A soft whistle coming from Darjeeling echoed throughout The Tea Room, she sat at a large oak desk, which was dimly lit by a large gold candelabra. Maps and reports were strewn across the desk, along with available food and oil, even casualties dotted the pages.
She sighed and looked at the guard, who was stood to attention by the door, her face barely visible in the candle light. She wore a scarlet red uniform with a black dress. Her gaze was fixed directly ahead, almost as if she was judging the wall directly opposite of her. The slight shine of the polished handle to a revolver caught Darjeeling's eye, it was firmly encased within its holster.
She noticed a slow breeze that drifted through the hall, it had gotten colder since the generators failed - the same generators that had prompted her current meeting.
Thunk
The noise startled her slightly, "Password", the guard called out, placing her hand on the door's heavy bolt.
"Satsuma.", a light, timid voice replied.
The voice had caught Darjeeling off guard, and it broke her thoughts. "Come in.", she called out. With a clunk, the guard slid the large bolt of the large oak door of The Tea Room and the door slowly creaked open as her timid First Minister of Provisions entered, clutching a bundle of papers, flanked by a taller woman with blonde hair wearing a pressed black suit.
"Ah, I see our distinguished guest from Saunders has arrived.", Darjeeling softly said, rising to her feet at the end of the table. "Thank you for bringing her to me, Pekoe.".
"Of course ma'am, no trouble at all.", Pekoe replied, placing the papers onto the table. "Will that be all? I can ask Rosehip to bring you some tea?".
"Please do.", Darjeeling replied, which prompted a flurry of movement as Pekoe dashed out of the room.
"Crown Protector of the Gloriana Commonwealth!", Kay chuckled, "To what do I owe the honor of being beckoned to your aid?", adding a slow bow.
"I've told you many times Kay, we're allies and friends, no need to be formal in here.", Darjeeling said, sitting back down. "Anyways, isn't your title a little more ridiculous? Grand President of the Saunders Federation?", she said, which caught Kay off guard, making her go a noticeable shade of tomato red.
"Well, yes, but... anyways, what ya need?", Kay stuttered.
"Since the breakdown regarding the relations with Katyusha's People's Republic of Pravda and Kuromorimine's Fourth Empire, we've had to divert resources into protecting our own assets and people. Repeated incursions by Pravda have damaged both Koala and Yogurt, we need oil for our generators and materials for rebuilding.", Darjeeling was being more frank and humble than what Kay had expected...
"Well, our regions are allies", Kay said slowly, "but we've not got much to spare ourselves...".
"I know what I'm asking is big, but, in return, I offer you access to our intelligence offices and our engineering department, and some of my private tea collection...", Darjeeling said, almost pleading.
Kay sighed softly, "You really know how to cut a deal, you know that?", she chuckled, "Alright, you've got yourself a deal.", she said, pulling out a small black box and pressing a red button.
On the other end of the ship, a woman in a smart, pressed, red coat, sat sipping a cup of tea while carefully watching a computer bank in front of her when suddenly a slow flash and buzz broke the gentle hum of the machinery.
"Huh?", she muttered, placing down her teacup and grabbing a small headset. "SFT-107, you are entering Gloriana airspace, state your intentions, over.", she calmly but sternly said into the headset.
After several seconds of an uneasy silence, she repeated what she had said, but was only greeted by another uneasy silence. "Ma'am, we may have a situation on our hands.", she said, beckoning a taller woman from her desk. Rising from her desk, Assam walked over and took the headset from her nervous colleague. Still, they heard nothing but static from the headset.
"Alright, get the ship on alert and make sure all the batteries go online.", she ordered, whilst running to flip a small switch on her desk.
The loud screech from an alarm echoed through the ship, as crew and civilians scurried to each of their positions. Darjeeling looked at Kay, her calm veneer obviously shaken. Kay simply sat with a smirk.
"You're oddly calm in a situation like this.", Darjeeling said.
"Why would I not be?", she replied, "After all it's most likely my crew."
"And what if it isn't?"
"Well, then that's an issue for the future me.", Kay chuckled.
Back in the control tower, Assam monitored the computer very closely. A small image of the ship shined with little red lights, each one beginning to slowly turn green.
"Ma'am, I think I'm getting something.", her colleague proclaimed, "Let me play it."
"This is Sierra Foxtrot Tango 107 responding, repeat, this is Sierra Foxtrot Tango 107 responding, over.", a voice exclaimed. "This is Gloriana Control. Receiving, state your intentions immediately, or we will engage.".
"Sorry Gloriana Control, we lost the radio for a bit in a storm over the Osaka dead zone. This is Naomi of the Saunders Federation Air Fleet. We've been ordered to bring supplies and fuel, we're requesting permission to land.".
Assam breathed a heavy sigh of relief. "SFT-107, hold your heading and await further instructions, over and out.". Grabbing a microphone next to her, she unflicked the switch and softly said, "Attention, all batteries are to stand down and return to regular duties. I repeat, all batteries stand down and return to regular duties.
"Kay had turned to Darjeeling and coughed, "See, told ya not to worry!", only to be met with a small scowl from her clearly annoyed friend.