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Post by alxeu on Sept 8, 2022 12:15:04 GMT -5
It had been some time since a summit of the diplomats and leaders of the Entente alliance, but given recent events in Touli that had seen Galran intervention, the concerns over the continued construction of the direct rail route to Galra, and a desire to refocus the alliance towards the foreign policy dilemmas it faced, the Lusatian government proposed a new conference between the Entente powers at the Jzedian capital of Miklasgrad.
The following messages were sent to their respective recipients:
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Post by Greywall on Sept 11, 2022 10:01:20 GMT -5
Taoiseach O'Donnell was overlooking the progress of the UKUG military developing its new tech and the construction of the new light carriers when he received the invitation. He sent a letter informing his majesty King Rufus McDonald and began preparation to leave for Miklasgrad. He would see to it personally, wearing his usual dark black attire and trimming up his mustache to reflect his rigid appearance. He would leave via a UKUG destroyer and have a small honor guard of Black Cloaks.
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Post by alxeu on Nov 17, 2022 16:32:15 GMT -5
The Shah replied to the Lusatian invitation in affirmation, and confirmed that he would be arriving by the Imperial Train.
The splendid engine, the pinnacle of Seleucideni innovation (built in Ulster-Gaelia), carried the train along the broad lines to the Lusatian border, and then through Jzegrad to Miklasgrad. With him in the train was a handful of loyal guardsmen and the head of the Seleucideni Army. Arriving at the city's grand station, they were hosted at the Miklasgrad Central Grand Hotel, waiting for the day the full meeting would occur.
Once the first day of the Entente Conference arrived, the new Lusatian Prime Minister, Feliks Komorowski, along with Foreign Minister Stefan Kaminski (one of the few holdovers from the Pulaski Ministry), greeted the Ulster-Gaelians and the Seleucidenians and welcomed them to a lavish, though small, ballroom where the meeting was to take place. An oval table was situated in the middle of the room with enough chairs for all the diplomatic personnel to take their spots.
The Lusatians took up a spot roughly along a middle section of the table, and the Seleucidenians took a spot to the Lusatians' left, the Gaelians, to the Lusatians' right. Drinks were offered by the small variety of staff available, but once everyone had been given basic service, the staff were filed out and only strictly necessary diplomats and bodyguards were permitted to remain in the room. As everyone settled, the Lusatian Prime Minister spoke first:
"Greetings, friends, and welcome to Miklasgrad. Lusatia is proud to welcome its friends, its allies, to a conference where we can hope to counter the recent activities of those in the world who threaten our peace and prosperity. Though we are, ourselves, not always in agreement, our historical alliances and cooperation, I hope, shall persevere into these coming decades against the 'Evil Union' of Galra, Grinvel, and Verak."
He continued, "I apologize that the King of Lusatia, His Majesty Oskar I, could not attend today's proceedings, even in a ceremonial role, but the King is afflicted by a wasting disease, and has been forbidden to travel by his doctors. That being said, he has sent with us his wishes that our nations may agree on a unified policy and direction to lead our Entente towards future success."
Shah Isidor IV of Seleucidenia nodded along to this opening speech, an expected bit of ceremonial nonsense from the political leadership of his allies. He would grin and bear the ceremonial excesses of this meeting. As long as they backed Seleucidenian modernization and his own... personal plans, he cared not what else happened during this conference.
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Post by Greywall on Nov 20, 2022 7:44:23 GMT -5
O’Donnell nodded in agreement, he had been diligently preparing the royal military for conflict for some time now, he knew the new alliance was a grave threat to the United Kingdom.
His grey eyes floated to the Shah noticing his lack of real interest and it annoyed him. “You seem bored, perhaps you fail to understand the threat?” O’Donnell said in his graveled voice.
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Post by alxeu on Nov 26, 2022 22:06:21 GMT -5
The Shah turned to O'Donnell and scoffed, answering the Gaelian Taoiseach in a polished, if a bit awkwardly formal Lusatian, "Hardly. It is simply that our good friend the Lusatian Prime Minister speaks of things Seleucidenia has been more than well aware of for decades now. I maintain the position that we should've done something about Galra years ago, before they had wizened up to the strength of our arms. Now we find that the fanatical heresiarchs have bought those damnable Grinsky[1] and the Veraki Imperium into their service."
"So forgive me, Taoiseach O'Donnell, if I lack surprise at our current predicament. I have long come to terms with the situation that is now unfolding, and I think it futile to recite the state of the field. I'd rather hear word, for once, of how we are to regain our previous advantages we've now lost."
[1] Grinsky is a Seleucidenian term. It's a derogatory demonym for denizens of Grinvel.
The Lusatians bit their tongues and nervously waited while the Shah coldly lashed out at O'Donnell, but as the Shah finished speaking, Foreign Minister Kaminski interjected before a real argument could begin.
"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your input. We will discuss such matters in due time, I assure you. However, the Prime Minister and I intended for this first day to be a pleasant one full of discussion of trilateral relations rather than defensive talks. We should ensure we all stand together firmly first, before figuring out how we shall all move forward."
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Post by Greywall on Nov 27, 2022 11:35:36 GMT -5
“Bold talk coming from a man who can’t wipe his own ass to a man who knows the horror of war. You wanted us to storm galra, we warned of losing vital shipping control with Kumosenkan and we were left alone to fight that war, now the shipping lanes to touli are contested those lanes shah feed the war machine we need to break this new enemy. You slid into your silk sheets and soft convictions while the Gaelic once again tried to maintain world order, and what you have now some…horde won’t stop the imperial state we learned that in the staol wars and back then we had the Tsardoms of the East to help break the Galran.”
O’Donnell shook his head, “we’re already preparing our military for appropriate response new technologies are being rolled out and last I checked we’re in talks about cross supplying with the Rosarks.”
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Post by alxeu on Nov 27, 2022 23:40:09 GMT -5
The Lusatians could only look on in horror at O'Donnell's words to the Shah, and soon realized they'd be playing fence-menders for the majority of the conference.
The Shah could barely contain his rage, speaking at a tone just below shouting, "Taoiseach, you and your nation know nothing of the life of a true, reigning autocrat. You dare accuse me of leading an easy life? It is by my will, sweat, and blood that my people are dragged from their idle pasts to their present rebirth. Without me, Seleucidenia would rot, doomed to a backwards, inefficient state resembling the kingdoms of centuries past. As it stands, the Seleucidenia of today would be unrecognizable to the Seleucidenia of a decade ago, and though I will concede Seleucidenia's dependence on its allies for this change in the moment, it is through I, alone, that there was will to carry out this modernization."
"Dismiss my reign and my will to lead at your leisure, Taoiseach. At the end of the day, it will be Seleucidenia that stands victorious in the fields across the north, not the Galrans, and so too not the Grinsky."
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Post by Greywall on Nov 28, 2022 12:16:10 GMT -5
O'Donnell laughed, "A comedian this one".
O'Donnell reached into his black coat pulling out a Mil'Nor cigar and lighting it before continuing.
"We have reports that the Galran navy is pushing new technologies, and with the Grinvel navy in their pocket that means the Royal Navy is hopelessly outnumbered. The only strategy we've come up with to counter is carrier fighters and bombers and wage the naval war through means where we don't meet them strength for strength. I propose however Lusatia and the rest of the Entente heavily invest in artillery and Close Air Support fighters. The enemy will be beaten by technology and planning not brute strength."
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Post by alxeu on Nov 28, 2022 23:37:49 GMT -5
The Lusatian Prime Minister took the opportunity to cut in at this moment, "Lusatia's brightest minds are always working to continue improving the precision and range of our artillery. Our joint effort with your nation on anti-aircraft weaponry enabled us to catch deficiencies in our munition manufacturing which means that the quality of shells across a wide variety of our weaponry will be more consistent, if nothing else."
"As for investments in Close Air Support, what we're currently using is about the best we can do. We can't improve the armaments or the airframe without further improvements to the engine. I'll look into authorizing further development spending in that direction."
The Shah, meanwhile, huffed, "These advancements are fine and good, but Seleucidenia lacks the manufacturing base and industrial knowhow to key its industries into your newer, more complicated equipment. I doubt any retooling will be able to produce equipment in quantities capable of equipping the Imperial Army in any significant capacity for the next few years. I'd prefer a commitment to ramping up total production numbers rather than ever newer equipment that Seleucidenia can afford less and less to manufacture. I recognize quality of arms is important, Taoiseach, but those modern armaments mean nothing if they are but schematics. Seleucidenia needs industrial investment to ensure our army is equipped and we don't have the capital to develop that capability alone."
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Post by Greywall on Nov 30, 2022 23:04:58 GMT -5
"And praise Ux Voshoz for you possess allies who can do such, not for free of course, you do still owe us a tidy sum already." O'Donnell blew some smoke before resting the cigar in his mouth turning to the Lusatians, "I can have my people begin working with yours to process and begin the CAS project."
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Post by alxeu on Jan 13, 2023 19:39:28 GMT -5
The Shah retorted, "And you get your regular interest payments, do you not? Seleucidenia's industry is finally starting to take off. It's only a matter of time before we'll be able to pay back everything owed."
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Komorowski nodded at O'Donnell, "That'd be great. With all the rumors coming out of the Sovereign Union, we need to maintain competitive in technology."
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Post by Greywall on Jan 14, 2023 18:31:10 GMT -5
"I'll have paperwork begun the moment we land back in Alba, I agree the Sovereign Union is concerning but lets not forget the costs will eventually be questioned over time." O'Donnell finished his cigar putting it out in a nearby ashtray not paying much attention to the Shah.
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