The Best of the Worst (Franerre-UKUG Diplo)

[Greywall]

“6,000 tons of silver and 8.5 million” she replied back expecting the haggle.

[callmedelta]

"5,500 tons and 8 million Parian."

[Greywall]

“Deal.” She extended her hand to shake on it

[callmedelta]

Robin took the outstretched hand, sealing it.

[callmedelta]

Four Days of Chaos - Gaelia

Esrellia 13th, 2:42 p.m. Pareau, Franerre/9:42 p.m. Baile Glas, United Kingdom of Ulster-Gaelia

Ambassador Gaumont looked out the window overlooking the entrance to the Embassy. Despite the late hour, a car had pulled up outside the Embassy. It was a little dark, but it looked like it was a taxi. A figure stepped outside and shook at the gate. Normally there would be someone on duty to let them in, but almost everybody except Gaumont was out enjoying the evening at a local pub. The only reason he was still in was because he had a report to finish writing up.

Sighing, Gaumont slid his coat on and walked out sight, curious as to exactly who would be arriving this late. It was too early for anyone to be coming back, but much too late for any proper business to be done. The Ambassador soon got his answer. It was Felix, the liaison to the local telegram office who was in charge of handling any incoming or outgoing messages to Pareau. Felix turned to Gaumont, waving a piece of paper and shouting, “Gaumont! Thank God you’re in this late. You-you’ve got to read this.”

Gaumont yawned as he drew close to the gate. “What could be so important that it had to be done this late at night, Felix?”

“Just get over here and read this damn telegram!”

“Alright, alright, I’m-“ yawn “-I’m coming, just give that to me.” Gaumont snatched the paper from Felix, reading it in the pale glow of the electric light on the gate.

FRANERRE AMBASSADOR ONLY STOP

GIVE THEM TELEGRAM AS SOON AS POSSIBLE STOP

KUMO THREATENING WAR UNLESS CEDE ELENERRE IN MONTH STOP

INFORM GAELIANS OF SITUATION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE STOP

ATTEMPT TO GAIN GAELIAN SECURITY GUARANTEES STOP

AMBASSADOR R G HAS BLANK CHECQUE AUTHORIZED BY KING STOP

ANY MAJOR AGREEMENTS MUST PASS NAT CHAMBER STOP

FRANERRE GLORIA STOP
Gaumont shoved the telegram in his pocket, fishing out a pair of keys and unlocking the gate. “Felix, stay here and hold down the fort,” Gaumont said, tossing him the keys. He opened the door of the taxi, sliding in the back seat, reaching into his wallet and handing a fistful of cash to the driver. “Get me to the Foreign Ministry building as fast as you can. God I hope they’re still open this late.”

~

Esrellia 13th, 2:52 p.m. Pareau, Franerre/9:52 p.m. Baile Glas, United Kingdom of Ulster-Gaelia

The taxi pulled to a stop outside of the Gaelian Foreign Ministry building.

[Greywall]

Ambassador Murphy was enjoying a cup of warm cider when she was told by her assistant of the Frannerri's arrival, she set up her office and wrote down her request for overtime that should have to turn in. She was due for a long five day holiday anyway and could use the extra money for shopping in the Northern highlands.

"Welcome Gaumont, what brings you here at this late hour? I'd offer you something to drink but all I have is water and some cider left over. Most of the embassy staff have gone home for the day."

[callmedelta]

Gaumont's brow was slick with sweat, hand still clasped around the crushed telegram in his pocket. "I'm sorry to ruin your evening, Murphy, but Kumo and Franerre are going to be at war in a month's time," Gaumont said, frank. "They're demanding we cede the territory around the city of Elenerre. That's eight and a half million Franerri souls, and we can't give that up. We have fortifications in the region, and I can't say much about or domestic situation for certain, but with all of our forces in Tafatu I doubt it looks good."

[Greywall]

Murphy wasn’t the slightest pleased, hearing kumosenkan in any conversation made Gaelics sour their expression into one of annoyance and bitterness.

“I’ll be honest, there’s not much we can do. The UKUG isn’t looking to war the Kumosenkan and we aren’t proper Allies to Frannerre.”

[callmedelta]

Gaumont sputtered. "B-but Franerre and Lusatia are allies?!" he pleaded, "Lusatia may very well come to Franerre's aid, and if they do will you let them head that call alone? Will you really stand by and watch this blatant Kumosenkan expansionism happen right in front of you? What if Kumosenkan doesn't stop at Elenerre? What if they press onward to Franerre? Then Tafatu? Then Noscovo, and Ishu'Madragrad and Ishu'Gaalsia and New Raltera? Do you have any reason to believe Kumosenkan will stop at Franerre?"

[Greywall]

“Lusatia hasn’t said anything to us about it, and I don’t appreciate the accusatory tone. Frannerre had more than adequate opportunities to align itself deeper within the entente but chose the path that led to this incident. It is not our policy to contain Kumo imperialism as we did this before and the world left us to deal with it alone. You will have to figure out your predicament on your own Franneri.”

[callmedelta]

Robin grit his teeth, clenching his fist, before exhaling, letting the tension leak from his body. He had one more argument for the Gaelian. "Don't you see how this would be the perfect opportunity for Gaelia and Franerre to draw closer together? Before this moment your Entente was nothing more than a needless foreign entanglement for Franerre to draw her into a conflict in which she had no purpose, but now is a time to change that. If you protect Franerre here, and the Franerri National Chamber agrees, Franerre can pledge military support against Galran colonies if conflict were to break out between Gaelia and Franerre."

[Greywall]

"This issue unfortunately is if we start conflict with Kumosenkan it could weaken us for Galra who sit perched right across the channel. At most I can present this to Minister McCaig and maybe he'll consider diplomatic pressure to force Kumo to talk instead of war. Otherwise our military assets are shifting their attention more toward the SU."

[callmedelta]

Robin sighed, feeling it all drain out of him. His tone of voice was neutral, though whether that was due to tiredness or something else, Robin himself wasn't even quite sure. "Thank you for your time, Ambassador. Franerre will remember this."

[Greywall]

Murphy's expression soured at the last comment Robin made, "Tread carefully, I could interpret that as a threat and do not forget, while we aren't what we once were Ulster-Gaelia is still a major global power. I'd advise different dialogue next time and will treat this as simply your anxiety getting the best of you."

[callmedelta]

'Whether it was hostile or not depends on exactly how much weight your diplomatic pressure is worth,' Robin thought, bitterly.

"I'm sorry, Ambassador," Robin said, chuckling and offering a weak smile, "I didn't mean anything threatening to Gaelia by it. If you can imagine, this situation is pretty anxiety-inducing. Hopefully I won't need to learn to control myself better in situations like this." His shoulders sagged as Robin made his way to the door, sighing.