Heerlo
Jedi Master Hearlo
- Joined
- Jan 19, 2012
- Messages
- 2,438
Chapter I
Spoiler :
Absolon stands outside the White House, home of US President James Wilson, awaiting an American security escort inside. This is it, the burgeoning capital of the United States of America, currently the greatest superpower in the world.
The yard he stands in is in peak condition. In nearly every visit he has made to the White House, he has witnessed yardkeepers maintaining the lawn of the great Presidential mansion. They keep it immaculate, as if they think it is what keeps America strong and prestigious in the world. The walkway which leads up to the main entrance is made from the finest marble in the world, and the grass surrounding it is cut perfectly. Pretty much the entire capital is like this.
Absolon's thoughts about the beauty of Washington are interrupted by the sight of American security guards making their way out. He needs to keep his mind focused on the task at hand, anyway.
There are four of them, all dressed in black tuxedos, as if they'd never been worn before. Not one of them even shows the slightest hint of any emotion. They all stand tall and neat, and it is obvious to Asbolon from all of his visits here that every part of the secret service is held to an almost unbelievable standard of uniform precision and discipline.
They approach him with quick, silent strides. None of them utters a word as one of them takes out a metal detector and begins scanning him while the other three search him from head to toe for any sign of a weapon. He knows better than to show any kind of resentment, so he stands completely still while they search his body. After about a minute and a half, one of the men breaks the silence.
"You're clear" he says in a deep, stoic voice. "Come with us."
By now, Absolon knows the routine. He stands still until the men surround him, two behind, and two in front. They start toward the steps of the main entrance. Not a word is uttered as they make the journey through the now-familiar halls of the White House. But Absolon doesn't mind the silence, for he needs every moment to think of what he will say to President James Wilson about the crisis at hand.
His home country, Geneva, a long time ally of the United States, was beginning to disfavor the alliance with America. Normally, this would mean nothing more to the US than the loss of a good friend, which they could stand. But Geneva is America's largest supplier of aluminum, and, therefore, critical to the maintenance of the US Army. Without the alliance and the aluminum, America's entire way of life would be endangered by enemies around the world who would see this as a moment of weakness and decide it was time to strike.
Not that the leaders of Geneva cared for the fate of the US. Most of the government had come under the power of the Genevan Neutrality Party, a political party dedicated to freeing Geneva from any and all alliances, especially with the US. They had done an incredible job of persuading Genevans that all alliances are evil and do nothing but harm to their country.
Absolon knew the opposite was true. At least with the US. America had been a faithful ally and protector of his country for years. Russia or Songhai, or even France, would've loved to take Geneva and its vast supplies of aluminum for themselves. But the United States made sure that would never happen. In return, Geneva had granted the US access to its vast resources. That is, until the GNP came into the picture.
Absolon had also spent several years of his childhood here in America. It was a country he loved nearly as much as his own. And he would hate to see anything happen to either of them. In reality, he knew that ending the alliance would hurt Geneva as much as it would the US. The American military would be compromised, and free nations across the world would be in danger, including Geneva.
His thoughts were interrupted once more as they reached the door to the oval office. One of the guards walks up to the double doors, and opens one of them slowly. He steps into the room.
"Mr.President, Mr.Beaumont is here to see you" he says.
"He may enter" Wilson responds.
With that, the first man opens the door wider for Absolon. It squeaks oddly as it moves, and the sound reminds Absolon that despite the neatness and beauty of this place, the White House itself is several centuries old.
Absolon enters the room. It is quite large, with the President's desk roughly ten feet away from the door. Behind the President and his desk, a wide panoramic window going about halfway around the room, illuminates the office with natural sunlight. The rest of the walls are lined with writings and pictures, many of which are no doubt portraits of the Wilson family.
The guard ushers Absolon forward with a hand motion. He approaches the President, who remains silent until Absolon reaches his desk.
"Greetings, Mr.Beaumont" the President says in a friendly voice. "I trust you are well?"
"I am, Mr.President" Absolon replies, breathing somewhat heavily from anxiety. After a moment, he gathers his thoughts.
"And I shall be better once I have brought our two nations back together into a stable alliance" Absolon continues.
"And I trust we shall be allies again" Wilson says, then smiles. With a wave of the hand, he dismisses the guards.
"Have a seat" he instructs Absolon, as his smile slowly fades. The President takes on an expression of obvious irritation, as the ambassador sits down to face the American leader.
"Mr.Beaumont, I am not sure the damage done to our reputation by the GNP can be undone" Wilson says. "This evil organization has deceived your people into believing that we don't care about them. That we are becoming what the Ottomans and Aztecs are, a ruthless dictatorship! And that is a lie. The United States is a true democracy, a beacon of hope for an evil world" Wilson says in sheer frustration.
He stands up quickly out of his chair, turning and walking toward the window at the back of the room, and stares out into the streets of Washington. He continues.
"And on top of losing one of our best allies, if we lose Geneva, we lose access to the materials that maintain a large portion of our military. This will make us-and you-extremely vulnerable." He turns around to face the ambassador once more, then slowly walks back to the desk, resting his hands on its surface and staring down directly at Absolon.
"Do you not remember everything we've done for you?" he asks, as if accusing Absolon of being a part of the whole thing. "We took down France, who was a major threat to your independence. And we kicked the Ottomans off your continent, giving every acre of the land they conquered back to its rightful owners. If we wanted to conquer your country, we would've done it a long time ago. We've always had the power. And this is how you repay us for respecting and defending your independence." The President sits back down in his chair, facing Absolon once more across his desk. Wilson takes a deep sigh, as if letting out all of his deep disappointment in one breath.
Although Absolon knows he doesn't need to do anything more to agitate Wilson, he can't help but feel a bit defensive concerning the way Wilson implies that he supports the GNP's ideas. On the contrary, he wants to maintain the alliance with the US. He has not bought into the lies of the GNP like most of his people have. But he is having a hard time undoing what they have already done. He finally speaks up.
"President Wilson, with all due respect, I am doing all that I can to persuade my people of the benefits of this alliance, and how much danger we would be in if it is compromised."
"Perhaps you are in more danger than you realize" Wilson replied slowly. "The United States has been far too kind to your country to be treated this way."
The President pauses, then turns his head slowly to the right, as if seeing the future consequences of this crisis, and pondering how to stop them. After an awkward few seconds of silence, the President hits a button on his desk, then turns to once again face Absolon.
"You are having trouble bringing your people to their senses" Wilson says. "I am going to provide you some help."
Absolon wonders where this is going, but before he can inquire, Wilson speaks again.
"Since your people are so ungrateful, I suggest you remind them that the United States does not have to put up with this any longer. Our armed forces stand ready. The most powerful military on earth can be more persuasive than any speech."
Absolon stared at the President in confusion. "What are you suggesting?" he asked, bewildered.
"What does it sound like I'm suggesting, Mr.Beaumont?" Wilson barked rudely. "We can take your resources if we have to. If it's the only way to ensure the protection of the free world."
Amidst the President's words, Absolon's expression changed from confused to angry.
"You would not dare attack us!" he shot back. "Geneva is a sovereign nation, and our government has the right to do as it pleases."
"Your government has the right to do what's in the best interests of its people, Mr.Beaumont" Wilson said. "And I would say that cooperating with the United States is just that. And now I think you should go home and talk to your government about what's best for the nation. I think with a little push they will see things more clearly."
Absolon was so distracted by the threat that he did not even notice the four security guards enter the room once more. One of the men tapped on his shoulder, indicating that he was to be escorted out immediately. Knowing it would be futile to protest, he rose from his seat and started back toward the door, but not before taking one last look of anger at Wilson.
The President didn't wear the expression of anger. He only grinned slightly, as he spoke once more to Absolon.
"Until next time, ambassador. And maybe by that time your people will have come to their senses" he said, as Absolon made his exit.
The yard he stands in is in peak condition. In nearly every visit he has made to the White House, he has witnessed yardkeepers maintaining the lawn of the great Presidential mansion. They keep it immaculate, as if they think it is what keeps America strong and prestigious in the world. The walkway which leads up to the main entrance is made from the finest marble in the world, and the grass surrounding it is cut perfectly. Pretty much the entire capital is like this.
Absolon's thoughts about the beauty of Washington are interrupted by the sight of American security guards making their way out. He needs to keep his mind focused on the task at hand, anyway.
There are four of them, all dressed in black tuxedos, as if they'd never been worn before. Not one of them even shows the slightest hint of any emotion. They all stand tall and neat, and it is obvious to Asbolon from all of his visits here that every part of the secret service is held to an almost unbelievable standard of uniform precision and discipline.
They approach him with quick, silent strides. None of them utters a word as one of them takes out a metal detector and begins scanning him while the other three search him from head to toe for any sign of a weapon. He knows better than to show any kind of resentment, so he stands completely still while they search his body. After about a minute and a half, one of the men breaks the silence.
"You're clear" he says in a deep, stoic voice. "Come with us."
By now, Absolon knows the routine. He stands still until the men surround him, two behind, and two in front. They start toward the steps of the main entrance. Not a word is uttered as they make the journey through the now-familiar halls of the White House. But Absolon doesn't mind the silence, for he needs every moment to think of what he will say to President James Wilson about the crisis at hand.
His home country, Geneva, a long time ally of the United States, was beginning to disfavor the alliance with America. Normally, this would mean nothing more to the US than the loss of a good friend, which they could stand. But Geneva is America's largest supplier of aluminum, and, therefore, critical to the maintenance of the US Army. Without the alliance and the aluminum, America's entire way of life would be endangered by enemies around the world who would see this as a moment of weakness and decide it was time to strike.
Not that the leaders of Geneva cared for the fate of the US. Most of the government had come under the power of the Genevan Neutrality Party, a political party dedicated to freeing Geneva from any and all alliances, especially with the US. They had done an incredible job of persuading Genevans that all alliances are evil and do nothing but harm to their country.
Absolon knew the opposite was true. At least with the US. America had been a faithful ally and protector of his country for years. Russia or Songhai, or even France, would've loved to take Geneva and its vast supplies of aluminum for themselves. But the United States made sure that would never happen. In return, Geneva had granted the US access to its vast resources. That is, until the GNP came into the picture.
Absolon had also spent several years of his childhood here in America. It was a country he loved nearly as much as his own. And he would hate to see anything happen to either of them. In reality, he knew that ending the alliance would hurt Geneva as much as it would the US. The American military would be compromised, and free nations across the world would be in danger, including Geneva.
His thoughts were interrupted once more as they reached the door to the oval office. One of the guards walks up to the double doors, and opens one of them slowly. He steps into the room.
"Mr.President, Mr.Beaumont is here to see you" he says.
"He may enter" Wilson responds.
With that, the first man opens the door wider for Absolon. It squeaks oddly as it moves, and the sound reminds Absolon that despite the neatness and beauty of this place, the White House itself is several centuries old.
Absolon enters the room. It is quite large, with the President's desk roughly ten feet away from the door. Behind the President and his desk, a wide panoramic window going about halfway around the room, illuminates the office with natural sunlight. The rest of the walls are lined with writings and pictures, many of which are no doubt portraits of the Wilson family.
The guard ushers Absolon forward with a hand motion. He approaches the President, who remains silent until Absolon reaches his desk.
"Greetings, Mr.Beaumont" the President says in a friendly voice. "I trust you are well?"
"I am, Mr.President" Absolon replies, breathing somewhat heavily from anxiety. After a moment, he gathers his thoughts.
"And I shall be better once I have brought our two nations back together into a stable alliance" Absolon continues.
"And I trust we shall be allies again" Wilson says, then smiles. With a wave of the hand, he dismisses the guards.
"Have a seat" he instructs Absolon, as his smile slowly fades. The President takes on an expression of obvious irritation, as the ambassador sits down to face the American leader.
"Mr.Beaumont, I am not sure the damage done to our reputation by the GNP can be undone" Wilson says. "This evil organization has deceived your people into believing that we don't care about them. That we are becoming what the Ottomans and Aztecs are, a ruthless dictatorship! And that is a lie. The United States is a true democracy, a beacon of hope for an evil world" Wilson says in sheer frustration.
He stands up quickly out of his chair, turning and walking toward the window at the back of the room, and stares out into the streets of Washington. He continues.
"And on top of losing one of our best allies, if we lose Geneva, we lose access to the materials that maintain a large portion of our military. This will make us-and you-extremely vulnerable." He turns around to face the ambassador once more, then slowly walks back to the desk, resting his hands on its surface and staring down directly at Absolon.
"Do you not remember everything we've done for you?" he asks, as if accusing Absolon of being a part of the whole thing. "We took down France, who was a major threat to your independence. And we kicked the Ottomans off your continent, giving every acre of the land they conquered back to its rightful owners. If we wanted to conquer your country, we would've done it a long time ago. We've always had the power. And this is how you repay us for respecting and defending your independence." The President sits back down in his chair, facing Absolon once more across his desk. Wilson takes a deep sigh, as if letting out all of his deep disappointment in one breath.
Although Absolon knows he doesn't need to do anything more to agitate Wilson, he can't help but feel a bit defensive concerning the way Wilson implies that he supports the GNP's ideas. On the contrary, he wants to maintain the alliance with the US. He has not bought into the lies of the GNP like most of his people have. But he is having a hard time undoing what they have already done. He finally speaks up.
"President Wilson, with all due respect, I am doing all that I can to persuade my people of the benefits of this alliance, and how much danger we would be in if it is compromised."
"Perhaps you are in more danger than you realize" Wilson replied slowly. "The United States has been far too kind to your country to be treated this way."
The President pauses, then turns his head slowly to the right, as if seeing the future consequences of this crisis, and pondering how to stop them. After an awkward few seconds of silence, the President hits a button on his desk, then turns to once again face Absolon.
"You are having trouble bringing your people to their senses" Wilson says. "I am going to provide you some help."
Absolon wonders where this is going, but before he can inquire, Wilson speaks again.
"Since your people are so ungrateful, I suggest you remind them that the United States does not have to put up with this any longer. Our armed forces stand ready. The most powerful military on earth can be more persuasive than any speech."
Absolon stared at the President in confusion. "What are you suggesting?" he asked, bewildered.
"What does it sound like I'm suggesting, Mr.Beaumont?" Wilson barked rudely. "We can take your resources if we have to. If it's the only way to ensure the protection of the free world."
Amidst the President's words, Absolon's expression changed from confused to angry.
"You would not dare attack us!" he shot back. "Geneva is a sovereign nation, and our government has the right to do as it pleases."
"Your government has the right to do what's in the best interests of its people, Mr.Beaumont" Wilson said. "And I would say that cooperating with the United States is just that. And now I think you should go home and talk to your government about what's best for the nation. I think with a little push they will see things more clearly."
Absolon was so distracted by the threat that he did not even notice the four security guards enter the room once more. One of the men tapped on his shoulder, indicating that he was to be escorted out immediately. Knowing it would be futile to protest, he rose from his seat and started back toward the door, but not before taking one last look of anger at Wilson.
The President didn't wear the expression of anger. He only grinned slightly, as he spoke once more to Absolon.
"Until next time, ambassador. And maybe by that time your people will have come to their senses" he said, as Absolon made his exit.
! It doesn't feel like it's that old!
