Post by KyferLegs (Diria) on Nov 26, 2022 19:39:03 GMT -5
Safar Ozen, the Federal Minister of Defence, couldn't help but sweat. He was a tall and robust man with years of service before his position in putting down nomadic rebels and received training in some of the best war academies Diria had. Ozen's mind raced with the title of his post, "Defense," but with every passing hour, it felt like he was rushing into an offensive. He thought a man with this much military experience shouldn't be worried. Still, he was. The government reacted efficiently to what happened. Usually, they just fumbled around until whatever happened ended, but a new chancellor, the last who got the boot from the disaster at Kisili, brought recent change. At least, that short Zarou kept most of the original ministers, as he let out a nervous chuckle. Still, those choices of a threat to another nation were shocking, and the fallout of the options may also define his entire career. Days before, after what Foreign Affairs said, the Chancellor requested him to prepare the Chief of Staff of the Navy to prep for operations within the Molten Joh Sea. Now, 8 hours before, he ordered the Chief of Staff of the Army to move portions of the active Army to the south and prepare the Reserves if needed. Ozen didn't want to think of the choices which might happen if the worse happened, but no matter what, it was his job to prepare. Approaching the Chancellery Office doors, he heard screaming through the closed doors he now grudgingly opened.
As his eyes adjusted to the dark room, unlike the light-filled hallway he walked through. He watched Chancellor Ezra Cohen, mad with rage, slamming his desk as he yelled at the top of his lungs towards Foreign Minister Rida Torno. "-What do you mean we can't just blockade them!" Torno grunted, frustrated, as he pointed to the map he had put in front of the Chancellor. Torno's finger bent and seemed like it broke as it landed on the pink rectangle west of Abbadon. "-This is why Cohen! Unless you want to see our navy at the bottom of the fucking sea cause some Lusatian politician wants his hard-on for oil!" Suddenly, he pulled his arms up as he walked away, back, and with angry vigor smeared across his face. However, the beginning of confident anger faded as the Chancellor instead focused on the military man who just walked in. The Chancellor relaxed as his eyes snapped to Torno and Minister of Defense Ozen. "Finally, someone who is actu-" Ozen suddenly cut off his words as Ozen waved his hand in a fashion meaning quiet. "He is right, Chancellor. If we blockade them, the Lusatians will respond, and it won't be pretty." The Chancellor sighed as he began to register what was said while Torno smiled, feeling slightly victorious. "-However, there may be some ways around that."
Torno immediately began to frown as he heard Ozen continue. "-We negotiate an end of a possible war that hasn't started." Torno once again seemed full of anger as his eyebrows furrowed, but before he could form words, he realized it was a decent solution. Ozen continued as he focused on the Chancellor, "Lusatia wants oil cheap, and we'll give it to them cheap for now. It's better than oil markets crashing 'cause we couldn't act." Walking forward, he placed his finger on the map where Abbadon was. "But in the case of war, which most Defense Staff agree we would win with correct preparations." He took a breath in as he tapped the map again. "However, before it even starts, we give the Lusatians a guarantee. Diria can't afford occupations and doesn't have interests in the south besides stabilizing our homefront. In that case, we give them the best oil price imaginable. We will provide the oil rights in Abbadon once we win, so they have autarky for it." Chancellor nodded as Torno looked at the map in thought while Ozen waited for the eventual counter-responses.
Which counter-responses came from the Chancellor first, "How are you sure we will win this war?" Ozen nodded and crossed his arms while responding, "Fair question, which is why you should attend the next Defense Staff meeting. In the case of war, you'll be replacing me as Commander in Chief anyways." Chancellor nodded and gave an affirmatory grunt. Meanwhile, Torno, now out of his thoughts, seemed to be full of hundreds of questions. Torno leaned against the desk as he pointed to the map. "Why would Lusatia even consider placing bets on a war that has not even started." Ozen chuckled as he responded immediately, "Cause they have experience dealing with Abbadon. The Lusatians know they're a pushover as Abbadon has lost every war with them." Torno still didn't look appeased as he reached for a pen on the Chancellor's desk that he now twirled, "Okay, so the war is won. Lusatia has its oil. What stops them from dropping the prices?" Ozen nodded as he pushed his hands against the table as the Chancellor looked at them, waiting for them to finish. "Well, for the same reason we are trying to keep them up, it isn't profitable with them low. Once they have oil, they get to sell it too, which is a chance to form guarantees or organizations. Think of Diria leading oil treaties, as the Koi do with Staol." Torno nodded and grudgingly stopped asking questions, hearing Ozen finish.
He didn't like breaking neutrality, but he had to agree with what their cards were. It was decent and negotiable, and the Chancellor decided as he pushed the map back to Torno. "Bring the idea to the Foreign Office, act upon it." Torno's head snapped to the Chancellor as if he heard a sin, "But what about the Diet?" Chancellor scoffed as he rubbed his knuckles in annoyance, "I only need the approval of these actions when we start wars. Diplomacy with Lusatia isn't starting one. It is preparing for one." Torno scoffed as he grabbed the map, rolled it up, and walked out of the office. Next, the Chancellor looked at Ozen and spoke more kindly than he had done since Torno arrived, "Thank you for your ideas. Save me a seat in the Defense Staff meeting, and I recommend you fortify the southern borders but keep the east defensible against Verak." Ozen saluted as he quickly walked out, with at least some stress off his shoulders.
As his eyes adjusted to the dark room, unlike the light-filled hallway he walked through. He watched Chancellor Ezra Cohen, mad with rage, slamming his desk as he yelled at the top of his lungs towards Foreign Minister Rida Torno. "-What do you mean we can't just blockade them!" Torno grunted, frustrated, as he pointed to the map he had put in front of the Chancellor. Torno's finger bent and seemed like it broke as it landed on the pink rectangle west of Abbadon. "-This is why Cohen! Unless you want to see our navy at the bottom of the fucking sea cause some Lusatian politician wants his hard-on for oil!" Suddenly, he pulled his arms up as he walked away, back, and with angry vigor smeared across his face. However, the beginning of confident anger faded as the Chancellor instead focused on the military man who just walked in. The Chancellor relaxed as his eyes snapped to Torno and Minister of Defense Ozen. "Finally, someone who is actu-" Ozen suddenly cut off his words as Ozen waved his hand in a fashion meaning quiet. "He is right, Chancellor. If we blockade them, the Lusatians will respond, and it won't be pretty." The Chancellor sighed as he began to register what was said while Torno smiled, feeling slightly victorious. "-However, there may be some ways around that."
Torno immediately began to frown as he heard Ozen continue. "-We negotiate an end of a possible war that hasn't started." Torno once again seemed full of anger as his eyebrows furrowed, but before he could form words, he realized it was a decent solution. Ozen continued as he focused on the Chancellor, "Lusatia wants oil cheap, and we'll give it to them cheap for now. It's better than oil markets crashing 'cause we couldn't act." Walking forward, he placed his finger on the map where Abbadon was. "But in the case of war, which most Defense Staff agree we would win with correct preparations." He took a breath in as he tapped the map again. "However, before it even starts, we give the Lusatians a guarantee. Diria can't afford occupations and doesn't have interests in the south besides stabilizing our homefront. In that case, we give them the best oil price imaginable. We will provide the oil rights in Abbadon once we win, so they have autarky for it." Chancellor nodded as Torno looked at the map in thought while Ozen waited for the eventual counter-responses.
Which counter-responses came from the Chancellor first, "How are you sure we will win this war?" Ozen nodded and crossed his arms while responding, "Fair question, which is why you should attend the next Defense Staff meeting. In the case of war, you'll be replacing me as Commander in Chief anyways." Chancellor nodded and gave an affirmatory grunt. Meanwhile, Torno, now out of his thoughts, seemed to be full of hundreds of questions. Torno leaned against the desk as he pointed to the map. "Why would Lusatia even consider placing bets on a war that has not even started." Ozen chuckled as he responded immediately, "Cause they have experience dealing with Abbadon. The Lusatians know they're a pushover as Abbadon has lost every war with them." Torno still didn't look appeased as he reached for a pen on the Chancellor's desk that he now twirled, "Okay, so the war is won. Lusatia has its oil. What stops them from dropping the prices?" Ozen nodded as he pushed his hands against the table as the Chancellor looked at them, waiting for them to finish. "Well, for the same reason we are trying to keep them up, it isn't profitable with them low. Once they have oil, they get to sell it too, which is a chance to form guarantees or organizations. Think of Diria leading oil treaties, as the Koi do with Staol." Torno nodded and grudgingly stopped asking questions, hearing Ozen finish.
He didn't like breaking neutrality, but he had to agree with what their cards were. It was decent and negotiable, and the Chancellor decided as he pushed the map back to Torno. "Bring the idea to the Foreign Office, act upon it." Torno's head snapped to the Chancellor as if he heard a sin, "But what about the Diet?" Chancellor scoffed as he rubbed his knuckles in annoyance, "I only need the approval of these actions when we start wars. Diplomacy with Lusatia isn't starting one. It is preparing for one." Torno scoffed as he grabbed the map, rolled it up, and walked out of the office. Next, the Chancellor looked at Ozen and spoke more kindly than he had done since Torno arrived, "Thank you for your ideas. Save me a seat in the Defense Staff meeting, and I recommend you fortify the southern borders but keep the east defensible against Verak." Ozen saluted as he quickly walked out, with at least some stress off his shoulders.