Summoning America

Chapter 51: First Impressions

January 17, 1640
Leiforia, Leifor

Ambassador Reiker slicked his hair back as he looked into the mirror, applying gel and hairspray. His heart pounded somewhat rapidly as he thought of the official first contact that he was about to initiate with the Gra Valkas Empire. Having spoken with their representatives via radio, he felt uneasy about his mission. He wrapped up his hairdo as he exited the bathroom and donned his professional outfit.

He walked out of his room, venturing down to the hotel lobby as he waited for the rest of his staff to meet up. Resting on one of the couches, he stared at the artwork on the ceiling, thinking about his upcoming missions. The woman on the radio seemed relatively polite, but the man — who identified himself as 'Dallas' — was rather unpleasant to speak with. He hoped, for a multitude of reasons, that he would be able to speak with the soft-voiced official who called herself Cielia.

"Thinking about women again, are we?" Someone called out from behind his couch.

Reiker scoffed. "That's not all I think about, Mister Kovich." He shook his head, smiling at the young, clean shaven man who took a seat across from him.

Kovich continued to tease, "Oh, of course not, but you were thinking about that at this very moment, huh? What was her name... Cielia?"

"Alright," he sighed, "You got me. I've actually been thinking about my approach. I followed the outline from Secretary Heiden, but I still feel like that man, Dallas, is a wild card. This discussion relies heavily on respect and logic — something that I don't anticipate from Mister Dallas based on his manner of speech."

"Hmm," Kovich thought. "It might be strategic to distract him. Talking about how his name is a city in Texas could help bridge some gaps, maybe form a new connection. I've heard how he interacted with Mu. Keeping him in shock — be it through our technological exhibits or by talking about his name — could help us prevent the issues encountered by Mu."

"Yeah," Reiker nodded. "You're right. I'll make some comments if he is as troublesome in person as he is over the radio. As for our presentation, should we include any last minute augmentations? Perhaps a demonstration of how our phones work?"

"Well, we are given some leeway according to Secretary Heiden's instructions. If it becomes necessary in order to convince their diplomatic staff then I guess we could do that. Say, if they get confused or maybe look unconvinced."

"Alright," he took a breath. "Looks like everyone else is here. Ready?"

Kovich nodded. "Yeah."

——

Reiker's diplomatic team traveled to the Gra Valkan Foreign Affairs building via taxi, traversing recently paved roads and witnessing yet-uncleaned scenes of destruction along the way. The main roads were clear of debris, but several destroyed buildings still remained. The fact that the Gra Valkas Empire knew of an becoming delegation and still neglected to clean up after themselves painted a grim image of their society and leadership. Clearly, they wanted everyone to see the devastation; they wanted to remind foreign nations of just how powerful they are.

"How distasteful," Kovich remarked.

Reiker agreed, "After seeing this, Dallas' conduct does not come as a surprise anymore." He gave an expression of disappointment as he looked up at the blocky structure ahead. "Let's hope he tones it down after our presentation."

Reiker's delegation walked in, finding the lobby relatively empty. The only other visitors present were sullen diplomats from smaller neighboring countries — ones that were forcibly dragged into the Gra Valkan Empire's sphere of influence. After a short conversation with a receptionist, the American delegation was brought to a large meeting room on one of the upper floors, complete with a view of the entire Leiforian cityscape — or what was left of it. In the background, dozens of aircraft filled the skies, conducting exercises that reflected the excellent coordination boasted by Gra Valkan pilots.