Airships and Landboats [IC]

[Caltarania]

Airships and Landboats

The world in 1628 is somewhat in an era of prosperity; or so much that it was. Steampunk and Clockwork technology are the main sources of power for the world; both in the domestic and military sense. Da Vinci was much more powerful in this timeline, due to the Gonfaloniere of the Florentine Republic noticing his mathematical and engineering skills early on in life. He went on to produce not only the works we know in our timeline, but also produce more than even he could have imagined. He was able to manufacture a tank-like vehicle, which brought him great fame. Due to Da Vinci's extended influence, the technology of the world advanced more quickly than in our timeline. With the first airships being built around 1478, and the New World being discovered shortly after in 1479. Though it was discovered only a few years before our timeline, it was enough to push the balance of power in the world.

Fast-forward to 1628, and the world is prosperous. Every nation has possession of at least a small Airship navy, and Landships are all too common. Soldiers, too, carry weaponry which is arguably more advanced than what we have today in many aspects. Domestically, factories chug out products using machinery which in our timeline was not discovered until the late 19th century. This lead to a large stale-mate between the Great Powers, and war has been uncommon. However, tensions have been rising recently. While it looks like the world will remain at peace, no one can be sure. Though, there is one thing everyone is sure of, the world has definitely changed. New Powers have risen, and old ones have fallen.

You will control one of these nations; whether it be a Great power of old, declining into the past, or a Grand power of new, progressing into the future. Your decisions will shape the course of this world, and perhaps the course of many others.

Rules:
1. Obey NS rules
2. Obey OP/OP-appointed as per their role
3. No metagame/godmod/numberspam/other bad RPing
4. At least a paragraphs a post please, and good grammar & spelling
5. Exercise common sense
6. Attempt to be active every couple of days at least, if you're going to be away for a while, notify me/Co-ops.
7. ERROR_404

Map:

http://i.imgur.com/RvZQaAm.png

OOC:

viewtopic.php?f=31&t=276726

[The Time Alliance]

The Argentine Confederation was a group of Tribes and Nations who stood together under one flag during the Spanish threat. Spain never reached the Argentine Confederation. After careful consideration it was decided that the nations were better united then alone. Thus they formed the Argentine republic. Numerous tribes continued to Join the Argentine Republic until it bordered the Avalonian Republic. Some of the Kings of the Argentine Republic then attempted a raid on Bolivia who was a protectorate of the Avalonian Republic. The Avalonian Republic then at that point made The Argentine Republic a puppet state. This brought a period of prosperity to Avalonia. The Economy rose and the nation was modernized. Thus materials were given to the new Dominion of Free Argentine.

Modern day

It had been almost 100 years since the Dominion of Free Argentine was conquered by The Avalonian Republic. The 5,042,000 people in this Free State were very prideful towards their mother country of The Avalonian Republic. Some people though wanted the Argentine Republic, which is what it was called before being taken over, to fight back against the Avalonian Republic. These people did not have enough support to due this however so they launched attacks against the ships which supplied the nation with more modern day weapons.

Despite this most of The Dominion of Free Argentine was in support of their Rulers in the Avalonian Republic. They believed that cutting off the Dominion from the Republic would lead to the immediate demise of Argentine itself. So they kept quiet and stood faithfully towards supporting the Republic. The Avalonian Government, as to secure hold over the Dominion of Free Argentine, Implemented a Governor-General as the Dominion’s head of State. The current Governor-General was Mr. Cautlu Sinter a die-hard supporter of the Republic and a veteran in the Dominions war against the Supporters of the Argentine Republic. He was an aspiring Freedom loving Patriot of his nation and his neighbors. He resided in a Mansion in the city of Buenos Aries, a nice ocean-side city with a large port which housed the Dominion’s fleet.

Neighbors. That was a Story. Naturally the Nation to The Dominion’s North was The Avalonian Republic. As mentioned already in the text The Dominion of Free Argentine is a Puppet of The Avalonian Republic, so most relationships come from them. As a result the Dominion had a very friendly relationship with the neighbor to its east, the Incan Republic. There was one Non-South American Nation in South America however. This nation was the First Trans-Pyreneese Socialist Republic. It stood for the opposite of everything the Republic and the Dominion believed in. Then last of all there were the Sable Piarates. The dominion hadn’t established much contact but according to legend they were fierce Pirates from the North who interrupted the trade of all nations a real problem indeed for everyone. The Rest of the world was out of the Reach of the Dominion and contact hadn’t yet been established.

The Dominion itself is what is important however. Its Economy was a weaker one. It was primarily Agricultural based with very few aspects of Industry. Most Industrial Products come from other nations. The military itself is made with weapons given to the Republic by The Avalonian Republic. It included some weaker models and designs of the Republic’s weapons. However The Dominion’s only true pride was the ships that they themselves invented. The Aret-Class Destroyers, yes they may be a bit under-gunned and they may have had a weak outer shell but they were still true products of this fair Dominion.

It was time However. In this age of steam would the Dominion be the nation standing above all others? Or will it always be a puppet of the Avalonian Republic.

[Aldelxane]

((Cant Delete for Some Reason))

[Photana]

Exulis Submarine # 155, On patrol near the Mid-Atlantic Ridge
Garibaldi Jenofi was a skilled submarine pilot, and was one of the first people to receive training for the attack submarine fleet. This is why he was exploring the trench, he knew his way around the bottom of the sea, how the clear darkness could quickly be disturbed by slit on the ocean floor. He knew not to go too close to the oceanic vents, lest his oxygen supply be compromised. He knew not to screw around with the Sperm whales that also stalked these depths, hunting for something. What that something was he didn't know. All he knew was that in the stomachs of the giants that had to be slain to feed the city, he saw giant beaks being pulled out. Cleaned and perfumed versions of these beaks were often used when displaying pearls, one of the main jewels of the city and harvested from the clams that were cultivated in some of the "farms" of the city. No one knew what they came from, and Garibaldi was personally hoping for giant marine parrots, just to spruce up the grim darkness of the sea floor.

He would soon find out that he was wrong. Very, very wrong.

Near the end of his patrol, Garibaldi decided to map one new canyon he found on his trip. He put his submarine in hover mode, and began mapping out the feature of the crag. A few fishes here and there, some deep-sea plant life, etc. He spent a few hours staring into the abyss when something happened. He heard a huge BONG on the sides of his ship, bringing him out of his trance and into combat mode. He turned the safety off his weapons, and tried to located what hit him, when he saw something come into his view. 6 great arms. He began firing into the giant monster in front of him, screaming "Morire, Morire, Morire!" (Die, Die, Die!) while he fired. He stopped when he stopped feeling a tug towards the great beast, and left the area quickly, not waiting to see where the body of his kill would land. He returned to the station to a great confusion, then he noticed that his ship had two great tentacles attached to the sides. He quit the sub corps that day, not out of fear, but out of a feeling that the giant squid that he discovered would be better mechanized.

You see, Garibaldi was part of a new movement that was sweeping through Exulis, the Clanker movement, named after the sounds machine make. The basis of the movement was that everything can be improved through technology. Clankers often saw the natural world as inefficient and only a tool to be used for inspiration and experimentation. Garibaldi's dive inspired him to work full time as an inventor, and he started work on the components that would comprise his life's work, the Mechanized squid. The day that would see the swimming of the mechanized squid was far off though, and he first needed to invent many of the components. He started with the flexible metal skin that was needed on the arms of the squid.

[Zenoch]

King Philip sat on his thrown, thinking about his people. Only a few hundred years ago, man had been bound to the earth, groveling in the dark ages. Now, men flew through the sky like birds, and had weapons that made one soldier as good as twenty.
Yes, much had changed.
So Philip decided his kingdom must change too. For too long, Naples had been nothing but a middleman, handling supplies and payment provided by other nations. Though his father and grandfather had reformed Naples' economy, transforming it from an exchange center to a technological giant.
Still, we are weak. Philip thought. He knew he needed to show the world that Naples was no longer just a trade state. It was, and always will be, a powerful country. Consequently, Naples needed a larger military. He sent out an order to increase the size of Naples' garissons by 20%, and the construction of 20 warships and 1 combat airship.
He then called his generals to his throne room.

3 hours later.
The military commanders had gathered in a meeting room inside the palace. The King sat at the head of the table, a map of the Mediterranean spread before him.
"Tell me gentlemen, when was the last time we actually WON, a war?" Philip asked.
"Well sire, there was the rebellion in-"
"NOT FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS!" Philip shouted.
"What is your point, oh king?" A man asked.
"We need to establish ourselves as a world power. That is my point." The royal responded. "Now, what is our best option for invading.... here?" He pointed at a location on the map.

Present time, Sicily
A farmer tilled his grape field, using his trained eye to find any rocks in the ground that would hinder his yeild. His eyes were not pointed too the sky, which the should have been.
He only looked up when a massive shadow was cast across his field, causing him to look to the sky. He saw a massive airship, the "Nola". It was the flagship of the Naples air fleet, and it opened fire on the town of Cefalú, just a few miles west of the farm.
The farmer watched helplessly as his home city was hit by a volley of cannon balls, coming from the Nola and the three other airships that had come on the invasion. The farmer looked to the sea, and saw to is horror a fleet of 20+ ships sailing towards the Sicilian coast.
The invasion of Sicily had begun.

[Fantrum]

The nation of Canada had emerged from the war with its independence, but now as people began to set down their arms, came the terrifying task of modernizing the country's infastucture and usuhing it onto the global stage. This task fell upon the newly formed government, headed by President Lyra Heartstrings and her cabinet. Situated in the capital city of Yellowknife, the capital building never rested, its large white marble walls had held the national government for the last two years. And in those two years, Lyra Heartstrings had fought forgiven influence, internal uprisings, trade inequality, and on top of all this, the resentment of many as a woman in the position of president. Her job was made easier by the presence of Speaker for the Minority Stanton, who had been elected by the people, as all government officials had. The Minority speaker had become a close confident to the president, as well as a pillar of support, seeing as they were both ladies and thus faced the same discrimination by much of the male population. To the south, lay the United States; a nation with which Canada had rather friendly relations. To the west, the vast expanse of the USSR stretched out, the rumors that Russia had participated in Canada's revolution were always quickly dismissed by most government members, but it was no secret that Russian communism had influenced the formation of Canada's own governing body. The new nation had struggled through the last two years and now, thanks to the valiant efforts of the dedicated individuals in Yellowknife, the Dominion of Canada found itself on the precipice of prosperity. With the stabilization of the core regions, the people's government could finally turn its attention to the world abroad.

(Character post is coming shortly)

[Neros]

Empire of Scandinavia
City of Stockholm
The Imperial Cathedral

Standing mighty over the city of Stockholm, the Imperial Cathedral was the life giver of the Empire, built by Sigismund III Vasa in 1590 and housing the nobles of the House of Vasa, as well as the King of Sweden and Emperor of Scandinavia himself, Gustavus Adolphus. Sigismund was his cousin, the last Roman Catholic monarch of the Empire, and it was Gustavus' father who drove him from the throne in the name of the Reformation. No matter, it was the house of the Emperor alone, and all would be respectful to him no matter their religious standing with God or the Pope. Today however, activity was following throughout the Command Section of the Cathedral. From it's wondrous and immense halls, Field Marshals, Generals, and Officers of all standings were engaged in active discussion among each other.

A tactic such as this developed earlier in the history of the Empire, as noblemen in command of armies would share newly found tactics and doctrines, as well report on those tested in battle. The professional, and feared, officer class of the Empire would conduct wargames, share stories, and make attempts to preach new doctrines of combat. This also happened to be a wonderful time to showcase new technological advances that inventors, industrialists, engineers and the like have designed based on identified needs of the advancing military front. Officers would report a need for increased mobility, and the report would be posted for all to view. Inventors big and small would attempt to complete such a device, with competition fierce for reports offering monetary rewards. This method of filling the needs of the military worked exceptionally well for the industrial sector as well - ensuring technology is in constant improvement. For example, the recent invention and adoption of the Velocipede, or bicycle, by the Imperial Army has allowed the armed forces to disregard the need to have vast stores of horses, as well turn the Mobile Infantry into an even more devastating force. Simple, yet incredibly effective.

A quick hush fell over the military officers as the Emperor made his way into the main room of the Command Section, flanked by the illustrious Field Marshal Lennart Torstensson, who to many was the second in command of the Imperial Armed Forces. His tenacity and skills were rival to that of the Emperor, and that was no lie. He was perhaps the most skilled tactician in the Empire, but he would never accept such an honor, as he would view it as an insult to the Emperor. See, Lennart began his career as a page during the Great Sami Rebellion of 1618, reporting directly to the Emperor and transporting his commands. While in transport, he noticed the rebels quickly changed their position, and in an act of high treason, altered the command of the Emperor. Lennart confessed as he returned to the Emperor, and detained the young man. Facing execution, the Emperor would rather see the outcome of the battle under Torstensson's altered orders. A resounding success, the Emperor remarked that the boy was better suited to be a general than a page, and the Emperor took the boy on as a protege, and in the ten years that followed, he has become a powerful noble and a top ranking Field Marshal, at the young age of 25.

The two men took their seats - which by all accounts were normal chairs without any distinction of rank - at a central table discussing the European Scenario, as it was called. "The Soviets have invaded Poland, and the Germans prepare a pre-emptive strike." The Emperor remarked, viewing the pieces on the map and their movements. "Advance the 2nd Mobile Artillery to the border of Karelia, with support from the 1st Arctic Corps along Murmansk. Divert Soviet attention to the North to allow the Germans to gain time. Roll." The gamemaster nodded, attention turning to him as he rolled two die - coming up as a two and a five. The gamemaster read the report,

"The 2nd Mobile Artillery movement is discovered and the Soviets attack to secure the advantage. The 1st Arctic Corps moves steadily, but uncovers a secret Soviet push designed to cut Osterland from Sweden proper." The turn then goes along as planned, each nation making it's move and counter-move, many once-neutral nations entering into the conflict on varying lines of conflict, many against and many with Scandinavia. A game is all it was, but it trained the best commanders in a simple idea: Battle can entirely be decided by luck alone.

"God favors the side of the best artillery." Field Marshal Torstensson, advancing his units from Franco-Spain against Germania. This would be a long night, it seemed.

[Fantrum]

Lyra started as the sound of someone lightly tapping the door to her office filled her ears. She had been dozing off, surrounded by stacks of parchment, after her third sleepless night. Quickly smoothing out the wrinkles in her fine suit, she moved to the door and opened it slightly, revealing a man with the gruff features of experience in the Canadian wilderness. He stood 6' 5" with tussled blond hair and green eyes, his clean shaven face betrayed his actual age, but the scares marring his face showed he was no ignorant youth.

Upon seeing him, Lyra threw the door wide open, "Ah, Vice President Macintosh. What brings you here at this hour?" The president stepped aside to allow the man access to the room.

John nodded and took a chair near the large oak desk, talking as he walked, "Well, Madam president, if you will note your chronometer," He said, without a hint of disrespect, "It is ten in the morning."

Lyra jumped, taken aback, "What?! That cant be! I have things to do! Meetings to hold!" She frantically rushed to her desk and got out her telegraph machine, but before she could tap out any messages, John laid his hand on the device.

"Madam President, I took the liberty of letting you sleep in." He kept his infuriatingly calm voice down, "I have dealt with all the matters you had planned for the morning. As I knew you have not slept in three days."

Lyra glared at the larger man, but it was only for a few seconds before she had to wipe the last remaining sleep from her golden eyes. Sighing, she relented, "Thanks John. I trust you have seen everything to my liking." She leaned back in her chair, feeling the tension being released from her back in the process, and looked up at the ceiling, "Any news from the expedition that went north in search of coal?" The government had started an initiative, for intrepid explorers to venture into the wilderness to find new resources for the country to use. The program had been a resounding success since its introduction 6 months ago, and more was being unearthed with every team that went out. The deal for anyone that took up the mantle was as such, the government would pay for the cost of living and the development of the land, as well as a stipend to each member of the team, in return the explorers would mark the location on a map and send it back to Yellowknife via airship and begin excavating the area. After the site proved profitable, others would have to volunteer to be moved to the site and work exploiting the land would truly begin.

John's stoic expression remained as he passed a piece of parchment onto Lyra's desk, "A dispatch came in from the Northern Star, via biplane. The team has struck possibly the largest deposit of coal we have ever found." The man stood and folded his hands behind him, "They have requested the construction of a rail connection with Yellowknife."

The president stopped her vacant reading of the parchment, "They what?" She stated in utter disbelief. The main way for a Canadian and most freight to get around was by airship, as the building of ground-side transport was incredibly expensive. John held his silence as the President answered her own question, "Send to them this, 'After they have proved the validity of the existing claims, the government will commit the resources necessary for the building and maintaining of a rail line.' Regards, President Heartstrings." Thoughts were racing in her mind, but she couldn't let them determine her decision, until the team had enough to warrant the investment, she couldn't commit that much, especially with all the other things the government was funding at the moment, like the building of a network of rail lines to connect Yellowknife with cities like Calgary, Vancouver and Quebec city. John simply turned and walked from the room, muttering a farewell and left the president to her privacy. Lyra promptly checked to make sure that her schedule was clear for the next two hours and then laid her head back down on the desk, drifting off into her dreams once more.

[Horizont]

---

Moscow Kremlin, Moscow, Moscow Oblast, Russian SFSR

---

The young Red Army soldier made his way quickly through the great halls of the Kremlin, clutching in his hand several important documents, and a rifle slung over his back as per usual. Every one and then, there would be two red flags on either side of the corridor; but he had no time to pay attention to details. He, however, stopped for just a moment upon running through a long corridor, on the walls of which paintings of scenes from the civil war and the revolution hung- great massed crowds; the advances of tank formations; the siege of the Winter Palace; vast bomber formations flying over some lonely field, while clouds roll overhead; the great Vladimir Lenin addressing great crowds, one finger pointed up in the air and uttering his words of wisdom; the cruel hand-to-hand combat that took place in many cities, which had claimed the lives of so many; and finally, the Red Flags flying over Moscow itself as the old regime lay burning.

The soldier reflected upon these echoes of the not-too-distant past. So many laid laid down their lives, fighting for what they believed in to the death- fighting so that their children and grandchildren and all the future generations may be saved from the tyranny of living under the Tsarist regime.

And what progress had been made! Before the revolution, most had almost nothing. Now, the Union was prosperous and most had electricity, heat, running water- while it may seem strange, all of these things did not necessarily exist for everyone before the revolution. It was also undeniable that most had much more money and that most were much happier than before. Even at this moment, absolutely vase industrialization projects were underway in Kazakhstan, Siberia, the Ukraine, the Caucasus, and the far East. These created huge numbers of jobs where before there had been nothing, for it was the economic policy of the state that there should be no unemployment if possible.

But he could only pause for a moment, for he had something important to deliver, and so he set off on his way again with haste.

As he entered the Premier's office, the Premier was busy composing some sort of letter. To one side of him was a tidy pile of papers, and to his other side, a folded copy of Pravda that he had been reading. The Premier himself was a man who resembled Trotsky. He had black hair and wore round spectacles, and he was clad in a black suit with a red tie.

"Sir, I have what you requested."

"Thank you, Private."

He put the finishing touches to his letter and signed it off at the bottom; before placing it to one side, on top of his newspaper, and taking the documents from the young guard.

---

Communist Party of the Soviet Union
"Workers of the World, Unite!"

---

An open letter to all Socialists, Communists and other leftists of the World

---

Greetings, Comrades!

As you must know, these are turbulent times we live in. I feel that the need for a global alliance that would unite all leftists is growing rapidly. The threat of the entire world socialist movement being torn apart by internal squabbling becomes more and more real as our individual systems slowly but surely drift apart.

I therefore write to you to inform you of the inevitable initiation of the First International- a planned international alliance of Communists, Socialists, and all leftists, which would encourage economic, political and military support for one another; and I also write to invite all those who are interested to come to Moscow in one weeks' time to discuss the founding of this alliance and to agree on its terms. Luxury accommodation will be arranged for all those in attendance.

Signed,
Illarion Yegorov, Premier of the Soviet Union.

[Neros]

Empire of Scandinavia
Svalbard, The Far North
HMLS Världenäter

The soldier shivered through his arctic uniform, the furs providing the proper warmth to stay alive, and his oxygen mask ensuring his throat did not freeze. The Far North was an unforgiving terrain, but the rich resources present were enough to warrant constant activity, and even permit settlement under the warm dome-like structures that made up the cities this far above the Arctic Circle. This soldier was from Jutland, a tropical paradise compared to this wasteland. Not only that, but the constant humming of the drills, grinding of the excavator and the like left him without a silent moment. His job suddenly appeared, an engineer lowering a piece of pipe from a mechanical arm. The inherent danger to his own life meant little, as he clicked the cutting torch to life, blazing a brilliant blue gas flame.

The chalk outline was where he had to stay - as easy as cutting a piece of paper with scissors for a kindergartner. However, one wrong spark or cut to his oxygen supply would give him a fireball death, the warmest he'll ever be in this wasteland. Before he knew it, the cut was finished, the engineer and his mechanical arm moved to wherever he needed to fit the pipe, and work continued as always. Coal, iron, and other metals and resources were pumped from the ground in gigantic scraps across the surface, which honestly just turned the white snow a brownish color as the operation moved along. This soldiers' work with the Arctic Coal Company was one of low labor, high risk, and he was paid well. How one is able to be stationed here by the Imperial Army and provided work on such a rig is beyond his knowledge, but the pay is wonderful. He gets to send his ma and pa a small check, and his girl back home a nice income to live on.

At times, he wished he was working on the vast Hydrostations with the Inland Empire Company, like his cousin Bjorn. His cousin made his salary, but was provided with home and lodge for his family, as well as food that did not come out of his paycheck. Plus, Bjorn got to see the wonderful view of the Northern Swedish and Finnish Mountains every day, all to maintain the hydroelectric stations that gave power to the industrial centers down south and at the coasts. The vast dam complex was one of the modern industrial wonders of the world, which was able to supply Scandinavia with all of it's power needs and export it's electricity to neighbors - and that was on top of it's vast reserves of coal and oil. Scandinavia was an energy power unlike any other, but if meant some poor soldier had to freeze half to death in the Arctic, so be it.

Empire of Scandinavia
San Juan Harbor, Puerto Rico
HMS Sea​​varg

The frigate held a detachment of marines, who unloaded at the harbor with swift efficiency, unloading their stores and wares in storehouse purchased by the United Empire Company West, the trading company that was granted charter by the Emperor only a few short years ago. In that time, Puerto Rico had become a favorite loading point from trade with the Confederates, Mexico, Avalonia, and the like. A coaling station owned by the U.E.C.W. was serviceable by all ships - for a fee, but used by all ships trading under the Company's authority. The big shots at the Company held massive influence over the port, which was quickly to be one of the largest in the Caribbean and the focal point of all Scandinavian trade with the Western Hemisphere.

In stark contrast to the brutal cold of the north, the humid tropics provided the marines with blistering hot temperatures and sweat - lots and lots of sweat. Soon though, their wares were unloaded and the marines given shore-leave. This was almost like a holiday for the port, as it meant a sudden influx of customers itching to have some fun, real food, and unsurprisingly, real women. Though the Empire did not officially hold the island under the crown, the land tracts of land owned by the United Empire Company West was beginning to play a steady role in the island's economic and political situation. See, the UECW would host major plantations and to fill labor shortages, illegally smuggle in laborers. The plantations were a major source of income, and despite the Emperor's Cut, as they called the Company's tax, made minor men millionaires in the modern world.

Recently, there was talk of attaining a line of coaling stations throughout the Atlantic Ocean and to exploit the resources found in Africa, so major thought was given to coastal areas on the western side of Africa, which by Charter were the U.E.C. West's turf, the U.E.C. East becoming the trading force in the Indian Ocean and portions of the Pacific until Hawaii. Of course, it's all talk, but the advantages were becoming clear. The Company's simply were waiting for the order from the Emperor to attain bases suitable for land, air, and sea vessels, and they were well prepared to launch such an operation. That's something that is taken a bit for granted with Scandinavia. Not only is the country armed, but so are their businesses.

[Alleniana]

Aquidneck Port, Rhode Island, New York, United States of America
Massive metal decks protruded like a cliff into the air above the water, the yards pushing up against the somewhat polluted shore. This was one of the places which used the "floater" method to construct its airships, a method pioneered by the USA and eventually replicated all over the world, though sill mainly used in its home country. As was being demonstrated, a large frame and hull would be constructed and floated like a boat on the seas, which, here, were calm due to an almighty breakwater termed the "Narragansett Wall". Then, from there on, with a soft, supporting base, the rest of the ship could be constructed, and then floated outwards if necessary, and then lifted into the air upon completion. It was a delicate and potentially rusting affair, but the United States Aerial Forces' Dirigible Branch had effectively perfected it, as had many private contractors.

Here, a new ship was rising. To join the others of its class, the Gargantuan, a truly massive dirigible which would be one of the largest of its kind in the US, and even in the world, possibly, was being constructed. With the technology of the United States being put into it, its firepower would be able to rain down shell and shot upon the ground, as well as hold its own and overpower most in the sky. Obviously, there would be some in the world that rivaled it, but in any case, this blimp would list among the gems of the United States Armed Forces.

Next door however, in the next dock, an older, less impressive but definitely more proven and well-acquainted vessel rested. The Potomac had been built down in Washington, and had been making routine checks to keep the sky free of pirates, and now, it was coming to rest after some minor storm damage. Smaller but seemingly sleeker, it was easy to imagine the ship in the sky, puffing out white smoke from its burnished funnels, the vast airbag keeping it afloat as it zoomed forwards, a highly trained crew keeping it at top speed and all guns primed. This was an older generation; it had even seen service in the late stages of the Civil War, and had indeed been built for that conflict's very purpose. The loss had been taken hard, and much had been put into military spending.

What united these two dirigible gasbags was their quality, their nationality and their purpose. Both furnished and built with the highest skills of the vast civilian engineer, builder as well as military contractor population, they were strong, efficient and well designed. Not only that, but they were truly, ineffable American; the flags they bore, the designs and companies' logos, all were of the United States of America. And they were both warships; vessels of war. In all the beauty and magnificence, the metal and steam was utilitarian at heart, to withstand being hit by shells, to kill others, to engage in the firefights that ended lives. And before long, they would be united further in this aspect; war was coming.

[Gibberan]

DIPLOMATIC COMMUNIQUE OF THE GRAND AVALONIAN REPUBLIC

---

FROM: The Foreign Office of the Avalonian Republic
TO: The Foreign Offices of; the Dominion of Free Argentine; the United States of America; the Confederate States of America; the Incan Empire; the Dominion of Canada
ENCRYPTION: LOW
URGENCY: HIGH


Dear Recipient(s),

I come to you as the King of the Avalonian Republic of South America with a proposal.

We live in an era of inevitable conflict. Colonial squabbles in our era are coming all but too common. It is therefore that I come to you with a simple proposal; as King of the Avalonian Republic, I propose that our nations, the civilised and independent nations of the West, form an alliance for the purposes of trade, co-operation, and mutual benefit in the face of continued conflict and intervention from the nations of the Old World, to ensure a common peace in the common values that we all hold dear. I propose that we form an organisation under the name of the 'Grand Entente'. This alliance will stand in the face of any Old World aggression in the Americas, North, South, and Central, in order to secure the peace and prosperity of all of our nations, standing together.

I ask the leaders of all nations to send a delegate to a conference in the city Avalonia, whether it be in person or through an ambassador, where we can discuss the possibility of forming such an alliance. We must stand united, or surely we will fall. Thank you for your time.

---

Sincerely,
Su Majestad King Manuel IV
Commandante-en-jefe of the grand Avalonian Republic

[Lunas Legion]

Capitole de Toulouse, FPR Parliment

"And that is why, Señor Leclerc, that we cannot allow the aggression of Naples against Sicily to continue without decisive intervention from the Republic."

President Leclerc nodded, considering his options. The FPR was not loved among the Italian states; it was the primary cause for the states to unite into a alliance to oppose the FPR's Italian ambitions but it still had influence in Italy.

but the FPR had other considerations; the colonies that had escape dominance in the 'Great Uprising' must be brought to heel and retaken, for their own good. The lost European territories of Spain must be reclaimed as well; Sardinia, Sicily, Naples, Lombardia, the Low Countries. But first, those territories had to remain free from foreign powers.

"I completely agree with Representative Fernandez and will consult the General Staff on steps to be taken about the unprovoked invasion. With agreement in the Senate, I call this session over."

---

European High Command, Paris

General Charles Franco frowned slightly as he skimmed over the telegram. "Call up the General Staff and have them here by tomorrow. The President wants a war planned against Naples."

To: Premier Yegorov
From: President Leclerc
Regarding: First International

I wholeheartedly agree with this new alliance of the Left, no matter the extremity, and will personally attend the summit in Moscow.

President Leclerc

To: King Philip of Naples
From: The FPR Parliment
Regarding: Invasion of Sicily

I am afraid that your unprovoked, imperialistic attack has not gone unnoticed among members of the European community. Sicily has been considered part of the FPR's sphere of influence within the Western Mediterranean and your attack has drawn our attention.

Therefore, we ask you withdraw completely from Sicilian waters and territory within 48 hours or the FPR will have no choice but to intervene for the preservation of Sicily's freedom.

President Leclerc

[Aldelxane]

November 19th, 1628
Warsaw, Poland

Aleksander Kaczmarek, President of The Republic of Poland, watched the soldiers filed by Polish Capitol. News of Germanian forces mobilizing on the Western front had thrown The Board of Defense. into a frenzy of activity. Ever since 1571, when the Germania army had captured the Western Provinces, the two countries had been in some kind of conflict, however the bloody Polish-Germanian war had abruptly ended when the USSR declared itself to be on the side of the Poles in 1610. Many of the board members had never been obliged to send their countrymen into battle before, but reports of large armies amassing on the Western border of Poland looked to be resuming hostilities, terrorizing villages up and down the border. The last of the soldiers marched past, and formed ranks in the city's center, bolt action rifles strapped across their backs. The soldiers wore corrugated steel helmets, and uniforms designed to blend in with the terrain of the former Western Provinces. As the officers made speeches, hoping to raise the morale of the soldiers, Kaczmarek only hoped that they would come home alive.

December 8th, 1609
Krakow, Poland

A boy, aged 7, sleeps within a house on the outskirts of town. His mother is in the kitchen making breakfast. She has lines of worry on her face. The postman rushes in the door: "Letter from The Defense Board, Ms.! By this time, the boy is awake. She opens the letter, reading out loud:

"We regret to inform you that your husband, Albert Kaczmarek, has been killed in action. You will be sent his pension monthly.
Long live the Republic,
-Dominik Walczak, Commander of the Armed Forces."

[Neo Byzantine Empire]

Athens; Capital of Achæa, patron city of Greek and Roman Culture, center of Civilization

Citizens enjoyed the first relative instance of peace and quiet since before the Revolt which brought the Ottoman rulers to their knees and shattered their armies completely and utterly. Backwater Sultans kept from embracing the modern era by their Janissary dogs; reluctant to embrace progress like the rest of Europe had. Such did not help the newly-founded Second Empire, then, when they had overthrown the Turkish heathens in favor of reclaiming that which was theirs by right, but still; the old Roman Infrastructure had served them well for many years, and would likely continue to do so as they began making the push into the Modern Era.

Citizens gathered around the gates of the ancient city; cheering their brave men and women as they returned from liberating the faithful Orthodox citizens of Moesia (Modern Bulgaria), Macedonia, and Albania, securing the Empire's position in the southern Balkans, pushing the Turks in Europe back as far as the gates of Constantinople itself. Word had also arrived from Crete and Cyprus earlier in the year; the loyal Citizens of those island-provinces had deposed of their Turkish Governors and were now ready to pledge their full support to the newly-formed Empire, and with Ionian Rebels pushing the Ottomans off the coasts of Anatolia itself; it seemed they might very well have a strong foothold from which to march on Constantinople within the Month.



Now was a time of celebration; the fires of Revolution having died down recently, with the crowning of a new Empress; a woman by the name of Vita Constantina, responsible for sparking the revolution in the first place. Taking pages from the past, it was by her hand that the Ottomans were overthrown, a new Imperial Bloodline formed, and society rebuilt in the image of the old, whilst allowing the conception of new ideas to strengthen the Empire, rather than fester and fail by clinging desperately to a past which wasn't perfect. Not to diminish the role the Empire's history had and continues to have under her regime, but still.

The Empress awoke to the sounds of cheering and fanfare; the rising sun shining through the opening to her balcony, the silk curtains doing little to keep the sunlight out, though she didn't care all that much. Well, perhaps initially; as she was always reluctant to pry herself out of bed, but it had to be done; she was, after all, responsible for so much more than she was before. She rose from the comfortable bed; the soft cotton-stuffed mattress and satin sheets a far cry from the life she lived as a mere Peasant under the Ottomans, less than a peasant, in fact; though it only served as a great contrast, comparing her social status as a Woman in the Islamic Empire she'd lived under just years earlier to the most important and powerful Woman of a new Byzantine Empire. Thus far, her greatest accomplishment had likely been securing absolute Equality for all Women across the Empire, granting them Citizenship, rights to serve in the Military, to own property, and participate in politics. Such changes were initially met with opposition from conservative Senators and Citizens, though those who did not withdraw their complaints after seeing the manner in which opposition was dealt with during the Revolution generally did not last long before their bodies turned up in the streets, the Imperial Watch paid under-the-table to turn a blind eye to the murders of such senators, closing the cases permanently.

Vita was, by no means, a saint; a fair share of blood coated her hands and though it had eaten away at her initially, the young Empress had learned to deal with remorse for her actions, or others ordered by her. Not all of it was her direct responsibility, however, and upon dressing and stepping out onto the balcony she saw him; Adrian Belisarius; her right-hand General and Consort since the post-revolution period, in which she had reigned as one of two Consuls presiding over the Imperial Senate. She still retained such a position; as her title came with permanent Consulship by default, but such was besides the point. Her presence atop the balcony was noticed immediately and the Legionnaires saluted as they passed the Imperial Palace, passing by with captured Ottoman Generals, Politicians, and other Turks of importance captured during the campaign up north.

"A Triumph?" Vita muttered to herself, the relatively small victory parade the first the new Empire had seen. She had hoped such would be the case when Constantinople was retaken, the Turkish Sultan humiliated and broken in front of his horde of Barbarian scum before being executed in dishonor, but alas, such was not the case as the unplanned event below unfolded. Still; best to attend, as it would be her decision what became of the captured Turks, and she had always wondered what it would be like; spectating at a gladiatorial arena.

"My lady!" Praetorian Guards stated, saluting in respect as the Empress left her room, acknowledging their sign of respect and heading downstairs; adorned in Imperial Ornaments, such as the Olive Wreath that served as her crown, and a purple cloak over her clothes; a sea-blue Military Uniform with elegant designs of the two-headed eagle over her shoulders and a Golden Orthodox Cross covering the torso. A smile crossed her face, one which some might consider a bit twisted considering what she had planned for the day, but then; the opinions of others never really mattered to her, lest she choose to make them matter. For now; her mind was in the here and now, as she stepped out of the Palace and into the streets; greeted by a massive crowd of Citizens cheering for their Empress, reminding her of what mattered to her above all; Byzantium, her nation and her Citizens.

[Zenoch]

The invasion had been to ng as expected. Complete surprise had been achieved, and only now was the Sicilian army mobilizing.
The army had captured Cefalú after a short skirmish with the town garrison. The force of 15,000 had then moved on to the city of Palermo, where the main Sicilian army was gathering. General Vibinachi knew he could not beat the Sicilian force by himself, but he knew it would keep the Sicilians occupied while the main invasion swept the island.
The main invasion occurred at Messina, where Naples' ships only had to act as ferries, transporting the army of 100,000 across the narrow straight. The Sicilians had put together a force of 20,000 just south of Messina, and the army of Naples would soon see its first major battle in centuries.
In the water, Naples was dominant. The Sicilian fleet, while large, was technologically inferior to the rifled cannons owned by Naples. Soon the Sicilan fllet had withdraw from the northers coast and move west to regroup.
In the air, battle was completely dominated by Naples. The small ait corps of Sicily, numbering only 12 airships, was quickly overrun by Naples' 20+ combat airships.

Back on the ground, the Neapolitan army had taken Messina, and now faced the Sicilian army in the countryside south of the city. Instead of dancing around the army and flanking and counterflanking, as many generals did at the time, General DaLuco decided it was best to show his superiority by pressing his entire line forward, while firing. This new tactic struck fear in the hearts of the Sicilian men, and many fled the battle. Soon, the entire Sicilian army was in retreat.
The Neapolitan army advanced across the island, taking many towns with little resistance.
North., the first army had begun skirmishing with the larger Sicilian force. The ebemy numbered about 50,000, and so a full engagement would be suicide. The army just needed to keep the Sicilians busy until the main invasion force arrived, which should happen in a few days.

[Zenoch]

General DaLuco watched as his army crushed the Sicilians. He prepared to push on to Palermo and defeat the islanders once and for all. Then a messenger ran up to him.
"Sir, telegram from Naples!" He handed a paper to the general. DaLuco read it.
"Damn those politicians!" He yelled. The paper requested he heed the Sicilian government's pleads for a meeting to end the war. Due to international pressure, the war would have to end.
"What is it sir?" An officer asked.
"We're done here. Board the ships."

Three days later, Palermo
An agreement was signed with the Sicilian government, ceding all lands in the island north and west of Bronte, essentially the northeastern corner of the island, to Naples, and an agreement that citizens of both nations may mive frelly through the borders.

[Neros]

Empire of Scandinavia
San Juan, Puerto Rico

The office of the governor was tense, he sat behind his large desk as if to say he was in charge of the situation, but surely he was little more than a puppet. The Chief Executive Officer of the United Empire Company West sat on the other side of the desk, seated next to him was Admiral Albert Lager of the Imperial Fleet's Caribbean Squadron, a man who easily dictated the trade on the air ways for Scandinavia in the region - which had become a major investor and operator in the area at his and the Company's behest. "S-surely you have a more...um.." The governor searched for the correct words to express his thought, but he was sweating like a cornered rat, with a wolf on one side and a lion on the other.

"Profitable offer?" The CEO said bluntly and without much emotion. "I'm afraid our, coffers, are skim at the moment. We have paid you long enough and more than what we initially should have. Now, should we go public with your acceptance of bribes and the like?"

The governor's eyes turned wide and fearful. "No, no. I-I mean, the offer s-seems harsh." He quickly corrected himself a bit. "N-not on me, but on the people! T-the island has been trying to recover from the hurricane and I have-" He was quickly cut off.

"If you cared for the people at any time, you would have turned us away, and we would have went to another island. You were not the first island you came to, you know. You were just the first to accept our contract, with a heavy pay-out to your estate." The CEO was a brutal and conniving man, and knew just what buttons to push. "Our offer is bountiful, for the people of course, but we have you at a position of stress, and we do not feel as if you are keeping your part of the bargain." He quickly looked at his watch, displaying the time of twelve minutes past noon. "Our time is running low, and at this point, your answer is becoming less and less relevant to our business." A shadow began to engulf the room as the sun, once shining through the large bay window became blocked. By the looks of it, an airship, not an incredibly massive dreadnought, but a frigate. Still, it held enough firepower to be a devastating weapon. Small strands emerged from an area at the center, little figures zipping down them and towards the ground at breath taking speed, and landing with pose and elegance. "It seems they are early." A simple lie from the CEO, who knew full well that they were right on time - he simply told the Governor that the airship would arrive at a different time.

"Y-you don't have to do this." The governor pleaded.

"No, no I don't. I want to." He said, raising from his seat.

"Just call them off, we can work out a better agreement! Another contract! Please!" A bang struck against the door of the office, and as if by a subconscious cue, the governor began to cry and weep in a raspy voice. The CEO gave a quick signal by saying "Ja", and the door opened to reveal only a few Air Marines, less than five in all, but armed and deadly nonetheless. They were an elite, special operations unit, but they were in service to the Company - and thus the Empire - at all times. The entered the room and formed an arc around the desk, and the weeping governor.

"Arrest this man on the charge of bribery and treason against the Scandinavian Protectorate of Borikén." The CEO said, pointing at the governor, who simply cried more. The Air Marines grabbed him, dragging him up and off the desk, snot, tears, and all. He began to curse in a variety of languages as he was taken out of the mansion. The CEO smiled a bit, turning to the Admiral who had for the entirety of the meeting remained quiet. "Your ship has done well, and I can expect the rest of the Squadron to be in soon."

"Ten minutes, to be exact." The Admiral said in a gruff voice.

"Ah, good. I would like to appoint you Lt. Governor to myself, Admiral Albert Lager." The CEO said, moving to the other side of the desk, a signal that he has assumed command, in charge of the situation, as he always was.

"I decline. The only officer in the government should be the Emperor, and I am no Nord if I disregard that precedent."

"Ah, that's right, I forget you're from Norrland. A warrior culture, pledging undying loyalty to the Emperor. Many military men make a career out of politics, but not you bunch, no, you respect the Emperor too much to deprive him the right to both lead the nation and the military. I apologize." The CEO said, eventually taking his seat, and eyeing the wet spots on the desk from the previous governor.

"You are forgiven, Governor Herman Hasse."

"Has a ring to it, no?"

[Fantrum]

Offical Communique from the Government of Canada

---

FROM: Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
TO: The Foreign Office of the Avalonian Republic
SUBJECT MATTER: Alliance, trade

Dearest Su Majestad King Manuel IV
Though we of Canada see your offer as well intentioned, we must decline. You see, we have recently stabilized ourselves and see fit to stay neutral in any conflicts that needn't concern us. We are, however, very interested in setting up prosperous trade with the world as a whole and would endeavor to send a diplomat to your capitol to formally arrange such a deal.

With our highest regards
President Lyra Heartstrings

[Fantrum]

Lyra lifted her head, she could have sworn it was still ten, but her chronometer proved otherwise, suggesting it was really 11:30. She mentally bashed the validity of such a device, and instead looked around her desk. One item caught her eye, a message from the USSR's very own Premier. After a quick read through, the president had a large piece of official parchment and a writing quill, drafting out a response to the Russians.

Dearest Premier,
It is true that we live in such times where the aggression of other nations goes unchecked, and as such is the reason that our nation of Canada shall join you in your escapade. Not only do we hope to stand together with our closest ally, but as well, we seek trade ventures with other great nations of this world. A small dispatch of ships shall be in attendance in Moscow at your summit along with a designated delegate.

As she put the finishing touches on her letter, she stamped it with the Canadian national seal and rang for an assistant to come to her office. Within three minutes a short, curt man stood into the room, he wore the expression of humble servitude; but was still confident in his movements.

"Ah! Smith, thank you for showing up on such short notice," Lyra had her letter closed in an envelope, which she passed to the man, "I need you to take this too the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. As well, I need for someone to fetch Admiral Somerset and Representative Strong." The man nodded, mentally writing down the orders so as not to forget, then taking his leave. With that done, the president turned her attention to some reports on her desk; They were all labeled in order of urgency and overall importance, the dossier on top being marked;

Rail Line construction proceeding as scheduled

And the one after;

Several teams sent north report findings of huge resource deposits

Absently, she flipped open the first one, reading it aloud for no real reason.

"Construction of the rail road connection between Yellowknife and Edmonton proceeds on track," She paused to appreciate the pun, "Deaths due to animal attacks are down due to the introduction of airship mounted sniper teams to play over watch for workers on the ground..." She trailed off as she skimmed the rest of the report, not really caring since it was rather mundane news. With a sigh, Lyra continued to read though the other dispatches as she waited for her guests to arrive so she could give them their mission.

[Kagawa Islands]

Red Army HQ, Chongquing, Sichuan Province, SUC (Socialist Union of China)

General Qin Zeicho sat in his office reading through several reports about the situation near the east border. He had round reading glasses, as his sight only got worse each year. But he still refused to let someone else read anything for him, even though he was approaching his late sixties. His hair was black but graying and cut pretty short. He was unusually tall for a chinese man, standing at 194 centimeters, and he always dominated the room he was in.

Suddenley someone knocked on the door.

"Come in."

In came one of his secretaries, Mr. Cheng. His face was bright red, and he gasped despeatley for air. Qin took of his reading glasses and looked at him with his brown eyes. Qin´s eyes was probably the most fascinating aspect of him. It seemed like a fire burned deep inside them and he could make any of his subordinates legs into gelly just by staring into their eyes.

"What is it? You look like you just ran a marathon."

Mr. Cheng took a few deep breaths and said:

"General, I have a message from the Soviet Union. It is very important that you read it."

Qin took the letter from Mr. Cheng, put on his reding glasses again and opened it. As he read it, he began smiling more and more until he had a big grin on his face. What he red was this:

Communist Party of the Soviet Union
"Workers of the World, Unite!"
An open letter to all Socialists, Communists and other leftists of the World


Greetings, Comrades!

As you must know, these are turbulent times we live in. I feel that the need for a global alliance that would unite all leftists is growing rapidly. The threat of the entire world socialist movement being torn apart by internal squabbling becomes more and more real as our individual systems slowly but surely drift apart.

I therefore write to you to inform you of the inevitable initiation of the First International- a planned international alliance of Communists, Socialists, and all leftists, which would encourage economic, political and military support for one another; and I also write to invite all those who are interested to come to Moscow in one weeks' time to discuss the founding of this alliance and to agree on its terms. Luxury accommodation will be arranged for all those in attendance.

Signed,
Illarion Yegorov, Premier of the Soviet Union.

"Good news my friend." Qin stood up and gave Mr. Cheng a pat on the back. "It seems like we won´t stand alone after all." "Leave me now, I have some things to take care of"

As soon as Mr. Cheng had left the room, Qin quickly began to write a letter. He wrote the letter continusley for and hour until he was happy with it. He then called for his top courir, and gave him the letter.

"Get this the Soviet Union as fast as you possibly can, comrade." "Glorious times await us!"

Greetings my fellow comrades,

It has come to my attention that you are planning to create an alliance between lefties all over the world.

I have a strong interest in this alliance, and think that it could be a mutual benefit for us to work together.

I will send my personal secretary Mr. Chen to Moscow to discuss the possibilities of creating the International.

Signed, General Qin Zeicho, President of the SUC

[Neros]

Empire of Scandinavia
Moscow, USSR

Oskar Elmersson stomped his feet of ice at the steps of his hotel - his large coat, scarf, gloves, and the like providing only a small buffer against the cold. However, he was used to such temperatures, being from Norway, and thus it bothered him very little. He walked into the lobby, responding to the lobbyist in a brief nod as he headed to his room - located on the first floor and to the left, number 102. The cold metal key became warm in his grasp as he opened the lock, proceeding into his rented room. It had the feel of an apartment, as he did not know how long he would stay here. Frankly, he didn't want to stay here, but orders told him otherwise.

The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics has been a source of constant fear and attention by Scandinavia, who are rightfully scared of a Soviet invasion and prepare extensively with fortresses and a modern military force utilizing shock tactics to break the lines of much larger enemy units. They have been trained and designed to fight against those who are larger, faster, and perhaps better, not just against this new Russian entity but against any - be it Germans, British, or Franco-Spanish. In response to the open letter sent by the Soviets, the Empire sent an official representative, and those of the Communist and Socialist Parties were discouraged from travelling. Oskar, however, was not the official representative. He instead represented the Nordic Social Party, a banned political party that began as a grassroots organization in Norway.

That too was a lie, though incredibly well-fabricated. Oskar Elmersson is a trained intelligence agent and marine, in other words, a spy. Many exist in Moscow as part of an over-arching spy ring to ensure Scandinavia is kept well-informed of the actions of the Kremlin, but his job was now a specialized one, designed to be informed of the Socialist and Communist parties around the globe. His walk outside was actually an intelligence operation, where he found the locations of noted Communist party leaders around the international quarter of hotels. Oskar sat with a pen and paper and scribbled some incoherent words and numbers - a special code it seemed - to record his information. He quickly tucked the paper in a secret compartment on his briefcase as he finished it, throwing himself on the bed in a comical fashion.

Spies never get to sleep, it seems.

[Fantrum]

Lyra was looking out over half frozen cityscape that was her capitol of Yellowknife. Dozens of towering smokestacks belched sickening black smoke and other pollutants into the air, while the glaring lights from over a million homes cast the nearly night sky aglow. Airships, small commercial freight runners, littered the space above the city, being the fastest way to transport goods in the harsh areas of northern Canada. Here and there were the larger military vessels, and moored to the tallest tower in Yellowknife was the CAS Northern Star, the massive ship commanded the area for hundreds of miles, the rest of the fleet were mere flies in comparison to its grandeur, its red and dark blue highlights against the black hull designating it as the flagship of the armada. Around it, flew a small gathering of Aerospace Corps ships. The fleet had been divided in two at the formation of the Corps, one half of the ships were stationed in Yellowknife with the Northern Star as the flagship, and the other in Quebec City with the Northern Lights as the commanding admiral's flag bearer. Of course, it was difficult to patrol such a massive land area with only 29 ships, so for the last two years, the ship yards in Anchorage, Vancouver, Edmonton, Hudson City, Quebec City, and Yellowknife itself had been working over time to introduce new destroyers and frigates into the Corps. As of yet, the first batch of nearly 30 ships would be ready for trial runs within the month. Lyra's gaze was torn away from the windows as someone barged into her office. She turned to see both the Admiral and the Representative standing before her desk, "Gentlemen, thank you for coming."

The Admiral let out a snort, "As though we had that much of a choice." As Lyra had learned during her first few months as president, George Somerset was a resentful old man. He hated the fact that a woman would have power over him and bemoaned the fact near incessantly. The only thing keeping him from being thrown out, aside from Lyra's patience, was his tactical brilliance during the revolution. It was Somerset that had lead the attack that resulted in the capture of the French colonial airfleet, and Somerset who had lead the inexperienced Canadian Aerospace Corps to victory. So Lyra was able to deal with his constant berating of her, so long as he did his job in the end, which he seemed to do without fault. "That man servant of yours only told me you wanted my presence here. I want to know what this is about."

Strong said nothing and Lyra ground her teeth together as she responded, "Somerset, we have received an invitation from the soviets to attend a summit in Moscow. I need for you to escort the Representative there. A sort of 'look at all the fancy toys we have' thing for our allies in the USSR." She turned to Strong, "You are to negotiate a profitable deal for the nation of Canada, as well as the construction of an embassy, which you shall be the counsel of." She knew Representative Dylan Strong would be a good choice for this assignment, even though it was his first, because of the way he conducted himself. He had an undertone of reserved power about him would be useful in establishing positive relations with other countries. As well, he new his way around a diplomatic situation, considering he had played a pivotal role in the formation of the House. She also felt that this kind of promotion was well deserved for the 35 year old man, that and the fact that Canada was absolutely lacking in foreign embassies. Lyra handed Strong a dossier, "These are the stipulations and conditions for trade that Canada is willing to put on the table. I expect you to operate well within your best judgement, as this will be the first diplomatic mission our nation has embarked on since our founding. See to your preparations, you are to leave tomorrow." With that, she dismissed the two men, Strong exchanging pleasantries with the president, while Somerset let loose with a stream of obscenities that ended as the door closed comically on his ass.

[Neros]

Empire of Scandinavia
Leaving the City of Stockholm

The ships of the Imperial Air Fleet took to the skies in vast numbers, led by the mammoth of the skies herself, His Majesties Air Ship (HMAS) Skuldafn, all floating to the east. In total, 12 air vessels of the Imperial Air Command for Stockholm left for the Åland Islands, which was one of the largest and most important military bases in the Empire, perhaps outranked only by the Øresund Naval Fortress or the Österland Fortress System in the east. However, the first one catered to the Imperial Navy, the second the Imperial Army, but the base in the Åland Islands housed massive portions of the Air Fleet, due to it's central position and distance from other nations, and could be said that it was the home of the Air Force for this reason. They could quickly deploy to Russia, Poland, Germany, the Arctic Sea, or the North Sea quickly and effectively. This movement may have seemed to be like an omen foretelling of tensions escalating in the East, but this was actually routine for the nation.

Constantly moving and drilling, the Imperial Armed Forces kept use of their bases and machines at a priority, with the movement of ships to and fro bases serving as a vital maneuvering experience, as well as to test communication apparatuses with the sea and ground to ensure all is well on those aspects. A very nice way to gain experience, and with the addition of live fire exercises on make-shift vessels, made commanders out of captains, but they would lack that truly battle-tested charisma that came with combat. You could easily tell the older admirals and generals by the way they carry themselves, the ones who saw action in Russia. Many inexperienced captains even went to serve the last remnants of the Tsardom against the Soviets to give them that swagger, but returned with a loss. It was not their fault, the people effectively turned on the government. No matter, though, another test of the Air Fleet was slowly approaching over the Baltic Sea.

Dark, grey clouds perched over the sea, churning it like a gigantic cauldron of crashing waves. The arctic thunderstorm mixed with the salty air to give it a distinctive stench appealing to old and new airmen alike. Preparations were needed quickly, so men donned their gear and oxygen and left their warm cabins, clipping onto the riggings of the vessel they were assigned. The experienced climbers would ascend to the spine in mere seconds, and first, second, and third timers struggled upwards. A rubber blanket-like device was thrown from one airmen to the next, who would either catch it by the ends or not be able to grab it all due to the wind. One team was racing to the front of the airship, the Skuldafn, largest and most powerful in the entire fleet, their backs carrying canvas sacks which clang with each step and pull they did to go forward. The wind smashed against their faces, but many had goggles and scarves to over themselves. Finally, a spot with a hole and various clamps is where the team stopped.

"Konrad! Place your supports first!" A man sounded, his calm yet loud voice telling of his experience and leadership with this kind of work. Konrad, a young man, barely old enough to sign up for the Air Force came forward, throwing his bag down in front of him. The wind refused to back down, blowing the young man - almost a boy really - forward eerily, as if a little push would take him away. A thick piece of metal pipe was produced from his sack, and only a clamp at the end of it. One by one, each of the four men there put their pipes ontop of Konrad's, building a small tower. The vast cloud was right upon them now, mere meters from making contact. "UP THE POLE!" The first man called, grabbing Konrad and throwing him against the pole. He climbed quickly, his boots providing enough traction to hoist himself up. "GRAB THE PULLY AND YANK UPWARDS!" He called again, Konrad almost loosing the mans voice - and his footing - by the the wind. A small horizontal bar is all Konrad saw, he placed his gloved hand around it, and pulled towards the sky with all his might.

His thud against the spine of the ship was lost to the wind, who carried the sound far away. He gave a small moan but arose to his feet, seeing the storm clouds break apart as the ship entered them, as it the father of the sky was devouring the ship itself. Lots of rain followed, but the most brilliant part of it all was the lightning. Striking the ocean below in sickening crackles that proved to be the only way to break the torrental noise of the wind, Konrad lifted his arms up and his head to the sky, the rest of his team taking cover. "GET THE FUCK DOWN!" The same man called, grabbing Konrad by the chest and planting him firmly on the spine on his own back, but his kept wide as a bolt of lightning arced from the pole to the sky - it was a lightning rod. His eyes were dazzled and blinded, and he kept a warmth spreading his groin down his thighs.

"Sir!" Konrad called out to the leader of the group, the one who yanked him down and still held him down while covering his own head.

"Yes?! What is it?!"

"I - I think I pissed myself!"

---

Empire of Scandinavia
Dominion of Greenland
County of Jakobshavn, Far Northwestern Greenland
Miles from Civilization

The soldiers of the frozen Greenlandic tundra and icesheet can come from nowhere else but Greenland - even the military knows it's climate is harsh, even with the advent of the hydropower plants and the abundance of resources - all of which provided ample heat and the bounty of the sea fed them all without much complaint. It's population stood at one hundred thousand, almost all around the Southern Cape, and above 70 degrees North was only 5,000 people - mostly Eskimo-Norse, interbred peoples from old and new worlds. There was some research bases and military bases, none of which held permanent personnel as the Imperial Army would rotate it's crew between North and South.

Gunnar Mikkelsen, a member of the Imperial Army Arctic Regiment - 2nd "Polar Bear" Battalion, lay own in the snow, his goggles zooming in at the the white he was laying in - snow, nothing much else. However, this was not a whole track of land - or any land at all. Gunnar and his team were in the Nares Strait - which was entirely frozen over and blended in seemlessly with both Greenland to their back - and Ellesmere Island to their front. A calm wind would befall the Battalion every so often, which seemed uncommon this time of year. It was a beautiful day in the far north, and when the wind broke for a moment, Gunnar gave a hushed order. "Advance."

The snow broke apart - as many as fifty men, a whole platoon - moved onto the island in a quick rush. The hit the snow and laid still once again - observing their surroundings and making note of their location. Soon, a Scandinavian icebreaker will be making it's way to this point, and a small air vessel from Nuuk, both to deliver men, supplies, and machinery. The Arctic Coal Company was interested in securing mineral rights in the Arctic Islands to the West of Greenland, specifically avoiding the term "Canadian". The Scandinavian Military considered such a proposal, seeing as the political turmoil following the Revolution there could perhaps make any force they would meet too small to fend off a scheduled "intervention", as the organizers preferred to call it. Even then, it was possible to secure some trading rights anyway in the incident it would cause. No matter - any response from Canada would take a long while to be evaluated and responded too - in that time, Scandinavian digging and drilling units would already be at work and transporting the material back to Greenland. Even if they gained nothing politically, it would be a fine display of the Scandinavian ability to enter anywhere in the north at will.

A final scan showed little else going on - so, the platoon began work on providing a proper landing space for the airship, who would be able to aid in the construction of an off-loading zone for the icebreaker. All of which could happen under the cover of the snow and frozen tundra - right under the nose of Canada.

[Aldelxane]

November 24th, 1628
Berlin, Germania

A Polish envoy bearing the white flag of truce rode up to the city gates, shouting: "I request audience with Emperor Wilhelm!"
2 minutes later, the gate clanked open, admitting the envoy. He was escorted to the throne room by a pair of Imperial Guards.
"I bring a message from the President of Poland!", he stated, breathless, cheeks chilled from riding through the winter snows. The envoy read: "Dear Emperor, The Republic of Poland is willing to acknowledge your claim to what were our western provinces, in return for a termination of hostilities. Polish troops would leave a skeleton crew, to monitor immigration, as would Germania. We hope that you will accept our offer of peace, Aleksander Kaczmarek, President of The Republic of Poland."