22-02-2026, 03:29 AM
Quote:19 December 5712
Building of the Ministry of Mining and National Resources, Gemun
Oboi Koken slightly nervously stands in the foyer of the building he already recognised as his home, after five years of leading the ministry, under the leadership of the person, whom he was so eagerly waiting for.
A black sedan car, usually reserved for the premier of Bianjie, and manufactured by the state-owned Haseku company drove to the entrance of the building.
Driver opened the back door, revealing the head of government, Semken Tan, who entered the building, greeted by the minister Koken. "Madam Premier", he said. "This way". Koken pointed to the left, and both began walking to what is the heart of the whole building, the cabinet of the minister, that is.
Koken and Tan entered the room, fiiled by the smell of cigar, quite obviously smoked just minutes before the arrival of premier Tan. "So, feel free to take a seat wherever you want", Koke relaxed a little bit, as he entered his own realm.
"I appreciate the offer, but you know why I am here, and it is purely government affairs", Tan looked at him, with barely any emotion on the face. "Please be serious, you will need it, if you want to succeed me one day". She smirked, and Koken started coughing.
"Yeah, right", Koken adjusted himself. "Well, the phone is on the table, so we might as well get on there".
"Before we do this, I want you to understand, we are in a bit tacky situation here, so pump your convincing charisma numbers up, it is very important", Tan said to the minister, before turning back to the phone, and slowly dialling the number of the chief executive of the Inglian Administrative Zone, Emma Ritchie.
"Wait...", Koken put a hand on Tan's. "Do we really need this, Sem? I mean, we barely produce our own oil, New Verham also can't realistically do it, and Xsampa is too communist for their own good. What is the point anyway? We are Egelian allies, and their bid is quite good if you ask me, so let's just endorse them", he said as he looked at Tan, shrugging his hands.
"With a mindset like this, you're not gonna become leader", Tan laughed, as Koken rolled his eyes. "But, riddle me this: do you believe in pan-Dovanism? Do you believe in Dovanian unity above international cooperation? Do you genuinely think we will not get any value from this contract?", she looked at him, as if waiting for an answer, but immediately continued, not letting Oboi speak. "And if we execute it right, we get a good ally in the east, next to Luthori, and connections for the future. It is a pragmatic decision, fueled primarily by the ideological reasons, publicly at least, that is".
Now finished, Semken looked at the minister, waiting for the answer, but he just nodded, letting her hand go, allowing to dial the final numbers on the phone.
After a few beeps and bops later, it clicks, with Tan immediately opening the conversation. "Madam Ritchie?", she asked. "Ah, premier Tan! To what do I owe the pleasure?", Ritchie enthusiatically replied on the other end of the line.
"So, I am here with the Bianjian minister in charge of our energy and resources, Mr Koken, and we wanted to talk to you about the ongoing Petroenglia Rossfadda, maybe also more at length present out vision". Tan presented the idea of what the call was about to be. "Ah, yes-yes, well, it is nice to hear of you both, so I am all ears", Ritchie replied.
"Yes, good afternoon, Madam Ritchie", Koken began talking with a little tremble to his voice at first, before stabilising. "And, I will not speak for my friends in New Verham here, so it will be purely Bianjian vision of the bid". He stopped for a second, looking to the right, at Semken, who had no emotion on her face, just simply nodding.
"I do understand the attractiveness of some of the proposals coming from our richer and more powerful friends across the world, but I do think it is important for us to deliever the message, and for you to, hopefully, understand it", Koken kept on going. "What we offer, is obviously, quite different from the money, though there are funding aspects involved in this. As you've head, we are working on the continental development bank, and I am pretty sure Madam Premier can dive deeper into this", Semken nodded to his words. "But, our idea is more of a long term play, because we do not intend to exploit the Rossfadda, but rather use it for the betterment of New Englia".
As the energy minister was about to continue, Tan started waving her hand, signallng him to stop talking. "Before Mr Koken continues further, I would to just intervene here quickly, because I want to emphasise that, while obviously, it is all Besekiga doing, as the company's owner, and someone with a realistic vision of the world, we, as a government, ought to partake in this", she nodded and waved her hand. "But continue".
"Right...As I was saying, Besekiga has an experience with managing oil fields already, as well as managing them", Koken took a cigar, and started firing it as he continued to speak. "But also, it is simply logistically easier for us to work, due to our proximity, especially as it presents further integration of New Englia into our growing political institutionalisation, but that's quite different topic", he finally smoked his cigar as he finished talking for a second.
Tan quickly picked up on his words, almost interrupting to keep speaking: "The point Mr Koken is trying to make, we do not know what will happen in Egelion tomorrow, we do not know if the Temanian regime will collapse tomorrow, especially with protests. There is just too much volatility in the world, and Dovani, with Bianjie especially, been proving itself as a solid and stable force".
"What about the development bank that you mentioned earlier?", Ritchie did not respond or question anything mentioned before, except for the DDB.
"If Bianjie wins the bid, and we succesfully launch the DDB, the Dovanian Development Bank, that is, it can be used to build infrastructure in New Englia, it can be used to fund certain projects your government will have, even help find new reserves, or expand the drilling within the Rossfadda. And using the profit we will get from the contract can be very helpful in funding the Bank itself, which then in turn, comes back at you as an investment into whatever Englians wish for".
Tan looked at Koken, who was quietly smoking, as she talked to Ritchie. She started waving hands, as to encourge to say something. He rolled his eyes, getting closer to the phone. "Clearly, another economical thing worthy of mentioning, we are not proposing anything extremely expensive, because we, as no one else, do understand the financial struggles of Dovanian brothers and sisters, and extending our hand of help".
"The point is", Tan interrupted Koken again. "Besekiga does entail many qualities that Petroenglia might be looking for in their contracor, and there is always a better option, and that is the Dovanian one, so I hope we helped clear some questions and provide additional information".
"I think we will take this into the account, so I thank you for calling and talking it through, it is highly appreciated", Englian chief executive replied, as she hung up the call.
"Obi, if we fail this, you are getting fired first and foremost, I hope you know it, and I promise you that", Tan said as she stood up. "I don't want to do it myself much, but it's the election year, and I am being pushed by the guys in Baatrynsentii, but you are doing it even less enthusiastically".
"Cigares are my way of dealing with the stress, can't help it", Koken shrugged. "But, well, it is what it is. Our chances are not big anyway, against Egelion or Luthori. We may score some pity points, because we're Dovanians who desperately try."
Premier rolled her eyes, before leaving the room for the black sedan, that has waited for her outside this whole time.