Lestari

[quote name='Isaac MatthewII' timestamp='1348178902' post='3032446'] Someone is on the take everything too seriously train today. [/quote] I wouldn't mind if it were in any way funny. It's not. It's just annoying. :v I already have to see the dumb conservative vitriol every time I pass by the Boiler Room, let's keep CNRP discussions free of it, shall we?

[quote name='Isaac MatthewII' timestamp='1348178634' post='3032442'] Or that socialist idiot (Obama) [/quote] Isaac, kindly take your snide political !@#$%^&* to the boiler room where it belongs, or stay on topic here.

[quote name='PresidentDavid' timestamp='1348178105' post='3032435'] Also I don't name them because they and everyone else knows who they are. The same reason why Devil is said instead of Lucifer, or "You-know-who" instead of Lord Voldemort [/quote] You don't say You Know Who because everyone knows who Voldemort is. You say You Know Who 'cause if you say Voldemort he'll find you and go avada kedavra on yo ass. Anyway, generally speaking, I'm more than a little fed up with the people who toss about accusations that the anti pre planning folks are also somehow anti 'decent roleplay' or something. They're not. Most people, including the anti preplanners, just want a good RP environment. I disagree that removing all semblance of pre-planning will provide that environment myself and I feel that to take it out entirely and refuse entirely to reform it instead will be detrimental to a cooperative roleplay experience, but Isaac, to say that Centurius, or Domingo, opposes pre planning just so they can go lolwar is false, detrimental to the pro pre-planning argument and, indeed, blind.

Shortly after receiving the responce, Isabel sent back another--a terse reply, nothing altogether elabourate, stating merely that she of course understood that the feelings of the people of former Maranhão and provincial Pará were foremost. She let the president know that she would be at Zocalo in three days time--practically wanted to set off right that very moment, but she forced herself to exercise patience, that most difficult of virtues, one she was still in the process of truly mastering. And in the meantime, she returned to the Capital Building, met with her cabinet, informed them of her decision and sought to meet specifically with each Director to receive a comprehensive update on the situation with regards to each and every department's domain--education, economy, military. If indeed it came about that old Pará and Maranhão chose unity with the Republic, it would have ground breaking implications and consequences for every department. Most of them, Isabel felt certain, beneficial to both the people of those two former provinces and to the Republic on the whole. Three days of discussion and tireless dialogue amongst the Premier and her cabinet went by in a haze of statistics, projections, estimates, and simple, hopeful anticipations, once hollow, now truly possible. Armed with up to date, in depth information from all angles of the situation, Premier Vieira embarked to Mexico to meet with Rita Torregrosa, arriving soon after in Zocalo...

[quote name='PresidentDavid' timestamp='1348174386' post='3032409'] Dotcom I know it seems so odd that they are radically just trying to get ride of a rule half of the community supports or at least wants edited however you have to look at their motives. The rule was made so people could work things out and have discussion before the conflict (in addition it gave you mental preparation for the war since most people in the community do not like fighting lolwars that have no justification). The proble is that Some of the people who want to get rid of it only want to do so because they play the game not to RP but just for the fun of rolling/trolling others - disregarding what they may want to RP or do and only looking at their own ideas of "right" and "wrong". Preplanning agrivates them because it delays their terroristic fun of destroying others for a little while. Of course not everyone who is against the rule is like that, but some are. I hope that opened your eyes a bit because it took me a while to notice who the RPers were and who the trolls were inthe community. [/quote] Um yeah, I know that. Everyone knows that. Some of the people opposed to pre planning just don't want to deal with cooperative roleplay. The reason for that is that some of the people who support pre planning just want to use it as a way of AVOIDING cooperative roleplay if it involves a war against them. Both sides have a decent case. The problem is that one side wants to work out a solution that will be agreeable to all, and the other side does nothing but !@#$%* and groan about the horrific atrocity that is preplanning.

[quote name='Lynneth' timestamp='1348150818' post='3032264'] This is childish. I can only shake my head at this. [/quote] Pretty much my reaction. How many times have people said try !@#$@#$ reforming the goddamn system instead of flat out getting rid of it without even trying?

[URL=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/201/srslyg.jpg/][IMG]http://imageshack.us/a/img201/9338/srslyg.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

[quote name='Lynneth' timestamp='1347753123' post='3030587'] I have a [b]counterproposal[/b]. Punish those who excessively abuse the preplanning system by booting them from it, making that single player, for a duration determined by GMs, completely free-game, no preplanning at all required. [/quote] Agreed.

[quote name='Markus Wilding' timestamp='1347587261' post='3029908'] It's been said plenty of times before. The fact that it's labeled "Fantasy RP" and not "CNRP" should be obvious enough. [/quote] Are you aware, Markus, that you can in fact post in the OOC thread without being a pompous dick?

Isabel had felt she was not wrong in anticipating the effects of the recent economic pact signed with Colombia--that it would alleviate some of the recent hardships that had befallen the Paráense economy was certainly beyond question. But would it be enough? The immediate answer was that it wouldn't be--not with the continuing overpopulation of the nation's population centres. It should not, in retrospect, have been a surprise. Pará was not an ideal population centre in and of itself, with more than half the nation swallowed up by the Amazon; and yet, having been one of few relatively safer havens during the old Civil War (due, in large part, one may have taken pause to note, the very same former rebel leaders who now comprised the Paráense government) refugees had flocked to the little province, quickly clogging up those few parts of Pará which were not already clogged up by the uncompromising, ever-present mistress that was the Amazon Rainforest. Even taking into account the eventual dispersion of those former refugees into other lands following the end of the War and the days of the Lunar Republic, Pará had never quite 'recovered', were that term to be deemed appropriate, from that initial massive influx of immigrants. And now, as an independent nation, that was devastating Pará, socially and economically, more than ever. If this problem was to be fixed fully, more steps would need to be taken. Economic pacts were not enough. Encouraging foreign business and capital wouldn't do the trick. Pará needed more land. Isabel had intended to set up a meeting with representatives of what had then been the Umbrella Commonwealth, to discuss the potential purchase of land that wasn't, y'know, eaten up almost completely by inhospitable rainforest. Unfortunate, then, it had been, that this problem had come to bear on the still-nascent nation at a most inopportune time--that is, coinciding with the rise of an insurrection in Umbrella that Isabel...preferred not to think about anymore. It was dead and gone and done with, but sadly, it had taken the Umbrella Commonwealth down with it, leaving the entire nation to seek governance from the nation of Mexico. Shortly after, Mexico obliged, and with that, vast tracts of South America became Mexican protectorate. And the difficulties plaguing Pará persisted. Today that would come to an end. Isabel had only just returned from the coast at Castanhal, from her meeting with Lorenzo Barrachos of Colombia, returned to the humble little house that she alone called home. And yet the only reason she'd even stopped there in the first place as opposed to simply venturing onwards to the Capitol Building to meet with her cabinet--perhaps to inquire with General Vara as to the status of the recent galvanisation and modernisation of the armed forces, perhaps to discuss with Dr. Marconi her plans for the Paráense education system in the wake of the estimated effects of the recent economic agreement with Colombia--was that there was a letter that needed to be sent, and it needed to be sent as soon as possible. No time to meet with the cabinet, and certainly not so much as a second to waste on repose. It was about time for Pará to get on the whole 'meeting with Mexico' fad that had seemed all the rage in foreign affairs not long ago. Late to the party, but she could think of no more opportune and certainly no more vital time for it than now. And so it was that she composed the communiqué and sent it--at short notice, surely, and hastily composed, but it was more necessary now than ever. [quote]To: José Eduardo Calzada Rovirosa, President of the United Mexican States From: Isabel Vieira, Premier of the Federativa República do Pará Good afternoon, Mister Rovirosa, I hope this letter finds both you and the people of Mexico in a prosperous and healthy state, as well as the people of the protectorate you have recently taken under your wing in the aftermath of the recent collapse of the Umbrellan government to insurrection and violence. Indeed, it is largely with regards to this protectorate that the subject of this letter pertains. Geography wise, what with the vast majority of the land dominated by impenetrable rainforest, Pará has never been a location favourable for rapid and widespread population expansion, and yet it is exactly that sort of recent population explosion, and the resulting overpopulation that has devastated Pará socially and economically, that has necessitated that I request to meet with representatives of the United States of Mexico to negotiate the possibility of purchasing neighbouring lands currently protected by Mexico. Namely, the rest of the old province of Pará, and Maranhão. I do not ask this lightly, for I am aware of the drastic effects such changes inevitably have on the citizens of the lands in question, but I also feel it wholly possible that, if I may be so bold, the populace of Maranhão and Pará may themselves be in support of unity with the Republic of Pará, as historically Brazilian provinces with very similar cultures and outlooks. This, however, I cannot myself gauge--that much can only be determined by Mexico, should you be willing to negotiate this matter. I merely wish to know if the possibility is even on the table. I anticipate your reply with great hope that it may bring the news necessary to solve the crisis Pará faces today. Sincerely, Isabel Vieira[/quote]

[quote name='Kankou' timestamp='1347306559' post='3029028'] [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bZkp7q19f0"]Imagine Triyun in this music video[/url]. [/quote] mind=broken

"We have enough housing for the evacuees, I believe," Barrachos replied. "But any daily supplies that you can dispatch our way is greatly appreciated. Now, in terms of further strategic cooperation," he continued with a smile. "We'd be willing to perform joint exercises if you would like, and we might be able to provide some environments that Pará does not have, such as mountainous terrain. We have some extensive training grounds for such endeavours, and would be willing to allow you to train with our own troops there." The Paráense premier nodded with a grateful smile. "That would be most appreciated. In fact, I think this puts the relationship between Colombia and Pará off to an excellent start. If you'll give me a moment, I'll draft up an official agreement...mostly, it's just for the records." Isabel'd never been a big fan of the necessity of officiating treaties--felt that, in an honest relationship between two nations, a handshake agreement should have sufficed, at least for things like this. Alas. The world didn't altogether work the way Isabel would have liked it to work. An unfortunate fact she was reminded of every time she so much as glanced to the international news...but such wishful thinking was useless, and irrelevant, quite irrelevant... She had the document drafted up in mere moments, outlining all the tenets and points she and Barrachos had agreed upon before handing the completed accord to Barrachos to look over and approve at his discretion.

"I would be happy to see a foreign exchange program between our two nations," Barrachos agreed with a nod. "We would be happy to open our colleges and universities to students from Pará, and to also be able to send students of our own to your own institutions. Such programs would definitely foster educational benefits as well as possibly raise scientific and research output and exchanges between universities, which can only be mutually beneficial in the end." He leaned back in his chair, mulling over further proposals for a moment, before continuing. "To foster some strategic cooperation, we would also be willing to do foreign armed forces personnel exchanges and joint training exercises between our two nations. I'm not sure where you stand on such a proposal? And as for assistance in Delta Amacuro--" he added. "Any humanitarian supplies that can be gathered, daily essentials for instance, even something as small as toothbrushes and toothpaste for daily hygienic needs, would be appreciated. We were lucky that more people were not displaced by the nuclear fallout, but with hundreds of thousands of people still living in semi-permanent camps, it still presents a massive logistics and supply issue for our country." "In that case, I will see to it that within the coming weeks, the people of Delta Amacuro will receive those supplies they need. And if housing is an issue, that too, I think, we can help with. As to strategic cooperation, that sounds very much agreeable to me." Isabel nodded in concurrence, leaning her elbow on the arm of her chair and leaning her chin on her hand. "Our military is very much still 'in the works', so to speak. In fact, we've been preparing for military exercises in the Amazon ourselves."

"This is a wonderful venue for our meeting," Barrachos mused as they proceeded, eliciting a small smile and a simple responce from Isabel: "I'm glad you think so." And so it was that they were seated. "The reduction of export and import tariffs would certainly foster trade between our two nations," Barrachos answered as his two aides settled down as well. "Although some select goods may still be held at the same tariff rates, as they are considered staple parts of our economic system. We don't want to undermine our own domestic economies and companies by completely wiping away such trade barriers." "Of course," Isabel affirmed with a nod, cursing her inadvertent omission of such a tenet. "We can also streamline outgoing foreign investments made by our companies at our Treasury to help a flow of capital moving into your nation," the Colombian foreign minister continued. "I am sure some Colombian companies would be very interested in expansion abroad to your nation. That said, what kind of agreements would you want to seek beyond just a purely economic agreement? I am sure I could think of a few other propositions, but I would like to hear your own." Isabel paused momentarily to consider this. "At a minimum of sorts, perhaps small steps to encourage goodwill and closeness beyond an economic level--by this I refer to things like foreign exchange programmes to permit Paráense and Colombian students to travel between the two nations and gain a wider cultural perspective, glean a better understanding of our two countries and South America as a whole. And, of course, the offer of assistance in Delta Amacuro still stands."

((I've tried posting the military development section at least three times and each time something got $%&@ed up and it didn't go through. So I'm just not going to bother retyping the long-ass, ten paragraph or such post that I tried to do three times, and I'm just gonna do a list. Deal with it bro.)) [b]Classified[/b] Army Reorganisation: Active Personnel (as of September 6 2012): 13,500 Reserve Personnel (as of September 6 2012): 3,703 Organisation: Supreme Commander Premier Isabel Vieira Chief of Staff General Francisco Vara I Shock Army - CO Lieutenant General Enzo da Caxias -First Regiment (2500) =First Battalion (500) *First Company (100) *Second Company (100) *Third Company (100) *Fourth Company (100) *Fifth Company (100) =Second Battalion (500) *Sixth Company (100) *Seventh Company (100) *Eighth Company (100) *Ninth Company (100) *Ten Company (100) =Third Battalion (500) *Eleventh Company (100) *Twelfth Company (100) *Thirteenth Company (100) *Fourteenth Company (100) *Fifteenth Company (100) =4th Battalion (500) *Sixteenth Company (100) *Seventeenth Company (100) *Eighteenth Company (100) *Nineteenth Company (100) *Twentieth Company (100) =Fifth Battalion (500) *Twenty First Company (100) *Twenty Second Company (100) *Twenty Third Company (100) *Twenty Fourth Company (100) *Twenty Fifth Company (100) II Infantry Regiments -Second Regiment (2500) - CO Colonel Sérgio Nagato =Sixth Battalion (500) *Twenty Sixth Company (100) *Twenty Seventh Company (100) *Twenty Eighth Company (100) *Twenty Ninth Company (100) *Thirtieth Company (100) =Seventh Battalion (500) *Thirty First Company (100) *Thirty Second Company (100) *Thirty Third Company (100) *Thirty Fourth Company (100) *Thirty Fifth Company (100) =Eighth Battalion (500) *Thirty Sixth Company (100) *Thirty Seventh Company (100) *Thirty Eighth Company (100) *Thirty Ninth Company (100) *Fortieth Company (100) =Ninth Battalion (500) *Forty First Company (100) *Forty Second Company (100) *Forty Third Company (100) *Forty Fourth Company (100) *Forty Fifth Company (100) =Tenth Battalion (500) *Forty Sixth Company (100) *Forty Seventh Company (100) *Forty Eighth Company (100) *Forty Ninth Company (100) *Fiftieth Company (100) -Third Regiment (2500) - CO Lieutenant Colonel Ana-Maria Vasquez =Eleventh Battalion (500) *Fifty First Company (100) *Fifty Second Company (100) *Fifty Third Company (100) *Fifty Fourth Company (100) *Fifty Fifth Company (100) =Twelfth Battalion (500) *Fifty Sixth Company (100) *Fifty Seventh Company (100) *Fifty Eighth Company (100) *Fifty Ninth Company (100) *Sixtieth Company (100) =Thirteenth Battalion (500) *Sixty First Company (100) *Sixty Second Company (100) *Sixty Third Company (100) *Sixty Fourth Company (100) *Sixty Fifth Company (100) =Fourteenth Battalion (500) *Sixty Sixth Company (100) *Sixty Seventh Company (100) *Sixty Eighth Company (100) *Sixty Ninth Company (100) *Seventieth Company (100) =Fifteenth Battalion (500) *Seventy First Company (100) *Seventy Second Company (100) *Seventy Third Company (100) *Seventy Fourth Company (100) *Seventy Fifth Company (100) -Fourth Regiment (2500) - CO Lieutenant Colonel Júlio Soares de Nascimento =Sixteenth Battalion (500) *Seventy Sixth Company (100) *Seventy Seventh Company (100) *Seventy Eighth Company (100) *Seventy Ninth Company (100) *Eightieth Company (100) =Seventeenth Battalion (500) *Eighty First Company (100) *Eighty Second Company (100) *Eighty Third Company (100) *Eighty Fourth Company (100) *Eighty Fifth (100) =Eighteenth Battalion (500) *Eighty Sixth Company (100) *Eighty Seventh Company (100) *Eighty Eighth Company (100) *Eighty Ninth Company (100) *Ninetieth Company (100) =Nineteenth Battalion (500) *Ninety First Company (100) *Ninety Second Company (100) *Ninety Third Company (100) *Ninety Fourth Company (100) *Ninety Fifth Company (100) =Twentieth Battalion (500) *Ninety Sixth Company (100) *Ninety Seventh Company (100) *Ninety Eighth Company (100) *Ninety Ninth Company (100) *100 Company (100) -Fifth Regiment (2500) - CO Lieutenant Colonel Carlos Castavet =Twenty First Battalion (500) *101 Company (100) *102 Company (100) *103 Company (100) *104 Company (100) *105 Company (100) =Twenty Second Battalion (500) *106 Company (100) *107 Company (100) *108 Company (100) *109 Company (100) *110 Company (100) =Twenty Third Battalion (500) *111 Company (100) *112 Company (100) *113 Company (100) *114 Company (100) *115 Company (100) =Twenty Fourth Battalion (500) *116 Company (100) *117 Company (100) *118 Company (100) *119 Company (100) *120 Company (100) =Twenty Fifth Battalion (500) *121 Company (100) *122 Company (100) *123 Company (100) *124 Company (100) *125 Company (100) III Paráense Marine Forces Special Operations Regiment - CO Major Michelle Amaral -First Marine Company (250) - CO Captain Alejandra Valverde -Second Marine Company (250) - CO Captain José Viegas -Third Marine Company (250) - CO Captain Álvaro Monteiro -Fourth Marine Company (250) - CO Captain João Alvarez Equipment/Vehicles; Status - Sukhoi Su-25SM--40 units, outfitted and ready for combat Sukhoi Su-25T--10 units, flight-ready, in the process of being outfitted A-10 Thunderbolt--10 units, flight-ready, in the process of being outfitted M1A1 Abrams Main Battle Tank--250 units planned, production currently underway MGM-140 ATACMS Surface-to-Surface Missile System/M270 MLRS Mobile Launch Platforms--75 units planned, production currently underway 9K37 Buk surface-to-air missile system--45 units planned, production currently underway Brown-Water Navy: 14 units Cyclone class coastal patrol ships, construction underway/15 Gepard class fast attack missile boats, construction underway Amazon Tunnel System: Main structure cleared and in active military use; separate sections currently under construction

"Thank you for your support," Barrachos replied, the slightest of smiles emerging unto his countenance. "We currently have enough radiological clean up teams on site in the effected areas, much of our support right now is shifting over to helping provide for displaced citizenry at the moment. Any assistance from them, monetary or material, would be greatly appreciated by our government, and I'd be willing to discuss such things in our meeting." His responce to the second query seemed less than enthusiastic. "The Republic of Greater Colombia," he began, heaving another sigh as beyond the windows of the sedan the scenery shifted from the coastline to the cobblestone path leading to Vila do Castanhal. "...was rather shaken by the sudden departure of the Imperial Commonwealth of Umbrella, the fall of the nation has left a veritable power vacuum in this part of the Southern Hemisphere. Other nations are moving to fill that power vacuum, yet I am not sure if they serve our best interests. Speaking candidly, the Republic of Greater Colombia did not see the Imperial Commonwealth of Umbrella as a member of the Latin American community, it did not acknowledge the past history that these lands hold, it did not reflect the intricacies of this region's politics. From its inception, it slowly came to emulate the Holy American Empire, Latin America has a rich and diverse history, these lands are ones of social and political intrigue. Since the fall of the Holy American Empire, this region has once again been encroached upon and marginalized in the world, the Republic is built on the ideals of past patriotic and nationalistic sentiment, it is what gives our people the extra spring in their step and pride in their hearts. It is an embodiment that wants to see itself perpetuated outwards, we want that kind of similar pride shown by the rest of the members of the Latin American community, we want to see a resurgent Latin American community take its rightful place in Central and South America." His tone had gone from a sigh, a voice of discontentment and disappointment, to one of renewed enthusiasm and energy. Isabel herself found herself nodding in agreement as he spoke, however. After all, were they not the same ideals in whose name Pará had sought independence from the Umbrella Commonwealth in the first place? A united South America, a vision of a community to be an example to the rest of the world. A continent far, far away from the legacy of the Holy American Empire. And the more nations in South America that rallied to that sort of cause, then all the better. Not long ago it had seemed Pará was the only nation with that mindset in a continent dominated by the Umbrella Commonwealth--Neo Roma to the South had seemed to have zero interest whatsoever in a cooperative South America, Edean had hardly engaged in foreign affairs at all, and Gallifrey, one of few sympathetic nations to the cause Pará had sought to lead, had been run off the continent by Umbrella. It seemed the fall of the continent-devouring nation, whilst tragic, bore the potential to usher in a new age for the continent it had once sprawled across. "We want to see the countries of Latin America work together for the better of our region," Barrachos continued. "A strong community that will stand when faced from external threats, that thrives on patriotic sentiment, hard work, and having a firm backbone through the times of hardship. That is what we want for South America--whether or not that becomes a reality is an entirely different question, but it is one that we wish to see nonetheless." Isabel couldn't help but smile as the car slowly came to a stop. Before them lay the vila. "I'm glad we're on the same page, then," she answered succinctly as she opened the door and stepped out into the vila, met with the cool, salt-tinged breath of the sea not far beyond--refreshing, as always, to feel the chilly breeze on her skin, as she led the delegates into the little villa. A humble sort of place, really--by no means anything extravagant but for, perhaps, a simple sort of elegance about it. But then, that had always been what Isabel personally loved about it--its eschewance of the grandiosity and over the top nature that Isabel perceived in many other similar sites was perhaps precisely the reason she had selected it, besides, of course, its pleasant location by the coast. [I]Maybe I'll just continue to host visitors here instead of back in Amazônia,[/I] she mused as they approached the designated meeting room. "I feel, then," she began as they walked. "that it would be important to start, at the very least, with bolstering trade and encouraging business between our two nations. Perhaps the lowering of export and import tariffs on Colombian and Paráense products, encouraging foreign investments and external business contracts..." She pushed open the door that led into the conference room. "And, I hope, agreements to foster cooperation beyond the economic spectrum." And with that, she allowed the three Colombians to be seated before she herself took a seat and looked at the three delegates. "Is this agreeable to you?"

"We in Pará cannot overstate our joy in seeing the rest of Brasil at last claiming independence for its people for the first time since the dominance of the Umbrella Commonwealth across South America. The future for South America is brighter every day--even more so this day with the rise of a renewed Brasil, and it is my great pleasure to be able to welcome Brasil to South America once more." - Isabel Vieira

Barrachos heaved a sigh, which was answer enough for Isabel to know that the situation had not improved much since the last public update from Colombia on the matter. "Well, thank you for asking of the status of those two provinces," the Colombian foreign minister began heavily. "Clean up efforts in Venezuelan Bolivar are taking substantially less longer than Delta Amacuro, and most civilians have been able to return home. Delta Amacuro is a different story--a strong wind, coupled with rains, I understand, helped facilitate a fairly high dispersal of nuclear fallout in Delta Amacuro. The entire province remains evacuated, and will remain that way for longer than we first anticipated. It does not help that Delta Amacuro is a remote area as it is. We will see that the area is returned to its former state, however, no matter how much work it takes, or how long that work takes." Isabel nodded sympathetically. Or at least, in a manner she thought should've come off as sympathetic... [I]Though empathy alone obviously isn't gonna help a whole lot.[/I] "I can only offer my sympathies, and what little assistance Pará can offer to Colombia in returning the people of Delta Amacuro to their homes, if you so wish...that too can be discussed." She glanced for the briefest of seconds out the window of the sedan as it trundled along the road that passed alongside the Castanhal coast, looking out onto the rolling waves of the ocean that gently enveloped the beach before retreating back into the waters. Vila do Castanhal, wherein lay the designated meeting point, was rapidly approaching. And then she turned back to Barrachos. "On the other hand, what are Colombia's priorities on foreign affairs in the rapidly changing political climate of South America? It seems to me that now more than ever, with the fall of arguably the...'dominant power'--" she used the term reluctantly, though it sadly was all too apt a moniker. "--of Umbrella to insurrection, South America needs to become a much closer community."

The two forty five pound weights chained to the belt around Alejandra Valverde, the captain more commonly known, if she really had to be known on a first name basis, as Alex, were determined to drag her back down to the earth--but she'd be damned if she was gonna let herself be proven inferior to some !@#$%-ass force like the goddamn [I]force of gravity[/I]. No, instead she proved [I]she[/I] was the one wearin' the pants in [I]that[/I] relationship. Slowly, arduously, she lifted her three hundred pound bulk, and the two forty five pounders, her clenched teeth the only sign of the strain bearing down on the muscles of her arms as she pulled herself up, up, until her chin yet again surpassed the metal bar, and she allowed herself to, just as slowly, just as arduously, return to a dead hang. And then she continued to repeat the process. The typical [URL=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VNUyjRRjxM]metal assault[/URL] bore down upon her ears from all directions in the training hall--captain's pick of the hour, of course. Around her, the soldiers of the Paráense Marine Forces Special Operations Regiment First Company bustled about the hall, many of them performing similar exercises, others making the mistake of tarrying about in idle chatter, or to watch the captain as she pushed her own body to its bare limits, much like she did every day of her life. Her spit-fire verbal barbs towards those whom she perceived to be lazing about were notorious even beyond the men of the First Company--never polite, rarely constructive, often immensely demeaning, and always entertaining, which was why it wasn't unknown for a few particular morons to test her temper with the occasional jest, a little jibe from time to time, just to elicit the typical mordant retort from the captain. Which kind of defeated the whole purpose of her venomous vocabulary, but she supposed it to be one of the consequences of the highly informal atmosphere that, she had found, had become standard for the First Company--whether or not it was as a result of Alex's own leadership, she didn't know. [I]But $%&@ it, I really don't mind it all that much.[/I] She'd never been the uptight military type with a mind for all the formalities and solemnity--!@#$, they got more than enough of that from General Vara, who coulda been replaced with a soulless automaton capable of thinking and talking of nothing but war and the military and nobody could tell the $%&@in' difference. She was just pulling herself up one last time when some joker passing by the pull up bars decided to toss in the obligatory provocative remark. "Hey Cap'n Valverde, you ever been mistaken for a man?" he offered all cocky, with a precocious sort of grin plastered across his blockish face. A smattering of low chuckles propagated throughout the training hall as a couple of other soldiers stopped off to hear the the good captain rip the foolish inquirer a new one. "Nope," she replied mid-pull up without skipping a beat, the slightest of grunts escaping her thin chapped lips as she lowered herself back down to the ground and turned her head towards the fool in question. "Have you?" She smirked as laughs and cat calls followed, before she nodded her head at the soldier. "Get your midget ass movin', Câmara. That goes for all of you." She motioned around at all the troops gathered about. "General Vara expects the Paráense Marines to be in absolute top shape. I expect better than that of the First Company. No room and no time for slackin' off in my company. Hell, who knows..." She smirked darkly around at the lot. "You ladies might even get to see some action soon. Insurrection on our borders and all." "But the Imperialists got their asses kicked." A marine wiping sweat from his arms and forehead plopped himself down on a bench near the pull up bars. "The reports from the Commonwealth implied that with the death of their 'reborn champion', the rebellion just fell apart." "You believe that, you're more of an idiot than you look like, and that's sayin' a lot." Alex slowly went about removing the chains, with the weights still attached to them, from her belt. "A massive insurrection like that can't be quelled just 'cause their 'reborn champion' got disintegrated like the little cockroach he was. That Imperialist sentiment was lyin' there dormant--just needed someone to set off the spark and the whole thing would explode." "No matter the size, if you cut the head off the snake, does it not still die?" offered a second marine as she approached to make use of the pull up bars herself. "Without the Pretender to give them direction, they couldn't remain organised." "Your clever little metaphor there doesn't apply, sweet cheeks," Alex retorted sardonically. "Seven entire territories and eighty thousand soldiers are not organised just by the continued existence of one degenerate. There must be more out there, and I daresay the Amazon that swallows up our own humble little nation would make a prime hiding place for the vermin." An uneasy sort of silence fell over the First Company. Not a 'damn, she has a point, we should all collectively brood over that possibility for several seconds' kind of silence, more of a 'whelp, there goes Captain Valverde sharing another one of her paranoid convictions, wonder if anyone will have the balls to challenge her on it this time' sort of silence. Unsurprisingly, nobody did. Alex tossed aside the weight-lifting belt, rolled her squarish head around her shoulders and felt the tension departing with a resounding [I]crack[/I], before she stepped away from the pull up bars. "Anyway, it's irrelevant, 'cause either way it still boils down to you !@#$%*^ getting your asses in shape regardless of whether or not you think we're under threat. You may think you earned your uniform when you got through Complex Vermelho, but the reality is you ain't earned that uniform 'til I say you have."

"A pleasure to meet you, Premier Vieira," her Colombian counterpart returned the greeting with a firm handshake. As he released, two aides behind him followed down from the Colombian plane, and Isabel approached them one by one in turn to extend greetings and offer a handshake, maintaining eye contact with Barrachos as he spoke to indicate she was by no means disregarding him. "I must say that I am appreciative that you selected the coast for our meeting, Bogota is currently in the midst of a three week heat wave that seemingly has no end in sight. Thank you for inviting me here." "Believe me," Isabel replied with a light chuckle. "We know heat only too well here, what with the Amazon rainforest laying claim to much of our country. But it's always very pleasant, out here on the coast." And hell, it coulda been way worse than the heat they were getting in the inland regions of the nation. Amapá, for instance--she'd been stationed there before. And not even for world peace, sweet charity, and the cure for cancer would she step foot in that festering hell again. "Shall we continue this conversation on the way to the capital building?" Isabel felt it was about time they began to move towards their meeting place, where could be discussed the true content of this little conference--economic policy. [I]I'm in no rush to charge into the official business, though. Might as well make some kind of conversation along the way.[/I] She led Barrachos as well as his two aides to the motorcade--a humble little affair, nothing extravagant or particularly conspicuous; she herself stepped into the federal sedan at the back of the small escort, and awaited the entry of Barrachos as well. "If I may ask on the way to the capital building," Isabel began in a rather more solemn tone as Barrachos settled down within the federal car. "How is the situation in Venezuela Bolivar and Delta Amacuro?"

Keep it, for all the arguments outlined above and in every other goddamn 'death to preplanning' thread that has sprung up.

[quote]"I cannot describe how pleased I am to see at last a truly English government return to the Isles after years and years of unstable rule by everything from Germanic militants to child queens on the throne. And I can only hope that this signifies the beginning of renewed prosperity and happiness for the English people, and that England will as a new presence in the European political scene act as a stabilising and peaceful influence. Thus on behalf of the Republic of Pará I extend diplomatic recognition and welcomings to the reborn kingdom of England; may you at last find the peace and prosperity that has evaded the isles for so long."[/quote] - Premier Isabel Vieira

Traditionally, foreign dignitaries and representatives were received in Amazônia, the federative capital of Pará--that had been the case in all previous visits, but Isabel confided in her foreign affairs staff that she no longer felt the sprawling city to be desirable as the host of their foreign visitors--overpopulation and poverty, a problem Isabel hoped this was now a step in solving, had done their damage to the once beautiful city, and it had become a festering nest of misery and hardship. Not at all the proper place to hold a meeting that would be instrumental in the process of changing that unfortunate and shameful reality. Instead, she requested that the Colombian foreign minister and his delegates be directed to the smaller city of Castanhal--a quiet place nestled by the coast of Pará, where the ocean breeze hung softly in the cool air and the city itself lay amidst a picturesque sort of scenery; she even liked to think it very much embodied the old Brazilian way of life. Relaxed, content, no worries--if only she could let herself enjoy a day of that in her favourite retreat, but that seemed out of the question these days-- she was spending much less time there as of late, holed up in the Capital Building in Amazônia, rushing about to deal with all the difficulties that sat squarely in front of her. Militants seeking to revive the Holy American Empire, overpopulation of Pará's major urban centres, rising crime and poverty... It would be nice to return to the quiet little city on the coast, but Isabel did not forget she was there for a reason. And she was there on the runway herself as she and a simple motorcade awaited the arrival of Lorenzo Barrachos and his delegates, watching as in the distance the Colombian private jet slowly descended towards Castanhal Airport. Nothing unusual; she liked to handle this kind of thing on her own--many things had changed about Isabel Vieira since she'd fought the civil war, but some things just stayed the same no matter what. Much to Foreign Affairs Director Pintado's chagrin, she recalled with something of a slight smirk as the jet drew ever closer. [I]What was it he said? He tried to frame it nicely, but I think it pretty much amounted to 'you intimidate people just by being there'.[/I] Well, she couldn't help her natural height and she sure as hell wasn't about to let her body go soft just to make a few sensitive people feel comfortable around her. After all, was she there to look nice or was she there to satisfy her visitors and ensure that something good came out of this for both parties? She merely chuckled as the Colombian plane touched down on the runway, slowly coming to a stop roughly before the Paráense motorcade. [I]Sometimes I wonder how it is that people like Pintado and Vara can be so damn good at their jobs and yet have their heads shoved so far up their asses. Neither the time nor the place for thoughts like that, though.[/I] She stepped forward as the flight staircase unfurled and created a bridge from the jet down to the runway, and then again when Lorenzo Barrachos descended the stairs. "Welcome to Pará, Mr. Barrachos," she greeted him with a cordial smile, a hand extended. "My name is Isabel Vieira. I'm most pleased that you've agreed to meet here in Castanhal."

"Pará is most disappointed and saddened by the downfall of the Umbrella Imperium, who made the ultimate sacrifice to at last put a stop to the insanity of the Holy American rebels. I would like to reiterate the Colombian offer to Mexico; any assistance Pará can provide in securing safety and protection to the former Commonwealth is yours to guide, whether humanitarian, financial, economic, or logistical." - Premier Isabel Vieira

Pará was in bad shape--relatively speaking. There wasn't much to compare the current economic crisis to in Pará's still-nascent existence and Premier Vieira feared the damage that might be done if an economic recession so early in the nation's life were to last long enough to do potentially irrevocable damage to the Paráense quality of life and the Paráense market. Steps would have to be taken, and they were being taken--policies to encourage labour intensive growth as a means of absorbing the recent influx of unskilled labour into urban centres were being proposed and largely accepted in the Cabinet, and Isabel had directed the Department of Finances to funnel more money into the infrastructure budget in order to keep up with the immigration. Furthermore, the sudden increase in military equipment and armaments production as a result of the proximity of the Holy American Insurrection had opened up a wide sector of new jobs for incoming workers--now, the next step Isabel felt necessary was to establish further trade agreements with other nations of South America. Umbrella had collapsed, leaving a great economic void in the southern continent once filled by that economic powerhouse, and so she turned her eyes northwards instead to Colombia--a nation that had proven in many ways a stabilising presence in South America, and Isabel felt Pará stood to benefit much from the potential of an economic agreement with Colombia. Therefore, a diplomatic cable was sent to the foreign affairs department of Greater Colombia, addressed from the Premier. [quote]To: L. Barrachos, Foreign Minister of the República de Gran Colombia From: Isabel Vieira, Premier of the Federativa República do Pará Good evening Mister Barrachos; I hope that despite the recent turmoil that has engulfed much of our continent that the day finds you and your country well. I've sent this cable to inquire as to whether Colombia would be interested in meeting with myself on behalf of Pará to discuss the potential of a trade agreement that would, I feel, provide a good stepping stone to future friendly relations between ourselves and across South America--as well as, of course, bolster the economies of our respective nations. Yours has proven a peaceful, intelligent, and above all sensible nation, and it is in this kind of nation and this kind of leadership that I feel the future of South America lies. Should you be interested, I would be pleased to host such a meeting here in Pará, or if it is more comfortable with you I would happily visit Colombia to hold the discussion. I greatly look forward to your responce, and I wish you well with your endeavours. Sincerely, Isabel Vieira[/quote]