Balkan Summit

[Oncaro]

In Orbit of Orbis

 

A lone starship stayed above the planet Orbis-- which, according to the landmasses and at least some of the societies on it, appeared to be this universe's name for Earth-- and watching the viewscreen of this ship, a single figure gazed at the planet itself in a contemplative manner, lightly swirling wine in the glass in her hand which she held by the stem.

 

Tall, beautiful, dressed smartly and possessing an aura of dignity and command that seemed to radiate like a star to her subordinates, Danica Ambrozije, Supreme Leader of the Republic of Kressnia, looked like the epitome of a proper head of state to those people on the bridge of the Branimira, Danica's personal yacht.

 

What none of them realized was that Danica herself was not actually human, though by all intents and purposes she appeared to be, inside and out, a perfectly healthy thirty-four year old woman. The truth was that she was a Kavisithiiri, a being from a dimension in the Kressnians' home universe called Kavisithiir; The Kavisithiiri were beings with an innate connection to the supernatural powers of their plane, power which they referred to as "The Winds" due it appearing like aurora, and sweeping across their society at various times. And Danica was the most powerful of them all, far and away, as she was the foretold reincarnation of ancient Kavisthiiri mages who had each been powerful enough to potentially destroy their dimension. These mages had killed themselves in an attempt to stop this danger and become a single entity capable of complete mastery of their realm's power, effectively making them a Physical God, and Danica was the result many centuries later; the very epitome of what a Kavisithiiri could be magically, physically, and intellectually. There could never, and would never, be another member of her species as powerful as her. But she had only rarely used this incredible power in any meaningful way-- she had to keep her power a secret from her adopted people and nearly everyone else; only a few people in the nations allied to Kressnia after the Great Displacement knew the truth, as she used a special amulet of her own creation to completely mask her own aura in most instances, as well as the connection to Kavisithiir it gave her, minus the times she might slip up or intentionally allow others sensitive to such things to sense her power.

 

When she had left Kavisithiir, it had been with an ego the size of a star; but after living incognito among the Kressnians for three decades, with her genetic makeup automatically rearranging to mimic a human the moment she crossed over... She had matured. She had learned of things Kavisithiir itself had no concepts of, such as currency, democracy, and separation of church and state. And she had become determined to lead her adopted people into prosperity, eventually getting into politics and being selected as the Supreme Leader four years ago by the Senate and Council of Advisors. And now... Now she was going to see the fruits of their first colonial endeavor, in a new universe no less. A colonial endeavor that was already going quite smoothly thanks to the colonists' eagerness to learn from the natives and to offer them aid with Kressnia's advanced civilian technologies. It appeared that while most citizens were rather baffled and still suspicious, they were at least not reacting with violence in most cases, and some were starting to warm up to the newcomers as it became clear they were here to stay, but not trying to intrude personally.

 

The invitations for the summit had already been sent a week before this moment as Danica touched down in the city of Belgrade and entered the Novi Dvor,, the old presidential palace and administrative building that would serve as a meeting place for her adopted people's new neighbors (as well as a temporary residence for her to stay in, as it was supposed to be the new residence of Colonial Governer Roman Dubronovic). Apart from the fact that she was something of a culture junkie who was intensely curious about these new nations, from what she understood there was tension between Kressnia's allies and the nations of Orbis, no doubt due to the sheer aggression that the likes of Tonina had culturally ingrained in their societies. But Kressnia was not this way, and Danica hoped to soothe these tensions if possible by showing a more diplomatic face to these people. The Republic of Kressnia was small, only a single star system in NS-1 and their new colony on Orbis... But a small figure could sometimes cast a large shadow.

 

((OOC: Anyone who wants to join this can. I focused on Danica in this post because I wanted you guys to know, OOC, just who and what she is, and the fact that you don't have to worry about her or the Kressnians causing trouble. I'd really like to interact with you guys. You guys are free to post your characters arriving, don't bother announcing your intent to.))

Edited October 3, 2016 by Oncaro

[Mayor]

Imperial Command HQ, Japan
Unknown time and date
 
 
The concrete walls and patriotic flags everywhere give a stern feeling. There are no windows here but outside he knew miles and miles of landmines, bunkers, and barbed fences littered the landscape. This is Calondia, the greatest nation in existence, or so you hear every-time you walk the streets. Takeo Yasuda is a military scientist, he works on new missiles and weapons to use in the nations many and incessant wars, but today is different. Never before has he been called to an emergency meeting. Usually he just works in the lab and sends the results to his superiors; this time however his long-time friend Yoshi Hinoki, had requested his help in a delicate situation. He knew nothing else except that the meeting is being held in a top secret location that no one knows where it is. He was even blindfolded when he was flown here. Sitting on a metal chair outside of a large reinforced door he felt a bit frightened.
 
Suddenly the door swung open and Hinoki stepped out. "Hello Yasuda" he says with a smile, "Please come this way." as he gestures towards the door with his hand.
"This place is kind of intense" Yasuda says casually trying to ease the constant tension from the environment.
"Yes well the Emperor demanded that the discussion take place here." answers Hinoki with a concerned look on his face. Even though Yasuda is walking beside him the look on his face was evident. He is also scared.
"The Emperor is coming? I had no idea, I don't really know what to do honestly. ." Yasuda replies, he has never seen the emperor before and mostly no one has except on television talking about new wars, evil neighbors or how complete Calondian victories were or that we subjugated a large threat.
"Just don't interrupt him, bow the first time when he enters the room or looks at you, and always reply with "Your grace" if he speaks to you. He is not that hard to talk to as long as you remember to show respect, He will not get angry if you provide good information or solutions, even if they are better than his own. He takes the advice given to him by his advisers very seriously and is why he requested you be here in the meeting." replies Hinoki.
"The emperor requested me by name?!" gasps Yasuda.
"Yes he knows your work on reverse engineering enemy technology and requested you be in the meeting. . and promoted to head of your division of technology." Hinoki answers
Yasuda does not say anything after that, they both just continue to walk down the corridor until they come to another door, not as strong as the other door and which looks more like an office entrance,
"Right in here." says Hinoki as he flashes a key card and opens the door. Inside there is a large table, couches, nice wall paper, a table with refreshments. The room was clearly prepared for a long meeting.
"I will be right back, I just have to sort a few things out before getting the remainder of the staff before the emperor arrives. Make yourself comfortable and... try to relax." Yasuda says with a slight smirk.
The door closes behind him as he leaves the room.
 
Even though the room seems very comfortable the anxiety does not leave Yasuda. He sees papers in front of every chair on the large table; there must be around eighteen chairs, with one single chair on the end. That chair must be reserved for the emperor.
Yasuda walks over to the table and picks up one of the booklets of paper.
 
"Knowing the Enemy" the paper states in bold letters on the title. We must be going to war again Yasuda thought, but in all the other wars he has never been called like this. Something different is going on he suspected. This is very abnormal and something has to be different.
 
He flips through the pages to look at the various sections of the paper. "Summit", "Military", "Government" "Technology" but one section really catches his eye "Home-world"
"What?" Yasuda thinks to himself, how can any country be from another planet besides Orbis. The phrase must mean homeland because the alternative does not make any sense. To prove his suspicions right he starts to skim through the section.
 
"...the enemy force has advanced space-faring technology. .may be connected to predecessor state . . inter-dimensional communications offline."
​"Wait what?" Yasuda mumbles to himself. He continues reading with a confused look on his face.
"Ever since planet-fall communications with the Imperial States has been silent, technology of the old Imperial States is similar to newcomer but cosmetically different in appearance. All attempts to communicate with Tehver have failed, most recent attempt occurred Orbis Year August 2, 1428. Before that last attempt all Imperial States technology started to malfunction and has been stored in Area C since. All attempts to repair technology have failed. Not enough resources were brought to establish civilization on Orbis without help from indigenous population, not able to communicate with homeland to request new staff or aid, all technology failed and no new ships have arrived through inter-dimensional portal and the portal has not been seen since planet-fall on 1423. Imperative that technology from newcomer be analysed to conduct repair on ancient Tehverite technology to establish contact with home-world. Technology is in severe disrepair and has not been discussed since 1440 when national information security act was passed and the colony started to adapt to local levels of advancement, in order to avoid attention, discretion about past had to be maintained and still must be maintained. The ancient predecessor state may not even exist anymore and..."
This must be a joke Yasuda thought, "it has to be!" he tells himself, "and the Emperor is in on it?!" He believes this is all too crazy.
But then as he continues to look through the booklet he sees pictures, with scientists, large ship-like objects housed in warehouses, radios, and then. . a planet, an alien planet, with only one title on the page. "Imperial States of Tehver"

 

 

 

OOC: Calondia will not attend the summit but are observing the new arrivals and attendees of the summit secretly.

 

Edited October 3, 2016 by Mayor

[Governess Ariel]

Summit Location, Belgrade

 

A single scarab dropship descended onto the landing platform. A single figure exited the vessel. She was unlike the Xanthiri whom had landed on Ireland. Her gold-tone skin and jet black hair were just one of the oddities about her. She had pointed ears with small tuft of hair at the tip of the ear, resembling that of a Lynx. As she blinked it became obvious that there was even more hidden. A third eyelid, a Nictitating Membrane, existed which seemed to cover the eye as well. She wore Black and Gold Robes, signifying her allegiance to two castes of her society. The Kel and the Sen. She passed through security by flashing a diplomatic passport. On her person, and clearly visible were a pair of swords, one long and one short, as well as half a dozen throwing daggers. She also had several chains with pendants and medals in a variety of shapes and made from strange and colorful metals. As she sat down, she looked to her guest with a smile. "Danica, I have heard of you from Nika. She sends her greetings and wishes you and your newfound people well in their coming ventures. My name is Phage s'Auror Asaro, descendant of Nika's mortal form. I am here to act on behalf of NIka's will and the will of Queen Phage, of whom I am good friends with."

 

She took her seat and waited for others to arrive. From within her robes she pulled out a small blue liquid which she poured into the glass of water which she was provided at the table. It caused the water to fizzle for a moment before settling down and it began to steam. She sipped from it and smiled, clearly delighted at the taste she had created.

[Thalmor]

''Uuuuugh''

 

The groan came from King Thalmor himself, who placed his arm on the table and rested his head on it.

 

''ANOTHER alien race to deal with?'' Thalmor ungracefully complained.

''Erhm...Correct, My Lord.'' Replied the unpaid college intern who was briefing Thalmor.

''Please... Wait....Uhh, what was your name again?'' Thalmor's head shot up as he asked the man his name.

''It was Donald, My Lord. Donald Humpshire.'' The unpaid college intern answered, who lifted a finger to his nametag.

''Please, Donald...Just call me Thalmor. I'm in no mood for etiquette right now.'' Thalmor groaned once more and set his head on his arm again.

____________________________________

 

That was a little over a week ago.

 

Today, Thalmor isn't resting his head on his arm while whining. Instead, he steps out into the gardens of the Royal Palace, wearing his golden crown, a cape, steel-toed leather boots, and a very elaborate dress uniform. He also carries a cane, but it's purely decorative: Despite being 60 years old, he has no trouble getting around.

 

After showing off to the palace staff, he finally hopes into a blue and yellow limo. With a small security detail, they drive off to Landerest International Airport, and King Thalmor boards the flight to Belgrade for the Balkan Summit.

 

____________________________________

 

Upon arrival, King Thalmor was taken aback by how...normal everything was. He'd had expected to see absurdly advanced technology and odd architecture. However, things looked relatively normal.

 

''Hey, you think they'll let me personal my personal firearm with me?'' King Thalmor asked a group of Royal Servants as the plane was landing. The Royal Servants had no clue, but didn't want to voice that fact to King Thalmor aloud. So, they nervously bit their lip and looked around at each other. Thalmor found this amusing, and laughed as he downed his allergy medication.

 

''Hopefully they will, My Lord.'' One of younger male servants replied.

''...Indeed.'' Thalmor replied, taking another drink of water as the wheels of the plane touched the runway.

[Leopard I]

The Soviet Delegation left Moscow Early morning, using stolen UDAC Codenames they escaped the UDAC AirForce. The quickly landed into Belgrade, amused by the beauty and ordered history left in Belgrade, The Soviets remembered their former great war which Russia protected Serbia. They take sips from their vodka before heading to the Summit.

 

Let's hope it isn't as boring as the Icelandic Summit 

[Oncaro]

((OOC: Just a quick note since I forgot to mention it and want to keep OOC clutter to a bare minimum, this is the Novi Dvor, where the summit is being held in Belgrade. I'll have a proper post up later when I'm sure nobody else is coming.))

[Mayor]

National Broadcast from Imperial Calondia

 

"Good evening citizens!" says the news anchor with a serious look on his face.

"Troubling news, Orbis has been invaded by an unidentified enemy force. We have no idea where they came from, how many more will come, or how many species are part of their migration. We have no idea how many of the newcomers are attending the diplomatic summit but their motives will be revealed."

Pictures and video showing the arriving aliens vessels, clearly different civilizations, orbiting various places on Orbis.

"All citizens are advised to stay indoors for the duration of the summit. Also.."

Some unknown guy in a black suit appears and whispers to the anchor behind his ear and leaves the screen.

"This is just getting in now; the Emperor has decided to accept the invitation to the summit and is sending a diplomatic attache. Various public figures will be there including newly appointed just now diplomat to extra-planetary nations Takeo Yasuda. He previously worked in researching various medical treatments, medicine, and advancements in hydroponics and the government plans to use his knowledge to trade with the newcomers. He was appointed about a week ago to director of Peaceful Technological Development, a non-military sector that aims to help not only Calondians but other cultures as well. Clearly he was a good choice for this summit."

A picture shows Takeo Yasuda and his family.

"We are a peaceful nation. and through peace will will create new stability for our neighbors."

 

 

Plane arriving at Summit

 

The plane has just finished landing when the broadcast finishes; of course as expected, no mention of the missiles, bombs, or weapons he has worked on. The Peaceful Technological Development division has never even produced a single thing of true value, some drugs and other things mentioned were produced sure, but even then they were solely used by the military and never given to anyone but the Calondian people. Yasuda felt bad that he was lying to his country even though the Emperor said the lies were for the benefit of national security, and that the aliens would surely attack us if given the chance. Still he had not dare refuse the emperor when he requested Yasuda take the assignment. His orders are simple. Give nothing to the aliens, allow assets in the region access to summit, wave at camera and always smile. The others would handle procuring the technology and sabotaging the summit if deemed necessary but that was apparently a last resort and should not be expected. In the last weeks since he had known about the plan the military had set up listening posts and safe-houses for agents in the region. That was all he knew, the people in the country did not all accept alien rule passively and some obviously resented it. They provided the perfect opportunity for the military to gain valuable intelligence and boots on the ground, we would not have been able to do this without their help, however their actions and the technology they desire is compartmentalized and not even he knows what they are going to do. He had his orders and will obey.

 

He sighs and looks out the window as the plane slowly drives on the tarmac to the gate.

"Looks just like normal" he says to himself.

"Almost like no other-worldly force is even here."

 

Yasuda has had his world flipped upside down, he didn't know what to think about the aliens let alone the ridiculous past of his country. He still didn't know if he believed the story or not. The aliens were here and he knew he could not let his country down. He just wishes that he had the motivation to do a good job.

"Succeed and we may go to war, lose and we may go to war, is there any option that does not involve war?"

 

The plane suddenly stops and he prepares to get ready, with as good a smile as he can muster, he greets his team in the next section of the plane.

"Hello. Hey, Alright." He says shaking the hands of some officials. "Lets get ready to make history." No one but him knew the true intentions but he could not let them know.

Edited October 3, 2016 by Mayor

[TheGrandTriskelionEmpire]

Assault Ship- Two Miles Out

 

The gunship shuddered as it was lowered into drop position, the smell of oil and other nauseating odors perforated the transport. Stonis Preicheds had been in the business of diplomacy for most of his life, well he liked to think that he had, even if most of it was spent holding a blaster rifle. From a young age all he knew was the Empire, the Triskeli had arrived on his planet and turned the planet on its head, not that it was a bad thing. His family had been slaves and so had he been until one day, overhead appeared hundreds of large warships, with them they brought thousands of soldiers, the slavers barely lasted a day under the pressure of the Triskeli military. With the arrival of the Empire they brought job, security and most of all opportunity. Every year he went to the nearby Imperial Academy to join the Stormtrooper corp and every year he was rejected for being too young, that was until the age of 18, which is where his story began.

 

With a sudden rush of air, the ship dropped into the bright blue sky, Stonis grabbed hold rigging which swung above his head. In the background he could hear the trooper aboard the craft chatting amongst themselves, after a few seconds the transport’s sliding doors peeled back revealing the city ahead, it was such a sight of beauty, the architecture was something to be marveled at and caught the attention of Stonis.

 

 

Airfield

 

 

As the formation of three gunships approached the airfield the sound of the pilots chattering to the control tower about approach vectors chimed through Stonis’ ear piece. The pilot came across the comms directly “My lord, we will be touching down in thirty seconds, prepare to leave the craft†the voice crackled slightly with the roar of the engines.

 

 

Jolting forward the vessel slammed to a near halt in what felt like instantly. Following muscle memory, the now diplomat found himself diving from the gunship onto the ground as if taking cover from incoming fire, even though there was none. Looking down at him a clone trooper was chuckling beneath his helmet “Sir, are you alright, do you need a hand up?â€.

 

Stonis took the hand of the trooper and found his feet “Thank you trooper, do we have transport arranged for our land travel?†he said wiping the dirt of his ornate attire.

 

 

After a few second of communicating with someone through his helmet the trooper responded “Sir, there is an armoured convoy who will take us to the summit. I’ve been told to remind you that the Empress is watchingâ€. Raising his right hand and waving it in a circular motion the three gunships roared into life and vanished into the sky within seconds. Now on the airfield stood only Stonis and two clone troopers awaiting the arrival of their convoy.

[Oncaro]

Novi Dvor

 

Inside the Novi Dvor, the elegant dining area which this summit was being held in had been turned into a banquet hall. Danica, noting the first arrival as a Mri diplomat, gave her a wide smile of her own, giving a polite little bow as she approached the female.

 

"We are honored to have you here, Phage s'Auror Asaro. Please, help yourself to the food we've provided, and give Queen Phage and Nika my greetings and thanks for her kind words," she replied, and she looked to an aide who pulled her aside: Andrej Vlastimirovic, a promising young man who had accompanied her to the initial signing of the UMS Charter at Tnem-Fragg. Since that time he had become something of regular fixture among her immediate staff, as she was rarely seen without him.

 

"Your Excellency, we've received word that several dignitaries have arrived," he said to her, and Danica nodded, motioning for him to follow her toward the head of the table.

 

"Who, precisely, are we going to see?"

 

"A Triskeli diplomat has been confirmed to have arrived," Andrej replied, "and we have received word that Imperial Calondia, a nation in Southeast Asia-- Japan I believe-- has sent someone to meet us. King Thalmor of the Kingdom of Evenstar has arrived personally at Belgrade Airport, at roughly the same time as the Triskeli and Calondians. And most curiously... The Soviet Union has sent diplomats. They are heading to us now."

 

Danica stopped in her tracks, and looked to Andrej with confusion.

 

"... What did you just say?"

 

"The-- The Soviet Union, Your Excellency," Andrej replied, looking nervous.

 

"How is this possible?" Danica demanded. She wasn't angry; in fact she was actually incredibly curious. The implications of an ancient entity like the Soviet Union-- or at least ancient in her home universe-- being around in this time period were fascinating.

 

"I don't know, Excellency, we haven't had time to get a proper scoping of most of the nations here. From what we understand, however, they are on one side of a civil war, with the Russian Federation on the other. They seem to be the rebels in this situation."

 

Danica furrowed her brow, and nodded, folding her arms slowly. "I see. Perhaps they're seeking diplomatic recognition."

 

"It might be too late for that, Your Excellency. The last our intelligence knew of this situation was the Soviets aren't exactly doing very well. The war may already be over by now."

 

"Asylum seekers?"

 

"That may be the case. What will we do, Your Excellency?" Andrej asked, and he looked rather concerned. "The political fallout could be--"

 

Danica raised a hand in a gentle gesture to shut him up, and he obliged immediately.

 

"We will cross that bridge when we come to it, Andrej," she said to him. "For now, peaceful contact is key here."

 

"Of course, Your Excellency."

 

_________________________________

 

Belgrade Airport

 

As the delegates from Evenstar, Calondia, and Triskel waited, a convoy of sleek black automobiles greatly resembling SUVs quickly pulled up to take the dignitaries to the Novi Dvor, and waited for them to get in. Once they were all ready, they would be taken straight to the summit as quickly as possible.

[Thalmor]

''Uuuuuugh!''

 

Thalmor absolutely hated being late. So much so, in fact, that he would rather be three hours early than two minutes late. ''I could always just play on my PDA, go for a walk, or look around and enjoy the environment. However, if you're late, you're seen as a joke or irresponsible.''

 

''Uuuuuugh!''

 

Thalmor absolutely hated being late. So much so, in fact, that drivers and even pilots have been fired for not being on time.

 

''Uuuuuuugh!''

 

Thalmor absolutely hated being late. So much so, in fact, that he had already broken a TV remote and two vases in anger on the plane.

 

And, yes, they're still on the plane.

 

King Thalmor remained on his personal plane. As this is the first major international summit he has been to in a while, King Thalmor wanted to wear his new cape to be flashy. However, he forgot to pack it. As such, he had asked for another plane to come and bring it. The plane carrying the new cape was due to arrival in less than thirty minutes, however, he ran the risk of being late. However, that was a small price to pay in exchange for being able to be flashy.

[Leopard I]

The Russian SU-25 disembarked 25k from the border, enjoying the clear and open skies. Not needing clearances and such, they landed at a small local airport waiting for their representative to leave the Summit. 

 

The Russian Emissary noticed a raging crusader on the tarmac, she chuckled a little bit and soon enough realized it was the King of Evenstar. SHe also noticed a Soviet Aircraft, quickly noting to ask for their release and transfer to Russian Hands. They would be dealt with, she walks off to the nicely arranged SUVs and shows her diplomatic badge before entering the vehicle. Her KGB guards paying close attention for any Soviet Operatives running amok 

 

She took out her EU flag, placing her EU emblem on next to her Russian pin. Her call from the EU Sectary General had informed her to keep the EU in the discussion and provide them information on their new European friend.  

Edited October 8, 2016 by Prince of Prussia

[Wolfie]

The French Ministry Foreign Affairs released a statement,

 

 The French Government and the EU are sadden to be unable to attend the meeting, as thus The Russian Delegation being the highest EU authority will also represent the EU. We hope to kick start relations at another time, the recent crisis in France has diverted all resources and personnel to assisting with clean up, investigation and protection. 

[TheGrandTriskelionEmpire]

Stonis stepped out of the transport that had been sent to collect them. It had been an odd experience for him due to the cultural importance of the car within the Triskeli caste system. Those who owned cars could easily be identified as a ‘civilian’; someone who had not contributed to the Empire in any shape or form but still lived within the borders of the nation. This was starkly contrasted by the life of someone who was a ‘citizen; a citizen had at some point in their life either served in the Stormtrooper Corp like Stonis or had served within an Imperial organisation and contributed to the growth of the Empire. The Citizen had everything provided for them, from their housing, free transport and free education.

 

Stonis took a few seconds to admire the beautiful scenery which was sprawled around him, the car had parked under a stone arch which must have been built many years beforehand. Peering over the top of the car he took note of the green and lush gardens, one structure of significance that caught his eye was a water fountain which sat at the front of the garden, there were several groups of people of various ages around the fountain, all seemed to be enjoying themselves on what was a rather lovely day.

 

His eyes were drawn to the large structure they were parked next to, large pillars sprawled off into the sky while windows were sunken in between and behind them. The building itself looked a lot older than the newer governmental buildings which had been built on Onxy Prime. All the old and original buildings had been destroyed and replaced as time had gone on, it was always a pet hatred of his that Triskel was always about pushing forward and so with that came the pull of progress which left little to no survivors.

 

In the background he could hear the sound of engines and traffic from other vehicles on the road. Turning his head, he watched for a few seconds as cars passed by and the slightly crowded pavements bustled with movement from the locals. For a second he made eye contact with a young boy who was peering at the armoured men whom stood behind him. There had been rumours that the universe that Triskel had come from was the basis of a movie within the culture of Kressnia, that would certainly be a topic of discussion for the summit, since this was the first time that the Triskeli Empire and the Kressnians had actually met with diplomats even though they were part of the greater alliance; The Union of Multiversal states.

 

He was brought back to reality by the feeling of a heavily clad hand touching his shoulder. It was one of his escorts trying to grab his attention. Clearly the clones hated being in such an open space, they weren’t knowing for liking to stay in one space for too long if they had to, especially if it was in an open and public space with lots of people. They had been born and bred to think purely in terms of war and the tactics that came with it, to them, such an environment was a home to snipers and other evils that would seek to harm those whom they were tasked with guarding.

 

The clone’s metallic heels clicked against the marble floors as the trio of Triskeli entered the building, they were met with a foyer which had two grandiose stair cases which spiralled off into each direction.  At the top of the stairs were hallways which lead in many different directions, there were a few staff within sight going about their business, none which seemed to care for them or notice their existence, it seemed they weren’t doing this out of fear or hatred but were content enough with their lives and their jobs they didn’t go out of their way to find trouble.

 

After several minutes of walking down various hallways, one which nearly lead them into the basement, they found themselves in a dining room which much like the rest of the building had such character, especially with the marble floors and what looked to be a hard wood table, possibly mahogany.

 

On the table was large buffet of food which got Stoni’s stomach going. He hadn’t eaten since arriving in the star system and even before they he’d been living off the food they provided to all Imperial Military aboard a Star Destroyer.

Suddenly his eyes were drawn to one of the women standing in the room, her back was to him at the moment but from his reading of Imperial intelligence reports he instantly recognised her as Danica. Approaching, flanked by his two guards he spoke gently “Your Excellency, I am Stonis Preicheds, voice of the Empress and hand of Triskel. It is truly an honour to meet you for the first timeâ€.

[Shex]

From the desert sands, a Swallow-Class Transport Barge began to rise.

 

Within the oversized shuttle, there was some chatter from the bridge.

 

"You heard what happened to Ensign Marty, right?  The guy who drove the Aphrodite's Caress into this rock?"

 

"Yeah, court martial.  He was the only guy who got stuffed into a transport.  And a good thing, too!  We don't need another drunk pilot at the helm."

 

"'Least Command sent some extra staff and a bunch of extra ships.  With two cap ships we actually stand a chance out here."

 

"Cut the chatter, boys!"  The Lieutenant in charge growled.  "The Diplomatic Team needs some peace and quiet to go over their proposals, and I need you at your posts!"

 

"Aye, sir..."

 

The Diplomat, a rather corpulent fellow by Bro human standards, chortled as he heard the gossip of the crew.  "It is good to hear that the man responsible for our being here has been taken to trial.  I for one thought I'd be undergoing first contact with more than just a world covered with, ahem, less advanced beings."

 

"Sir."  His aide's eyebrow twitched.  "This is a diplomatic function.  We share this world with a variety of civilizations who could still possibly overrun us, even though Command has generously sent much needed supplies and a few reinforcements."

 

"Of course, of course!  We do need to placate the locals after all.  And I hear the main hosts of the event are actually from NS verse too, how charming!"

An audible groan echoed throughout the ship.

 

Time seemed to pass quickly as the Diplomat eyed their datafiles with disdain and some condescending amusement.

 

"Comrades, we're requesting clearance to land.  You better be ready boys, we're the best the Brotherhood has out here."  The Lieutenant chuckled.

 

"...  And that is my greatest fear."  The aide sighed as the Diplomat emerged from the ship to join the rest of the delegates of the Summit.

Edited October 13, 2016 by Shex

[Emperor Penguin Rikkar]

Finmarschall Otwoo hated the klaxons. Decades of sophisticated Master-Fowl engineering; years of technological wonders the rest of the backwards savages infesting this planet couldn't even imagine, and the best the eggheads at the NeMinSci could devise to alert anyone to anything was a shrill death-cry of some blasted electronic. The hell-noises blared for a few more beats, signalling some change of course, then fell silent.

 

In the new-found silence, Otwoo heard the Chinstrap before he saw him, the clicking of battleclaws sounding out against the steel floor. The diminutive bird entered Otwoo's cabin and snapped out a crisp salute.

"Finmarschall, we are ready to dock at the landing station."

 

"Thank you, Chinstrap. Fin Hail."

 

"Fin Hail."

 

Turning his back on the dismissed soldier, the grizzled King Penguin made his way to the cabin porthole, gazing out over the landing nest of Belgrade. The zeppelin they had embarked on the mission with cast the shadow of a penguin mid-slide, which Otwoo admired as it inexorably descended into the airfield. The dark shadow seemed to consume all in its path, growing larger and larger as it drew nearer to the ground.

 

With a gentle whoomph, and the death-scream of another damnable klaxon, the airship landed. Otwoo seized his dress cap, slicking back his errant feathers with his off fin before perching it atop his head. Looking over his uniform one last time in his cabin mirror, the Finmarschall snapped himself a salute out of habit, then made his way to the landing ramp. 

 

Looking over his diplomatic team assembled at the ramp, Otwoo raised his fin in salute, which was matched with drilled precision. Smiling inwardly to himself, the King Penguin cleared his throat.

 

"Loyal Waddlers of our Nestingland:

 

We have come here in a diplomatic capacity. We are to be the representatives of our Nestingland and our very species. We are the living embodiment of our Bird-Emperor; We are the Walking Will of the Master-Fowl. We are to liaison with these Outlanders, and in doing so promote the goodwill of our species. There is much we can gain from positive relations with those outside our borders.

However, we must be vigilant. These foreign cultures are decadent in their ways, they care nothing for the plight of the strong. We will see things that will disgust us; We will see atrocities that would warrant a pecking squad at home, that none here see as transgressions. As such, we must be strong in will as to not infect our ranks with such deviant behavior. We must bar our minds and steel our hearts in the face of cultural corruption, without raising suspicions in our hosts.

Our Nestingland counts on our strength. And we shall not disappoint. Fin Hail."

 

The klaxons wailed as the ramp began to descend, and Otwoo silently hoped the Outlanders had some other means of alert in their empire.

 

 

[Schwieger]

Kressnian Belgrade

 

A solitary Chorzhalb Zhyssian type dreadnought surfaces out of the rift above Belgrade and looses a trio of atmospheric transports from its rather extensive hangar bay. The smaller craft, free from the extent of the orbiting warship, zoom planetside. They crash through the air column and soon find themselves over Belgrade, the location of the current Kressnian summit. Circling above the city they request clearance and then make their landing in rather typical Nalydian fashion: efficiently, quietly, and without pomp or flair. 

 

This is the end of such things however, as patrols of trident-wielding Guards of Jlokhemit move out in front of the Nalydian entourage and begins to clear traffic away; behind them come infantry marching in glorious step. Men clad in blue tunics and trousers with glistening breastplates and helms and bayonets begin to move towards the summit hall; a grand band follows them and plays in sync with their movements while mounted cavalry rides to the rear. Canteens clank and boots click as they glide across the asphalt. Tall standards are hoist high above the marching infantry and it becomes clear from the symbols that the Great House of Natynozh is here in representation.

 

They arrive at the summit hall in good order and are ushered inside. Leading the pack is High Hunter Cholkük, reigning head of the Great House of Natynozh and successor to the late great Yamsi Natynozh. He moves first into the room and his entourage follows him, standards waving magnificently behind them as they emerge into the chamber. Most of them stop at the door but two trident-wielders accompany Cholkük as he penetrates deeper; he is impressed with the marble workmanship and the impressive display of foods now before him. Scanning the room, he recognizes the Triskeli contingent (but not who, specifically) and also Danica - a face he has not seen since the last UMS Summit in Tnem-Fragg.

 

We are humbled to have been invited to this summit, nam-Danica, Cholkük says with a bow.

 

 

[Prince Hunter of Bavaria]

Washington D.C

 

The US Secretary of State flew on Airforce One, watching ships sail solemnly under. He soon sees the mainland of Iberia, the plan slowly altering and swerving north, to avoid unknown Airspace, they converge on Paris.

 

The Secretary of State visits the Embassy before he shakes hands and talks with the Royal Family. The usual statements, we look forward to friendly relations, we are honored to be here. He is soon driven off into Airforce one, he slowly unjust's his tie. Walking back and forth on the plane. The laughter and chatter of his secretaries, agents, and aides. He heads into his room, slow falling to sleep. Awaken by the sudden tumbling and turbulence. He opens his windows, seeing massive ships. He disavows them, pulling himself together. 

 

He puts on a new suit, letting his crew add makeup, and powder before he picks up his tie. Placing his US flag on it. He disembarks Airforce One and walking onto the tarmac. 

[Ikhan]

Imperator, the Emperor's Personal Flagship

 

 "Prepare my shuttle." Alexei said to one of his commanders, who accepted the task. "Ah, the Imperator, a ship whose name has been used to signify the protection the Emperor brings. There have been many, of course, but this is probably the most advanced version of it to have ever been built. It is of a new class, known simply as the Harrower-Class Dreadnought." He said to himself as the ship approached the planet. Suddenly, the man returned with some news.

 "My Lord, your shuttle is ready for launch. Shall I get a detachment of Hk-50's on-board?"  the man said.

 "No, I will not need them. Hk-47 will suffice." Alexei replied before heading down to the hangar where he would board the shuttle which would take him down to the planet's surface.

 

Summit Building, Belgrade.

 

 "So... This is the famous city of Belgrade. Its... Less than I expected. Of course, it's better than some things, at least." Alexei said to a diplomat who was attending along-side him.

 "Agreed, my lord. But you see, this city has historical importance here." the diplomat replied, only to notice Alexei, who had his mask off, staring at the vessel just above him. Fighters were exiting the ship to patrol the surrounding area. On the other hand, he saw Hk-47 with his rifle out, just as a precaution. "Are you okay, Hk?" the diplomat asked.

 "Observation: All systems are running in perfect order, meatbag." Hk-47 replied as the group entered the building. 

 "Hk, stay here unless there is an emergency. And no killing unless I give you permission." Alexei said to Hk-47.

 "Yes, Master." Hk replied as Alexei and the diplomat, whose name was Ivan Melnyk, entered the room and found their seats.

Edited October 14, 2016 by Alexei Lysenko