Fostering Our Friendship [ATTN: Red]

"To order!" the Speaker called, smashing his remarkably ornate maul upon a white stone before him. The resulting noise reverberated throughout the entire National Assembly, and the legislative chamber fell silent. "Our first issue of the day: the Toshkhat proposal received one week prior. Presenting: President Antony Lassale."

Antony took his cue and got up from his seat quietly, confidently, and with little hesitation. Descending from the Presidential booth on the north side of the chamber via a short staircase, he entered the cobblestone floor of the National Assembly. The floor was white and grey, perfectly smooth save where the jagged, irregularly shaped stones met; he was surrounded by seated Delegates on all sides save his south, from which they had all entered via a pair of Mythril doors, upon which was engraved the Republican seal. It was a political killbox; withering criticism of an idea could come from any angle. For a split second, he reminded himself just how thankful he was that his political career rarely had him step into this chamber.

He looked around, making eye contact with as many as he could. Unfortunately, Leon was not here to provide his usual moral support; military officials were absolutely forbidden from setting foot inside of the National Assembly or Senate chambers. What greeted him instead was a mix of friendly and menacing faces. Though all of the Delegates, at this point, were appointees--elections weren't to be held for months--distinct groupings could be seen. In red garb, to the Speaker's left, the Liberals that supported him so much maintained a plurality of the seats; to the Speaker's right, the Conservatives, sporting blue clothing, supported him with less enthusiasm. Mixed in on both sides were unaligned Independents. At the back of the room, however, were Antony's most ruthless opponents--in black, the Radicals.

"Friends! Capuans! Countrymen!" Antony began, further strengthening an orator's tradition. "I come to the National Assembly with interesting news. I have received from the new leadership of our contacts in the Holy Empire a most interesting proposal, the enactment of which would require the consent of the People's Representatives."

He drew from his pocket the scrolls upon which the details of the agreements had been written by the new Dominante from the land so far away. Clearing his throat, the old Dwarf began to speak--slowly and clearly, as the educator he had once been. But he was a politician, also; as he read through the documents, he could tell that the enthusiasm any of the political groupings had for ties with the Holy Empire began to wane the moment he had begun reading the second article--and by the time he had begun to read the proposals for what would be offered in return, the vitriol was difficult to resist.

The moment the Speaker's hammer came down, signifying that it was time for the Assembly to debate the proposed measure, another hammer did also, signifying the first shot fired. Antony almost--almost--breathed a sigh of relief when he saw it was a Liberal.

"Lucas Deuceppe for Bolingbroke!" the Speaker announced, making the parliamentarian's identity clear.

The politician nodded, stood, looked across the chamber, and began to speak.

"Though I have no qualms with a continual expansion of the markets to which Capuan business has access, and would vote for an implementation of the first offer that the Holy Empire has made, I must caution against military cooperation with a power of the Empire's nature. For all we know, this Trévutó is as much a savage as his father. Deep roots are untouched by frost. I fear that military cooperation with such a power would drag us into a war we would surely, at present, be unprepared for."

Another hammer, this time from the Conservative side.

"Iona Robespierre for Innisvail!" the Speaker called. She followed a similar procedure.

"I concur with my counterpart across the floor on the first section of this agreement, but feel compelled to add to his criticism of the later parts of the proposed treaties--in particular, I must point out serious deficiencies in the second and third sections. Just what do we receive from this agreement that makes it worthwhile to prop up such a wildcard as the Holy Empire? Not only would our support strengthen the Empire--potentially to our detriment given that place's sordid history and the natural shifting of the political sands--but it should be noted that given the nature of knowledge, it would be highly likely that even if we were to withdraw entirely from this agreement at some point in the future, the increase in Imperial power would be permanent. This move is simply too risky to contemplate."

Another hammer, this time a Radical. Antony cringed slightly.

"Immanuel Goldstien for Oceania-Ingsoc!" the Speaker called out. He was remarkably good at maintaining the same uncomfortably loud tone.

"What would the world think of us if we were to support these creatures? Think of the reprecussions if Republican arms, or Republican engineering, were ever used to attack, ah, say New Solaris or Alba, for starters! Even in the absence of a formal agreement, it is certain that whatever country concerned would have us burned at the same stake as these monstrosities if hostilities were to break out--and it is a promise, delivered from history, that given an actor such as the Empire, that hostilities will break out. To preserve peace and our revolution, I must announce my desire to vote against every term of the proposed agreements without fail."

Sensing that all points had been put forth, the Speaker's hammer came down one final time.

"Should a Delegate have further points to raise, he is urged to do so now. Voting shall commence immediately." Ten uncomfortable seconds of silence later, the hammer came down, but this time on a bell. "All those in favour of the civilian trade agreement with the Holy Empire, say 'aye'!"

The room erupted into cheers, save the Radicals at the back. A gong was struck and a page sent. The motion had passed.

"Section two: military cooperation."

Uncomfortable silence.

"Section three: technology exchange."

Eerie silence.

"Section four: defensive pact."

A few coughs and a wave of vitriol.