A Nice Talk Under the Winter Sun

[Free Cities League]

Beja, People's Republic of Lusitania

The sky was light blue and the sun was shining, and shining with a considerable degree of intensity. Nothing unusual in that region of the People’s Republic of Lusitania, Translima, known for its dry weather, be it during summer or winter. However, this winter was particulary harsh, with very few days of rain, crops dying and a state of considerable drought. Of course that no one knew it, and everybody did, as Ricardo Falcão did his best to hide the fact.


Upon arriving to the Beja Airport, the Vangalan External Affairs Minister was awaited in the recently inaugurated People’s Avenue by the two most important figures of the People’s Republic – President Ricardo Falcão and Father Roberto Palma, Speaker of the Supreme People’s Congress and the Shepherd-General of the People’s Catholic Church. Despite the drought, the grass in the People’s Avenue was green and fresh, and everything was ready for the beginning of the PRL’s foreign policy.



As Quaramazzan was greeted by Falcão and Palma with enthusiasm – “Good evening Comrade Quaramazzan, and welcome to the People’s Republic of Lusitania! (…) Shall we adjourn to the meeting room in the building of the Presidency of the Republic?” And after some informal conversation, the three men sat in the meeting room, where the President regularly met with his Ministers – the room was decorated with socialist realist art combined with some Christian imagery. At one point, Christ and Marx were superimposed over each other, leading workers, peasants and fishermen into what seemed to be some kind of battle. But the whole room was illuminated by the blinding light of the dry winter sun.

 

[Polesia]

It had been a busy few days for External Affairs Minister Ajoy Qamaruzzaman, having left for the People's Republic of Lusitania after bilateral talks and an emergency Revolutionary Defence Treaty Organisation in Havenshire, and before that meetings in Carentania and the Jurzan. The exhaustion was showing through, with new, dark lines crossing the existing folds and creases on the Minister's face. From Beja airport through the newly inaugurated People's Avenue to the Presidential meeting room, Qamaruzzaman attempted to hide his tiredness, speaking loudly and as often as possible.

The unusual combination of Christian and Communist imagery in the surrounding artwork had intrigued the External Affairs Minister. As the informal conversation went on, Qamaruzzaman found himself less and less involved, and more absorbed by the paintings. Realising he was almost neglecting his hosts, he turned away from the artpieces to face President Ricardo Falcão and Father Roberto Palma, Speaker of the Supreme People’s Congress and the Shepherd-General of the People’s Catholic Church, the two most powerful men in socialist Lusitania.

"Comrades, before I begin, let me repeat my humble thanks for graciousness in inviting and hosting me. I am confident these talks will be most fruitful," The Minister began, before coughing violently as translator spoke. His personal doctor had advised he quit smoking and drinking, and having seen the frail state of National Defence Minister Nurul Banerjee, he though it may be prudent to follow the advice. However, as his body desperately tried to recover from the years of abuse, he was beginning to regret his decision.

"I understand a high priority of the People's Republic of Lusitania is joining the Revolutionary Defence Treaty Organisation as well as expanding commercial ties with Vangala and deeping relations between our two vanguard parties. Despite the obvious ideological differences between us," Qamaruzzaman's eyes slipped to look at the painting of Christ and Marx above a revolutionary mass. "I believe significant headway can be made."

 

[Free Cities League]

Noticing Qamaruzzaman’s tiredness, Falcão asked one of his assistants for a glass of water – “Here, Mr. Qamaruzzaman, take this, you look tired” said the President in a reasonable English, breaching protocol and hoping the Vangalan would understand.

“Indeed there are some ideological differences. But, left-wing sectarianism has done much more harm than good, and our enemies take great advantage from it. It is not unusual to see tension between two socialist countries over petty ideological differences and then one of them allying with a capitalist power against the other – it’s not pretty and it does not help our struggle – and if you notice, different capitalist regimes have no trouble in allying with each other – republics and monarchies, more left-winged our right-winged, etc…”

Falcão took a little pause for a sip on a glass of dry white wine he was drinking

“And I think that the RDTO has opened the door for a cooperation between different socialist countries, united by their struggle against capitalist world domination – the method might be different, but the aim is the same – and our desire is to be part of a larger socialist family. Unfourtunaly, Comrade Gonçalo Vasques, who founded the PRL, was very much dogmatic, and as a straight-edge Marxist-Leninist, he would not accept cooperation with Maoists, Trotskyists, Council-Communists, and so forth. But, happily for the PRL and its people, we do care about unity among socialist nations and would like to show all socialist nations that our ‘different’ brand of Socialism, where we see the dialectical mechanisms of History as God’s work and designation, and the New Testament as a truly revolutionary document right next to the Manifesto or the Capital, is not incompatible with the Socialist ideology at large and not something to be afraid of…”

With that long, probably tiresome speech, Falcão hoped that he could convince Qamaruzzaman to lobby in the RDTO for the PRL’s membership

 

[Polesia]

Qamaruzzaman slowly sipped at the glass of water, with the cold liquid sitting uncomfortably in his uneasy stomach. The dry white wine, no doubt locally sourced, currently being drunk by President Falcão was tempting, but Qamaruzzaman thought it would be wise to heed his doctor's advice, and instead tried to conjure the taste but without success, with only the emptiness of the water passing over his tongue.

President Falcão had given the External Affairs Minister much to consider. Many in the Vangalan establishment doubted the viability of the People's Republic of Lusitiania, especially with the other Lusitanian states re-uniting. Perhaps the President shared these views, and believed the Revolutionary Defence Treaty Organisation was the only way to guarantee continued independence. However, the alliance was in turmoil. A rift still remained between Carentania and the Jurzan, and many in the Vangalan Communist Party were outraged by Carentania's strident ideological attacks against Vanguardism. Vangala promoting membership of an openly Vanguardist state with controversial beliefs may further antagonise Carentania. Qamaruzzaman was also sure Vangala's partners in the European Defence Federation would condemn the RDTO including the People's Republic of Lusitania.

"President Falcão, it is a sensitive and difficult time for the Revolutionary Defence Treaty Organisation. The ongoing conflict in Solaren and the recent dispute between Carentania and the Jurzan mean the alliance has higher priorities than expanding its membership. Vangala will be willing to support the People's Republic of Lusitania in its efforts, but believes any application should be delayed until a more appropriate time. I shall talk to fellow member-states and gather an informal response on Lusitanian membership, which I can relay to you. I shall also raise the prospect of improving co-operation outside the alliance framework."