Mordent (CLOSED, GD Only)

[Morrdh]

Wenwick Street Police Barracks, Lindun

Sergeant Arthur 'Artie' Wilson yawned and rubbed his eyes as he groggily climbed out of bed, a glance at the clock told him it was after six o'clock and the lightening sky outside confirmed it was dawn. The canteen wouldn't be open for another hour or so and he wasn't due on duty for a few more hours, running low on tobacco and knowing a cafe that opened extra early he decided to pop out for a couple of hours. A quick wash and then down to the Duty Desk to sign out and get a vehicle chit, nodding to the Special Constables coming off the night shift and no doubt looking forward to the warmth of their own beds.

A short while and a couple of forms signed later, he was driving down Wenwick Street itself in a Royal Mordent Constabulary marked Land Rover. A few soldiers of the Imbrinium Occupation Force were about at this early hour, though mostly manning checkpoints like the one Artie was waved through onto Kensbury Road after a brief stop. He pulled up outside a newsagents owned by a Mordentish family, who had plenty of trade from the RMC policemen as well as the locals. The shopkeeper's eldest daughter was a fine looking lass who toyed with many a man's hearts and often had them buying more then they had planned to, though recently she had caught the eyes of some of the Imbrinium soldiers as well. Fortunately it was the girl's sour-faced mother who was serving and Artie spent little time in buying a newspaper and a pouch of tobacco, then hastily left after paying.

Once back outside he spied a lad doing something to the underside of his Land Rover, he called out a warning and then gave chase when the lad made a run for it. Artie soon lost the lad after he had ran down a nearby alley and he knew better than to go in alone, quite a few RMC constables learned that lesson the hard way. Shaking his head he started to make his way back to the Land Rover when he noticed one of two things; a strong smell of petrol and a puddle beneath the vehicle that wasn't there before. Realization dawned on him as he turned to run to warn the soldiers at the checkpoint before the vehicle exploded.

[Imbrinium]

Lindun:
At IAFM (Imbrinium Armed Forces Mordent) HQs of the 3rd brigade of the 36th IDCTMSOC things were going pretty good this morning. The commander Col. Callimaco Boni was sitting down for his morning tea and looking over the reports from the day before and the night shift. The Island of Mordent was a flurry of activity since the Crown took over, there were three new power plants being built along with a phone system, water treatment plants, a modern civilian airport, the old was being replaced by the new, they never was are now being built, Mordent was being brought into the 21st century. Of course there were problems there never seemed to be enough time in the day project where being delayed due to supplies and simple things like enough water and power. The roads where starting to fall apart due the traffic of military and civilian vehicles.

The commander had to sit in on town hall meetings every week to see what the complaints where, it was mostly the older folks talking about the noise and the traffic. There had been some complaints about stuff being stolen and power going out due to lines being put up but everything seemed to be going well.

On Kensbury Rd:
A squad of IAFM soldiers where manning the last few hours of a long boring night at checkpoint 26. These checkpoints where manned 24/7 with men being on duty for 12hrs of course there were enough soldiers to break up the 12hrs but still there wasn’t anything to do at night on this island. And with 10 full divisions stationed here even if they where aloud to partake in and bars on this island it would be so packed there wouldn’t be enough of anything to go around. Besides between checkpoint duty and foot patrols no one was allowed to walk around unless on official business. The fobs had pubs and stuff to do but there was only so much you could do on a FOB.

The was though on this checkpoint a store with a nice looking girl in which everyone that was unmarried tried to flirt with and even some married soldiers too. It was earlier and the only people awake were the store keeps and the milkman doing his normal thing. Traffic was starting to pick-up from nothing to one to two cars about every ten minutes or so. The IAFM soldiers waved through a RMC vehicle, the RMC was the police force left in place to help with bringing the country from the 50s to the 21st century. Most of the RMC worked with the MP units and soon would be getting new gear and vehicles. The RMC land rover stop and the store and the officer got out and walked in. a few minutes past and guy acted like he dropped something under the truck and was trying to get it. Was the officer walked out the store he spooked the guy and he took off, not knowing what was going on three IAFM soldiers started to walk over to the vehicle as the RMC officer gave chase and then stopped and walked back. The officer smiled and waved at the soldier and gave the what was that all about as he approached his vehicle, the officer looked down and then shouted out to the soldiers but it was too late the Land rover exploded knocking all three of the soldiers off their feet they where only about 10 ft away when the truck blew. The officer died instantly along with one of the soldiers. The squad leader picked up his PRC and called it in.

“Watchdog base this watchdog 62 there has been a car bombing at grid DG16 3456-9749 three soldiers and RMC down need medivac and QRF!”

“Roger Watchdog 62 in route”

And with that two medical helicopters and their escort took off from the airfield, while the QRF where running to their trucks.
Back on kensbury Rd at checkpoint 26 the rest of the squad dragged their fellow soldiers away from the burning truck and tried to get to the RMC officer but he was gone. They gave first aid to their buddies but they soon found out that one guy had died instantly. The gunner in the squad’s truck stopped everyone from getting close as the area was shut down.

Within about 10mins the medivac was on scene and packaged the two badly burned and injured men. And about 5 minutes later the QRF shows up and locks everything down the within a three block area. The call was made to brigade HQ and they were told what had happen, the battle captain quickly informed the Col.

“Ok guys stay calm this isn’t our first time at war let’s stay focus and develop the situation. I want three blocks shutdown get those guys some air cover out there. Get the commander of the RMC here now”

With those words the personal in the Tactical Operations Center (TOC), personal grab phones and radios and started getting what the commander wanted.

Col. Boni “Pass the word to higher that one of our checkpoints was attacked and we have wounded and KIAS”
And with that the news traveled up the chain of commands. At the Joint Operations Center (JOC) at the now being rebuilt airbase. The IIA and the SAS unit commanders where interested in what had happen cause there had been no known attacks or plans of attacks since the Crown took over. After going over paper work and talking to prisoners and talk to the RMC there was information out there that supported a group or groups acting against the RMC and the nation of Morrdh. The command wanted to know was this a random attack or a planned attack on IAKM.

On Kensbury Rd armored vehicles rolled in and more troops showed up doing heavy street patrols with heavily armed combat troops. Most checkpoints in the city where closed and all of them leading out of the city where closed. Combat helicopters and patrol helicopters where flying all over the city. It was only a matter of time before the person or persons for this terrorist act.

[Morrdh]

Central Railway Station Lindun

Porter Jim Harrison sighed as he pushed the cart loaded with parcels down the station's platform, despite Mordent now being occupied it was still business as usual and the 0730 to Port Victoria still had to depart on time with the mail bound for the northern side of the island. He reached the carriage just behind the locomotive where the train's guard was waiting to load the parcels when a man dressed like a postman hurried down the platform waving his arm. "Hey up! Ye forgots one mate!"

"What are you on about?" Asked Harrison. "This train's gotta leave soon!"

"Parcel ye plonker, there was one left in me van."

"Alright mate, chuck it over." Harrison shrugged after sharing a look with the guard.

"Here, still gots the rest of me round ta do lad." The postmen replied before storming off.

"What was that all about?" Harrison asked the guard after the man had left.

"Dunno if ye ask me lad...." Answered the guard as he gently placed an ear to the parcel and listened for a moment. "Sounds safe, buts ye can't be too sure lad."

"Right, lets gets the rest of these parcels loaded."

~ ~ ~

Midfast Yard, RMC HQ, Lindun

"Sir." Called out an officer hastily barging through the door to Inspector-General Harold Crompton. "Theres been a bombing on Kensbury Road, one officer down and two Imbriniums injured. Though the Imbriniums have the area locked down, though the fire brigade is arriving on the scene as we speak."

"Arse." Was Crompton's initial reply before sighing. "Right, sign out a Shorland lad and I'll pop over."

"Yes sir."

[Imbrinium]

Lindun Mordent:
As the IAFM units both in vehicles and on foot locked down the area around Kensbury Rd, the theater HQ was active with the news of the bombings. Reports of underground gangs against the government of Morrdh where reported before the war. The commanding General Costante Zito was the theater commander and after reading the reports for the mornings bombing and the dated reports from the RMC it was clear that an insurgency was on the way.

After talking to the divisional and brigade commanders the orders where clear, Combat outpost and patrol bases would now be placed all around Mordent. Armed patrols and in all major towns and villages. The counterintelligence and IIA units would be conducting investigation into finding the members of the insurgency groups before they strike again.

All over Mordent air mobile units where being brought up to speed and kept as a quick reaction force to respond any trouble spots. Light armored units would patrol in force in the country side and in the towns. Infantry units would set up platoon size bases inside the cities and towns in buildings.

Within hours the number of troops out on patrol tripled, engineers where now loading huge concrete T barriers on flatbed trucks to setup around buildings and RMC stations. Some streets would be shut down to vehicle traffic due to the threat of VBIEDs.

[Morrdh]

Jumpin' Jack Flash - Rolling Stones

'This is the MBC Home Service, here is the news at ten o'clock;

Just after dawn this morning Occupied Lindun was rocked by a series of explosions believed to have been caused by anarchists, whilst no official confirmation has been made by the IAFM Commander, casualties were reported but the extent is currently unknown. Martial Law has now been universally imposed across the island of Mordent, with travel highly restricted and monitored. No statement has been made at this time by either the Morridane or Imbrinium governments, though one is expected later today.

In other news, Her Majesty Queen Lothwyn II is to depart soon on a goodwill tour of Greater Dienstad and the Space Ministry's Auderdine in the New Garrack Republic is expected to become fully operational by the end of this month. More on these stories and other events at midday.'

~

IAFM HQ, Lindun

As he drove along in his RMC Shorland armoured car, Inspector-General Harold Crompton couldn't help but be impressed by the speed which the Imbriniums were reacting in response to the bombings. Whilst the Morridanes had been largely effective at keeping the peace before they got kicked out, they weren't as well equipped as the Imbriniums and Crompton couldn't really fault them for that. He'd served alongside some pretty decent Morridane commanders and came to see them as comrades-in-arms, though being the new kids on the blocks the Imbriniums still had to prove themselves. If found wanting Mordent could descend into chaos, Crompton prayed that it wouldn't be the case as he slowed and came to a halt at an IAFM checkpoint. Quickly presenting his papers, he called out. "Inspector-General Crompton, I'm here to see your commander!"

~

0730 to Port Victoria

The train had made good progress since leaving Lindun, at least until it got halted by the signalman at South Ditching Junction some miles to the north-east of the city. Word had been sent down the wire of the bombings and that the train would be halted at the next station to be inspected by Imbrinium soldiers, the delay would cost him time the driver mused and given how things were there wasn't much he could really do about it. Sighing he gently eased the throttle as the signal cleared in front of him and the diesel locomotive roared as it rolled forwards, hauling its passenger train behind it. The train was roughly midway through the Linton Tunnel when the parcel bomb in the leading carriage exploded short of its intended target, the bridge over the River Lin just beyond the tunnel. Confined into a small space, the explosion wrecked the locomotive and destroyed the first two carriages with the fireball spreading in both directions killing dozens more as the tunnel itself partially collapsed from the blast.

[Imbrinium]

Theater HQ:

At what use to be a royal house or a house of a rich person the 100 acres with the huge house on it made a perfect HQ, it was just outside the city limits of Lindun and was now being reinforced just in case of an attack by underground forces. The checkpoints at the entrance where now guarded by armored vehicles. At the gate a RMC shorland approached the checkpoint and presented his papers and ID stating that he was Inspector-General Harold Crompton and was here to see the commander. The gate called over the radio and told the watch commander who was at the door. After about 5 minutes or so the watch commander showed up in an open top land rover. A captain step out of the passenger’s side and walked toward the inspector.

“Sir I’m Captain Armida Bruno of the RIAFM I’m here to take you to see Field Marshall Oreste Calabresi”

As the inspector stepped out of his shorland and walked with the female captain to see the supreme commander of all IAFM. The drive up was quite with only the military radios in the truck talking with radio traffic from the command to the other units in Mordent. Once they arrived at the huge old Chateau, there where military personal doing their daily routine. The captain escorted the inspector passed the open rooms filled with computers, radios and screens with soldiers walking back and forth working. The captain approached a chair outside of an study now turned into an office the captain told inspector Crompton to wait outside till called back. The captain wait alongside the inspector till a young soldier came out of the office and told the two that field Marshall Oreste Calabresi would see the inspector in fifteen minutes.

Within about ten minutes later what looked like to be high ranking officers entering the office. About five minutes after that a young soldier opened the oak door and called the inspector in.

Once in the offices stood at attention till the field Marshall told the gentlemen in the room to stand at ease. The field Marshall walked over and introduced himself to inspector Crompton.

“Inspector –General Crompton I’m finally glad to meet you I hate that it couldn’t have been under better conditions”

“Since you’re here and this meet was already planned I’m going to have you stand in and ask you for your input after we have our meeting.”

“I’d like to start off my everyone introduce yourselves to the inspector and what division and sector you’re in starting with the highest ranking.”

A general wearing solid green uniform stood up.

“I’m General Bonaventura Mazzanti of the Royal Marines I’m second in command here and the commander over the marine forces on Mordent.”

Other marine officers stood up.

“I’m Major General Duilio Buccho of the 42nd Marine Expeditionary Division and I’m in command of sector 2”

“I’m Major General Artemio Udinesi of the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Division and I’m in command of sector 4”

The last officer with solid green battle dress uniform stood up.

“I’m Major General Ivana Capon of the 40th Marine Expeditionary Division and in command of sector 5 and the only female general in theater.”

After the marines introduced themselves the highest ranking Army General all of them wearing multi-cam uniforms.

“I’m Lieutenant General Bonaventura Padovesi of the Royal army I’m in command of the 9th infantry division and in charge of sector 1, with me am Brigadier Generals;

Lorenzo Milano of the 36th Infantry Division (Wheeled) (Special Operations Capable) and command of sector 3

Antonio Milani of the 62rd (The Royals Own Lancers) Cavalry Division (Wheeled) (Special Operations Capable) and command of sector 6”

Abramo Panicucci of the 8th Air Mobile Division (Special Operations Capable) of a separate division.

Callisto Endrizzi of the 192nd Logistics and support divisions in charge of supply for all of the theater forces.

Primo Rizzo of the 18th Engineering Division in charge of building operations on mordent.

Alceo Milano of the 4th Engineering Division in charge of building support operations on mordent.

“Now that we’ve all been introduced let’s get on with the business of this meeting. There terror attack this morning will be touched on in a few minutes. As you know and have seen inspector there is a lot of building going on this building is basically rebuilding mordent’s infrastructure from the ground up.”

“We are building six airports in mordent to add to the military airbase already in country. Three airports will be airbases and the others will be join bases both civilian and military. We are also planning a highway system for mordent.”

“We have big plans for the RMC too, we are going to retraining, reequip, and double the number of members. We are planning to retrain your current staff in modern law enforcement and counter terrorism, to include computer skills and firearms training. We are going to reequip your force with new light vehicles and trucks and new armored vehicles. After the first ten months of this we will start your first class of new recruits and within twenty four months we should have doubled your force.”

“The first thing is to do full background checks of your people to make sure they are on the right side of the law”

“That inspector brings us to our current problem the bombing this morning. Tell me inspector what the terror group’s strength? Who is there leader? How much intelligence do you have that isn’t wrote down?”

“Inspector the Crown is planning on making this a Realm of the Crown, with that a local government will be setup we can only do that with your help. The Crown doesn’t want slaves, we want a semi-democratic government under the leadership of the Crown, but govern there day to day nation on their terms.”

Miles away high above Mordent:
A drone flying high over the country side picks up a black plume of smoke coming from the railroad area. The pilot of the drone turns for a closer look a couple of minutes later the long range camera on the drone zoomed in and saw civilians gathered around the sides of the tracks and others help more people out of the train. The drone’s pilot reported what was going on to his command. Within minutes the information was being passed up the chain of commands. Within about 10 minutes or so the info was handed off to a soldier in the theater command center and rushed to the general’s office. The general broke the news to his command staff and order the response.

Within about ten minutes after the drone spotted the smoke and fire in the tunnel, the warning order went out to the forwarded operating bases and rescue and armed aircraft where spun up and in the air within minutes. The first to respond was twelve MV-22Cs and AV-22Ds as escort took out with medical teams and soldiers to secure the area. They would be on the scene within 15 minutes.

[Morrdh]

RIAFM HQ

Crompton listened patiently as each officer was introduced in turn and dismissed the incorrect usage of his own rank, they were here to talk business not formalities. He frowned as the Imbriniums detailed their plans for Mordent, though he thought best to keep his opinions on the matter to himself. Eventually it has his turn to speak. "You have to be aware that Mordent has always been a troubled place and probably always will be, much of the troubles dates back to even before my Great Grandfather was born. The Commonwealth, despite its faults, did what it could to stem the problem of two ethic groups that quite simply loathe each other with a passion."

"Most of the RMC is recruited from the mainland, most ex-military types, with the volunteer Special Constables and a number of full time officers actually being natives. I myself grew up in the Highlands here, did my National Service in the Morridane Army before joining the force as a young constable and worked my up as a Special Branch officer. Each member of the RMC, full time or volunteer, undergoes a background check conducted by Special Branch and military intelligence."

"As for this morning's bombings, problem is that there is more than one group active on Mordent....most of which are paramilitaries drawn up on ethic, political or regional lines. Special Branch gathers as much information as it possibly can on each and every group, all of which is stored either as files or computer punchcards. I'm aware copies existed on the mainland and in the record offices of the Mordent Assembly."

Morrdun, Capital of the Unified Commonwealth

"I'm sorry Your Majesty, but I really must ask it is really wise to do so?" Asked Prime Minister Edmund Vermilion. "Are you even sure the Imbriniums can guarantee your safety?"

"If it wasn't for that stupid war of yours we wouldn't be in this mess!" Queen Lothwyn snapped back. "Somebody has to do something to repair the Commonwealth's damaged reputation and you're the last person I want to do that."

"Going it alone eh?" Vermilion replied as he arched an eyebrow.

"I have my own bodyguard, at least they haven't let me down."

"Touché Your Majesty, though can I hazard a guess it also relates to the succession of suitors that you've brutally rejected?"

"No you certainly can not!" Replied Queen Lothwyn. "Whilst I generally do as Duty commands me so, there are points where I draw the line. I shall be visiting Mordent and thats final!"

[Imbrinium]

The first arriving MV-22s landed with highly equip soldiers rushed out to secure the area. A few minutes later the rest of the MV-22s came in with medical crews and started to treat the wounded and interviewing the people that where ok about who was left on the train. The severely wounded where loaded quickly onto the MV-22s and took off to the closest military trauma centers.
Minutes later coming into sight was a large formation of cargo helicopters mostly EC725s and AS532s these copters landed quickly and loaded more wounded and passengers that weren’t in juried to transport them the bases to be debrief and treated.

Teams from the SADSOG and IAA and the SAS where pouring over the files and computer files of persons that the RMC thought where on the terrorist groups. These intelligence teams where coming up a list of possible members with the highest threat.
As the lists where being made and rechecked teams were preparing to conduct raids that night on the highest threats on the lists. These teams where highly trained in counter-terror and coin operations. They would be conducted at night due to the threat of friendly personal getting shot and safe for the public.

All around Mordent there air patrols and drones flying everywhere, any vehicle or person acting strange was called in and either ground units or air units would stop them and check them out.

The RMC where being left out of the raids till everyone could be checked out to make sure they were on the side of law and order, and not helping the terror groups.

Theater HQ:
In Field Marshall Oreste Calabresi office the other offices where headed back to their units to conduct operations and continue current operations. The Field Marshall asked the Inspector-General Crompton over to his desk.

“Have a seat sir I’d like to talk to you one on one for a few minutes”

“I know Inspector- General Crompton I know this morning in the meeting was a lot to swallow about the bombing and the lost of one of your men. I want to support you and the RMC as much as I can sir. You’re from this island you were born and raised here you know this land and its people, we need your help and we are willing to help you and your nation grow.”

“I’m sure you’re not happy with the crowns plans for here but even as a Field Marshall I still have to follow orders from my superiors. The crown wants nothing more than to bring Mordent into the 21st century and beyond. Please Crompton I’d like to hear your side of things and what you think.”

[Morrdh]

Linton Tunnel

As the rescue teams advanced further into the railway tunnel, it became apparent the extent of the blast's damage and resultant cave-in of the tunnel. The locomotive and leading carriage were either destroyed by the explosion or buried under tons of rubble and dirt, no way of telling how many people were trapped or even alive. One thing was for certain, the tunnel itself was effectively blocked in both directions and effectively cut the railway line in two.

Theater HQ

Crompton took a seat and spent a moment to form his reply. "Well to be frank I'd rather just bash everyone's heads together and hope that it'll knock some sense into 'em, but that is nothing less than impossible."

"The root problem here as I said is the two ethic groups, the Gorkas and the Mordentish. Effectively its two nations forced to be one and its simply not possibly just to separate the two, both form the foundations of Mordent and have done so for generations. Though at the same time community spirit isn't lacking, folk get along when they're on an equal footing and those that don't were branded troublemakers and thrown in a cell to cool their heels. Its a question of striking the balance that makes Mordent work, the Commonwealth tried that but gave up and brought its own lot in to run the show. Course First Minister MacBain's policies and his cronies in the Assembly certainly didn't help matters."

"Alot of folk round here are pretty set in their ways, though they'd be open to gradual change long as they're part of it. Something to encourage folk to work together and improve their lot might work, but I can't say fer certain."

[Imbrinium]

Theater HQs:

As the Field Marshall Oreste Calabresi and Inspector- General Crompton talked about the day’s meetings and how to keep the days bombings from growing into a full blown insurgency. An officer knocked on the door and the field Marshall’s aid opened the door and took the letter from the officer and walked over to the field Marshall. Calabresi read the letter and sat back into his chair.
“Well Inspector-General I want you to take a ride with me to Linton Tunnel there has been another bombing and I’m afraid it’s pretty bad”

Calabresi aid walked out to have his helicopter ready when he’s ready. Within a few minutes the two gentlemen walked out and got into a jeep for the short ride to the landing pad. Once there the gentlemen were rushed onto the helicopter and put on their headsets, inspector-general needed a little help putting on the headsets and secure his lap belt. The crew could tell the inspector had never been on a helicopter before.

As the engine roared to take off speed the inspector’s grip tightened on the seat. The helicopter was full with the field Marshall’s personal security detail. As the helicopter took off with the doors open the inspector could see the countryside for as far as he could see.

Within fifteen minutes the helicopter circled the Linton Bridge and tunnel, the smoke was still thick in the area with the fire still burning deep inside the tunnel. The helicopter slowed and began to hover and slowly descended till the helicopter touched down and the pitch of the engine changed and the blades began to slow, the PSD team got out first and then the Marshall and inspector where told it was safe to exit. As the two officers walked around the area looking at the dead and wounded, as medics worked hard to keep the wounded comfortable till they could be flown out to the combat hospitals.

The field Marshall walked over to the inspector-general looked at him as the field Marshall was holding a little girls doll.
“We have to put an end to this before more innocent people are hurt! There where both Gorkas and the Mordentish on this train, they are both laying here in this field dead and hurt, and for what cause they just in the wrong place at the wrong time? We can stop this.”

The generals walked around for a few more minutes and then they flew back to HQs.

Around Linton:

Counterterrorist/counterinsurgency special operators where sent out to arrest possible terrorists, the SUVs blacked out in the middle of the night with everyone wearing night vision gear. One by one the teams kicked in the doors and threw flash bangs and grabbed the suspects one by one. The suspects were taken to a special operations base where they would be interrogated for information.

[Morrdh]

Linton

Prior to the recent spite of bombings Linton was a sleepy village, located a short way up the Lin River valley and only really noticed by the outside world for its tunnel and bridge over the River Lin itself. It was a close-nit community and so when Imbrinium SpecOps attempted to capture their suspects, they were met by hostility from the locals in the form of an angry mod and local members of the Home Guard defence militia. Despite the crowd's mood they remained relatively peaceful and only really hurled insults at the Imbriniums.

Theater HQ

Inspector-General Crompton was quiet on the flight back from Linton, though despite his thoughts mainly being about the latest bombings there was a nagging feeling in the back of his mind that the Imbriniums had mistook his initial unease and awkwardness for being unfamiliar with helicopters. Whilst that was mostly true, back in the Army during his National Service he had briefly flown on a Huey and found it to have been an awful experience. He was a man who preferred to keep his feet on terra firma, but even he couldn't entirely dismiss the benefit of air power. The RMC itself had a small air section with a pair of Lysanders and a single Antonov An-2 "Colt" on its books, both types had good field performance make it suited for short, unimproved fields which made them the perfect aircraft for the RMC.

~

When he and the Imbinium general arrived back at HQ, a message came through from the Morridane government that Queen Lothwyn was planning on visiting Mordent on a goodwill tour before moving onto Imbrinium itself.

[Imbrinium]

Linton:

The sleepy town of Linton woke up to a massive amount of wheeled armored vehicles, and checkpoints around the city. Since the raids the night before had come under protest the high command ordered marshal law. Hugh eight wheeled tanks with 120mm main guns and other wheeled vehicles with 35mm guns from the cavalry division where stationed in the main city, rubber tracked CV9040s and CV90120s were stationed on the roads in and out of the city. Cavalry recon teams patrolled dirt and gravel roads in and out of the city. Other CRTs setup on hills and high ground to watch over open fields around the city. High above the city and around the city UAVs monitored the area; lower in the skies helicopters patrolled the skies.

The radio and TV news where reporting the raids of the night before and the Imbrinium military now in the city of Linton. The main hospital in Linton had extra military stationed outside of it as IAFM doctors and medical personal helped the mordent doctors and medical personal in learning new tricks of the trade of the modern world.

At the docks the first of the RMCs new armored vehicles arrive, these vehicles would help keep the peace along with the training from the IAFM the new RMC should be a force able to keep the peace.

Theater HQ:

Field Marshall Calabresi was giving his daily video conference briefing, he also passed on the notice of Queen Lothwyn planning or wanting to visit the island. The high command wasn’t too happy to hear of this since with two bombings and arrests and there seemed to be an insurgency growing on mordent.

But the plan was pushed to the crown, the prime minister approved the plan with the knowledge that he would have to make the visit to greet her, but once the king seen the plan he turned down the plan of the prime minister going. The king placed his name as the leader of the crown to visit with the Queen of Morrdh. The kings aids advised against it, but the kings wasn’t having it and told the prime minister to make it so and not to let anyone know of this until his landing on mordent to surprise both the troops and the queen.

The planning was starting in secret but there was a response sent to the crown of Morrdh, saying a government official would meet the queen on her visit.

[Morrdh]

The Canberries - Zombie

Lindun

In the Mordentish capital word had spread quickly of the Imbrinium raids in the wake of the bombings and people were taking to the streets in protest, soon a column was marching its way loudly through the center of the city. The RMC, being accustomed to such events in the past, quickly ordered its officers onto a Standby Order whilst notifying IAFM HQ of the situation. Unarmed constables would be scattered along the route, halting traffic whilst making sure the marchers past without incident. In the past such marches had frequently evolved into riots, something that the RMC had tried hard to avoid with a passive response.

Even so, Riot Teams were being kitted out and placed in Reserve whilst one of the RMC Westland Lysanders was put afloat.

Mordent Highland

Outpost Ink-Sugar was one of dozens setup by the Morridane Army years earlier, small garrisons overlooking crossroads and bridges. They typically held a rifle section for roughly a month, one fireteam always manning it whilst the other went out on patrol of the local area. Everyone had enough rations and ammunition to allow the tiny force to hold out for a week until relieved if they came under attack, something that had occasionally been put to the test. Most were abandoned, with their stores intact, by retreating Morridane soldiers during the Imbrinium invasion and left largely untouched since. Ink-Sugar itself was located a couple of miles south of the town of Moorby on the Lindun road where it met the Fort Bainsbury road from the east, surrounded by the bogs and great moors of the Highlands.

A perfect ambush spot, a fact that wasn't lost on the local militants as they laid in wait for an Imbinium patrol.

[Imbrinium]

Lindun:

At a checkpoint manned by IAFM the soldiers noticed a crowd of civilians about three blocks away, the sergeant over the squad called the platoon sergeant over the radio.

“Sir we have a mob headed our way any they look pissed”

“Roger I’ll be there in a minute”

Within a few minutes a land rover pulled up with a full crew, the PSG got out and looked down the road and then went back to his truck and called the mob to the sector HQ. within minutes the information made its way to the theater HQs. The alert went out and a QRF ran to there vehicles, and aircraft.

The soldiers were told to back out to a fallback position. Within minutes the first QRF units rolled out of their bases and rush to Lindun city center. The airmobile units would be the first on the scene with the scouts being first. Within minutes two UAVs where tasked to do a fly over, the first images showed a large crowd, but no hostile acts. The ground commanders were told to have the QRF to hold outside the city and the airmobile QRF to land outside the city and close it off.

The alert was sent out to the RMC to handle the riots the best they saw fit. The IAFM would be backing them up if needed.

Just outside Moorby:

Just outside the town of Moorby a squad on a patrol in their snatches, this lightly armed patrol job was to secure the area around the road junction. The squad was only ten soldiers the other squads where about ten miles down the road securing another location. One fire team stayed with the vehicles and another squad was told to setup an LP/OP from the high ground to get more of a view of the area.

[Morrdh]

Lindun

The protesters continued to march peacefully, if somewhat loudly, through Commonwealth Square in the heart of the city. It was a prime target for anarchists in the past and as such the RMC kept a very watchful eye on the marchers as well as maintaining blanket protection along the route. To guard against possible car bombs, roads running either side of and intersecting with the route were cordoned off bringing city center traffic to a standstill. With the joint police-military presence it was doubtful that any attacks would take place, but the constables on the ground kept their guard and maintained radio contact as the protesters marched past their position.

A sudden explosion echoing across the city sent the crowds panicking.

Within moments the radio channels were flooded with a stream of messages as RMC officers reported in to get confirmation of the situation. It had been a house in the north of the city, came the first of a series of official transmissions. Just off the northern ring road, half a mile east of the main railway line north and the railyards.

Outside Moorby

"We gots a patrol headin' our way lads!" Hissed a call inside the outpost. "Soldiers I tells yer!"

"Let 'em have it!"

~

Without warning small arms fire opened up on the Imbrinium soldiers, along with sniper fire that was a little too close for comfort.

[Imbrinium]

Lindun:

As the reports of the explosion echoed over the radios both with the RMC and the IAFM, higher headquarters order the UAV from to the north of the city and ground units to secure the area.

Within minutes a squad made the scene and started helping the civilians that where injured by the blast, the house that blew up was full involved in smoke and flames.

Mordent fire and rescue where making the scene and started to fight the fires that where spreading quickly to the other homes. The IAFM squad called for medical support and air evac of the severely injured.

The UAV flying high over the scene recorded and sent the images back to headquarters. Headquarters order an investigation team to find out what caused the explosion.

Lindun road:

The fire team where about half way to the crest of the hill, when automatic gun fire along with a sniper rounds hitting three out of the five man team killing two of the soldiers on impact, the other soldier was injured severely with three rounds in him. The two left opened fire and called down to the other team that on the sound of gun fire turned and took cover. The gunner on the snatch opened fire with a burst of machine gun fire. The team on the hill was pinned down and nowhere to move to get to better cover or back down the hill. The squad on the snatches called the ambush to higher and requested QRF and air support. Higher HQs called back and said QRF would be twenty minutes out and air support was a no go due to not having any aircraft on station. The squad Sgt called the other squad to come in and help; within minutes the squad was on their way to help squad 3/5.

[Morrdh]

Lindun

Word soon got round that the explosion may have been an 'Own Goal', a bomb exploding prematurely and in this instance killing its makers. The RMC's Special Branch also managed to dig up information that the address was previously used as a terrorist safehouse, but conflicting documents placed the house as being under the ownership of half a dozen different people. Wary of hidden booby traps from past experience the RMC notified their Imbrinium counterparts of the possible threat and by nightfall a crowd of spectators had gathered whilst the Constables' best efforts to keep the public well away from the site.

Lindun Road

As suddenly as it had begun, the shooting suddenly ceased as the gunmen dispersed and scattered to the four winds. Occasional pop-shots from multiple directions were fired to throw off the soldiers and to divide their own return fire. Another pair of gunmen ambushed the QRF squad with a brief volley of rifle fire and grenades before hastily withdrawing, mainly to drive home why the previous Morridane soldiers once stationed here had called it Bandit Country.

~ ~ ~

To: Imbrinium Foreign Office
Re: Royal Visit

To Whom It Concerns,

I am writing to inform you that Her Majesty Queen Lothwyn II will shortly be departing on a goodwill tour of Greater Dienstad and has plans to visit both Mordent and the Kingdom of Imbrinium.

In the interest of peace and greater co-operation I hope that you will except Her Majesty as a guest and representative of the Unified Commonwealth.

Upon receipt of a positive response I'd be happy to discuss arrangements for the visit.

Signed,

Sir Stuart Hamilton, Lord Protector

[Imbrinium]

Lindun Road:

Minutes after the first shots it was over the rest of the fire team rushed up to the wounded soldiers. Their worst fears came true two soldiers dead and two wounded. The squad leader got on his radio to call for medevac.

“This is howler 22 requesting medevac at grid 16 SD 54462-96821
I have two soldiers with GSWs both need litters
Soldier one has three GSWs one in shoulder; two in leg, second soldier has two GSWs one in his leg and one in stomach.
Need two litters
Soldiers were ambushed use caution and have armed escort”

“Roger bird in route howler 22”

The soldier on the side of the hill uses their IFAKs to treat and the wounded soldiers. Minutes later the rest of the squad showed up and helped secured the area. A fire team made it up the hill and found the bunker. They looked inside for intelligence and they noticed that whoever was there had been there for a few days waiting for IAFM soldiers to show up. About ten minutes after 2nd squad made the scene a small QRF showed up to help secure the area more, the QRF also called for engineers to come blow the bunker. The medevac arrived and the wounded were loaded on and taken to a trauma field hospital.

Within hours the hill was covered with IAFM troops and the engineers blew-up the bunker with all its contents.

Theater HQ:

The commander and his command looked over the reports of the ambush that day and ordered all IAFM troops on missions outside their bases to wear body armor. Also an order was given to have a dawn to dusk curfew to be placed on all civilians. Anyone caught outside would be either arrest or shot.

Mordent Provisional Government building:

The letter of Queen Lothwyn arrived on the desk of the highest acting government official in mordent. Lord Ferruccio Fallaci was sent by the crown to help setup a local government. As the Lord Fallaci read the letter and forwards it to the office of foreign affairs in Imbrinium, a classified e-mail was received from the PM’s office stating that knowledge of the visit had been worked out and to expect a visit of a high ranking crown official.

[Morrdh]

Over the next few weeks civil unrest continued to simmer as whole neighbourhoods protested against and, in some cases, actively defied the night time curfew imposed by the Imbriniums. Here and there small scuffles and skirmishes broke out, though most of these were easily contained and dealt with in short order. Even so one RMC Constable complained. "We might as well arrest the whole bloody lot of 'em!"

The occasional arson attacks and odd sniper did much to keep the security forces on their toes.

When word of Queen Lothwyn's forthcoming visit got out it proved to be a blessing, majority of the islanders welcomed the news and set about preparing celebrations for her arrival. Meanwhile the RMC cracked down on potential troublemakers and stepped up their patrols as Inspector-General Campton met with senior Imbrinium officials to discuss security arrangements. Her Majesty would be arriving by airplane at the former Royal Morridane Air Force base, the fortifications built by its former occupants made it probably the safest place on Mordent.

[Imbrinium]

Lindun:

With the weeks of violence, and after the theater command had issued the order to have all soldiers to wear their issued body armor. The IAFM where now starting to issue the first batches of the LY21 to replace the H&K 416 as the main weapons system of the Imbrinium Army.

At the RMC training academy the IAFM training instructors where busy training the first new recruits of RMC officers, along with the new recruits the current members of RMC officers where getting retrained and getting new training to bring them up to speed on new tactics. The RMC command where getting leadership training and law enforcement training on new personal and leadership. The new patrol vehicles and heavier armored vehicles where now on the roads patrolling with their IAFM counterparts.

Around the city some of the new capital improvements where now up and running a new power plant and sewer treatment and water treatment plants where now running at a hundred percent. A new public transportation system was almost fifty percent completed, these new changes where accepted by some still people where still stand offish to the improvements.

The private sector where now starting to pick-up on the new market in Mordent, new stores with modern items where now being sold in around the country.

At the theater HQs, command where concerned about security issues with the upcoming visit from the Morrdh Queen and whoever the Crown is sending over to meet with her. The theater commander had his staff draft a letter to the Morrdh government to have an advance team of their security team come over and work out the details of their Queens visit.

With a few days the first agents of the protection team from the DSS would be flying to prep the local government and IAFM personal on the visit and how it should go.

Around the country of Mordent:

High flying UAVs and patrol aircraft circled the country day and night listen and watching the country. Patrols where now 24hrs a day and heavier armed then weeks earlier. Patrol boats and naval ships patrol the coastal waters looking for weapons coming over from the main land and or personal sneaking off or on the island. The 2nd longsword fleet was now stationed in the port of Lindun using its radar to see inside the country of Morrdh, along with surveillance aircraft listening and watching deep into the country. In orbit above the country of Morrdh satellites took pictures and live footage of military bases and movements.

[Morrdh]

Lindun

At the IAFM HQ's request, a team from the Morrdun Metropolitan Police Royal Protection Branch was dispatched from the mainland to Mordent along with an agent from Morridane Intelligence. These were the first travellers from the mainland that Mordent had seen since the Occupation began, all flights and even the Morrdun-Lindun ferry had effectively ceased. Even the Lindun docks had suffered with the decline in shipping, most having diverted to the over-crowded port of Morrdun leaving those carrying goods for Mordent docking in Lindun these days. A trip along the Lindun Overhead Railway revealed empty docks, still railway lines and closed warehouses.

In the heart of the city the various buses and trams mingled with cars and the newer Imbrinium supplied vehicles as workers and shoppers travelled on the inner-city railway lines. Lindun was proving it could be a peaceful and bustling city, though this was underlined by tension and unrest. Though things had quietened down after the bombings of a few weeks earlier, the Imbiniums might take it as a chance to relax but the RMC remained tensed and stepped up patrols.



Around the Gulf of Mordent

The Imbrinium surveillance of the Morridane mainland could only report the usual daily life of a nation under peacetime conditions, its military conducting training exercises and other roles it was duty bound to perform like Search And Rescue. The Royal Morridane Navy had small vessels on patrol in the Gulf basically conducting the same roles as their Imbrinium counterparts trying to watch out for anyone attempting to smuggle items into Mordent, the RMN even went as far to share intel and reports with the Imbrinium navy as a measure of goodwill and friendly co-operation.

[Imbrinium]

Mordent:

All around the nation there where platoon, company, and battalion size combat outpost or patrol bases, somewhere in the hills some in the flat lands. These bases along with 24hr patrols of all villages and town and cities help secure the nation.

Lindun:

The port of Lindun had been bought by the RIN and the MOD; this port would help bring new goods into the nation along with being totally rebuilt to bring it up to modern standards. The Crown was looking to open up trade between the mainland and the island. The international airport would be open in a few weeks and would open the island to the rest of region.

There were three ports under construction these ports would be the key to bring the nation out of the past and into the future.
At the former Morrdh airbase the DSS teams and the Morrdun Metropolitan Police Royal Protection Branch where taking a tour by the base commander and the base security commander. There where areas that were off limits do to ongoing operations. The group took a tour around to the base’s command centre, as they walked in and their clearance was checked and tagged as visitors. As the group walked in to the large room with screens everywhere as many as a hundred or more different sizes, there where clusters of people with signs to tell what sector they where commanding .
After they toured the command posts they went to a large room to setup the who’s, what’s, when’s and where’s would be worked out.

[Morrdh]

The Royal Protection Branch team and their counterpart from Morridane Intelligence settled down as Inspector-General Crompton had a map of Lindun spread out on a large table. Key landmarks, RMC stations and barracks along with the IAFM posts had been carefully marked. Bus routes as well as tram and railway lines had also been marked, though in different colours to denote which was which. Finally a length of string was pinned at one end at the airport, "Her Majesty's route." explained Crompton.

Each one of the Royal Protection Branch team studied the map and markers in great detail, before one of them finally spoke out loud. "Public transport would be an issue here, I suggest shutting down the tram and railway routes round the center of Lindun to reduce the risks of a bomb attack. The buses can easily be rerouted, though I recommend blocking of the side streets here, here and here leaving the larger roads open to direct the crowds through. Now the Overhead Railway here running the length of the docks can be used to move our men from one of Lindun to the other."

"Could work." Nodded Crompton. "The Overhead runs alongside much of Strand Street which we can reroute the buses along as well as cross-city traffic."

[Imbrinium]

As the security professionals and the military made the final plans and set them in stone along with back up plans. The senior DSS agents on the ground sent an email back to his office stating that plans where done and being sent to HQ to be put out to the protection teams.

Back at the DSS HQ the protection teams were briefed on the routes and plans. The team leaders started to check their pre-deployment check lists. The list where extensive and they would be check and rechecked. The DSS agents knew who they would be protecting in Mordent, and this task wasn’t taken lightly. The Royal aircraft was being checked and rechecked as well.

At an air force base just outside the capital of Cormond, ground crews where prepping the cargo aircraft and the royal aircraft. The first DSS aircraft would be taken off in the next hour to prep the route being taken by royalty.

Mordent:

The military had cracked down hard on the areas in the city of Lindun where the most of the trouble had been in; heavier armor was now in the city setup on street corners. Armed troops where now riding on trains and whole platoons where now patrolling the streets.
Security on the IAFM bases where now doubled, along with the CAP, AWACs and other electric aircraft where on double duty.

[Morrdh]

Once the preparations and the proceedings finalized the go ahead was given on the Morridane end, additional personnel were sent to help the Imbriniums and bolster the security details. Nothing was being left to chance, especially with two royal visitors due almost any day now. Even the RMC was in action, rounding up suspected troublemakers either arresting them on their own doorsteps or simply snatching them from off the streets. Main suspects were those persons who's names were on the list of so-called 'Big Players' handed over by Morridane Intelligence, the top people amongst the brawling factions on Mordent.

Eventually the day came when a Royal Morridane Air Force Douglas DC-5 flew across from the mainland carrying a very important passenger.