Gods and Empires

[Lynneth]

The world was in flux. Nations were rising, some falling swiftly, others persevering. To initiate diplomacy at such an early stage was a gamble, though some appeared more stable than others. It was thus that Babylon would be contacted by the Principality in order to begin diplomatic talks.

 

To: Foreign Affairs Department, The Babylonian Empire

From: Principality of Tikal; Directorate of Diplomacy

 

Topic: Diplomatic Meeting

 

Ladies and Gentlemen,

 

it has come to our attention that the Empire of Babylon has risen from the ashes of history like the phoenix of legend.

 

His Eternal Highness, Chak Tok Ich'aak, Unconquered Sun, Ajaw ichil Tikal, would like to invite His Glorious Highness, the God-Emperor of Babylon, Savior of New Babylon - or any representatives He deems worthy - to a conference in our capital city, Dawn and Dusk, in order to discuss our relationship for the future, and perhaps come to an agreement of some sort. Alternatively, the meeting could also be held in Babylon's Halls, if so desired.

 

His Magnificence would be most delighted to receive a positive reply from Your Serene Highness.

 

With great regards

By the authority vested in me by Their Sublime Highnesses

Director of Diplomacy,

Clemente Marroquín Rojas

Principality of Tikal

[Zoot Zoot]

The response would be near instant, accepting the invite to visit Dusk and Dawn, an audience a Son of Sol himself no less. The Imperial throne made the decision to not travel himself, but rather send the mouth of the Emperor, one of three people in the entire Empire who deals directly with the Emperor in person.

 

The mouth was no great General or statesmen or even a war hero, he was simple a man who had gained the trust of the God Emperor through decades of loyalty and service.

 

The flight would be a long one and on arrival, he had no idea what to expect.

[Lynneth]

As the plane slowly dropped beneath the thick clouds, skyscrapers, pyramids and obelisks slowly came into view. Their exterior was deliberately kept to look like the buildings of old, some pyramids even with plants and vines growing along their sides and stairs. Though it was an artificial city and recently constructed, care had been taken so it was not evident, inspired by both the ancient city of Tikal, and Tenochtitlan.
 
Upon arrival on the international airport near the capital, the Mouth would be received by a small delegation, mostly honour guards of the Ba'ate'xib, Tikal's finest. They were led by a heavily augmented female, wearing the emblem of both Sun and Moon, signifying her great importance in the grand Scheme of Things.
 

She bowed deeply. "Welcome to the Principality of Tikal, o Mouth of Babylon. I am T'aan Xochitl Necalli, Messenger of Sun and Moon. I hope very much that your flight was pleasant. For the duration of your visit, I and these Ba'ate'xib shall accompany you during the short journey to the meeting in a personal craft."

She had raised herself upright by then, the right arm making a sweeping gesture loosely pointing behind her, where a VTOL was standing, ready to take off for the short journey. "I hope you do not mind, but it is the most reliable, fastest and safest method of transport available in all the Principality."
 

Edited May 24, 2014 by Lynneth

[Zoot Zoot]

"My flight was pleasent, it was long, but pleasent T'aan Necalli. I trust the second leg of the journey will be far faster than the flight from New Babylon" he responded with a smile, also bowing deeply.

 

"I am Ettu Gemegishkirihallat, Mouth of Babylon and voice of the Holy Emperor for it is too pure to be heard by those he does not trust. He however, does send his deepest regrets that he cannot attend personally this meeting, but pressing matters concerning Turkey have arisen that required his personal attention. As an apology for this, he has seen fit to give the gift of the Golden Cradle. The Golden Cradle is a solid gold cradle, it is a reminder of the dawn of civilisation, and it signifies good health and prosperity for your people."

[Lynneth]

"It is of course most understandable that the grave matters in Turkey take precedence over this humble meeting. In the Name of the Unconquered Sun and the All-Illuminating Moon, I and Tikal thank you and Babylon for this most generous of gifts, and humbly accept it." Again she bowed, this time less deeply, signifying gratitude. She then motioned for Ettu and whatever guards he had brought to follow her, speaking while they walked.
 
"I deeply hope that your visit to our ascendant nation will be fruitful and enjoyable, however long or short you may decide for it to be, Ettu." Within the next hours, the Cradle would be removed from the plane with great care.
 
Soon enough they were at the VTOL. The craft was spacious enough for both delegations and then some. There also were large, holographic windows on the sides showing a great view of whatever the craft was passing by. The journey itself didn't take long, less than ten minutes to get from the airport to the capital itself.
 

Dusk and Dawn was a young city with old, even ancient roots. built in a valley with steep, almost cliff-like sides, it often was shrouded in fog, though the tallest spires broke through the 'ceiling' into clear air. And even on the ground, the sun always was bright enough for plants to grow in abundance.

The aircraft approached the very tallest of the pyramids, a behemoth both steeper and reaching higher than the Pyramid of Cheops, also known as the Great Pyramid of Giza. After it landed on a helipad that appeared as if hewn into the artificial mountain's side, Xochitl ushered Ettu and his entourage out of the craft and towards the entrance.

The inside of the pyramid was completely opposite to the exterior. Whereas the outside looked like it could've come straight from the 7th or 8th century, the height of the Maya Empire, the interior was obviously far more modern and technological, though the extravagant art style used by the Maya persisted throughout.

Less than a minute of further walking and at least 2 levels lower, they entered the small conference room. On one side, swarms of fish appeared to be swimming in a quite sizeable aquarium, while the other side of the room showed a view from the peak of the pyramid. Both were likely holographic windows.
 

At the table, right hand on the backrest of his chair, stood the Prince of Tikal, smiling at the emissary from Babylon.

"Welcome to the Principality of Tikal. I am Prince Chak Tok Ich'aak, also known as the Unconquered Sun and many others. Please, Ettu Gemegishkirihallat, Mouth of Babylon and Voice of the God-Emperor, have a seat." He gestured to the chairs at the table, offering Ettu to sit on any one.

Necalli and the guards silently moved to the far side of the room, guarding from there.

[Zoot Zoot]

Ettu would bow deeply before standing straight and addressing the Prince.

 

'An honour to meet you Unconquered Sun." he replied, moving to the seat offered to him.

 

'To what do I owe the pleasure of being invited to your halls Prince Ich'aak. I must first compliment before you begin however, on the deception Tikal has over the naked eye. To those unfamiliar with your lands, it would seem you live in the past, but once past the facade..." he finished.

 

"Truely remarkable. Your lands are as beautiful as your engineers are skilled." he said finally as a compliment.

[Lynneth]

"I gladly accept your compliments. Tikal has had some time to work on its self-portrayal to the world, and we feel that a little deception like this keeps those who would see themselves as our enemies on their toes." Sitting down, the holographic interface of the table activated, showing a map of the world - flat on the table for now.

 

"Now, for the reason that I invited you into these halls, it's rather simple. Tikal and Babylon are both powers ascendant in their respective regions of the globe. In order to facilitate growth and peace, I would like to propose that our nations work together, and begin a positive relationship here, today." The map flickered momentarily, resolving into a slowly spinning globe hovering above the table, Babylon and Tikal marked in green on the blue-ish sphere.

 

"Of course it would be hasty to immediately propose a defense pact or something of the sort - I'm sure you agree with me on that. Instead, I would like to propose a treaty that would commit both of our nations to free trade and encourage further cooperation as our bonds strengthen over time. Then, at a later time, we can meet again in order to discuss further options. What do you say?"

[Zoot Zoot]

"I can agree to that, it sounds sensible and proportionate. What about a non-aggression pact as well?" said Ettu, getting comfortable in his seat.

 

"What goods does Tikal trade in? I imagine they are items of technological value."

[Lynneth]

"A pact of non-aggression would be quite desirable, in fact." The Prince nodded with a smile.

 

"In regards to goods, you're quite right that a considerable part is high-tech goods such as smartphones or holograph-projectors. We do, however, also export food - though it has to be classed gene-food in most other countries - or oil. Some of the only things we in fact import are rare earths, iron and other products of mining efforts. Most of the products leaving Tikal are finished goods of some sort."

[Zoot Zoot]

"Out of interest, what are the military applications of holograph projectors? I mean in terms of data analysis/information projection and interactivity? In regards to everything else I am satisfied that a free trade agreement would be beneficial to both our states. This, tied in with a non aggression pact certainly sets the ground for a profitable relationship between New Babylone and Dusk and Dawn." replied Ettu, pulling out a cigarette.

 

"Do you mind if I smoke?"

 

"I do have another question, I was going to keep it to myself until I was satisfied it could be answered. Your Highness, to what extent does Tikal have the ability to preserve life through medical science?"

[Lynneth]

"Out of interest, what are the military applications of holograph projectors? I mean in terms of data analysis/information projection and interactivity? In regards to everything else I am satisfied that a free trade agreement would be beneficial to both our states. This, tied in with a non aggression pact certainly sets the ground for a profitable relationship between New Babylone and Dusk and Dawn." replied Ettu, pulling out a cigarette.

"The projectors are in essence more advanced touchscreen monitors. They can be set to be a haptic interface with the press of a button, permitting faster and cleaner access to displayed information. Anything else is a question of programming and computing power. If you use bad software, the most advanced tools cannot help improve things. If you use too weak processors, the programs can't be executed. I hope that is a satisfying answer?

"Now, to sum things up: A treaty of free trade, non-aggression, and a commitment for further cooperation and deepening the friendship between our nations."

On the table appeared a standard treaty with the appropriate clauses, including one to share sensitive information if deemed vital to the other's security, and one to permit cancellation 72 hours after a warning was given. All in all it was pretty standard.

"If you feel this draft to be good, I'll have it printed to be signed."

"Do you mind if I smoke?"

Ich'aak shrugged. "Feel free." He was no smoker, himself, but was indifferent to others sabotaging their own lungs, long as they were courteous about it like Ettu.

"I do have another question, I was going to keep it to myself until I was satisfied it could be answered. Your Highness, to what extent does Tikal have the ability to preserve life through medical science?"

"Hmm. Well, it's not exactly preserving life - but some scientists have recently found a way to reverse the process of ageing in non-human mammals. They're still testing whether the same or similar methods will work on humans, but we do have the technology, in theory. I suppose what we have right now would even be enough to keep a person from dying for as long as the associated apparatus was active. Why do you ask?"

[Zoot Zoot]

"The projectors are in essence more advanced touchscreen monitors. They can be set to be a haptic interface with the press of a button, permitting faster and cleaner access to displayed information. Anything else is a question of programming and computing power. If you use bad software, the most advanced tools cannot help improve things. If you use too weak processors, the programs can't be executed. I hope that is a satisfying answer?

"Now, to sum things up: A treaty of free trade, non-aggression, and a commitment for further cooperation and deepening the friendship between our nations."

On the table appeared a standard treaty with the appropriate clauses, including one to share sensitive information if deemed vital to the other's security, and one to permit cancellation 72 hours after a warning was given. All in all it was pretty standard.

"If you feel this draft to be good, I'll have it printed to be signed."

Ich'aak shrugged. "Feel free." He was no smoker, himself, but was indifferent to others sabotaging their own lungs, long as they were courteous about it like Ettu.

"Hmm. Well, it's not exactly preserving life - but some scientists have recently found a way to reverse the process of ageing in non-human mammals. They're still testing whether the same or similar methods will work on humans, but we do have the technology, in theory. I suppose what we have right now would even be enough to keep a person from dying for as long as the associated apparatus was active. Why do you ask?"

 

Ettu would sign the printed copy of the treaty before pushing it back across the table.

 

Taking a long pull on his newly lit cigarette, he was silent for a moment, contemplating his next line of questioning.

 

"The God Emperor is, when it comes down to it, a man. A mortal whos life will come to an end. What is the quality of life on one of your machines? can they still communicate? are they conscious? mobile?"

[Lynneth]

Once Ettu had signed the treaty, the Prince did the same, afterwards handing it to one of the guards in the room. This original would be placed in a secure vault, while a near-perfect duplicate would at a later time be given to the Babylonian, to take home as proof of this meeting. Another duplicate would be displayed in a public building near the palace, so that all citizens may see who the nation had treaties with.

 

But that would happen later.

 

Right now, a question needed answering.

"I, hm. To be honest with you, we have not yet tested the technology in this capacity. We do not know what the subject will feel or be capable of doing. No research in that regard has been done as of yet, as we concentrated more on reversing the process instead of stalling it. But, with the right preparation and technology, hmm."

The Prince went silent for a time, the table on his side flickering as he worked his way through some things that the Babylonian couldn't see well, if at all from this angle. He was muttering to himself in his native language. After some time, a smile began spreading on his face. "Yes, that should, and... Hm." He nodded to himself after several minutes. Flicking his wrist, a hologram of a throne appeared above the table.

 

"He would be confined to it. Unable to move much, if at all. He would be within a hardened glass dome, its interior filled with a highly specialised atmosphere to allow the machine's work to happen. But, He would still be conscious, and able to communicate with those around him. The machinery around him would be massive. Perhaps the size of a warehouse. It would require a stupendous amount of power, though we could negotiate the inclusion of a Harmony Core. This should even help a little, what with the Cores having very special properties.

 

"The whole thing would only be a temporary solution, however. He would only need to stay within it until the time that Tikal's scientists finally break open this secret and discover eternal youth for Man. Then, he could truly live forever. Without a gargantuan machine to keep him alive."

Edited May 29, 2014 by Lynneth

[Zoot Zoot]

Right now, a question needed answering.

"I, hm. To be honest with you, we have not yet tested the technology in this capacity. We do not know what the subject will feel or be capable of doing. No research in that regard has been done as of yet, as we concentrated more on reversing the process instead of stalling it. But, with the right preparation and technology, hmm."

The Prince went silent for a time, the table on his side flickering as he worked his way through some things that the Babylonian couldn't see well, if at all from this angle. He was muttering to himself in his native language. After some time, a smile began spreading on his face. "Yes, that should, and... Hm." He nodded to himself after several minutes. Flicking his wrist, a hologram of a throne appeared above the table.

 

"He would be confined to it. Unable to move much, if at all. He would be within a hardened glass dome, its interior filled with a highly specialised atmosphere to allow the machine's work to happen. But, He would still be conscious, and able to communicate with those around him. The machinery around him would be massive. Perhaps the size of a warehouse. It would require a stupendous amount of power, though we could negotiate the inclusion of a Harmony Core. This should even help a little, what with the Cores having very special properties.

 

"The whole thing would only be a temporary solution, however. He would only need to stay within it until the time that Tikal's scientists finally break open this secret and discover eternal youth for Man. Then, he could truly live forever. Without a gargantuan machine to keep him alive."

 

"I want one ordered and delivered to the Imperial Palace as soon as possible, it pays to be prepared for the worst at all times your Highness, whilst his Holiness is not expected to be struck down by an ailment or assassin, better to be safe than sorry. I trust that discretion will be of the highest matter?"

 

Ettu finished his cigarette, stubbed out the butt in a special, custom compartment on his belt before tucking it away in a second compartment. He would throw them in the nearest bin when he left.

 

"I have another thing I wish to discuss. What can you tell me about your nations history and culture, its political views and goals?"

[Lynneth]

"I want one ordered and delivered to the Imperial Palace as soon as possible, it pays to be prepared for the worst at all times your Highness, whilst his Holiness is not expected to be struck down by an ailment or assassin, better to be safe than sorry. I trust that discretion will be of the highest matter?"

"We will do our best to fulfil your request, and to keep anyone from finding out what we deliver when we do it. I expect that the machine can be ready for delivery within six months. Any faster and it would be faulty in ways we could not predict."
 

Ettu finished his cigarette, stubbed out the butt in a special, custom compartment on his belt before tucking it away in a second compartment. He would throw them in the nearest bin when he left.
 
"I have another thing I wish to discuss. What can you tell me about your nations history and culture, its political views and goals?"

"Views and goals can shift over time, but at the time, Tikal's main concerns are to re-assert its position in the aether, and to protect the Americas from imperialism and colonialism of foreign nations. Further, we plan to bring the regions we had under our secure control before the great war back into the fold, relying not on machines of war but diplomacy.

"In regards to our history and culture, some of that you might know. The history of the Maya begins centuries before the Spaniards came and devastated this continent's civilisations. The city-state of Tikal was the greatest of its kind in the Yucatan region, and from it we took our name to honour the ancestors.

"Now, the history of the Principality is more recent, though considering how isolationist we were, it's not too surprising that only few know any details. The nation originated from a revolution against the old government of the USCA, or United States of Central America. It was a corrupt state, overwhelmed by factionalism. After the revolution, which luckily was short and relatively blood-less, I and my wife managed to make our way to the top of the hierarchy. From there, we re-shaped the old society into a better one, where everyone has their place. The society that you see today in Tikal, where everyone's goal is to keep the Harmony that has been established going."

[Zoot Zoot]

'Six months is excellent Son of Sol. That all sounds fascinating. The world could learn alot from Tikal your Highness. Is there anything else you wish to discuss?"

[Lynneth]

"That would be all from me. With this, I believe the meeting has concluded. It's been a great pleasure conversing with you, Mouth of Babylon."