Central civil year of 1639, February 7th. Mihark Port, 10:22 am.
The following week, a delegation was prepared to be sent to Brazil. Their objective was to investigate the power of the newly transferred nation to this world and what their intentions were.
The sky was painted blue with very few clouds. The sea was calm and chilly, and the weather was mild.
"It's a pleasure to welcome the Quatonian delegation on Brazilian soil. I will be your guide throughout your stay in our nation. My name is Peter," the man in a suit and dress pants greeted the delegation. What no one there knew was that he was a member of the ABIN (Brazilian Intelligence Agency).
"The pleasure is all ours, Mr. Peter. My name is Linus, and those accompanying me are Hanki and Yagou." The defense minister decided to temporarily step aside to go with the diplomatic team and see with his own eyes.
Not everyone seemed as excited as the elf. One of them had a somber face.
"What's worrying you so much, General Hanki?" the member of the foreign relations department asked.
"Please, Mr. Yagou, don't call me general. I am temporarily relieved of my duties during this mission."
"I'm sorry, but what worries you, Mr. Hanki?"
"It's just that I'm not a fan of ships. The environment inside is dark and humid. We also have to ration water on board," Hanki said with a slightly downcast tone.
"I don't understand something. Is there something wrong with the itinerary?" Yagou asked Linus, who was listening to their conversation.
"According to the diplomat, no. Plus, we're talking about the nation with iron ships, so expect anything." After what Linus had seen, he doubted nothing else in this world.
"There's the ship we'll be taking." Peter pointed to a small island a few hundred meters away.
After a few seconds, they could see a gigantic white ship emerging from behind the island. It was as big as the island itself. This ship was actually the Costa Firenze of the famous Costa Crociere company, which happened to be docked in Brazilian ports before the transfer. Later on, Costa Atlantica would be founded, which would be a Brazilian cruise company in this new world.
"We will be taking that ship, but unfortunately, we cannot dock due to the small size of the port. For this, we will use some small boats."
The delegation boarded the small boats that came to pick them up from the coast.
"Mr. Peter, I wonder how these boats move without sails. Is it like Mu's magical ship and the Mirishial Empire?" Linus asked on the way to the cruise.
"I don't know how that magical ship works, but this one is powered by diesel."
"What is diesel?" The elf had never heard of it before.
"It's a substance that, when ignited, combusts and rotates a shaft. This movement generates energy and propels the ship." Peter explained, but the elf seemed to not understand anything.
"I understand, it's something very complicated."
When everyone boarded the ship, they saw something very unusual.
"It's incredibly clean and illuminated!" Hanki said, incredulous.
"Do they use light magic to illuminate it?" Yagou wondered how they did that.
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"The ship is really made of metal! How does it float?" Hanki was skeptical when he heard about iron ships and dragons, but now he saw it with his own eyes.
The delegates were taken to their rooms to store their luggage and belongings. The surprises weren't over: the room had a large double bed with a glass table and a sofa against the wall. The room also had a glass balcony with a view of the sea. The things were simple, but still had a refined air. The bed was much better than the straw ones. Yagou dared to say that it was better than the beds that the nobility owned.
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Yagou's diary during the 6-day trip:
The ship was so big that Yagou couldn't even see it completely. He visited the cinema, pool, and library. During his stay, he ate dozens of different foods. The ones that caught his attention the most were feijoada, hamburger, and grilled shrimp. Yagou never forgot their taste.
He wondered what kind of nation Brazil was for having such a type of ship. His colleagues from the foreign affairs department judged it as just another barbaric country that had recently been formed, but Yagou now knew that Brazil was as powerful as Mu and the Mirishials, or even more so.
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6 days later.
The long journey was coming to an end as they finally arrived at the port of Santos. The large cargo ships were docked, unable to leave since the transfer. For this reason, there was almost no movement in what was once the largest and busiest port in Brazil.
"This is a Brazilian city." Linus looked at the skyscrapers that were visible from anywhere in the city.
"Look at the size of those buildings!" Yagou was amazed at the height of the buildings.
"Those are skyscrapers, Mr. Yagou," the guide told him, and he thought the name really did justice.
"Why is it so hot?" Hanki was soaked in sweat. The other two were also sweating, but not as much as he was.
"The climate here is tropical, Mr. Hanki. Besides, we are in the middle of summer," guide Peter explained.
After docking, they were directed to a waiting car. The delegates were surprised by the carriage that traveled without horses.
The delegates went up the mountain towards São Paulo. There, they stayed at the Palácio Tangará, where they were instructed on how to use electric lights, make calls, credit and debit cards, and automatic machines, as well as basic laws.
Over the next two days, they made the most of exploring places like the Ipiranga Museum, the Memorial of the Pracinhas, and the São Paulo Library, where they spent most of their time. Everywhere they went, people noticed Linus' pointed ears. This ended up causing him some discomfort, but it was nothing that really bothered him.
On the last day of their stay, the delegates asked for something unusual.
"Mr. Peter, can we see your country's armed forces in action?" Hanki said to the guide.
"Wait a second, let me see if there is any way." The guide pulled out his phone and talked for a long time.
"At the Guarulhos Air Base, there is an air force training session. They have allowed us to watch."
The entire delegation was taken to the base where they could see the iron dragons up close. There, an F-20 Tigershark was about to take off.
(Explanation: In this reality, Brazil was looking to replace its aging F-5E Tiger II, at the same time that Northrop was desperate to close some contract for the F-20 Tigershark they had developed with their own money. Brazil offered to buy it if they had the right to manufacture. In mid-2016, Venezuela was upgrading its Mig 25s to Mig 29 and Su 27 fighters, which forced Brazil to upgrade its F-20s. This modernization process was done in partnership with Northrop-Grumman along with Embraer. Its avionics and systems were upgraded. It received a Glass Cockpit, new sensors and datalink, communication, and a helmet integrated into the systems. The radar was replaced by one developed by ATMOS Systems in conjunction with General Electric, the RCA ATMOS-67, and the engine was replaced by the more modern F414-ECE (Enhancement Consumption Engine). Conformal fuel tanks were also added, which along with the more efficient engine, extended its range from 570 to 920km.)
The fighter jet took off with the afterburner activated and began performing maneuvers in the sky, as he had been instructed to impress the delegation.
"It's incredibly maneuverable!" Linus noticed how easily the iron dragon performed acrobatics in the air.
The pilot climbed at a 90-degree angle before descending and passing very close to the ground and the envoys.
"Amazing! What's its speed, Mr. Peter?" Hankin asked the guide.
"About 900km/h, Mr. Hankin." The guide replied, and the delegates' eyes widened.
"Are you sure about that number?" Yagou stuttered.
"Certainly, that's the allowed speed here, as if it flew too fast, it would break the windows with the sonic boom."
"What's the maximum speed?" If that was only the permitted speed in this area, then what is its limit? Linus wondered.
"The maximum speed is 2,237km/h."
The Quatonians felt a chill down their spine at the thought of something so fast. What would happen to their nation if they dared to provoke Brazil? The answer to that question scared them.
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During the night, on the same day.
After seeing the metal dragon, Linus called a meeting with the other two members of the delegation in the hotel room. They would discuss their negotiation strategy.
"What did you think of Brazil?" Linus asked his two partners.
"I think we should get a non-aggression treaty as soon as possible. If they decided to invade Qua-Toyne, we would be crushed." Hanki imagined his soldiers being destroyed by the iron dragon.
"I find that possibility very remote. Brazil has only been involved in two conflicts in its entire history." Yagou read Brazil's history and realized that this nation hardly got involved in conflicts.
"You also noticed, right? No Brazilian citizen has magic. From what I saw in their books, there is also no mention of it. That means they are a science country. We can use that as a bargaining chip for their technology." Linus proposed.
"I also think we should form an alliance. The chances of Louria invading us are imminent. If Brazil is our ally, then victory is guaranteed." Hanki saw an opportunity to avoid the massacre that would happen in an imminent Lourian invasion.
"Very well then, it's settled. Tomorrow we will negotiate with the Brazilian leader. Be prepared." Linus ended the meeting and everyone went to their rooms.
What none of the three knew was that the room was equipped with several audio recorders in key positions, and the entire conversation was relayed to high command.
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Brasilia Airport, February 16, 2026
The delegation was flown from the city of Sao Paulo to Brasilia. There, they would go to the Planalto Palace, where they would meet the President of the Republic.