Niklaus ReinhardtKanzler of Rheinlandwas a very busy man. He spent his current time making final preparations in his office for the arrival of the Emperor of Kusari. He did not have time or resources to waste on foolish welcoming ceremonies like those the Bretonians had planned for their visit. Pointless flaunting and a waste of resources. Fortunately, the Emperor felt similarly.
This room was were Reinhardt spent most of his day working. It was well lit, and furnished to his own tastes. His desk was an antique; it was covered with regal designs along the sides and legs, it had eagle talons for feet, and had the symbol of the green eagle emblazoned on the front. Built into the work surface was an advanced neutral-net interface which glowed faintly as he shuffled papers on it and off of it. Opposite the oak doors that were the entrance to this room was a large fireplace, which found much use during Reinhardt's spare time. Many of the same symbols on his desk lined the border. Reinhardt had placed a few small pictures of his parents on the mantle, the only reference to family in the whole room. In front of the fireplace sat a chair, Reinhardt's favorite and rumored to be the most comfortable in Rheinland, perhaps Sirius. On the wall was the only part of the room he didn't like, a portrait of himself. He would take it down, but it was commissioned by the Admiralty, and to insult them would be a poor choice. Shameless self-admiration, he despised it.
Reinhardt had already canceled all planned meetings for the evening and finished whatever work couldn't wait until the next day. He sat down behind his desk, and relaxed slightly. His desk was still scattered with assorted sheets of paper and data pads. With a sigh, he shoved everything into a desk drawer and turned off the monitor in the desk. With the push of a button, Reinhardt called the Black Legion trooper stationed outside his door in. "Have the Emperor escorted up here as soon as he arrives. I think two troopers should be more than enough."
The soldier saluted silently, performed a perfect turn, and exited closing the large door behind him with little more than a quiet click.
Not long after the soldier left, the doors opened again. Only, it wasn't the emperor who entered. Although it was a familiar face. To many, not just the Kanzler. The grizzled face of the oldest member of the Rheinland Military, Fleet Admiral Krieg. He cast his eyes around the room, noting it was actually cleaned up for once.
"Huh. You must respect him if you've gotten this place tucked up." Was the Admirals' only comment as he entered and shut the door behind him, crossing over to the desk with heavy boots and the clink of metals on his breastplate; a memoir from his days in the Black Legion. The medals were welded onto the plate, which was the only reason he had them.
His inspection of the desk was similarly short, although, when he opened a drawer...
"Tucked, I think, being the operative word..." The man made a disgusted face. "Never was fond of paperwork." He slid the drawer shut and stood to the side of the desk.
"All right... I assume he's on his way up then, Chancellor?"
Jien Kogen found the long hallway somehow amusing as he followed the two Black Legion troops, two of his own Imperial Guards bringing up the rear. Kogen remembered back to his first meeting with Reinhardt, not long after he had become Emperor. At that meeting the two men had become fast friends, somehow, Kogen felt more at ease with Reinhardt than with most other people he had met, maybe there was some connection between these two leaders. Maybe it came from their common isolation, the isolation of leaders, unknown by others, the kind of isolation that can be hard to describe, but Kogen knew he didnt have to explain it to Reinhardt. Maybe it was that Kogen didnt feel as though he had to posture or boast with Reinhardt. Regardless, Kogen felt at ease with the Chancellor.
As they came to the large wooden door, Kogen waved off his Imperial Guards, and they instantly disappeared into the shadows of the hallway, he knew they were not gone, but they were the best at being invisible in plain sight. The Black Legion officer opened the large door, and stepped to the side. Kogen walked into the room, first seeing his old friend, but then quickly noticing another presence, turning he saw the man, and instantly knew who it was, the man was a legend, even in the eyes of an emperor. Bending forward, the Emperor bowed to the man, "Admiral Kreig, it is an honor." Kogen then turned back to Reinhardt, "Niklaus, my friend." Walking over to the Chancellor, he pushed a hand into his robe and pulled an old green bottle out. " Where are the glasses, this is a wonderful bottle of Sake from my personal cellar. We need to relax and catch up before we think about any matters of state."
Reinhardt smiled warmly, "Ah, Jien! Let me get them. Please, have a seat.” Niklaus motioned towards a chair by the fireplace before turning to get three glasses from the cabinet behind him. He placed the three on an end table, watching the light from the fire dance through the crystal. He waited for everyone to be situated. "Unless I am mistaken, you two have not met yet? Well, I'm sure pleasantries are hardly necessary."
"Indeed not, Admiral Kreig's reputation more than proceeds him, I cant wait to get to this Sake, and get to some old war stories.. I am sure you have more than your share Admiral." Walking over to the end table, Kogen opened the bottle of rice wine, pouring the clear liquid into the three glasses, he handed one to Reinhardt, and then one to Kreig. Taking his own glass, he began, "To good health, good friends, and victory in whatever battles we face," and then drank the glass, feeling it burn down his throat, "Nicklaus, I brought you a case of this Sake, my gift to you, Kusari's gift to Rhineland." Sitting down in the chair, Kogen found himself amazed by the plush comfort of the chair, pouring another round of the Sake, he looked over at the Admiral and Chancellor, "So gentlemen, how are things? Hopefully these Libertonians arent pressing to hard at your border."
The admiral snorted, somehow managing to combine a plethora of disgust into one single sound.
"If they were, I wouldn't be here, no offense to your honor intended." The man shook his head. "The only real reason we haven't wiped the floor already with those arrogant bastards is that our branches keep moving around. Can't organize a damn thing."
"Still..." Krieg spoke, pulling his own chair forward, a simple one rather then something nice like the other two had. "If our unlawfuls weren't as patriotic as they were, things might be a bit different. I rather dislike the idea of fighting a war on the Hamburg front, and one 'at home' as it were. My ships can only be in so many places."
"Liberty will be kept in check, and I leave that responsibility to Krieg and his advisors." Reinhardt leaned back and took a sip of his sake, "In the mean time, I try to earn the trust of our many... Misguided pilots among the Hessians, Bundschuh and other various groups. Fortunately, the understand I am better than any Libertonian leader. Ah, the difficulties... I understand that you have taken control of part of the Leeds system?"
"Seto System my old friend, the Seto system.. gets the Brets all riled up when you call the bases there by their Kusari names. But yes, we have, and there seems to be very little they can do about it. They keep sending these Privateers into Kusari, all they do is yell about how thats how they are going to win the war...idiots. They seem to think they have a chance." Kogen rose and poured them other men another drink of Sake. "As for your local riff-raff, we have found in Kusari, groups like the Hogosha and Farmer's Alliance will do just about anything now days if they think it is the patriotic thing to do. I suggest you push on synthfoods a bit, should help to get those farmers of yours behind you. So, I hear you have that bitch Carina coming to visit."
The admiral nodded a bit at the question. "While we've enjoyed a fairly stable neutrality thus far, their ties to Liberty are just a bit too close for my liking. Reinhardt already knows my feelings on the matter, but suffice to say I quite hope we won't be lending any aid to them."
Krieg shook his head. "The Stuttgart governor is a coward. I understand the need for the elections, but I will be quite happy when that spineless twit is gone. Governor secretary more suits him. Don't get me wrong, he's fantastic with handling the paperwork, but he has no drive to use it like he should. Once the elections come around, we'll have to push for someone who will actually -do- something about Synth Foods."
"Elections... Unfortunately, keep the people happy, Admiral." Reinhardt sighed and took a sip from his sake. "In any case, the man is indeed a fool. We could kill two birds with one stone by allowing those terrorists in Stuttgart a chance at the planet again and remove one more Libertonian influence... He hasn't the guts. I should have him replaced with someone more... fitting the position. Sadly, elections must continue or there will be further upset among the people. With war on our hands, I cannot risk that."