[Australia]: Message to Vietnam [SEC=SECRET]

[Owen]

"Dear President John Ðức Ngo,

I am Penny Wong, the Minister for Foreign Affais of Australia and I am currently in Singapore and I would like to make my way to Hanoi to discuss matters of strengthening our bilateral relationship in this time, the age of the Indo-Pacific. They will include matters of trade, defence and cultural engagement. I hope to visit you soon.

Sincerely,
Senator The Honourable Penny Wong,
Minister for Foreign Affairs."

 

[Joe]

A reply would be sent to Senator Penny Wong.

"Dear the Honorable Penny Wong,

Your message brings great hope to the Republic of Vietnam that there is still a future where the destinies of the West and the Orient will forever be intertwined. President Ngo will be happy to receive you at your earliest convenience.

Best,
Linh Mach
Ambassador to the General Assembly"

 

[Owen]

"Dear Mrs. Mach,

I will be there shortly.

Sincerely,
Penny."

The RAAF Dassault Falcon 7X which was parked at Singapore-Changi International Airport would be prepared, the Minister would head back from the Prime Minister's Residence at Newton in a High Commission car as there was no answer on the door bell. She would board up the stairway and would settle down for a relatively short flight to Hanoi-Noi Bai International Airport. The flight attendants would serve her some lunch and some coffee and she would watch Crazy Rich Asians on board, as she was herself, a crazy rich Asian. She would also catch up with ABC News. As it was an Air Force jet it would be ordered by the Minister for Defence to avoid Thai airspace due to its affiliation with CIS and to remain within Vietnamese, Laotian and Cambodian airspaces.

​

 

[Joe]

As soon as the Republic of Vietnam would recieve word of the arrival of the Australian, the Ministry of State Security would deploy a Vinauxi VinFast 2.0, a luxury car, to Ho Chi Minh Memorial Airport. An entire runway would be secured by Inspectors of the M.S.S. and prepared for immediate arrival. Assemblywoman Mach would send her aide, Lieutenant Minh Nguyen, a young and rising diplomat, to meet with Penny.

 

[Owen]

The plane would divert from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh, seeing as that is where the Assemblywoman was. Upon touching down, it would taxi to the parking spot and the side door would open, the stairwell would be on the door and she would exit the aircraft with her AFP protective detail and advisors. She would enter the luxury car provided, she would shake the Lieutenants hand and head to wherever the Assemblywoman is.

 

[Joe]

As soon as the aircraft landed, a team of ground crew workers would roll out a velvet red carpet in front of the air stairs. At the bottom, Lieutenant Nguyen would await. Seeing Minister Wong descend from the aircraft, he would clasp his hands together and bow low in a sign of respect. Then, standing up, he'd salute the Minister smartly.

"Madam Wong, it is a pleasure to have you here." He'd say smoothly, stepping to the side and opening the car door to the VinFast. "Please, allow me to take you to see Assemblywoman Mach."

Ushering the Minister into the car, he'd join her on the other side. As soon as both were in, the car, being driven by a Ministry of State Security Deputy Inspector, would drive off into Saigon. Despite the Saigon Police escort and the diplomatic flags on the vehicle, they would encounter heavy traffic due to the amount of rainbow-clad pedestrians that recently took to the streets to celebrate after the Supreme Court released it's ruling legalizing gay marriage throughout the country. Slowed to a crawl, the car would inch towards the Saigon Presidential Palace where President Ngo was awaiting.

"I'm terribly sorry for this," Lieutenant Nguyen would sigh, removing his peaked cap. "Today's the first annual Pride Day. President Ngo put it in writing in an executive order earlier this morning after the Supreme Court released its ruling. It's like this all throughout the city. We should be at the Palace shortly. It's just a few kilometers from here. But, in the meantime, how goes the adjustment of your new Administration? I assume you've transferred in well?"

 

[Owen]

Penny, being a lesbian herself and has been with her partner, Sophie, for 9 years now.

"Not a problem at all, it's a pleasure to see such love and happiness in this country. Australia and certainly, myself, as a Queer Asian woman, welcomes this decision wholeheartedly. We're glad this has been achieved."

 

[Joe]

"Love and happiness had certainly a lot to do with it," Lieutenant Nguyen smiled softly. "But I like to think it was President Ngo packing the Supreme Court with more... progressive and unrestricted people that gave us the win here. First female Associate Justice in Trang Tam. First minority Associate Justice in Nam Le. This new Republic hopes to be able to shed away it's Communist roots into the oblivion of history and embrace the oncoming future. Might I say, President Ngo was extremely pleased to have gotten a message from your government. It's been far too long since Australia and Vietnam had more than cordial relations. He'd have loved to see you, but unfortunately, he's tied up in Hanoi at the moment. He'd have made the travel down, but the doctors believe that travel would be far too stressful on his body. I'm sure you'll find Assemblywoman Mach an excellent substitute."

He pulled back the sleeve of his Navy jacket, looking at the steel Citizen Eco-Drive watch on his wrist. The second face ticked away. Traffic was clearing up and the car was steadily creeping forward towards the Presidential Palace. Lieutenant Nguyen glanced out the window for the remainder at the journey.

At the Presidential Palace, Assemblywoman Mach was sitting in the Reception of the Presidential Palace, looking up at the giant portrait of Ho Chi Minh. There was never a more controversial figure in her sight, she figured. Revered by many and hated by most, Ho Chi Minh, depending on who you asked, was a cruel dictator who espoused the evil ways of Communism, or the Vietnamese George Washington who guided the country to victory against foreign oppressors. Linh was sure that the true answer was somewhere in the middle.

It was quite odd when President Ngo personally contacted her and had her leave her office in Saigon to go and meet with Madam Wong. Many would've figured Huynh Minh Chien was the better choice, him being the State Minister after all. Linh knew quite well why she, an Assemblywoman of the General Assembly, was meeting with the Australian. It was a message to Minister Huynh. His time as the State Minister was running out. President Ngo had grown irrate and frustrated with the State Minister's poor handling of the CIS and his constant advisement of the President to lean towards ISAF. He was on his way out and she was on her way in. She was the embodiment of Vietnam Spirit. Young, fiery, bold, and ready to fight any battle at a moment's notice. After she and her adjutant, Minh Nguyen, stood alone against the entire Bloc of the CIS in General Assembly Chambers and won, she had won the ear of the President.

When the VinFast pulled into the Front Lawn of the Presidential Palace, she immediately walked outside and greeted Minister Wong.

"Minister Wong, welcome to Saigon," She said, bowing low. "I hope that Lieutenant Nguyen treated you well. How was the journey?"

 

[Owen]

"Thank you very much, Assemblywoman Linh. He did a fine job. It was an interesting journey... had a short stop in Singapore to meet with their Prime Minister, Lee Hsien Loong, but we received no more communications from the Prime Minister's Office there. Not sure quite what happened, maybe the President had enough of PAP being in government and sacked them all. I'm sure he has a legitimate excuse for not turning up, but we will see how events fold out in Singapore. We have to get to them before anyone in CIS does and we know CIS has quite the way with words and "gifts" to gain support. The ISAF-aligned world is slipping, indeed, we must change that. Please, after you, you know the way after all." The Minister would gesture to go inside the Presidential Palace.

 

[Joe]

"Well... money does make the world go round, Madam Wong," Linh replied politely. "And when Argentina is one of the strongest militaries in the world and able to bankroll the military's of half the CIS, two of which are within a few hundred kilometers of Vietnam's borders, it certainly does pose a certain... problem, to say the least. But please, let's talk in my office."

She turned on her heel and led the Minister into the Presidential Palace. Her office was the former State Minister's office, on the same floor at the President's. She walked straight there, taking a short cut that did not require them to check in at security. The office was large and opulent, with a midnight black baby grand piano in the corner. The piano was a gift from President Ngo as an office-warming present, a fifty thousand dollar Fazioli piano, tuned and created to perfection.

"I don't play at all, I'm afraid," She admitted, gesturing to the piano. "It was meant to be furniture in my home, but Lieutenant Nguyen plays a little. Why don't you play something for us, Lieutenant?"

"Yes, Madam Assemblywoman," He replied dutily, heading over to the piano. He sat down and lifted the cover, playing a soft jazz tune.

"Now, we can talk." Linh told Minister Wong softly. She smiled. "You never know who may be listening in. After all, the State Ministry are all ISAF hardliners. Me? I personally believe that not only is the ISAF-aligned world slipping, but ISAF is a shadow of what it once was. They're like elephants. Terrifyingly beautiful creatures that could crush a man on one stomp, but when confronted by a competent hunter, they are nothing more than prey. ISAF has proven unable to protect the free nations of the world and their only power is their potential, not their actual. They sit while the world leans ever more to the CIS. They have big weapons but move them like chess pieces on a board, never attacking or ending the threat. I propose we address this by potentially opening a relationship between our three countries, Australia, Vietnam, Singapore... the big players in Asia, to stand against the Commonwealth."

 

[Owen]

"Well certainly, our two nations, but as I said I just attempted a Singapore visit and it didn't go quite as well, so I'm not entirely sure what their deal is but believe me the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade will be hot on their heels with diplomats when we do hear word. We also have other potential non-CIS partners in the region such as Taiwan or... Formosa or what ever they want to call themselves now. Certainly, the United States has completely withdrawn its role in this region and we are coming in to fill that void. Advanced technology, air supremacy, naval strength. Pillars of a bygone era that the United States Armed Forces had in the region."

She would stand up, walk to the door and open it. She would look to her bodyguards, "Stand away from the doors a bit and make sure absolutely no one comes near them." She would close the door, locking it.

"And certainly, we are seeing other players creep into the region. We are monitoring the situation in New Caledonia very closely and please don't mention this to anyone else but the Vietnamese Cabinet, but we are ready to deploy at a moment's notice if Argentine ships cross the territorial waters boundary once more. Any Argentine foothold in the region is absolutely not happening. Certainly, already they have taken uninhabited or minimally populated islands in the Southern Indian Ocean that we are concerned about due to their proximity to our own.. uninhabited islands and threats our own supremacy in the Indian Ocean. Australia's South Pacific and Oceanic supremacy will not be infringed and that means not allowing Argentine forces to land on New Caledonia. We would like to propose, a joint operation with Vietnamese Forces to maintain a regime of closely monitoring and conducting surveillance on CIS member and CIS-aligned states in the Indo-Pacific."

 

[Joe]

"Madam Ambassador," Linh would say. "Thank you for giving me this information. I'll be sure to pass it along to our Ministry of Defense. Argentinan expansion is something that we are concerned about, surely. For a country that stood on the hill based on an ideal of 'territorial integrity', they sure do enjoy prying it from other countries. But, allow me to assure you that we have... planned for this. Of course, this information is classified so I don't wish to give too many details, but President Ngo has asked the Ministry of Defense to... wargame this out. For example, six battalions of airborne infantry in Europe, ready to drop on CIS-held territories and secure it in a matter of days. A regiment of airborne ready to make the drop on Hainan and three divisions of mechanized infantry, ready to storm across the border to the underbelly of China. Teams of ARVN Rangers, ready to cross into Thailand under the cover of night and take advantage of an already crippled government. We plan for everything."

She'd turn to the wall, where a giant map of the Pacific Ocean was hung up.

"President Ngo is hesitant to call for any kind of joint military operation. Our fears against the CIS aside, the Republic does not wish to lean against or for any bloc, ISAF or CIS. It's quite premature to conduct any sort of military operation against the CIS for the Republic. But, what he is all for is letting every nation know that Vietnam will pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, or oppose any foe to assure freedom and liberty throughout the globe as we have done with Kosovo. Rather than a military operation, let us do something public in the Pacific Ocean... a testing of a prospective relationship between our two countries... perhaps a joint military exercise where we can test each other's capabilities while simultaneously probing each other for weaknesses that the CIS can exploit."

She'd point to the wall, at the very rim of the Pacific Ocean.

"Maybe... here would be good?"

 

[Owen]

"RIMPAC essentially? Well we haven't had a RIMPAC in a while, but frankly I dare say the name is probably copyrighted by the United States. Now we would love to do an exercise with the United States but the mere fact that I spent a solid month in Washington D.C. trying to negotiate with the Americans and got no where just shows how undiplomatic their current administration can be. Certainly, I think President Obama doesn't care about the Indo-Pacific or anything outside of the realm of ISAF member states. Doesn't care about other freedom-loving nations which would support the United States 100% in its endeavours. So we're not optimistic to say the least about U.S. involvement in the region. They have forces in Hawaii and Guam, but nothing more than that...

We do however think a joint military exercise would be good, one in the North of Australia should be good, it's far away enough to not cause any trouble unless Papua New Guinea, East Timor or Indonesia take an issue and it gives us a range of environments. Waters which are not as busy for shipping as the ones around here. Airspace which is pretty much clear and fully monitored by the RAAF. A range of ground environments from Tropical Rainforests, Savannah to Desert. If we're willing to go south there's also temperate environments and forests and further south in Tasmania there are dense temperate forests. We also have Sub-Antarctic islands for more tundra-like environments. With the Argentinians near New Caledonia, it would send a good message to maybe do something in the Coral Sea and to utilise Shoalwater Bay Training Area. RAAF Base Townsville provides a solid base for the Air Forces and 3rd Brigade, which has our Amphibious and Airborne elements is based in Townsville."

 

[Joe]

Linh shrugs. "America copyrights everything because it owns everything. We've been in talks with them as of late to procure decommissioned naval vessels that they no longer use, but the talks have fallen through. We have no choice but to continue to rely on French military support for our endeavors... although the deal that we put in place with their government looks more to our favor every day. We have no clear choice but to go our own path, Madam Minister and we hope that the Commonwealth of Australia follows us in this."

She pauses, thinking. As a Vietnamese woman, it was in her blood to sit down quietly and look pretty. As the Shark of Saigon, it curdled the blood of others when she was quiet. Kind of ironic, don't you think?

"Perhaps, though, it'd be a good opportunity to create our own annual military exercise." She continues. "Those locations are excellent positions to cull the blood of our Vietnamese soldiers. Perhaps we can establish an attacking and defense team, where Australian and Vietnamese troops will go head-to-head against one another? A combined-arms exercise? Does that sound good to your government?"

 

[Owen]

"Well.. you can rely on Australian military support if you wish, however that may look like. Yes, the French are a bit... let's say, "stuffed". But yes, a combined-arms exercise will do, though we were more thinking of it as a joint exercise to see how our two forces can work together and enhance our capabilities to be able to respond to threats in the region."

 

[Joe]

Linh smiled and politely stood, walking over to Lieutenant Nguyen. He was currently playing Yann Tiersen; a soft, beautiful French piece that was featured in the hit movie "Amelie". She placed a hand on his shoulder, whispering in his ear in Vietnamese.

"Would you kindly get the Minister of Defense for me?"

"Yes, Madam Assemblywoman," He replied, dutily.

The music cut out as he stood up. He closed the keyboard cover and exited the room. Linh turned back to the Australian Minister, clasping her hands in front of her.

"I'm afraid military matters such as troop numbers, movements, and manuevers go in over my head. But, one thing that has never gone over me is history. I always think that people who don't know history are doomed to repeat it, yet I find it quite odd that those that do also find ways to repeat it. One of the things that I always found quite amazing was ANZAC. It was always a silver lining to a dark cloud, where whenever war was taken with Australia involved, one would be able to make out the New Zealanders on the horizon coming to their aid. Madam Minister, we have both expressed our fears of CIS expansion... but we have also expressed fears of an ISAF that does not defend it's friends or the people of the world. Why don't we carve our own mutual destiny together once this exercise is done? Why don't we go about and create our own faction?"

 

[Owen]

"We could do something like that.. but it would take some time and it would need to encompass more nations than just us if it is willing to survive. Certainly, I agree with your statement about ISAF, it is diminishing. It's only role seems to be good in Europe and even then... that's slipping. CIS have completely thrown geopolitics in this region towards their side and it's something we need to work together to counter-balance...

Speaking of ANZAC sacrifices. It wouldn't be right of me to visit Vietnam and not pay my respects to the fallen Australians of the Vietnam War."

 

[Joe]

Linh would raise a groomed eyebrow. "Then, let us re-discuss the prospect of a future friendship after we have determined our compatibility with an exercise. If, however, you so wish to pay your respects to the deceased heroes, then let us adjourn and allow me to be your escort to the Ben Duoc Memorial Temple. You will be able to visit there and it's a nice change of scenery from this drab office."

Linh would stand up and would take the Minister out of her office to the front of the Palace, where the VinFast awaited outside. Undergoing a police escort, they would make the drive over to the Ben Duoc Memorial Temple. Traffic was lighter than it was in the morning, with the majority of the celebrations breaking for a feast in the center of Saigon. As a result, they made it to the Memorial Temple with relative ease. What was once a site of rampant anti-American and anti-French propaganda was now a toned down memorial dedicated to the civilians and soldiers who lost their lives fighting in the Vietnam War on both sides. The grounds would be quite empty.

​

The tomb would be regularly patrolled by a ceremonial guard, marching in perfect synchronization around the temple and in front of the staircase. On both the left and right side of the temple would lie two tombs, holding unidentified bodies from North and South Vietnam respectively. Both tombs were identical, made of stone, and draped in the flags of their respective countries. At the center of the tomb, however, would be the newest addition to the temple. A stark white marble tomb, with a flag draped over it that was quite unique. The flag would not signify any nation, but would instead be a simple light blue, with planet Earth stitched in the center in white: the flag for peace. The tomb itself was unremarkable, except for the following inscription on all sides of the tomb:

HERE RESTS IN
ETERNAL GLORY
A SOLDIER
UNKNOWN BUT TO
A FOREVER GRATEFUL NATION

​

Walking up to the tomb, Linh would be explaining.

"After the Vietnam War, the casualties left behind were insurmountable. In this very tomb lies a serviceman, but their nationality is and may forever be unknown. He could be Vietnamese, American, Australian, Korean, Russian... no one quite knows. The probability is that he's a Vietnamese or an American soldier. But he may very well be one of the few Australian soldiers missing. Regardless, this memorial isn't dedicated to any one nation or our nation for that matter. Rather, it's dedicated to the men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice fighting for what they believed was right."

She'd pick up two incense sticks from a container and would light the both of them, handing one off to the Minister. Walking up to the tomb, Linh would clasp her hands together in prayer, and bow low in respect to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

 

[Owen]

Penny would follow Linh's lead and would place the incense in its dedicated spot before placing her hands down and bowing to the tomb. Her assistant would then pass her a wreath to place next to the tomb. It would be made of wattle's, lotus's, red rose's, hibiscus syriacus's, silver fern's, plumeria rubra's, rumdul flower's, plum blossom's and ratchaphruek's as the national floral symbols of Australia, Vietnam, the United States, South Korea, New Zealand, Laos, Cambodia, China and Thailand respectively, as the main contributing forces to the war. She would place it there at the base of the tomb. She would stand there for a minute reflecting before heading with Linh out of the memorial and back into the cars which would take them back to the office.

Upon sitting down again in the office, Penny would remark.

"That's a very beautiful memorial you have there...

Now where were we?"

 

[Joe]

Linh would glance at her phone, a text message coming in. Her nomination for the ICJ was to undergo voting soon. She would sigh, regretting it had ever been submitted in the first place. The Anti-CIS lawyer was most definitely suited in the State Ministry, not behind some desk in the ICJ where she would waste away and let the country secure it's relationship with the Confederation.

"Hm... I'm not quite sure," Linh would say. "The beauty of this place always manages to humble me and put me in my place. I believe that one of the things that we wished to talk about was France and their ongoing turmoil with the Argentinians. It is in our best interests to ensure that France does not fall into enemy hands, seeing that we rely on them for much of our defense equipment. The State Ministry is unsure how to go about this."