Domingo the Honored

"Skin grafts? I'm not a burn victim, Lucy, I'm just a Cyrantian diplomat, so I'm afraid I'll have to turn down that offer." Viktor took the small device and looked over it for a little while. "At first glance this treaty seems satisfactory. Are there any changes you'd like to make, or anything else you'd like to get accomplished while I'm here?"

[quote name='PresidentDavid' timestamp='1329343340' post='2921200'] So you are comparing God to an old man who makes clocks for a living and counts on their functioning and survival so that he and his family has food to eat, and you are comparing to human beings to gears of a clock? Of course the clockmaker wouldn't smite gears of a clock that he is making. It could destroy what he is making, thus wasting his time, thus lowering the amount of money he brings in for himself and his family. Gears do not have emotions, gears do not communicate, gears can not reason, gears have no soul, gears do not have the ability to think, gears can not grow, gears can not reproduce, and gears are not living. God's survival doesn't depend on the human beings. In fact God destroyed the entire city of Sodom in the book of Genesis, which was filled with people, and turned Lot's wife into a pillar of salt as she looked back at God as he destroyed the city from a distance. So if you are trying to say that God does not punish or harm people then saying you are wrong would be an understatement. If you are going to use an analogy, please use one that actually makes since. Triyun, I understand you aren't religious so you are ignorant to my faith - and that is okay. I will explain to you how going against someone's real life faith which defines their actual life is different then going against a group of people that someone made up in a game. Unless you, Sarah, TBM, etc live by in real life what The Horde stands for and you dedicate your life to fighting for The Horde and you live by what The Horde has done in real life, then this is an unequal comparison. Me, Eva, King Chris, and everyone who is not in The Horde does not like The Horde because The Horde is a fascist organization of powerful players that has it's sights on destroying any other organization or nation that poses any type of resistance to them, or any nation which does not meet their standards. Also, a few of the members in The Horde either intimidate, troll, or inflame people purposely on IRC or here on the forums. So let's reach a conclusion. When you get a group of people who are either typically rude or offend other people because they can(like you, Sarah, and TBM are doing right now) then other people tend to not like the group since it is made up of people that are either rude or have no respect for them at all. That is why we do not like The Horde, in case your Point of View was obscured by the fact that you are in the organization yourself. Also, I take my faith as fact. You believe in the big bang theory, I think God made the big bang happen - deal with it. (In fact a Catholic priest came up with the Big Bang Theory) And finally I don't remember you bashing the Islamic faith but shame on you if you were saying antisemitic things about non-radical Muslims or their way of life. Who are you to judge the rest of us who have faith in a greater being? The sad part is that in your eyes were are stupid, wrong, and inferior but in our eyes you are another equal human being. But hey, I'm just silly PD, what do I know? [/quote] PD, I like you a lot and you know that, but this is quite literally up there with one of the most idiotic things I've read in recent memory. You picked apart that analogy piece for piece despite the fact that most analogies are rather dissimilar. You forgot to mention the fact that your god had destroyed not only cities, but also the world, and more than once. Often it wasn't even punishment - as I recall, the Great Flood was more "wiping the slate clean" than punishing the human race. Anyway, her analogy did make [i]sense[/i] and just because you don't like a mere mortal to use any language against your supposedly omnibenevolent creator doesn't mean it's irrelevant. Good lord man, the first sentence second part of this quote is one of the most stereotypical and stupid things I hear out of the mouths of the religious. I'm an atheist, but I know a great deal about multiple religions, especially Christianity. I've read the Bible cover to cover and I know more than many if not most of my fellows who are theists. Rejection of faith is [b]not[/b] ignorance to it, know the difference. I agree that your real-life faith is different than religion and politics in CNRP, but when you choose to drag your real-life views into a situation that clearly didn't involve or call for them ("Watch yourself.") you open yourself up to challenge. It's not an unequal comparison. The Horde and all its activities may be made up, but it takes real time and effort to make those things up, just as your religious activities do. I also like how Triyun was just being criticized for possibly incorrectly using the term fascist when you just threw it out as a provocation far more flippantly than he ever did. As a member of the Horde, I also dislike at your generalized statements about its members and their goals, as if they are completely and unquestionably universal. I and the other members of the Horde do not all run on the same path nor do we do the same things, so next time you choose to state your grievances with the organization, do it specifically. Let the generalizations continue. You know, not all nonreligious believe in the Big Bang Theory and Triyun has not (as far as I know) stated his position. You believe god caused the Big Bang? Whenever you decide to mold your beliefs to make your deity the defining creator of whatever commonly accepted scientific explanations you choose to bastardize, notify me. For the record (and I'll assume you're talking about Georges Lemaître), that Belgian Catholic Priest was a [i]contributor[/i] to the theory, not its creator. He developed upon ideas and his were even further developed - his contributions were there, but he didn't solely make the theory nor did he name it. Even if he had, it wouldn't have mattered - the long, long list of famous scientists who were believers extends for ages. Newton, Kepler, Copernicus, all of them believed in god, but that didn't make their case. It was their scientific developments that defined them, not their god-fearing personal beliefs. You may take your faith as fact but some, including myself, will not. If we must "deal" with your beliefs extend the same courtesy you have come to expect. I'll also remind you that Antisemitism is a hatred and discrimination towards Judaism and Jews, not Muslims. You're also ignoring the point he was trying to make - only if Christianity, your own personal belief system, is targeted do you get offended and defensive. You say "shame on you" way too late but if Triyun hadn't brought it up himself you would never have cared. You didn't then and you wouldn't have now. Finally, you use another insanely flawed statements. We aren't "judging" theists, we are challenging them. Who are we to do so? We are other human beings who demand truth through observable, provable evidence (read: [b]science[/b]) and not imaginary faith. Your final two statements are simply a desperation attempt to bring some to your side through pity. You place words in Triyun's mouth (he never called you stupid, wrong, or inferior and neither am I) and insult yourself twice to try and look like the victim. He also never said you weren't another equal human being and in all likelihood [i]does[/i] look at you that way, but with my previous experience with theists' thoughts on non-theists I'm beginning to seriously doubt your own opinions on the manner. Regardless of your intentions with that, it ultimately becomes another play for pity and an attempt to put yourself in the victim's chair. Nobody said you were "silly PD" or you lacked knowledge. If you want to know what I think you're trying to do with that final statement, read the preceding part of this paragraph.

"Free trade, open borders, and unquestioning mutual defense were our goals for the treaty, so if you've nothing more to add, then you ought to have your writers draft a copy. In the meantime, I'd like to know if you've ever consulted a certified psychologist about your mental state." Viktor chuckled lightly at his rather foolish joke. "We've some fine doctors in Cyrantia, if you're ever in the market."

"I never have been one to believe in luck, just chance. I certainly hope you're kidding, though, something "incredibly violent" sounds very unpleasant. So I'll ask again, are you serious?"

"You asked a trick question? I certainly wasn't expecting something like that in my first diplomatic assignment. Anyway, total elimination of trade regulations sounds wonderful. Your predecessor and my nation had a similar agreement as I explained, and little to no exploitation ever occurred. It was completely beneficial, no drawbacks. I hope we can expect the same from Yoitsu. As for the railroad, I'm glad to hear it is undergoing renovations. We've kept our sections of the route runnable, and hopefully we may see freight and passengers flood in and out constantly soon enough. Vice Deputy Assistant to the Vice Deputy Assistant to the Secretary of the High Chancellor of Foreign Affairs? Are you... serious? Of course I'm me, don't be ridiculous."

"I don't believe I will have to consult with my superiors, but thank you for the availability. We've a specific set of goals and hopes for this treaty which I'm very familiar with already. The mutual defense portion of the treaty is fairly straightforward, but I'm disturbed by your suggestion of some sort of article allowing one of us to not step in for the other. If that were to be written in, it ought to be Optional Defense and Mutual Optional Touching, or something of that sort. The point is, it would defeat the Mutual Defense purpose of the treaty and weaken the alliance as a whole. Cyrantia and I personally wish to see that weakness avoided, and would prefer such a clause not be included. Trade and commerce improvement can be a very lucrative issue. As I'm sure you already know, Lucy, Siberia is a virtual treasure trove of resource. Minerals, gems, natural fuels, the creatures of sea, we have much to offer. With such great natural and mineral wealth available strong trade is necessary, and as such tariff and quota reduction or elimination is preferable. Mutual commerce will prove beneficial to both our countries in the long run, we know from past experiences. As for migration, you may have noticed the incredible Trans-Siberian Railway stretching through your own nation, Vaule, and Cyrantia. The railroad was the fruits of great labor by all three of our nations and indeed proved to be one of the most instrumental parts of the strength of the region. The railway was a hugely efficient carrier of goods and came with an added bonus between our nation and your predecessor - an open-border policy. The Trans-Siberian was an amazing route that brought incredible wealth and diversity to the region, and especially our two nations. We do hope you will consider bringing back the open borders and opening your section of the railroad once more. These are our opening hopes, issues, and concerns. Now that I've presented ours, what does Yoitsu think of them? What do you hope to see accomplished, Lucy? I'm all ears for anything you and your nation would like to throw back at us."

The head diplomat smiled and picked up the puppy with one arm, leaving his other free. He extended it and shook hands with the Marscurian team one by one. "Gentlemen, you have yourself a deal. Begin construction whenever you would like." The Cyrantian team left the room, Turnip in hand, ready to report back to the leadership in Xavier and play with their new puppy.

The delegate nodded with satisfaction and replied as such. "We find this arrangement agreeable, but we do have one further request. We desire a Marscurian retriever or shepherd-dog for our embassy, one which we shall call 'Turnip'. As soon as Turnip is supplied you may begin construction on your base."

The lead diplomat of the Cyrantian delegation exchanged greetings with the leader of the Marscurian team and took a look at the map of the Amur. He saw the planned site for the new naval base and nodded. "Given your reliable and stable leadership of Glubokiye Vodishtot, we would have no issue allowing a naval base. However, constructing a new naval base is much different than simply having governance over a city with a majority of Marscurians. I do hope I don't sound offensive, but what would be in this deal for us?"

Reply to Marscurian Siberian Leadership We'd be more than pleased to negotiate with you on the topic of a naval base. The head diplomat of our embassy in Marscurian Siberia is more than skilled enough to handle these endeavors, and it will save another diplomat an unnecessary trip. We will have him debriefed momentarily and he will be ready to discuss with you at the Cyrantian embassy at your earliest convenience.

Viktor watched Misaki leave the room and saw the unfamiliar woman, Lucy, enter and sit by him. She didn't appear to be much for formal or physical greetings, but in this context, neither was he. Shaking a lady's hand as if it was that of a stone-faced Head of State from Europe didn't seem proper. Thus, he wasn't very opposed to getting down to business immediately. "[i]Hello Lucy, my name is Viktor. I'm very pleased to meet you. As for business, we can certainly get right to it. What did you have in mind?[/i]"

Viktor smiled and nodded, and followed Misaki into the rather interesting-looking skyscraper. It was quite comfortable inside and he continued to listen to the woman while walking with her. He also took a look around the place and found it rather ordinary. He politely thanked her for taking car of the automobile, though he didn't care much about it, and entered the door she held open into the room. He wasn't much for standing during discussions and looked for a chair he might sit down in. There were quite a few in the room, so he sat down in an overstuffed armchair that looked comfortable and glanced back with a smile at Misaki. "[i]I very much enjoy your country and this building and I appreciate the generous hospitality you've already shown me. Will it be just you and I meeting today?[/i]"

Knowing the kind of ridiculous splendor common to their neighbor's nation, the Cyrantian delegation had elected to send their most free-spirited member to meet with the government representatives of Yoitsu. Viktor Antonov was a man who easily fit the bill the most. He was a quite young man who had received a minor job in the Foreign Affairs department of the nation from his rather well-to-do family. He was totally uncommitted to the job and only accepted this mission hoping it'd bring some fun to what basically amounted to a paperwork-only career. The pink and yellow striped car they'd selected for his trip may have been beyond what even he would do on his outer limits, but he had no objections, it was exciting. He was aware of what he was coming to discuss and had been granted authority to sign a treaty, but other than that he was mostly just going with the flow for this assignment. As he pulled up to the representative and left his vehicle, he became aware of the cold weather. As a man born and raised in Siberia he was fairly used to it, but he could see it was making his contact uncomfortable. He walked up to the woman and smiled. "Hello there. My name is Viktor Antonov. I suppose you're the representative from Yoitsu. I'm eager to get this show on the road, but might we go inside to somewhere warm before talks and such begin?"

Maksim nodded at Aleksandra in agreement as she spoke, and was about to reply but was interrupted. A Cyrantian non-commissioned officer in fully military uniform entered and saluted the General. He also gave a small respectful nod in the High Chancellor's direction. He began a situational report to them both. "General Revnika, the residences of Mikhail Zherdev have all been entered and searched. He was not found, and has left us no clues to his location. As far as we can gather he may be anywhere. Our men are beginning to conduct large-scale searches as we speak." The soldier saluted once more and walked out of the room. Maksim frowned and thought to himself. He had been almost sure that with a closed-border policy Mikhail would have taken refuge in one of his homes. Still, he felt that he should've known Zherdev would've avoided going back to a place as obvious as his own house. But if he wasn't in one of his homes, he could only be one other place that Bazhenov knew of, and if not, then he could be anywhere at all. Maksim turned to the General, who also looked clearly displeased with the report. "[i]Aleksandra, I have one more idea besides his homes. He used to own a small restaurant at the edge of Xavier when he was younger. The area isn't nearly as busy as this part of the city, and he closed it because of the lack of profitability. Last I knew he still owned the building, and I've heard rumors of people being seen entering and exiting even though it's been shut down for several years. I have a hunch he might be hiding out there, thinking I don't know about the place. It may just be trespassers or mistaken reports, but it's probably best we go see for ourselves. If he isn't there then I have no idea at all where he could be. Don't bring any of your troops. I'd prefer it if the citizens were kept as much in the dark about this as is possible. Seeing a unit of armed soldiers enter an old, closed building for no particular reason wouldn't be good.[/i]" Maksim chuckled at the thought but regained his seriousness quickly. He gestured for Aleksandra to come along and they left the room together. The building was crawling with soldiers that seemed to be doing very little except for turning it inside out. Bazhenov and Revnika went down to the ground level and went outside. He walked her to a government escort car disguised as an average civilian vehicle. He took the driver's seat, and they drove off, beginning the fairly routine ride to the edge of the city.

Alright, go us! Thanks for everything, Johnny, have a fun nap.

Should this new nation's independence be confirmed by the Serene Republic of Vaule, the Chancellery of Cyrantia would be happy to recognize and welcome a new neighbor to a space of land too long left vacant by the dissolution of our old ally, the United Socialist Republic of Siberia. -Dmitry Garin, High Chancellor of Foreign Affairs

The Chancellery of Cyrantia hereby recognizes the sovereignty of Amazonia and welcomes them to the world. May their nation's journey be long and successful. -Dmitry Garin, High Chancellor of Foreign Affairs

As Second Lieutenant Pyotr Koshelev surveyed his new base, he couldn't help but feel cold. It was an effect the Antarctic island had on him, one that didn't make sense. He was in a very new research base, equipped with advanced heating systems to all but guarantee the warmth of those inside. It was just the fact that he was in, or very close to, the continent of Antarctica. Every time he considered that he just felt chilled the bone, beyond the temperature and the warmth of his Cyrantian military uniform. It was a very uncomfortable feeling for the young officer, and he hoped that with time to adjust it would fade. Living in Siberia all his life had made him a very cold-resistant person, but Antarctic cold was a new kind of freeze. He just had to make the best of things for his time stationed there. Antarctica was the last place he had expected to be stationed, and he had no idea it was even a possibility until he was already assigned. For several years he had attended the finest officer's training course in Xavier, suffering the great hardships of Siberian military boot camp mixed with a university-level school. The only thing that kept him from being one of the many recruits that dropped out of the program was the promise of a lucrative and likely very easy job as a commanding officer at the end. He had expected to be a lower officer at one of the selection of Cyrantian military bases, living a fairly routine military life supervising a few soldiers while receiving a substantial paycheck for doing it. When he was told he was to be made the commanding officer of a new base, he had lukewarm feelings about the workload, and of course the location. He had no choice in the matter, however, and the pay, which was considerably more than even his highest hopes, made it somewhat worth the trouble. Still, the duties were not without their disappointments and difficulties. He had been promised a small detachment of troops he knew to guard the base and handle order. That decision had been reversed late in the project, when it became clear that the immense isolation and remoteness of the base wouldn't call for even a small garrison. In the end he had been thrown into the hastily constructed base with a handful of scientists and a couple of other soldiers. He had not met the others yet, and for the most part did not care to. Though Cyrantian soldiers were typically decent people, his base partners were not the soldiers he had been expecting, and he would not know them. The scientists were just the same as always - conceited, unfriendly introverts that were convinced all soldiers were idiots and they themselves knew everything under the sun. Besides the people, there were also some minor issues with the base. In the haste of its construction being finished in the short time of the year the island was not surrounded by pack ice, communication tools were apparently mostly overlooked in the installation of the research technologies. Other than a few emergency telephones, which of course were not to be used in any situation which was not life-threatening, there was nearly no way to reach friends and family. This only served to make Pyotr feel more alone on the base. His final problem was his lack of knowledge of what he was actually doing there. Despite his military training, he was an intelligent man. He could plainly see that what the scientists were up to or researching was not the everyday weather, wildlife, or landscape projects. It was something different that he wasn't and couldn't be a part of. His lack of knowledge made his time there seem almost useless, only serving to defend the researchers from nothing. He had quite a bit of an issue with his post, and optimism only took him so far. For days he had been keeping in his room, eating alone in the dining halls, and surveying the base alone. He avoided the others like the plague and they hadn't made much of an effort to stop him from doing so. He hadn't even displayed any interest in a professional relationship, but instead treated it as if he was in solitary confinement. He did know he'd have to eventually meet his companions, but didn't know the best way to do so. The wings for the scientists and the military guard were different, and each "class" was to stay in their respective wing in most cases, other than for the very infrequent base-wide conference and a few other exceptions. Each wing had its sleeping quarters, dining halls, restrooms, and recreational facilities. Though there were several rec rooms in their wing, Pyotr had a feeling the others would convene in one most often. He knew where their rooms were from the occupied mark on the doors, and they were all fairly close to that single recreation room. He had decided to try and go in during the off-hours to meet the others, and he walked that way now. Walking up to the windowless door, he took a deep breath, and opened it. He looked around inside and, as he had suspected, the other guards were all there. There were three of them, and he smiled a bit and made eye contact with all three. "Hello there. My name is Pyotr Koshelev. It's very nice to meet you all."

Maksim heard the General enter, short of the hour Mikhail had instructed him to wait by several minutes. He didn't say anything when she walked in to avoid startling her. Given the circumstances, he knew she'd be armed, and a rash shot would not be his friend from an accomplished gun-user. When she addressed him he looked up and smiled in embarrassment. "Hello, Aleksandra. The story of my coming to be sitting here alone is nothing short of a complete mistake on my part. I made a serious error and as a result Mikhail got out of this building safe and with the knowledge of my betrayal of him. In a nutshell, I came in to look for documents. The lights were off and I'd assumed he'd already fled, so I just began rifling through his things. Turns out he was hiding in a corner with his pistol, presumably waiting for me, and he saw that I had turned on him. He told me to sit down and wait an hour so he could leave. He did nothing to keep me in here directly but he said if I tried to stop or interrupt his exit he'd have me killed." Bazhenov gathered together a few sheets of paper he had gathered as well as the office phone. He laid it out on top of the desk, which he had cleared, for the General to see. Though he had been forced to remain in the room for the last hour, he hadn't refrained from doing what he was asked. Not much was left there to be found, but anything even remotely relevant he had scavenged. "Mikhail had been suspicious of me and was ready for the search. He removed or destroyed most important documents, leaving only a few slight traces, which I have dug up here. He also was prepared for his fleeing. He had cut the cord of his phone prior to my arrival. In any case, most of the evidence that was present here is gone and he took care of the other points, as well. I'm afraid I'm a bit shaken up by the last hour or two, so I'll have to ask you how you care to proceed. Any ideas?"

[b][center]Cyrantian Tribune[/center][/b] [b]Infrastructure:[/b] A base, long in construction on Cyrantia's Antarctic island, has been completed. The base is intended as a scientific research point as well as a possible refueling station or safe haven for passing ships. Its relatively remote location in dangerous waters make it a wise choice for the placement of a point of safety. The building of the base was a long and drawn-out affair; the island itself presented several problems. There are few possible landing points for building materials, and the relatively short period of time a direct landing is possible at the island kept materials off-shore for much of the year. The base's construction was stepped up in the most recent unfreezing of the pack ice surrounding the island, however, and it was completed with haste. A small garrison of Cyrantian scientists have been stationed on the island, with a military detachment a possibility in the future. [b]Economy:[/b] A Cyrantian stock market has been formally created. Though stock trading has long been a common economic activity in the nation, it has lacked an official headquarters since the creation of the country. Stock trading is an encouraged economic practice in Cyrantia, and the government had hoped to stimulate it by founding an official stock market. The plan has ultimately worked, with a noticeable upturn in stock trading, already a profitable business, and a sizable boost to the Cyrantian economy. The project has thus far been hugely successful, and it is hoped it will continue for some time. Despite the considerable success in stocks, in other parts of the nation the economy has been suffering. The collapses of Blue Heaven, the Magadan Oblast, Austria, and most recently, the United Socialist Republic of Siberia, have significantly reduced trading and the income that results from it. Marscurian Siberian trading is as strong as ever, but the marked downturn in imports and exports resulting from the lack of trade partners has downplayed much of the economic success from stock trading. Workers all over the nation connected to the fallen allies are being forced to search for new jobs, from international cargo carriers to former border railroad workers. It is hoped new trade partners may be found soon to bring back lost jobs and national income. [b]Government[/b]: With the recent collapse of the USRS, the Cabinet has declared the former open-border policy with them to be null and void. The loss of the nation makes the railroad fairly useless and an open-border policy dangerous to have. The section of railroad stretching into Vaule will still retain operations, but no open-border policy exits there and it should not be treated in the same way. The Cabinet has announced their intent to back the Grand Chancellor of the State's recent declaration of Cyrantian fealty to the Great Horde of Tianxia. They urge all citizens to understand that it is not a declaration of vassalage or ownership but instead an announcement of allegiance and dedication to the same cause. Increased relations with the nation may or may not be observed in the near future, but Cyrantian official involvement with them almost certainly will. Be it political or military will be told only by time, but all citizens are asked to understand the situation and support government decisions, as always.

[b]To the Horde of Tianxia[/b] Thank you, Khagan, we await your orders. For the Horde. -Sergei Aleksandrov

Two very important men stood in a small television studio in one of the more minor cities at the Cyrantian border. Sergei Aleksandrov, the Grand Chancellor of the State of Cyrantia, and his High Chancellor of Foreign Affairs, Dmitry Garin, had been received with great surprise by the station a few hours previously. Returning to Cyrantia from a summit in Vaule, Aleksandrov had ordered their car to leave the planned course back to the capital for some extraneous business. Garin did not know what it was, and inquiries had only proven to explain that Aleksandrov was "using television to send a message". Now they were in the station and Sergei was about to begin his plans on stage alone to broadcast whatever it was he had in mind. As soon as the address began, Garin knew what he was going to do. It was a matter they had been discussing for some time, but had never attended to. It surprised and somewhat offended Dmitry; Sergei had every right as the Head of State to take such abrupt and quick action, but he was not used to it. Aleksandrov usually ruled with his High Chancellors, took their opinions, and heeded their advice. It was very unlike him to do something almost completely alone and with no announcement of his intentions. Still, Garin was slightly assured by his trust of Aleksandrov and his knowledge of how much Sergei thought things out before acting. He wanted to object, but instead chose to sit back and watch. "[i]Good day to one and all, nations and leaders of the world. I speak to the world this broadcast representing the government of the Chancellery of Cyrantia, as we make an announcement that has been a long time coming. Doubtless you all know and are aware of the Great Horde of Tianxia, one from my homeland of East Asia. Up until this point in time, we of Cyrantia have been ambiguous in our intentions concerning the Horde, our neighbors. Tonight, that ambiguity ends, as it should have quite a long time ago. The Great Horde is our neighbor; they are the allies of our allies in Marscurian Siberia and our friends of the former Austria. The Horde is our friend and ally, and long should have been. We profess this intention tonight to the world in order to make up for lost time.[/i]" Sergei had up until this point sat in a chair behind a desk, with the view zoomed into his face and torso. The camera panned out and showed the entire stage area, and he moved with it. Aleksandrov got up out of his chair and walked in front of the desk. He once again looked towards the camera and continued his address. "[i]Khagan of the Great Horde, we of the Chancellery of Cyrantia pledge loyalty to you, your followers, our mutual friends and allies, and your cause. Our nation is of service to you and we will follow you to the field of battle. Our military only awaits your orders, our government only awaits your word. Hear us, great Khagan, and accept our most sincere apologies for not doing this much, much sooner. We await your contact.[/i]" It was then that Aleksandrov did something that very much surprised Garin. He got down on his knees and bowed as low as he could, until his head touched the floor. The traditional kowtow was the epitome of the words he had just spoken and signified reverence and allegiance towards the Khagan. He stayed in the kowtow for an extended period of time, bowing deeply and sincerely in silence. The live broadcast ended with the Grand Chancellor still in the position, which he held for a full minute after the feed had ended.

I cede my claim to the former Magadan Oblast. Please return it to a Vaule Protectorate.

[i]Ah, I see. Very reasonable points for the creation of an autonomous region. As much as well feel we would like to keep the former Oblast, in the interest of the people, I highly doubt we could offer to guarantee the kind of things you are asking. It would not be favorable to see your Peacekeepers in a region of our nation, and constitutional autonomy would be difficult to introduce for the region, as it conflicts with our nation's own system. A fair and interesting proposal, but not one we can accept. Thank you for this conference, gentlemen, it's been entertaining. We'll post our ceding of the former Oblast to you shortly upon our return.[/i]

Maksim listened to her end the conversation, acknowledging her instructions with an occasional "yes" or "okay". She hung up and so did he, with a lump in his throat. He had no reason to believe that Mikhail would flee the country, as he had no reason to think that his partner had turned on him. Still, Zherdev had always been so perceptive and intelligent it almost made Maksim fear him, even though they were friends. He had a terrible feeling that Mikhail had seen through his realization and had now left, but he had to check. Besides, he was going to go through his office for incriminating documents no matter what happened. Bazhenov walked downstairs a floor to Mikhail's office. It was large and had a very open view of the city streets, and though Maksim's was quite similar, he had always wished their offices were switched. It was dark inside and Maksim flipped on the light, and walked to the only place that would have anything in it - the desk sitting centered before the window. There was a mess of papers sitting on top of it and the drawers were less than organized, and had Bazhenov not known his friend was a terribly disorganized man, he would have assumed he had taken his important documents and fled. To Maksim, it just looked like Mikhail's normal arrangement, and he began to go through it. He was deep in the pile when he heard Zherdev's voice, speaking more coldly than he had ever done in the presence of a dignitary. "Looking for something, Maksim?" Bazhenov looked up and saw Mikhail sitting in a chair in a tucked away corner of the office. Though he had been partially concealed by some of the furniture when Maksim entered, Bazhenov felt quite stupid for failing to notice him before rummaging through his things and revealing his intentions. As intimidating as Mikhail was just by himself when he was displeased, he was not the scariest thing looking in Maksim's direction. It was instead the Makarov PM service pistol he held in his hand. Maksim began to plead and explain himself, but Mikhail gestured for him to quiet. "Maksim, I will not shoot you, so do not make yourself look any more foolish by reverting to pleas for your life. Here's what's going to happen - you will sit down in my chair and wait one hour. In that time I will leave this building and go where I am planning. If you do anything to compromise my safe exit, you can count on meeting several armed men who are [i]severely[/i] less merciful than me in the near future. Now go, take a seat, and wait it out." Maksim did what he was told and sat down in the thankfully comfortable leather chair. Mikhail returned his pistol to his belt and walked out the door, looking calm and normal as ever. Bazhenov waited several moments and picked up the phone to place a call. He realized General Revnika had left Fort Karin and could not be reached, and cursed to himself softly. He didn't feel any better when he saw that it didn't matter, because the line of the phone had been cut. Maksim knew Mikhail did not make idle threats and would make good on his if he had to, and so he sat back. He felt very much like a youngster in time-out, but there really wasn't much to do but wait for General Revnika's arrival.