"Japae... So, this is where I used to live, several lifetimes ago...?" In the living quarters of an Inaba-class cruiser, the leader of the Imperial Domain of Mistral was sprawled out on a couch, staring at a screen which displayed the destination. "Doesn't really look like much. Even if it is just a copy, Eien puts that thing to shame."
The ship hovered in what was, technically, Japaen airspace, while it still remained several miles away from the surface itself. They had not notified the Japaens of their arrival, under Mistral's specific orders, for the sake of making a 'more dramatic entrance.' Secretly, the only reason her orders were followed without question was because someone as endangered as Mistral shouldn't be broadcasting her travel plans for all to hear anyway.
"Err, Your Highness," one of the ship's officers began hesitantly, catching Mistral's attention. "We are within communication range. If you wish to send a message..."
"Understood. All communications systems online, at once!" She didn't need to give the order to fire up the systems, not really. It was done anyway, as a matter of procedure. However, it was just cooler that way. "Request a link between this ship and the Japaen... whatever takes transmissions. Relay the following message..."
She poked the screen a few times, cycling through several menus, before finally reaching the program she was looking for. A large, red "RECORD" button appeared in the middle of the screen. Checking her appearance in the reflection, Mistral gestured for the officer to leave, put on her best smile, and poked the button.
"Greetings, people of Japae!" she announced, making sure that she was wearing what she assumed to be her most winning smile, "My name is Mistral, newly crowned emperor of the Imperial Domain of Mistral, also known as the Xanacorian Empire." She paused, and cleared her throat. "As you are no doubt aware, your empire was granted to me in a past life, by your leader. Therefore, I have come to remind you all that you are all, in fact, under my jurisdiction. This is of relevance because, as you have no doubt heard, my- No, our empire is currently involved in civil war against a faction of pretenders that seek to dethrone and murder me, out of twisted fanaticism to my past incarnations. Also, I have a vagina, and that angers them." She tapped the "PAUSE" button quickly, before throwing her hand over her mouth to stifle her giggling. The last portion had simply been a thought that had accidentally slipped out.
"Err, anyway..." she continued, resuming the recording, "I trust that, under these circumstances, you will understand the need for your assistance in this matter. I eagerly await an affirmation of your loyalty. Good day."
She ended the recording, and, once she was sure it was through, sighed heavily. The speech, minus the little remark she had slipped in, had been mostly rehearsed. She was, of course, well aware of the fact that Japae most likely regarded her as illegitimate as well, and, in any case, most likely held no loyalty to her empire. The best she was hoping for was a wink in her general direction, and a flowery promise of nonaggression.
But still, she had never intended to ask for aid, not really. The entire point of their visit here, of the surprise message and demand for assistance, was to create links, build bridges. Legitimate is as legitimate does, after all, and there was no better way to prove herself as the rightful ruler than to quickly gain the acknowledgement, regardless of what form it took, of foreign powers.
"Wonderful..." she muttered, running her fingers through her hair. "Even away from the capital, it's still politics."
