railway The Emperor's Road

[Derthalen]

From: His Imperial Majesty's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jan Utikar
To: Secretary General Greggor Ivanof

Emperor be with you Secretary General,

We wish to approach you with two proposals which will benefit both of us greatly. Firstly, we would like to request permission to build a railroad through your territory connecting with the Reichskommissariat @Ahrana. This will allow for easier trade and movement between our nations, and will provide revenue in the form of access fees. Secondly, we wish to offer to send volunteer forces to help with the occupation of the Hellenic-Rus in order to bring stability to the region. The number of troops we will send will be dependent on how many you need to supplement your own. 

Please respond at your earliest convenience.

Thought for the day:

Look upon the Emperor's Works and tremble!

[Ahrana]

To: His Imperial Majesty's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jan Utikar

From: Secretary Generals Office of SG Greggor Ivanof, Field Marshal of the People's Armed Forces

Classification: Level 5

 

Mintster Utikar,

It is with great empathy that I write back to you to inform your Government of our intentions within The Hellenic Rus Land. This Socialist Government will only provide Humanitarian Aid to the People of The Hellenic Rus in the Southern Region. We intend to set up a Provisional Government that I will propose to other World Leaders that are sending Aid to the region. We know of your intentions to set up a far flung colony in the Lands of the Rus which are ethnically related to the Ahranaians and the people of the United States of Prymont. It would be a sure risk of friendship if you were to Colonize the region just for the resources this land holds and just for free labor that it also will present. If this Socialist Government is to allow you to build a railway to the Socialist Republic of Heilig, which is a member Republic of the Socialist Federation of Ahrana you will have to agree to some of our terms. We will allow you to connect to previous Railways that exist in the Federation and the Republic of Heilig

1) No Free Labor will be transported across this Rail line, if this is found to be done the railway will be shut down and all forms of transportation from the new colony will be barred from Ahranaian Air Space and use of Land for railways and such. 

2) If you set up a Colony in The Hellenic Rus you must be part of the Coalition Government that I propose to create.

 

In other news, the Socialist Republic of Heilig is set to create the Republics first Charter at the Party Congress. We have a few things to request on your nation on this half as well.

1) You must send a five member delegation to the Party Congress to represent your Countries Interests in the Socialist Republic of Heilig, however you must remember that all Ahranaian Interests will come before the Empires Interests as it is on Ahranaian Land and in Ahranaian Territory.

2) The First Republican Government will be elected soon after the Party Congress, I propose that the Presidium of Heilig consist of five Ahranaian and five Colonists of Heilig that will represent the People's of your Country and the Colonists. These Elections will be free elections and we will allow all Political Organizations to take participation except the DSA.

 

I hope we can come to an agreement on these to thing and look forward to working with you.

With Gratitude and Respect,

Secretary General, Greggor Ivanof

Edited January 14, 2018 by Ahrana (see edit history)

[Derthalen]

From: His Imperial Majesty's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jan Utikar
To: Secretary General Greggor Ivanof

Secretary General,

We assure you that no such plan exists to set up a colony in the Hellenic-Rus, and as such there will be no need to worry about that matter. On the matter of free labour, I must admit to confusion. We have no issue with assuring you that no free labour will be transported over your section of the line, but that is because we know of no such concept. We pay for all labour in one way or another, and as such would be rather interested in how we might be able to find free labour. To my knowledge, labour in exchange for room & board is not considered free so it can not be that, but I digress. I take it you will not be accepting military aid then.

As for the second set of conditions, we will be fine with accepting them. That said, we will require that the Ahranians be from the colony in question. Other than that, all should be in order.

Thought for the day:

If you cannot speak well of your Master, be silent!

[Derthalen]

From: His Imperial Majesty's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jan Utikar
To: The all whom it might concern

May your nations find the Emperor's light,

We come to you today not with an offer of friendship nor a declaration of war, but with an announcement. From this day forth we wish it be known that we shall be constructing a railway the likes this world has never seen, for it shall span rivers and valleys, and it shall conquer mountains and treacherous bog! In short, it will be a great road that shall span our continent connecting us to our most distant colonies and it will be the Emperor's road. For those wishing to use it, you must only ask and we will be more than happy to build branch lines to your nations to facilitate trade and travel. That said, miltiary usage will be reserved to sections either within your territory or to those with prior permission from our government.

Please respond at your earliest convenience.

Thought for the day:

Only the works of the faithful may know glory.

[Sunset Sea Islands]

From: Prime Minister Theresa Tumbleweed of the Radiant Republic of the Sunset Sea Islands
To: His Imperial Majesty's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jan Utikar and Secretary General Greggor Ivanof

We, the Sunset Sea Islands are pleased to see that the Holy Empire of @Derthalen is showing a sign of goodwill by supporting international infrastructure. Initiating a huge project like this cannot be completed by one nation alone, no matter how outdated its labour laws may be. To both support this act of international cooperation and to improve the working conditions of the workers constructing the Emperor's Road, the Sunset Sea Islands wishes to donate railway construction materials, machines and monetary funds as international aid. The complete sum is expected to be around two hundred and fifty million Sols.

Furthermore, we hope that this project will help to stabilise the situation in @The Hellenic Rus and lead to increased international cooperation with nations like @Ahrana.

Lastly, we would like to express our delight once more that the formerly isolationistic Holy Empire of Derthalen is showing signs of interest in peaceful coexistence with nations in its sphere of influence.

With utmost respect,

[Derthalen]

Location: North-Eastern Unorganised Territory (four Leagues and a Mile from the Meinitzmark border).

Time: 2041 Juliet Time.

'My lord! The Iverican surveyors have returned. Their leader Herman Corté is here to report to you.' The sentry stepped aside from the tent's flap to show to show a dark skinned, and oddly muscular redhead standing outside in the evening rain. The General put down a progress report and beckoned the man in. 'Corté, welcome to my tent. A glass of Advocaat? It is this rather custard like drink from Variota that I was sent from home.' 'No thank you General, I am here to inform you that I am being reassigned from this sector, and to ask you to acknowledge this order.' 

The document in question was a few pages informing him of how all of the nearby terrain and the terrain ahead had been mapped out and how the need for the surveyors was greater further along the line. This was unfortunate for the General, as he had started to enjoy the foreigners and their food. While he could not stand their language, they still had managed to make him like their culture. He probably would be tried as a Xenophile if that ever got out.

'Hmm... This is unfortunate.' He bent down and removed a stick of wax from a cabinet in his desk. 'When will you and your team be leaving?' 'Our equipment should be ready for transport in about three hours. Mostly it is our food supplies that need packing, but once done we should have a couple of days to drive.' 'You should be careful. Although we have killed or driven off most of the natives, some of them might still be lurking in the woods. Make certain that you someone on your transport's turret.' As he said that, he finished heating up the wax and dripped it carefully onto the bottom of the last page. It was such a pain doing this, especially when he was not careful and too much got on an- He was getting too nervous. He finished dripping the wax and then pressed his seal into. *thump* 'Surveyor Herman Corté, you and the rest of your subordinates are officially acknowledged as being in-transit from this point on. Failure to arrive and report in at your next posting within the next four days will have you considered as missing in transit and if found to have deserted, liable to execution upon your detention, do you understand?' 'I understand fully sir.' The General lifted up the papers and handed them to him. 'Then you are granted permission to leave. Arrive safely.' As Corté accepted his papers back, he reached into his satchel and produced a bottle of brown liquid with the strange writing of Iverica on it. 'Please sir, accept this bottle of barley wine as a farewell present from me and my men.' The General accepted the bottle happily and thanked the Iverican profusely. He was going to save this drink until a special day. Until the day they finally finished building this railway.

---

*All right, so the first part of the railway will be under construction from today. I expect to make it to @Morheim in a few months time. @Greater Serbia should be reached around the end of this year, and @Ahrana a year after that at this rate. The reason for the slight speed up is because @Morheim has suggested building his section of the railroad, and I do believe someone else has as well earlier. This will be a rather great boon to progress, and should cut down the three year process by a few months.

*Thank you to @Iverica for suggesting I use his people as surveyors. The character named in this was named by him, and I hope he does not mind the portrayal.

*Long live the Empire!

Edited March 31, 2018 by Derthalen (see edit history)

[Derthalen]

From: His Imperial Majesty's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jan Utikar
To: General F. Mansen

May the Emperor's light find you in those barbaric lands General,

You are hereby ordered to completely purge the lands near the lines of the filthy Xenos. Those that have converted and accepted their lot in life will be spared and allowed to continue living under Imperial rule. You must also instruct the engineers to begin work on constructing some basic infrastructure for the region as well, and have them identify which areas will work best for settlements. Other than that, please continue to labour under His eyes, for He is the light that guides and protects.  

Please carry out at your earliest convenience.

Thought for the day:

The Emperor knows, the Emperor is watching.

---

*Because people do not like expansion without story, I shall do this and then hopefully get approval for this to be retroactively done so that the expansion happened hundreds of years ago.

Edited March 31, 2018 by Derthalen (see edit history)

[Derthalen]

From: His Imperial Majesty's Minister of State, Karl Helgi Drake
To: His Imperial Majesty's Deputy Transitional Officer of Heilig, Francis Schnipser

Emperor be with you,

Despite the current state of low level anarchy that Heilig is currently undergoing, it has been decided that in concordance with our rights over infrastructure, that construction of the Emperor's Road shall begin from Heilig as well now. It is my understanding that the communist population of Heilig do not use currency in the same sense that we do, as such it is strongly advised that your attempts to recruit labourers be framed in such a way as to paint this as for the good of the people and their party. As this is actually to benefit them, that task should not be too difficult to do. That said, you are to receive approximately three-billion Thalers and some odd change to fund your part of the construction. The following are to be expected:

• The main line (simply referred to hence forth as the Trunk) is not to pass through @Poland-Lithuania, but should instead head straight for Beograd in @Greater Serbia.
• Beograd must be reached within five months of construction starting, with both ends of the Trunk being expected to meet just south-east of the Serbian border in the following three months.
• Secondary lines (hence forth referred to as Roots) are to be constructed after the Trunk has been completed. These will be lines further branching off of the Trunk and heading to countries that are not between Derthalen and Ahrana.
• Finally, current estimates on the completion of all spill lines are showing that they are to take another half a year to complete.

The sourcing of materials, personnel, and of tools is to be your government's responsibility for the sections hereby handed to you. Imperial personnel will be available upon review of the reasoning for them. It should be noted that that Roots are to be built only once the Trunk is done, and that all personnel and resources should go to the Trunk until its completion. A full list of specifications and technical requirements along with timetables will be attached to this letter. To conclude this letter though, you are also to begin drawing up plans for a re-education and a full blown inquiry into the thoughts and beliefs of the Heiliger. While we are more than happy to welcome your kind back into the fold, your prolonged exposure to the foreigners has made members of the Imperial government question your people. I believe it would be in all of our best interests for you to dispel these thoughts, and prove that your kind are truly worthy of the Emperor's eternal love.

Long live the Emperor, long may Heilig bask in his radiance.

Thought for the day:

Faith grows from the barrel of a gun.

---

* All right, so now with the new situation in Heilig, I can now begin construction from both ends! This should cut down construction time by half for the main line, which I am really happy about. That leaves us with the remainder of this current year, and then half a year more to finish the Emperor's Road completely. Thanks to Morheim for agreeing to build their section of the line, that helped a lot by cutting down on construction time. @Greater Serbia, were you the other one who wanted to build their section? If so, please send me a message.

Edited May 7, 2018 by Derthalen (see edit history)

[Prymont]

From: Foreign Minister of the United States of Prymont, Lorraine Duval
To: His Imperial Majesty's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jan Utikar

 

Mr Utikar,

After having observed the progress of the @Derthalen railroad for several months, and having considered the potential benefits of expanding our rail capacities and connecting to international trade routes, the United States would like to request a branch line from the main railroad to the southern Prymontian border. The United States would like to commend the Holy Empire on the monumental task that they have undertaken, and as such, would like to broaden its reach to further improve and support central Argic transport infrastructure.

The United States understands that an international railroad is no cheap feat, and would be willing to fully fund the branch line within Prymont's borders. Additionally, manpower can be sent to assist with the completion of the line outside of our borders, with the possibility of further funding and materials. The United States would like to request that our branch line does not connect with Ahrana's, and instead connects directly with the central line. 

In addition to this, it is fundamental for the completion of our section of the line that the United States has complete authority over the goods that enter the United States, and must be given the right to refuse entry into the country on the line. As the United States is fully funding the segment of the line within its borders, we believe this is a valid and reasonable request; if it goes unfulfilled, the United States would like no further part in the construction or use of the railway.

The United States will also oversee and ensure 100% funding for maintenance of its own portion of the line, and will contribute 20% of the annual maintenance costs of the remainder of the branch line. In return, the United States requests free passage along the entirety of the branch line, and a 50% discount of passage fees along the entirety of the rest of the railroad. 

Once again, I would like to commend your country on the task it is undertaking and wish you well for the future.

 

Yours faithfully,

Lorraine Duval
Foreign Minister of the United States of Prymont

[Derthalen]

From: His Imperial Majesty's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jan Utikar
To: Foreign Minister of the United States of Prymont, Lorraine Duval

Emperor's blessing northern cousin,

My government is pleased to hear of interest in the railroad and cooperation and would be glad to accept your offer, but we would not be able to accept giving you a fifty percent discount on all travel. Instead, we  would like to offer a sixty percent discount on all travel along the Trunk and a seventy-five percent discount for all Branch lines. The segments of line inside of your territory will be placed under your authority, and border stations will be set up so as to allow for customs inspections as well. 

If you accept those terms, construction of your part of the line will be able to take place almost immediately. It should only take us a month to transfer and hire the necessary workers needed to begin construction of it. Due to its length, the estimated time till completion should be around five months.

May this be the beginnings of a monumental friendship.

Thought for the day:

Know your destination before you set out.