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Altea, Egelion - January 26, 5636
Hush hush.
It's been a year since he last met her in Amshinov. What a charming lady. Reminded him of a certain finesse from Canrille. He could not contain his excitement as he descended the small flight of stairs of his luxurious jet, courtesy of Yaldavir.
Suuure, it wasn't exactly his - loan from Benowitz in Bannerhafen. But who cares.
And there she was, Royal Councilor Mondragon. Mondragon. Exquisite. He approached her, smiling, like a childhood friend from the past. And thus it was that the CEO of Sato shook hands with the Foreign Minister of Egelion, once again, a year later, in this secret meeting on a private tarmac.
"I hear you're very, very, very interested in our ballistic tech", he said. And as he did, Black Beisa's Director of Research appeared on the aircraft door, also. She descended the stairs, cold eyes, feeling cold, wearing an even colder expression.
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Altea, Egelion - January 26, 5636 | 1:09 PM
Altea-Soledad International Airport, Private Runway 1A
She stepped out of the dark maroon Hispari-Sueza state vehicle. The leather warm and sweaty from the anxious thoughts along the way. She walks towards the private jet, Majatran sands still stuck to its side. She prepares to greet the man walking out, royal guards stand next to her.
"Welcome to Altea. His Majesty extends his grace and well-wishes to you and your"-- She looks at the woman stepping off the plane-- "delegation".
She shakes the hands of the intimidating woman, but stands her ground. Finally, someone to match her own energy.
"Allow us to go into the city. There is a beautiful location where we can have our finest drinks and discuss our plans"
All of them enter the state vehicle and are driven into the city. The three and their security detail arrive in the city's Centro District, the heart of Altea. Elegant buildings made of white stones, marbles, and elegant craftsmanship surround the car. Statues, large boulevards, public fountains, and the white bridged canals shock the Majatran visitors, who have not seen the attention to city planning since their dealings with Eroncourt. The car arrives at a tall building. A hotel. They enter the building and find themselves at a beautiful restaurant with a private bar. Here, they deal the future of politics and begin to drink.
![[Image: Your-paragraph-text-60.png]](https://i.ibb.co/Jwww0CVb/Your-paragraph-text-60.png)
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Centro District, Altea, Egelion - January 26, 5636 | 1:51 PM
Gerrit Tzafrir was a rather gullible man; you know, of the type who rushes, can't sit on their ass and constantly shakes or taps their legs, rather annoyingly, most would say. A hardcore half-Jelbic half-Darnussian Yeudi living in Bannerhafen, he was barely impressed by Altea's urban planning and architecture, pretending to look in wonder to please this somewhat frightening, hard, stern woman with a face shrouded in mystery.
On the other hand, BB's Director of Research had immediately taken to Mondragon. Chatting and almost smiling at times? He spent half his time in the car pursing his lip and looking out the window to hide his face.
He would never admit such a thing, but he felt deeply intimidated, now sitting there sipping his whiskey as he exchanged deeply loaded pleasantries with the Foreign Minister of Egelion. A proper Yeudi can recognise the stench of ulterior motives from miles away. This was not about ballistic missiles; a puny thing like military hardware was always a means to an end, wasn't it?
An old-school jukebox, contradicting itself in this bar, sat in the corner pumping out what faintly sounded like an experiment.
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Centro District, Altea, Egelion - January 26, 5636 | 1:53 PM
She motions for the bartender to change the music. Please change it. That's what she wanted. Instead, classical music from the Altea Symphony Orchestra plays. It is playing the Suite Egeliones No.2: Amaterian Symphony. It is often considered the nation's theme. As it begins to play, she looks at Tzafrir. She stares intently into his eyes, as if she were reading his soul and mind. He reacts as one would think: he jolts, his hands begins to sweat, and puts on a fake smile. She then looks to the BB Director.
"I come here on behalf of His Majesty. As you may understand, we are a few months from perfecting our ATENEA Defense System. Yet, His Majesty was thinking of adding an offensive feature. In a highly competitive and unrelenting world, we seek what SATO and BB do best. Weaponry."
She understands the tone she must set in order to complete the king's mission. May God forgive her.
"I would of course, Director, like to speak about 'weaponry' with you. I believe it is in our interests to see the best of what old Beiteynu has to offer.
She takes a sip of her Strawberry Martini, licks the rim of the crystal and waits for a response.
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Centro District, Altea, Egelion - January 26, 5636 | 1:53 PM
Mondragon licked the rim of the crystal of her pink drink; Tzafrir could not avert his gaze, half-wincing at the pretentious classical music playing now on the jukebox. He could never stand this eloquent bullshit, being a man of Jorgen Island to the bone. But he still could not stop looking at her lips.
As he leaned down to pick up a dossier from his bag, he caught the BB woman, also intently staring at Mondragon.
He felt the tie on his neck.
-
The minutes passed as he fiddled with the bag, then the dossier - fucking paperwork - and then the pages on the dossier, containing pictures of missiles and other fancy military hardware. He cleared his throat as the jukebox turned to something alternative.
"His Majesty, I presume, is keenly aware that we do not specialise in defence tech" he began to say, picking up his whiskey for the 7th sip.
"The Canrillaise never even allowed us to come close to SOTERIA", 8th sip, looking at Mondragon sideways.
"You know what happened".
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Centro District, Altea, Egelion - January 26, 5636 | 1:53 PM
She thinks to herself: "Who is adding this godforsaken trash to this contraption?!".She chooses to ignore the sounds radiating the bar. She smiles and takes the paper work from the Director. She takes out her reading glasses and takes a look at the dossier.
"You know. Even we couldn't get our full hands on it. We tried to get someone from Eroncourt to get us the details, but we couldn't get all of it. We have taken efforts to reverse engineer the program, and I am afraid to say, we made something more powerful and accurate than the Canrillaise Goddess--that is of course if you're willing to share these details."
There is a short silence with the three. She looks at the dossier and points one out to Tzafrir and the Director.
"Here. This is what we need to carry out His Majesty's will. We need Altea capable of striking across the world in 20 minutes or less. We have covered the defense aspect of this, yes, but this system is not defensive based... it is both created to defend and attack. I am sure your products here are still capable no? I would of course love to see things shoot into the sky."
She motions to Tzafrir and to the Director.
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Centro District, Altea, Egelion - January 26, 5636 | 2:01 PM
"Dama, you simply ask too much of us", Tzafrir exclaimed. He eyed the BB Director momentarily; "I'm not supposed to tell you this but it is a common secret, after all"; he hesitated, fidgeting on his seat - he could not use a prop to stall as his whiskey glass was now empty.
"The Yeudicho program is extremely guarded. Sure, it's been unfortunate that some of the Yeudi Diaspora who got caught in precarious situations have revealed and shared some of that expertise but - may I have another drink? - but - but - the whole thing is" - he eyed the BB Director once again, bloody woman was still intently looking at Mondragon with a hungry and fascinated glare in her eyes - "extremely guarded; never left the confines of, ah, our research and manufacturing locations in, ah, somewhere. And it never will."
"There are only two locations outside Amudim that host our ICBMs and both are under the 3rd Point Federation", he feigned strictness. "And even most of those within the 3PF are not aware of their existence, you see". And now he attempted to feign finality.
To no avail, apparently, as the table became suddenly and quite noticeably electrified.
The waiter brought another glass of whiskey as all 3 sat in silence.
-
Centro District, Altea, Egelion - January 26, 5636 | 2:03 PM
Tzafrir's left leg began to drill a whole on the floor.
"We can share expertise and knowledge up to a point", his voice crackled; clearing his throat and gulping a good portion of that whiskey. "Provided that you work with us and send over the necessary defence contracts our way on our other products - that is, if you want them".
"You have to deduce the rest of it yourselves", he concluded, sipping more whiskey, his mind vaguely shrouded in some rising fog.
There was a change in the air. The BB Director took a breath, ready to speak. Then her hoarse voice mingled with the background ambience of the bar, the jukebox now playing a contradictory cheery tune.
"What about assurances? Assurances of the Yeudi People", she said.
Her eyes locked on Mondragon, half-daring, half-aroused.
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Centro District, Altea, Egelion - January 26, 5636 | 2:04 PM
Senor, we do not ask that you give us an entire missile."--but she would certainly like one at this point-- "we only ask for guidance. I mean look at what we've done: we've completely re-engineered SOTERIA into something more powerful, more complex. We ask for nothing more than the steps to achieve His Majesty's will."
She tells the bartenders to close blinds and clear the restaurant and bar. She only wants three of them in the room"
She inches to unbutton her shirt.
"We are of course glad to provide the old Beiteynuese sector with reassurances and protections under His Majesty's laws. Full cooperation and sharing is guaranteed--given of course, we are given what we desire"
She eyes them both upon finishing the word "desire"
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Centro District, Altea, Egelion - January 26, 5636 | 2:05 PM
Tzafrir gulped.
A jazzy, alternative tune began playing, with a female voice penetrating their eardrums. The BB Director stood up and, still looking at Mondragon, stroked Tzafrir's arm sensually as she headed towards the jukebox.
She grabbed a lamp from a nearby table and began smashing the jukebox in a few violent moves. Amidst the sound of damage and the discreet exclamations from the staff, the music died out and there was silence.
She picked up one of the records and returned to the table, breaking it in half.
"His Majesty's will shall be granted", she said, leaning on Mondragon.
"His Majesty will also receive the right toys, for the right price"; and the female Director of Black Beisa, the organisation responsible for Yeudi ICBMs and nuclear weapons, gave the female Foreign Minister of Egelion a massive Canrillaise kiss.
And Tzafrir gulped again.
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Centro District, Altea, Egelion - January 26, 5636 | 2:05 PM
She takes off her bra and her clothes. The director follows suit. Finally, the jukebox destroyed. Silence. A change in tune. No more noise, only silence. Only the sounds of the lion's roar will be heard.
She motions for Tzafrir to join.
"Come. For we shall all have what we want tonight."
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