Holuse National Committee; Holuch, Holus
Two Weeks Earlier
Their footsteps echoed through the deserted halls of the massive Holuse National Committee building in the heart of the capital Holuch. They were making they way to the Central Office to meet with the Holuse National Committee to propose their plans to kick start the stagnating economy. This was Mikhail Ingolf's big chance to get out of the "scrap heap", enforcing unachievable work quotas or finding and dealing with rogue labour union leaders. If everything was to go well or if they chose one of his proposals he would have a guaranteed ticket to a comfortable desk job in the capital far away from the death and misery enforced upon the rest of the country by the Party. He had spent the last thirty years of his life working through the bureaucratic Party bullshit to get to this very moment and nothing apart from a bullet to the head would stop him from getting that promotion that he so desperately wanted.
Mikhail looked over at his young idealistic apprentice whom had yet to be worn down by the cold and brutal Party bureaucracy. Petro like most young party members believed what the Holuse propaganda machine told them, about how the Party was looking to create a bright Utopian future for Nordania and expel the "evil monarchists and capitalists" whom seek to destroy this paradise that Holus has been creating over the past 52 years. "Ahh to be young again." Mikhail nostalgically thought to be himself as the two men came to a slow yet steady stop at the steps to the Central Office where they due to meet with the Holuse National Committee members.
The two men looked at each other with a mutual admiration for each other. They had grown close after spending the past year working 16 hour days together all in preparation for this very moment and they were going to saver every last moment in the Holuse National Committee building before they were going to be brutally disappointed or overcome with joy.
"Petro I just want to say, whatever happens in the Central Office it as been an honour working along side you and I've..." - Mikhail felt his eyes glass over - "come to see you as the son I never had. I hope we remain friends along after this moment."
"The feeling is mutual." Petro said with a huge smile on his face. The two men embraced. Knowing full well that it could be the last time they might ever work or see each other again. Once they had regained their composure they entered the Central Office.
As they entered the Central Office a rush of crisp cool gently crashed into their faces. The room was deathly quiet when they closed the door behind them, it had a atmosphere similar to a funeral; something which was happening away too often for members of the "old guard". Slowly, the Party was running out of the old men who had survived McCarthy's purges, and the current crop of members, all "young" men and women in their fifties or early sixties, was finally being heard. The old guard was being changed. Too slowly for Mikhail and his generation of Party members.
"Good Afternoon Comrades." Mikhail said handing his coat to Petro, who withdrew at once, closing the door behind him. Mikhail took his seat in the centre of the room. The Chairman of the Holuse National Committee, who had brought the meeting to order, stood up. His voice was controlled and businesslike. "Comrade Ingolf, you may begin your report on how you will reverse are glorious country's recent economic misfortunes."
"Comrades, if we do not reform the economy we can...should expect the present rate of GDP growth, which currently stands at 12%, to drop to -3.5% by 2020. Productively is down and the failure of Premier Comrade Chapin's attempt's to end sanctions against the United Soviet Republics, has left are economy dangerously dependent on oil and natural gas exports for are government's revenue. If global oil prices were to drop under one hundred..."
"What are you proposing comrade?" the Internal Affairs minister said sharply.
"We come to the table, we send a delegation to Ghant for example and try and reach a agreement. Offering modest reforms in exchange for the ending of the sanctions placed upon Holus. We should also promote foreign companies to invest in Holus, building factories to create cheep consumer produces which would be exported to consumer based capitalist economies. With the Holuse Mark's low exchange rate this plan, most of my fellow economists whom assisted me with this Five Year Plan, all firmly believe that this model would work in attracting foreign investment. Due to the low cost of labour and production as well as if we float the Holuse Mark to keep the exchange rate low; I firmly believe that Holus' GDP growth will double if not triple over the next 5 years.
But the biggest key to reversing the current economic stagnation is slashing the current defense budget from 200 Billion Holuse Marks to 100 billion and reinvesting that money into infrastructural projects. This will not only allow the Holuse general population to be better educated but will allow for a much smoother transition into a more advanced ...diversified economy in the near to late future."
"Cutting the defence budget in half, going to the imperialist power and offering a compromise. Are you trying to make the United Soviet Republics weak and desperate!" snorted the Chairman of Defence, Andrus Ansip.
Mikhail smirked slightly. He had spend working hours practicing and perfecting a retort for that very question. "Comrade Ansip, Holus spends more money on defence that any other nation in Nordania despite the fact we have the smallest GDP in the entire continent. Are mighty military is triple the size of the imperialistic NEDO states combined. If the party wants to survive to see the end of the century or at the very least end of the decade, cuts must be made to ensure the success of this Five Year Plan. Unless somehow Holus suddenly gains a political stable ally that we can trust and/or control, this is are best chance to avoid certain economic collapse."
"What do you mean by 'a political stable ally that we can trust and/or control'?" inquired the Foreign Minister.
"Well, say if Ghant or Crontor was to be overthrown by a communist government which was Pro-Holuse and willing to trade with us as well as being economically and politically stable, in theory it could kick start the economy or at the very least stabilise are economy."
"Interesting, thank you Comrade for all the work you have put in to saving are mighty country. Marcos Chapin, from the heavens, is smiling down upon you." the Chairman of the Holuse National Committee said with a malevolent smile on his face. "Due to the seriousness of the situation presented before us, the Holuse National Committee will discuss and come to a decision within the hour.
"Thank you Comrade for your kind works. I eagerly await your decision." Mikhail said with a uneasiness in his voice, before leaving the room. The fact Holuse National Committee was making a decision so quickly left Mikhail with a apprehensive feeling in his stomach. The Holuse National Committee never made a decision this quickly, it often took days, weeks, months, sometimes years to settle on a decision. Petro looked inquiringly over at his mentor, anxiously waiting for Mikhail tell him what happen. After Mikhail finished telling his young friend on what happened, one of the foreign minister's aid opened the door to the Central Office and walked over to Mikhail.
"The Holuse National Committee has made it's decision, Mikhail. They have summoned you to inform you of there decision."
"Thank you Comrade." Mikhail replied.
The aid nodded in response before withdrawing back into the Central Office. Mikhail looked over at Petro and said, "Well this is it, the moment we have been working for. Wish me luck."
Petro shot him a smile, too nervous to say anything. As Mikhail entered the Central Office there was a more serious demeanor in the room. The Holuse National Committee had clearly made a majour, probably controversial decision that would have dire consequences for Holus and the international community. Once Mikhail had taken his seat the Chairman of Defence stood up, signally the beginning of the meeting.
"Holus." began the Chairman of Defence "will never submit to imperialist puppet rule. If we compromise with the imperialists, we will quickly be at the whim of Ghish and the greedy worker oppressing corporations. As Comrade Mikhail has just said in the previous meeting, that all Holus needs is a political stable ally that we can control. Such a nation exists only a few thousand kilometers way in a nation called Crontor. A imperialistic nation which invades and annexes smaller nation and has in the past threaten Holus' very right to exist! We have the ability to take it, of course." --- by take it he meant invade Crontor and establish a puppet government. Mikhail thought to himself. --- "Inside of two weeks, we could assemble enough aircraft and airborne troops to swoop down and capture the capital Vienna, crippling Crontorian attempts to resist. Unfortunately, there could not fail to be a violent Imperialist response. The Imperialist countries would see are invasion as a blatant act of aggression that would warrant a military intervention, a intervention that would surely result in a Holuse defeat or possibly a nuclear war.
Therefore, before we can seize the Vienna and install a Holuse puppet regime, we must make it appear that Crontor is the aggressor." Mikhail sat upright in his chair. What was he getting to, was he really saying what he was saying? He struggled to keep his face impassive as the Defense Minister continued.
"If Crontor appears to be the aggressor, NEDO and other imperialists nations that might have come to Crontor's defence wouldn't, Crontor is the aggressor, why would they help a aggressive nation who is very unpopular domestically, it would be political suicide for any head of state. Without any foreign support, several high ranking commanders have assured me, that Crontor will not stand a chance against are mighty military. Mikhail Engolf, you will be responsible for the post invasion recovery effort and drawing up a Five Year Plan for Crontor. So does anyone have any questions?"
Mikhail was in shock, did they really believe what the Chairman of Defence was saying, Mikhail wondered, did they actually believe that Crontor's allies would sit on their hands and watch the Holuse conquer Crontor? What the hell went was discussed just 20 minutes ago?
Finally a younger member of the Holuse National Committee, who clearly wasn't privy to the meeting spoke up about his concerns. "So, all we have to do is conquer Crontor? The same nation whose conventional forces you warn us about every year? Every year you tell us of the threat the massed NEDO and Crontorian armies present to us, and now you say casually that we must conquer them? Won't one of it's allies at least intervene or am I mistaken?"
"No nation or nations" began the Foreign Minister to Mikhail surprise. "would risk the political fallout of backing a aggressor, in this case Crontor. Especially after what Crontor will "do" against the Holuse Soviet Republics." Foreign Minister Solberg ventured a rare smile at the thought of it. "As you know, the HIA has been working on such a plan for the past several years and is now in its final form and I will outline it for you." He did so, it took nearly a hour and half and he didn't leave a single detail out. Mikhail applauded its audacity with a new understanding of the power balance in this room. The hardliners were in charge and nothing was going to peel them away from power.
Holuch, Holus; Present Day
In was a warm late summers night, just after midnight when the lorry drove north across the Janis Bridge to Chaiskaya Square and turned right, toward the United Soviet Republics Capitol building. The driver stopped at the first check point for the first group of Guards. With their papers in order, they were waved through. The lorry pulled up to the second checkpoint, which was directly in front of Holuch Palace of the Chapin. From there it was eight hundred meters to the service entrance of the United Soviet Republics Capitol building.
"What are you delivering today, Comrades?" asked the Holuse Revolutionary Army captain as he looked through their papers.
"A fresh supply of cleaning supplies, I don't mind showing them to you?" inquired the driver.
"Sure." the Holuse Revolutionary Army captain replied with a slight smile on his face.
The driver climbed out his lorry and walked around the back of the lorry. The driver then opened the back of the lorry to reveal ten cans of industrial-strength solvent and a crate of hardware parts. "Crontorian supplies?" The captain asked in slight shock, he had been on guard duty for a month and had never seen Crontorian supplies being delivered.
"Well the Crontorians do make very effective cleaning machinery and solvent. You do know that the Party elite want to live as luxuriously as the Baltkalns!" joked the driver, the two men laughed briefly.
"Open one of the crates." ordered the captain.
"The crate ah, I will open it." The lid slid off easily since the most of the nails were missing or had already been loosened. "As you see, Comrade, parts for some of the machines that the cleaning crew use to." He smirked. "Even the toughest machines break."
The captain turned his attention to the cans. The captain climbed into the back of the lorry and methodically looked at the outside of the cans, searching for anything suspicious. There was something obnoxious about the cans but the captain couldn't but his finger on it. After looking at the can for a minute he lazily wrote it off as being paranoid.
"Well everything appears to be in order, you can take in."
"Thank you Comrade." the driver said.
The captain waved to a private and walked off. The soldier according unlocked the door. The driver and his assistant went inside to get a two-wheeled hand truck and began unloading the crates and cans. They loaded the cans onto the hand truck and wheeled it into the building's service elevator. They took the elevator to the seventh floor, shut the power off, and moved their loads to a large storage room directly below the massive eighth floor conference room. The cans had false tops which the driver removed and set aside. Within the cans were the materials necessary to build a small dirty bomb. The two men spend the next five hours constructing the dirty bomb. Upon it's completion, the two men carefully placed the bomb next to the wall before placing the empty cans in front of the dirty bomb, hiding it from any prying eyes. The driver took out his electronic triggering device from his pocket, he checked his watch, and waited for two minutes before pressing the button to activate the timer. The dirty bombs would explode in exactly five hours time.
With everything ready the two men left the building and climbed into their lorry and drove off. They easily passed through the same security checkpoints, which were manned by lazy and disgruntled who didn't want to be working the night shift. Five hours later the dirty bomb when off, killing all the members of the Holuse National Executive Committee, signalling the beginning of their plan.