visit Her Divine Majesty, current business back home including the recent mess with SICR has forced him to remain behind. Instead, I'm representing the interests of the current Executive Yuan as well as the people of Sinsu to discuss important matters with thee, considering it's part of Convention anyways and by showing us two powerful women side-by-side will conceive an important message to both our friends and allies that despite their grand old age, Sinsu and Clysperis will not bow down to those seeking to eradicate our unique cultures for ulterior, evil-minded motives.

It's my hope that Her Divine Majesty is still interested in a bi-lateral setup with Sinsu and thus am looking forward to it.

Kinds Regards,

Teng Jia
President of the Republic of Sinsu

[Beatrice]

To Teng Jia, Federal President of the Federal Republic of Sinsu

I am pleased to receive your reply on such short notice following our correspondence regarding Sinsu's membership in OPEN, a venture which I fully support. Our civilizations, my Kingdom and your Republic, are surrounded by children who are largely ignorant of the lessons peoples such as ours have learned over generations. It is especially amusing to me when these children attempt to tell me how to manage the affairs of my Kingdom or, in the case of a certain Empress, offer advice on economic affairs when her sanctions have put countless Peoples of Midaranye into economic turmoil. Forgive me for digressing, but the games children play.

Our support for Sinsu's membership in SANE is not a debt I shall hold over you. I support your membership as I believe it will result in a stronger and more capable OPEN, while mutually enriching our nations and Peoples. Clysperis doesn't engage with Mundus as the Privileged Few do, acting in one way to extract benefits and in another to place itself atop any other. We've stood against nations such as Seaforth interfering in affairs which do not concern it and hold firm that maintaining the sovereignty of nations is our only safeguard against an increasingly interventionist cartel. This is why you won't find my signature upon such instruments as the MCUR or the multi-national unions which aim to "uphold peace and security."

I understand the circumstances in Sinsu are difficult and look forward to your arrival in Khemnen where we shall speak in great detail over the course our nations shall take together. Standing before the Pyramids has been said to me to be an experience which leaves a mark on those not from our lands, I shall be pleased to stand before them at your side. I've also some business aside from our relations which I shall present once our official business has been taken care of, and look forward to presenting one dream in particular which I feel a partnership between our grand civilizations can have a most lasting mark on the pages of time.

Until our meeting;

Bektaten-Hesy-Re, Sovereign of Sovereigns, Divine of Appearance, Beloved of Amun, Chosen of Ra, Lord of the Three Lands, High Priest of Every Temple, The Living Horus.

[The Young Pope]

President Teng Jia's feelings for this trip was a mixture of nervosity and pre-determined negativity. Here she was onboard a plane, on her way to the Kingdom of Clysperis, a nation steeped in traditions, mysticism and outright controversy on the same level as the Royal Seleucid and Tamora. With the intent of representing the Republic of Sinsu to the best of her abilities, Clysperis wouldn't have been the first nation she'd thought to ever visit, though this all happened thanks to the insistence of Premier Deng Liuxian that Sinsu ought to 'befriend' any nation who was willingly open to do so, no matter their so-called 'controversial' status. Of course there was still a chance Jia to change her mind, but as she'd already heard and read about Clysperis and their Pharao, it wasn't a good impression to say the least when it came to values.

Jia simply needed to relax and meditate before stepping into the bright spotlights once more, opening her mind to any possibility that could arise whereby the relations between the Kingdom and Republic would turn into something for the greater good, as well as getting to know the other side of not only the host country but also of their leader herself. The President reminded herself that Sinsu was in its core the same nation as Clysperis, where ancient traditions were still fundamental to daily life for many even if the nation had already drastically modernized on so many levels. Sinsu in other words wasn't going become like every nation out there, shaping its own destiny and deciding who gets to become her friend, without others dictating for her; if it meant joining international organisations catering to both 'tolerable' and 'controversial' countries, then so be it.

When the plane landed in Khemnen International Airport, President Teng was greeted by quite the welcoming commitee as she walked down the aircraft steps, the national flag anthem of Sinsu being played at the same time highligted that feeling of being received with warm and open arms from their Clysperite hosts.

[Beatrice]

Beketaten smiled at the approach of President Teng; she had elected to greet her personally with her personal vehicle. "President Teng," she said with an extended hand, "Welcome to the Kingdom of Clysperis. If you would look behind me," she said, motioning to the image in the background, "even from this airport the Pyramids of Nafu are visible, especially on pleasant and clear days such as this. I believe this may be a sign that our meeting today has the blessings of the gods," she continued, "And, as we drive to Khemnen, I'll ensure you get a close-up of them. Sure the Pyramids of Abydos have had their fare share of attention, but they've been allowed to be whittled away at by time and neglect; I assure you, the limestone you shall see is just as smooth and calculated as the day the stones were laid into place."

She awaited for the President's words before the two entered the back seat of her car, the driver taking them underway. "I must say it's unfortunate business to the south, what, with the SICR? I couldn't imagine cooperating with such a state in OPEN, thus I am pleased to see the support for the rational Chinese state to be offered a path to membership. I may not be capable of much assistance mind you, but should you need anything, my people fought off the grasp of the Soviet bastards long enough to know a trick or two. I can share some tricks if you would wish to 'encourage' them to grant you a wide berth," she said with a grin.

[The Young Pope]

Jia returned the smile to the Divine Monarch. "Pharaoh Beketaten", the President greeted as she also performed the 'Fist and Palm' salute signifying additionally that ROS was still a country where traditions and customs were still ingrained in the heart and soul of her people. Among them the fist and palm salute is quite a classic one. Finally, Jia fell unto her knees and kissed Beketaten's hand out of sincere respect and authority she commenced with her presence; the President's first impression of her aside from the eloquent manners was the fact that her visual appearance was pleasant to spectate at. Not that she was into the opposite sex, though she knew a beautiful lady when one were to look and any man would've fallen for the Pharaoh and thus greatly aided in her reputation of someone belonging to Divine descent.

"Thanks for receiving me personally, introducing the magnificent pyramids that immediately greet new visitors to this beautiful country under Her Divine Majesty's leadership and guidance. It's the same outlook if one were to visit the Republic and from high above as the planes are about to land, one is able to witness the Great Wall of Sinsu bordering Parvati Parvat, creating an impregnable shield that has done its duty marvelously to hold off any evil during these last centuries of strife." The President paused as she held the Pharaoh under her arm as they proceeded to the designated vehicle. "The fact that both the Great Pyramids and Walls were able to be constructed and survive despite the whatever horrors befell on our realms, only indicate that our Peoples are chosen by the Divine and out civilisations are the most ancient and grandiose to have ever existed on this mortal plain of existence. I'm so sure of that, and I think Her Divine Majesty agrees with me in that respect."

This would have been the perfect trip for Premier Deng, knowing that he was more into this stuff of religiosity and what not compared to President Teng, though it was important to keep up with the facade of diplomatic eloquence and if appealing to this side was part of that, Jia had no choice but to confess to it and act as if her devotion was focused on the matter itself. Besides, performing these trips was entirely fun and a chance to get to know different cultures and societies in Mundus, even if one didn't agree with their way of living. There was always something on both sides of the coin, in other words.

"Oh Her Divine Majesty must know that this conflict has been raging on for the past 7 decades, and even a bit longer if one were to count the war of independence and even past grievances in the centuries during the Imperial supremacy. Their decision to send those projectiles across our border to harm our military installations, citizens and other infrastructure ony proves to show how much insecurity their leaders have; they could've progressed like us by extending a hand out to the wide world and take in inspiration from it, though decided to linger in perpetual darkness and ignorance. It has taken them such a while to figure it all out that this isn't the ideal recipe...In any case, the first peace talks may have been concluded with them, as I spoke directly with their President and he seems to be one of the more reasonable of their lot. In the end though, it'll be up to both countries' and their peoples to settle the differences and past errors towards each other, knowing that die-hard nationalists on both sides would rather go to war."

She paused before continuing, as they now sat in the vehicle. "I have to also once more thank Her Divine Majesty for supporting ROS in her application process for OPEN membership; even on an associate level culdn't have been more grateful enough. Indeed, to think SICR had the audacity to propose synthetic...fake substance attempting to resemble petroleum to sell on the wider market is frankly pathetic and laughable." Jia chuckled, clenching the Pharao's hand even more out of admiration. "Any help on this matter is appreciated, no matter how small or large it is; the fact that Her Divine Majesty wants to offer advice which greatly draws from experience dealing with those communist bastards makes a smile appear, and in return ROS shall greatly aid Clysperis in her internal development, and rest assured that a great friendship is about to exist between our ancient and grandiose civilisations...So please, what sort of tricks are we talking about?"

[Beatrice]

"It is an honour," Beketaten said with a smile. "They also stand as a testament," she would add, "that regardless of the changes of the times which often blow in as leaves carried upon the breeze, that our people won't trade in that which has withstood the tests of time for the fads of the modern day. One need only look at the nations which stand from our era, few in number, to those which have arose, faded, reformed or otherwise reconstituted in some form in the same span of time. Even being subjugated by the Soviet Empire for a time, look at which state still stands proud, and that which exists as a mere rump of its former self."

"It seems, however, that wisdom has showered her blessings upon Sinsu mores than the SICR," she replied with a chuckle. "And to be blessed with natural resources, no wonder Sinsu has seen such support in joining the ranks of OPEN as opposed to the artificial swill which your neighbours seem so desperate to peddle. I mean, at the end of the day, regardless of the names, the locations, the heart of these people tends to be fairly similar; it was a great blessing that Clysperis had the Tamoran Empire to stand by her side as we reclaimed our lands, and our very rights, from Stalin's grasp. Though, and I think we've both seen it from the countless times the phrase "[REDACTED]" is seen from the SICR, what they fear most is the truth; information itself is their greatest weakness, and they toil long hours to perfect their views of the day, canned for the consumption of those unfortunate enough to persist under their rule."

"It's clear that the SICR tightly controls information, making it difficult to get information from the outside within their borders. As I learned in my studies in Rokkenjima they've utilized information as a weapon countless times; as I learned then, radio waves know no borders. The tool they utilize the most, propaganda, seems to be the one which could most likely be their Achilles heel. Misinformation, and the resulting panic it could cause, can help keep the bastards so focused on the chaos within their own borders rather than lobbing shells into your lands."

[The Young Pope]

Despite Beketaten's perceived bluntness in the public when voicing her opinion, it seemed that she was quite the bright person Jia had the pleasure to have a chat with, and alltogether different compared to other monarchs she ever heard and met with in so many ways, a lot of it proved to be positive according to her own intuition. Whether she agreed with her internal policies or not it didn't matter much in this context, as she knows how difficult it is to make decisions for one's own realm, some of which doesn't necessarily need to be in agreement with everyone. The President drank from her water bottle before continuing.

"SICR lost so much when its Sinsic subjects decided to break off from a weak government, when previously everyone thought that things would change, but sadly it wasn't the case. In a sense one can understand their grudges held against us, and mind you that I'm referring to their leadership as I'm sure many of their citizens wouldn't want this mess to continue drag itself on and on forever. In the end however, such frivolous reasons of hate should be a thing in the past and after 70 years of determined independence...*sigh* I think you know what I'm trying to say." Jia added.

"We may be rich in oil and gas alongside agricultural products which actually acted as the fundamental building block for our economy before financial services and petroleum started to dominate, though we lack everything else which requires importation. Luckily the rest of Ardia are willing to trade with us, and even our friends such as Vaguzia and Tytor in fact. Without their aid in developing our nations, we might've been under SICR supremacy once more."

"The Imperial leadership controlling the flow of information clearly makes it a Sham Democracy at its finest, and it's obvious that they're still afraid of their own citizens to make up their minds about the multitude of their future. As we Sinsic stated already, we're never going to make internal policies of another nation a concern considering it's none of our business, aside from a few exceptions of course. However the fact that SICR can't seem to make up its mind of whether it's a Republic or Absolute Monarchy....well what can one say regarding that...an identity crisis of some sort?" the President chuckled.

"Could I ask Her Divine Majesty about how everything fares in Clysperis these days? I would like to hear it from someone native to this ancient land rather than the media determining my views. Also, does Her Divine Majesty know anything about whether the rest of the OPEN members views us favorably despite the ongoing issues with SICR? I ask this because one could gague how easy it'll be to conduct business with them in the future, with Clysperis already voicing for our support and vice versa." Jia smiled as her eyes reflected upon the Pharao's.

[Beatrice]

Beketaten smiled, "Sinsu is wise, though that comes with the longevity of nations such as ours. Nations casting their gaze across the seas to point at the speck in the eye of another, while ignoring the plank in their own. Intervening in affairs which do not involve us is unwise, and I believe the simple recognition of that fact makes us but natural allies. I am ever more pleased to have welcomed you to my lands."

"As for the other members, I can't be certain," Beketaten sighed. "Quintellia is an ally of the SICR via its SANE membership, though perhaps they may surprise us pleasantly. They seem to be the most rational of that bunch. Royal Seleucid is complicated, their King maligning my words regarding the Helusians for what I can only recognize as his own domestic political convenience; most short-sighted, if you ask me. Stability is valued, however, and I imagine the quicker you see the strains with the SICR resolved the sooner OPEN will be as willing to embrace Sinsu as Clysperis is."

"Speaking of Clysperis," Beketaten paused, "that empty void you see from your window now shall in time be the city of Setri, the City of Dreams. Did you have an opportunity to learn of it from the Elysium Economic Forum?" she asked.

[The Young Pope]

"Indeed I did learn about it from the forum, and most certainly did I become quite impressed by your presentation; the myriad of opportunities that may and will arise from this innovative and forward-thinking city isn't something to merely sniff at all. I can already confirm based on my contacts that several of ROS' most successful and largest businesses are quite excited to say the least about Setri's concept and the tremendous wealth and job opportunities are things to surely spring forth as a result." President Teng smiled back at the Pharaoh, her gazes reflecting upon future Setri and she was among those who liked to look forward to projects such as these, showcasing the very best that humanity was capable of doing.

"Be rest assured that this government will give enough encouragement for the corporations to consider settling down there, and thus I was wondering if there were any ways the Deng Government could help with Setri's development when it comes to primarily financial matters?" she asked.

[Beatrice]

"Financing is the first step," Beketaten smiled. "I assure you, the returns on your investments will more than pay for them, Setri is a city of dreams for Clysperis, but a massive opportunity for the rest of Mundus. Our free trade area, for example, allows access to one of the largest untapped markets anywhere in Mundus. With arrangements to ensure that movements that reach farther into Midaranye than otherwise possible, and it becomes a boon to foreign businesses who look for new markets."

"Should Clysperis ensure Sinsu funding," Beketaten continued, "I would not forget it. You know that my nation is linked closely to Tamora, yes?" she asked semi rhetorically. "We can assure Sinsu entities that they would be welcome to do business throughout Midaranye without undue scrutiny, and I would give my support to any project your businesses should wish to undertake, within reason. I could also lend a favorable ear to Djerb should the need arise."

[The Young Pope]

Jia felt confused as to what she was truly feeling inside; a combined disgust and fascination over the fact that her sympathetic feelings towards Clysperis and its eccentric and controversial Pharaoh was growing slowly yet steadily the more she spent time there? Without any hesitation, she took once more hold of Beketaten's hands and looked into her eyes.

"Clysperis and Sinsu are in this together always and no matter what; I swear upon the graves of our ancestors and the generations to come. Funding and much more from the Republic will find its way to Clysperis, that I can already assure Her Divine Majesty." At least it was now clear that Sinsu secured a close contact in the Midaranye region, whilst Clysperis did the same in southern Ardia.

[Beatrice]

"My lady," Beketaten replied, "I do not require so much," she continued with a smile. "Our nations, look at them both, we're both surrounded by children. You've the SICR, I've the Seleucid and their infantile "King", we both have our children to rear. Especially if you're to endeavour to OPEN membership, could I ask your Sinsu to stand aside Clysperis in ensuring Royal Seleucid does not treat OPEN as their underlings? I don't trust Heydar, born with a silver spoon in his ass and a golden nipple in his mouth; he's a fool on a throne. As we've seen, such combinations will lead to disaster."

"Us elders, we must guide the children to that which they need," she continued with amusement. "I don't wish for OPEN to become the 'League of Heydar's lackeys' so those who see an OPEN that is independent, I need them at my side. Is this something you would be comfortable with?" she asked.

[The Young Pope]

"If there's one thing that Sinsic-Astorians absolutely despise, it is the idea of hypocrisy. We've actuallu held RS in a much more positive light back home, but now with their unnecessary provocations towards the Iwi...They could've been painted in a better light in the long run whilst letting their former slaves do all of the rampage, but it is what it is I suppose when you simply want to unleash such anger. Who knows, it might've been to disrupt the CNN into different sides but is it worth it though to go that far? The CNN as we know it will stick together no matter what...Sinsu and Astoria will stand by Clysperis' side in order to tame the wild ones seeking to disrupt fragile peace and tranquility." Jia said.