The Empress was somewhat surprised by the gifts despite brushing up on her knowledge of UC prior to their arrival with McKenna, accepting them graciously. She handed the bottle of whiskey to McKenna while adding a knowing "That's not entirely for you, Mister." She was taken especially by the sapling and its story, "I will be glad to see it planted in the Imperial Garden once I return home; given the many people who now call it home, not only myself but employees, those who have embassies within the walls of the Palace, I will see that it grows into a strong sentinel. Just as she had handed the whiskey to McKenna she handed the tray of tablet to an aide, "Please see that is delivered to my suite," she continued with a smile. "I am thankful for your gifts and, though our nations have met before, I believe it was a meeting most incomplete," the Empress began.
She would then hand Riona a
bottle of Pyrenan Mead, "brewed with the honey of the bees kept at Pyrena Castle, and fashioned with tangerines, peaches and a blend of spices it is traditionally given on a first meeting, however, as this is in many ways a reintroduction for us I believe it's appropriate. Two bottles have been brewed to commemorate this occasion and, it's my hope, that we'll be able to open them seven years time from now together. It's not universal but, on average, I've heard that our mead ages optimally at seven years, so it's a date we like to get together and look back on what we've accomplished and experienced since then over a shared glass. I'll be looking forward to it," she said with a smile.
"Well then, we might have to betray the vision of the designer of my girl," the Captain said with a chuckle. Famously, the
United States was designed with no wood, apart from a piano which was constructed from a fire resistant wood that had been proven after Bechstein Piano doused a sample in lighter fluid, only for the fluid to burn off leaving the piano unscathed. I'm due a new desk as it is, your Imperial Majesty," he said turning to the Empress. "I'll make the arrangements personally on your behalf," she replied, "now if you'll excuse us. Your Highness," she said to Finley, "thank you for your time here on the bridge," and, as they walked out of earshot, "you've certainly made his day. He'll be talking about this visit for years I'm sure."
"I must admit I find myself intrigued by this, what did you call it, haggis? I suppose I'll have to wait until I've had the opportunity to visit your Kingdom to try it, honestly food is something that unites us all, despite its many incarnations and preparations, you can learn a lot about a people by what they eat. My mother has been a proponent of conscious eating," she continued, "it's the reason why any vessel serving as the Imperial Yacht has adequate freezer capacity so that anything not utilized on our voyages are promptly frozen to be donated to various charities within the First Empire. So, whilst I know no Rokkenjiman chef would be able to navigate a dish such as haggis, I'm confident that they'll find themselves at home working with haddock. I'll see that they focus their efforts there," she concluded with a glance to a server standing at table side who would relay her words to the galley.
The Empress chuckled at Riona's comments, "It sounds like he was supervising in that respect, then, which I'm sure is an important part of the process." As she conversed with the King and Queen she noticed that McKenna has brought the bottle of whiskey with him and sighed, "Alright," she said as she stood, walked over to his seat, and poured each of them a glass before returning to her seat. "If I may offer a toast," she said as she looked first to Finley, then to Riona, and to McKenna, "may we be walking into a new future together, full of prospects of friendship and understanding, and may this not be the last time we break bread together. To my new friends," she said raising her glass to the King and Queen, "and to my trusted friend and aid," she said raising her glass to McKenna, "always orienting my compass to what is right and just," she added, "cheers."
As she took the whiskey she turned away, hoping neither Finley or Riona had seen her face prior to. She'd had Pyrenan Mead, but this was something of an entirely different spirit, in both senses of the word.