"How do you wish to fly?" I said to my uncle while showing a meaningful smile
"What do you mean?" He said confused
"Hayts. You must be confused, Uncle. Hahaha" I mean, who wouldn't be?
"I have here blueprints of a vehicle that can position us into a much better light in dominating the region."
I said as I pass to him 3 detailed blueprints and their information of Martinsyde F.4 Buzzard, Airco DH.9A, and the Curtiss Model F. Good thing I was still able to remember these aircraft's major and minor details. 1 model per fighter, bomber, and trainer, choosing Curtiss as a training plane is a must, especially if you are surrounded by water.
"What are these?" My uncle said while scanning individually the blueprints of the World War 1 aircraft.
"These are the blueprints of an aeroplane, Uncle. A vehicle that can help us in defending our borders. These are the future of our empire, My dear uncle." I said as I extended my arms wide open. I might look funny on this one as my arms aren't that long yet, but I needed to do this to give more emphasis on how powerful these aeroplanes are.
"What can they do? Tell me all the details, no missing information." He said while showing an excited expression. Success.
"Okay. Let me start with this one." I said pointing to the Curtiss Model F "I call this Sella Model 1, in configuration, this is a biplane flying boat powered by a single engine mounted amongst the interplane struts and driving a pusher propeller. The pilot and a single passenger sat side by side in an open cockpit. The wing cellule was derived from the Model E landplane and was of two-bay, unstaggered, equal-span construction with large ailerons mounted on the interplane struts and extending past the span of the wings themselves."
"Now this one, I call this Airco EB.1," pointing to the Airco DH.9A
"a single-engine two-seat bomber biplane aircraft designed and used for offensive attacks. With the chosen engine capable of reaching the maximum speed of 300km, this alone can cripple our enemies on the ground."
"And lastly, the F1 Buzzard" pointing to the Martinsyde F.4 Buzzard
"a single-seat biplane fighter powered by a V-12 engine, which we could make, which could reach a maximum speed of 142 mph (229 km/h). Having these 3 aeroplanes into our soon-to-be Imperial Butuan Air Force arsenal. No country in Asia can threaten us, not even the West maybe."
I said proudly while seeing my uncle's face in full shock, can't blame him though. Introducing these 3 revolutionary ideas of aeroplanes will send any individual in complete shock. Although the idea of flying isn't new in this era take the zeppelins for example, a great leap to human advancement. But zeppelins have a number of disadvantages in terms of usage, especially in wars, their disadvantages weigh heavier than their advantages.
What I might be doing might greatly alter the course of the upcoming war and steal some ideas from their rightful patent owner in my previous world, but I have no choice. At this time, it is a do-or-die situation for me, and I refused to die with my current family without doing anything.
Sourcing and constructing all these aeroplanes are a challenge for us, and this might take a whole 5-6 years just to develop its prototypes, but I have to take the risk. 5-6 years of waiting is much better than 3-4 years of just sitting and doing nothing.
The world is changing, revolutions, wars, the rise of nationalism, and famines are happening. No one is safe, even the once strongest empire of Europe, the Holy Roman Empire, was brought down to its knees. Heck, even the British Empire back in my previous world crumbled to a mere shadow of its past glorious vast expanse.
"Where? Where did you get all of these blueprints?"
"Let's just say, I have my ways." I said while grinning "So, uncle. Would it be possible for our military to establish a manufacturing company solely dedicated to developing and making these aeroplanes?" He suddenly raises his head and looks at me
"It is possible for our government to allocate some funds to developing these aeroplanes. But this must go first to the parliament, both houses of Lords and Commons. For us to have a bigger budget."
The Parliament Building or the Sannor Palace, a cross-shaped palace consisting of 4 floors and almost a hundred rooms, is the governing body of the Empire. Located at the heart of the city, near the bridge of Yash that connects the city proper of the capital to its surrounding towns. The parliament building used to be the residence of the previous rajahs only having a single building that provides all the necessary facilities for a palace, but after the construction of the Imperial residence at the imperial complex a few kilometres away from the Sannor Palace.
The then home of the rajahs was abandoned and later after the defeat against the British and the French, the mansion was converted into a parliament building, with few added buildings and facilities to fit the requirements of being a parliament building. Now, instead of only having one building at its entire complex, it is now shaped like a cross housing different facilities and chambers needed for a parliament building.
The building houses the two separate bodies of the government, the House of Commons, located on the left wing of the building, houses all publicly elected individuals and different winning parties of the government. The right wing of the building is for the House of Lord, a non-elected body of the government, houses all members of the hereditary Butuan nobility, the members of the council of Palawan, and the ministers of the empires.
While the centre part of the building houses the reception hall and the offices of different ministers of the empire.
"The Parliament… But can your people in both houses help you in passing this proposal and reaches the hand of my father before the end of the year?" I ask after some time of pause.
"Yes. I can assure you that. Although the resistance from the opposition might be steep. They advocate for peace than war." He said with a worried face.
"The opposition, Liberal Party, the western aligned political party. Advocating for the dissolution of the imperial family and changing into a republic. A bunch of greedy individuals who don't really care for the betterment of the empire but instead just wanted to rule and monopolize everything."
What a bunch of greedy animals they are. Heck to their democracy, even Aristotle is a mild critic of this ideology. The world isn't ready yet to receive the ideology of full democracy.
That is why I am using the tabloid as a mode of containing these Western ideologies.
"Yes, they are greedy. But worry not nephew, I am still confident that we can have the parliament's approval on another set of budgets for this one. In mid-October, the proposed budget will be on your father's hand." My uncle said confidently while waving the three blueprints and continuing to talk.
"I will not dig more as to how did you obtain these blueprints, but these will put us into the prying eyes of the West. They might even send some people to steal the blueprints of these aeroplanes if they know about this, especially those British."
I nod and replied
"I know, Uncle. That is why I am giving this to you. Out of all people in the imperial army, you are the only person I can trust and has the capability of protecting this project."
"Cheeky, Child." He said laughingly out of amusement "So, what plan to name this 'newly' establish branch of the military then? Calling it the same as the imperial army would be quite unamusing."
"We will call this as the 'Imperial Air Force'. The very first independent air force in the entire world. Will be known as the oldest and strongest air force until the end of times." I said proudly as I take a stand and look at my uncle's eyes intensely.
"Hmm… No wonder the imperial courtiers talk highly about you. You are indeed the future of the empire. Despite being young, your ideas and plans for the future outrank those of the older generations. Your father must be proud of you." I smiled as my uncle takes a stand and pat my shoulder.
"Now, then, I better be going. Your aunt and cousins are waiting for me in the garden with your mother. Continue with your studies and a short piece of advice. An empire is as dead as a lump of rotting meat when the monarch is incompetent." He said while bowing before leaving "Excuse me, Your Imperial Highness." I nod in response before seeing him leave the room with his servant Avir Dane.
"Close the door and do not let anyone in, Radhesh." I said as Radhesh closes the door of my private library.
~~
Left to his now awfully quiet room illuminated by rays coming from the setting sun, making the entire library covered in colours red and orange.
Siagu then turns his back to his study table looking at the crudely drawn map of the word. Beside the map, different types of identical chess pieces were scattered along with miniature toys of ships and armies.
"Europe, Americas, Africa, Asia, and Oceania… The world will be once more engulfed in the flames of war, but instead of having the war in European colonies, the fight will be in their homeland. With the Alliance between France and Russia, the soon be joined by the British, the Triple Entente, shall be established."
Siagu said monotonously as he put 3 white Queen chess pieces onto the capital of Russia, France, and Britain. And continues…
"The introduction of the German naval doctrine, which shall happen 2 years from now."
While putting a miniature ship off the coast of Germany.
"The soon Russo-Japanese War that should happen in 1904, might be far but a plan must be prepared." Putting 2 rooks on both countries' borders.
"Korea under Japanese protectorate" Siagu said as his voice lowers, remembering that his father is en route to Joseon. Putting a knight on the peninsula.
"The annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina by Austria-Hungary." Placing a rook on both countries' borders facing each other.
"The second Moroccan crisis and Italy invades Libya." Placing rooks on the 3 countries.
"Will be dub as 'True beginning of the First World War' the Balkan Wars" Siagu said as he continues to put rooks on the participating countries.
"And finally… The igniter of the World War… The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand." Mockingly said while placing the black king on the Austria-Hungary territory.
"And the Empire… the outlier one." He said as he walks to the other side of the table took his sit and starts grinning as he takes a look at the current placements of each chess piece. The events leading to the First World War have now appeared.
"The stage is now set, the banners of war are now rising, Kings falls and nations destroyed, but the empire shall prevail." He said and directed his attention towards the Joseon Kingdom and pick up the knight chess piece and plays with it.
"Entertain me, Gojong of Korea. Hahahaha"
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Hi everyone, Author here.
You might be confused about the sudden change of POV style, but I am currently exploring the use of 3rd person's POV to better put myself into the story.
If you have some questions just comment it in here.
I might not be able to post any chapter this week or next because of my thesis revision and the coming summer midterm examination. But this is not final yet, so maybe in my free time, I can upload new chapters. So, just be patient and continue to support me.
Thank you for reading.