Flowers for Her Highness

[Havenshire]

MAKAI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT,
0930 HOURS LOCAL TIME

Gate 12 was virtually empty as Flight 901 Transoceanic arrived. Virtually empty, that is, except for two dozen Airport security guards, and a small delegation from the Makai Congress, aswell as 50 National Millitamen covering the runway.

The security was overt, but discreet. Noone else in the Airport knew that a VIP was arriving, a Very Important Person indeed. As the Plane completed taxi-ing up to the exit ramp, Delegate Attache Vincent Moha began to sweat profusely. In charge of co-ordinating this operation and extending Makai Republican welcome to the visitor, he found himself running down a mental checklist of everything that could go wrong. He found himself glancing around the deserted Gate area, eyeing the staff standing around at positions. Nearby Gates were fairly busy, and civillians were wandering past the Gate nonchatantly, unaware that they were being heavily watched.

The Airplane bumped to a halt, and connected.

Everyone checked their side-arms. On the runway around them, National Millitamen moved in cautiously, their kevlar concealed beneath fluorsecent orange workjackets, but their stance obvious, not to mention the fact they were openly carrying HK MP5s.

The pressure doors hissed, and the door swung open. Moha felt his muscles tense, and sweat beading on his neck. It was a hot day, but the air conditioning more than compensated for it. Usually.

Stepping through the door and out of the Transoceanic 767, was a casual stream of businessmen and women, talking to each other nonchantantly, seeming normal. In actual fact, every one of them was a bodyguard in disguise, every one carried a concealed weapon, and every last one would, after leaving the airport, and a few before, change identities yet again, and become discreet observers and guardians of their charge.

After all the "businesspeople" had left, many of notably Germanic stock, the official delegation was allowed to leave. 2 Bodyguards stepped through, scanning the area carefully, clocking all the Makai Security and nodding at Moha. "We present Her Imperial and Royal Highness, Eleonore Emmanuelle,
Archduchess and Princess Royal of Saxony,Princess Imperial of Wiese, Princess Royal of Swabia, and Guest of the Makai Republic." announced one of the Guards in flawless Anglyic English.

"On behalf of the Makai Republic, I, Vincent Moha, delegate and representative of the Archipelagos Congress, am honoured to recieve the presence of Her Imperial and Royal Highness." he said, in slightly accented Wiesan German. He bowed low and formally.

Finally, the guards parted, reluctantly, to reveal....

a slightly bored looking young woman, with pale skin, bleached blonde hair, and wearing a AC/DC T-shirt and loose jeans and an iPhone with headphones casually slung around her neck.

"Griass eich." she said, lazily, in a dialect that baffled Moha's ears. "I'm bored. When do I get to go to the Hotel?"

Moha could only gape in amazement. This...was not what he had expected.

 

[Wieserreich]

It had been a long and tiresome flight for Eleonore, who had just spent several days in a row exhausting herself. The simultaneous occurrence of her birthday, on 7 August, with her great-grandfather's one-hundredth birthday, the following day, had led to a wave of wanted and unwanted guests spanning from the Eiffel to Sarmatia, the Makai Archipelago, and God knows where else.

The flight was long and painful as well, but it had given her the chance to rest. She enjoyed normal, commercial flights, as they gave her a sense of normality in her life. The exaggerated royal palaces and property were not her kind of thing, as was the case with her titles and the expensive clothes she often had to wear. Besides, they relaxed her and allowed her to think better.

And thinking was what she needed right now. She was troubled - having finally reached her 18th birthday meant two things. First, that her grandfather would do his utmost to avoid her getting conscripted 'because she is a princess.' Second, that she would have to rally all the family support she could, in order to attend the Imperial Army Academy of Magdeburg as she wanted.

And hence, this vacation. On 1 October she would be packed in a box and sent either to Magdeburg, or to some remote training base of the massive Reichswehr. Evading the draft wasn't even an option in her mind, because she felt like doing it. She had many duties, but this was one of the few she truly enjoyed.

The lavish welcoming ceremony got on her nerves already. As she exited the airplane, Eleonore took off her earphones and just sheepishly followed the two bodyguards she was assigned. Her maid followed suit; though something told her that she had more experienced warriors on her tail than her grandfather allowed her to see. If she could, she would have none; but, fair enough, she was in a foreign country, so she didn't complain.

"Griaß eich" she lazily greeted the Makai delegates welcoming her, though she directed her words to Moha. "I am bored. When can I go to the hotel?" she asked bluntly, and her eyes examined the troops around them. Stupid militarism. It was beyond the point of healthy the moment such displays of prowess began being considered necessary.

Heinkel and Armstrong, the two bodyguards, just turned over and looked. Her Wieser Oikawan maid, a 21-year-old named Takashima who inconveniently carried all of her personal belongings that she could take on the plane, just kept following silently. Eleonore didn't like Takashima. She wasn't even sure whether she could be trusted; her grandfather liked her too much for her to not be some sort of secret agent.

"So," Eleonore told Moha with a smile; "where is my ride? Is it one of the yellow cars waiting outside the airport?" she teased, referring to the horde of taxis outside.

 

[Havenshire]

The ride waiting for them was anything but a simple taxi. An armoured limousine, 2 Offroad Humvees and an elegant armoured staffc ar were waiting, complete with Makai National Police escort and private security hired for the occasion. The Limousine was the decoy, of course. They would ride in the armoured staff car. No insignia or flags were waved, for all anybody knew this was just another spoilt billionaire living it large in sunny Makai.

Moha adjusted his tie for the fifitieth time, feeling hot and claustrophobic in the heat as he led the way, the delegation fanning out and failing miserably to look casual amongst the more brightly dressed tourists who were all around them, despite the cordon.

"This way, please. I have prepared an information packet in Wiesan about the Makai Islands for your reading pleasure, Your Highness, so you may familiarise yourself with this country and its many attractions available to you." he fawned, acutely aware that the Ministry of Tourism would have his head if she didnt provide at least some sort of endorsement for the Republic.

At the same time, however, if she was photographed by the Papparazzi whilst out and about enjoying Makai's pleasures, it was quite likely the Wiesans would literally have his head. A Quandry indeed.

"Ja, Ja." she said diffidently, her eyes wandering around the sights of the Airport, her ears only half-listening to the fusty bureaucrat, instead they were pricked for the more interesting sounds that surrounded her. She'd been to Busy airports before, but even she was suprised by just how...multicultural it all was. Alongside a Lau Cafe was a Vangalan Curry House, opposite which was an Oikawan Anime Store. Closing down, unfortunately, she noted with disappointment.

She idly felt a brochure and guidebook being fed into her hands by some over-attentive lackey, who smiled falsely at her. She chose not to register his name or face.

Once inside the car, she felt herself being sandwiched between her two bodyguards in the backseat. The windows were wound up, making the car hot and stuffy, but air conditioning was quickly turned on. She sighed.

The convoy sped through the crowded streets of Kahuna, which were thinning of late due to the developing Oil Crisis instigated by the War in Jurzan. Traffic lights ahead of them turned to red for all lanes but theirs, and overhead, invisible and unnoticed, a Eurocopter Dauphin spun lazily, keeping an eye on everything, on loan from the Coast Guard and equipped with surveillance and a bored Sniper, who scanned crowded rooftops and skyscraper windows for any sign of a threat.

"Can we have some music on?" she asked, bored already.

"Ah, yes Your Imperial and Royal Highness." The chaffeuer stammered, turning off his millitary radio and fumbling for a CD. He inserted something he hoped she'd like- Johann Bieber, an annoying Popstar from Franken who was becoming popular with the Kids.

"Madchen Madchen, Oh..." the boystar sang in cheesy style, filling the car with discordant pop nonsense.

Eleonore sighed, wincing. But before she could complain and order this rubbish switched off, the Convoy came to an abrupt halt.

"We're here, Your Royal and Imperial Highness." the Chaffeur instructed. "Welcome to the Kahuna Vista, most grandiose and luxuriant of our hotels. It is also the most secure. Anything you desire will be yours, granted-"
"Ja, Ja. Save the Sales Pitch, dumkopf." she muttered. The Chaffeur blushed, crimson.

The car door opened, bathing them in harsh light. She was finally outside, in the scorching heat of the Makai late summer. She hoped she had brought enough suncream, she burned easily. But the sight of the Hotel awed even her. It was the largest, gaudiest Neoclassical Hotel she'd seen outside of Oltremare. Every inch of it dripped refined classical taste and decorum. But inside, she supposed, would be where the fun was. If not...she smiled. She'd just have to make her own fun.

 

[Wieserreich]

Leaving a generous tip for the stupid chauffeur, Archduchess Eleonore made her way into the hotel and immediately bypassed everyone, heading straight for the receptionist. "A reservation under the name Anna Maria von Sachsen?" the youth asked, continuously ringing the bell of the receptionist to the point of irritation. Her massive bodyguards, each in ceremonial "Hawaiian camo" shirts and shorts, followed suit, as did the chauffeur with her several suitcases.

The receptionist tried to remain calm and polite. "Sherutenly miss. Can I see your passuport?" she asked, with one of the bodyguards promptly presenting the purple booklet with the Empire's coat of arms in the front. Opened to the last page, the picture of the girl and the field saying Eleonore Immanuelle Franziska Wilhelmina Anna Maria Christina von Thießen, Erzherzogin und Königliche Prinzessin von Sachsen, Kaiserliche Prinzessin von Wieserreich, Königliche Prinzessin von Schwaben confused the poor Oikawan receptionist, whose German was not the best.

The receptionist blinked, and read over the German gibberish several times. It seemed that the fact Eleonore's titles were part of her legal name was not the easiest for foreigners. "Look, here" Eleonore said, irritated, while pointing at the booklet. "Anna, Maria, Sachsen. Can I have my key now?" she asked. The unnamed Oikawan receptionist complied, understanding only that the annoying brat in front of her was rather important.

"Sherutenly, miss Sakkusen" the Oikawan woman replied, which earned her quite a glare from the two bodyguards due to the disrespectful style. "The Presidential Suite is prepared and waiting for you, in full accordance with your instructions" she said politely, and bowed softly. "In addition, the suite in the floor under yours has also been reserved by your name. Where shall we take your stuff to?"

Eleonore smiled. "The small one is for King Kong and Godzilla here" she replied. The bodyguards and the receptionist universally flinched. "Take their stuff there, and give them a key each. My stuff will be carried by my chauffeur" she insisted. The Vangalan chauffeur now flinched as well. Upon receiving her key, the carefree princess immediately set off for the elevator, waving the key towards the receptionist. "Pfiat' di!" she said, and went off.

Several minutes later, everything would be in place at last.

With all her stuff in her room, the exhausted Wieser teenager and princess immediately crashed to bed, making plans of how to spend her last vacations before she enrolled in the Imperial Army Academy. She was far from her over-protective grandfather's reach, and, as such, felt free at last. She should enjoy this while it lasted.

For now, however, she needed to sleep for an hour or too. That Vangalan dummkopf was instructed to "personally wake her up" in 2 hours, which meant that the two gorillas would have some fun interrogating him about what did he want from the Archduchess. Shame she would miss that. And she would also miss Takashima trying to find her way to the Presidential Suite too.

 

[Havenshire]

As the princess laid herself out to nap on the huge bed provided her in the Penthouse suite, she was perhaps unaware that she was being watched by another fat Vangalan security officer, who was in turn being watched carefully by a Makai Handler from the Ministry of Intelligence, who in turn reported directly to William Taino, the actual Minister of Intelligence and Interior.

"Do an equipment check, Bhaskar. I want to make sure everything is going according to plan." said the Handler grumpily. Babysitting the Princess was meant to be an honour and a sign that he was going up in the Ministry, but in truth it was a fairly dull job, since security was so comprehensive and the possibility of anything going wrong was fairly remote. He wanted action.
"Whatever you say, Mr.Turi." replied the Security officer lazily, as he flicked through the 8 concealed cameras in her room, conveniently ignoring camera 9, which covered the Bathroom and had been temporarily disabled at strict order of the Minister. "If footage of it exists, it can be leaked. If I wake up one morning and see Her Royal and Imperial Highness in the shower on the front cover of the Missive, I'm going to dump you and your family in the Implarian, from 30,000 feet, Is.that.clear?" had been Taino's exact, precise words.

The Makai Handler sighed as the cameras were cycled through, and Bhaskar checked the sound reception on the concealed microphones. It was difficult to remotely check the efficacy of the microbugs concealed in the telephone on the nightstand. One thing they hadn't- couldn't- yet place was the tracking bugs. Untill she left her room, they couldnt be affixed to her wardrobe without raising suspicion. Even entering the room would be difficult, given the presence of her bodyguards in loud, colorful Makaiian shirts.

"Contact me in 2 hours, I'm going to the Casinos upstairs." said Mr.Turi, bored watching the screens and cameras. Bhaskar shrugged. "Yes, Mr.Turi."
As soon as Bhaskar was left alone in the private observation room, he checked that noone was listening outside, and he checked that the camera in the right-hand corner of his room was carefully aligned into its blind-spot. It had once been policy to watch the watchers, but Bhaskar knew that the guy in Surveillance Room 0 had enough problems keeping an eye on everything else in the Makai Islands.

Grinning to himself, he activated a custom programme that let him tap into the cameras of the bathrooms of the other luxury suites on the floors above and below the Imperial Suite. Immediately below the Imperial Suite was another high-flying female, Haruhi Matahina, the half-Oikawan Popstar whose happy-go-lucky songs were currently infecting the Makai radio stations. She also had discreet bodyguards, and she was currently in hwe hotel room, planning that evening's activities. She was due to go on stage tomorrow, but untill then it seemed, she was having an arguement with her manager about letting her off the leash. He grinned. He wondered if Her Imperial and Royal Highness might bump into miss Matahina.

Then, he clicked a button again, and switched to another room on the Penthouse floor. A young, haughty rich millionaire from Anglyn who was secretly an agent for the Ministry of Intelligence. He'd made his fortune quite legitimately in selling sounding equipment to the Coast Guard, but he'd racked up a huge debt to the Casinos. He'd been flipped a few weeks back, and was now- though Bhaskar wasn't supposed to know this- being primed to "bump" into Princess Eleonore and become her friend. It was incredibly dangerous, but young Richard Staines had proven to be a far better actor and charmer than a gambler. Plus, the reckless risk mentality might prove useful, or so that had been the thinking behind his recruitment.

Staines was laying out the equipment he'd been given, and nervously checking that he looked the very image of a handsome Anglysh businessman.
Bhaskar chuckled at the man's vanity, but was now bored. The other 2 Penthouses on the floor were occupied by serious VIPs, but Bhaskar hadn't figured out how to hack into their cameras yet. Officially, of course, none of the suites were wired. He smirked at the power of the Voyeur he had been given over the rich and famous. Perhaps later, he mused, he might re-enable Camera 9 for his own amusement. But only when he was absolutely sure noone was around. And that he wiped its existence completely afterwards.

Elsewhere, the discreet Security patrolling through the Hotel Complex put themselves into position. They heard on the radio that Her Highness would be asleep for 2 hours, so they could relax a bit. Many of them promptly did so, sliding more effectively into their roles as Hotel staff and anonmyous tourists, unaware that some of the tourists now checking in were in fact anonmyous Imperial Guard from Wiese. A Sarmatian man also found himself being frisked thrice, to his disgust, unaware that everybody in the room was looking at him, wondering if he was also a Spy. The Oikawan chef in the Kitchen, who had worked there for 12 years, had had his phone bugged yesterday, and his house discreetly searched. He too was not a Spy.

Life would become very interesting at the Kahuna Vista, far sooner than anybody expected.