Gods of the Sea (UKUG-Kumosenkan)

[Greywall]

The letter, the second to ever be sent since the Hawaiian War arrived again at the palace of Empress Reito. It told her that the King of Ulster-Gaelia requested an audience with her to open formal diplomacy. He requested the meeting be at the Imperial palace, that he would come with an honor guard and via fleet escort onboard the RGS Helena a Boudica Class Battleship.

It was a huge moment, either Rufus would end the Cold War or make it worse, it all depended on this meeting. 

[Sophie]

A response was carefully crafted by the Empress and a team of trusted diplomats. They agreed to the meeting and gave map coordinates for the UKUG fleet to meet well within the bounds of international waters. They would be met and then escorted by two Kii class battleships and a handful of destroyers before being allowed to enter Kumosenkan territorial waters.

[Greywall]

Captain Kenneth McCormick had long served in the Royal Navy, 15 years of dutiful service made him one of the youngest battleship captains in the fleet. His ship carefully led the group behind the Kii class battleships, they were larger than the Boudica but he was confident if things went south he could out turn the hulking beasts and cripple them before they could turn and fire.

Entering Kumo waters wasn't something he ever thought he would be doing in his career. Long the RGS Helena patrolled the Southern Shawbalt and at times would encounter Kumo warships in the silent but understood dance of avoiding one another. If Kumo wanted a war with Ulster-Gaelia, it would have happened, vice versa. King Rufus was below deck in his private quarters eating a meal of chicken thighs and carrots before preparing himself for the arrival.

He would wear a fine outfit, a dress vest and coat with dark emerald colors, his Clan tartan and kilt. A metal pin on his chest sash of the UKUG royal arms, its raised stag showing a fierceness to it. He took time to groom his beard and hair, fine strands of grey now showing in all of it, stress and age bearing on him from years on the throne. "Your grace, we've entered the gulf." reported a Black Cloak.

Rufus nodded, "Let's not keep the Empress waiting".

The Gaelic warships would pull into port following instructions from their hosts, RGS Helena proceeding to dock while the others, some destroyers and a heavy cruiser stood off. Any Kumo nearby would immediately know who these ships belonged to, either from excessive naval knowledge or the green flag flying over them.

[Sophie]

Only the Gaelic escorts with less than ten thousand tons were allowed to dock properly. The capital ship was ordered to weigh anchor in the bay with its escorting Kii's at either side of her. Transferring ships were sent to pick up those who wanted off. The Kumo operating those boats spoke no words to the humans and made no eye contact with them either. A large area of the docks had been cordoned off for the Gaelics, and at the end was a convoy of several cars. Dozens of Kumo lined up against the barricades. Police waited anxiously, overseeing the crowd.

Shouts began to emerge from the growing crowd. "Fuck you!" "Murderers!" "You're not welcome here!" "Die, you evil pigs!" Though none broke the barrier thanks to the overwhelming police presence. The humans were quickly ushered into the cars, and the convoy left. The roads and highway were cleared, though that wasn't hard as keeping the peace at the docks. They drove quickly through the sprawling city until they reached the palace complex. The entire time none of the drivers or guards spoke a word.

The cars parked in a secure pool. "If you wish to proceed any further, you will surrender all firearms and submit to a search. Absolutely no weapons are allowed on the premises."

[Greywall]

Rufus turned to the cloaks and nodded, they slung off their model 4 rifles and revolvers, knives, even a set of brass knuckles.

Rufus then waived toward the entourage saying nothing to motion that he was expecting his time to not be wasted further.

[Sophie]

A nearby maid collected all the weapons into a wooden chest. Rufus was then escorted into the palace. Deep through the winding hallways and finally to the throne room. There the fifteen year old Empress sat adorned in her crown and ceremonial yukata. Next to her was the vacant princess's throne. However, she was not the only one present. An half dozen maids, and a small army of reporters with photo cameras were both in attendance. The maids doubled as armed guards, though their firearms were concealed beneath their aprons.

When Reito's eyes fell upon the Gaelic king, she studied his face carefully for any insight into his intention. In Reito's most commanding voice, she spoke. "It has been many years since Gaelic feet setupon Kumosenkan soil. Even during the best of times between our two people, the leader of the United Kingdom of Ulster Gaelia has never visited our home islands. This is undoubtedly a historic event. In recognisance of that fact I would like to offer to you one of Kumosenkan's finest creations."

Reito stepped down from her throne and pulled out a finely crafted wooden box. As she handed the box to the king, flashes filled the room as all the cameras begin to take photos. "Inside is a sake crafted by sages from the mountain town of Shirakawa, using a technique that has been passed down in secrecy for over a millennia. Allow me, with this gift, to welcome you to Kumosenkan."

[Greywall]

Rufus nodded looking at the bottle before handing it to one of the black cloaks. “Thank you for meeting me, we have a lot to discuss, I haven’t come bearing gifts as you have honored me. But I have come to end this current situation our empires are in. It’s time we ended the Cold War.”

[Sophie]

"That is quite the bold maneuver. One worthy of your visit and my time. When your name crossed my desk, I cleared the day." Reito smiled and bowed. As she turned, she waved toward the reporters, and they immediately began their departure. She waited until every Kumo without a clearance had left the room. With a drop in tone, she addressed the human with her back turned to him. "I can hear my grandmother screeching from the living stars." She turned with a snap, and her eyes bore into Rufus. Now "quoting" her grandmother, she spoke in a somewhat hammy elderly voice. "Kill that moralless stain; his very presence desecrates the sacred ground we stand upon."

Reito smiled and visibly held back a snicker. "Thankfully for us both, I'm not in the business of listening to my grandmother. I'm in the business of securing a prosperous future for my people, same as you." Reito looked at the floor and then back to Rufus. "The cold war, as you've called it, has kept the Kumo people on her feet. We have not rested on our laurels. We have not let our eye leave the ball, even when the pitcher's off the mound. Our superiority, our strength, our power, and the perception of that power. It all stems from the need," she paused, "the requirement that we stay more powerful than you."

"Ending the status quo is a risk to my people. A risk to me. I'd say the same is true for you, but if that were the case, you wouldn't be here." Reito's eyes searched Rufus's. "Why now? Why right now? Are your election prospects so poor that only this headline will get you back on your throne? 'Hero king talks down spider menace'? Because if that's why you're here, you can forget it. I may only be fifteen but mistake me not for a fool to be played. I have the wisdom of my ancestors, of my mother, on my shoulder. You may not believe in Hantoreso but believe in the cabinet my mother put together. She had her full trust in each and every one of them, and I have the same for them. In return, they gift upon me advice, direction, and support. I am backed by the brightest minds in Kumosenkan."

Reito reached into her Yukata and pulled out the letter Rufus had written her. She held it out for him to see. "My Minister of Foreign Affairs advised me against this meeting in full. I went against her better judgment because of this." She waved the paper. "I want to believe this was written out of kindness, not pity nor posturing. I will only believe that if you tell me, why now?" Reito took a small breath, praying the shake of nerves didn't show. She had practiced that speech a thousand times with Kazumi Yamanaka, but no practice could prepare her for the heat of the real moment.

[Greywall]

Rufus held a stoic face as reito spoke, when she finished he simply said “we have a bigger problem than our personal vendettas, in the time since our war the Royal navy has rebuilt half its strength. An effort impressive on its own. But pales in comparison what our patrol fleets report from Galra.”

Rufus stroked his mustache, gathering his thoughts “has your admiralty noticed an increase in Galran patrols in the shawbalt? Almost as if they’re everywhere, not just in the northern passages but the southern lanes, the far East reaches of Roskana and the edge of the silk. There’s only one way these reports exist, they’ve built a massive fleet. And now allied to the Grinvel and Verak that fleet is supplemented with their own ships. We can’t risk direct conflict anymore empress, not when wolves prowl the sea waiting to feast on the battered ‘Victor’. The era of the stag and spider ruling the sea is over, it’s no longer our domain, we now share it with the puppeteers of the all seeing eye.”

[Sophie]

Reito searched Rufus with her eyes once more, wishing she had her mother's lie-detection ability. "Kumosenkan is well aware of the size of the Galran fleet. You and I both know that's why we never had a round two. However, our 'cold war' is why Kumo ships are superior in construction to Galran vessels and why our numbers are so great. It seems to end that is in conflict with your end goal."

"My people, the Kumo people, are a people of power. They demand an enemy to fight against, to work against. For longer than I've been alive, that has been you, and they have prospered. I can't simply take away their fire. "

[Greywall]

“Then give them an enemy that will test them, Galra knows it can seize the northwest with Grinvel and verak. Only a matter of time til then, and if the fire of your people is as great as you suggest then it’s a fire we need. I’m well aware of our situation, we’ve pushed the boundaries of naval technology to match kumosenkan. But we can’t hope to fight galra unless we know there isn’t a knife waiting for us.”

Rufus shifted around a bit, aligning his kilt as he did to keep it from looking wavy and a mess. “It won’t be long, they’ll be here. They’ve stretched their tendrils into touli. Nadras, reseria, granuras even arema for its rather bland position. If UKUG falls, are you really strong enough to fight that? When the world burns and Kumo stands alone in its tundra empire will there even be a slim enough chance to survive? I know the propaganda answer, the one you wanna give me. Just like I the propaganda to sell you we’d be fine without kumosenkan but it wouldn’t be truth. We’d condemn generations unborn to those lies. To pride, to honor and its misbegotten value.”

Rufus let it sink a bit, he wasn’t going to try and overwhelm Reito but he needed to get his point across, “there is more, it’s not enough for us to cease this invisible struggle. We need to open trade again.”

[Sophie]

Reito opened her mouth to speak, but Rufus cut her off at the heel as he said, "I know the propaganda answer." Then the suggestion of trade clocked her across the face. "What you're asking for is beyond the pale." She had to hold herself back from shouting. "I can sell Galra as our one true enemy. I can sell calling you off as our enemy. You're asking me to sell you as our ally. When you've just gone and set up an alliance against us. You even snaked a nation we considered a friend out from under us to join you as you sit behind closed doors and malign us as the pinnacle of evil. If you want an inch, you're going to have to give us a mile, and you're asking for a lot more than an inch."

[Greywall]

Rufus grinned, “I know your mother and staff do their best, but they’ll never tell you what I’m about to. This is a dangerous game, leading a nation. Consider everything done thus far a free lesson. I do everything to place my people first in what is at that time the best decision. Your mother moved pieces on the board, I simply reacted, the biggest mistake in this game is assuming you have only one opponent Reito. Never forget that, even those you have among your own.”

Rufus started to feel cottonmouthed wondering he could bother Reito for tea or at the least water but continued on, “the mile I could give is this, tariff free trade, consumer goods to feed your economy. Cricon has enough food to feed Kumo and you can lower food taxes on Elenria to win more support there. We can also offer aerial technology we have developed. Small olive branch but it’s a start.”

[Sophie]

Reito smiled back. "I do have only one enemy and she is not in this room." She paused. "I asked you for a mile, and you just offered me thirty leagues. You may think me a novice, but I have been groomed for this position for as long as I've been alive. My mother still lingers over my shoulder and guides my every move. There are a lot of pieces on my board that you can't see, I know the same is true for you. If you're giving me enough pieces to make this move, what are you getting out of it?"

[Greywall]

Rufus have a hearty laugh, the young Kumo was as sharp as her mother. “Very good empress, you’re a good opponent. The empire will do well under you. As for what I get, I have obligations to my people. To put them in the best place possible but if I’m honest, selfishly…it was to protect my daughter. Colleen. She’s no older than you are, and I’m doing what I can to give her a better world to enter in when she turns of age to be queen.”

Rufus had his thoughts and sight turn to a corner of the room that was dark and his tone shifted significantly, “but there is something coming, something bad. And if we aren’t ready, the gods will watch as we drown in the coming tempest. And dammit Reito, we are not ready.” There was a new emotion brought into the room, something Reito would see for the first time since this man entered the room. It wasn’t there when he came in before people twice his size, hell the empress dwarfed him and he had to look up at her, it wasn’t when he arrived at the bay. No. This, was fear, genuine fear. Rufus had that animal instinct in him screaming. He could not win against what Galra was building, it told him to flight not fight. And Reito would now hear it in his voice.