[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/p6PPXJq.jpg[/img]
[h2][color=red][b]The Imperium of Hiron[/b][/color][/h2][/center]

The Imperium of Hiron had initially accepted the mediation of Radena begrudgingly, but with the mounting tensions and news of war circulating from the Continent, as well as the inevitably long period of time it would take for the Radenans to pick their men and send them, it perhaps came as no surprise when the diplomatic delegation from the Imperium simply picked up and left without hardly a word to the Meung. Not long after, any remaining Hironese diplomats in Meung vacated the country, completely severing any and all diplomatic lines of communication between the two nations. The only news the Meung were offered involved second-hand accounts by newspapers that the Imperium, and the Dragon Emperor in particular, had made no official statement on the matter. Indeed, the Imperium seemed to be moving in the shadows, possibly preparing for open war with the Grand Kingdom of Meung. Imperial newspapers remained particularly tight-lipped on the matter, refusing to openly declare the coming of war with Meung, though sometimes speculating on the possibility through the debate of "experts."

[u][b]Joint-Command, Senryu, Hiron, September, 1900[/b][/u]

"Show me," ordered the Emperor.

A Hironese strategist motioned carefully to a map of Settumu, some aides moving symbols of naval vessels across the Hironese Sea, "One of our current plans is a pre-emptive strike against the tattered Meung navy. Intelligence will no doubt have pinpointed its location at that point in time, and with overwhelming force, the entirety of the enemy shall be sunk within an hour, possibly even while still in port. At the same time, the 1st Army shall make headway into the lands with extreme prejudice, slaughtering any off-balance, undoubtedly terribly armed and trained Meung divisions, and promptly entrench, burn forests to the ground, mine the approaches, set barbed wire, coordinate kill-zones to funnel the Meung into through the use of terrain, and establish known shot patterns for artillery to quickly rain fire down upon the enemy. Without a navy, the Meung will be completely incapable of simply going around the line, and with the coast available to our forces, they shall have abundant supplies. They shall march directly into a meat grinder, throwing their men into a hell the likes of which Settumu has never seen."

The Dragon Emperor sat idly for a few moments, considering the possibilities before he looked toward the Minister of the Army, Saito Yasujiro, for an opinion. Saito thumbed his chin for a few moments before nodding, "It is certainly an interesting plan, and one we may need to implement. Of course, we must always be ready for any situation, therefore, bring on the next strategist." A series of other Generals and Admirals shortly gave their approval as well. The plan could almost certainly be accomplished.

The former strategist bowed and left as the latter entered, the Dragon Emperor having been careful not to pass judgement on something he was not entirely informed about. It was the duty of the Emperor to listen carefully to his aides as well, even if he himself had grand ideas.

[u][b]The Office of the Navy, Senryu, Hiron, September, 1900[/b][/u]

The Minister of the Navy, Saeki Ieyoshi, sat leaning forward on his elbows onto a desk, his hands intertwined as a rather young Captain made an interesting case, "Sir, it is my belief that the Navy should immediately install wireless telegraphs into all vessels as soon as possible. As we are taught, information is absolutely vital to any war effort, particularly information concerning the enemy, as well as information concerning ourselves. For it is said that one must know both, of course. Now, I know it is expensive to install these devices, but right now, it would give our navy an even greater advantage over that of others. Whilst they are forced to make use of flags and lights to communicate, our navy could make use of radio to communicate, completely hiding the fact it is even communicating at all. If we further embed these communications with code, it will likely be extremely difficult if not impossible to crack our communications and gain access to our fleet actions. Radio is also much faster as well as capable of transmitting quite far with greater clarity, allowing fleets to send scouts further out if necessary, or even receive intelligence from strategically placed submarines. Imagine the increased ability of submarines to ambush prey, sir!"

Saeki considered the man's words for a few moments before bringing up his palm, "You're aware subs move incredibly slowly, yes? You're also aware that theoretically just hearing the presence of radio pulses could indicate the presence of a sub as well."

To this, the Captain merely shrugged, "The same goes for other naval vessels. But that requires they even be listening in the first place. Subs can still make use of flags and normal signals as necessary as can the regular navy when absolute silence is necessary. I understand it will undoubtedly be a significant expense, but the edge is absolutely significant. Imagine even coordinating with wireless telegraphers on land to adjust naval firepower into concentrated bombardments! The possibilities for radio are immense, and honestly, not to mean any disrespect, I believe only fools would dismiss it."

The Minister deliberated for a few more moments before nodding, "I will take your case into account, speak to the other Ministers and higher-ups as well as the Emperor himself if necessary, and we will see what needs to be done. You make a compelling case, Captain Shoku."

Within a few days, it was quickly determined that the total outfit of the Navy would cost an estimated 1.35 million dollars, an acceptable amount considering what the Imperium was beginning to see as a significant edge. The funds were quickly allocated within the budget, orders sent out for the telegraphers, and ships would began receiving orders for when they could come in for retrofitting and training of personnel on the use of the devices.

[hider=Summary]The Imperium of Hiron cuts all diplomatic channels to the Grand Kingdom of Meung, ending negotiations before the Radenans even arrive to mediate. At the same time, numerous war plans are under talks for actions that could be taken in the defense and pursuit of the nation's interests. $1,350,000 is set aside in the budget for the retrofitting of the entire Navy with wireless telegraphers, though this exact amount may need to change due to possible unforeseen circumstances.[/hider]