A Battle Unseen

[Doc]

Cliff House, Southwestern Kaliburg
June 17, 5699, 4:25pm

"And so you see, what this type of economic system does then is it gives us a lot of transparency so we can see the various components of the budget, you see, all of this makes this program, all these programs combine to form the budget of this ministry. That's one way but it doesn't give us a lot of leverage on either outcomes which we talked about earlier, nor does it provide us with a lot of flexibility when unexpected costs come up later in the year and we need to find the money for those things." The Empress was showing the young Hutorian King various budgeting models.

"And so you've gone with the one that allows the flexibility," King William XVII asked.

"Yes because it allows us to more effectively utilize our surplus if needed, where I no longer have to ask the legislature to pass a bill if I want something done. I just tell them to do it and then write the check."

"But the legislature doesn't like that," said King William.

"That may be true, but they don't really have much choice in the matter. The point is that when we need something done, I shouldn't have to beg a bunch of democrats to do what they should have already been doing, you see."

"I don't think it works quite like that back in Hutori," William said with a smile.

"Well, I will say, and if you haven't learned this since you have been here, I don't think you've learned anything, but as king, your word is law. I think a lot of the western monarchs are committed, for some strange reason to this notion that they should be limited, but I am telling you, you cannot effectively rule a nation if you do not have the ability to expect that your priorities will be funded, and at that point, really, what's the point of even having a king. If your yea and nay is always up for a vote, what purpose do you serve?"

"I mean, Head of state is a very important position," the young king responded.

"True, but if you want to be Luthorian, that's something you should concern yourself with. If your goal is to be sovereign monarch of Hutori, you shouldn't feel so limited to such a ceremonial role."

"Of course," answered William. "I just don't know that I could ever get away with it in Hutori."

"I assure you," answered Carolina. "You never know until you try, but also, I have a feeling that the people there are ready for a little bit more forward leaning and robust monarch. Nothing against your Grandmother, she was a wonderful and kind woman, but Hutori needs a leader, and elections only provide popular figures, not competent ones."

There was suddenly a buzz on the intercom and the voice of Her Imperial Majesty's Secretary said over the speaker, "The Lady Chancellor is here."

Carolina looked at William and winked. "Ok, here's something you haven't seen yet. This is how you handle an irate Head of Government."

William looked confused, "The Chancellor is irate?" he asked incredulously.

Carolina nodded. "You'll see." She pressed the button and said "Please send Lady Donahue in."

The door opened and the Chancellor of the Empire strode in. She was still buzzing after her disastrous press conference where she got into it with several reporters over Egelian sanctions. She stood before the desk, and lowered her head to the Empress, and then turned and did the same for the young Hutorian King. As she lifted her head, her gaze met his and the Chancellor quickly looked at the Empress. "Your Imperial Majesty, will you ask the King to excuse himself?"

Carolina looked at the Hutorian Monarch, and then back to the Chancellor. "Well considering that this meeting couldn't wait and you have interrupted this afternoon's lesson, we would like him to stay if its all the same."

The Chancellor lowered her head once more. "My Lady, it is not all the same. I request a private audience with you."

"Madame Chancellor, there is nothing that you could possibly say to me that is within the bounds of the law that he is not fit to hear. He is our brother; you will abide him." The Chancellor slowly raised her head, sent a look to the King, and then quickly back to the Empress. "Aye Madame," she said. The Empress looked at the King and gave a slightly imperceptible nod.

"Now, Madame, if you would be seated perhaps you will tell us what is vexxing you," the Empress asked.

"I'd rather stand, Your Imperial Majesty," said Lady Donahue.

"Very well then, while you stand may we prepare you some tea?" asked the Empress.

"No," the Chancellor snapped back, annoyed at the formality and the fact that the 18 year old Hutorian King was sitting in the room against her wishes. "No your Imperial Majesty, I would prefer it if you didn't. I don't want to take up any more of the King's school time than I absolutely need to."

"Alright then," said Carolina. "Let's have it. Why are you so upset? Why have you asked for this meeting today?"

"I--" she paused for a moment, unsure if she should go all the way. "I-- I can't continue any longer in this position, Your Imperial Majesty."

Carolina smiled. "Please Lady Ericka, there no need for melodrama. You are far too old for that and we are too far along in our relationship for you to not be straightforward with us. What is on your mind?"

Lady Ericka took a deep breath. "It's these... these... it's everything My Lady. I am retiring in two years, having served your family my entire adult life. And I am subjected to these ridiculous questions by the, excuse me, these... f--king... journalists, of all people who challenge you at every single turn, and I have to go out there and defend your choices and the problem is, they are right half the time! But I can't say so, so they pepper me..."

The Empress sat back in her chair surprised at the turn this meeting suddenly took. "Madame, I rely on your candor. What are they right about?" The Chancellor looked at the King then back to the Empress, then back to the King.

"My lady, not in front of him, please. I request a private aud..."

"Out with it, Lady Donahue or I have have you defenestrated right here," Carolina was growing impatient all of a sudden. "And stop asking for him to be removed. Forget he's here. He will need to deal with his own you someday, and he needs to stay here. Now tell me and be plain about it."

The Chancellor was a little shocked, "Madame, your pronouns..."

Carolina rose to her feet. "God damn pronouns. Give it to me straight ."

The Chancellor knew she had gone too far. She dropped to her knee and lowered her head. "Your Imperial Majesty, I can no longer defend your policy toward Egelion. I believe it to be flawed."

"In what way?" asked the Empress, who now felt forced to continue to stand, because otherwise she would not be able to see her Chancellor.

"Madame, I believe your plan is flawed because you should be preparing for war. Your Empire's reputation is on the line, and they are walking all over you. They act with impunity toward your crown and you won't even raise a finger to stop them or even do symbolic sanctions. And the people are demanding much stronger action from you than simply issuing a PNG which you won't even enforce. Your Imperial Majesty, I lost my bearing before the Press today because I am completely conflicted over your choices. And I cannot in good conscience go out there daily to defend them, because this was the day when I almost switched sides and turned against you."

Carolina was silent for a moment. "Madame Chancellor, we talked about this together. We agreed there was nothing that could be done, and attempting to do anything at all would make us look even worse."

"Madame I understand that, I don't necessarily agree with that tack anymore."

The Empress continued, "Our job is to defend this Empire. And if that goddamned plagued nation was somehow able to melt New Verham into formless slag, we would still have the job to defend our nation regardless. The PNG was a message that we oppose their involvement. They have not answered us, nor do we believe they intend to, and so we will not escalate anything with Egelion. We have had the last word in the matter, and now we need to return to matters which are far more important for Kalistan and the Anantonese Empire, which is our first, last and only concern. What we have for dinner tonight is far more important to us than anything Egelion could possibly do in the middle of Dovani. Literally everything about this is a distraction that should not concern us at all. If, on the long chance, Egelion wants to someday treat us as their equal and actually work on regional security instead of just asking us how we can contribute to their empire or condescendingly offering us advice as if we need to learn something from them, our door is open. Otherwise, they are not our concern, on any level. Egelion is a non-issue for Kalsitan." The Empress sat in her chair.

The Chancellor still kneeling said "Your Imperial Majesty, I respectfully disagree. If they surpass us..."

"If..." interrupted the Empress. "If... Look. Lady Donahue, please stand up so we may see you." The Chancellor rose to her feet. "And now, sit down so we can talk like humans." The Chancellor hesitated and the Empress rolled her eyes. "Madame, your Empress commands you to sit down in that chair directly behind you. Please." The Chancellor, resigned, sat in the chair, though she sat forward, determined to not look relaxed.

The Empress inhaled sharply. "Madame, Egelion does what it wants. Literally nobody else bothers to stop it. It's not a situation of 'if'. They have surpassed us. They have five armadas that allow them to go where ever they want whenever they want without any problem. They can deploy air or land Marines at will and are successful at everything they do. And there is literally no international opposition to anything they do. They have the power to wave their hand and a whole continent is united. Meanwhile, Kalistan has to buy back our own land an acre at a time. There is no 'if'. It's not a hypothetical matter."

"So why aren't we doing anything to stop them?!" the Chancellor insisted. She was frustrated with having this conversation over and over again. The Empress did not answer but stared at the Chancellor. "Your Imperial Majesty, when are you going to take this threat seriously and start opposing it? Stand up for this country. My god. DO something." The Empress just let her speak. "Your Imperial Majesty..." Nothing. "Empress."

After a moment the Empress looked at her desk and shrugged. "Madame Chancellor. As much as it pains us to say, our Father and Mother's policy was incorrect. Their policy, largely directed by the Nationalists, made our Empire one of the most isolated nations in the world. Our Aunt wanted something different for our nation. She believed that we could engage with the world while still watching our own house. This is the view we also take. We are curious about the world. We would like for Kalistan to return to the world. We would like to open our doors again to the world. We will never be friends with Egelion--They have made it amply clear that they do not think of us as a valuable partner, let alone a friend or ally. But, it is not our job to be everyone's friend. They spend their life completely sidestepping Kalistan as if we aren't even in their way, let alone on their radar. But nothing prevents us from doing the same to them.

"And we can continue to do as we please, which is to reach out to the world while Egelion is sending an entire battle fleet against a developing nation in central Dovani which is so broken that it can't even stop its militias from killing each other. Why would Kalistan bother to involve itself in that conflict at all? That would be like dealing with an ant hill with a hydrogen bomb. Yet, they immediately resort to overwhelming force using global projection. How do they pay for it? Who cares? The fact is that every single aircraft carrier is bread they are not able to feed millions of their people with. Every bomb is a shot they are not able to give to a hundred children. They pay to maintain fleets on the opposite side of the world. Fleets are living breathing eating cities, and the base is another city. But unlike cities, fleets on the other side of the planet contribute nothing to the people of Egelion. They're just an expense. And they have a lot of those expenses that we don't have."

"Your Imperial Majesty... I..."

"Lady Donahue, you have been in your job for decades and you have served our family all that time and yet you still do not understand how we think, after all this time. I love you, Ericka, in a very personal way. You have always been with me, when my parents died and my aunt essentially lost her mind grieving for them, it was you who made sure I was taken care of. You are my friend, and you are like my older sister. But you are not an Ananto. And you can never know, in any real way, the mind of an Ananto."

The Chancellor looked at the Empress, and she knew she had lost the Empress' confidence. So it didn't really matter what she said next. Her time was up and she would be going into retirement a couple years ahead of time. So she asked, "Madame, hopefully you will enlighten me, so I may try to understand it."

The Empress looked at her, almost surprised that the Chancellor wasn't more forceful in her rhetorical request. She decided to answer anyway. "The simple matter of fact is, Kalistan is the only nation in the world that matters. The only nation. This is our nation. At the end of the day, I would sacrifice every single person in this nation, myself included, before I would let any enemy have a square inch of it. That is my sole function on this planet. I'm surprised that you don't remember that from our conclave. Or did you think those were just words?"

The Chancellor sat silently. "No Madame."

The Empress sat back and all three people sat in silence for a moment.

"I will provide Your Imperial Majesty a list by the end of the week," said the Chancellor.

"And we will thank you for your long service, Madame, and will wish you the happiest retirement. Neither you nor your husband will ever be in need in your lives, Madame."

"I appreciate it, Majesty." The Chancellor stood, bowed her head and backed out of the office. As soon as the door closed, the Hutorian King, who had sat silently watching this episode exhaled loudly.

"Your Imperial Majesty, I pray I never get onto your bad side."

"Your Majesty," said Carolina with a smile, "You never will." After a pause, the Empress said, "Shall we call it a day? I don't really have the heart to continue talking about budgets."

"I was going to suggest that," said King William.

"Will you be home tonight?"

"I'll be back for supper," said the King.

"I should be done crying by then," said the Empress.