Oneida
Established Nation
The Casamajó Room
Parliament of Tauritania
City of Tauritania, Tauritania
To Ordenes, the negotiations had long ago evolved into nothing more than loud sounds being fired back and forth. The Republic and Tauritanian teams were both well-educated and had their arguments well crafted. Subtly, the teams flexed their extensive knowledge of Aurarian law and economics yet their educations could hardly prepare them for the daunting task of assembling the Aurarian economy under a new federalized system five years after a civil war ended a dictator’s reign. Despite the tense regional differences fueling the arguments, all those assembled in the room felt an unequal uneasiness about their capacity to succeed – perhaps none more so than Ordenes himself.
Directly across the table from him sat the newly created Prime Minister of Tauritania. In part reward for their service, respect to centuries of history, and a last-ditch effort to preserve the Republic, Tauritania was given a substantial degree of autonomy under the new Federal system, far exceeding that of the other twenty-six Provinces – even Catamarca itself. Even this compromise – or as others would say depending on ideology, gift or victory – came with an incredible degree of controversy. While Tauritania was by population and economic output the largest of the provinces, it is decisively smaller than the rest of the country combined. Therefore, many perceived the compromise as a successful move by Solis to isolate the rambunctious Tauritanians while packaging it as a positive. The feud has lasted the better part of the millennium and stands as one of Auraria’s oldest traditions.
“Nothing can appease a Tauritanian,” Ordenes thought to himself.
Prime Minister Aristide Santos Sunyer was a prim, proper man with half as many years as Ordenes. He was suave, well-dressed and had a body that was envy of men his age. Prime Minister Sunyer played a pivotal role in the restoration of the Tauritanian Parliament when the Constitution restored the Republic. It was natural, then, that his people would elect his party and put him in power. Part of the arrangement, though, was for Sunyer to quell talks of Tauritanian Independence. In that respect, Ordenes saw him as a blatant failure, if he had made any attempt at all. He did not stoke the flames, but he barely lifts a finger to extinguish it.
He’s a self-proclaimed war hero, a title that Ordenes found to be more offensive than any other the man had laid claim to. Nevertheless, Tauritania chose its leader and both men swore to the defense of the constitution and the Republic.
“With all due respect, gentlemen,” the President’s voice immediately drew the room to silence as the Prime Minister turned to attention “Perhaps a slight reprieve will us all well. We don’t seem to be making much in way of progress at the moment. How do you feel Mr. Prime Minister?”
“If the President so wishes,” he smiled “who am I to deny to it?”
The President smiled and with the wave of his hand, economic advisors closed their notebooks and rose from the table. They huddled into their respective circles, mumbling about strategy and where the conversation had gotten them.
“Mr. Prime Minister,” Ordenes called “Do you happen to have any Penedès around?”
The Prime Minister’s looked surprised before quickly smiling at the President “Of course I do, a Garnacha?” The President nodded in agreement.
“Follow me, if you will,” the Prime Minister rose and the two men walked into his private office. Ordenes knew he was a tall man of a bulky build, but there was something about seeing the slender Prime Minister that made him feel awkwardly larger. The Prime Minister got two classes out of a curio against his wall and poured from an already open bottle.
“It was only opened yesterday,” he assured “I promise you the taste is still divine.”
“I haven’t any doubt,” the President answered as the two men sat down on separate couches staring at one another.
“Thank you for calling the break,” the Prime Minister broke the silence “In truth I don’t know how much more of it I can sit through. The intricate details are such a bother to me…men of our stature should not be bogged down with such small affairs.”
“Perhaps,” the former general swirled his wine “I find that familiarization with the particulars enables you to see things some don’t. Can make all the difference.”
“Ah yes, I forgot,” the Prime Minister commented on the known trait for President Ordenes to get annoyingly bogged down in the tiniest of details “But negotiating factory rights is not the same as battlefield tactics.”
“I am aware,” President Ordenes agreed “To the people it affects, though, it is all too important.”
The Prime Minister sat down his wine and let out a sigh “I don’t mean to rush things, Mr. President, and I do greatly enjoy our time together, but I do feel we should get back to the matter at hand. My schedule today was thrown wildly out of proportion.”
The Prime Minister referenced the fact that President Ordenes had pushed back this meeting by more than three hours the night before due to a “critical matter that required the President to remain stationary and resolve.” In truth, he had made so many stops in Rocacielo and braved its frigid air so many times that every bone in his body ached and he couldn’t be asked to get on a plane to make the travel through Timavo to Tauritania. The Prime Minister presenting the adjustment of his schedule for the President of the Republic as a chore was disrespectful, to say the least.
“Matters of state,” the President replied and the PM nodded “I agree; however, we aren’t going to solve this dilemma in that room with those men repeating the same talking points over and over hoping for some miracle break. The fact of the matter is that there must be cohesion between the Provinces. Tauritania is autonomous, of course, but it is a member state of the Republic and for all of the privileges that brings you mustn’t ignore the responsibilities. If we don’t resolve this matter, it’ll go to the National Court.”
“If you had the votes to resolve it in the Court you wouldn’t be here,” Prime Minister Sunyer answered “So that makes little difference to me.”
“I am not here to threaten you, Aristide, not at all. I want a resolution that does not require the Court to vote and the Judiciary to weigh in. The fact of the matter is that not every factory left vacant during the war can just be reclaimed by nature of walking it and turning it on again.”
“My people fought for their rights to do so,” the Prime Minister protested “one of the first, at that. The Tauritanians will forever do what is in their best interest. It was their heroism, and the stories of it passed through campfire conversations across this country that kept hope alive among the Alliance.”
“I do not need to be reminded of the sacrifices made by the militias that broke the Caudillo,” the President sternly spoke “I was there. The war is over, now it is time to act like a country once again.”
“I will protect my people,” the Prime Minister declared.
“The people are the country,” the President fired back.
“Shall we go back?” the Prime Minister asked.
The President sighed before rising from the couch. “After you,” he waved.
Parliament of Tauritania
City of Tauritania, Tauritania
To Ordenes, the negotiations had long ago evolved into nothing more than loud sounds being fired back and forth. The Republic and Tauritanian teams were both well-educated and had their arguments well crafted. Subtly, the teams flexed their extensive knowledge of Aurarian law and economics yet their educations could hardly prepare them for the daunting task of assembling the Aurarian economy under a new federalized system five years after a civil war ended a dictator’s reign. Despite the tense regional differences fueling the arguments, all those assembled in the room felt an unequal uneasiness about their capacity to succeed – perhaps none more so than Ordenes himself.
Directly across the table from him sat the newly created Prime Minister of Tauritania. In part reward for their service, respect to centuries of history, and a last-ditch effort to preserve the Republic, Tauritania was given a substantial degree of autonomy under the new Federal system, far exceeding that of the other twenty-six Provinces – even Catamarca itself. Even this compromise – or as others would say depending on ideology, gift or victory – came with an incredible degree of controversy. While Tauritania was by population and economic output the largest of the provinces, it is decisively smaller than the rest of the country combined. Therefore, many perceived the compromise as a successful move by Solis to isolate the rambunctious Tauritanians while packaging it as a positive. The feud has lasted the better part of the millennium and stands as one of Auraria’s oldest traditions.
“Nothing can appease a Tauritanian,” Ordenes thought to himself.
Prime Minister Aristide Santos Sunyer was a prim, proper man with half as many years as Ordenes. He was suave, well-dressed and had a body that was envy of men his age. Prime Minister Sunyer played a pivotal role in the restoration of the Tauritanian Parliament when the Constitution restored the Republic. It was natural, then, that his people would elect his party and put him in power. Part of the arrangement, though, was for Sunyer to quell talks of Tauritanian Independence. In that respect, Ordenes saw him as a blatant failure, if he had made any attempt at all. He did not stoke the flames, but he barely lifts a finger to extinguish it.
He’s a self-proclaimed war hero, a title that Ordenes found to be more offensive than any other the man had laid claim to. Nevertheless, Tauritania chose its leader and both men swore to the defense of the constitution and the Republic.
“With all due respect, gentlemen,” the President’s voice immediately drew the room to silence as the Prime Minister turned to attention “Perhaps a slight reprieve will us all well. We don’t seem to be making much in way of progress at the moment. How do you feel Mr. Prime Minister?”
“If the President so wishes,” he smiled “who am I to deny to it?”
The President smiled and with the wave of his hand, economic advisors closed their notebooks and rose from the table. They huddled into their respective circles, mumbling about strategy and where the conversation had gotten them.
“Mr. Prime Minister,” Ordenes called “Do you happen to have any Penedès around?”
The Prime Minister’s looked surprised before quickly smiling at the President “Of course I do, a Garnacha?” The President nodded in agreement.
“Follow me, if you will,” the Prime Minister rose and the two men walked into his private office. Ordenes knew he was a tall man of a bulky build, but there was something about seeing the slender Prime Minister that made him feel awkwardly larger. The Prime Minister got two classes out of a curio against his wall and poured from an already open bottle.
“It was only opened yesterday,” he assured “I promise you the taste is still divine.”
“I haven’t any doubt,” the President answered as the two men sat down on separate couches staring at one another.
“Thank you for calling the break,” the Prime Minister broke the silence “In truth I don’t know how much more of it I can sit through. The intricate details are such a bother to me…men of our stature should not be bogged down with such small affairs.”
“Perhaps,” the former general swirled his wine “I find that familiarization with the particulars enables you to see things some don’t. Can make all the difference.”
“Ah yes, I forgot,” the Prime Minister commented on the known trait for President Ordenes to get annoyingly bogged down in the tiniest of details “But negotiating factory rights is not the same as battlefield tactics.”
“I am aware,” President Ordenes agreed “To the people it affects, though, it is all too important.”
The Prime Minister sat down his wine and let out a sigh “I don’t mean to rush things, Mr. President, and I do greatly enjoy our time together, but I do feel we should get back to the matter at hand. My schedule today was thrown wildly out of proportion.”
The Prime Minister referenced the fact that President Ordenes had pushed back this meeting by more than three hours the night before due to a “critical matter that required the President to remain stationary and resolve.” In truth, he had made so many stops in Rocacielo and braved its frigid air so many times that every bone in his body ached and he couldn’t be asked to get on a plane to make the travel through Timavo to Tauritania. The Prime Minister presenting the adjustment of his schedule for the President of the Republic as a chore was disrespectful, to say the least.
“Matters of state,” the President replied and the PM nodded “I agree; however, we aren’t going to solve this dilemma in that room with those men repeating the same talking points over and over hoping for some miracle break. The fact of the matter is that there must be cohesion between the Provinces. Tauritania is autonomous, of course, but it is a member state of the Republic and for all of the privileges that brings you mustn’t ignore the responsibilities. If we don’t resolve this matter, it’ll go to the National Court.”
“If you had the votes to resolve it in the Court you wouldn’t be here,” Prime Minister Sunyer answered “So that makes little difference to me.”
“I am not here to threaten you, Aristide, not at all. I want a resolution that does not require the Court to vote and the Judiciary to weigh in. The fact of the matter is that not every factory left vacant during the war can just be reclaimed by nature of walking it and turning it on again.”
“My people fought for their rights to do so,” the Prime Minister protested “one of the first, at that. The Tauritanians will forever do what is in their best interest. It was their heroism, and the stories of it passed through campfire conversations across this country that kept hope alive among the Alliance.”
“I do not need to be reminded of the sacrifices made by the militias that broke the Caudillo,” the President sternly spoke “I was there. The war is over, now it is time to act like a country once again.”
“I will protect my people,” the Prime Minister declared.
“The people are the country,” the President fired back.
“Shall we go back?” the Prime Minister asked.
The President sighed before rising from the couch. “After you,” he waved.