Central City, Ceremonial Hall of the Government House.
The ceremonial hall had transformed into a bustling marketplace of ideas and figures.
Although I was present, I allowed the Minister of Commerce and the Director of the Department of Economy to bear the main weight of the discussion with the Tarascan envoys.
They already possessed experience, having negotiated with Aztecs and Mayas.
"Your bronze weapons are of incomparable quality," affirmed the Tarascan leader, his eyes fixed on the Minister of Commerce. "Our conflicts with the Aztecs demand strength. We desire weapons and armor. In addition to your textiles and tools."
Our ministers, for their part, presented our petitions.
"In exchange for our goods," explained the Minister of Commerce, "the Suaza Kingdom requests a portion of territory north of your domains. This will facilitate trade and allow us a deeper cultural connection, without impositions."
While they discussed the details, the quantities, the values of the species and the animals we wished to domesticate, my mind began to wander.
This strategy of peacefully acquiring territory, justifying it with improved trade and cultural integration, had worked previously. It was a way to expand our influence without shedding blood, a method that allowed me to build the kingdom I needed without the brutality I so abhorred from the future I knew.
Then, it was my turn to intervene in what truly mattered to me.
"And there is an additional request," I said, my voice calm but firm. "A portion of the payments must be made with the large-scale purchase of slaves." I noticed the surprise on some Tarascan faces. "We need them to work our crops and extract the metal you want," I argued, lying to avoid problems.
Upon hearing what the slaves would be used for, they seemed relieved, just as the Mayas and Aztecs had reacted.
I knew it was a pragmatic measure, morally complex, but necessary. And I knew this information should not be disclosed. Every life rescued was a gain for the kingdom, one more hand to build the future.
"I hope this move doesn't affect us in the future," I reflected with concern.
Additionally, preliminary conversations began about a possible truce between Tarascans and Aztecs, with the Suaza Kingdom as mediator. It was not a direct offer, just hinting that we would not trade with kingdoms at war, and furthermore, we established some restrictive conditions for the purchase of weapons and armor if the war continued.
The balance of power in the region was delicate, and we could be the stabilizing factor.
The next day, the atmosphere in my office was more relaxed, despite the magnitude of the plans we were discussing.
I met with General Umzye of the Navy, the Director of the Department of External Relations, and the Minister of the People. The Western Ocean constituted our next great canvas.
"We need to expand our presence in the Western Ocean," I told them, pointing to the map. "To do this, it is crucial to expand the shipyards on our western coast. And in the next two years, I wish to see new ports established there, mainly to the north. We must be cautious and avoid any friction with the Inca Empire to the south."
General Umzye, always eager for the sea, nodded enthusiastically.
"The shipyards will be ready, Young Chuta. And the ports… the Western Ocean calls us. My desire to cross it is immense," he commented with great fervor.
I knew that, since the planning of the first expedition, he had been very active in the construction and improvement of the shipyards present on the Western Ocean coast. Furthermore, I had promised him that he would be part of the expedition to this unexplored Ocean.
"And regarding contact with the northern peoples," added the Director of the Department of External Relations, "our protocol will be diplomacy and cultural exchange. We will gather information, but, if necessary, a deterrent show of force, without aggression, will make clear our peaceful but firm purpose."
The Minister of the People focused on logistics.
"We will prepare the volunteers and resources. The expansion must be orderly and sustainable."
I strived to keep the atmosphere light, encouraging their valuable contributions. I felt the immense opportunity that the Western Ocean represented.
The vision of uniting the two great bodies of water and expanding the kingdom into new frontiers filled me with strategic excitement. Caution with the Incas was paramount, but the impulse for exploration was unstoppable.
Three months later.
The Navy Meeting Hall was filled with palpable energy.
I summoned Generals Nygua and Umzye, and several Captains, including Sogeking.
It was time to announce the new expedition.
I stood before the large map of the explored territory, which now showed the vast expanses of both oceans and the contours of our continent.
"We have explored the coasts of this continent from north to south, and we have crossed the Eastern Ocean," I began, my voice resonating in the hall. "But there is a mystery that still awaits us: the point where this continent ends. And the possibility that the two great oceans connect."
I observed the looks of astonishment on the faces of those present.
"The knowledge of the gods has revealed to me that it is possible to cross by sea, to circumnavigate this continent. Therefore, we will launch a new expedition. An unprecedented expedition."
I pointed to two distant points on the map: one on our eastern coast, the other on the western.
"We will depart at the same time from a port on the eastern coast and another on the western coast, with both groups sailing south. Our objective is to find that point where the land ends, and to discover possible maritime connection routes between the Eastern Ocean and the Western Ocean."
A murmur of excitement and awe swept through the room. Sogeking, his eyes fixed on the map, showed fierce determination.
"The benefits of finding a route that unites the two oceans are immense," I continued. "Unparalleled commercial access, strategic advantages, and total knowledge of the land where we live. We need to map every coast, every bay. This is the culmination of our era of close exploration."
I felt the weight and emotion in the hall.
It was a giant step towards total understanding of the world and the preparation for the inevitable encounter. Confidence in the navy's capability was absolute. This constituted the destiny of the Suaza Kingdom, or rather an inescapable obligation.
The meeting about the expedition to the south, the one that would seek to circumnavigate the continent, continued its course. The generals and captains offered their perspectives; their voices filled with a mixture of pragmatism and awe at the magnitude of the task ahead.
"Coastal exploration will require constant vigilance," affirmed General Nygua. "Storms in those southern latitudes can be unpredictable, and the waters, colder than we are accustomed to."
"We will need ships capable of withstanding those conditions," added a captain, pointing to the blueprints of a Tequendama. "And adequate supplies for the extreme cold."
I listened intently, absorbing every detail, every precaution presented. The knowledge I brought from the future was important, but the experience of my men was vital for successful execution.
Once the meeting concluded, I asked Sogeking to stay for a moment.
He approached, his face showing fatigue, but his eyes still shining with the inherent excitement of navigation.
"Sogeking," I said, my voice lowering to a more personal tone. "It is very possible that, by mid-next year, in Year 9 of the SuaChie Calendar, a new expedition will commence. This time, it will head west. It will cross the entirety of the ocean."
I saw his eyes widen slightly, denoting surprise.
"The Western Ocean, Young Chuta?" he asked with a mix of surprise and evident relief.
I nodded my head.
"It will be a much longer journey than the previous one. But we will have a significant advantage: the currents in that direction will be favorable, allowing us to sail directly from the ports on our western coast. It will be an arduous journey, no doubt, but absolutely necessary."
Sogeking nodded, his gaze already lost in the imagined immensity of the waters.
"We will be ready, Young Chuta."
Then, his facial expression changed, and a smile of satisfaction spread across his face.
"Young Chuta, I have important news from my second voyage. With the intermediate ports that the Kingdom has strategically established on the eastern coast of our continent, the exploration of the southern part of that newly discovered territory has been much simpler than anticipated."
My interest immediately sharpened.
"And what exactly have you found?" I asked expectantly.
"We have contacted the first great civilization of that territory," Sogeking continued, his voice filled with genuine astonishment. "They call themselves the Songhai Empire. We are already establishing friendly conversations with them. They are a highly organized people, with developed cities and a structured system of government."
The news hit me with the force of an imposing wave. The Songhai Empire.
"It seems like an advanced civilization in Africa, according to what Sogeking describes… It's a pity that in my previous life I hadn't studied African cultures more deeply," I lamented internally.
"We have also found other peoples on the western coast of that continent," Sogeking added, pointing to a rudimentary map he had brought. "Mali, although they appear to be the remnants of a previous empire. And also, Akan, Wolof, and Serer. They are a great variety of cultures, Young Chuta… People with dark skin, with tribal systems that remind us of those in the Endless Forest in the east of our Kingdom. The world is much larger than we imagined."
I nodded, my mind processing the vast amount of newly received information. The Songhai Empire, and the diversity of African cultures.
It was a new continent opening before us, full of possibilities, but also considerable challenges.
The description of "people with dark skin" was a new cultural element that I needed to process carefully and plan its integration into the long-term vision of the kingdom.
"Did you encounter other ships similar to ours?" I asked with a latent concern.
The next day.
I received Ubatas, the Director of the Department of Innovation, in the meeting room of the Government House. Faoa, the leader of the Laboratory, was not present, which was unusual and noteworthy.
"He's surely still experimenting with something and completely forgot about the meeting," I thought with familiar resignation.
"Young Chuta," Ubatas began, unfolding a series of detailed reports. "I bring news of technological applications in the new regions, especially in the Federal Region of the Islands of the Rising Sun. Our technicians from the Kingdom's Academies, including the prestigious Simte Academy, have been working tirelessly."
Ubatas pointed to an explanatory diagram.
"We have significantly improved boat construction, optimizing shipyards for faster and more efficient production. Fishing tools, such as nets and harpoons, have been incorporated into their traditional fishing methods, although many Chiefdoms are reluctant to use them… Civil constructions, from basic dwellings to essential infrastructures, have advanced remarkably."
I felt deep inner satisfaction. Seeing how my vision of progress translated into tangible improvements in the quality of life of my people in the new regions was immensely gratifying.
"But most crucially, Young Chuta," Ubatas continued, his voice laden with palpable pride, "are the sanitary and public health improvements. The widespread use of soap, manufactured with our new advanced techniques, has drastically reduced the incidence of diseases. And we have sent the remedies and medicines successfully developed in the Laboratory."
Just as Ubatas was about to continue detailing other technological applications and their countless benefits, the door to the room abruptly opened, interrupting him.
My gaze quickly turned towards the entrance, a mixture of irritation at the interruption and immense curiosity about who it was.
It was Faoa, the leader of the Kingdom's Laboratory.
He was visibly late, but his expression was not apologetic, but rather one of urgency and overflowing emotion that he could barely contain. His eyes, normally concentrated on his experiments, now shone with unusual and vibrant light.
"Young Chuta!" Faoa exclaimed, out of breath, completely interrupting the ongoing meeting. "We have made a new momentous discovery!"
I was left in suspense, my mind already anticipating the magnitude of what Faoa, a genius like him, would consider such a momentous and significant announcement.
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[A/N: CHAPTER COMPLETED
Hello everyone.
Chuta observes the final meeting with the Tarascans, and they also spend time at the basilica, but he's not included. I just wanted to point out that the Tarascans' commercial motives are different.
Unnecessary Fact of the Day: Askia the Great was a Caliph, ruler of the Songhai Empire (West Africa) from 1493 to 1528. He established a complex bureaucracy, with separate ministries for agriculture, the military, and the treasury. He was a devout Muslim, founded public religious schools, mosques, and opened his court to scholars and poets from the Muslim world.
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Read my other novels.
#The Walking Dead: Vision of the Future (Chapter 69)
#The Walking Dead: Emily's Metamorphosis (Chapter 16)
#The Walking Dead: Patient 0 - Lyra File (Chapter 2)
You can find them on my profile.]