| The Prince's Tour |
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Sinaia, Stoinia, Stoinian Star Kingdom
Prince-Imperial Charles was the brother of the Emperor himself. He was unconcerned with royal duties, as he was unlikely to succeed to the throne. Ever since his father died three years ago, he wanted to forget and get away from it all. Stoinia was a planet completely unrelated to the Ryccian Empire. It was, in essence, an escape from it all. To have an excuse to be away from the glittering lights of the capital, to be away from the nobles and elites who constantly tried to contact him for business deals...tune out, zone out of it all. As he was a senior member of the royal family, he was accompanied by guards. Four security personnel were present to defend him against any threats. Along with him was also his personal servant. All of them were human, as the Prince-Imperial did not wish to jeopardize his safety nor the security of his staff. Moreover, having alien personnel would raise flags for the Stoinian people, indicating that he was a Ryccian. Charles did not wish such attention. He wanted to keep a low profile, after all. Arriving in his private yacht, he descended into Sinaia's spaceport and quickly got off the craft. It was but a myriad of worlds he wished to visit. The capital of this nation would be his first stop for sightseeing. Speaking in French so they would not be easily noticed, the servant spoke. "Your Imperial Highness, I have contacted the hotel. They have our accomodations prepared" "Excellent. Come now, we must make haste. We must rest for tomorrow. Please, carry my belongings, and do tell the bodyguards to do the same" "Yes, m'lord"
Deputy Regional Minister of the Planning and Development Agency(March 8-May 19, 2014)
Local Council Member(April 24-August 11) Court Justice of TSP(August 15-December 7)
Sinaia, Stoinia, Stoinian Star Kingdom
"We have arrived, I guess" They were now in the hotel. Contrary to what he had heard, the Stoinian employees were carrying his bags. How curious. "M'lord, we have arrived. I shall go to the registry to check in" "Prepare a bath for when I go to my room. I shall dine in a restaurant, for I have a reservation" "Shall I use moonflower oil or strawberry extract?" "Moonflower shall suffice for today. I trust you to arrange my room according to my specifications" "Bon appetit in advance, m'lord" The Prince-Imperial was now going to the most expensive and reputable restaurant in Sinaia. He reserved a table of five, for it was his bodyguards who protected him at all hours. He just hoped that the Ryccian embassy was not aware of his presence here, or the press would hound him to no end...damn them. "Yes, waiter? I wish to order the most expensive item on the menu, if you could oblige. My accompanying party shall have whatever they desire" Ah, yes, fine dining without being stared at by everybody for being royalty. An Imperial spy could not possibly be here. Sinaia, Stoinia, Stoinian Star Kingdom Same Restaurant He was wrong. Despite his efforts to conceal his whereabouts, the royal family was not as foolish as to let one of its own unguarded. The Ryccian embassy secretly hired a bounty hunter to follow the movements of the Prince-Imperial, and to protect him if necessary. As a Stoinian native, how could this bounty hunter arouse suspicion?
Deputy Regional Minister of the Planning and Development Agency(March 8-May 19, 2014)
Local Council Member(April 24-August 11) Court Justice of TSP(August 15-December 7)
Sinaia, Stoinia, Stoinian Star Kingdom
Hanu' Regelui (Kings Café) Restaurant Sem de Jaager was the hired informant tasked with keeping an eye on the Prince-Imperial. Although he wasn't a Bounty Hunter himself, he still was what some would consider te be a gun for hire. Right now he was just an informant for Nick O'Carr, the famous Stoinian Bounty Hunter contacted by the Ryccian Embassy to have his contact. Since O'Carr is eager to expand his enterprise into the Ryccian Empire, he decided to accept the offer as to be in good favour with them. Even offering the Ryccians a discount. Nonetheless Sem a native on Stoinia from the more rural villagers dating from the "Trek". He was the main informant for O'Carr's company as he had grown many contacts all over the Stoinian Capital for years. O'Carr sat a few tables further from the Prince-Imperial. He enjoyed the Restaurant as it kept the ethnicity from old. Plates would often be planks from the finest oaks Stoinia could offer, alongside many taxidermized Stoinian wildlife. Some of the Ryccians would be appalled, but to the Stoinians this was comfy luxury. Alongside the many ethnic products hanging on the walls, to the servants being dressed in the finest ethnic dresses. He had arranged for his table to be near the vicinity of the Prince-Imperial. How he got the information? Well he was the best informant in O'Carr's Company after all, for him this was child's play. He had the famous Pork steak, while glancing from time to time on the Ryccian entourage. Unbeknownst to them, O'Carr was their invisible ally if things went sour, though he really doubted he would need his concealed gun on the Prince-Imperial's visit. Another aspect which might shock the Ryccians. "Then again. "Better safe than sorry." That's what Nick would say." He thought to himself. Pacifica: Myria, Sallodesia, Stoinia • A1-0: Stoinian Star Kingdom • Aurora: Kingdom of Threnebor
The decor was not like anything the Prince-Imperial had ever seen. It was primitive and sanguine in its aesthetics, with carcasses of animals everywhere mashed in a perverse mix of their parts. You would see this type of atmosphere in the hunting-happy Ryccian frontier, not in the beating heart of the country. Perhaps the rumours that this was a lost Ryccian colony were indeed true...
He could tell the wood was fancy. As a person raised in the elite, he had an eye for these things. However, in the Empire, they would be crafted into more elaborate and outlandish designs. For the standards of the Prince-Imperial, this was an unfortunate waste of good fine oak. The pork steak was truly surprising, however. "Seriously? This is their most expensive dish? I have seen better plates being served at restaurants the middle-class patronize. Do they take me for a fool?" The Prince-Imperial was used to extravagant and outlandish foods decorated in splendour. However, this plate was plain. Just a pork steak, fries and some simple condiments? There has to be more to it than this...yes, the Stoinians were not as flamboyant as the Ryccians, but their most elite foodstuffs could not possibly be this pedestrian. Or are they truly so? "Pardon the interruption, waiter, but are you certain this is the most expensive dish in this establishment?" Perhaps he may have caused offense, but he was determined to get his money's worth. He kept reading the menu, but he still did not believe it. How peculiar...
Deputy Regional Minister of the Planning and Development Agency(March 8-May 19, 2014)
Local Council Member(April 24-August 11) Court Justice of TSP(August 15-December 7)
Sem looked a little surprised at his menu as he heard the Prince-Imperial. Nick ad told him that on their capital they could be quite the fancy pants, though he didn't quite understand why. Well let's hope the waiter is up to the task.
The waiter looked quite frowned. What an odd quiesion? Were these fancy people from the Tozorian Corridor who were expected something more? "Well our stock of off-world game just ran out. It will be a few days before we can serve Brixid, Qingroix, Dhuvai, Corillian game... Sadly the hunting season for Paragorn's dhuga and the Hyperian Khison has ended and our stock too. However our most prized meat is of course Mardakii, but it will take a while as the Great Hunt is a few months away. Would you like to reserve such a meal? It will take a while before the bidding war starts, but we can keep you in touch if you want. Surely you must know there will be high demand of it with limited supply. Such meat can only be acquired once a year and were lucky to be between the select suppliers. But as of now, that pork collar is made from the best pork in Sinaia. The sides have extraordinary flavour made by Sinaia's best chefs. That garlic sauce will really augment the pork. Say from what part do you come from? Tozorian Corridor?" Pacifica: Myria, Sallodesia, Stoinia • A1-0: Stoinian Star Kingdom • Aurora: Kingdom of Threnebor
M-Mardakii?! Was not that the spacefaring race that the Stoinians conquered?!
The Prince-Imperial was deeply disturbed. They eat their foes after their demise? They consume beings that could be sentient?! Charles was visibly horrified. His face went white. Perhaps it was an excellent idea to keep the non-human staff out of this vacation, for it possibly saved their lives. His bodyguards were also terrified. However, he could not afford to cause a ruckus, lest he draw attention to his person. The average Stoinian should not know much about the Ryccian royal family anyway, so he was an unknown around these parts. "N-No, th-that is quite alright, I am afraid I shall not be in this world for long. I do not wish to reveal my identity as of this time, for I am enjoying my trip in private as an outsider. That shall be all, thank you" Charles tried to enjoy his meal, but the thought of Mardakii meat being consumed at a ritzy establishment...it was disgusting. Perhaps they were not sentient? But how could that be true? How did they achieve spacetravel if they were not sentient? This pork steak was a simple meal, unlike the horrors that Charles was imagining in his mind. These people are truly an enigma. If only they were as simple as this dish... The taste was surprisingly rich. So he did obtain his money's worth. They should take notice of the Core's dining scene, for the presentation is an artform in of itself. Despite not being a match to the Core's finest restaurants, this one was satisfactory for the Prince-Imperial. However, as he went out the door and walked to an alley to reach the hotel, his behaviour got him in trouble. A desperate Tozorian who wished to pay his bills followed the Prince-Imperial. Sure, he had bodyguards, but he had a gun....okay, maybe they have guns too, but he had to take a chance. "Alright pipsqueaks, if you want the one you're protecting to live, drop your weapons" The Prince-Imperial was stunned. Slowly turning around, he saw this thug pointing an...archaic gun on him? Quite funny. The protective light vest he wore was designed for blasters, and thus it should stop these...what were they called now, bull-ets? The bodyguards were royal guards, so they reacted quickly and pointed their blasters at the Tozorian. They were not trained to stand around and be pretty. "Stand back! Shoot the Prince-Imperial and you shall suffer your demise!" The robber saw their weird guns. These were blasters, and thus it was natural that he had not seen such advanced weaponry. Perhaps they were toy guns? Laughable. "Look here, I don't know who you are but he's clearly not a Prince. Stop your bluff and give me all your cash, now!"
Deputy Regional Minister of the Planning and Development Agency(March 8-May 19, 2014)
Local Council Member(April 24-August 11) Court Justice of TSP(August 15-December 7)
Sem slowly walked behind the Tozorian and pointed his gun against his head. An archaic gun by the looks of it, but this was more high tech than it looked as it was a prototype which magnetically accelerates the bullet. Those within the ranks of Nick O'Carr were commonly seen with such things as they were prestigious and not that accessible to the greater public. As it was dark he was willing to take the shot, but he would try diplomacy first. He took out his cigarillo with his other hand as he puffed out the smoke towards the Tozorian.
"Now now, if it isn't John Flannigan. You're now interfering with the operations of my boss. Say, did you get a job yet to pay off your debt? Or did you use it to live out your rich fantasies again?" "What are you talking about? You work for O'Carr?" "Say I do. Does that change the fact that I got a brand new slugthrower against your head?" "Listen I can expl ..." "Drop your weapon before I get trigger happy?" The Tozorian slowly lowered his weapon and put on the ground. When that happened, Sem kicked his head. Beating him up a bit and then taking his gun. He then approached the Prince-Imperial with his hands in his air after he made a small twirl with his guns. "Sem De Jaager, pleasure to meet your Highness. Don't worry I was hired to protect you. Now I suggest you move on to your hotel as we don't want to attract more attention. Surely if you fire your blasters we will get into the headlines and we don't want to disturb your precious vacation. I'll handle the law with this lowlife, don't you guys worry. Just sleep tight all right?" Sem then put his foot on the Tozorian and grabbed his phone and called the police to turn him in. Pacifica: Myria, Sallodesia, Stoinia • A1-0: Stoinian Star Kingdom • Aurora: Kingdom of Threnebor
"Hired to protect me? Blast it, that accursed ambassador...!"
"I am grateful for your assistance, Mr. De Jaager. I shall be going now" The Prince-Imperial was furious. He really thought that he covered his tracks, but the royal family's security was always a step ahead....damn it all! Upon arriving at his hotel room, the Prince-Imperial started to bark orders at his servant in French. He wanted to reprimand the ambassador for spying on him. "Call the ambassador, now" "Yes, m'lord" A hologram of the ambassador appeared in the room. The ambassador, Palatina Koxrayin, feigned surprise, but she knew what was coming. "Ah, Your Imperial Highness! What is the reason for such an honour-" "Shut it, Lady Koxrayin, I am here to speak to you regarding a matter of urgency" "What would this be, Your Imperial Highness?" "Who ordered you to spy on my person?" "....So he has revealed himself to you. Blast that thief..." "You are certainly well-informed of my whereabouts. If we were in the Empire, I could sue you for invasion of privacy" "But we are not in the Empire. This is also a matter of national security. You are second in line for the succession of the Imperial throne. How can the royal family and the state leave you unguarded?" "You must be joking. The throne is a ceremonial prop. Everyone knows this fact to be as true as the light of day" "Whether you are a prop or not is none of my concern. The royal family ordered this, and their actions were sanctioned by the Imperial government. Perhaps you can raise the issue to your brother, the Emperor himself? Or maybe you could annoy the Chancellor for me instead of whining to my person when I have more pertinent tasks to attend to? Your Imperial Highness, you are a public figure and a member of the Imperial royalty, whether you wish it or not. You must be afforded security by the state" "Damn it all...I have my royal guards. Remove your Stoinian spy, posthaste" "I shall take my leave now, Your Imperial Highness. Your request is noted" "Such an unwanted intrusion on my affairs! How dare they disturb me when I wish peace and solitude?!" "Esquire, utilize the Sheorchien mix of bath oils. I wish to relax" "My apologies, m'lord, I do not believe we have packed the Falurien bath oil necessary for this mixture" "By the stars, what do I compensate you for?!...Fine, a Chorlen mixture. I wish no delay" "Yes, m'lord" "With luck I have had the misfortune to have today, tomorrow's shopping trip shall not go favourably...I hope my luck turns around" Sinaia, Stoinian Star Kingdom Ryccian Embassy "You, informant. Keep following him and disguise yourself, for he is now aware of your identity. We shall increase your pay by a third for your trouble" Sinaia, Stoinian Star Kingdom An Artisan Market Charles had brought a large amount of money for this shopping spree. Coming from the Ryccian Empire, where industry was automated, artisans had mostly been phased out due to competition. Ryccian factories were able to produce artifacts that would rival the artisans of old in beauty due to their machines having memorized traditional arts and crafts. As a result, the tiny few remaining artisans left in the Empire specialized in the most obscure and complex arts and were constantly challenged by the automated industry to produce even more exquisite and luxurious designs. They had high production costs, and due to this their clientele was wealthy, as they were the only ones who could afford them. He was surprised, however, when he saw a diverse group of customers. They appeared to be lower to middle-class. This was surprising, and the items appeared to be of lower quality and cheaper. Of course, for the Stoinians, this was high-grade material, but in the Ryccian Empire these objects, albeit beautiful in their own right, would be manufactured middle-class products at most. Some items were truly exquisite however, and even the high-class Prince-Imperial could not deny that. However, he was inclined to purchase even those items that he did not see as high-grade due to the fact that many of these designs were alien to him. Speaking in French, the Prince-Imperial ordered his servant to carry his bags as he perused the market to purchase something that would catch his eye. He was spending like mad for the middle-class, and thus his poor servant was burdened with shopping bags. For the resilient Stoinian people, this was a disgrace to see, but the Prince-Imperial thought of it as normal. Besides, he reasoned, they haven't a clue of who he was, so even if he was stared at by the crowd, he could not care less, as this was how a Ryccian aristocrat shopped. The items on sale were cheaper than he expected, and thus he bought more than he anticipated. It was clear that his servant was overburdened with bags upon bags upon bags upon bags...by the stars, how could he purchase more if his servant could not carry more? Ah, perhaps they shall? "You, royal guard, assist the Esquire in carrying my recently-purchased items" "But, m'lord, that is not my purview, and I must be able to protect you at all costs" "I am not finished shopping. I shall give you a bonus if you cease your complaints. Just get on with it" "Sigh...very well, m'lord" A highly-trained royal guard, a proud warrior trained for years upon years to fight and protect in His Majesty's name with honour...relegated to an errand boy. Oh boy. For those who understood French, they were confused. A royal guard? He does not appear to be royalty, for it is clear that this shopaholic does not resemble anyone vaguely associated with the royal family. Moreover, a royal would be more austere, not a pompous spender that sees carrying his own property as beneath him. No, this cannot be a member of the royal family...something else is afoot. An artisan who understood French was perplexed and dared ask this avid spender if he was royalty. Surely he could not be such a thing? "If I may, who are you? Are you a royal?" Ti-Tigonese?! The commoners speak that here?! What in the stars could be going on?! "Umm...well, I do not have to disclose my identity to you, now must I?" "I'm just curious since you referred to your fellow over there as a 'royal guard'. That was strange" "Uh...oh, yes! That was merely in jest! He always appears to be stern in looks and temperament, and thus I threw a sarcastic jibe at his way. Ha ha! No, this is merely one of my bodyguards. Now, may I peruse your stall in peace?" "Well, okay, I guess..." "Such a weird guy. As long as he buys something, that's fine, I guess" That was close. Too close for comfort. He had to be more cautious next time. He was not aware that these commoners could understand Tigonese, let alone speak it. This country remains such an enigma...
Deputy Regional Minister of the Planning and Development Agency(March 8-May 19, 2014)
Local Council Member(April 24-August 11) Court Justice of TSP(August 15-December 7)
Cornucopia, Stoinian Star Kingdom
The Prince-Imperial had visited a few more worlds after Sinaia. After pestering his brother, the Emperor had finally removed the spies the royal family had hired to "protect" him. He arrived at Cornucopia, a crown jewel of these foreign lands. The cosmopolitan nature of this gargantuan planet was more familiar to him, and yet, at the same time, it was so alien. He had been born and raised in Daonlathas, after all, but these enormous strips of concrete where these "cars" moved about stood out in this highly-urbanized planet. It all seemed like something out of a decaying picture from some ancient record straight from the royal archives. The titanic urban spires that dominated the planet's landscape were astounding to him, and certainly not something his eyes had observed in the past. Out of all the planets he had visited thus far, this was the most impressive. Fate was not kind, however. The prince's yacht had broken down. Its hyperdrive had been damaged, and it required repair. Resigning himself to his fate, he called a repair crew from the distant Ryccian Empire to fix it. It would take a few weeks for them to get there, perhaps more if the bureaucracy decides to impart its own particular form of sadistic terror: wasted time. "How are you finding Cornucopia? Is it as colossal as the Stoinians say?" "Indeed, albeit it is quite archaic in its infrastructure. Imagine, enormous roads dedicated solely for antique vehicles we have only seen through those photographs in the archives. Stoinia as a whole is akin to a living relic. Anastasia would love to visit" "She is the historical aficionado of us four" "How is Mother? Is she faring well?" "...You are aware of her broken spirit. She has mourned our Father from the first day he departed this realm. Today is no different. Mother is reluctant to exit her room once more. She continues to blame herself for Father's death" "Accursed radical savages...send her my best wishes" "I shall" "Your Majesty, regarding your-" "Yes, yes, I am well aware of my next appointment. I must leave you now, Charles. Please, make me not regret withdrawing the additional security" "You need not worry, Alexander. Farewell" "Until we meet again" Fate is cruel. Waiting for days without end, the Prince-Imperial's vacation schedule had been derailed. He was due to visit Italia next. He had heard that the planet spoke Latin, the ancient courtly language of the Ryccian royalty. How Latin was being spoken in this country was perplexing, but intriguing. Accursed hyperdrive, it had to break down now...! Then, sirens. Startled in his hotel room, the Prince-Imperial turned on the TV. Yes, this button is for turning this on? "THIS IS AN EMERGENCY MESSAGE. HOSTILE SHIPS ARE EXPECTED TO ENTER CORNUCOPIA'S ORBIT AT ANY MOMENT. REMAIN CALM. EVACUATIONS WILL BEGIN IMMEDIATELY. CORNUCOPIA IS NOW UNDER MARTIAL LAW. THIS IS NOT A DRILL. THIS IS AN EMERGENCY MESSAGE..." "Wh-What?!" As soon as he said that, one of his royal guards burst into the hotel room. Panting, the guard had been running as fast as he could to forewarn the Prince-Imperial. "Your Imperial Highness, the Stoinian navy is blockading Cornucopia! Thousands of ships are preparing a defense against some hostile force! We must go to a spaceport and evacuate now!" "Blast it all...! That yacht costs a fortune!" Everything had conspired against him. The Ryccian ambassador, who was the only Ryccian national in Stoinia who knew of his whereabouts, was back home on leave. Her subordinate had no idea the Prince-Imperial was in Cornucopia, and thus the Foreign Ministry was merely observing the recent developments. The Emperor failed to watch the token 30-second or so segment on the holonews, and since the event was of little urgency to the Ryccian government due to the distant nature of this conflict, no government ministers reported this to him, therefore leaving him clueless as to what was happening in Cornucopia. Scared of the impending battle, the repair crew that was supposed to arrive, who did not know their client's identity due to Charles's insistence on avoiding any and all attention, changed course and returned home. The Prince-Imperial had to leave by himself, with no assistance from his country. "...Very well. Esquire, commence packing my most essential and valuable possessions. We shall leave what we cannot carry at the yacht under lock. You, tell the rest of the guard to begin to prepare to leave this place" "As you wish, m'lord" Cornucopia, Stoinian Star Kingdom Cornucopia Equatorial Spaceport Anxious to leave and scared for their lives, the Prince-Imperial and his entourage hurried over to the spaceport to evacuate the planet. However, the rules had changed. The military government had decreed that all unmarried males between 18 and 35 years of age had to report for conscription, and that women, children and the elderly were given priority for evacuation. Being a single 28-year old male, the Prince-Imperial was supposed to report in if he was a Stoinian. Thank the stars he was not. Fate is sadistic. "Next!...Age?" "Um...I am 28 years of age" "Are you married and/or have children?" "No" "You can't get in. All males between 18 and 35 must report for conscription" "Pardon me?!" "Sorry, those are the rules. I suppose you haven't heard-" "This is preposterous! I must leave this world at once! I cannot be conscripted!" "Listen buddy, even the rich ones have to report in for conscription. Don't avoid your duty to the Stoinian Lion-" "What duty do you speak of?! My name is Charles Regius Nobilius Verdanius Augustus Votunius Tiberius Vitius Arzix Charlotte-Imperial, Prince-Imperial of the Ryccian Empire, and I demand to board whatever spacecraft you have available without delay!" In the Ryccian Empire, that title would have meant something. Ryccians knew who he was from his face alone. In here, no one had ever heard of him. The Stoinian bureaucrat was furious. "Listen here you spoiled brat, just because you're rich doesn't mean you're exempt from the law and your duty! I take it you're some sort of nobility from the Tozorian Corridor. Well guess what, around these parts the nobility would be the first to sign up! Don't even pretend to be something you're not! Draft-dodging coward, get out of here! Shameless brat!" The bureaucrat refused to believe him. To him, it was ridiculous. The chances of a Ryccian royal being here of all places were infinitesimally tiny. He had seen a few cases of rich people trying to dodge the draft by requesting evacuation, and so he assumed this was just another spoiled coward. "Out! Report to the nearest conscription center!" "B-But I-" The Prince-Imperial was left speechless, for a lack of better words. He initially started to panic internally, but decided to calm and leave without causing more of a fuss. The situation was already as tense as it could have been, and it was clear this bureaucrat was being most uncooperative. He then moved on to the conscription center. "Perhaps there they shall assist me and establish some sort of communication with their military command", he thought.
Deputy Regional Minister of the Planning and Development Agency(March 8-May 19, 2014)
Local Council Member(April 24-August 11) Court Justice of TSP(August 15-December 7)
Cornucopia, Stoinian Star Kingdom
Sayed Base After failing to obtain an audience with relevant civil officials, who were far more occupied with the invading force at their doorstep, the prince, with little other choice, decided to go to a military installation to see if he could beg the commanding officers to hear his plea. Charles had a deep distaste for militarism. An ideological pacifist, he was willing to respect the Stoinian people, but he hesitated to trust their military officers. In his mind, they were semi-insane persons driven by hostility and bellicosity. He went to them as a last resort out of principle. Who knows that they shall do.... Bursting into the reception area, the prince spoke with the clerk, who was stunned by this stranger. He was clearly desperate. "Please, I require an audience with your highest military commanders, posthaste. I implore you not to delay!" "Sir, as far as I know, the officers are busy with the defense of the planet. If you don't have an appointment with them, I can't disturb them for nothing" "I beg of you, I must speak with them! This is of the utmost urgency!" "No appointments, no meeting. Cornucopia is under attack, after all" "I demand an audience, immediately! I am Charles Regius Nobilius Verdanius August-" "Stop. Sir, if you don't leave, we'll be forced to arrest you and hand you over to your superior officer for punishment" "Superior officer?" "...You haven't reported for conscription yet?" "I have no obligation to report to anything, for I am-" "Guards, arrest him and his entourage! Cowardly draft-dodger!" "You must be joking!" In response to the clerk's command, security approached and detained the prince and his bodyguards. Although they initially attempted to raise their blasters, Charles immediately gestured for them to stand down. "You, do provide me your name, for you shall regret this for the rest of your days!" "Yeah sure sure, take him away" The crowd seeing the spectacle was disgusted. A cowardly Stoinian could exist? This was rare, but many marveled at - and frowned upon - this detestable anomaly. Cornucopia, Stoinian Star Kingdom Sayed Base - Interrogation Room John Steinberg was an interrogator of Sayed Base. Like the vast, vast majority of Stoinians, he upheld the traditional values of his people. He was proud of the armed forces and was determined to contribute to the fight. If it weren't for the fact that he was needed as an interrogator, he would've grabbed the nearest rifle and joined the front. The brave boys will fight on to defend the nation, he was sure of that. But this person was not one of them. "Hello, sir, I've been assigned as your interrogator. Please cooperate, and don't make this hard on all of us. Now, surname. If you're an Iberian, tell me your primary surname" "Arzix" Arsix? R-6? That's an odd one. He'd never heard of that one before. "Excuse me, did you say 'R-6'?" "Yes" "Hmm...care to spell it out for me?" "Certainly. 'A-R-Z-I-X'" "Hmm...Arzix...doesn't sound like anything I've ever heard before. First name?" "Charles" "Any middle names?" "Regius Nobilius Verdanius Augus-" "Stop stop stop stop, what?" As a child of an Emperor, it was customary for a prince of his standing to have seven middle names. It was an ancient tradition, one the royal family still upheld. Having been forced to remember his full name from childhood, Charles could recite it all without breaking a sweat. However, the Stoinians weren't used to such "superfluous" customs. To them, it must seem like arrogant nonsense. "Are you serious?" "Mr. Steinberg, may I continue? I am not yet finished" "What? He's not done yet?" "....Fine, just write your full name down" Steinberg got increasingly confused as he continued to write. Was this a joke? How many names does this guy have? Was he a Tozorian? "Are you sure this is your full name? All ten words?" "Affirmative" "Okay...birth date" "I haven't a clue as to your calendar system, but, from the place I am native to, I was born on August 22nd, 1008" "1008? Sir, I'm beginning to believe you're not taking this seriously. Fine, tell me how old you are" "I am 23 years of age" "Have you completed your military training from school?" "I have never received nor heard of such instruction" "What kind of Stoinian doesn't...whatever, we'll see about that. ID" Charles provided him his Ryccian identification card. It was the only ID he had available, and so he had no Stoinian documentation. "...Ryccian Empire, Prince-Imperial" "That is correct" Steinberg looked at him in disbelief and with scorn. This had to be a Tozorian princeling. He'd heard of a few cases where those spoiled rich brats faked all kinds of documents to escape their duty, but using a foreign ID card and fragrantly lying about their martial classes at school was a first. Had he no shame, no pride as a Stoinian? "...Sir, please give me your ID card. Your Stoinian ID card" "I have told your people, I am not a Stoinian national. My home country is the Ryccian Empire. I am the brother of the reigning Emperor Alexander. Perhaps you shall lend credence to my words now?" Steinberg had been thrown into a dilemma. On one hand, it was most probable that he was lying and required more interrogation to make him crack and tell the truth. On the other, this could be a serious claim. He had to compromise. "Okay, let's say you're a Ryccian prince. I'll help you get a meeting with a high official. In the meantime, please report in for conscription. Can you do that?" "Why should I believe in your capibilities to contact senior officers? Why would they care for an underling's report?" "Look, this is the Stoinian Star Kingdom. We do things differently around here. Our officers aren't arrogant. They actually respect and care about us. Since this is a serious issue, they'll take note of it. And, if they don't, I'll keep my word and lobby as much as possible. Stoinians keep their promises" "..." "At this point, you only have two choices: rot in jail and get interrogated more only to come to the same conclusion, or have some pride and purpose for once in your life by helping the innocent while I figure things out for you. What's it going to be?" "......" "Answer me as soon as possible, please" "Very well. It appears I am left without any other options. Tell your officers that I shall comply with your 'conscription'" "I'll tell them to release you and put you in for processing"
Deputy Regional Minister of the Planning and Development Agency(March 8-May 19, 2014)
Local Council Member(April 24-August 11) Court Justice of TSP(August 15-December 7) |
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