As promised, Bernador had sent a file with information on all the cargo ships available. We were allowed to choose three out of the thirteen ships. I was still in vacation mode so I took advantage of my peppy mood and went out to see the ships in person. So we flew out to the nearest port.Niaina and Johannes, Bernardor’s awfully handsome chief of staff went along with me. The man carried with him a little slim black note that only held a few pages, he was coming along to record the choices I would make, it would be necessary as their value would equate how the trade negotiations would go.Normally, a single cargo ship with around 7000 TEU would cost around seventy-million dollars. I wasn’t much at all for a country to afford usually, but with extreme poverty plaguing Zephyria , I had banked on them jumping at my very fair and opportune deal never did I expect Aridoria to express an interest.The fact that they did hammered in the fact that I’d been making moves with things I was alre
Perhaps I was an impulsive shopper and I just didn’t know it since about everything I ever needed was provided. Either way, I couldn’t technically afford the large ships, not all three of them at least.If I forced that we have the three ships the deal would have to be adjusted in a manner unfavourable to us in the long run. Schelar had to bring in another export to cover the costs of the three ships that totaled the cost of four hundred-million dollars.Of course I could just cover the costs instantly with Schelar’s federal funds, but that would instantly put the nation into a massive recession as the profits from trade would take a while to be assimilated into our revenue. There was also the little fact that we were export much of our agricultural produce to Aridoria, it was absolutely necessary the plan for rapid development with agriculture went off smoothly and swiftly. According to my minister of Agriculture it would cost much more than four-hundred-million dollars to cover the
A rather awkward silence prevailed, amplified by hands and eyes looking for everything except one thing to lock on to and interact with.Despite my usual self, I’d yet again found myself feeling uncomfortable in silence. A state I thrived in. The last time I’d felt this way was with Luciano right after I’d pretty much flipped off President Nawab of Zephyria .Then I felt uncomfortable and tense because I sensed I was about to be told things I didn’t want to hear. Things that didn’t sit well at all with me. Things I didn’t want to realize.However, this time was different yet just the same in the amount of discomfort it gave me. I can’t remember how many times I’d thought of walking right out of the room but I imagined quite vividly how much more awkward that would make things when I inevitably met again with this person.With my eyes trying and failing to read the contents of a magazine I’d forced into my face, I gulped as I finally amassed enough courage to take a peek at the woman s
“I wore your favourite.”I could see that and I couldn’t deny it made me feel attracted to her even more with the colour staining her appearance.Aina had stolen my attention and time away from Niaina and Vao the moment Bernador left the premises. I had much to talk to the two about but she’d confidently dismissed the two ministers. How troublesome.She stresses, reaching to the back of her packed up brown hair and takes off the purple hairclip letting her hair fall at its length. It’d grown longer from the short bob it was a month ago when I first met her at the funeral. I find my young body reacting enthusiastically to the new look. Over a century and my tastes hadn’t changed.“You look good,” I understate.“You look like you don’t want to see me.”I barely keep myself from wincing at her accusations. “I don’t have any reason to feel that way, Aina. Don’t you think you’re reading too much into things?”She shook her head, letting the hair fall equally onto both sides of her shoulder
I’d received a reception almost as grand as the one I’d gotten when I landed in Aridoria. Matthias and Luciano stood out front, ready to receive me while off in the distance many people spectated and cheered my arrival.It felt good being praised like this. I waved to the crowd with a true grin slapped onto my face. Though, the cynical side of my mind ask the other about the possibility that the crowds were merely cheering to receive some form of immediate relief like the LGA in Sofia, after all, these were mere commoners, they had little to no knowledge about the success and growth I’ve been orchestrating for their sakes.I shook off the doubts as I got into the car waiting for me, even if it were the case, it only meant that my image as the youthful, caring leader was shining through into the hearts of Schelarians everywhere.I was more inclined to be optimistic about it though. If they crowds weren’t arranged and a notice of my arrival was simply given, it really needs no explanati
“I beg your pardon?”“Well you better, my mercy is all that’s keeping you from a spending the rest of your life in jail.”The shocked look on Masud’s face was one I welcomed. He’d come here to tell me that the KUneeded to force a government on my nation before they could allow us back into the organization.It angered me. And though I knew for a fact that these were the words he would spew once we met, living the reality was a lot more provocative.“Mister President let us not deceive ourselves. You’re doing a very bad job of being a dictator and I can either help you stabilize the region, or I could help you get into a cell.” I regained my composure after breathing deeply, I spoke with a rather calm and condescending voice, he needed to be put in his place.Still his mouth hung open in shock but at my words he shook his head fervently, “I am no such thing. Unlike you Mister Fatah, my countrymen voted me in on basis of trust.”“Ah, yes, they voted you in but now you’ve refused to leav
It would see that my intel-ii ability only proved to be useful in informing me of basic information about individuals and my surroundings as well as objects. But with precision and skill as well as actually knowing what to look for, it would take a few tabs to get to the in-depth secrets of a person or an item.Just like the time with the Volstovian Ambassador, it took me from the second I laid eyes on him to the moment I began placing pressure to ask all the right questions of the intel-ii.The problem with the intel-ii was, you couldn’t simply ask it ‘Is this person a criminal?’ you’d have to actively search and compile the information it provides about the person and reach your own conclusion. I’d found out the Ambassador was scum simply by asking the intel-ii where the Ambassador had been and as the intel-ii provided a week of information on the subject’s whereabouts, I was provided with and extensive and detailed list of the Ambassadors last visited places.Strangely and quite an
If I’d known today would fill me with fear and paranoia to this extent, I would have gotten more sleep the night before.It was night time now; I’d spent daylight discussing various means to get out of the terrible predicament we now found ourselves in. According to Luciano, the men were well trained and only needed the proper equipment to not be utterly massacred in the obviously upcoming war.Though, Matthias naively held faith that much of the tensions at the border could be resolved with diplomacy, even offering to go speak with President Leopold of Verdantis. I knew for a fact that Verdantis would not let up on their offensive. I don’t quite know what they were waiting for yet, but I hoped they’d wait a bit longer and give me the chance to prepare a cushion for their attacks.As it stood, there was no bail-out for Schelar if Verdantis went ahead and pulled the trigger. I’d immediately spoken to the Volstovian Ambassador about the current developing events and our dire need for su