Yukon Begins [IC | Region Only]

[Vvarden]

"Now we're trapped!" The Inquisitor said. "Stuck, at a standstill, while planes bomb us. Locked in a cage."
"Not so." Ursus replied, opening a map and placing it on a table while the Inquisitor watched. "Here," Ursus pointed to the east, to the mountains. "Is a recently abandoned mining town. They had dug tunnels under the mountains in search of ore, the town went bankrupt when they found none. Some tunnels lead up to halfway under the mountain. If we go there and mine the rest of it out, we could have an escape route. And since Old Sentinel is on the other side of the mountains, we can take it. Also, what is stronger than a mountain? We could dig soldiers barracks, bunkers, anything under, in that safe mountain. Even if a nuclear bomb were to fall, the mountain would remain." Ursus looked at the Inquisitor. "Don't you agree?"
"You make a very good case, General. I agree. And also," Ursus was just about to walk out when the Inquisitor grabbed him on the shoulder. "Meet me on the tower, I have even more private matters to tell. It cannot be said here."
Ursus bowed and walked out.
"Yes, Excellency."

[Vvarden]

The Speaker of the Vvardeni Intelligence Network walked into the meeting room inside their HQ in New Erriel. He like everyone else in, was suited, and several officers of all stripes sat around.
"Greetings all. I am Speaker Brozin, your new boss. Now to buisness. According to our spy in Mzungthunch-" The Speaker said.
"Wait," An officer interrupted. "We have a spy in Mzungthunch? Installed right there? Snuck in under the Vokun's noses?"
"Are you finding this hard to believe, Drenim?" The Speaker asked.
"Not hard, but astonishing."
"If you must know, he was there all along, he just recently communicated to us. Now, onto his findings. The Spy has already given us a very thorough report on the generals under the Vokun, and apparently General Ursus is the top one."
Gasps of the collected audience around sounded.
"Urm sir," A young officer at the front raised his hand.
"Yes?"
"They do know he is a Vvardeni, do they?"
"Well if a spy can know he is a Vvardeni then, golly, I don't think the Vokun know!" The Speaker said sarcastically, which didn't suit him. "Anyway, Ursus is the main General. Now-"
The officer at the front again raised his hand.
"Why have they got a Vvardeni as their General?" He said.
"That is what we are getting to, as you can-" The Speaker replied.
"It makes no sense to have a Vvardeni as-"
"Shut up! Anyway, we think it because Ursus has shown his power. He commanded the siege of Mzungthunch and the Battle of Almalexia, therefore giving a good reason to show his worth. Anyway, he hates Vvarden. So there."
"How can we get to him?" An officer at the back said.
"Good question. We cannot now, but if we bide our time, eventually he will be vulnerable. I have filed a report on the Generals under Volunteer command as you can all read." The paper below read:
General Ursus, 550,000, Mzungthunch.
General Bthalft, 300,000, The Reach.
The Snow Prince, 250,000, The Reach.
General Siligrad, 125,000, Moesring.
Altair Jawor, 115,000, The Reach.
Sorkvild the Raven, 5,000, The Reach.
"Now," The Speaker said. "Any questions? No? Then our business is concluded. Good day."

[Vvarden]

Ursus walked down the huge tunnels that had been dug by the Vokun in an attempt to get to Old Sentinel. Already some small rooms for the soldiers had been dug, and they were halfway between there and Old Sentinel. Ventilation shafts were seen in the ceiling everywhere, and Vvardeni fearfully dug at the walls with simple tools.
Eventually he came across a group of standing Vokun, ahead of them was a huge tunnel.
“What is it?” He asked them.
“Sir, we’ve come across a natural cavern system, we don’t know where it goes, and we already sent a search party out, but they haven’t come back yet.” A Vokun replied.
“Well, let’s go in then.” Ursus ordered and they walked down the tunnel. Stalactites and stalagmites were everywhere, and puddles of murky water lay on the damp caven floor. Shadows seemed to lurk at every corner, growing and warping. After a few minutes, they came across a small bunch of supplies, probably left by the Vokun, a few books and food.
After a few more minutes, the cavern made a turn to the left, and they had walked only a short while when one of the Vokun shined a torch on something horrible and he screamed.
Ursus turned around and saw a skeleton lying on the ground, dressed in hikers’ clothes, with a backpack.
“You fool.” Ursus shoved the Vokar. “It’s only the body of a dead hiker. Probably got lost in here.”
The two travelled further when they could see light.
“A path,” A Vokar said. “A path to Sentinel.”
Then they saw three figures at the exit, staring at the city below.
“You there!” Ursus shouted, and the figures turned. They were the Vokar search party.
“We’ve scouted the area below. It’s an almost sheer drop from here, then a short walk to Old Sentinel.”
“Good. Now we can go take it.”
Ursus below saw the city, not scattered with monolithic high rises like New Erriel and Acharn, but rather a sprawled, traditionalistic town, with wooden and stone buildings, and no skyscraper over ten stories.
Their new conquest.

[Vvarden]

The battle was divided into three armies. The army under General Durin consisted of mostly melee troops and few had plasma rifles. The army under Surnao Gartil consisted of fully plasma troops, expert marksmen and crack shots. And the last, under Ursus himself, consisted of the elite of the elite, expert swordsmen and gunmen. Artillery was mounted from a distance to assist.
The attack happened in the morning, out of hidden camps set up high in the mountains, not far from the tunnel to Mzungthunch.
The Vvardeni army below numbered no more than 50,000, and the Vokar numbered 245,000, not counting for medical troops.

Suddenly, in the early hours of the night, the battle began as General Durin swept down on the city from the west, while Gartil’s men drove south along the Green Ring Road. Then Gartil advanced west, hoping to hook up with Durin’s men. This was done within minutes, and out of the sight of the Vvardeni armies within. Then as day broke, the Vvardeni were astonished and panicked to see an entire army outside their city, and they quickly made measures such as blocking roads with cars to prevent enemies from getting past.

Ursus charged from the north, slamming into the main bulk of the forces. Durin and Gartil crushed inside the city, figting on freeways and in city streets as rain fell and soaked the ground. A legion of Vokar were fighting with Vvardeni on a huge overpass when Vokun artillery immediately fired upon it, collapsing the entire Vvardeni area, making them fall to their deaths.

Fierce infighting happened along the city streets, with the most Vvardeni resistance based on the east streets, where many quick skirmishes quickly weakened Gartil’s forces, but they held strong, taking defensive cover in office buildings and houses. Ursus advanced south, and soon approached the City Hall, where Lord Naarfin, mayor, resided, guarded by a bulk of 10,000 troops.
The Vokar converged towards the City Hall, surrounding the forces. Tanks rolled towards the Vokar, but were quickly dispatched by the Vokar artillery.

Durin’s men charged into the Vvardeni, weilding halberds and axes. Rain poured more violently, liquefying the mud, making it slippery and chaotic. Bodies slipped and flew over another, using the mud to their advantage. A Royal Guard was temporarily blinded by the mud, enough time for a fatal blow. Within minutes, the Vvardeni wavered and retreated, taking the overpass, but then despaired when they saw it collapsed in front of them.
A Vokar force came up from behind and shot them off the overpass, onto the houses, buildings and cars below.
Lord Naarfin was kept alive, hanging in a cage from the City Hall, as ravens and crows pecked at him.

Old Sentinel was theirs.

[Moarfall]

Yukon Orbit
New Babylon
Bio-Preserve Dome 426
0000 Hours
Military Calender


The fireteam slowly advanced farther into the cave for the next half hour. Finally, there were signs of life. There was a constant wet and sloshing sound, and occasionally they heard something scurrying away from them. George raised his hand in a fist as they neared a sharp bend in the cave. They all stopped dead, not even breathing. George crouched down and hugged the wall.

"Jones, you're the stealthiest of us. Cloak and head in there. Plant the C9, and set up the det-cord launcher to fire as far into the opposite corridor as possible."

One white acknowledgement light flickered and Jones disappeared.

"The rest of you, hit whatever you can see that goes after him. Use High Impact rounds, we'll have to shoot through the wall. After he plants the charge and det cord, we'll make a break for it."

Jones crept along the wall towards the other corridor. Half way there, he slapped a stick of C9 to the wall next to him. He took 7 more steps and then felt something slightly warmer than the stone around him slip past the exposed battle-skin he wore underneath his main armor, through his skin, and into his spine; severing his spinal cord. Jones' armor immediately locked up, and still received messages from his brain while it worked to fix the lower half of his body that wouldn't. He spun around stiffly, drawing a blade and severing the tail of the creature that assaulted him. He kicked it in the head and dashed away, his armor having fixed his legs.

He slammed the det cord launcher into the rock and it drilled in, anchoring itself. He spun around in time to have his arm melted clean off, and his head disintegrated as the creature's tail impaled his face.

All the while, bullets rained death and destruction through the rock wall. The team shot blindly. With all of their optics, they couldn't see the monster that assaulted their brother in arms. As soon as the contact tag for Jones disappeared, George knew it was too late for one of his closest friends.

"Run!" he screamed at them as he turned and headed down the corridor. He pressed a button and activated the dent cord launcher in the room. He was letting a spool of det cord on his belt run out as he ran.

"The generator in his armor will automatically overheat and explode in 27 more seconds" he said as they ran. "That's how much time we have to get out of the cave."

"I can make it in 15, how about you old man?" Ashey panted as she sprinted ahead.

"Don't blow the damn cave shut till we get out!"

"Yessir."

The team crossed the threshold with 10 seconds to spare. Ashley set off the C9 and collapsed the cave as they continued to run towards their exfil point. They felt the ground underneath them tremble and shake as the whole station was rocked by the mini-supernova that went off in the middle of the 6 kilometer bio-preserve dome.

Yukon Orbit
New Babylon
Rear Admiral Stenz's Quarters
0200 Hours
Military Calender

"So, remind me again why I'm awake this early in the morning, why one of the most expensive assets in this military is dead, and why the fuck a nano-star went off on a civilian station. An international one at that, too."

"His name was Jones. He has a name. Jones went in to plant the charges, those damned things killed him. The suit is powered by a nano-star."

"Why would I care about what's-his-name? You things are a waste of time, resources, and my patience. I thought you things don't die?"

"We don't." George said, his voice as cold as the void of space.

"Whatever; I was talking about them. Marvelous, aren't they?". Stenz gestured towards the live feed of the containment facilities.

George slammed his fist down on the table, shouting "I don't give a damn about your pets! They have been an expensive mess that got one of my men killed. A man that shouldn't have been killed."

"I will have you're head for this!" Stenz shouted back, jumping from his chair. He was practically foaming at the mouth as he spouted insults at the Captain. "You will be dead by the time I'm done with you!"

The Captain picked up Stenz by his uniform and pinned him to the wall, and held a knife to his throat smiling. "Admiral, you forget everyone on my team is dead. Our service records say we all died centuries ago on Silva during training. I only answer to the Military Council and Council leader. You can't touch me, I'm immortal. You'll do damn well to remember that."

Saenz fell to the ground, sputtering "But you're only an Infantry Captain, how..."

"My rank is given to me by the MSC due to the role I fight in in combat, I am not restricted to your rules. My brotherhood paved the way for you to follow, the military helps me, we help them. Know your place in the world, Stenz."

[Vvarden]

VVARDENI NEWS NETWORK
Soldiers Scramble To Foothill Springs After Vvardeni Massacre In Old Sentinel

Just recently, through some unknown passage, the city of Old Sentinel has been seized by the Vokun. In response, up to 450,000 Vvardeni have made their way to Foothill Springs, a small town halfway between Sentinel and New Erriel.
Military strategists are still currently debating how Ursus got a huge bulk of an army without casualties, over the freezing mountains between Mzungthunch and Sentinel. Some say that natural caverns may be how the Vokar got through, though many doubt it.
Whatever the case, Vvarden is truly hoping that the Vvardeni can hold out at Foothill Springs, or else New Erriel would be open to attack.

[OES Zaphiron]

Imperial Soldiers Have Reached Vvardeni Territory, ISW Lukoss To Coordinate Identification of Valid Bombardment Targets With Vvardeni Military
Vvarden- Lord Cord has reported the Expeditionary Force sent to Vvarden's aid has arrived, and has now begun to enter Vokun held territory, meeting only token resistance so far. Currently, the force is dealing with Vokun patrols in Imperial-held territory, and is attempting to set up a regional HQ for coordinated operations. Once completed, the force is expected to head for Old Sentinel immediately to assist in the reclamation of the city. Meanwhile, the ISW Lukoss has stationed itself in orbit over Vvarden and has requested their assistance in locating valid targets for orbital bombardment.

[Herargon]

SPECIAL EDITION -The International - $ 1.30 Kredit - 17 February, 2270

---

BREAKING NEWS: ENORMOUS CLOUD SEEN ABOVE VARIOUS PLACES IN YUKON

From our reporter William Jenkins
Across the whole western side of Yukon, a light could be seen yesterday.
It has been registered that the shock waves of this explosion have been felt five times around the whole of Yukon.
From Vvarden, where the war is still enduring, to Zaphiron, the explosion could be felt.
However, the shock waves were nearly unnoticeable for people that live in Zaphiron,
while the shock waves were a brief shake (and then it came five another times,
all slightly weaker than the first), on the scale of Mercalli being a V or an VIin Vvarden.
It is unknown yet what the causes of this explosion are, but vague photos - even those being nearby could not
get it sharp due to unknown factors cracking the camera screens - suggest an super volcano explosion, a nuclear test,
or a very big asteroid crashing on the earth.
The explosion could not be looked at directly without having the photo camera break down from nowhere.
As of current, there has been only one photo found of the explosion.
The photo was part of a monitor that records the situation of the Salani territory,
a known area with geyser-seismic activity.
Five minutes after the explosion, the camera stopped recording due to the processors melting,
and the picture was only saved by an emergency system that cooled it down.
The brother in law of the owner of the camera said that all people he knew in the radius of the explosion have not responded,
and thus are very likely to be dead.

Over 98 have been confirmed dead in Herargon (these were the only people living in or nearby the area), and there are thousands of people - if not, more - wounded, even in Vvarden, Vokun-held territory, and less than 10 people have been lightly wounded in Caisus and Cyrellican.

The explosion has been suspected to either have happened on the middle side of the island where Herargon is situated, or to have happened on the reverse L-shaped corner on the island north of the nation of Herargon. Causes are still unknown.

© Interpaper News


The only known picture of the explosion, estimated to have been taken on a mountain being at a distance of 150 kilometres from the explosion.

[Promethius Prime]

The Basilica, Thedes
By right and endeavour she, Ai Li-Hua, was Empress of all Arcadia. How far had she risen. It had been more than 500 years since she had been born in the Greater Arcadian Reich as a result of one of the most ambitious efforts at eugenics in human history; she had been born as one of millions of children of the Reich - raised not by her biological parents but instead through a system built to create humans of such unparalleled physical and mental acuity as the ensure the future strength and prosperity of the Reich. Instead she had been instrumental in its destruction and the subsequent rejuvenation of Arcadian civilisation, first as the Commonwealth and then, when democracy had once again failed them, as the Empire. She had built everything, lost everything and then built it once more. Here she was now, in a body that she had built for herself once the one she had been born to had given up on her or rather in a body that body had built...in fact she lost track of how many times she had transferred herself from one body to another. Initially it had been the work of another, the bodies had been built by Zhukov and then by his successors, later as the decades stacked on top of each other she had learned how to upgrade and rebuild herself. This body was but one of many, but unlike the others this body was a symbol; the wider populace of the Empire knew nothing of HDT technology, the way in which death could be avoided and so none realised that this body was anything other than her - they did not know insignificant the body actually was, to them it was the body of the Empress.

She had witnessed the death of Links, the woman who had wanted to ascend to be her Grand-Archon in place of Zutyensin. She had watched it, as she had watched the deaths of so many millions of others over the course of her life, with cold detachment and indifference; the system was the system and she had created it to weed out the weak and incompetent. If there was a person foolish enough to try and usurp someone greater than themselves then the system eliminated them - she had no time for fools, the Empire could not afford fools, not in its government. It was harsh, but it was life. Darwinism at its pinnacle, survival of the fittest, death for the rest. Of course she was not without compassion, those people who did not seek out power were not treated at the razor's edge, the vast majority of Arcadians were not part of the Kratocracy and as such lived with the full protection of a society's laws. Now she sat through and witnessed not death but instead politics as she signed the Treaty between Arcadia and Croxoco into law and the Archons spoke of high matters before an Empress who appeared to be no older than twelve. If they only knew the truth.

[Onza]

At a darkened ski lodge in Elephantine, Onza

The bright moon glared onto the outside deck of the wooden ski lodge resort that sat just near the peak of a mid-sized mountain. Just below spanned the great expanse of something that Onzaians weren't used to on their former planet - pine trees. Given the general climate in the western portion of Elephantine, their growth was by no means unusual, but rather, expected. It was the Emirates booming tourism agency that heralded the portion as a fantastic addition to the Emirate's general reputation of being a barren desert, aside from the few glowing oases that had since been taken from nature by mankind and given to the swarms of sightseers pouring in from nations all across the planet. It would be unfair to imply that this wasn't done without strict regulations ensuring environmental preservation, however. The plus side about running a nation in such extreme climates is that there is little that mankind could do - save for drilling for oil - to upset the balance that had already been long established by the harsh sun that would shine at day and the bitter cold that would move in at night. As a result, "ski lodge" was a term foreign to many Onzaians at the time when they were constructed. They had since become favorites of frequent travelers, however.

This particular lodge was not just special because of how secluded it was from the nearest park ranger station - it was the company that it was keeping that primarily contributed to the eerie aura of mystery that shrouded the structure. it was disconnected from the nearest road by quite a distance, and one had to open a gate activated by a dimly-lit callbox in order to proceed up the path towards the cabin. In spite of its external simplicity, which would incorrectly suggest that the building was anything short of lavish, the interior was extravagantly adorned with the highest quality furniture available to whatever contractor was given the privilege of allocating a virtually-unlimited budget towards the goal of constructing such a gem. Chandeliers hung from the ceiling, authentic animal rugs adorned the carpet (a practice that is surely illegal), mounted trophies of animals hunted by everybody but the lodge's inhabitants sat on the walls, and large windows starting from the brim of the ceiling and expanding to the floor appeared frequently, resulting in a beautiful view of the forest below, or a blinding view of the sunset, depending on the time of day. Still, the location would not be complete were it not wired properly and did not contain the now-mainstream high definition television, the unnecessarily fast computer, nor the complimentary tablets that came with renting a stay in the lush habitat.

But again, riches are only so interesting. It is not even these that give the construction its cryptic hue. Again, it is the ones who have elected to rent this particular location for a meeting that was about to occur. The silence that befell the location was only fitting as the topic that was about to be discussed was one that could be heard by no ears other than those of the intended recipients. Searches had already been conducted several times to ensure that there would be no recording of the talk that was about to happen. All electronics that were not absolutely essential were silenced. The lights were even shut off. It would appear to an external viewers as if absolutely nobody was currently there.

However, it was out on this wooden deck that was hardly illuminated, and only so by moonlight, that a woman stood, observing the cosmos through a consumer telescope resting on a tripod. She was a tall, lanky figure who, were her frame not partly inflated by her cloak, would have appeared more insect-like than human. Still, it was no natural deformity for an individual of her character; rather, it was appropriate. Her dark skin gave a hue that reflected the moonlight almost perfectly, and her structured face was by no means unpleasing to look upon. She was clad in black for this occasion, though whether this was a coincidence or intended for camouflage is unknown. She calmly observed the stars, awaiting the arrival of her company for several hours in the silence. In fact, it grew so quiet from the mountain, thanks to being just elevated enough to drown out the sounds of nature below, that she could almost hear her own heart beating.

This silence was broken, nonetheless, by the sound of a car pulling up in the front yard of the cabin. The driver evidently took care to minimize noise, however, as it still sounded faint, in spite of the already-existing silence that had befallen the air. She drew herself away from the microscope, sat herself at one of the federal-style chairs next to the end table on the deck, and poured herself a glass of wine in what was clearly a glass designed to hold whiskey. It was no mistake, however, just a thing of her character.

She had only downed a single sip when the sliding doors leading to the patio slowly opened, and two men stepped out and closed said doors. The darkness of the cabin was so concealing and blended so well with their black clothing that, in spite of maintaining a view from the window all the way to the front of the cabin, she was unable to detect them up until her ears heard the door sliding open. Both of the men appeared quite similar in frame, though one had skin of bronze and the other skin of ebony - neither of which were at all uncommon. The ebony man bore the mark of Islam around his neck - an interesting fact given that the majority of the Emirates was rather irreverent towards religion. The bronze man lacked accessories other than a ring of emerald which reflect so perfectly that one would have assumed at a glance that the stone was simulated.

No words were exchanged for several more minutes as the mysterious woman followed suit, pouring both men glasses of wine into whiskey cups. The ebony man, communicating with nothing but a hand gesture, declined the drink, probably in compliance with his religion. The air was suddenly broken, with a snide remark, nevertheless. "Gentlemen, if we sit in silence in longer, we will find the sun rising over our shoulders. Let's get down to business, shall we?" spoke the woman to the gentlemen, startling the two of them slightly. It wasn't that they were intimidated by her - rather, it was just that she wasn't exactly who they were expecting. The two gentlemen were no strangers to sinister acts, however, and it would be incorrect to assume that either of them felt an ounce of fear.

"I'm afraid that we're here on your behalf, madam, and thus, we await information concerning your proposal," uttered the ebony man. "I would find myself to be in the wrong, speaking in etiquette, were I to speak before my host has welcomed me," he said. His deep voice vibrated generously against the ears when he spoke. The mysterious woman seemed almost surprised by his eloquence - it was, to her, another sign that she had contacted the right people for the job.

"I appreciate your manners, gentlemen, in allowing me to speak first. Without further ado, I offer my proposal to you. It would seem that in your history of crime against the nation that we live in, you have developed quite a reputation amongst the criminal underworld, in which you both know I maintain a large stake of influence, of being able to successfully complete heists thought to be impossible. I've been observing the two of you for some time, now, and I have determined from my observations that this reputation is well deserved, and this contract that I intend to offer both of you is as well. Now, before we go any further, I have to ask that you both either agree to commit to this contract right now, or you walk away. Once I've informed you of the intended location of the job, there is no more walking away. You are then bound to complete it."

The two men glanced at each other, and then back at the mysterious woman. Her facial features were hard to decipher, but her slightly arched brow solidified her seriousness. The bronze man spoke up: "I would love to commit to the job, given the honor that we are being afforded by simply meeting with you in person, but I'm afraid that I am not fond of committing to a contract in which I have not been given time to review first. Surely you would understand this desire." His voiced differed from the ebony man in that it was much more baritone and harsh. His eloquence substituted for the harsh way that audio rolled off of his tongue, however.

"I understand, and I am very prepared to offer something to satisfy your lack of fondness for my request," responded the mysterious woman. Suddenly, she reached down beneath the table, and produced a dark suitcase. It was invisible up until the point to where she moved it, as it was utterly shrouded by darkness. A few moments passed as she adjusted the password lock on the front, and then an audible click sounded as the case opened. She turned it around, ensuring that the contents were visible to the men that sat before her, with now-empty cups in their hands. Inside the case was nothing less than several million dollars, all perfectly rubber-banded together in a fashion that the two had only seen in popular cinema. "I hope that this satisfies your curiosity," she said to the bronze man, before closing the case. "This money is both of yours to split right now, up front, if you simply are willing to agree to commit to my proposal to you."

Both men examined each other closely with a look that implied a grave deal of understanding for one another - one not typically found in platonic friendships. Nonetheless, their glances returned to the mysterious woman with haste as the suitcase was clamped shut by the password lock once again. As the two men nodded in approval, the mysterious woman turned the case around, and demonstrated how to open it, revealing that the password lock was actually arbitrary, and that the case would open regardless of what digits were entered. She then handed the suitcase to the bronze man, who opened it once more, shared a look with his partner, and then returned it to the side of the chair in which he was seated.

"Good," uttered the mysterious woman. "Now that that's over with, we have some specifics to discuss," she said, as she produced a set of blueprints. The gentlemen had just made a decision which they would likely later regret, though this was unforeseeable, as the image of money blocked it all.

[Vvarden]

The Zaphirite army mobilised, marching at walking speed along the roads to Old Sentinel. The Vvardeni were alongside them. Around, off the road in nearby hills, lay Vvardeni rangers, moving along with the army, scouting the area.
Every 1000 metres there was a refugee camp of about 10-20 people, who had fled Old Sentinel under the Vokar’s noses. The less lucky ones were wounded. The Medical Corps took care of them.
They marched through the boggy marshes on the tall wooden bridges as the rain fell. They marched through thunder on the plains. They marched through a rush of rain as they approached Old Sentinel.
Ursus had been clever. He had captured the town by unknown means, and hid his entire army so they could not see them. The Vvardeni and Zaphirites stopped outside, out of view and range. They were to regroup with a small division of Wolfen soldiers. Together that would make it 500,000 to fight the Vokun, compared to the Vokun’s 430,000. But they still had to be wary.
Maps of the city provided the basic plan for the assault. The army was to break into four. The first, under the Wolfen commander Karolok, consisting of scouts, would creep towards and ambush the Vokun artillery, putting them out of action when the second army, consisting of Zaphirites, attacked from the south-west, and held the main roads with tanks and troops, firing on any Vokun who came close. The third would attack from the east, consisting of mixed Wolfen-Vvardeni troops, and sieze the residential areas swiftly. The last would be the main force, 250,000 Vvardeni, arriving from the south east while the Vokun are distracted.
But when the time came, much had changed.
The mountains were freezing and snowing, and many scouts could not pass the blizzard. The few that did were outnumbered against the artillery squad, and sacrificed themselves to destroy the artillery with grenades.
The army from the south-west succeeded in controlling the major roads, but thanks to the movement of Vokun artillery into the city only hours before, they were facing both artillery and infantry forces, and many died.
The attack from the east was the only one where the main objective was succeeded without a casualty, and with the help of the Vvardeni citizens, who armed themselves with extra weapons given by the Wolfen-Vvardeni group, and were able to wipe out an entire fifth of the Vokun force, and at one point met with the Zaphirite force, and helped them out, driving away the Vokun towards the city centre.
Then the main army came, marching down streets and alleys, roads and highways, until they reached the city hall, where they came face to face with the Vokun. But they were not entirely alone, as all the other forces regrouped and literally formed an entire line stretching from the south west corner to the north east corner. The Zaphirite army broke the short standstill when they seized major factories, followed by the seizing of their camp by the Wolfen-Vvardeni force, and then the hasty retreat when the main force charged. As the Vokun ran towards the small cave, finally the wolfen troops arrived, ready with powerful artillery. Within moments and a few blasts, a rockslide buried the tunnel, preventing the Vokun from ever using it again.

[Desolaas]

By Order of the Guile Aspect: The government hereby formally adopts the Kredit as its official currency. All payments from the government shall be issued in Kredits. Previous Orders allowing citizens to pay the government shall continue uninterrupted, subject to currency exchange rates as pegged at 11:00pm the previous evening. Further, the Sestertia is still considered unacceptable for payments to the government. Its use to settle private debts is acceptable, but is not encouraged.

[OES Zaphiron]

Zaphirite-controlled Sector, Desolaas

The Valsaator Arbiter assigned to oversee the governance of the Zaphirite Sector of Desolaas was walking inside the Archive Tyvenicus within the Imperial Sector's new Capitol of Zavaross with the three advisors assigned to her by the Desolaan Government. For the first few weeks, the Imperials had focused upon making a stable core for their HQ and Sector Capitol by asserting certain Imperial laws and re-asserting Desolaan laws, using the town that the incoming Zaphirites had set up around the Township after its landing. This having been completed, the Zaphirite populace had then begun the reclamation of several of the nearby cities within the sector, recruiting the Desolaan populace to aid in the reclamation. However, with respect to the many dead, only the Zaphirites handled the bodies. In fact, they had asked the Desolaan people about their burial rituals, and used them to carry out putting the dead to rest. After that had been complete, rebuilding the infrastructure and the economy was the sector was the next task on their list, and that was what the Imperial administration was currently undertaking now. In the meantime, they were trying to hook the Archive up into the wider Desolaan network via a direct link, and that task had fallen to the Arbiter and her retinue. About three days after the landing of the Township Zavaross, the Desolaan Government had sent in three advisors that supposedly served as the representatives from their respective 'Aspects', as they called them. The Arbiter, as well as the Emperor, had thought of them as the Desolaan equivalent of a Triumverate, like that of what the Zaphirites had when they had first appeared upon their former planet, Enkon.

So instead of appointing an underseer to govern them, she opted to blend the two ideas and appoint them as the Sector's Administrative Triumvirate, placing each Aspect's representative into their respective place in the Triumvirate.

The Desolaan Triumvirate Representative of the Military, and representative of the Strength Aspect Colonel Roderick Greensten, stood ramrod straight as his sharp gray eyes gazed alertly through the stacks of the Archive, as if expecting an attack at any moment from any number of sources. He ruffled his charcoal colored hair and let loose a nearly silent sigh of relief when he determined the area safe from threats.

"Really now, there should be no cause for concern, Colonel. The Zaphirites won't hurt us, and I would believe their security was top notch here, in their force's own headquarters." The Desolaan Triumvirate Representative of the People, and representative of the Wisdom Aspect Laoshi Ellen Hardy retorted at the tense Colonel. Her light blue eyes rolled in a sarcastic arc as she eased her chocolate brown bangs back. The Colonel, who had slightly redeemed at the dig as well as the implied offense his actions might have given, but was consoled by an unconcerned wave of the hand from the Arbiter.

"That is not an issue, I assure you, Colonel," the Arbiter said, still walking forward through the computer towers with the grace of someone who had memorized the way. "We wouldn't kill the representatives of the people we were sent to aid. If we did so, we would be deemed honorless scum in the eyes of our people, and cast out of the Empire soon after."

"You Zaphirites put much stock into your honor, don't you," asked the Desolaan Triumvirate Representative of the State, and representative of the Guild Aspect SSA Brian Lowrey. His unremarkable brown hair and brown eyes suited him in his role as an intelligence agent. And as an intelligence agent, the question was probably a dig at gaining information, but the Arbiter didn't mind. She smiled at him and answered honestly.

"Yes we do. In fact, even more so for government officials. If any of you should get offers from any of the other factions to go rogue, we consider all of you as part of the local Imperial government. As such, you will be punished accordingly, so be careful..." The Arbiter laughed silently she heard the three audible gulps behind her. Of course what she said was true, but they were actually exempt from the treatment; their punishment would be meted out to her instead, although only for allowing corruption into the governmental machine.

They just don't need to know that though, do they? she thought as she strolled on, smiling just a bit more.

They finally reached the central control console room in the exact center of the specially modified township, which held all of the control commands for the functions of the Archive. They entered the room, and they all watched the many monitors cycle through the vast plethora of files that the Archive held. The Arbiter tapped her datapad and spoke aloud as she sat at the console and brought up a display that read Connection: N/A

"Chief Technician, what is your status?"

Seconds passed, and then a deep voice emitted from the device. "We are ready to go whenever you are, Arbiter. All teams are in position."

The Arbiter smiled. "Good, good, we're ready on our end as well. You may commence the operation now."

"Acknowledged," said the voice, and seconds later a faint humming sound emitted from the console. The display was now changing.

Connection: Found.
Connecting...
Connecting....
Connecting.....
Connection Established. Assigned database tag: Tyvenia

The Triumvirate all flinched slightly at the name of their former country. Noticing this, the Arbiter typed a quick cadence on the console, and replaced the tag to the proper name.

Tag reassigned: Tyvenia -> Desolaas
Establishing Desolaas as home database...
....
.....
Home established. Connection Enabled. All operations: Green

"There we go," The Arbiter spoke to the three people with her, who were watching her expectantly. "Your old database has been reestablished. Anyone connected to the wider network is able to access it now, so you'll be able to find what you'll need fairly easily."

"Thank you, Arbiter. You've no idea what this means to us," Ellen Hardy bowed her head at the Arbiter just slightly in a show of respect, and her compatriots did the same. The Arbiter motioned them up and smiled.

"It is our pleasure," she said with sincerity. "I am only sorry that we couldn't help more of your people when the Plague struck..."

They all spent a few hours scrolling through the Archive's many records, finding and remembering many things that their people had done. As the three were engrossed in the Archives, the Arbiter excused herself and left silently. She was elated that she could restore their history to this beleaguered country, but now her task was to restore their country. And that was what she intended to do, if only in this sector.

[Vvarden]

"Ow!" The President cried as his Ear Doctor attended to his sore ears, which were slightly bleeding from the unknown explosion off Herargon. He had suspicion that it may be a test, a test to see wether Vvardeni are at risk of loud sound, which they were, like rock concerts, which is also why few exist apart from those for tourists.
After the Doctor had healed his ears and administered a small cast that will be taken when his eardrum had healed, he left the Doctor's office and took his Presidential Limo home. Daxtarian sat next to him, cuddled against his shoulder as Johans looked out the window.
New Erriel was an enormous city, with over 1 billion citizens. Most lived in the enormous 800 story towers that were once part of the S.S.S Vvarden, and simply impaled into the ground like an arrow.
Most people lived in huge pillars of buildings, with shops and supermarkets on the lower floors, so they didn't need to walk far, but some lived in purely residential towers, nearby purely commercial towers. But a new kind of apartment was coming into favour. It was called a cube apartment, and was huge apartments made of boxes stacked on top of one another, connected by a single elevator and a crane at the top to install more apartments. Each box was a mid sized apartment, with bathrooms, bedrooms and living rooms. The poorer people got slightly smaller apartments, and were stacked at the top.
But the President's apartment was simply a bunch of huge, two story mansions stacked on top of one another, and the President had the top one. The others went to other politicians and billionaires. Johans often had morning encounters with the Minister for Foreign Affairs when getting the newspaper.
Dax looked out at the window, the same one Johans was looking out of.
"Penny for them." Johans said.
"Well, darling, I saw a startling thing today when I went to the records office." Dax replied.
"What was it?" Johans asked inquisitively.
"Well, technically, we are not married yet."
Johans stood up.
"Not married? But our marriage on the spaceship-"
"Was not valid, we forgot to go to the records office the day after. Think of it like this, Johans. We get to have another wedding." Dax said.
"Well, you raise a good point. And I can invite foreign officials to help relations." Johans said, shrugging his arms.
"Don't get too carried away with the diplomacy. It's a chance for us to be together. Especially in these dark times." Daxtarian warned with a light tone.
"Anything for us, my sweet."

[Thalmath]

Shadows were cast over the plains of Ebonheart in the sun of the late day. Vvarden intelligence notified Thalmath of a large Vokun army hidden in the forests borderlining the plains where dropships were now headed. Soldiers inside cheered and whooped as they prepared themselves for a good bloodshed. It had been a long time since their last battle and they were thirsting for war. The Vokun were nearly a hundred thousand strong while the Thalmathians were a little over half that but a sneak attack was prepared to obliterate the vokun.
Ten lightly armoured soldiers exited the dropships when they landed and headed into the trees where the Vokun were hiding. The camp was comprised mostly of tents and thrown-together bunkers. It was not well guarded either. The slight figures of the thalmathian scouts slid in between the tents placing down small boxes as they went. Any guards that got in the way were dealt with quietly. After a few minutes, the scouts came back and prepared to launch their attack. Each of them pressed a detonator and flames shot up into the sky and through the trees.
Immediately the rest of the soldiers ran in with heavy guns and explosives. They were met with far less of the Vokun forces that started out there. Less than half survived the first onslaught but the rest fought bravely, whirling axes as if it was only a part of their bodies. Lasers and plasma bursts came from both sides taking down soldier after soldier. Thalmathians ran into the midst of the enemy while carrying explosives to take out more of the Vokun.
Eventually the the Vokun were whittled down to a mere ninety-seven at which point they surrendered and were captured. They were turned into the Vvarden military and the Thalmathians returned home and waited for the next battle.

[Herargon]

Salvus et Rex

Rome, 2:10 P.M.

''Very good, Braxton. You've succeeded in the operation'', spoke the emperor calmly, as he smiled.

''Thank you very much, sir. I am honoured to hear that'', said the general Braxton. He was a decent clothed 45 year old man that led the operation for a new, secret weapon.

''You however also must remember this...''
The Imperator gave him a bouquet of flowers.
''Here, Braxton. You may have this from me. Consider it a thank-you for your good contribution to the operation. I assume you also need this for your wife.''
''Thank you, your Royal Highness.'' He bowed and sat down, and kissed the Imperial feet, and then he stood up again.
''Be known, however, that you may not announce the operation as ''succeeded'' and tell it internationally until six hours from now have passed'', said the emperor. ''Of course not! I won't dare to do that, my Royal Highness!'', said Braxton quickly.
He was known with the harsh and extremely strict standards in the military.

The Herargonian army was, even for Spartan standards, a strict and rough one to be trained in. The recrute training alone was harsh; you were obliged to 20 weeks non-stop marching, swimming, building bridges, running 42 miles with a bag on your back without pausing, and setting up camps and learning how to hunt for food and to communicate secretly, and to survive in the most bare environments, even those nearing alien conditions.
Furthermore, you were conditioned to 24-hour indoctrination and moraleboosting, learning how to develop resistance against - only foreign - propaganda.
As if it wasn't enough, you were randomly woken up every night and could even be attacked - with real weapons - while you had to fight bare-fisted.
And the worst of all those things for recruits was that they only could sleep 6 hours a day. On average. Sigh.

He knew how it was when he had to go through all of that, and he didn't want to have to go through that one more time.
He also knew that the Emperor had to go through that, and that he succeeded. Together they were two out of an splendid army of more than 2 million men.

''Not this time. You won't really have to listen to it. I disagree with the fact that armies have to be inhumane. Yes, we have to fight against inhumane enemies if needed, but treating our own soldiers that way...'', said Archelaus plunged into deep thought.
''Actually, I do think that the training is a very good method to distinguish weak-minded people from more resistant, stronger people.''
''I don't believe what you've just said. You actually want to go back to the recruit camp again?!'', said the emperor with an incredulous face. He raised his eyebrows.
''Not as eager as the recruits before the camps.'', said Braxton mockingly dry. They both laughed as squirrels, but with a more manly, deeper voice.

''Fine, I'll announce it then, Your Majesty'', muttered Braxton.
''Good idea. Announce it first to the nearby nations; they probably still feel the damage from the test.''
''I don't think dead people would feel damage, sir'' said Braxton.
''OK, mister smart, then explain clinically dead people that have been 'resurrected' and then feel pain.''
''Uhm.. well... Ugh. You win this time, my Royal Highness.''

****

Rome, 8:10 P.M, the news journal

''...and at the moment the broadcast will be interrupted for a short news message.''

The screen focused on a general. It was General Braxton.

''Good evening, fellow Herargonians. Today, I would like to announce that we have found the cause of the explosion yesterday.''

He scraped silently with his throat, and then followed: ''The explosion that has been found to have an impact of roughly 700 megaton, possibly more, has not been caused by a volcano. Nor has it been caused by a nuclear weapon, as foreign powers suggested.'' He looked with a calm face.

''The explosion has been caused by a weapon that has been developed by the nation of Herargon. The weapon, fellow Herargonians and citizens of Yukon, has been confirmed to be the first anti-matter weapon that has been made and released. The Senate and the People of Herargon have developed this great project to ensure the security of the world. For the weapon to be made, of course, however, we have also developed the first tactic to create anti-matter in sustainable quantities.'' He smiled friendly for a short time, honest and truthfully.

Then he said: ''Furthermore, in honor and in the name of our dear Imperator, the Emperor of the Senate and the People of Herargon, I announce that we will not use this weapon as an attack. However, if any power dares to attack us, we will and shall retaliate with any weapon available. This is the message I bring to you people, in the name of the Imperator.''

He stopped with talking, stood up and greeted the - was it the screen, or was it someone offscreen? - emperor;

''Salve, oh Imperator, for we will follow you in this policy.''

Then the TV screen flashed back to the news. The news reader looked at it, and then smiled politely to the viewer.
She also saluted, and said ''Salvè, oh Imperator.''

Most people that viewed the television the night followed her out of respect for the emperor.
Herargonians could be controversial, but one thing most people - even foreigners - seemed to agree upon, was the fact that they often were honest.

[New Toola]

Senator Larry Phillips faces strong criticism

Some experts wonder if Senator Phillips can continue to compete in the election

New Toola - Senator Larry Phillips has faced major criticism over recent remarks about the New Toolan population. A a campaign dinner, he was quoted calling conservatives in New Toola, "Ignorant pieces of garbage who have run this nation to the ground."

These comments which were directed at New Toola's overwhelmingly conservative population has crippled his campaign and his image. Critics have pointed out that New Toola's economy is on the rise and the wealth divide is shrinking due to pro business policies by the conservative government.They have also pointed to the 79% approval rating that the current government currently has.

Many experts have stated their concern over how these comments could effect his campaign for Chief Elder. New Pools have shown that he is falling in the polls and Elder Henry Crane's is on the rise. Henry Crane and his campaign has been getting more and more support from the population. The New Toolan NRA has already endorsed Elder Crane.

Either way, these comments could make this upcoming election a landslide if Senator Phillips can't bounce back from this.

[46566]

Grand Duchy does not recognize Neutrality
Midgar,46566- The Grand Duchy of 46566 Has issued a statement not recognizing Herargon neutrality. The reason for the move is the belief that no country is actually fully neutral in is stances. There is wide spread belief the recent weapon discharge in the south west was a Herargon created weapon. The belief is that the weapon shows that the Herargon is using neutrality as a cover to build up it's military.

[Herargon]

Herargon emphasizes it is not aggressive; peaceful co-existence policy leads instead

ROMAE. The pumping new, restored city of the glory of the Old world in its glory is in uproar. The Senate has emphasized it is not attacking, but that it feels threatened by the greater powers. A senator in the Senate of Herargon spoke this out with the following words ''As a result of this, and the fact that we are the sole neutral country in the world, that we aren't even under the protection of a greater power due to our policy, we decided years before the Disaster of Enkon happened that we needed to be safe in case a foreign power attacks us.''
''We won't attack unless that happens to us. We then will attack back with any weapon available, and will retaliate. However, we won't ever attack any other nation, not even if we are provoked to do so - unless we are directly attacked'', said the minister of Foreign Affairs.
The minister of Defense added to this: ''We could have invaded Vvarden if we wanted to. And with this weapon it would have been very easily.
But we didn't; this proves that we are neutral. Plus, we gave food droppings, which are allowed and recognised as an act that may be done as a neutral power.''

The emperor is worried about the victims of the bomb and has decided to send compensations for the victim's families; coffins, a personal letter, monetary compensations and an offer to let their family travel to Herargon for free, and let them have free services and food in a period of twelve weeks if they want to. He also has reprimanded the minister of Defense for not telling him where they were planning to detonate, before it happened.
''The minister has disappointed me. They could have done it on a more safe place; even if that meant the effect of the bomb was less precisely describeable.''

Drunk man defecates on mayor; twelve hospitaled
A drunk Herargonian has defecated on the mayor of Persinapolis yesterday.
The mayor just began with his speech when a turd dropped twelve meters from the roof of the building to his head.
The man then began to sing and yell ''Fuck you, mayor Olab, we're the greatest football team, screw you and yer bald head''.
After this, the man walked off the roof and broke a few bones, but then he stood up and yelled an insult towards the police, roughly being ''Fook da polis, my bones 're broken, it's all yer fault!'', and then he ran towards the 6 police men and punched them all down.
It was not until the reinforcements rushed to the man that he was arrested. Two of the four extra police agents have been wounded with a glass bottle and four other people have been lightly wounded.

Grand Prix: The Thompson Wins
The National Grand Prix of Herargon has ended in a finish of Stacey Oster Thompson. She completed the race in a record time of 12:33:46, which beated the previous national record; 12:58:22. With this champion race, the season of the Grand Prix has ended.
She is delighted with the price. ''I hope to be able to race soon again after this great race! I've encountered so much nice people. That motivates me to do it again!''. Stacey Oster Thompson has won over 3 National Grand Prix races, 1 Winter Cup, and has beated her personal record two times.

[Vvarden]

The Vvardeni farmer was planting crops in the dusk, mostly rice and soy and a few bits of bok choi when he saw the lights in the darkness, opposite the dawn. Small booms sounded and lights flickered.
The cows behind him were getting restless. Then the booming got closer, and then closer, and then closer when he could see the lights. They were explosions. He stared in shock, paralysed, and ran, as the farm behind him exploded, shattering splinters everywhere and sending bits of the tin roof flying.
The farmer watched the plane go west, and saw his fellow neighbors' farms being bombed. He had to report this, but the next farm was over 50 kilometers away, so he saddled his horse and rode all the way to the phone.

[Vvarden]

VVARDENI NEWS NETWORK
President Announces Wedding Ceremony

Just recently, through some unknown error, it was revealed that President Johans Derrik was after all their time together, not married. So in response, President Derrik has announced a new wedding ceremony and invites foreign officials from every country to attend, as a sign of goodwill. He also specifically asks for members of the SUN to attend, to promote goodwill between factions.
The ceremony is to take place on top of the tallest building in Vvarden, A Tower, which stands at 900 stories, at sunset. There will be refreshments and entertainment provided by Dean California, a very famous comedian and lounge singer.
There will also be plans for diplomacy and for the ending of the Vokun war at the ceremony.

(OOC: TG me if you want someone to come. Wedding will take place next week, OOC)

[Vvarden]

"Now, Dax," Johans grabbed a small snack while talking. "My great-aunt Edith, avoid her at all costs, she hates foreigners and is bound to lecture me on why I didn't marry a 'pure' Vvardeni. Uncle Albrecht, you can talk to him, but only use these three topics, food, wine and him. And then my cousin Seriv. He is quite...odd, and has tried to kiss me once," Johans shuddered then licked his fingers. "Do not let him kiss you, as he may have rabies. That would explain the frothing, or he may just have eaten a bar of soap. But don't. Now, honey, what should you do when great uncle Forster arrives?"
Dax replied almost instantly. "Discuss the sea as he was once a sailor."
"Good. Now what does cousin Vemynal like?" Johans asked.
"Zoo animals, as he works in one."
"Great. Now, what chair should provide the best comfort for uncle Frederik's legs?"
Dax replied with a smile, "Trick question, he has no legs thanks to a freak pool ladder accident which resulted in the loss of the left, and a ballooning accident which resulted in the right."
"Perfect!" Johans kissed Dax. "You know, I wouldn't trade any man or woman on all of Yukon for you. You and I are perfect."
"And I love you too." Dax replied.

[Herargon]

The Expectation Arrives

''Now, now, what is it, dear?'', said the imperial doctor to Annetta, the Crown Princess of the nation.
They were together, and they were the only two people in the room.
''Well... according to my friend, I would have to go to you Aescepulus, since I would be very ill. Many people have been praying for me half a month ago.'', spoke Annetta, calmly.
''What do you feel then, my child?'', asked the doctor.
''Exactly that'', sighed Annetta. ''I am pregnant, and I fear my family will find it weird.''
''Ah. Because you are quite young for your age?'', spoke the doctor. He also was a retired psychologist and psychiater who was renowned for his work.
''Yeah, it is more the norm to get children after your marriage. I did that, though. But what it actually.. is, is that I am younger than 30, but older than 16.''
Sigh. The doctor took his monocles off his face, and looked her deep in the eyes, strictly as he was.
''And may I ask whether you find that a problem, your Royal Lady? It is technically legal.'', said Aescepulus with an raised eyebrow.
He was fourty and three year old, and got the first signs of becoming older; wrinkles, a bit of grey hair over his dark brown hair. He looked very much like Dr. Kelso from Scrubs, but he was less sarcastic and a better person from heart.
''But I am expecting a child! I have absolutely no experience whatsoever on this field and I think I - oh, please, Milan! I would feel so ashamed to tell it.
''Well, that does not matter, your Royal Highness. You are a royal lad; you have certain privileges, and that is fine.''
''I married a normal man instead of a noble. That is the problem.''
The doctor looked with a shocked face for a brief moment, but he quickly reassured his former position.
''Good, that is your own choice. I will write a letter to your parents tonight asking whether they find it a problem if a non-noble friend of them comes to care for you. If they find it a problem, I will say you won't be cared by him, but that a specialised doctor will do it. A neonatologist, but I won't write that, since this is a secret between you and me. Good?''
''Yes, sure'', she smiled.
''If they won't find it a problem, I will explain that you are pregnant and not so ill anymore since your first trimester has passed already.''
''But that isn't the case-!''
''I know. But would you rather have an excuse that is not so far from the truth, or have one that is far from the truth and misleading because it leads to your parents being angry at you and not understanding for you?''
''Well, then we could be fairly certain that no problem happens'', she spoke sarcastically with a hand gesture that looked like she was waving for a short time. She then dropped her right hand on her right leg, and then loaned with her head on her left hand, sitting in the cozy round sofa.
She crossed her legs and then said to the doctor behind the entirely white colored bureau that she would just write it herself.
The doctor encouraged her to do this, saying that she should do what she wishes if she thinks it is an intelligent choice to to.
Annetta then smiled, said 'thanks', and then stood up and grabbed her red handbag and beige colored coat. She did her coat, placed the handbag around her shoulder, and then putted on her maroon baret, and then she said politely but truthfully ''I'll go. Thank you, dr. Aescepulus, for your help. I will follow your advice.''
The doctor shaked her hand, waved at her as she left through the glass door.

[Airatania]

BREAKING NEWS
NEW MIRACUS, Airatania -- President Madeline Ward has formally vetoed a resolution recognizing the neutrality of the nation of Herargon, following a weapons test conducted by the Herargonian government. In a statement released moments ago, President Ward said that the "distressing nature" of the weapons test shows that Herargon "is willing to risk the peace and safety of its own nation, as well as others, simply to gain a military advantage over other nations, rather than join forces with other nations in order to ensure its own security among the international community."

President Ward went on to say: "This atrocious act of violence is not a display of neutrality, but rather a display of aggression, and so long as I am President, it is this nation's policy to never engage in open-ended diplomacy with aggressors such as Herargon at the cost of regional or worldwide peace."

Leaders in the legislature seem to agree, and the leadership in both parties have emphatically told ANN that they plan to abide by President Ward's veto and allow the neutrality resolution to be rescinded.

More information will follow as soon as it becomes available.

[Nedea]

Off the Coast of Desolaas Is. Nedean District.

Opal Kredit sat in her seat gazing out the window. Her father, Onyx Kredit had assigned her to be the Administrator for the Nedean District on the Desolian Island. She smiled, this was wonderful. Finally, after all the training and schooling she can finally go and do something on her own. Running a whole micronation? This is just what she needed.

Opal had always been a born leader. During her time in High School she was elected student body president all 4 years and into college became the most notable member in the student government. She could lead this puny District to great things and prove to her father she was a perfect heir to his empire. Since a female Kredit had never held the keys to the Kredit Empire she was determined to change the status quo.

2 Hours Later, at the Nedean District Admin Center.

Opal walked around the Admin Center, finally she came across a room labeled "ND AC World Office." She entered the office to see a white haired gentleman peeking at some books. He couldnt have been any older than her.

He adjusted his glasses. "Hello Opal, it's been too long."

Opal approached his desk. "Still reading those nerdy books about the paranormal I see, you haven't changed at all Sugi."

He looked back into his bool. "And I see you're as awful as ever. What's it been? 10, 20 years?"

"4 Sugi, It's been 4 years. We graduated top of our class and moved on."

"Must've just had my hopes up."

Opal leans over the desk and pulls Sugi's book away. "Mysteries of the Worlds and Beyond. Haha, oh Sugi, I miss those old days."

He pulls another book off the shelf, this one labeled, Quantifying the Paranormal in laymans Terms. "Anyway, what brings you to the ND?"

"My father assigned me to be the Admin for the ND. This should be just a delight."

Sugi gets up from his chair and grabs opal at the waist and sways with her "Oh it's always a delight with you around my dear. Now, let us catch up before tomorrows discussion you mistress of malevolence."

"Indeed you monotonous bookworm."

The two then proceed to make love on the desktop

Morning, Clearance Discussion, Admin Room

Opal slammed her hands against the desk.

"Alright everyone listen up. We have a lot of work to do if we are going to make this District profitable and better than the rest! It's hard enough that Nedea is broken up and weakened from the Enkon Exodus. I want everyone pushing themselves to their full power you understand?"

The staff looked at her with serious faces. "Yes Mistress Kredit!" all but Sugi was paying attention. He was busy looking out a window.

"Our first steps should involved clear cutting this District and installing a Rebirth Network here. Gods know the atrocities we are to encounter here. After that I want a branch office from every Syndicate member built and fully staffed. Also, I want Harmony on the phone. We are going to need to set up patrols on the south and western borders to keep out the other Districts until we can establish an efficient transport network. Speaking of our neighbors, I want connections sent out to each one of the other Admins. If we play the negotiation game right we will be the power on this developing island and reap the most rewards. Understood?"

"Yes Mistress Kredit!"

"Excellent... Sugi, would you mind seeing me in the library in 30 mins? We have some things to discuss, as for the rest of you, meeting adjourned!"