Anchors Aweigh
2096 Words
“Good afternoon, Miss Anasthasia, my name is Sirius Blake, I was referred to by his supreme excellency as your chief of staff?”
The moment he left the White House after finishing his meeting with Michael, he hurriedly heads toward the Department of State headquarters which is approximately 2 kilometers away.
Anastasia who was sitting on her desk scanned the body of her new secretary. She already had a call with the supreme excellency about her secretary being a local in this world, but she didn’t expect this man to be old.
She stood up on her seat and walked forward to Sirius Blake who was wearing a black suit, staring at his suit, she moved her hands and fixed the collar and his necktie.
“You should be more presentable if you’re going to work with me. Listen, for now I’m your boss and you’ll do whatever I say even if it’s not work-related is that clear?”
“Yes Ma’am.”
Now they proceed to briefing, telling everything he knows about the Willow Town which is now one of the cities of the Empire of Liberty, he briefed her about the customs, cultures, government structure, history, population, ideology and so on. The discussion took them two hours to complete and Sirius Blake was reporting fluidly, making Anastasia take all what he had just said easier.
At all of those topics he talked about, most of them are not aligned with the Empire of Liberty ideologies. The Euphoria Kingdom, who is one of the strongest kingdoms in both military and economy, pursues human supremacy and with that ideology they made some enemies especially the Kingdom of Blanacry, a country that has an ideology of human and demi-humans integration.
Comprising two-thirds of the population, demi-humans.
Ever since that, the relationship of both countries are in precarious state, a war could spark at any moment.
Empire of Liberty on the other hand pursues freedom to all races, Michael who saw the suffering of the demi-humans such as Anna and her fellow half-elves made him lead that choice. If his home country couldn’t promise the “American Dream” he shall provide it here.
But that ideology of his could align with the Kingdom of Blanacry, so Anastasia is thinking of some ways to prevent any misunderstandings on their ideology.
Concluding his report, Anastasia shook his hand thanking him. Sirius left the room and Anastasia began working.
…
Seven days later. Anastasia finished everything she has to prepare especially for her first foreign mission. That is to create diplomatic ties with the Kingdom of Euphoria.
While waiting for the helicopter, Sirius was standing beside her carrying files and a briefcase, giving him an impression of a real secretary.
“May I ask how long we’re going to arrive at the royal capital with your ship?”
Anastasia pondered for a moment, calculating the estimated time in her mind, since she was once a captain of the first fleet, she can give him an approximate time.
“Well we need to get to the Seawind Region south of the royal capital first before arriving there so I’d say one day to get there. Beyond that I don’t know.”
Anastasia could only give him an approximate time since she doesn’t know the topography of the Kingdom of Euphoria though they have satellite images, it was not enough for her.
On the other hand, Sirius who knows the topography of the Kingdom Euphoria and the town that they will be stopping at which is the Seawind Region, based on his experience and travels there, it’ll take them one week to get there using horse-drawn carriage.
Sirius was stunned at the time given by Anastasia, a ship that could take only less than one day is utterly ridiculous. He knows from his travels that the speed of the sailboat depends on the wind and weather. And even if the wind favors them, it would take them five days to get there.
He didn’t ask any further but waited for him to see the ship that could sail one day to the Seawind Region.
The helicopter that will pick them arrives, their suits flapping violently on the wind produced by its rotor. The two of them entered the helicopter as it would take them to the ship.
…
Fifteen minutes later, at Empire of Liberty Naval Station Norfolk, the helicopter arrives and Sirius and Anastasia are escorted by the officers who will be taking them to their ship.
Again, Sirius was amazed at the grand infrastructure of the Naval Station, it was warm and bright inside the facility.
Ten minutes later, he could see a floating city docked in its port. His eyes wandered at the contour of the “metal ship” Its size is massive and could send chills to his spine if he were to see it appearing on the shore.
Little did he know that it was a Gerald R Ford Class Aircraft Carrier with a displacement of 100,000 tons. The modern aircraft carrier in Michael’s world.
They boarded the aircraft carrier and were astounded again. Inside it was bright, really bright. It was completely different from the ship the Kingdom of Euphoria had which had no light in the hull.
Arriving at the bridge deck, the captain of Gerald R. Ford, Harry Ford wearing a captain’s uniform welcomed them with a handshake.
“It’s an honor to see a fellow captain on my ship, Ma’am Anastasia, please make yourself at home.”
Anastasia smiled back, “Thank you, please this is my chief-of-staff Sirius Blake, he is one the locals of Willow Town.”
Harry shaked his hand, “It’s a pleasure to meet you sir.”
“The honor is mine.”
“Okay, we’ll arrive at the Seawind Region of the Kingdom of Euphoria at 0400 HRS.” Ford looked at his watch, “Which gives us 16 hours. We’ll leave at 1300 HRS so if you need to get anything outside please feel free to ask one of my sailors there.” Henry glanced over them, looking at the three sailors behind them.
“Don’t worry, we already have what we need.”
“Okay, I believe that is all Ma’am Anastasia, please I’ll escort you to your quarters.”
…
Henry showed them their quarters, it was quite luxurious and fitting to an exalted people like her.
It was expected so Anastasia hurriedly entered the door along with Sirius. They’ll share this room which has two master beds specifically arranged for them.
Ford left them alone and returned to the bridge deck.
…
One hour later, the First Carrier Strike Group was ready to sail. A fleet that contains two Arleigh-Burke Class Destroyers, two Iowa-Class Battleships, One Ticonderoga Class Cruisers, two Formidable Class Frigates, one Supply-Class fast combat ships, and lastly a America-Class Amphibious Assault Ship.
The lead ship of this fleet is the USS Gerald R. Ford Aircraft Carrier.
When the time hit 1300 HRS, they began sailing towards the Seawind Region.
…
0330 HRS, thirty minutes away from the shore of Seawind Region, two Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet was cruising in the sky with a goal of delivering a message.
“Dropping”
As they entered the airspace of the Seawind Region, A PDU-5B dispenser unit detached from the belly of the aircraft started falling towards the city of Seawind Region. The PDU-5B dispenser then exploded into nearly 60,000 pieces of paper. They were leaflets.
In the ground, a leaflet floated down near the lord’s mansion and the guards stationed there noticed it and grabbed a piece of it. He saw the contents of the paper, it was written on Naltum alphabet, the moment the read the first sentence, a bead of sweat trickled down in his forehead.
“I-I must report this.”
On the mansion, running frantically at the largest hallways, the guard abruptly opened the door, completely startling the lord of the Eastern Region of the Kingdom of Euphoria, Marquess Karen Spear.
She stopped moving her quill the moment she heard a loud noise, she looked at the guard in front of her angrily.
“Didn’t I tell you not to disturb me during the morning?”
“I’m sorry for troubling you but I have important news.”
“Important news?” Karen repeated.
“It’s a letter from the country called Empire of Liberty. Stated in this paper a fleet of their country will be arriving here in thirty minutes....”
“Give me that.” Karen ordered and received the piece of paper then read it.
[This is a message from the Empire of Liberty, in thirty minutes, we will arrive at Seawind Region, we are not here to fight, we are here to set up friendship between our peaceful nation, so please if you were to see our ship don’t engage.]
Karen chortled, “Empire of Liberty? Is there a country name like that?” She looked at the guard but the guard shook his head.
“This must be a prank or something, after all, there’s no country named like that. Wake up our men find out who did this.”
However, the knight didn’t move, “I’m sorry Lady Karen but that’s impossible as that paper falls from the sky.”
Karen was shocked at his words but she only laughed it out, “Maybe you lose some of your screws while guarding this mansion all night. Okay, I’ll give you a rest that tiny brain of yours. A paper falling from the sky? Of course someone threw it in the sky, fool.”
“...But it was really the truth sir.”
“Enough.” Karen insisted, “Go and wake the others and find out who did this. And if you found it, please teach them some manners.”
Well, from the absurdity of the falling papers, the knight gave up on talking as he turned on his heels leaving the room…
One night suddenly entered and kneeled, “Lady Karen, there's bad news!”
“Hah? What is it this time?”
“Our guards saw a ship! A huge ship coming out on the horizon. There are many of them. I think they are invading the Seawind Region?”
“Invading? Is it the Blanacry Kingdom?”
Karen named Blanacry as the one responsible as they are the only country whose relationship is strained by ideologies.
“Okay, I’ll go there personally, first the falling papers now the ship…” Karen realized something, “Is this the Empire of Liberty that this piece of paper is indicating?”
“Who knows?”
“Fine, get me a carriage, I’ll go and take a look.”
…
Karen arrived at the shore and climbed that watchtower. She borrowed a telescope and saw a fleet of ships heading towards them at incredible speed. She looked at the figure of the ships and saw no sails. It was massive and seemed like it was made of steel.
A huge ship appearing in her vision attracted her attention, it was a magnificent massive ship with a flat deck. On top of it is something she doesn’t know but their appearance is terrifying.
“Ready our ships and intercept them…” Those are the words she wanted to report but can’t since she’s having doubt. Can their wooden ship stand against that metal ship?
“Lady Karen, what do we do?” A knight standing behind her said carefully.
Karen looked at the paper the knight gave to her, she read the message again and again.
It’s not a coincidence, those ships arrived after this paper, so most likely they came from the Empire of Liberty not the Blanacry Kingdom as they don’t have ships that looked like that.
After seconds of thinking, she decided, “Just prepare a ship and don’t engage them. If they act hostile shoot them down.”
Ships mounted with cannonballs started to set sail to intercept the mysterious fleet.
- Writer
