Rails to Iverica

[Garindina]

May 30, 2023

 

It's a warm and sunny Tuesday, and Minister Fedor Tarasov was sitting at his desk. He was doing some paperwork when Minister Dimitri Kuzan entered the room.

 

(Dimitri) "I have an idea. It’ll need your attention as well."

As the Economics Minister, he agreed to listen.

(Fedor) "Ok, what is it?"

(Dimitri) "You remember the proposal for the Trans-Argic railway?"

(Fedor) "Yes, what about it?"

(Dimitri): "What if we pick this back up? Build a railway all the way to Iverica. It would help with transportation and trade."

(Fedor): "Hmm, we would need to relay this to the Tsarina."

(Dimitri) "I know this. I already asked her for a meeting."

(Fedor) (he sighs) "When is it?"

(Dimitri) "In four hours."

(Fedor) "What?"

(Dimitri) "In four hours. Also, she agreed to have the meeting."

 

Fedor sat there befuddled. Why did he not inform him before he scheduled the meeting with the tsarina? There were not enough words or phrases in the wurld to express how confused and pissed off he was.

 

(Dimitri): "So you should get on that. "We need to get reasons why it should happen."

 

Dimitri left the room as Fedor opened his mouth to speak. It was no use, though; Dimitri was already gone. Fedor was starting to see why everyone hated Dimitri. Fedor started setting up an argument for why the railroad should be built.

 

4 hours later

 

They were ready to present their reasons for the railroad. The Tsarina was on her way.

 

(Dimitri) "You got it done?"

(Fedor) "Yes, though you shouldn’t schedule meetings for people before telling them."

 

Nadia entered the room only three minutes later.

 

(Nadia) "Ok, Dimitri, you wanted to talk?"

(Dimitri) "Yes, we—(Fedor gave him a sideways glance)—I had the idea of building a railway to the nations of the FCNI."

(Nadia) "But wouldn’t that go through the unrecognized areas?"

(Dimitri) "Yes, but think of the opportunities. It would bolster trade and travel between our nations."

(Nadia) "Go on."

(Fedor) "This project would be expensive. We could operate with the governments of the FCNI and Koudiland."

(Nadia) "The Koudish? Why do you think they would agree to work with us? Relations with them are as cold as the frozen peaks of the Chernyy Gory (Black Mountains)."

Fedor: "They will when they realize the economic benefits of this project."

(Nadia) "Well, I’m all for it. But I will need to contact our embassy in Iverica and schedule a meeting with the Koudish Chancellor. I’ll personally contact the @Iverican government."

(Dimitri) "What shall we do? Continue looking into it?"

(Nadia) "Precisely. Dimitri, I also want you to look into construction companies that would work on this project. Both of you will need to work together."

 

(Both Fedor and Dimitri): "Yes, your Majesty."

(Nadia) "You both know that those formalities aren’t necessary in private meetings, right?"

 

That was a surprise to Fedor; he had never met the Tsarina before today. Before today, he thought the queen was always serious and formal. But apparently not.

 

(Fedor) "It’s not?"

(Nadia) "Oh yeah, I forgot you're new. Well, I’m not into many formalities in personal business. But still, act as if you have common sense. I am the Tsarina after all."

 

This, this—Fedor had no words. From the outside, the Tsarina was serious, formal, and cold. But it seems like that is not true.

 

(Nadia) "Though, there aren’t many other things that could work. So I guess I said that all for nothing. Well, is there anything else that needs to be addressed? Was that all?"

(Dimitri) "Not really."

(Nadia) "Well, I will take my leave. Have a good day, you two."

 

Both of them got to work later that day. This was a step towards the Trans-Argic railway.