A Delegation Northwards

[Sigurd Odinnson]

The ship set sail from the port of Duluth to large crowds cheering and waving flags, the aristocracy and their retainers and servants seeing off several of a delegation on an extremely important mission. It was to be the first approach of the government of C.A.N.A.D.A. since the Confederation had been formed, and hopes were high that it would cement a close relationship of alliance and cooperation. The delegates had been authorised to accept any deal up to a Mutual Defence Pact, but Pontiff Odinnson knew the likelihood of anything more than a basic economic and intelligence treaty was low. At the head of the delegation was to be none other than Cancellarius Schildhafen himself, making the delegation practically a state visit.

The ocean liner that had been chosen to ferry the delegation across the often harsh seas of the Great Lakes was the height of luxury; no liner could rival it. Odinnson had arranged the purchase shortly after the formation of the Confederation from private hands. In the following weeks and months he had it completely refitted and prepared as a floating luxury liner for a projected Kuklosian cruise line under His Highness Wittekind, Herzog von Schwarzbirgen, whose Duchy consisted of the mostly mined-out, unfarmable land in the Black Hills. Hunting was always plentiful, but money for the Duchy was not, leading him to pursue the foundation and organisation of a travel agency and ocean liner company that purchased and ran ships across the Great Lakes and into the Atlantic Ocean. Wittekind had in mind a route from Duluth to London via Chicago, Quebec City, and Cherbourg, but the Chicago decision was still being debated because of the pointless journey away from the St. Lawrence Seaway.

The SHS (Seine Heiligkeits Schiff – His Holiness’ Ship) Magisteria was meant to be the first ship on such a route before it was hired out for the purpose of ferrying government members to neighbouring nations around the Great Lakes. It was outfitted with two on-board swimming pools, one in-doors, one on deck, as well as a six-lane bowling alley specially designed for sea travel, three theatres each seating about 70-100 people, as well as numerous other amenities. The ship’s capacity was not nearly met on this, its first voyage since purchase and refitting. Built for 925 passengers plus 600 crew, the ship was travelling with a reduced crew of 500 and just under 400 passengers. The emptiness of the ship was noticeable in the number of close restaurants on the ship (there were 11 in full service on a normal voyage, but only 4 on this voyage).

Schildhafen, though, had very time to entertain all of these concerns. He was going to spend the next week working on the draft for the treaty he was seeking from the Canadian delegation. He also had other state business to handle, which the isolation of the ship would allow him. By the time he arrived in the Canadian capital he would have the document prepared and the delegation fully briefed on behaviour. Wittekind was on the ship as well, hoping to attract some business from the Canadians.

[Sigurd Odinnson]

Schildhafen saw that the ship was pulling into port. It had been a long journey, but he hoped a Canadian delegation would make it a trip worth taking.

[JEDCJT]

The arrival of the SHS would be promptly greeted by a delegation of the Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, headed by nothing other than Tyler Moeller himself. The Foreign Minister, dressed up in a sleek suit and a thick overcoat, his hair slightly blowing in the wind, smiled as he went on to greet Cancellarius Schildhafen with a friendly handshake.

"Hello, welcome to the Confederation of Arctic Nations and Dependent Areas, or Canada as we call it. We are glad to have you here, for it is an honor to meet with you." Moeller then scanned the magnificent ocean liner that was moored at one of New Ottawa's newest harbors. "Your ship is quite impressive, and I quite like it. I would like to ride in one someday. Anyways, now that we are acquainted, let's proceed, shall we?"

The bespectacled Foreign Minister would proceed to board a (armored) limousine flanked by RCMP officials, letting the Kuklos representative go in before entering. The limousine would then take them to their destination, which was the Foreign Ministry building near the city's center. Upon arrival, RCMP officials would escort Moeller and his guest into the building, where they would proceed to the Conference Room, a large richly-decorated room with a massive conference table in the middle. Moeller would take a seat, where he would begin the discussions...

[Sigurd Odinnson]

[quote name='JEDCJT' timestamp='1326675977' post='2900501']
The arrival of the SHS would be promptly greeted by a delegation of the Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, headed by nothing other than Tyler Moeller himself. The Foreign Minister, dressed up in a sleek suit and a thick overcoat, his hair slightly blowing in the wind, smiled as he went on to greet Cancellarius Schildhafen with a friendly handshake.

"Hello, welcome to the Confederation of Arctic Nations and Dependent Areas, or Canada as we call it. We are glad to have you here, for it is an honor to meet with you." Moeller then scanned the magnificent ocean liner that was moored at one of New Ottawa's newest harbors. "Your ship is quite impressive, and I quite like it. I would like to ride in one someday. Anyways, now that we are acquainted, let's proceed, shall we?"

The bespectacled Foreign Minister would proceed to board a (armored) limousine flanked by RCMP officials, letting the Kuklos representative go in before entering. The limousine would then take them to their destination, which was the Foreign Ministry building near the city's center. Upon arrival, RCMP officials would escort Moeller and his guest into the building, where they would proceed to the Conference Room, a large richly-decorated room with a massive conference table in the middle. Moeller would take a seat, where he would begin the discussions...
[/quote]

Cancellarius Schildhafen stepped down the gangway onto the dock he saw the Foreign Minister of Canada waiting by a car. It was quite windy when the ship came in, and Schildhafen was glad he had chosen to wear his woolen cloak for the cold. He extended his hand and greeted the Canadian Foreign Minister, who was looking over the ship.

"We should be opening international travel to Europe in about a month; right now this is the only ship in the fleet. But soon she should be joined by three sister ships, the Franconia, Bavaria, and Saxonia. If there are business in Canada interested, I know there is interest by Herzog Wittekind to send the company international. At any rate, I believe we have other matters to discuss," he said as he boarded the car.

[Californian]

As the limousine drove the Kuklos and Canadian delegation to the Foreign Affairs building, the men would be able to look outside the windows at what had been transpiring on this island for the past few years. What had once been dilapidated and crumbling ruins of the former Harrowshire had turned into the crown jewel of Canada, as skyscrapers touched the sky as far as the eye could see. Although three main cities had been organized on the island, their boundaries had slowly become entangled and hard to observe, as a jungle of steel, buildings, and rail lines seemingly formed an interconnected network of enterprise and progress.

After what seemed like half an hour the limousines began to slow, entering a gated complex in the government sector of New Ottawa. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs buildings were built in the classical style and while they had huge columns and fanciful details, they were certainly not amongst the most imposing buildings, with structure and function just as important as detail.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Taylor Muller stood alongside Cancellarius Schildhafen, chatting as they walked up the steps towards the buildings. Once inside, the men from Kuklos might appreciate the heating which made the indoors slightly more accommodating than the almost zero degree weather outside.

At long last the delegation would be led into a highly ornate hall, where some Canadian were already waiting. Sovereign-General of Canada and Lord Protector of Greenland Kristjan Eyvindsson walked over and greeted the men. "Cancellarius Schildhafen, it is a pleasure to finally meet you. Please, call me Kristjan. Please, take a seat, I'm sure that we have much to discuss."