"If we are not prepared to work hard for ourselves, then we deserve to be left behind."
- Mahathir Mohammad
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Inbound to Changi International Airport
March 6, 1640
Ever since their transference to the new world, the people of Mu had endured many hardships. From encroaching barbarian tribes wanting to pillage its territory, to pressure from other more advanced nations. But the one thing that its people could truly be proud of was its development of science-based technology.
The people of Mu had no magical powers that were unique to this world. They did not possess the ability to cast fire, nor could they enchant arrows to produce an explosive ranged weapon. They did not even have the ability to use healing spells to cure sickness and disease nor the ability to use the tears of the wind god to propel their sail ships.
All they had was their own wits and brains to help them survive, and survive they did. Their science-based technology was something to boast about when compared to other nations that had to rely on magic to survive. Some may even say that one day, Mu will surpass the Holy Milishial Empire when it comes to national power.
But that sense of pride was shattered twice ever since their transference.
The first time their pride was shattered was the opening days of the war against the Gra Valkas Empire to the West of the continent. Just like Mu, the GVE was a transferred nation and possess entirely science-based technology that heavily outclassed everything Mu could field, but despite that, Mu held the line against the oncoming GVE horde, albeit barely.
From the gutted ruins of Arue to the besieged capital of Otaheit, the armed forces of Mu had singlehandedly held the line that halted the GVE's armies...for now.
The second time Mu's pride in their technology was shattered is today as two propeller-less planes flew alongside the diplomatic airplane.
As the aircraft carrying Mu's diplomatic team bypassed Rodenius after refuelling in Altaras, they were greeted by extremely fast aircraft that zoomed past them, leaving a roar of thunder that caused everyone on board to almost panic. Now, those two aircraft flew side by side, escorting the diplomatic aircraft to Changi International Airport where USEAN diplomats will greet them.
What was supposed to be the sounds of the propellor engines bleeding into the passenger cabin have been overtaken by the sounds of the single Volvo RM12 turbofan engines of the two Jas 39 Gripens flying nearby. Technology Officer Myrus had his mouth agape and his eyes widened in awe as he carefully observes the propeller less plane.
His observations were interrupted when diplomat Neukaul tapped his shoulder to get his attention.
"So, what do you think Myrus?"
Myrus turned his head to Neukaul before shaking his head.
"We must tread carefully. What they have in front of us already exceed whatever the Gra Valkas Empire could bring to bear. The sheer speed of that aircraft coupled with no propellers boggles my mind. If they are just like the GVE, then our days are truly numbered."
"Hmmm, but if they aren't, it would be beneficial if they'd join the war as an ally, but I heard they just got out of a war with Louria, I doubt they'd want to jump into another conflict and one that's happening halfway across the world. Best thing we can hope for is some form of material assistance."
The two continued to observe one of the Gripens as their aircraft made its final approach for a landing.
...
The sight of Mu's transport aircraft was the backdrop of a handshake between diplomat Farrah who is representing her nation of USEA and diplomat Neukaul representing the nation of Mu. The two while shaking hands looked to the numerous cameras which were either taking photos to be published in newspapers or were livestreaming the event to major news outlets around USEA.
As the two diplomats shook hands and smiled at the cameras, Myrus was constantly glancing over the numerous large aircraft that were neatly parked at the terminals in Changi International Airport.
'Such a massive aircraft...and there's no propellers on any of them! How could they even fly with that much weight? There's not propellers on these either.' were Myrus's thoughts as his gaze fixed on a Boeing 747 that sported a clean blue and red stripe along its sides.
After the photo op, the diplomatic team from Mu were first brought to the Ritz-Carlton hotel where they will unload their luggage and check in, next they will have a tour at the National Museum of USEA just like their Parpaldian counterparts did back in February. After the tour, Mu's diplomatic team are expected to meet the USEAN Prime Minister and her cabinet to discuss on several topics such as trade.
...
National Museum of USEA, Singapore, USEA
March 6, 1640
The sun was now high in the sky and the sound of numerous combustion engines filled the air as Mu's diplomatic team arrived at the steps of the museum. During the bus ride, Neukaul and Myrus were astonished by the sheer number of cars that dot the busy roads of Singapore city.
Back in Mu, owning a car was a symbol of luxury or power as they were quite expensive to purchase and maintain. To see so many on the roads took the delegation back a bit at the seemingly high concentration of wealth.
As the group entered the building, they were greeted with a sight that caught them off guard. A large painting that was hanging on the wall behind the main reception desk. Diplomat Farrah, noticing the reactions from the delegation, approached her counterpart Neukaul to ask about it.
"Is everything okay Mr Neukaul?"
Neukaul, like his compatriots, did not break their gaze from the painting and slowly started walking towards it.
"No...it cannot be..."
The delegation slowly walked towards the painting and stared at it in shock, their footsteps echoing at the nearly empty reception hall.
"This...this is..."
Diplomat Farrah interjects in a semi-worried tone.
"Is something wrong with the map? That map is the map of Earth, our original home world before we got transferred to this one."
Myrus slowly turned his head to Farrah, his expression was that of confusion and shock.
"Do you have any idea what this means?"
Farrah looks to Myrus as more members of the delegation turned to face her with the same expression. Before Farrah could respond, diplomat Neukaul cleared his throat, garnering the attention of everyone nearby.
"Well, the thing is there is nothing wrong with this map, but..." Neukaul says as he signals an aide to open a briefcase containing several documents that detailed his homeland. He opens a folder that revealed a map that would not look out of place if it was made aeons ago and presented it to his counterpart Farrah.
Farah was left speechless as she started examining the map more carefully. At first, she was fixated on two continents that looked like it came from an RPG series, but her eyes started wondering to the periphery where the other landmasses were. Landmasses that eerily resembled the continents of America and Eurasia.
'This is insane' she thought to herself. As she looked back up to Neukaul who now had a slight smile on his face.
"I know this is a mere assumption, but I believe we are from the same world. Just like you, we were suddenly transported to this world untold aeons ago and ever since, we haven't been able to return."
As Farrah stood there, Neukaul continued to tell the story of the nation of Mu before they were transferred to the new world. Even though this was the opportunity for the people of Mu to learn about USEA, the opposite was now occurring as more USEANs started to gather around the delegation to listen to the story.
"...we were also close allies with a nation called Yamuto in our struggle against our enemy back on Earth, Atlantis-"
Before Neukaul could continue, Farrah raised her hand to interrupt him.
"Wait hang on, Yamuto? Are you sure it's not called Yamato instead?"
"Yes, I am fairly certain it is pronounced as Yamuto. If I may ask, why?"
"Because back in our world, there is an ethnicity from a nation called 'Japan' called 'Yamato'. To add on, one of their ancient country's back then was called the 'Yamatai-koku'."
"Hmmm, it is possible that over time the name may have changed, they reside here, yes?" said Neukaul as he points to the map right in the centre of Japan.
"Yes, that nation today is called Japan. One of their defining characteristics of the Japanese was their Japanese spirit which would translate to 'Yamato-Damashii'. It is highly possible they are the descendants of Yamuto from ancient times. But you were saying something about an Atlantis?"
"Ah yes, our adversary back on Earth. Our two nations shared a rivalry as we competed for dominance back on our home world. I am surprised you are not aware of them. With our absence we assumed they must've taken complete control of the planet
Diplomat Neukaul now pointed to the other continent, one that almost resembled a mushroom with a circular head and a peninsula forming at the bottom.
"Fascinating" Farrah uttered to herself as she looks over the map while Neukaul continued to tell the story of his nation for all to listen.
Later, the tour through the museum took place and the delegates from Mu were told of USEA's history. From the ancient empires that rose and fall in the region to the dark days of colonisation by various European powers all the way up to the world wars and subsequent declarations of independence.
The second world war in particular shook the delegates to the core as they bore witnessed to photos and replicas of the Imperial Japanese forces and their equipment that swept through Asia like a tsunami of death and destruction. This was further hammered with the fact that most of the weapons used by the Imperial Japanese were reminiscent of those used by the GVE.
After the tour, their next stop was the Presidential Palace, or locally known as 'The Istana' where they will finally meet the USEAN Prime Minister and members of her cabinet.
...
The Istana, Singapore, USEA
March 6, 1640
"...as a result, the war on our home soil has come to a stalemate. We...sincerely hope that you could provide some form of assistance to us."
Murmurs erupt from the USEAN side of the conference room as Prime Minister Sue Hui rubbed her chin as she stared at the table in front of her. She turns to her defence minister and notices him nodding his head towards her. She turns to the trade minister, and she does the same. Sue Hui has now made her choice.
"Well, we can try to understand the plight of your people Mr. Neukaul, and we are really sorry to hear that your nation is in such a state. I will propose to my nation's parliament to allow for humanitarian aid such as food and medicine to be supplied to your people."
Some from the Mu delegation smiled as they have essentially opened the doors to something that could be beneficial to them in the near future.
The meeting went on without any major things to note.
...
The doors to the conference room were slowly closing as the last of Mu's delegates made their exit. The sound of the door shutting prompted Sue Hui to turn to her Minister of Home Affairs, Kyi, who was a native to Mandalay in Myanmar.
"So, what do you think?"
"Their description of the Gra Valkas Empire means that if Mu and the Holy Milishial Empire falls, then it would only be a matter of time before they turn their sights on us, plunging this whole region into the fires of war. We must act now regardless if we make contact with the GVE and they pledge peaceful relations with us. We simply cannot trust a nation that decided to attack an international conference with their casus belli as world conquest."
It was not just Mu's stories that informed the USEAN government on what happened during the Eleven Country Leadership Conference, the same accounts were echoed from merchants and some diplomats from the Parpaldia Empire which further drove home that the Gra Valkas Empire is not to be trusted.
Satisfied with his assessment, she turns to her Minister of Defence.
"Arief, inform the 'Pigeon' to deliver the documents to Mr Myrus."
Arief simply nodded at the PM's instructions and leaves the room to make a call. As the doors once again closed shut, Sue Hui started tapping her finger on the tabletop while deep in thought.
'Why does this world have so many references to Japan?'
...
Myrus' hotel room, Singapore, USEA
March 6, 1640
It was a clear night sky as Myrus takes a sip from a glass of water while wearing his bathrobes. He was admiring the sight of the Marina Bay Sands hotel which was displaying a light show for all to see.
'One day, when Otaheit gets rebuilt, we'll turn it into a city of lights as well'
His thoughts were interrupted by several knocks on his door. He placed the glass of water down on a nearby table and walked over to answer the door. 'Probably Neukaul' he thought to himself as he reaches for the doorknob.
As he slowly opened the door, a folder was presented halfway through the door.
"Take this, consider it insurance for your homeland."
Myrus was confused for a few seconds before taking the folder without asking any questions. The moment the folder was securely in Myrus' hand, the door was closed from the other side and the mysterious messenger walked away.
Myrus quickly opened the door and peaked his head out trying to call out the mysterious man.
"Hey! What is this anyway!"
The mysterious man dressed in a plain dark blue t-shirt and jeans simply looked back to Myrus.
"Help, from friends afar." The man replied before turning the corner and out of Myrus' sight
Curious, Myrus carefully brought the folder to the table and had the contents strewn out before him. He widened his eyes as he realised what he was looking at. They were weapon blueprints.
He scans one document that had a picture of the final product. It showed what looked to be a rifle but had a box attached beneath it. The document also detailed the calibre rounds used; it was 7.62×51mm NATO. He looks back to the top of the document and sees the title.
'L1A1 Self-Loading Rifle'
He puts the blueprint for the SLR aside and looks at the other document. The final product showed what looks like a long tube with a mushroom attached at the top. The mushroom itself had its own blueprints detailing its composition and explosive payload. The document's title is as follows:
'Rocket-Propelled Grenade 7'
The final blueprints he examined showed a type of heavy weapon. It had a single barrel with a top loading mechanism of some kind that fed the gun 40mm rounds whose blueprints were also included. It was stated below it can be used against aircraft as well as against light armoured targets.
Myrus soon realised that this nation called USEA would help them in their struggle against the Gra Valkas Empire, albeit in more subtle ways than sending troops to fight on the continent of Mu.
As Myrus smiled at the prospect of the sight of burning husks of GVE tanks littering the Mu countryside, he takes a deep breath before uttering to himself.
"Now all we need is time."
...
Somewhere in the New Nusantara Sea (Formally known as the South China Sea)
March 6, 1640
Under the radiant moonlight of the new world and on the calm waves of the sea, a single ship was sailing through a cloud of water droplets. From the mist a shape, a ship is taking form, and now, the silence of the seas, was about to drift into a storm.
<<Bridge-CIC, commence test firing of the Mui Ten>>
<<CIC-Bridge copy, commencing test firing of the Mui Ten>>
On the bow of the ship, a single latch of a VLS cell swung open. Smoke and light erupted from the cell, contrasting the serene waves the ship was in. For a split second, it was as though night turned to day. A missile was launched from the cell and flew upwards into the night blue sky before arcing towards the horizon, leaving a trail of smoke and light in its wake.
After a while, a communication from a separate ship came through.
<<This is Marawi actual, good hit on target>>
<<This is Selangor actual, solid copy Marawi>>
The XO of the ship turned to the captain.
"Captain, the Marawi has confirmed we hit our target. That should conclude the testing for the Mui Ten."
A smile manifested from the captain's face as he heard the outcome of the report. "A sign of power...a show of force." The captain uttered to himself.
"I'm sorry captain?"
"A sign of power and a show of force is what this weapon is XO. Monuments, government buildings, military installations, all possible targets for such a demoralizing weapon. What took them months or even years to build can be reduced to rubble in seconds."
The cruise missile Mui Ten, Vietnamese for Arrow, is the first domestically produced cruise missile by ST Kinetics based in Singapore. Initially developed to strike PLA bases scattered on various islands in the South China Sea, these missiles would now be used against high priority targets in the New World as production is expected to kick into full gear once the weapon test results have been compiled and analyzed.
The captain proceeded to turn his gaze to the helmsman behind him.
"Set course for Changi, let's go home."
"Aye, captain Torres."
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Selangor-Class Missile Destroyer.
A future addition to the USEAN navy's arsenal is the Selangor-Class Missile Destroyer under the 'Next-Generation Navy Program' or NGNP. Meant to supplement rather than replace the Johor-Class destroyers currently in service, four ships were planned with two already undergoing sea trials. Equipped with the AEGIS weapon system, it is the most formidable and second most expensive surface combatant expected to serve the USEAN navy in the near future.