03-31-2023, 06:38 PM
Dell's eyes lingered upon the Empress' face, as he listened to her reply of polite platitudes. A quick glance behind the Xiomeran aircraft revealed the Manabí - more than two hours ahead of schedule - also awaiting their official reception, respectfully waiting on the tarmac. Resisting all efforts to let out yet another sigh, he once again mused to himself.
Oh dear, oh dear. The Foreign Affairs guys aren't going to be happy about that faux pas, not one bit...
With a final courteous nod to Calhualyana, the First Minister extended his arm towards the airport terminal's diplomatic reception area. "My apologies, Empress, but I must take my leave. The Manabí are exceptionally early." With the slightest of chuckles, as a protocol officer appeared beside him, Dell continued, "Mr Ilsley will help you and your delegation through customs and immigration. No doubt all of your paperwork is already in order, so this shouldn't be too arduous, I hope?"
As the politician shot a look at Ilsley, the diplomat shook his head. "No, First Minister. Not at all, I should hope."
Not unless they try to bring their weapons with them, anyway. Good thing I'm not going to be there when they get confiscated...
"Very good. Until this afternoon, Empress." Dell gave a final nod, and with an about-face, continued onwards to the Manabí.
Round two...
---
19 March 2023, 9:32 AM
Novella City, Xeles, Novella Islands
Novella Islands External Intelligence Agency (NIEIA) Headquarters
In an otherwise ordinary office tower, the Novella Islands External Intelligence Agency's analysis branch quietly hummed with the typical quiet chatter a Sunday offered. Nothing outside of the norm, save for the Xiomeran and Manabí leaders' arrival, both of which were being taken care of by the Novella Islands Security Agency. There was little to do but monitor for any extraordinary events that threatened to crop up, and unfortunately for Samantha Timms, it was her scheduled Sunday on duty.
A notification in crimson red popped up in her inbox, indicating an immediate response was required. Reading her screen for the third time, the analyst was still incredulous as to what was being shown to her. Standing as she took her headset off, the young woman walked to her superior officer, with a stern face.
"Chief, you need to see this. Right now."
---
19 March 2023, 9:57 AM
Telefar, Cyanth, Novella Islands
Telefar International Airport, out on the apron
After meeting with the Manabí officials - a much less pompous affair, owing to the relative importance assigned to each delegation by Foreign Affairs - Dell was just about ready to sit down and relax with a nice cup of tea, and read over the draft agenda for the afternoon's meeting for the fifteenth time. Unfortunately for him, the day's work of diplomatic grovelling had only just begun. As two men approached the First Minister, both dressed in exceptionally nondescript black suits - Dell immediately knew the score.
"First Minister, there has been an incident in Xiomera." Handing him a file, distinctive "eyes only" lettering in bold on the cover, the intelligence agent continued. "Earlier this morning, there was a terror attack on a military airbase, already on high alert due to the Manabí situation. No reports on casualties as of yet, but multiple Xiomeran strategic bombers were destroyed."
Flipping through the file, and skimming the one-page extract, the First Minister's eyes landed upon the suspected culprit.
Warriors of Our Earth... Eco-terrorists from Lauchenoiria. What exactly are they doing, striking an airfield half way across the world?
"Recommendations?"
The man in black took a hold of the file, and flipped to a page with multiple sticky notes of various colours attached to it, before handing the dossier back to Dell with a polite nod. Continuing to skim, the politician mulled over the consequences of each action, finally settling his eyes upon one line in particular. Lifting the yellow sticky note off of the page, and folding it in half, he handed it to the agent in charge, before fobbing off the remainder of the folder to his assistant.
"Within the next half hour, and I want updates every fifteen minutes. Also, get me Admiral Westfield on a plane at once, please." A curt nod exchanged between both men was all the confirmation required, as everyone parted ways.
Today just gets better and better... Time to make sure the Empress isn't misguidedly at the throats of the Manabí, I suppose.
Tea would have to wait.
---
19 March 2023, 10:22 AM
International Waters, South Xiomeran Sea
N.I.V. Audacious, Fleet Combat Information Centre
The direct link with Naval Command lit up suddenly with a printer began its back and forth motion, generating an exact facsimile of the orders from Ternout, "urgent" written in large lettering upon its header. Picking it up from the tray, the yeoman folded the document in half, and marched it over to his superior's ready room. With a rap of knocking on the door, the staff officer entered without waiting for a reply, on account of the headline caption. "Urgent orders, Admiral Flint."
As the younger officer handed the letter to his superior, the rear admiral arose from his chair. As he unfolded it and began reading its contents, his face soured evermore, the further down the paper his eyes tracked. He refolded it after finishing, handed it back to his junior, and walked out into the Fourth Carrier Battle Fleet's CIC. Every officer stood to attention before he dismissed them with a wave, solemnly making his way to the watch officer.
"Mr Stephens, set alert condition one throughout the fleet, and get me the COs of the Marbury, the Clearwater, and the Banner. Then I need to speak with the captain."
With the quickest of glances to a lieutenant beside a phone on the wall, the first order was carried out immediately, as they began their announcement. Commander Stephens continued, "The Marbury, the Clearwater, and the Banner, aye, sir. One moment."
On cue, all hands began to man their stations across the fleet, as the carrier's own alarm sounded the call for general quarters, and for the flight deck to be prepared for launch and recovery operations. Handing a headset to the admiral, the commander gave Flint a nod, indicating his other order had been fulfilled.
"Flint here. Marbury, Clearwater, and Banner are to break from the fleet, and proceed across the blockade, and on a freedom of navigation operation down the strait. Air warfare sensors at maximum output; I don't want a fly to take off without hearing about it, understood?"
Five minutes later, the Fourth Carrier Battle Fleet was steaming towards the Xiomeran's naval exclusion line, with both AEW&C aircraft and a squadron of patrol fighters already in the air. Although there was never any intention of the entire fleet crossing the line - nor even the majority, and certainly not the carrier herself - it was no doubt an anxiety-inducing sight. All the rear admiral could do was hope that the Novellan Naval Command was able to signal its intentions to the Xiomerans, and that their chain of command was able to relay it to their fleet in time.
Oh dear, oh dear. The Foreign Affairs guys aren't going to be happy about that faux pas, not one bit...
With a final courteous nod to Calhualyana, the First Minister extended his arm towards the airport terminal's diplomatic reception area. "My apologies, Empress, but I must take my leave. The Manabí are exceptionally early." With the slightest of chuckles, as a protocol officer appeared beside him, Dell continued, "Mr Ilsley will help you and your delegation through customs and immigration. No doubt all of your paperwork is already in order, so this shouldn't be too arduous, I hope?"
As the politician shot a look at Ilsley, the diplomat shook his head. "No, First Minister. Not at all, I should hope."
Not unless they try to bring their weapons with them, anyway. Good thing I'm not going to be there when they get confiscated...
"Very good. Until this afternoon, Empress." Dell gave a final nod, and with an about-face, continued onwards to the Manabí.
Round two...
---
19 March 2023, 9:32 AM
Novella City, Xeles, Novella Islands
Novella Islands External Intelligence Agency (NIEIA) Headquarters
In an otherwise ordinary office tower, the Novella Islands External Intelligence Agency's analysis branch quietly hummed with the typical quiet chatter a Sunday offered. Nothing outside of the norm, save for the Xiomeran and Manabí leaders' arrival, both of which were being taken care of by the Novella Islands Security Agency. There was little to do but monitor for any extraordinary events that threatened to crop up, and unfortunately for Samantha Timms, it was her scheduled Sunday on duty.
A notification in crimson red popped up in her inbox, indicating an immediate response was required. Reading her screen for the third time, the analyst was still incredulous as to what was being shown to her. Standing as she took her headset off, the young woman walked to her superior officer, with a stern face.
"Chief, you need to see this. Right now."
---
19 March 2023, 9:57 AM
Telefar, Cyanth, Novella Islands
Telefar International Airport, out on the apron
After meeting with the Manabí officials - a much less pompous affair, owing to the relative importance assigned to each delegation by Foreign Affairs - Dell was just about ready to sit down and relax with a nice cup of tea, and read over the draft agenda for the afternoon's meeting for the fifteenth time. Unfortunately for him, the day's work of diplomatic grovelling had only just begun. As two men approached the First Minister, both dressed in exceptionally nondescript black suits - Dell immediately knew the score.
"First Minister, there has been an incident in Xiomera." Handing him a file, distinctive "eyes only" lettering in bold on the cover, the intelligence agent continued. "Earlier this morning, there was a terror attack on a military airbase, already on high alert due to the Manabí situation. No reports on casualties as of yet, but multiple Xiomeran strategic bombers were destroyed."
Flipping through the file, and skimming the one-page extract, the First Minister's eyes landed upon the suspected culprit.
Warriors of Our Earth... Eco-terrorists from Lauchenoiria. What exactly are they doing, striking an airfield half way across the world?
"Recommendations?"
The man in black took a hold of the file, and flipped to a page with multiple sticky notes of various colours attached to it, before handing the dossier back to Dell with a polite nod. Continuing to skim, the politician mulled over the consequences of each action, finally settling his eyes upon one line in particular. Lifting the yellow sticky note off of the page, and folding it in half, he handed it to the agent in charge, before fobbing off the remainder of the folder to his assistant.
"Within the next half hour, and I want updates every fifteen minutes. Also, get me Admiral Westfield on a plane at once, please." A curt nod exchanged between both men was all the confirmation required, as everyone parted ways.
Today just gets better and better... Time to make sure the Empress isn't misguidedly at the throats of the Manabí, I suppose.
Tea would have to wait.
---
19 March 2023, 10:22 AM
International Waters, South Xiomeran Sea
N.I.V. Audacious, Fleet Combat Information Centre
The direct link with Naval Command lit up suddenly with a printer began its back and forth motion, generating an exact facsimile of the orders from Ternout, "urgent" written in large lettering upon its header. Picking it up from the tray, the yeoman folded the document in half, and marched it over to his superior's ready room. With a rap of knocking on the door, the staff officer entered without waiting for a reply, on account of the headline caption. "Urgent orders, Admiral Flint."
As the younger officer handed the letter to his superior, the rear admiral arose from his chair. As he unfolded it and began reading its contents, his face soured evermore, the further down the paper his eyes tracked. He refolded it after finishing, handed it back to his junior, and walked out into the Fourth Carrier Battle Fleet's CIC. Every officer stood to attention before he dismissed them with a wave, solemnly making his way to the watch officer.
"Mr Stephens, set alert condition one throughout the fleet, and get me the COs of the Marbury, the Clearwater, and the Banner. Then I need to speak with the captain."
With the quickest of glances to a lieutenant beside a phone on the wall, the first order was carried out immediately, as they began their announcement. Commander Stephens continued, "The Marbury, the Clearwater, and the Banner, aye, sir. One moment."
On cue, all hands began to man their stations across the fleet, as the carrier's own alarm sounded the call for general quarters, and for the flight deck to be prepared for launch and recovery operations. Handing a headset to the admiral, the commander gave Flint a nod, indicating his other order had been fulfilled.
"Flint here. Marbury, Clearwater, and Banner are to break from the fleet, and proceed across the blockade, and on a freedom of navigation operation down the strait. Air warfare sensors at maximum output; I don't want a fly to take off without hearing about it, understood?"
Five minutes later, the Fourth Carrier Battle Fleet was steaming towards the Xiomeran's naval exclusion line, with both AEW&C aircraft and a squadron of patrol fighters already in the air. Although there was never any intention of the entire fleet crossing the line - nor even the majority, and certainly not the carrier herself - it was no doubt an anxiety-inducing sight. All the rear admiral could do was hope that the Novellan Naval Command was able to signal its intentions to the Xiomerans, and that their chain of command was able to relay it to their fleet in time.