Zhukovsky Station is a popular place for the Coalition diplomatic meetings. But real work is rare for diplomats who work here.
The guest should arrive soon this is why the Dark Guards cleared this dock.
To meet the guest was chosen Lev Zabuzko and all that he can do now is wait.
It was a long journey, but the Ishizuchi and its detachment of gunboat escorts had finally arrived in Omega-52. The pure, white light of the barrier rim embraced the luxurious hull of the liner, and the eyes of every man and woman present at the bridge of the ship, including Tsuya and her present Daimyo. They had taken the Bretonia route, for it was safer and the Bretonian government currently does not protest their presence so long as they respect the laws. For her, this is the first time she's ever laid eyes on exactly how the descendants of the Coalition managed to survive for so long. As they escaped the dense cloud and their vision no longer remained obscured, her curious gaze found itself fixated on the lush emerald planet of Jiangxi, and Zhukovsky in the distance. They had been making quite the living for themselves, despite being enemy number one on the menu for many entities in Sirius, or so she thought.
Some time later, the liner had come into contact range with the station, and was able to communicate their intent to moor. The Ishizuchi carefully lined itself up to connect with the mooring fixture and the gunboats remained on standby. Once the connection was confirmed and the mooring exit was opened, the liner's engines were powered down. The Shogun and her Daimyo exited the bridge and traversed the Ishizuchi until they reached the mooring doors and entered Zhukovsky proper. Prior to departing for the summit meeting, she was informed that a representative would be awaiting them at the fixture departure station, a facility common on stations of this size where the captains of moored ships officially register into the station's systems, so that they can easily keep up to tabs on the requirements and details of each vessel. Tsuya and the Daimyo she brought along eventually show up at the FDS, and meet their escort who would guide them to the proper meeting room.
The first what you see after leaving the ship and entering Zhukovsky Station is a big room with a simple interior.
This dock is used mainly for guests, diplomats or traders who have value for Coalition. But since you are at the Coalition station right now, it's pretty clear that they use this dock also for cargo transfers and temporal storage for small stuff. No matter how big this station can look but seems they can't allow having a space without use at the station.
But the main thing that distinguishes this room right now from the usual cargo compartment, except for a cleaner design it's the five Black Guards on each side of entry who standstill. And Lev Zabuzko on another side of the guard's line.
The ship with guests already docked, and he was ready to meet guests and show them maximum cordiality. Even though Blood Dragons are a distant ally for the Coalition, they are also a valuable trading partner.
No matter what they will decide to do after leaving the ship, he is ready to take them to a more suitable place to discuss diplomacy, conduct an excursion or provide guests with rooms for relaxation.
A typical work day for the newly minted Deputy Premier: a bunch of meetings with various dignitaries, short breaks for food and rest, and then a repeat. You couldn't say Stanislaw was tired, but he was definitely beginning to exhaust himself. However, there was still a lot of work ahead - to normalize relations between the Coalition and a potential ally of the Alliance descendants, to solve the problem with the factions previously allied but now incompatible with the new government course, to solve the problem of financing everything except the fleet and a lot of other things.
The man closed his eyes, and when he opened them, he checked his schedule: he was to meet a representative of the Kusarian Imperialists who called themselves Blood Dragons. Gajewski didn't understand how they ended up on the list of allies until the recent days of the totalitarian, pseudo-communist scum that was the Coalition until the beginning of what historians would probably call the "New Coalition Era", but it was up to him and other higher ranking Coalition diplomats to deal with the consequences and possibly even the Premier himself.
Something definitely needed to be changed, but you can't throw allies away - they are important to maintaining the Coalition's economy. "Perhaps we should gently hint that it's time to grow up and become something more serious?" - thought the man, rising from his comfortable chair and throwing on his jacket, left his office.
A liner to Omega-52 - I think I might start to get used to this little ship. Last time I was here we ratified the Blood Dragon - Coalition treaty. I must be honest, it would have been easier to just jump from Chugoku to Omega-52 like last time, but for some strange reason the Shogun keeps using this liner instead of a full-fledged Togo. Hey, it could have been worse, so I guess this works.
This should be a fun discussion, last time we got some really fun tech from them. The gunboats and cruisers have been serving us pretty well, not as maneuverable as I would like them, but our pilots got used to them. The division that mans them worked a lot on comming up with strategies on how to better integrate the Coalition ships into our existing fight patterns.
Since I am here, I should probably go check how our Blood Dragon devision is doing. I think these guys are going to be replaced next month with the next batch. I was told that one of my clan's engineers that remained to service our fighters managed to make some improvements on the bomber thrusters. That should allow me to do something fun after the soul-draining politics talks. Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy a good discussion - but this is the my 3rd time doing this - and from what I gathered, I think the people I used to talk to changed... again. Can't complain, we changed Shoguns faster than we change plasma injectors...
Despite knowing of the relations between the Coalition and the Dragons in the past, this would be the first time Tsuya ever came face to face with one in the flesh, let alone out in space. It was a nearly instant realization to her, just how distant the two kinds are. Not just in literal distance, but a cultural and ideological distance. She remembers being told that they were only allies by convenience, and the similarities stopped at having the same goal of removing the current state of Kusari for a less hostile one towards the Coalition. With that in mind, she wanted to deconstruct and interpret what it is that the Coalition has in store for Dragon-kind, and whether or not they stayed cooperative hinges on this uncovering. They are, after all, intent on paving the way to a Sirius-wide socialist government. Or at least, that's how she understands it.
In any case, it was time to greet the man sent to greet them. Hajimemashite, Mr. Zabuzko. My name is Ubukata Tsuya, the current acting leader of our kind. I am grateful for your being here to guide us. Because we came by liner, we are thankfully well rested despite the journey. Please, escort us to the meeting room."
Zabuzko turned his head to the nearest guard and said.
Sergeant notify Deputy Gajewski that we need him in the meeting room if he is still not here.
Zabuzko again speak to blood dragons.
Well, I propose your people follow me. If someone from your ship's crew or other people who are not supposed to participate in the meeting want to explore the station they can ask the guards about the escort or do it alone.
She nodded in response to Mr. Zabusko's comment regarding the exploration of Zhukovsky. I understand, Mr. Zabusko. Anyone who sets foot onto this station from our vessel aside from myself and my daimyo beside me are the only ones necessary for this meeting." After saying so, she takes a moment to reach inside her robe to remove a well placed tablet connected to the Ishizuchi's internal communications, making sure to let the staff occupying the bridge know through text before returning the device to within her clothing. She briefly gestures with her left hand in a palm-up position, as if to receive something before returning her arm to her side where it belongs. "Please, after you. If there are still people on your end of the meeting that have yet to arrive, let us take our time. I would like to admire the craftsmanship of your finest architects who must have designed Zhukovsky." That last sentence came out with an air of intense curiosity. Her youthful curiosity beckons her to wonder just how exactly the Coalition has managed to build their empire, despite this location being so remote.
Zabuzko wanted to say something, but suddenly an alarm was announced at the station. He turned to the guard that was in escort and asked him:
What happened?
Guard already speaks due communicator, and after a few seconds he said:
The station commander reports that there have been explosions in the external cargo storage facilities. It's temporary storage and transports had to tow them in a few days. Zhukovsky doesn't receive damage.
He reports that...
Yes, I understand.
Commissar, we get notifications about explosions at Jiangxi and Volgograd's surface too.
After some thought, Zabuzko turned to the blood dragons:
I apologize, but at the moment I must leave you. It will take some time to figure out the situation. We already prepared comfort placement for your delegations so you can wait at the station while we deal with the problem.
Without waiting for an answer, Zabuzko left the delegation and only the escort remained with them, ready to take them wherever they wanted.
Also after a few seconds, the nearest info panels started to transmit VNA news from Duma.
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