A Signal in the Atlantic

[TheShammySocialist]

To the Esteemed Premier Vieira

 

It has been quite some time since we sat together on the shores of the Atlantic and discussed our two nations, and their relevant places within this world. As the world changes and the face of the Atlantic evolves, we believe it necessitates the need for nations that have formed friendships to strengthen their bonds. Although prosperity is quite widespread, and peace has been settled across this hemisphere, it would be wrong to think that there might come a time when bonds of fellowship might be needed. Storm clouds can seep in from the horizon, sneaky and slow, or they can come like a thunderstorm rolls across the Veldt.

 

South Africa and Para have been friends for quite some time now, and with my thoughts quite clear from my statement above, I would like to see the bonds our two nations share to evolve and strengthen into something much more. It is thus, that I cordially invite you to join me in Cape Town for discussions on our two respective nations.

 

I look forward to your reply, and wish you the warmest of regards,

 

Adolph Paton

President of the Union of South Africa

[Lestari]

President Paton;

I'd be pleased to visit Cape Town-- as I understand it, the South African coast is a beautiful climate in Winter, and it'd be a pleasure to experience. I share your perspectives, and mirror the contents of your statements, so I look forward to a discussion on the future of the relationship between South Africa and Pará.

- Isabel Vieira

 

As of late, Isabel had been primarily concerned with South American affairs. Recent events had necessitated such a shift in focus-- the collapse of Chile, the terrorist attack on the Republica, the internal turmoil that had briefly engulfed Paraguay before Paráense intervention had delivered unto the pandemonium a swift demise. However, the Republic had never had many allies beyond the continent-- indeed, South Africa had been the only non-American nation with which Pará had initiated diplomatic relations, for one reason or another. Common perspectives, mutual goals-- similar views of the world and their respective places in it. Something to that extent.

 

As usual, Isabel  travelled light. Never one for large entourages, excepting a degree of security that had gradually expanded as of late, she conducted her business largely on her own. After all-- if you want something done right, you do it yourself. Hell, sometimes she wondered why she even had a foreign affairs director. Or an internal affairs director. Or really, a cabinet at all, considering she pretty much went around doing their damn jobs for them anyway. All levity aside, though, it was preferable that she have as close a handle on Paráense affairs as possible-- internal and foreign. That was why she preferred to deal with these kinds of things-- diplomacy, discussions with foreign heads of states and allies, the like-- herself.

 

Therefore, the premier was largely a lone figure, descending from the plane that had borne her to Cape Town, unto the tarmac it had landed upon. The cool sea breeze of the South African coast hung lightly in the air about her-- a pleasant chill against her skin as she looked down the tarmac for the South African delegation.

[TheShammySocialist]

The Premier would not be alone on the tarmac in the early morning breeze, the plane had been guided to a diplomatic receiving area, away from the main terminal. This part of Cape Town's Airport serving as both a junction for mostly high-rank military staffers and valuable cargoes, as well as ambassadors and very important individuals, much like the premier. An honor guard made up from troops of the 1st South African Armored Division were standing at attention with their weapons presented in front of them, the sergeant-at-arms saluting as the Premier would pass at her leisure.

 

At the end of the line of soldiers, Vieira would find a familiar face politely smiling at her, Adolph Paton standing mostly alone, some of his staffers and security arrayed behind him, their numbers small though. He was wearing a pair of sunglasses against the morning sun, and he would offer his hand to her, in a relaxed fashion, when she drew even with him. "It is good to see you again Premier Vieira, I'm quite appreciative that you accepted my invitation to join me for a chat here in Cape Town," he said, ushering her to walk with him. "I trust your flight was well?"

[Lestari]

Isabel smiled as she descended unto the tarmac and then proceeded towards the array of soldiers lined up at the path that led from herself to, at the end, the familiar form of President Adolph Paton. As she passed by the sergeant at arms at the helm of the troops, she couldn't help but almost cheekily return his salute, though by all regards in more of a tongue-in-cheek sense than an impertinent manner. After all, you had to have a sense of humour about things, didn't you?

 

As she passed the last soldier of the honour guard, the premier at last came face to face with the South African president, who extended a hand to her in a handshake she returned firmly. "It is good to see you again, Premier Vieira. I'm quite appreciative that you accepted my invitation to join me for a chat here in Cape Town."

 

"I have to say, I think I can already say the appreciation's all mine," Isabel replied good-naturedly as she began to walk with the president. "The view of the coast from the air was quite gorgeous-- even more so from where I stand now."

[TheShammySocialist]

A small convoy of vehicles were waiting for them in the direction they were walking, but Paton would take his time in bringing the Premier to their ride. "Yes, I must admit that it is wonderful to see Cape Town as our Capital, but it can be quite distracting. With so much to enjoy and see here, you can imagine that sometimes it can be hard to get things done," he noted, as they strolled at a leisurely pace.

 

"As we get ready to get on our way," he said, as they reached the line of black government vehicles, he holding the door open for her, "I must ask, how fares Para these days since our last meeting? Has your outlook on the world changed much since our first meeting?"

[Lestari]

"Yes, I must admit that it is wonderful to see Cape Town as our capital," Paton remarked as the two heads of states strode along towards the motorcade that lay ahead. " But it can be quite distracting. With so much to enjoy and see here, you can imagine that sometimes it can be hard to get things done."

"Fortunately-- or perhaps unfortunately-- we in Amazônia cannot claim to suffer that blissful dilemma," Isabel replied somewhat wryly as they approached one of the government cars in the convoy, and she uttered a quick line of thanks as the South African president held the door open for her and she leaned down considerably to accommodate her towering bulk within the confines of the vehicle. [I]Y'know, sometimes it doesn't pay to be six foot nine,[/I] she mused ruefully, recalling with all too vivid clarity back in the days of her marine service with the HAE, decades past, when she delighted in lording her height over everybody around her. [I]Wonder what the ol' lieutenant colonel would think hearin' me bemoan her height.[/I] Then again, there was plenty Lieutenant Colonel Vieira would have found disagreeable about Premier Vieira-- though that was something, whether or not she consciously acknowledged it, that was changing.

 

"As we get ready to get on our way..." Paton's voice, not unwelcome, stirred the premier from those pointless musings. "I must ask-- how fares Pará  these days since our last meeting? Has your outlook changed much since our first meeting?"

 

There was just a beat of hesitation to Isabel's answer before she ventured, "... well, as much as one's outlook is liable to change with the passage of time. When we spoke before, Pará was still a fairly small nation strongly inhibited by veritable traditions of overpopulation and unemployment. Now, with those issues overcome, Pará is able to pursue in earnest the vision of a unified, strong South America that was once a mere pipe dream. I've overseen the Republic taking a more active role in South America, a more active stance in global politics in general, now that we have the clout to do so."
 

And with that, she turned the question back upon the questioner. "And you? How have you and South Africa changed in the interval, President Paton?"

[TheShammySocialist]

Paton would wryly notice and curse his memory for not remembering the size of Vieira, who stood almost a full head higher than he, when she slid into the black SUV. He cursed himself silently, before walking around to the other side of the SUV, where a Special Protection Service agent stood, holding the door open for him and he slid in next to Vieira. He could only hope that the convoy cleared through the city faster than was normal, and he signaled the driver but made a hand signal that indicated he wanted this done quick-like.

 

As the convoy took off with a fairly sizable amount of acceleration, Paton would turn his attentions to Vieira when she offered a response after short hesitation to his question he posed when he held the door open for her. The driver was speaking lightly into his headset, the convoy heading for a main highway bypass that would take them into the inner portions of Cape Town. Paton would smile and nod politely as he offered his attentions to the South African leader, relaxing back in the seat.

 

When she finished speaking and offered her own question to him, he would say with an assuring tone, "I must say that a strong and unified South America, free to conduct its own business without interruption or intervention, is quite good news for me to hear. All to many continents fall under the influence of others who might not even be of that continent, but feel it is their business to get involved there for whatever reason."

 

After his statement, he seemed to withdraw a little bit, but offer her a good summary of his feelings and thoughts associated with her own question, "Well, I must say that after my diplomatic safari of sorts, I have a greater appreciation for traveling international businessmen," he chuckled. "South Africa continues to find itself assuming more responsibilities as its influence grows, but I fear that for the friends that it has appeared to find itself associated with, there is always uncertainty on the horizon. The world seems to be ever-changing around us, South Africa has done much to ensure its people are employed, roofs over their heads, food in their stomachs, and protected. South Africa continues to take a more prominent role in the security of the region, and ensuring the nations of Central and Southern Africa are well protected."

 

"I wish I could count many associates among my neighbors, but a unified Africa, such as one under the AUP, is something that seems to be quite far away. Nor would I want an organization exactly like the African Unity Pact to find itself unifying these lands again, I would rather they not be unified at all. The nations of that pact buried their heads in the sand together, they isolated themselves due to paranoia and longstanding grudges. Look what has happened to them now," responded Paton, wistfully. "Where is your nation looking to strengthen its global reaches in terms of diplomatic relations? If I may ask?" he asked, interestedly.

 

As he spoke, the convoy would travel at high speed through the Central Western reaches of Cape Town, the highway being cleared by South African National Police wheeled armored personnel carriers ahead of them. The prominent peaks of Table Mountain and Devil's Peak, the landscape that Cape Town was eternally known for, rising like great spires ahead of them.

 

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Edited June 23, 2013 by TheShammySocialist

[Lestari]

"I must say that a strong and unified South America, free to conduct its own business without interruption or intervention, is quite good news for me to hear," Paton remarked upon Isabel's answer. "All too many continents fall under the influence of others who might not even be of that continent, but feel it is their business to get involved there for whatever reason."

 

"I'm all too aware of that... South America seemed to attract the fortunately short-lived interest of one such entity not long ago," the premier noted lowly, recalling the incident with Tianxia that had resulted in the downfall of three South American sovereign nations.

 

The subject of conversation proceeded on to Paton's own answer. "South Africa continues to find itself assuming more responsibilities as its influence grows," the South African president commented. "But I fear that for the friends that it has appeared to find itself associated with, there is always uncertainty on the horizon. The world seems to be ever-changing around us, South Africa has done much to ensure its people are employed, roofs over their heads, food in their stomachs, and protected. South Africa continues to take a more prominent role in the security of the region, and ensuring the nations of Central and Southern Africa are well protected. I wish I could count many associates among my neighbors, but a unified Africa, such as one under the AUP, is something that seems to be quite far away. Nor would I want an organization exactly like the African
Unity Pact to find itself unifying these lands again, I would rather they not be unified at all. The nations of that pact buried their heads in the sand together, they isolated themselves due to paranoia and longstanding grudges. Look what has happened to them now." The president's expression took on almost something like a mournful mien as his voice grew briefly somber. Shortly thereafter, however, he turned another question on the premier. "Where is your nation looking to strengthen its global reaches in terms of diplomatic relations?" Paton ventured, before adding a quick "If I may ask?"

"I wouldn't say it's so much a question of where," the premier replied, hesitating for a brief second to organise her thoughts into a concisely accurate and decisive responce. "Though I have historically focused on diplomacy in our home continent, I am not averse to establishing relations with a nation anywhere in the world so long as it proves governed by a stable, rational leadership that lacks ties to entities or nations I would not in turn want to be tied to by proxy. These days it's none too straightforward an affair to find such nations, of course. It's necessary for me to maintain a sense of caution and awareness when going about diplomatic affairs, lest I inadvertently end up putting Pará in arms with the next PSSA-- nations that appear peaceable and reasonable one day, only for the next day to find them launching nuclear weapons at the cities of another country with the ease with which one might pull petals off a flower at the side of the road."

[TheShammySocialist]

"You share a lot in common with our Foreign Minister, Lawrence Tenerife," chuckled Paton, looking over at Vieira with a respectful expression. "You hit on a point that South Africa is quite sensitive about; becoming a proxy or overshadowed by the powers of the world. It would nullify our efforts to see regional politics blossom, but also sour our relations and even damage our standing in the long run. Many countries see an easy way out, and remain blissfully ignorant, crumbling alone when they offend the powers that be."

 

Paton would pause, as he considered the words that he seemed to spew forth for the Premier, before seeming to smile gently, before he would avert his eyes to hers. "I apologize, I must say that the enduring overall peace of the world is something to be proud and thankful for, but it comes at a cost." He would pause again, and then add, "As you can probably tell, my grandfather and two of my uncles were Lutheran ministers."

 

"That being said, I can appreciate your position; it can sometimes be quite difficult to find stable friends, who won't make sudden rash actions. It not only puts you in a difficult position if their actions are militarily responded to and forces you to support them, their actions threaten your sovereignty directly. Its a difficult road one must take; determining who to associate with, but at the end of the day, the more consideration put into it, the better the results, in my opinion," Paton said, getting away from his prosletyzing.

 

As they continued to speak, the convoy would roll deeper into Cape Town, entering the older, picturesque, government district. English Tudor styles, Gothic, Mediterranean, with granite, brick, and marble construction; the buildings were representative of South Africa's colonial past. The buildings also had several qualities that gave them differences to similar European structures, however, with architectural pieces that were representative of the African continent these structures were in.

 

Moving along Buitengracht Street, in the middle of the government district, the convoy and its occupants would be afforded spectacular views of their destination; Signal Hill. The prominetory almost cut Cape Town Center in half, and offered amazing views across the city and coastline. Atop Signal Hill, the South African Governments' small Signal Hill Conference Center, had been readied for an informal gathering between the two leaders.

[Lestari]

"You share a lot in common with our Foreign Minister, Lawrence Tenerife," the South African president chuckled, and the premier returned with an acute smile. "I can only hope that's a compliment."

 

"You hit on a point that South Africa is quite sensitive about," Paton continued, evidently growing once again quite involved in the point he was making-- it seemed to be a habit, if what admittedly little the premier had noted was any indication. "Becoming a proxy or overshadowed by the powers of the world. It would nullify our efforts to see regional politics blossom, but also sour our relations and even damage our standing in the long run. Many countries see an easy way out, and remain blissfully ignorant, crumbling alone when they
offend the powers that be."

At that point Paton fell silent, falling into a spell of wordless thought, before he looked back to Isabel with a good-natured smile. "I apologise. I must say that the enduring overall peace of the world is something to be proud and thankful for, but it comes at a cost. As you can probably tell, my grandfather and two of my uncles were Lutheran ministers."

"Well, you're certainly a hell of an orator, I guess I could say that," Isabel replied with a breezy chuckle. "Not that there's anything wrong about that, of course."

 

Her interjection aside, the discussion continued. "That being said, I can appreciate your position. It can sometimes be quite difficult to find stable friends, who won't make
sudden rash actions. It not only puts you in a difficult position if their actions are militarily responded to and forces you to support them, their actions threaten your sovereignty directly. It's a difficult road one must take, determining who to associate with, but at the end of the day, the more consideration put into it, the better the results, in my opinion."

"I wouldn't say that's opinion so much as fact," Isabel remarked candidly, before adding, "But that's how it is with anything. The more consideration you give, the more mileage, so to speak, you get." She wasn't sure much what else to say, so she left it at that-- she'd never really been much of a talker. Entirely regardless of what changed about her worldview, her policies, her beliefs, a tendency towards aloofness in demeanour was the one constant. Had been when she'd been a kid prowlin' the soot-stained streets of the old, now defunct Holy American city of Phoenicia, had been as a marine, still was now as the leader of a sovereign nation, long after the city and the nation of her youth had vanished from the annals of history in a violent torrent of civil war. She was not like, say, Admiral Kaneda, who well and truly did feel perfectly comfortable navigating social situations with aplomb and astute acumen-- Isabel was just very, very good at pretending to be.

 

But hell, her history and her habits were not remotely the subject of concern at this point-- no point reflecting on either, because neither ever changed. She merely turned her gaze out the window, taking in the almost anachronistic architecture of this new region of Cape Town they had entered, replete with rather more distinctly English engineering-- at least, Isabel would have guessed as much. She was about as well versed in architecture as your average toad is educated in matters of feminist theory, so for all she knew it was Dutch, or Russian, or Canadian-- coulda been anything, she wouldn't've known much better.

[TheShammySocialist]

"You're quite right, which is why South Africa does not rush into its relationships; we let our relationships slowly build over time, observe the actions of our allies, and make the determination on whether to further them or not. I have been convinced by my foreign minister, Tenerife, that this is the best course of action to take, my background is in business, he is an architect, of foreign relations," said Paton, leaning back in his seat as the convoy began to climb signal hill. He would add with a chuckle, "Funnily enough, he prefers to work behind the scenes, he's a quiet strategist, not exactly an extrovert. Yet, he's supposed to lead the Union's relations, and I, at least, feel he's done admirably at such a post."

 

He would pause to look out the window at the city below, the dome of the Parliament, the skyline of the financial district, and the sprawl of suburbs that outstretched like long arms of urbanization that could be seen as far as the eye would allow. The convoy surmounted Signal Hill, where the Signal Hill Observatory sat, along with Cape Town's famous 'Noon Gun', a cannon which would be fired to signal midday, as per tradition. Right next to the Signal Hill Observatory, the government's small conference center sat, which was built in a Mediterranean villa style, with clay tile roofing and a portico that overlooked the bay.

 

"Welcome to Signal Hill," said Paton, cheerily, as their ride pulled up to the building, and two Special Protection Service agents opened their respective doors for them. The weather atop the ridgeline that extended out from Table Mountain, was quite breezy, the smell of salt emanating up from the ocean below. "I'm quite honored by your presence, you're the first international leader I've had the pleasure of introducing to these premises since the Union gained sovereignty out of the ashes of Arctica."

 

Much like their meeting in Para, most of the staffers and security had backed off, they had no real need for them to be around; Paton believed in sanctity of being able to have quiet, private talks away from the hassle of bustling staffers and looming presence of security. The views from the Portico offered some spectacular views of the whole surrounding area, and it was no wonder that Signal Hill used to be part of Cape Town's old defensive network down colonial times, hosting a battery of guns.

 

"Reverting to what we were speaking of earlier, on the account of stable friends with relatively predictable behavior, I must say that I've been pleased with our solid relationship since we signed our accords. It has been since then that I've felt the need, however, to strengthen such relationships. As we spoke of before, uncertainty seems to have grown; the errant behavior and subsequent debacle with the PSSA, the fracturing of Germany creating a new Europe, the fate of which remains quite uncertain. All of these things contribute to South Africa's yearning to ensure its friendships are strengthened and bonds cemented," he said, as they would stroll along the stucco-covered brick wall that surrounded the portico. "I'm not sure whether or not you are of the same opinion, but I felt as though my being succinct would be desirable."

[Lestari]

The journey was not long before they gradually approached their destination-- Signal Hill, as Paton introduced it. The small convoy crawled up the headland, overlooking Cape Town and, as they ascended, affording quite a view of the landscape below-- the urban horizon of the South African capital. Not far ahead lay the site of the meeting to come, and, as the car came to a gradual stop before the building in question, the premier took note of its elegant but humble stature-- not at all meant as a slight to the structure. It would function for its purpose, and in the end, that was pretty much the primary criteria, wasn't it?
 

"Thank you," Isabel remarked gratefully as a South African agent pulled open the door for her, permitting her to step out of the car and into the breezy open air at the top of the knoll. President Paton emerged from his respective side as well, and the two heads of state fell in step as they proceeded towards the villa up ahead.

 

"I'm quite honoured by your presence," Paton began speaking as they fell into a comfortable stride along the ridge. "You're the first international leader I've had the pleasure of
introducing to these premises since the Union gained sovereignty out of the ashes of Arctica."

 

"You flatter me," Isabel replied good-naturedly, and added honestly, "I daresay the honour of that would be wholly mine."

Pleasantries did not occupy much time, of course-- in short order the discussion that had taken place en route to the villa resumed. "Reverting to what we were speaking of earlier, on the account of stable friends with relatively predictable behavior," Paton remarked. "I must say that I've been pleased with our solid relationship since we signed our accords. It has been since then that I've felt the need, however, to strengthen such relationships. As we spoke of before, uncertainty seems to have grown; the errant behavior and subsequent debacle with the PSSA, the fracturing of Germany creating a new Europe, the fate of which remains quite uncertain. All of these things contribute to South Africa's yearning to ensure its friendships are strengthened and bonds cemented. I'm not sure whether or not you are of the same opinion, but I felt as though my being succinct would be desirable."

 

"A notable shift in global politics always necessitates a review of one's foreign policy priorities," Isabel agreed straightforwardly. "For my own part, I have felt it prudent to avoid involving Pará in any way with the..." [I]Constant clusterfuck?[/I] "[I]Unstable[/I] regimes that characterise Europe as a continent. North America has historically had something of an unspoken agreement to have nothing to do with South America, and as for Asia..." A wry smirk crossed her sharp-edged features. "Well, one may as well simply refer to the continent as 'Tianxia', a political entity in which Pará has little diplomatic interest. That leaves South Africa as one of Pará's very few ventures into diplomacy beyond South America itself. Given the history of stability and rationality our nations have in common, it's not strange to say it's a relationship worth continuing and cementing."

[TheShammySocialist]

Arriving at a table on the portico, there would be a tea brewed locally at a specialty shop that had the commendation of many local politicians, with this particular blend having a bit of a minty aftertaste to it. Paton would serve two cups of the blend, before settling into a wicker chair across from the Premier. After taking a sip from the cup of tea, and letting the liquid settle in him, the light breeze whistling over the portico, the sounds of bustling Cape Town emanating up from the city. He would smile lightly at Vieira, before continuing their discussions.

 

"The kind of cooperation I would like to cement between our two nations extends beyond security concerns, of course, South Africa and Para share similar views there. We are admirers of rational actors, those that try to remain stable in a world such as this. We are looking to cement bonds of friendship that also see one another encouraging increased tourism, business, education, to draw our countries closer. We already have discussed such measures, but we are willing to provide some of the most unfettered access to South African markets to Para, bordering on the edge of a free trade agreement," said Paton, in a confident tone.

 

"We can also begin speaking of increased technology partnerships between our two nations, if it would suit you."