The East Wing (ATTN: DDI)

[The Federation]

Cairnwood Manor

The Manor had been meticulously prepared for this momentous occasion, a state visit of this magnitude had not happened in some years as the President preferred to travel whenever he could. The east wing of the manor had been rearranged to accommodate the meeting of these three powers. A half circle table had been placed in the center of the room with the tiny flag of the Federation at the center, the flag of the Anti-State to the right of the Federation seat and on the left a tiny flag for the Hanseatic Republics. Behind the table the flags were set up in a similar manner as a backdrop for photo opportunities at the start and end of the meeting.

President Walter Langley entered the room to make sure that everything had been set up to his standards, even going so far as to assist the workers as they moved furniture around as he had directed. His Presidential helicopter had been sent to the Sander K. Rygaard International Airport to whisk the meeting attendees back to the manor. Normally he would meet them at their individual aircraft, but in this case there was to be not much fanfare for the arrival of his guests. Media had also been kept at bay, they would not be allowed to have access to anyone until after the discussion had ended between the three powers. With things the way they were in the world, the less anyone knew about what was going on and who was where the better. Despite the fact that the Federation was thousands of miles away from any real danger, the President had not enjoyed the conspicuous nature of the Valls Summit and decided that this summit would not be held in the same way.

Everything seemed to be in order, the staff had been ushered out of the room and Langley stood there and took one last look before walking his way over to the main diplomatic entrance. His helicopter could be heard in the distance.

 

[Hanseatic Republics]

[Cairnwood Manor, Wabash, Federation of Westernesse]

The helicopter arrived at the Manor with First Bürgermeister and President Katharina Günther and her small entourage stepping off. It was her first time on the other side of the Thaumantic and she was impressed by how big everything was in Westernesse. Bigger trees, bigger cars, bigger buildings, the list could go on. It was an important meeting for her considering the recent meetings the Hanseatics had been part of. She did not like the result of the »Vallspakt« and did not like the synopsis report from the meeting with Tianlong at the European Forum, which put her further at unease with CETO members. She did not expect their help should the Tarusan War of Succession spread to her borders, and fully expected them to turn tail and limp away. In an awkward way, she regretted signing the »Vallspakt« because if anything all it did was put the Hanseatics on Ivan's radar when before they could quietly co-exist. Of course, maybe that was not the case either, but she did feel that the meeting at Valls did more harm than good.

So as she walked off the helicopter with Dictator Hayabusa and towards Cairnwood Manor, she did not really know what to think. She did not speak much with Hayabusa on the helicopter ride. It was noisy and both were speaking more in their native language to aides and in preparation for the meeting. The Manor wasn't the same as she had expected in comparison to the massive and majestic buildings she flown over earlier. It was in the city, so she could get a good look at Charleroi, but the Manor felt less like a retreat, than how they had imagined it in the past. Perhaps the once upon a time when the city has not yet grown to be outside its gates.

She greeted her host President Langley with a handshake and they shared some brief words. They had met earlier in Valls for the first time, but did not engage much beyond platitudes, quips, and jokes. This reunion was at least early on, much the same. She felt she would need to get a better working rapport with President Langley if this meeting and the DDI would function well. What was odd was that the Hanseatic Republics were immensely young as far as a nation went, but apparently quite old in that they had been seen as a successor to the old DDI. Here, at what was being deemed as the "New DDI," the Jysk-Austwegians were left out, although in some ways that had made sense. She shook hands again with Dictator Hayabusa and then the three stood for a short photo in front of the flags.

She stood by and chatted with President Langley and Dictator Hayabusa about recent events in their lives as aides brought served them some beverages and left some snacks. They all shook hands again and proceeded to take a seat at the informal but practical table and setting put together by the Federation aides. She liked this set up far more than the prior at Valls. It was more intimate, and felt like she was part of a real friendship. At Valls, everyone felt like a potential adversary, or at the very least some one who could "bring down the entire thing in a hail of shit and stamper." At least that is what her aide said. She did not disagree. Again, she did not trust the »Vallspakt« and now felt that Tarusa was more likely to attack the Hanseatics in an effort to test the resolve of Valls. She did not consider the resolve of Valls to be good, and so DDI would be all the more important. From what she was told, Federation troops and materiel were now beginning to station themselves in the Germanic parts of the Hansa. So this was positive on the defense side of things. The first Federation ship had docked in Leubice, and a second in Memelburg.

She had submitted to President Langley earlier about the need for various scenario plans. A series of what-ifs in the event of attack. For example, what happens if Tarusa invaded the Hanseatic Republics tomorrow without much warning? What was DDI to do if CETO is attacked first? What happens in the event of yet another escalation from Tarusa? She felt it important to know where to position her forces and what kind of support to expect. She also made sure not to leave out another crucial counterpoint... what if CETO is the enemy in the next war? It was not beyond the realm of imagination to have Konstantin attack CETO from Csengia and leave the New DDI with a problematic question of whether or not to tacitly support Konstantin because that was in their interest in the Gothic Sea.

Naturally the other question was coordination for the attack of Gutarike. Metsamaa in this case offered some benefits. There was the shady Tianlongese polar research base up north, but also a rather central Federation base in Metsamaa, and additionally the Pöllöt naval base that Touzen had, albeit it not as well staffed as it once was. In this case, Metsamaa seemed best defended from air, sea, and land. It was the Germanic Hanseatics that did not have the manpower on land, nor probably the air superiority required to adequately defend the nation. They did have the sea power to help strangle any sea lane, but that was not likely the problem this war would have.

She sat a bit uncomfortably because she did not want to speak first. She was in a position of need, and did not want to make that so obvious.
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