August 2, 2019

Eana, Eanif Imperium

Henry groaned as his alarm rang. He groggily sat up, rubbing his eyes before looking at his watch. “Today’s the big day,” he muttered.

The provided guest house was fortunately equipped with utilities associated with the modern era, such as a restroom complete with a toilet and faucet. As he pulled out a toothbrush and turned on the water, he felt relief, even gratitude, that the facilities here were at least somewhat modern. He shuddered thinking about bathing in a river or urinating in a bucket, as was the case for most medieval and even renaissance era societies. After he finished his morning activities, he changed into his dress uniform before heading downstairs, where the rest of Alpha Team and Ambassador Perry were waiting.

“Everyone good to go?” Perry asked.

They nodded in response.

“Okay. Remember, we need to have a good first impression. They’ve got what appears to be an advanced version of Napoleonic era weaponry, on top of a bunch of magical capabilities that we know little about. I doubt they’ll be able to match up against our tanks and jets, but these guys own pretty much the whole continent, so we need to be cautious with our approach. Officially, you all are part of my security detail. Unofficially, the President needs you to analyze the Eanish capabilities based on whatever they tell us during the meeting,” Perry lectured as they walked toward their carriages.

“Got it,” Henry said.

——

Ambassador Perry led his group into the Eanish Foreign Affairs Office, an imposing building situated far from the other administrative structures in the district. This design enhanced the office’s atmosphere; most visitors felt a tinge of awe simply walking across the extensive gardens to get to the office. In an attempt to emulate Divinian architecture, the office even included rounded design aspects, such as domes, although it did not share the same white-gold color scheme. Still, it was a sight to behold, and Ambassador Perry found himself taking several pictures of the landmark.

When they entered, they were pleasantly surprised by the interior. While not as glamorous as the Divinian Embassy, the Eanish Foreign Affairs Office still demonstrated their wealth and power clearly. The excessive extravagance of this building was intended to intimidate diplomats; this impression of Eanish economic might was enough to cause numerous formerly independent nations to willfully submit to the Imperium. Ambassador Perry wondered what approach the Eanish officials would take with regards to the United States.

Having arrived early, they were seated at the lobby until Perry’s Eanish counterpart was ready to begin the meeting. In a few minutes, a staff member directed them to a lavish room, dazzling with gold and mithril. A man was seated on the large, elevated desk in the center of the room, with an elongated couch situated in front of the desk. The position of the couch required visitors to look up at the Eanish Foreign Affairs Minister, creating a feeling of inferiority. For the Americans, this was not much of an issue, as they were well over six feet tall, and therefore could speak with the Eanish official eye to eye.

“Please, have a seat,” the Eanish official said, gesturing. “I am the Eanif Imperium’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Lord Farwell Indict. I do apologize for your lengthy wait, but we were quite busy the last few months, putting an end to a very pesky group of beasts.” Lord Indict smiled sinisterly, as if the genocide and enslavement of the beastpeople was something that brought joy to him. “Now, what is it you Otherworlders wish to discuss?”

Ambassador Perry cleared his throat, hiding his displeasure. “I’m the diplomat from the United States of America, Ambassador John Perry. We wish to establish diplomatic relations with the Eanif Imperium.”

Lord Indict’s expression turned neutral. “Very well,” he said, pulling out several documents from a drawer. He organized them neatly before flipping them around. “These documents pertain to the background of the Eanif Imperium and its history. Please, take a short moment to look over these details.”

Ambassador Perry accepted the documents and read through it while Henry and the rest of Alpha Team leaned over to peek at the papers. The first few pages described the rise of the Eanif Imperium, as well as basic details such as population and GDP. The following pages, in contrast, displayed the accomplishments of the Eanif Imperium. Surprisingly, it even included printed pictures of the numerous beasts they tamed, from the tarasque to the basilisk to several elemental dragons. Clearly, this section of the introductory document was meant to further intimidate any newcomers, as if the building and its design was not enough. Ambassador Perry, however, did not display any overt expressions, maintaining a poker face as he read through. Alpha Team conducted themselves in a similar manner, although they reacted to the images with a bit more enthusiasm, fascinated by the existence of such creatures.

Lord Indict did not seem amused; internally, he was disappointed that the Americans hadn’t shown any shock from the overwhelming might of the Eanif Imperium. He reasoned that they must be on par with at least the Mekkanese, as was suggested by numerous Eanish spies within the Nobian Empire and the Sonaran Federation. As Ambassador Perry put down the documents, Indict began to speak, “As you can see, our nation is the undisputed ruler of this continent. We possess numerous magical beasts of unmatched power, and are willing to allow you to indulge in our wealth, for some terms.”

“That is an interesting proposal, Lord Indict,” Perry said as he pulled a laptop from his briefcase, “but I think we might come to a more comfortable understanding after you view this.”

Perry loaded the same video he had shown the Divinian Overseer yesterday. The Divinians, by all accounts from the Gaerran natives, were undoubtedly the most powerful force in this small cluster of continents. If they felt shocked by the wonders shown in the video, then certainly the Eanish, who have an even greater discrepancy, would react similarly. In a confusing twist, the Eanish official watched the video with a bored expression.

“Oh, is that it?” Lord Indict rudely said as the video ended.

“Yes, that is it.”

“Hmph. Well then, I must say that this video technology of yours is indeed fascinating, but not unlike our very own magical projection spells. Upon first glance, to me, it seems like your people have nothing to offer mine. Put bluntly, we mostly trade with the Divinian Empire, and sometimes with Mekkan for their vehicles. I can tell your nation has vehicles of high quality, but as you can see,” he said, gesturing out the large glass window behind him, “there is little opportunity for us to actually drive them. As for the various technologies you have incorporated into your society, such as electricity, our cities operate on magical energy and are incompatible with whatever you can offer.”

“I see. How about your merchants?”

“Eanish merchants and their American counterparts may engage in trade, I suppose. However, you will need to agree to our tax terms.” Lord Indict produced a small paper detailing tax rates.

Ambassador Perry analyzed the paper, then recoiled in shock. “What the… this is ridiculous!”

“It is the price you must pay in order to participate in the most expansive market on Eanif,” Lord Indict said.

“I’ll discuss this with my superiors…” Perry sighed.

“As of now, we are classifying your nation as a Neutral Civilized Power. Clearly, you demonstrate formidability in your military, but as we all know, it is heavily constrained due to the portal,” Indict said, smiling. “It is for this reason that despite your strength, we do not classify you as a superpower.”

Perry nodded.

“As a Neutral Civilized Power, you are entitled to free trade with our country, but be warned: we also expect neutrality from your nation. I will have one of my assistants prepare a package of terms, so you may read through them. Just know that we anticipate no hostilities from you…” Indict grinned.

“The United States of America similarly does not anticipate any hostile action from the Eanif Imperium, but we are prepared to defend ourselves and our allies, to our fullest extent,” Perry replied.

“Oh, how honorable! Let me tell you something, Ambassador. Honor does not guarantee your safety, nor your survival. No matter how honorable a hero may be, he is but an ant when facing Legendary Dragons. On Eanif, we are the Legendary Dragons.” He leaned forward in an intimidating manner as he spoke. Then, he ended with a smile. “My assistant will meet you outside with the documents. It was nice to become acquainted with your kind.”

“And you as well,” Perry said before exiting the room with Alpha Team following close behind.

——

The White House

“Mister President, we have an incoming priority call from Ambassador Perry.”

An aide walked up to President Keener with a tablet and offered it to him.

“Thanks Bob,” he said, nodding. The aide nodded and exited the Oval Office.

President Keener accepted the call. “Hello Ambassador, what can I do for you?”

Ambassador Perry looked a bit worried, based on the movement of his eyebrows. “Mister President, I just concluded diplomatic talks with the Eanif Imperium, but something about the man I spoke to seemed… off.”

Keener raised an eyebrow. “Off?”

“I have reason to believe that they are planning something big in the near future, like an offensive, perhaps.”

“Against us?”

“Not particularly, but potentially. The man I spoke with, Farwell Indict, emphasized the importance of our neutrality. I believe he has plans against the Nobian Empire and the Sonaran Federation, but does not want to fight against us.”

President Keener nodded. “Hmm, interesting. So, they want to take advantage of the weakened Nobians and Sonarans, but they also recognize our strength, and don’t want to fight a battle they don’t need to?”

Perry nodded. “Precisely, sir.”

“This is troubling. We have an obligation to defend the Sonarans, and there is also the matter of our new Ecith and Arasol territories…”

“Sir, how would you want me to handle this situation?”

Keener shook his head. “Damnit. Uhh, you’ve already shown them the introductory video, right?”

“Yes I have, sir.”

President Keener gasped with incredulity. “And they still want to be aggressive, despite seeing that World War 2 footage, and footage of our jets and tanks?!”

Perry shrugged. “It would seem that way. I don’t think they comprehend the power of modern weaponry, simply because they’re so heavily reliant on biological weapons of war, primarily monsters.”

“Like that Hydra?”

“Yes, sir. I’ll be forwarding a document detailing some of their units in a bit. It should match up with whatever our spies have found so far.”

“Okay. Damn, so the video didn’t work, huh? They’re really dead set on this. This corroborates the troop movements we’ve seen on the recon flights… What are our other options?”

Perry sighed and hung his head. “Sir, I can try talking to the Eanish again, but I doubt they’ll rescind their deployed troops after having spent so many resources mobilizing them. Your best bet might be to shore up our defenses and hunker down; prepare for another war.”

“Another war…” Keener muttered.

“Yeah. Sending our troops probably might not be so popular until the Eanish are actually knocking on our door. If you need public support, I can try to film the Imperium’s actions. Slavery is common throughout the Imperium; you can try to get the public riled up enough to send troops.”

Keener nodded. “Hmm, yes. That’s a sound idea. I’ll have to do a press release though, talking about the various nations in Gaerra. I wish I could’ve kept this a secret for a bit longer, but lives are at stake. Thank you for letting me know about this, Ambassador. Is there anything else you’d like to report?”

“Ah, I’ll be scheduling an appointment with the Divinian Embassy tomorrow. We had a brief, but relatively productive discussion yesterday. It seems their nation is the most powerful among the continents on this side of the planet, and their society runs primarily on magic technology.”

“Well, that’s a good start. Could use some more friends in this new world. Alright, I’ll leave you to your work. Let me know if anything urgent pops up.”

“Will do, Mister President.” Perry ended the call.

——

Eana, Eanif Imperium

From the Imperial Library, Emperor Vox Evalion and General Zhukov silently watched the video presented by Ambassador Perry. Hidden within Lord Indict’s office was a small camera, supplied by Zhukov. This camera relayed a feed of the diplomatic meeting between Lord Indict and the Americans.

“And their accomplishments; they are all true?” Evalion asked.

Zhukov nodded. “Indeed, your Excellency. It is why we have not dared challenge them on Earth. But here, we may be able to catch them off guard.”

“It seems your initial analyses were correct. You have done well for the Eanif Imperium, General.” Evalion stared at the paused video, deep in contemplation. He then tilted his head. “Still, you have provided no other reason for this aid aside from your burning vengeance. What is your goal, General?”

Zhukov raised an eyebrow, forming an answer to the question. He laughed, “Oh, you are wondering if I have ulterior motives! I assure you, all I desire is the fall of the United States. What we accomplish here might not be enough to cause their collapse, but I shall do every part in setting them back as much as possible. And of course, it would be hard to return to Earth. Although I have many friends, a life in hiding is not one worth living. So, if I am forever severed from my homeland, I can have something to work with here.”

“So… you wish for land and power…”

Zhukov frowned slightly, “I would not put it that way, but yes. I suppose I do wish for land and power; every man does. However, my priorities are to combat the Americans in every way possible.”

Evalion nodded. “Very well. I find your answers acceptable. General, I believe you’ve proven yourself worthy of the Imperium’s trust. I will grant your men honorary citizenship, provided you work under our military. We have many uses for you warriors as advisors; tacticians against an enemy we know nothing about.”

Zhukov bowed deeply, his expressions shadowed by the dark hair covering his face and hiding his smile of relief. “Thank you, your Excellency.”

“I will be relying on the information you provide and your judgement. I will be authorizing a monster raid shortly, to test your ideas. I hope they do not fail me.”

“A monster raid?” Zhukov wondered what Evalion was planning. He knew the Imperium military was capable of deploying numerous mythical beasts en masse, such as wyverns, mighty elemental dragons, krakens (although he did not see any purpose these might have, considering that the United States currently has no naval forces in Gaerra), chimaeras, basilisks, land dragons, tarasques, and hellworms. He has even heard rumors of new monsters entering the field, such as Hydras, but the taming attempt was apparently thwarted by the Americans, who simply annihilated the poor beast with their air power.

“Yes, I am planning to orchestrate a small raid — one with low-level monsters such as Spyders, in order to probe their defenses.”

Zhukov remained silent for a couple seconds before protesting, “Your Excellency, their bases here are heavily defended, much more than on Earth. I assume they’ve already adapted, equipping their units with larger caliber weapons to deal with the monsters around here.”

“Hmm, then would you suggest using some of our more powerful beasts?”

“Ahh, this depends on the target you plan to strike. Their main base near the portal will likely be impenetrable, unless you conduct a full-scale assault using your armies.”

Emperor Evalion nodded. “Very well. Recently, the Americans were granted a territory north of the Nobian Empire, known as Ecith. I’m certain you’ve heard of our Hydra taking attempt there, yes?”

“Yes, Your Excellency.”

“My tamers attempted to secure one by the town of Felomia, as it was under siege from the beast. Our failure to capture the Hydra was both politically and strategically devastating: the residents of the former Ecith Kingdom are now more aligned with these Americans because of their help, and we have no Hydra to show for the work we’ve done. There are more Hydras to the northern coasts, so we have more attempts available. We can potentially lure a group of them south, toward Felomia once more.”

Zhukov thought on the proposal, but reasoned against it. “Although this would be a formidable force, I do not think it can do much. After the first Hydra attack, I assume the Americans would have increased their reconnaissance flights over the area, so they will be able to prepare for it.”

“And if they prepare for it, they can simply send more of their aircraft and wipe out the beasts, without us ever knowing the capabilities of their ground units…”

Zhukov nodded. “Yes. However, a horde of Spyders moving through the forest grounds may be able to slip past undetected. Your hellworms will also do greatly, and perhaps your tarasque or basilisk units, if you can exert enough control over them to maintain stealth.”

Emperor Evalion closed his eyes. “Hmm… these are good proposals.” He then opened his eyes, a spark visible within them. “Very well, we shall commence the operation against Felomia. Come to the War Room at noon tomorrow; we have much to discuss, General.”