The location of the Blue Office, the preferred formal working space of most Sedunnic presidents since the late 1700s, was a blessing and a curse. At least as of late. Vimmru Innienn gazed longingly down across the large square that separated the Greater Palace, his workplace, from the Lesser Palace, his residence and home. It had become a habit to take micro pauses, leave the desk, and look out the large windows. Sometimes he was lucky to spot his wife or daughter. It was always comforting seeing them. Now something bittersweet had happened. His daughter Ati had moved out. Not that she had been home that much the last couple of years. Football, then military service, than back to football as a professional career. A most expected change, but he would miss her terribly. And his working days would be a bit less bright.
A flight of Hotvemm fighters interrupted his thoughts. They flew almost due west at a moderate speed. It must have been the escort for the Izaakian plane. A double knock on the door confirmed it. It was time to head out for the airport for the first stage of the meticulously planned state visit: a red carpet and a military band.
As Bomber Command One was approaching for landing President Button was admiring rear of a particularly well proportioned air hostess as she sauntered down to her seat for landing, when he almost physically slapped himself to snap out of it. He was already in the dog house with Mrs Button who had decided not to join him on this trip after the whole Pink Bunny affair, what a nightmare that had been he was thinking.
Keen for something to distract him he looked out of the window onto the sun kissed shores of Sedunn. This had been the first time heâd travelled on Bomber Command One, and the first time heâd ever flown supersonic. It amazed him how quickly and effortlessly they had managed to travel from the bracing early winter snow of Izaakia to the baking hot midday sun of Sedunn.
His thoughts were interrupted by his Chief of Staff who informed the President that President Innienn had only just set off from the Presidential Residence and would arrive after Bomber Command One had landed. The CoS asked President Button if he would like to circle round, well aware that making another leader wait is a common power play in the world of international politics. President Button looked at his watch and said âNo, weâre 20 minutes earlier than expected, Iâm sure President Innienn is on time, we donât play games with allies, and this is an ally that needs some special attention after the fireworks display Blanc put on for him a few years agoâ.
After landing President Button straightened out his jacket, tie and hat to be mm perfect whilst he waited a short moment for President Innienn to arrive.
The official state car, a modified sapphire blue Limma executive sedan, made an elegant turn and stopped with precision at the end of the red carpet. A soldier clad in the white Navy service uniform opened one of the doors and the tall Sedunnic president stepped out. He thanked the woman with a nod and proceeded to walk down the carpet to greet President Button waiting at the other end. He wasnât sure why exactly the tradition was to receive the guest already at the airport. According to his chief of staff, this slightly inconvenient tradition was to emphasise that the Sedunnic president represented the whole nation, hence greeting their prominent guests at the very âdoorstepâ of the nation itself, being any entry point, as opposed to receiving them at the entrance to his residence, which, according to the chief of staff, was more appropriate for when the president received guests âonlyâ as the head of government. Guests such as a chair of a regional assembly or an NGO.
The military band started playing a cheerful march that Vimmru didnât recognise. He first walked past the honorary guard that also donned the white uniform. They stood at attention, holding their legacy rifles in their right hands. He then passed the military band and lastly the officer in charge of the detachment. The band stopped playing when the president stood in front of his Izaakian counterpart. He presented his hand for a handshake.
MontwĂŚlda Button was at looking out of the window and waiting as Dellm Vimmru arrived. The moment the door of the exquisite Sapphire Blue Sedan closed behind the Dellm, MontwĂŚlda Button jumped up and raised his hand in a circular motion, and said âRighty Oh, Lets Go!â.
He hesitated for a moment at the door of the plane, put his sun glasses on, and bounded down the stairs, trying to look energetic, but also terrified of tripping over. He reached his hand out to shake with the Dellm and said âApologies weâre early, I suspect theyâre still getting used to the new plane in the scheduling department, sheâs a terrifyingly fast thing, they apparently designed her so the MontwĂŚlda could have Lunch at the Dolphin Club in New Mako, and Afternoon Tea at the Orangery in Brodlancia in the same day.
Anyway, moving on, itâs a pleasure to meet you in person, and Iâm looking forward to building a strong friendship between us and our nations, get the old girl firing on all cylinders againâ.
Vimmru smiled and answered. âWelcome to Sedunn. Itâs a pleasure having you here and I likewise look forward to the work ahead of us.â His Austral accent was mostly of the neutral kind but with undeniable hints of a Sedunnic. Fashionably.
Cameras flashed as they shook hands. As usual the handshake lasted longer than a normal one for the benefit of the assembled members of the press and media. After the appropriate amount of time, the Dellm gestured in the of direction the red carpet. The two presidents lined up for the traditional playing of respective nationâs national anthem, beginning with the guestâs. Cameras continued to flash. A harsh-sounding order was given and the honour guard moved to present arms.
As the last echo of the Sedunnic anthem faded, the commander joined the two presidents to walk them down the red carpet and inspect his troops, all while the band played the Review March of the Sedunnic Navy on repeat until they had passed the formation. The commander stopped and saluted the presidents who proceeded to the State Car.
âI trust that you had pleasant ride here? Bomber Command One certainly is impressive. I hope that this car will be almost as comfortable, but perhaps a bit slower.â
âOh it was a lovely ride thank you, for a plane that can give fighter jets a run for their money, itâs surprisingly quiet and peaceful when youâre onboard, Iâm sure weâll have to find an excuse for you to ride onboard one day. Although, I have to say, they could learn a lesson in comfort from the boys and girls at Limma. Iâm so comfortable in here that I almost instantly want to fall asleep.
Back home they make me ride round in pickup trucks and agricultural looking 4x4s, makes me look like a rancher, which is fine because I am one, but at my age my back suffers on poor suspension and firm seats. The price we pay for political imagery.
So, tell me, howâs your day been?, and perhaps just as importantly, what have you got planned for us?â
The car entered the O1 highway. It that had been closed off for everyone but the motorcade, and the exclusive car accelerated to a speed that would be otherwise illegal.
âIt has been a good day with a real potential of getting even better. I donât know if you had lunch on your way here, but the first item on the agenda is what we call a lounge meeting. A buffet with a wide range of different light dishes and delicacies, all in a comfortable setting in the garden of the Great Palace, and you are welcome to eat as little or much as you desire.â Vimmru smiled. He had an appetite that was famous, or perhaps infamous in Sedunn. Maybe internationally as well.
âThe next item is a tour of the old Forum, which is on the way to item number three: the ballistic missile submarine the Tevv, which is berthed in Grovne Naval Station followed by a press conference. After that we invite you to visit the Tomb of the Unknown Sailor, then the last item for today is obviously the dinner at my residence.â
âOh, Iâm always hungry, Iâve not eaten since home, itâs actually still just 10am back home, so itâs a little early, but for the sake of Sedunno-Izaakian relations Iâll suffer through your delicious local cuisines.â - MontwĂŚlda Button Joked.
âI do wonder if our visit to a Nuclear Capable Missile Submarine, might give away the topic Iâve come here to discuss. After all, we donât officially have a nuclear weapons program, much in the same way we donât have any intelligence agencies.â
âSince our cooperation on nuclear weapons includes the defence against them, which is the public part of the cooperation, no issues were anticipated with this setting. Your secret is safe with us, as always. This cooperation has endured despite some⌠should I say⌠unfortunate events. Visiting the submarine carries a certain symbolic meaning in this regard.â
âLetâs hope it leads to no more talk of Sedunno-Izaakian relations going under. Speaking of unfortunate events, I can only apologise sincerely on behalf of the USI for âŚâŚ(pauses as he carefully picks his words)âŚâŚ the undesirably close proximity of Izaakian offensive operations to your good self a few years back.â
Vimmru felt a sharp spike of pain in the scars that the Hawk Embassy ordeal had left, but resisted the urge to massage the area. The siege and following battle had arguably been a closer call, but nowhere nearly as disastrous for diplomatic relations.
âWe have a saying in Sedunn. âAn apology is only effectuated by actionâ, or something like that in Austral. Donât repeat what you did, and we can put it behind us. Apology accepted.â
Vimmru looked out the tinted window on his side. They had passed Grovne Central Station and were just about to cross the famous Raka Bridge leading to the Teivvte Plaza, around which some of Grovneâs most famous buildings were located. The Great and Lesser Palaces, seat of the government. The parliament building. And the main campus of Grovne Southern University, his alma mater.
He was delighted to see that thousands of people had gathered on the square. The crowds appeared to be in a good mood, and some even waved Sedunnic and Izaakian flags. The motorcade stopped roughly in the centre of the plaza and the carâs doors were opened by a soldier wearing ancient looking gear. It was a member of the Guard Battalion, and the peculiar dress was a replica of the two millennia old armour of the Im Knights, the life guards of the very fist dellms. An honour not often bestowed.
The two presidents stepped out and were received by mostly positive cheers from the crowds. Escorted by additional anachronistic soldiers, the two soon made their way toward the main entrance of the Greater Palace. They didnât stop inside, but continued walking toward another exit that faced the Palace Garden. They sat down in comfortable garden chairs in the shade under a large pergola near a fountain.
Adhering to tradition, Vimmru read the menu aloud for his guest as waiters brought them their selected beverages. Vimmru raised his glass.
As President Button exited the vehicle with President Vimmru he was thinking to himself that he was rather surprised his security team had allowed such an exposed location in the centre of a busy square.
He was rather pleased to have been given the honour of an escort by the guard battalion, partially because heâd seen their armour in many of his favourite old movies, and partially because he thought that half an inch of iron might be useful stopping bullets or shrapnel from a bomb.
It was quite a beautiful autumnal day, and the President was glad that he was spending his first meeting with the Dellm in one of the most spectacular gardens in all the world.
He joined his host in a toast to ânew friends and ancient cooperationâ.
He then joked, âSpeaking of Ancient, your guards look like they could do with some modernisation.â
Sensing little in the way of a chuckle from the Dellm the president quickly moved on.
âI suppose now would be the appropriate time to present my gift to you and the Sedunnic nation.â
He waved over his assistant, who handed him a smallish gift box (15cm by 15cm).
As the Dellm opened the gift box, MontwĂŚlda Button explained that the gift was a paper weight. The paperweight was a 4 inch Sedunnic cannonball set into an ancient oak presentation stand. But, that it was of special significance, because itâs the exact cannonball that a Sedunnic anti-piracy navy ship fired at the Montacian Black Princes pirate flagship in 1542, and directly hit the prince, removing his leg.
The stand was constructed from oak from the very same flagship, and was intricately carved with 4 human shaped legs leading to a bowl that perfectly fit the 4 inch cannonball. The holder was carved with the message, âMay the Sedunno-Izaakian Partnership Always Have a Leg to Stand Onâ.
Playing down the gift the MontwĂŚlda said âI suppose itâs really just returning lost property after 500 yearsâ.
Vimmru raised an eyebrow and nodded, his signature expression of surprise and approval.
âWowâ he said as he examined the artifact closer. It was a gift truly in his taste. It took a few moments until he realised that Button made a joke. âAha!â he chuckled.
âA fine way to get the ball rolling, as they say! Thank you.â
The Sedunner called over his assistant. He picked up a pot standing among plants and seedlings. It was in an elaborate wicker basket that doubled as a bag and shade for its contents. Judging from the way the assistant carried it, it looked quite heavy.
âInternationally they say that Sedunners are predictable. When it comes to international politics and diplomacy, consistency or predictability certainly is is one of our goals. To that end, our gift to you wonât be a surprise.â
The assistant put the pot down between the two leaders and retreated to the background. A small yet vigorous plant was revealed inside.
âItâs a traditional nosevbradd, or fruit tree. In this case a sturdy species of apple, that we hope will be able to thrive anywhere in the much varying climate of the USI. Perhaps except in the polar reaches outside the domesâ Vimmru winked.
Nosevbradds were a traditional state gift. A symbol and an expression of a desire to grow relations. And trust. Something lasting. A tree could be gifted several times, marking a change in relations, but never to replace a lost tree. They could be found in many Pacifican nations and had faced different fates over the years. The first one gifted to Karnetvor had survived deteriorating relations and even bombing campaigns. In Ezervulge there were none left due to vandalism by citizens displeased with Sedunn, quietly cheered on by government officials. In the short-lived Free State, a goat had made it its dinner, according to legend. Vimmru was unfamiliar with how previous nosevbradds gifted to Izaakia had faired.
âMay it bear fruitâ Vimmru exclaimed, pleased with remembering the correct pronunciation of âbearâ, avoiding confusing it with âbeerâ.
The MontwĂŚlda was thinking of how many hours of committee meetings must have been held to decide on a gift for the Sedunnic president, and was envious of the tradition of a tree.
He thanked the president for his gift and said âI hope our relations build to such an extent that we plant an orchard of these trees in all three Izaakian nationsâ.
He went on to say âI believe all of the previous nosevbradd trees are kept at Slaughter House, which sadly we no longer use as a presidential residency. But Iâm sure they provide a tranquil resting place for my predecessor and her cabinet.â