Trade Minister Rayzha Rumaclin hoped she wouldn't be late. She'd made a hasty arrangement to get a government flight to PeZookia on one of the Parliamentary planes-- she felt bad, using such a large plane to go the short distance, but it was all they had available. The smaller planes were all in use, or reserved, by various ministers all working on plans, projects, and problems that the new King wanted done all at once-- or so it seemed.
Nevertheless, she managed to get to PeZookia somewhat untroubled, and taken to Orena Hall for the FUN conference.
The Majordomo checked her credentials-- her meeting had not been arranged beforehand, and even some of the promised phone calls, if they'd been made, had not been forwarded.
"I'm afraid you'll be a bit late," the Majordomo said, giving her a polite smile, "But many of the participants are still present."
"Thank you," she said, flashing a smile, and heading in.
Ah, there's Prime Minister Shroom, she recognised the new leader of Shroomania from his picture. Canissia needs to get some good trade deals with the FUN, and Shroom's supposed to be pretty open to working with Canissia... who's that he's talking to? she wondered, and quickly looked at her collection of files. It was Shady-- Trade Minister Rumaclin frowned, unsure about him-- but pressed ahead anyway.
"Good evening, gentlemen," she said, "I hope I'm not interrupting... but I'm Trade Minister Rayzha Rumaclin, of Canissia, and when it is convenient, I'd like to discuss some trade matters with you, if that is amenable. Canissia isn't part of the FUN, but we are all neighbors..."
Something about Libertarianism always bothered me. Then one day, I realized what it was:
Libertarian philosophy can be boiled down to the phrase, "Work Will Make You Free."
In Libertarianism, there is no Government, so the Bosses are free to exploit the Workers.
In Communism, there is no Government, so the Workers are free to exploit the Bosses.
So in Libertarianism, man exploits man, but in Communism, its the other way around! If all you want to do is have some harmless, mindless fun, go H3RE INST3ADZ0RZ!! Grrr! Fight my Brute, you pansy!
The King listened to Secretary Wright's message and smiled.
"Do thank president Shinra for his kind words, mr. Secretary, and thank you for taking the time to deliver the message. I will, of course, be most glad to see such an esteemed guest. We do, in fact, have plenty of matters to discuss in private."
The secretary and the ambassador were each given a glass of fine Byzantine wine, and seemed please with their warm reception.
"Tell me...:, the King started, changing the topic, "...how does the President feel about manned space exploration? It is one of the bigger issues we plan to touch on during the conference, and I was wondering if we could count on the co-operation of the fine people of the Shinra Republic."
JULY 20TH 1969 - The day the entire world was looking up
It suddenly struck me that that tiny pea, pretty and blue, was the Earth. I put up my thumb and shut one eye, and my thumb blotted out the planet Earth. I didn't feel like a giant. I felt very, very small. - NEIL ARMSTRONG, MISSION COMMANDER, APOLLO 11
Signature dedicated to the greatest achievement of mankind.
MILDLY DERANGED PHYSICIST does not mind BREAKING the SOUND BARRIER, because it is INSURED. - Simon_Jester considering the problems of hypersonic flight for Team L.A.M.E.
The amphibious assault ship CBS Extender arrived in Durfan harbor today and disembarked the 1st Independent Naval Battalion. The unit is made up of Coilerburg Navy personnel trained in infantry fighting and specializing in amphibious operations.
Coilerburg warplanes are also arriving in Indhopal, with the 3rd Strike Squadron and its eight A-10 Thunderbolt IIs being the first unit to land.
The exact reason for the units arrival in Indhopal is uncertain, with Coilerburg military officials refusing to announce details.
A press relaese went out saying that Coilerburg's forces were coming into the country for a joint military exercise under the framework of the FTO. Cables with the highest levels of encryption also went out to the capital's of the other FTO treaty member states.
(FTO members please check PM's. If you didn't get one from me, pleae let me know!)
Slowly, the Shepistani diplomat made the way through the crowd of bodies, seeking his Old Dominion counterpart. After about fifteen minutes of searching, he found him.
Pulling out a white glove that had been filled with ball bearings before hand, he slapped the OD delegate across the cheek, hard, causing him to stagger backwards.
"Sir, I say, that was a very uncouth thing you said about my wife." added the diplomat as cover.
"If scientists and inventors who develop disease cures and useful technologies don't get lifetime royalties, I'd like to know what fucking rationale you have for some guy getting lifetime royalties for writing an episode of Full House." - Mike Wong
"The present air situation in the Pacific is entirely the result of fighting a fifth rate air power." - U.S. Navy Memo - 24 July 1944
"It has come to my attention that many nations are thinking about violating Shepistan's sovereign airspace with their spaceflight programs. Therefore, I, acting as President of Shepistan, do unilaterally declare that Shepistani airspace extends to the exosphere, some 10,000 kilometers above sea level."
"However, I am a rational man, and recognize that such a declaration would choke off peaceful pursuits; henceforth, as part of the "Exospheric" decaration, that peaceful pursuits such as manned spaceflight, can be granted passage rights by the Shepistani Aerospace Defense Command after ADC inspectors have inspcted the craft in question to ensure that it is truly peaceful."
"Thank you, and have a good night."
Last edited by MKSheppard on 2008-08-25 06:55pm, edited 1 time in total.
"If scientists and inventors who develop disease cures and useful technologies don't get lifetime royalties, I'd like to know what fucking rationale you have for some guy getting lifetime royalties for writing an episode of Full House." - Mike Wong
"The present air situation in the Pacific is entirely the result of fighting a fifth rate air power." - U.S. Navy Memo - 24 July 1944
MKSheppard wrote:
Slowly, the Shepistani diplomat made the way through the crowd of bodies, seeking his Old Dominion counterpart. After about fifteen minutes of searching, he found him.
Pulling out a white glove that had been filled with ball bearings before hand, he slapped the OD delegate across the cheek, hard, causing him to stagger backwards.
"Sir, I say, that was a very uncouth thing you said about my wife." added the diplomat as cover.
Foriegn Minister Evan Mironov looked at the Shepistani diplomat. He could have said many thing, perhaps starting with "none of this is REAL Jackhole!" ot "Leave me alone!" Instead:
"Sorry, I forgot you Shepistanis married goats."
"The rifle itself has no moral stature, since it has no will of its own. Naturally, it may be used by evil men for evil purposes, but there are more good men than evil, and while the latter cannot be persuaded to the path of righteousness by propaganda, they can certainly be corrected by good men with rifles."
Lonestar wrote:"Sorry, I forgot you Shepistanis married goats."
His face purpling, Al-Fakim, Assistant Deputy Minister to the Assistant Deputy Defense Minister of Shepistan, pulled out his Haykim, the ceremonial knife that all Shepistanis were required to carry at all times.
He then stabbed Mironov in the chest, twisting the knife several times to maximize the man's pain.
"In Shepistan, we do not fuck goats, we make love to them." replied Al-Fakim.
"If scientists and inventors who develop disease cures and useful technologies don't get lifetime royalties, I'd like to know what fucking rationale you have for some guy getting lifetime royalties for writing an episode of Full House." - Mike Wong
"The present air situation in the Pacific is entirely the result of fighting a fifth rate air power." - U.S. Navy Memo - 24 July 1944
Foreign Minister Evan Mironov, Formerly of the Lone Star Republic, formerly of San Francisco, California, jammed his crystal champagne glass into the man's eye.
"The rifle itself has no moral stature, since it has no will of its own. Naturally, it may be used by evil men for evil purposes, but there are more good men than evil, and while the latter cannot be persuaded to the path of righteousness by propaganda, they can certainly be corrected by good men with rifles."
Al-Fakim screamed and staggered backwards, clutching the ruin of his left eye. As he steadied, he pulled out a concealed carbon-fiber derringer pistol and aimed at at Mironov.
It was at that moment that Fungal Security Services (FSS) men chose to intervene, tackling Al-Fakim; but as they did so; his arm went wide and he reflexively squeezed the trigger on the derringer.
Fortunately for everyone, the shot went wild and hit no one.
Unfortunately for everyone, the shot hit the giant ice crystal mushroom in the center of the room and caused it to fragment explosively into shards of ice which sprayed those closest to the hors d ourvres table.
"If scientists and inventors who develop disease cures and useful technologies don't get lifetime royalties, I'd like to know what fucking rationale you have for some guy getting lifetime royalties for writing an episode of Full House." - Mike Wong
"The present air situation in the Pacific is entirely the result of fighting a fifth rate air power." - U.S. Navy Memo - 24 July 1944
Japanistani Operations in western Velestria "no threat to Republic interests", says State Department.
Reports of Japanistani excursions into western Velestria, including the establishment of territorial claims, have been confirmed in recent reports from the region, not far from regions of economic interest to the Republic. Though some have expressed concern about the insular dictatorship's sudden interest in the "Untamed Continent" the State Department does not believe the Japanistani actions pose a concern to the interests of Cascadia in the region.
Though the State Department has issued such a report, it has not stopped Congress from utilizing the issue in the recent debates on raising the defense budget above its current level of $40 billion. Several Whig Party members have introduced measures to raise defense spending to help further modernize the Air Force and Navy and to expand the Air Force to permit it independent operation in eastern Velestria. Speaking on condition of anonymity, one Defense Department official has stated that even the President is interested in raising the Air Force and Navy budget to permit an upgrading of carrier air wings and the purchase of mid-air refueling craft, though the President and his Cabinent have so far remained silent on the defense budget debates.
”A Radical is a man with both feet planted firmly in the air.” – Franklin Delano Roosevelt
"No folly is more costly than the folly of intolerant idealism." - Sir Winston L. S. Churchill, Princips Britannia
American Conservatism is about the exercise of personal responsibility without state interference in the lives of the citizenry..... unless, of course, it involves using the bludgeon of state power to suppress things Conservatives do not like.
DONALD J. TRUMP IS A SEDITIOUS TRAITOR AND MUST BE IMPEACHED
North Coast of The Untamed Land of Velaria, ruins Free Lungga City
Three Days After Japanistani Occupation
General Sado Tōkairin of the Armies newly formed 1st Expeditionary Army had come ashore across the beach from a landing ship in his K1Sh1 8x8 armored command post vehicle less then an hour before, when he rolled into the still smolder ruins of what had once been the self proclaimed Free Lungga City. It had never been more then a tattered collection of sheet metal and wooden huts, some even build from pieces of wrecked aircraft from a great war.
“What was in this place?” the General asked Lieutenant Colonel Yasuhiko, riding beside him in the command vehicle.
“Home of Doomsday Cultists,” replied the General, “that is what Rathasinger told us, for we captured non of them alive, they took poison first, though a few may have fled into the jungle. When my first platoon approached with weapons slung and an offer of a generator, they opened fire without hesitation, and the town was already rung by a series of small entrenchments. It wasn’t necessary to eliminate the threat to Operation MI with white phosphorous mortar fire. We’ve counted two hundred five bodies so far, from all races and walks of life, some are even escaped salves, but they all bore the same tattoo of an eagle clutching the sun. Captured documents have been sent to the Special Armed Police for identification of this mark.”
“And your own paratrooper losses?” asked Tōkairin.
“Five men died for the Emperor in the initial ambush, three more were killed when a group of Cultists attacked with grenades and knives through the dense jungle during the bombardment. But sir, there is something else.”
“What? You men aren’t falling ill already are they?”
“Rathasinger calls it a man eating ant eater, one of his men said it was a tree dragon, we aren’t sure yet but a creature has killed two men already, dragged off and eaten in half, with the limbs and head left behind.”
“You tell me,” sanpped Tōkairin “that besides failing to overwhelm cultests with a proper ground attack that the Armies finest paratroopers cannot defend themselves from jungle creatures?”
“This is an untamed land, my men how now established several protected encampments and we are teaching the beasts to fear us by shooting at all creatures we see.” Yasuhiko’s claim was not convincing.
“As you know I have twelve thousand men in thirty vessels offshore,” Tōkairin stated. “Two reinforced engineering brigades and an independent mixed brigade of air defence, coast artillery and security infantry troops. Over one hundred heavy pieces of earth moving machinery between them all. I have orders to prepare for the arrival of follow on forces up to fifty thousand strong, and to establish an industrial base from which concrete and lumber can be produced. We will not teach the creatures fear, we will make war on them, wipe them out and push back the jungle… five kilometers in every direction from the airfield for starters!”
“But of course sir,” replied Yasuhiko, wondering about just what else Japanistan’s mechanized assault on the Untamed Continent was going to uncover.. and unleash.
"This cult of special forces is as sensible as to form a Royal Corps of Tree Climbers and say that no soldier who does not wear its green hat with a bunch of oak leaves stuck in it should be expected to climb a tree"
— Field Marshal William Slim 1956
-Cult Leader Suspected in Firebombing
Maurice D’Eau of the Water Worshipers is wanted for conspiracy to commit acts of terror, in response to the firebombing in Thadon Port.
-The Kingdom of Vineyards Officially Seeks entrance into the FUN.
Following a press conference in front of San Dorado’s Statue of Fortune, King Brandon Expressed interest in joining the Fungal/Free Union of Nations, it is unknown what the process for joining is, so the King paid for this story to appear in many newspapers worldwide.
-Anarchists calling for removal of Socialist Candidates on the Senatorial Ballot
In an Appeal to the Supreme Court, Malcolm Chaos ruled that the Socialist Party was not violating any laws, and personally apologized to his party for not finding any loopholes.
-Socialists and Republicans, Merging?
Rumors are flying that the Socialist party, just recently recognized by the SEC, and the Republican Party, the party of the Monarch, King Brandon,
-Japanistan, Officially a Colonial Power in Vinish Textbooks.
With the recent annexation of a Portion of the Untamed Continent, the Vinish Historical Society has decided that this, however long, period of history will be referred to as the Japanistani Colonialism Period, stating that recent actions show that the Japanistanis are now a Colonial Power. Where the Society has gotten their information, they will not reveal.
-Fight breaks out in PeZookia
The Shepistani and Old Dominion are at it again, this time fighting at a diplomatic banquet before the FUN conference in PeZookia.
Office of RISC, <Censored>, <Censored>
Roger Shrubber has had a good life, he was doing well for himself, he had a wonderful family, and he could walk outside his home without getting shot at. Oh, wait no, he was thinking of his life before joining RISC, the command wing of the Royal Intelligence Service, and as everyone knows, you don’t just leave RISC. So he worked his way up to the position he had now, head of RISC. His hierarchal position put him just beneath the King in information, and Roger liked to believe that his other sources were better than his King’s, though his King did benefit from Roger’s sources also.
Roger sifted through the various packets on his desk, until he found the one he was looking for, it was labeled Indhopal, and contained the information sent by the Indhopal government about the current situation. He had flipped through it a few times, but he continued to ignore its presence, the press will pick up on it and blow it, but whatever.
Roger than turned his attention to the reports from the Isolator Highlands, home to the one and only IHSM, the Isolator Highland Separatist Movement. They recently got seven of these guerilla bastards, with the help of the Federated Army and Federated Intelligence, including Mark “Footprints” Vyce a major thorn in the Vinish-Eutopian Intelligence Alliance’s (VEIA) side. This would definitely be a problem for Operation Buffering, but he was confident that Buffering could be deemed acceptable for implementation by 2010. Right on schedule.
Roger looked around his office, at the various items on display, and thought, How do I get myself in these messes.
This is an empty country and I am it's king, and I should not be allowed to touch anything.
Continental Airlines, the co-operative venture created some 25 years ago by Shepistani and Old Dominion businessmen seeking closer ties between their countries has announced it's intention to seek landing slots in Japanistan, Canissia, the IRT, and Cascadia.
In other Continental-related news, with the recent buyout of certain investors by Conrad S. MacMillian, the percentage of stock in Continental owned by the Shepistani and Old Dominion goverments has fallen to 25% and 23.4% respectively.
"If scientists and inventors who develop disease cures and useful technologies don't get lifetime royalties, I'd like to know what fucking rationale you have for some guy getting lifetime royalties for writing an episode of Full House." - Mike Wong
"The present air situation in the Pacific is entirely the result of fighting a fifth rate air power." - U.S. Navy Memo - 24 July 1944
Lady Anethga rejoined the Prime Minister and King Paul. "Shepistanis and Old Dominioners fighting again. It seems I take a piece of home with me wherever I go. " She took a small comb out of her purse, and combed some shards of glass out of her hair. "Having given the matter some thought, I rather think that space research is our best option. The Sovereign just sent me the new budget figures, and we have a hefty surplus demanding to be spent."
Just outside the Eastern territorial waters of Wilkonia and the Shinra Republic
All along the coastlines in question, dozens of RB-56H Stratojets cruised along at 48,000 feet sucking in every electronic emission that was enamanating from the air defense radars and interceptor bases in both Wilkonia and the Shinra Republic. The side mounted cameras also were pointing downwards at an angle deep into the Fourth Continent, snapping away. The photo-recon analysts would be most interested with what they brought back.
This endeavour in turn was being supported by KC-22 Tankers orbiting hundreds of miles away, under the protection of DFB-56J Stratojets, which were armed with a varied mix of anti-air and anti surface ordnance in case shooting started...
"If scientists and inventors who develop disease cures and useful technologies don't get lifetime royalties, I'd like to know what fucking rationale you have for some guy getting lifetime royalties for writing an episode of Full House." - Mike Wong
"The present air situation in the Pacific is entirely the result of fighting a fifth rate air power." - U.S. Navy Memo - 24 July 1944
Outside the main shipping channel of a Major Shinra Naval Base
RSS Jack
"Engines all stop. Engage hovering thrusters," ordered Captain Kuzmina after a quick scan through the periscope showed no hostile craft nearby.
Walking over to his XO; Kuzmina issued the orders that would begin Operation BACKSTOP.
With the twin pumpjets far aft no longer turning, the Jack, with her two natural circulation reactors, fully electric integrated turboelectric drives, and extensive soundproofing, was darker than a hole in the ocean.
Several weeks ago, as they had left port, a lone SSN, most likely a MESS Seawolf, had attempted to track them, and for a while, Kuzmina had let them think that the best that Shepistan could do was something only slightly less noisy than a washing machine.
They'd kept the deception up for a few hours, and then he'd ordered the Noise Enhancer turned off and disconnected from the boat's mains. Hopefully they'd left it running long enough to prepare a satisfactory load of vodka for the ship's crew this time.
Without what was literally a modified washing machine tumbling, the MESS SSN had lost track of the Jack at that moment; and through their Japanistani designed and built twin towed arrays and conformal hull receivers, they could hear the slow gurgle of the SSN's reactor pumps as it flailed away trying to reacquire the Jack, but failing.
Bringing his thoughts to the present, Kuzmina watched on the Status board as the first Multipurpose trunk, of which his boat had ten of, opened silently to the sea.
From within the huge multipupose trunk, some 87 inches in diameter and approximately 556 inches in depth, the first MESS Mark 6 Moored Mine emerged. Dating back to approximately 1932; the Mark 6 had been used extensively by the MESS in their huge mine barriages during World War II, and was still widely used by smaller nations, including the Islamic Republic of Carbombistan.
Each mine contained about 500 lbs of torpex; and each Multipurpose trunk held eight mines, for a total of 80 mines that the Jack was carrying.
Silently, mine after mine rose out of the Jack's trunks, until they were all gone.
As the Jack cleared the area on creep speed, some 15 knots, Kuzmina thought about the plan. It was sheer brilliance, laying old WW2-era MESS mines to drift off one of their major naval bases' shipping channels. Most likely nothing would happen; but the chances were high enough that SOMETHING would hit the old mines, and thus cause a period of intense worry within the MESS over whether any other old mine barriages they had laid sixty years ago had broken their sea anchors and begun to drift.
[OOC, the mines are actual MESS ones, not replicas. We got them at a surplus sale from god knows where, and then subjected them to artificial aging via chemicals so they look like they've been drifting for 60 years]
"If scientists and inventors who develop disease cures and useful technologies don't get lifetime royalties, I'd like to know what fucking rationale you have for some guy getting lifetime royalties for writing an episode of Full House." - Mike Wong
"The present air situation in the Pacific is entirely the result of fighting a fifth rate air power." - U.S. Navy Memo - 24 July 1944
Japanistani actions in Velaria draw consern of Zorian Populace
Olafstad, Olafivia Province-Ten thousand people have gathered to draw attention to Japanistani moves into the continent of Veleria in an attempt to draw attention to the actions. This is just one of numerous demonstrations by various groups. Many are conserned about an attempt by Japanistan to conquer the continent and possible consequences there-of.
"This is an alarming development indeed" said professer Erik Straggson of the University of Olafivia's political department "Japanistan has a collosal military machine and could easily take over a large chuck of the continent in a few short years. This could allow Japanistan to develop the resources for a campaign of World Conquest that a decent number of it's top brass desire."
Among the groups who have taken advantage of this development are various expantionist factions, including the "Commonwealth Now" foundation, who have advocated the creation of various client states on the Eastern Coast of Velaria to increase social stability and economic Prosperity in the region as well as supplying Zoria with valuable new markets, acess to new resources and. Acording to their websight's latest video, the choice Zoria now has to make is to have prosperous stable client states in Velaria or to have Velaria chained under the Yoke of Japanistani Dominion, and eventually turn its sights upon our homeland.
King Leighton-I Arrives at the Shroomanian Summit
At 10:30 Hours local time, King Leighton-I of the United Kingdom of Zoria and his senior diplomatic team arrived safely in Shroomania. While His Majesty and his senior diplomatic team remained tactfully polite, he was reportedly cheered upon arrival by around a dozen tourists, who greated him dressed as War of Independance Era Norse Cavalrymen, Ashigaru Musketeers and Colonial Infantrymen cheering upon the king while saluting him and making a bit of a ruckus as they sung the national anthem and boasted of the Shroomanian Defeat at Zorian hands over two centuries ago.
HAIL ZOR!WE'LL BLOW UP THE OCEAN!
Heros of Cybertron-HAB-Keeper of the Vicious pit of Allosauruses-King Leighton-I, United Kingdom of Zoria: SD.net World/Tsar Mikhail-I of the Red Tsardom: SD.net Kingdoms WHEN ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE ON EARTH, ALL EARTH BREAKS LOOSE ON HELL Terran Sphere The Art of Zor
Presidential Mansion
5 Days after Japanistani Annexation in northern Velestria
The map of the large, mostly untamed continent of Velestria was rolled out on the table in the East Wing Conference Room where the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Secretary of Defense were assembled. The SecDef was a younger man like President Garrett, both men in their late 40s, but unlike Stephen he was a former Navy officer as opposed to an Army draftee. "The Japanistanis have taken a small section of the northwestern coastline here." He pointed to the shape of the western half of Velestria that looked like Australia, indicating the northwestern shore. "The map doesn't show it, but there's a little shanty town named Free Lungga City in the area that some small do-it-yourself mining corporation created." The SecDef tapped a finger there. "From what we can tell, that's why the Japanistani came back. This was, after all, one of their holdings back before the Second Great War." Seeing the President looking almost blanky between him and the map, the SecDef continued, "...Sir?"
That brought Stephen's attention back while a part of him began to wonder if the man's jaw was just right from the old images of his imagination. He nodded to Secretary of Defense Robert Dale and said, "Oh, sorry Robert, I was deep in thought." This man is... was a figment of my imagination was still the reaction he had to his Secretary of Defense, and to quite a number of other senior politicians and members of his Cabinent as well. It seemed that when his mind was used to mold Cascadia, its history, and its personalities, the things in his imagination also creeped in here and there to blend with altered versions of his actual memories. Fighting down that strange sense he got, he asked, "Well, that shantytown can't have much of an impressive port, and aside from the airfield they can't post too much of a threat to shipping in the area or to the local nations yet, can they?"
"No, not for the moment. But it is a development that is forboding. For the last few decades the Japanistani have been busy consolidating their empire in New Sumatra. That they're deciding to expand overseas again..."
"Well, we could always match them, couldn't we?" He looked to his Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Travis Fielder - thankfully someone not from his imagination - and asked, "Isn't the Defiant Combined Op Group at New Olympia now?"
"Yes,' Fielder answered. "I suppose we could land Marines and establish our own base of operations, perhaps to this little bit of land west of al-Itani in Van Halstoff's Land." He indicated a small area jutting out into the water west of the native republic, northeast up the coast from the Japanistani zone. "But it's also quite hostile territory. The jungle begins almost right at the shoreline."
The part of his mind from the man who grew up in this world prompted Stephen to ask, "In the war, didn't the Shinra Republic establish a coastal watch station iin that area?"
"Yes, but it was abandoned. And even with medical science advancement in the past sixty years, I have to say it'll be hellish for any Marines we send in." Fielder looked to Stephen. "I have to say, Mister President, that I'm not entirely confident that there's anything to gain from this. We'll certainly have the potential to spook the Japs and our troops will have to be taking major doses of quinine and other anti-malarials, but unless we find any kind of important resources in the area this is essentially making a military post simple because the Japanistanis are playing around at imperialism."
"That's true." Well, Marina, this is what you warned me about. I give this order and I could be seeing men and women die from jungle diseases or what have you, maybe even run into some killer disease. "Congress is mewling right now about the whole thing. Having Japanistan suddenly begin expanding into this area, not far from the local states where Cascadia has economic interests, is unsettling, I'll agree." He looked up. "General Jiang?"
General Jiang Gimlin, the Army's Chief of Staff, was a Jieshi native who rose his way through the Army by showing a crafty sense of strategy both in simulated combat and in the boardroom politicking that marked a peacetime military's upper echelons. "If you're asking for the deployment of Army forces, many of the younger officers would be very pleased, "Jiang remarked. "We have not had major overseas operations in over twenty years. 2nd Division is currently stationed in el-Barami and units from one if its brigades could reinforce the Marines. It will take some time by sea, of course. We would either need to arrange sealift from the merchant marine or fly transport aircraft and currently the Air Transport Command is at home."
Cascadian Air Force General Walter Masters, the CAF's Chief of Staff, confirmed his peer's remark with a nod.
"We know it'll take time to get an airfield set up, even if we find the Shinra Republic's old site," DefSec Dale remarked, finger on the map. "I would suggest we just go with sealift."
"Can we get a battalion of the Airborne Brigade out there?", Stephen asked, remembering now that it was assigned to Fort Hall in the Yukon. "Maybe even the entire brigade until we can arrange an arifield for conventional air transport with our C-17s."
"It'll take us a bit, honestly. We'll have to arrange for refueling tankers to be near the edge of their range and meet with the T-12s. There is the Kingdom of Serenity, they may permit us overflights and temporarily allowing our tankers to base from Ketagaran as I doubt they're any happier of this Japanistani development."
"I'll have the State Department make the arrangements and start looking into further agreements with the al-Itani on our position there and cooperation regarding Japanistani movements," Stephen remarked. "I intend to bring the solution to Congress tomorrow as well. But go ahead and send the signal to Defiant, her Ops Group is to depart for Van Halstoff's Land and begin preperations immediately."
The next day
In the end it was not the President himself, too busy as he was with affairs of state, but Defense Secretary Robert Dale who presented the Congress with the President's decision that the best way to respond to the Japanistani annexation of land in Northwestern Velestria was to establish a Cascadian military presence to the northwest, at Van Halstoff's Land near al-Itani, where the Defiant Combined Operations Group was heading with the 2nd Marine Brigade. Rented sealift ships would be following soon to deliver the materials to clear jungle and build an airfield and the rest of a base in the baking tropical sun of northern Velestria.
He was busy with paperwork when the call came in for him, announcing that both houses of Congress had passed resolutions supporting the President's decision, including an emergency budget arrangement to pay for the cost of setting the facility up.
The next thing, of course, was to wait to see if the Kingdom of Serenity would permit temporary refueling tanker basing at Ketagaran to promote the establishment of the Cascadian facility there. Then they would arrange for the Airborne troops to be brought in while sealift was arranged for a conventional Army unit, permitting the Marines to re-embark the Cascadia and San Magdalena in time for the Defiant COG to return to Bremerton for her R&R cycle.
This is dangerous he thought to himself. What if I'm sparking another round of land-grabbing? What if... what if.... Various possibilities went through his head, interrupted by the call from Mrs. Rawlings that came over his intercom. "Mr. President, the First Lady called. She wanted to know if you wanted to go out to dinner tonight."
"Sophia," he sighed. He'd been avoiding her, using her time back home as a way to get used to this new dual identity, but she was back in Adams. And she was his wife that at least one half of him was very, very in love with. The other half, of course, was still very amused at her similarities to another figure from his pre-game imagination. Hrm, well, Sophia al-Razma, as opposed to Razmara. Wasn't quite expecting that, I figured it'd be someone else. He smirked and hit the intercom. "Dinner would be good," he answered. "I'll have the Security Service alerted and arrangements made."
Last edited by Steve on 2008-08-26 02:11am, edited 1 time in total.
”A Radical is a man with both feet planted firmly in the air.” – Franklin Delano Roosevelt
"No folly is more costly than the folly of intolerant idealism." - Sir Winston L. S. Churchill, Princips Britannia
American Conservatism is about the exercise of personal responsibility without state interference in the lives of the citizenry..... unless, of course, it involves using the bludgeon of state power to suppress things Conservatives do not like.
DONALD J. TRUMP IS A SEDITIOUS TRAITOR AND MUST BE IMPEACHED
Presidential Complex, Anchorage, Republic of Alaska
"So as you can see Mister President, the fishing Vessel "Kenai Queen" was caught in the exclusion zone at approximately 1000 Local time by the patrol Craft King Salmon. The crew was observed jettisoning there cargo before being boarded."
The Commander continued "We are preparing a document to the Cascadian and Tain Xian governments informing them of our operations intercepting the vessel. As far as we can tell, they had not been in the exclusion zone for long."
"We were lucky to see them at all." The General in charge of Air Defense interjected. "The only reason we did was that we had a pair of Global Hawks up teamed with E-Stars, which was tracking what we thought was a Shepistani flight."
"General," President Timotheous asked "How do we intend to tell them how we spotted the ship, without exposing the fact that we have Global Hawks?"
"That mister President is simple, we inform them that the spotting was done via a Turbo-Catalina"
"Very Well then. Send the note, as for me, I need some sleep. See you all in the morning"
A flurry of "Good Night Mister President"s were said as the meeting adjourned.
"I believe in the future. It is wonderful because it stands on what has been achieved." - Sergei Korolev
"Admiral, the Emperor is busy now, but he wanted to talk to you about expanding the base presence in Arabia," said Basilleus.
The Admiral whistled. "That is going to cost a lot of money, and it will take a year at best to have the base up and ready. You are looking to base a Comitatenses Legion there along with some air assets?"
"Yes. We already have a naval supply yard there for our ships to dock and refuel. The Emperor is concerned about the security of the region and wants to.. ensure the security of the oil trade."
"The Egyptians will not be happy."
"The Egyptians be damned. We know that they have been supplying pirates and rousing all manners of religious hell against us. This is in response to possible threats to our interests."
"Understood. But you know, we might need to buy more fighters, if we still want to deal with a bomber raid."
"The Emperor has been giving thought to a joint air defence network. Perhaps that will alleviate some of our problems. He does intend to talk to MESS members about purchasing F-22 aircraft."
"We might be better off with an indigenous aircraft or one designed with our neighbours."
"In the interim, the F-22 is more than good enough. And it's a bloody expensive aircraft as it is."
"Alright, I'll set things in motion."
STGOD: Byzantine Empire Your spirit, diseased as it is, refuses to allow you to give up, no matter what threats you face... and whatever wreckage you leave behind you.
Kreia
(OOC: Goddamn, Shep, the party was held in PeZookia, not Shroomania! )
The Shepistani consul was the only diplomatic representative the third-world country had in PeZookia. Since there was no Ambassador, the consul rightly expected to be called in for a...chat with the King himself after that embarrasing incident during the pre-conference banquet.
He did not, however, expect to be patted down before being let into the Royal Palace, stripped of his ceremonial knife and other weapons, and escorted into the Office by not one, but two burly BOR bodyguards.
"What is the meaning of this?!", he demanded, furious, upon seeing the king.
"Consul, I should be the one asking that question. Sit.", the King pointed to one of the armchairs that adorned the Royal Office. The Consul didn't take the invitation.
"This is a disgrace. I am a foreign diplomat!", he said instead.
The King removed his glasses, taking his time to neatly fold them and put them on his desk.
"So was Evan Mironov, who is currently in Orena Metropolitan Hospital in critical condition. Shepistanis apparently do not treat foreign diplomats, or their hosts with any particular grace - so you will not be extended any in turn."
The King pointed his silver pen at the Consul and looked him in the eyes.
"Now, I demand an explanation for that incident. Why did your representative smuggle a firearm into a diplomatic function?"
JULY 20TH 1969 - The day the entire world was looking up
It suddenly struck me that that tiny pea, pretty and blue, was the Earth. I put up my thumb and shut one eye, and my thumb blotted out the planet Earth. I didn't feel like a giant. I felt very, very small. - NEIL ARMSTRONG, MISSION COMMANDER, APOLLO 11
Signature dedicated to the greatest achievement of mankind.
MILDLY DERANGED PHYSICIST does not mind BREAKING the SOUND BARRIER, because it is INSURED. - Simon_Jester considering the problems of hypersonic flight for Team L.A.M.E.
"Now, I demand an explanation for that incident. Why did your representative smuggle a firearm into a diplomatic function?"
"First, Because of the danger of assassination from rogue anarcho-capitalist-commie-drug elements, which have made attempts on our ambassadors in the past."
"Secondly, because he could."
"If scientists and inventors who develop disease cures and useful technologies don't get lifetime royalties, I'd like to know what fucking rationale you have for some guy getting lifetime royalties for writing an episode of Full House." - Mike Wong
"The present air situation in the Pacific is entirely the result of fighting a fifth rate air power." - U.S. Navy Memo - 24 July 1944
MKSheppard wrote:
"First, Because of the danger of assassination from rogue anarcho-capitalist-commie-drug elements, which have made attempts on our ambassadors in the past."
"Secondly, because he could."
"Yes, I'm sure a ceramic Derringer pistol would've saved him from an assassination attempt which could penetrate into the heart of a massive building crawling with security officers."
The King put his pen down.
"Consul, I really expected some sort of penance for this incident, but it's clear this speech is a waste of time. Expect Mr. Al-Fakim to be stripped of diplomatic immunity and tried for attempted murder - or actual murder, should Mironov die - and every Shepistani diplomat from now on to be searched for hidden weapons before being admitted into the presence of anyone important."
"Also, my assistant has some outstanding parking tickets you've managed to accumulate with your official limousine. I expect you to pay them in full."
Before the Consul could protest, the king looked back towards his laptop screen, and put his glasses back on.
"This conversation is over. Thank you for your time."
JULY 20TH 1969 - The day the entire world was looking up
It suddenly struck me that that tiny pea, pretty and blue, was the Earth. I put up my thumb and shut one eye, and my thumb blotted out the planet Earth. I didn't feel like a giant. I felt very, very small. - NEIL ARMSTRONG, MISSION COMMANDER, APOLLO 11
Signature dedicated to the greatest achievement of mankind.
MILDLY DERANGED PHYSICIST does not mind BREAKING the SOUND BARRIER, because it is INSURED. - Simon_Jester considering the problems of hypersonic flight for Team L.A.M.E.
Getting up from his seat, the consul coughed, and left to make a call home.
Pezookian Embassy, Shepistan - 15 minutes later
The Pezookian guards at the gate watched in disbelief as a Special Republican Guard Snow Wolf MBT rumbled up to the gate and pointed it's 125mm smoothbore directly at the gatehouse. Next to the tank, others like it, and BMP-3 IFVs rumbled up; disgorging troops. Within minutes, the entire Pezookian Embassy in Shepistan was surrounded by a iron ring of troops that was growing tighter by every second.
Overhead, aircraft cut contrails through the sky on call in case it was needed.
Army House, Shepistan
General Sheppard picked up the phone and waited until the direct connection had been made with the godless infidel who called himself a King and cleared his throat.
"My dear King, it wasn't very bright to take hostages from my diplomatic delegation in your country, when I have dozens of hostages right here..."
"If scientists and inventors who develop disease cures and useful technologies don't get lifetime royalties, I'd like to know what fucking rationale you have for some guy getting lifetime royalties for writing an episode of Full House." - Mike Wong
"The present air situation in the Pacific is entirely the result of fighting a fifth rate air power." - U.S. Navy Memo - 24 July 1944
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