Negotiations Under Tension

Hazama awoke to the sound of urgent knocking on his door, the kind that jolted him from the remnants of sleep. He rubbed his eyes and opened the door to find a young soldier, his face pale with urgency.

"General Hazama, it's an emergency! Please look outside."

With a furrowed brow, Hazama followed the soldier to the window. What he saw made his heart race—a massive structure, larger than two hundred meters, floated ominously in the sky. It was the Keep Helicarrier, a sight that sent a chill down his spine.

"What's going on?" Hazama asked, his voice steady despite the turmoil in his mind.

"Sir, they want to meet you. They say they are from the Sorcerous Empire and they want to discuss something with us."

"Where are they now?" Hazama inquired, his military instincts kicking in.

"They're waiting for you outside."

After a brief moment to gather himself, Hazama donned his uniform and stepped outside, flanked by a contingent of well-armed JSDF soldiers. The atmosphere was tense; every soldier was on high alert, ready to respond to any threat.

As he approached the group, he noticed a man in a green coat standing confidently at the forefront. Behind him, two tall men in gas masks held their weapons at the ready, their eyes scanning the surroundings.

Hazama stopped ten meters away, maintaining a cautious distance. "I am Lieutenant General Kōichirō Hazama, the head of this base. Where are you from?"

"I am Six, the Envoy of the Sorcerous Empire. We have come to negotiate with you. We are from the other side of the gate. We were also attacked by the Empire. So the enemy of an enemy must be a friend."

Hazama's mind raced. "There's another gate!?"

"Yes. We came to this planet just like you. So we want to make a deal with you. I hope you agree."

Hazama paused, weighing the implications of this unexpected alliance. "Mr. Six, I want to ask you something."

"Of course."

"A few days ago, we lost contact with one of our fighter jets. Do you know anything about it?"

"Ah. Don't worry. Your fighter jet and pilots are safe. We will return them to you as soon as we come to an arrangement. We have also rescued some of your citizens."

"Rescued the civilians? What do you mean?" Hazama's heart raced at the thought of his people being in danger.

"Our army attacked the capital of the Empire. We rescued some of your citizens from there. They are safe."

"You attacked the capital of the Empire!?" Hazama exclaimed, disbelief etched on his face.

"Yes. But can we talk about this anywhere else?" Six asked, his tone shifting to one of urgency.

"Ah... of course. But I have to approach the higher officials of the nation in this regard. However, we can make a temporary deal with you for now."

"Ah. Ok. We'll wait."

"Okay. Let's sit inside and discuss then," Hazama replied, gesturing for Six and his men to follow him into the base.

As they walked, Hazama's mind raced with possibilities. The Sorcerous Empire was a wild card, and their intentions were still shrouded in mystery. He needed to tread carefully, balancing the safety of his people with the potential for a powerful alliance.

.....