Twilight of the Gods: A Metahuman RP (IC)

[Britanania]

Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow, New Vegas, Disneyland, 1930, 26 June 2020

“Get this junk out of here!”

As Antoinette left the Hotel and returned to the streets, she saw a large, overweight cat toon with a large chin grabbing onto the blade of a metal windmill-like art installation. A skinny woman with bright neon purple and pink hair, covered in tattoos, and dressed like a mix between cyberpunk and goth was pulling at his arm.

“I had permission to set up my art in here. Let go of my creation you damn toon!” the woman screamed.

The aggressive toon merely lifted the woman up with his arm, dangling her in the air.

“I don’t care if Mickey or the old man allowed you to set up this garbage anywhere else. But this eyesore is gonna detract customers away from the hotel.” he roared at her face. Some spit landed on her face.

“So either move this trash somewhere else or I’m tearing it down.” the toon demanded.

Antoinette gave the pair little attention as she found a nearby phone booth, put in some money, and dialed the number. The number she dialed was registered and physically located in New Vegas in a safe house owned and operated by the Reich, where it was then redirected via radiowaves to several other safe houses across the NAU before finally to Germania.

“Yes, hello, this is Keira.”

“Keira,” Franziska von Manstein did her best to subdue her German accent as she spoke into the receiver, just in case. “So you made it to New Vegas?”

“Yes I just stopped in to see if Evelyn was in, but no dice.”

“I see,” her handler replied. “Any sign of the Neighbours?”

“Not that I can tell. She got off work yesterday but didn’t come in today. I’m going to see if she’s at the Four Dragons just in case.”

“All right, call when you get back.”

[Pragia]

Cowrite with Faal Lot Himdah
The Vahlen-Kaine Estate, New Boston
July 1st, 2020, 5:30 PM

Grand Duke Richard Langston approached the home of the first among equals of the Arcane Council. The one hour flight to New Boston from Los Angeles was uneventful, beyond a friendly flyby of a passenger airliner. The Golden Eagle was in good spirits, all things considered. He had held a mediation earlier in the day between the Dominions of Bakersfield and the Mojave Marches. While the marcher lord of the desert was not happy about the recent incorporation of the Barony of Exeter into the growing south valley realm, the Duke’s presence had allowed for the first stages of a rebuilding of relations.

It had to have been nearly a year since he had visited with the Lady of New England, though he and Maria often vacationed in the lands of the Arcane Council, official business rarely took them across the Union. But times were not normal, Lord Kelvin and his sycophants were made fools at the congress, and the old meta was getting a bit tired of the play of entitled children. Truthfully, the upcoming conference on the access to the great lakes was more than just a discussion of local dispute. It would be the stage for the dominions of the North American Union to state their intent. The lack of NAU involvement cemented that truth more than anything else.

This would be a more relaxed affair than such grand designs of state: the days to come would have plenty of that business. The Arcane Council and the Grand Duchy were siblings of sorts in the Union, and Richard looked fondly back on his occasional contact with Maria’s father. Their bond had been cemented in the days following the Millenium Coup, and the new Vahlen-Kaine proved just as, if not more adept than her father in matters of statecraft and magic alike.

It was welcoming then as he descended through the clouds towards the manoral sanctum of the mage, the late afternoon sun gleaming golden through clear skies. His attire was of a casual air, a red plaid buttoned shirt and khakis that made the towering hero of yesteryear look closer to Paul Bunyan than his title really ought to allow. Nevertheless, he descended more slowly as he approached the extensive gardens surrounding the building, looking for his counterpart.

Not far from where Richard would land, Maria could be found waiting, enjoying the relatively clear day. She sat underneath a large garden umbrella. A small, bistro style patio table was set up beside her, with a second chair on the other side of the table. On her otherside, Sergio Bell stood by in case he was needed. Maria was able to watch as Richard descended and landed. Putting her glass down on the nearby table beside an unused tablet, she greeted the older meta.

"I assume your flight was pleasant." Maria smiled and approached Richard, offering her hand, "Welcome back to New Boston."

The Grand Duke would take her hand, his grip gentle despite his power as he kissed the back of her hand with his feet touching the ground “Thank you, Maria. Very much so, clear air clears your head…” he’d say with a grin as he would make his way over to a seat across from her “Sergio, it's good to see you as well! I must say the patio is lovely for days like these.” He’d say, his countenance warm as always as he looked over to the city just beyond the water.

The crown jewel of the Council was near unrecognizable to the city he had remembered from a mere decade ago, but it gleamed just as bright as the free cities of his home. Times were changing quickly, and the future seemed as alive as it could be across the water.

"I can say the same Lord Langston." Sergio said while giving him a quick nod.

"I will take your word for it. In truth, I don't get to use this patio very often lately." Maria admitted as she looked over to where Richard was looking, "It has a certain beauty to it doesn't it? The vision of my father made real. The vision of a future that we fought for. A future that would not exist without your assistance."

She shook her head, "Where are my manners, would you like a drink?"

Richard chuckled lightly “It certainly does, makes me wish that the view from the channel islands was as impressive. Some whiskey would be great.” He’d roll his shoulders as he leans back into his seat. “Feeling ready enough for this coming conference? Quite the show of the canucks to finally remove the ice queen.” he’d ask comfortably enough.

As Richard made his request, Sergio left the two metahumans to their discussion.

"Yes, that was quite the move." Maria said, a sense of unease obvious, "The Red Queen is no more. I should be glad, considering the stance that she had taken on magic, making her a potential threat to the Council. However, what concerns me is what has risen in her place. If you don't mind me asking, what do you know of the new leaders of Canada?"

Richard would grunt softly “Not as much as I’d like, and far too much for me to be comfortable.” he’d say, his smile hardening some into a more furrowed expression “Lady Cairns strikes me as an opportunist, and a dangerous one at that. I have problems trusting lords who don’t have a memory of the world before the coup, so much of the world’s ills can be traced to that common fault. They don’t understand the world that they were given was made out of a desire for peace. I have yet to make her acquaintance, but her being in league with the Dalbec does not inspire confidence.”

"And you have the pleasure of not being bordered by both." She sighed and reached for her tablet, opening up a series of reports, "When they came to power, I had ACIS do a little digging. It seems they have come to similar conclusions. The only exception being that they do not consider Lady Cairns to be a particularly dangerous opportunist, and they have come to the conclusion that the alliance between Lady Cairns and St.Jacques was merely due to circumstance."

She sighed, "St.Jacques, no matter how I look at it, is a threat to the stability of the Arcane Council. More so than the Red Queen ever was. While the Red Queen had a distaste for magic, she seemed content as long as the Arcane Council let Canada be and did not seek to expand economically into the region. There was friction, but it was manageable. In regard to St.Jacques, he seems to be slowly shaping his League into a highly nationalistic state. He himself has a history of violently fighting for the independence and perceived sovereignty of the Quebecois and the Acadians. It is specifically his willingness to fight for the perceived sovereignty of the Acadians that makes him a very realistic threat. There is an Acadian population within Maine, thus it makes the Arcane Council a potential target for St.Jacques and his regime."

Maria paused again as Sergio returned with a glass of whiskey for their guest.

"If your assessment is correct, then it is the worst case scenario." She continued, "If Lady Cairns is truly in league with St.Jacques, then the Arcane Council potentially has a war against two geographically massive states. States that have an abundance of resources. If she is not in league with St.Jacques, then she can prove to be useful to help protect the stability of the Arcane Council."

Richard would listen closely “I knew Horace some from back in the day. Metas like him were why we ended up with so much mistrust…” his face slipping into a slight somberness before his voice returned to a resolute tone “I don’t know if they truly are aligned, but they have relied on each other once already, that's one more time than anyone else. Regardless Maria, I think your concerns may be overstated. The Council is one of the most powerful lordships in the world, he would be foolish to be belligerent.”

He would take a hefty drink from his glass before continuing “That is why I believe that this conference is a good time to remind these upstarts that this Union exists as a united front. I already requested that Lords Disney and Renner attend in similar solidarity. Whether they will is up to them.”

"Thank you." Maria gave a small smile before taking a drink and continuing, the smile fading as she spoke, "I am well aware of the Arcane Council's capabilities to defend itself. The ACM was designed for the purposes of defending the territory of the Arcane Council, plus we have the Silent Legion. However, there are too many foolish leaders throughout history for me to be completely comfortable. I am not worried about winning a potential conflict, I am worried that a day may come when the Arcane Council must fight."

Maria then put the tablet down, "If only the Kelvins championed this Union as much as you. Perhaps then we wouldn't have to deal with stuff like this." she paused and smiled, "I would be surprised if we saw Lord Disney attending himself. As far as I am aware, he tends not to leave his domain much."

Richard nodded understandingly to his counterpart as she spoke “Well, young lady, conflict is a part of protecting what matters, and you’re more than prepared for it.” He’d be wearing an encouraging smile “As much as those Jamacians spit on the grave of their mother, they’ve been pretty smart to keep Juliana’s dream of letting lesser lords like us forge their own destiny. I can only hope she’s happy looking down on us.” He’d say, taking another swig.

“I don’t expect him to come, but I’m sure he’ll send one of his livelier creations, they tend to leave more of an impression.” He’d chuckle some “Similarly I’m sure that wastrel Renner might show up for opening talks and leave after, but its about making the statement.”

"Perhaps." Maria shrugged and took another drink, "Anyways, how are things over in the Free Cities?"

“Tiring, as always, but good. The Exhibition always has my Maria happy, and her enthusiasm is starting to rub off on me. Never quite had the head for all the magic you’re capable of, but this year has been really incredible.” He’d say,

“Always a whole week’s worth of conversation and gossip every day, most recent story is the marriage joining up Bakersfield and Exeter. Always a momentous occasion when realms unite by blood, but this one caught some eyes.”

"If it is starting to rub off on you then it must be a big one this year." Maria smiled, "Maybe I'll come check it out after this conference. Don't think we have a big showing this year, but I am interested to see what the people of the Duchy have come up with recently. Perhaps throw a bit of Arcane Council funding into the mix."

She smirked, "And this marriage, why is it catching more eyes than others? Someone of note getting married? One of yours? We don't get the same kind of developments here, and our gossip can get relatively boring."

“You’re more than welcome to engage as you please, it's always a pleasure to see what wonders of tomorrow are being built out here.” He says, holding a hand out towards the city. “No, not ours this time, though I have been pushing for my great-grandson to begin considering his options.” he’d chuckle to himself “Never thought I would say those words.” he’d have a flicker of wonder flash across his face briefly.

“But no, there’s all manner of Gossip about the new lady of Exeter having ambitions for rulership over our breadbasket, and is using lord Pullock of Bakersfield to form an alliance of convenience.” he’d say “Of course, I know its a bit more than boring politics, but everyone’s so cagey these days.”

"Well, given recent events, it is understandable." Maria said as she took another drink, "And let me guest, George? What's the urgency? He's what, 20 now? He's got plenty of time. Look, I am twice his age, not married and still doing fine."

Richard would give an impish grin “I’d have called you a spinster when I was growing up.” He’d give a playful laugh “Call me old fashioned, but given Joe’s recent fling, I’d feel more confident if George were to start looking to settle down. His father is… more absent than I’d care to admit.” He’d take a drink of his own. “Has anyone caught your eye, or are you still more inclined towards books? I’d be delighted to hear about either.”

"Nothing wrong with books. Nothing wrong with dedicating your life to the pursuit of knowledge." Maria said and glanced over to the side at Sergio before looking back at Richard, "Besides, the vast majority of suitors have ultimately disappointed me and failed to impress me. Perhaps my standards are too high for most. And yet, there are a few who still meet them."

“Nothing wrong at all.” he’d nod, “And nothing wrong with keeping a high standard, I wish more people would do that these days, in their partners or otherwise.” he’d look down at the table with a sigh “Do you think that we are going to need to step up, between Canada and the Reich and our mutual overlord?”

"Depends on how the wind blows." Maria shrugged, "During the incident with the Reich not long ago, the ACNA reached out in an attempt to find a diplomatic solution. There are elements within the Reich that want war, and elements that do not. As long as the elements that do not want war remain in power, I am not worried about the Reich starting anything. As for the Kelvins, perhaps the Union would be better with someone else in charge, perhaps not. Though their sluggish reaction to the recent near crisis with the Reich does not bode well."

She paused, "And as for the Canada situation, we will just have to see."

[Britanania]

Part Six
Gibraltar

Amir growled. “This whole meeting was a waste of my time!” He slammed his claws into the table and this time tore apart a much larger chunk.

Epstein looked around at the scene.

“I think I have a solution,” he said. “What if the North American Union took charge of this joint operation? That way we can decide who will join in.”

The delegate would hear Amir loudly growling at him. Seeing the feral rage coming from the now werewolf made Epstein almost wet himself in fear

Alex raised a finger. “I believe the talks of perhaps coming to a peaceful solution or a reasonable compromise could still be salvaged from this mess”

She looked over at Solomon. “You want to help me with this endeavour?”

Solomon nodded. “Nothing would make me happier.”

Epstein would let out a fake cough. “There is one problem with your plan. You are part of a bloc against India,” he told her.

Alex merely waved off the concern. “That is a simple matter to deal with.” She turned to face Monika.

“The Thaumatarchy of Albion here announces its departure from the bloc effective immediately. We believe that at this present time remaining with the bloc is a hindrance to our goals.” She turned back to Epstein.

“See. Easy.” she gave him a smile.

The man was looking at the witch as though she grew a second head.

“You can’t just leave a political alliance like that.” the witch blinked at the response. “I just did.”

"I reluctantly agree with the NAU representative." Khalid said and looked at Alex, "With all respect, you can not just say that you are leaving a treaty you signed and expect it to be as simple as that. However, due to the sensitivity of certain factors, I do not believe this is the place to discuss this. Suffice to say, I do not believe just announcing your intention is enough."

The North American delegate nodded. “Your friend is right. Unless you do something drastic to show you have no relation with your former friends no one will believe your words.”

He took out a tape recorder. “Especially since you and two others in the room are hiding things from us.

“I fear that for some people if the truth comes out they may use the revelation to justify imperial ambitions against my realm. It’s that concern that makes me hesitant on coming out.”

Amir’s voice would come out from the device.

Khalid glared at Epstein, "You play a dangerous game. Trying to sow further distrust amongst this body."

Solomon raised his eyebrow. “Do you have a point, delegate from the North American Union? Please, feel free to explain what it is that is so pressing a secret.” Solomon gestures to the table, which remains in pieces between everyone.

Alex was on the verge of leaping at the time to kill the miserable worm. Amir’s growls grew more audible as he was likewise fighting the urge to kill Epstein.

“You know what sort of realm Amir rules over.” the witch said, which made the werewolf look at her. “If certain elements found out that he was hiding, they would rebel against him. You are threatening this organisation's mission of maintaining world peace with that recording. So you either hand over the recording or we will hold the entire North American Union in contempt.”

The witch ignored the shocked expression from the werewolf on what she just told Epstein.

Monika, who had been quiet for some time, stood.

“I propose a motion to remove Herr Epstein from the rest of the High Council’s proceedings. His inflammatory comments and pugnacious behaviour are turning this august body into little more than the NAU Congress on a good day.”

“Unless he shares the full context of the tape, I must agree,” Solomon added.

Epstein smiled. “I can do so.” He would press the play button on the recorder.

“No, it’s just a funny thought that came to me. I rather trust the Nazis with the fate of humanity than either the Americans or Russians. What does that say about the world?”

Amir's voice would come out from the device again

He frowned. "This isn't the right part." he pressed the fast-forward button to skip through parts of the tape.

“You were familiar with some of the crazy stuff happening in the city. Or at least the parts attached to theoretical science and thaumaturgy. I can use some assistance with that.”

He smiled. "Okay, we're getting to the juicy bit."

Epstein would accidentally press fast forward again and the tape would skip several lines of dialogue before he stopped it.

If they can get a vassal to become a willing collaborator in Western Europe what isn’t to say they would have more? Perhaps, even some within Olympus?”

This time it was Alex's voice that came out. This made Epstein's smile grow. "Oh. There is an interesting thing our dear Oceanic great lady said soon after that."

He would skip through and stop.

“What if the Royal Couple are collaborators like..."

The delegate would scream in pain as a metal needle would embed itself through the recorder and his hand. From across the table, Alex had her finger pointed at the recorder, a long metallic needle-shape claw extending out. She would return the finger to normal as Epstein screamed.

"Get this idiot out of here before I kill him!" she shouted.

"I believe it is obvious that he has long overstayed his welcome at this point." Khalid spoke, glaring at Epstein before turning his attention to the rest of the attendees, "In order to preserve whatever order and integrity that still remains in this body, and for his own safety, I am in agreement with the South American representative. He needs to be removed immediately."

"This has to be some kind of joke..." came a grumble from the East Asian delegation, almost too low to be heard with all the shouting going on. The old Mongol Viceroy had been watching the past several minutes with disdain. "This is baseless, slanderous behaviour. Who let in this clown in the first place?"

Gereltu took a hand off his cane, waving dismissively in agreement with some of the others.

"Get him out of here! Tell Josiah Kelvin to send an actual delegate, and not a member of his circus troupe!"

Macha's grip on the knot of her cane tightened slightly, her frustration was barely perceptible. She tapped it twice against the marble floor, this time the echoing sound far louder than her previous admonition; causing the entire square to shake and dust to fall from the ceiling and objects to spill from desks. "I specifically requested this meeting be held with decorum, and I'll see it that it's carried out in such a way." Nemain shifted in her seat a little, feeling unease with the potential ramifications of her elder sister's wrath. Instead, Macha remained as stoic as ever as she motioned with one hand towards the American delegate. "Bain dó." she said simply. Badb and Nemain exchanged a look before the chaos god stood and apparated behind him.

"Am le dul." she stated firmly, grabbing his arm and dragging him to his feet before throwing him headfirst into a swirling vortex that opened behind her. As it shut, she reappeared back in her seat and Macha calmly addressed the remaining congregation.

"Now, I hope none of you would like to join him so I assume this will be a peaceful and productive meeting, ta?"

[Nagakawa]

Kallang, Singapore, Kingdom of Siam
Singapore Indoor Stadium

26 July 2020

META LEGENDS 175: Chen vs Lourenço
CHAMPION vs CHAMPION
Singapore, Kingdom of Siam
Singapore Indoor Stadium
26 July 2020

MAIN CARD

Chen Yu-ke vs Amanda Lourenço (C)
チェン=ユケ vs アマンダ=ロレンソ
Singapore, Kingdom of Siam / Tennessee, WWF • Belem, Brazil
Mighty Warrior MMA • American Top Team
18-1 • 21-5
126.5lbs • 125lbs
WOMEN’S FLYWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

Bartholomew Tennyson (C) vs Donald Berwick (1)
II
バルトロメオ=テニソーン vs ドナルド=ベルウィック
Tennessee, WWF • Florida, WWF
American Top Team • Crazy Monkey Fight Club
19-4 • 20-6
125lbs • 125lbs
FLYWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

~ R1 Submission (Kimura) ~
Lê Nguyễn Quang Hiếu (1) vs Dean Wesrey (3)
レーグエンクアンハウ vs ディーン=ウェスリー
Hanoi, Vietnam • Gotham City, WWF
Lighthouse MMA • Teixeira MMA
16-3 • 11-0
206lbs • 205.5lbs
Light-Heavyweight Bout

~+~+~+~

PRELIMINARY CARD

~ R2 KO (elbow) ~
Idris Hidayat (3) vs Halil Öztürk
イドリス＝ヒダヤット vs ハリル=オズトルク
Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam • Ankara, Turkey
Royal Brunei Kickboxing Academy • Kunt Martial Art
33-14 • 9-1
156bs • 155lbs
Lightweight Bout

~ R1 KO (punch) ~
Tato Abashidze vs Hailemariam Berhanu
タト=アバシッゼー vs ハイレマリアム=ベルハーヌ
Tbilisi, Georgia • Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Amiran Boxing Club • Maeda BJJ Academy (Addis Ababa)
17-6 • 27-5
169lbs • 171lbs
Welterweight Bout

~ R1 TKO (doctor stoppage) ~
Kanao Koshimizu vs Hitomi Nagayasu
越水カナヲ vs 長安仁美
Tokyo, Japan • Fukuoka, Japan
Kimetsu Fight Team Tokyo • Sakuraba Wrestling
12-3 • 19-9
115lbs • 113.5lbs
Women’s Strawweight Bout

~ R3 Unanimous Decision ~
Isaiah Valentine vs Giorgio Donizetti
イザヤ=ヴァレンタイン vs ジョルジオ=ドニゼッティ
Albion • Rome, Italy
Victoria Pugilistic Academy • TapNapSnap Rome
16-5 • 14-4
155lbs • 156lbs
Lightweight Bout

~ R1 Submission (Triangle choke) ~
Carl Johnson vs Muhammad Imran
カール＝ジョンソン vs ムハマッド=イムラン
Los Santos, WWF • Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam
Grove Street BJJ Gym • Royal Brunei Kickboxing Academy
13-2 • 12-3
146lbs • 146lbs
Featherweight Bout

“Ladies and gentlemen… THIS IS the Co-Main event of the evening!!! Sanctioned by the Royal Siamese Athletic Commission of Singapore, and brought to you by BK Nutrition… and our referee in charge of the octagon: Mr Derb Hean.

“Aaaaand… NOW!!! Five rounds for the undisputed Meta Legends Flyweight Championship of the World! Introducing first, FIGHTING out of the blue corner: a mixed martial artist holding a professional record of 20 wins and 6 losses. He stands at 5ft 7in tall, weighing in at 125lbs. Training under Crazy Monkey Fight Club, and fighting out of Florida, WWF: presenting the former Meta Legends Flyweight Champion of the World, and the No. 1 ranked Flyweight contender in the world… DONALD “THE HORNET” BERWICK!!! And introducing his opponent, FIGHTING out of the red corner: a mixed martial artist holding a professional record of 19 wins and 4 losses. He stands at 5ft and 7in tall, weighing in at 125lbs. Training under American Top Team, and fighting out of Tennessee, WWF… the reigning, defending, UNDISPUTED META LEGENDS FLYWEIGHT CHAMPION OF THE WORLD… BARTHOLOMEW TENNYSON!!!”

The crowd began to cheer wildly as the co-main event fighters were introduced. Bartholomew Tennyson, the incumbent champion, sauntered confidently to the centre of the circle, while his opponent Donald Berwick scowled, shaking his hands aggressively.

“Alright gentlemen, we’ve been over the rules”, said Derb Hean to the two fighters. “Protect yourselves at all times. We’re gonna keep it clean. Follow my instructions at all times. Touch gloves… and back to your corners.”

“The long awaited rematch between Bartholomew Tennyson”, said Michele Scaramucci, “and his nemesis… the former champion Donald Berwick.”

Derb Hean waved his hand, and the fight quickly began.

“Black trunks for the champion Tennyson”, said Roe Jogan. “Grey grappling shorts for Donald.”

The two fighters squared up against each other in the centre of the circle, bouncing in and out of each others’ range. Donald was the first to throw a strike, kicking Bartholomew hard in the shin and wobbling him momentarily. The champion was able to recover quickly, however, and threw a high kick of his own, which Donald blocked before it could connect with his head.

“Donald lands the first strike of the rematch”, Michele observed. “Bartholomew says that he’s going to be hunting for the finish… while Donald has predicted an armbar in the second round.”

“It’s interesting because Donald Berwick is best known for his long range striking”, said Roe. “But ever since he lost the belt to Bartholomew, we’ve seen him dominate the other contenders with his wrestling and with his jiu jitsu. He’s really mixing up his game in order to try and take the fight to Bartholomew.”

“Good kick to the body there by Donald”, said Michele.

Bartholomew backed away after Donald landed the kick, beckoning to his opponent to come in. Donald did precisely that, and Bartholomew lunged forward, scrambling across the floor and attempting a single leg takedown. Donald quickly defended, spinning around to dislodge his leg from Bartholomew’s grip, and the fight quickly returned to the feet. Again, Bartholomew shot in for the takedown, but Donald quickly sprawled, and as Bartholomew tried to complete the takedown, he quickly took Bartholomew’s back, forcing the champion to turtle up, right before the round came to an end.

“We’re seeing some very good grappling from Donald this round”, Michele observed. “He stuffed both of Bartholomew’s takedowns. Bartholomew’s going to have to be less reckless in the second round and try to chip away at Donald’s defence.”

The second round began, and the two fighters once again squared up against each other in the centre. This time, Bartholomew changed to a southpaw stance, extending his right arm to set the range between him and Donald. The former champion threw a spinning kick, but Bartholomew was able to effortlessly bounce out of range and dodge it. He quickly changed back to an orthodox stance, and as Donald moved in to try and strike at a closer range, Bartholomew threw a powerful hook that clipped the challenger across the temple.

“OOO!!!” Roe Jogan exclaimed. “Good shot by Bartholomew!”

Donald was stunned, and Bartholomew quickly capitalised, shooting in and throwing a punch to the body, folding Donald in half. Immediately, Donald initiated a Thai clinch, tying Bartholomew up in the centre of the circle to buy himself time to recover. From inside the clinch, Bartholomew continued his onslaught, throwing vicious knees to Donald’s body, while Donald returned the favour by elbowing Bartholomew across the face a few times.

The champion, however, was able to recover from the elbows. He threw an elbow back at Donald’s temple, and quickly disengaged from the clinch. Donald, still rather dazed by Bartholomew’s big left hand, circled away from Bartholomew, and the champion moved in and threw a high kick that connected with Donald’s chest just as the round came to a close.

“That was a big round for Bartholomew Tennyson”, Roe remarked.

“But also a very good job by Donald, defending by making use of the clinch”, said Michele Scaramucci. “He’s got such a good chin, Roe, it’s like it’s carved out of marble!”

The third round began, and once again, the two fighters circled in on each other. By now, both men were beginning to show signs of fatigue, but Bartholomew was by far the fresher fighter, pushing Donald backwards. Donald, now wary of Bartholomew’s boxing, kept his guard high, occasionally throwing leg kicks at the champion.

“Donald’s approach with Bartholomew is a lot more cautious”, Roe observed.

“You think so, Roe?”

“He’s not emptying the gas tank from the get go like he did against Pornsak and against Wataru Shimoda.”

“That’s because Donald respects the power that Bartholomew Tennyson carries”, said Michele. “He recognises that Bartholomew is just on a different level. As a former champion, Donald knows that well.”

That moment, Donald threw a powerful jab that tore through Bartholomew’s guard and smashed him in the nose.

“Ooo! Big jab there by Donald!” Roe yelled. “And Bartholomew fires back!”

Bartholomew’s nose had begun to bleed, but it did not seem to bother him one bit. His pressure only became stronger, and as Donald tried to throw another combination, Bartholomew hit him with a jab of his own, stunning Donald, and then quickly clinching and, in an instant, reaping Donald’s legs out from under him.

“And now Bartholomew’s on top!”

Now in a superior position, Bartholomew began to throw hammerfists on Donald from on top, as the challenger shelled up in an attempt to defend against the strikes.

“Defend yourself, blue!” Derb Hean warned Donald. Before he had any opportunity to stop the fight, the buzzer went off, and both fighters returned to their corners.

“Big round for Bartholomew Tennyson!” Michele exclaimed. “Donald had him hurt by that jab, but he just kept pushing forward, and he got that takedown and some big ground and pound.”

“Donald is going to have to be more proactive”, said Roe. “He can’t just keep countering Bartholomew’s attacks. He needs to take the fight to him.”

The fourth round began. The cutman had cleaned up Bartholomew’s nose, but the redness was still there. Donald, too, was visibly fatigued after surviving the ground and pound.

“Championship rounds”, said Roe. “Donald goes in hard, he throws a spinning kick again, but Bartholomew avoids it!”

Cheers rose from the crowd, as the champion dodged Donald’s kick, before shooting in for another takedown. Donald attempted to sprawl to defend it, but this time, Bartholomew simply hoisted him into the air, before slamming him down onto his back and ending up inside Donald’s closed guard. Though stunned by the takedown, Donald was better able to defend this time, as he quickly tied up Bartholomew’s right arm, restricting Bartholomew’s ability to ground and pound. The champion, however, still had his left hand free, and as Donald tried to work to improve his position from the bottom, he continued to throw punches down on him.

“Donald’s trying to work his way out of this position, but Bartholomew doesn’t care! He doesn’t give a hoot!” Michele yelled. “The hammerfists continue to rain down!”

From the bottom, Donald attempted to pivot around to get an armbar, but Bartholomew was too fast, and yanked his arm out before the submission could be locked in. He got back onto his feet, while Donald remained on his back, putting his legs up in the air as if to beckon Bartholomew to enter his guard. The champion however, merely threw a few short range kicks at Donald’s thighs, before backing away and beckoning Donald to get back to his feet.

Donald did just that, switching stances and moving forward. That moment, however, Bartholomew feinted a jab, before moving in swiftly and landing a cross to Donald’s jaw, wobbling the challenger.

“OOO! He’s doing the chicken dance!!!” Michele exclaimed.

“He’s hurt bad!!!”

Taking advantage of the situation, Bartholomew quickly shot in for another takedown, lifting Donald off of his feet and slamming him into the ground just as the round came to a close.

“Donald is going to have to empty the gas tank and give it everything he’s got in the final round”, said Roe. “He needs a finish in order to win this fight.”

“You can see the sheer volume of Bartholomew’s striking here”, said Michele. “The sheer pace of the champion. Two out of four takedowns landed for Bartholomew. 61 significant strikes by Bartholomew, compared to 47 by Donald.”

The final round began, and the two fighters offered each other a fist bump before going into it. This time, Donald leapt straight into action, throwing a flying knee at Bartholomew, who quickly dodged and circled obliquely away from Donald, kicking him hard in the shin to counter. Donald lunged in and threw a combination, but it was clear that he was still dazed from the shots that Bartholomew had landed in the previous rounds, for his combination was uncoordinated and lacked power. Bartholomew, taking advantage of his flawed attempt to strike at him, countered by initiating a Thai clinch again, before flinging Donald to the ground and landing directly in side control.

“He’s got the challenger down again!!” Michele yelled. “Down goes the challenger!!”

Despite being in a highly unfavourable position, Donald continued trying to fight back. He bridged explosively, catching Bartholomew by surprise, and scrambling to reverse the position he was in. Bartholomew reacted by trying to take Donald’s back, only to lean too far forward and fall off, giving Donald a good window of opportunity to get back up to his feet.

“And now they’re back on the feet!” Michele exclaimed.

“Ooo, and there’s a left hand now from Donald!!” Roe exclaimed.

“They’re leaving everything in the cage!!”

The two fighters stood and traded blows in the centre of the circle as the crowd cheered them on wildly. Then, they clinched once again, and Bartholomew threw a knee that hurt Donald badly.

“Big knee to the body by Bartholomew!!” Roe screamed. “Donald fires back with some knees of his own!! And that is it!”

The round came to an end, and the referee quickly separated the two fighters to the incessant cheers of the crowd. Bartholomew and Donald hugged each other, before both walking around the ring, visibly worn out by their five round battle.

“It looks like we’re going to the judges scorecards for this one”, said Michele. “Those of you who bet on it going the distance… +800 odds at the time of closing… you’ll be cashing out big time.”

“What an epic battle between these two great champions of the Flyweight division”, said Roe, as Bruce Duffer entered the circle, and the referee brought Bartholomew and Donald to the centre for the official decision. “Let’s go to Bruce to make it all official.”

“Ladies and gentlemen, after five rounds, we go to the judges’ scorecards. The judges score this contest 49-46, 49-46, and 48-47 for the winner, by unanimous decision, aaaaaand…. STILL!!! THE UNDISPUTED META LEGENDS FLYWEIGHT CHAMPION OF THE WORLD!!! BARTHOLOMEW TENNYSON!!!”

Meta Legends President Hideki Yoshida entered the circle and draped the championship belt over Bartholomew, who flexed his muscles and screamed triumphantly, while his adversary Donald Berwick slapped his fist in frustration and shook his head. The crowd erupted into applause, and Roe Jogan entered to interview the winner.

“I’m here with the winner, and still the Flyweight World Champion”, said Roe. “Bartholomew… that was an epic fight. Donald had some big moments in the fight, but you shut him down and dominated him. Were you surprised by anything that he brought today?”

“WOOO YEAH! Now THAT’S what I’m talking about, bitch!!!” Bartholomew yelled into the mic, before finally addressing Roe’s question. “Donald’s a great fighter… and he’s definitely gotten better. But he’s still not on my level!”

“He hit you with the jab and your nose started bleeding-“

“Oh, FUGOFF!!!” Bartholomew guffawed. “WOOO!!! Show that replay screen again! I DARE YOU!!! NOT ONE OF YOU HERE CAN DOUBT ME NOW!!! I AM THE BEST FLYWEIGHT IN THE WORLD!!!”

“Who, if anybody, would you like to fight next?” Roe continued.

“Oh, you know who”, Bartholomew replied cockily, before pointing at the camera. “Carl Magnusson. You better be ready! I’ll rip you a new one, just you wait!!!”

“Well, I’m sure you’ll be ready to defend your title against Carl. It was an honour to call your fight, and I can’t wait to see you back in action.” Roe pat Bartholomew on the back. “Ladies and gentlemen, the Flyweight Champion of the World!! Bartholomew Tennyson!!”

“Bartholomew Tennyson etches his name in history”, said Michele, “and silences all the doubters who called his first win a fluke. That, ladies and gentlemen, was no fluke. That is a true champion!!

“Alright, coming up next: the main event of the evening!! The Women’s Bantamweight Champion Amanda Lourenço takes on former Women’s Flyweight Champion Chen Yu-ke… for the vacant Women’s Flyweight Title.”

…

[Nagakawa]

Kallang, Singapore, Kingdom of Siam
Singapore Indoor Stadium

26 July 2020

META LEGENDS 175: Chen vs Lourenço
CHAMPION vs CHAMPION
Singapore, Kingdom of Siam
Singapore Indoor Stadium
26 July 2020

MAIN CARD

Chen Yu-ke vs Amanda Lourenço (C)
チェン=ユケ vs アマンダ=ロレンソ
Singapore, Kingdom of Siam / Tennessee, WWF • Belem, Brazil
Mighty Warrior MMA • American Top Team
18-1 • 21-5
126.5lbs • 125lbs
WOMEN’S FLYWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

~ R5 Unanimous Decision ~
Bartholomew Tennyson (C) vs Donald Berwick (1)
II
バルトロメオ=テニソーン vs ドナルド=ベルウィック
Tennessee, WWF • Florida, WWF
American Top Team • Crazy Monkey Fight Club
20-4 • 20-7
125lbs • 125lbs
FLYWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

Lê Nguyễn Quang Hiếu (1) vs Dean Wesrey (3)
レーグエンクアンハウ vs ディーン=ウェスリー
Hanoi, Vietnam • Gotham City, WWF
Lighthouse MMA • Teixeira MMA
16-3 • 11-0
206lbs • 205.5lbs
Light-Heavyweight Bout

~+~+~+~

PRELIMINARY CARD

~ R2 KO (elbow) ~
Idris Hidayat (3) vs Halil Öztürk
イドリス＝ヒダヤット vs ハリル=オズトルク
Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam • Ankara, Turkey
Royal Brunei Kickboxing Academy • Kunt Martial Art
33-14 • 9-1
156bs • 155lbs
Lightweight Bout

~ R1 KO (punch) ~
Tato Abashidze vs Hailemariam Berhanu
タト=アバシッゼー vs ハイレマリアム=ベルハーヌ
Tbilisi, Georgia • Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Amiran Boxing Club • Maeda BJJ Academy (Addis Ababa)
17-6 • 27-5
169lbs • 171lbs
Welterweight Bout

~ R1 TKO (doctor stoppage) ~
Kanao Koshimizu vs Hitomi Nagayasu
越水カナヲ vs 長安仁美
Tokyo, Japan • Fukuoka, Japan
Kimetsu Fight Team Tokyo • Sakuraba Wrestling
12-3 • 19-9
115lbs • 113.5lbs
Women’s Strawweight Bout

~ R3 Unanimous Decision ~
Isaiah Valentine vs Giorgio Donizetti
イザヤ=ヴァレンタイン vs ジョルジオ=ドニゼッティ
Albion • Rome, Italy
Victoria Pugilistic Academy • TapNapSnap Rome
16-5 • 14-4
155lbs • 156lbs
Lightweight Bout

~ R1 Submission (Triangle choke) ~
Carl Johnson vs Muhammad Imran
カール＝ジョンソン vs ムハマッド=イムラン
Los Santos, WWF • Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam
Grove Street BJJ Gym • Royal Brunei Kickboxing Academy
13-2 • 12-3
146lbs • 146lbs
Featherweight Bout

“And now… we’ve come to the main event of the evening.” Michele lowered his voice, and the arena was lit up in electrifying blue light. I’m Shipping Up to Boston by Dropkick Murphys began to blast through the arena, and the crowd started clapping along to the infectious rhythm as Amanda Lourenço, the reigning Women’s Bantamweight Champion fighting down a weight class, emerged from the aisle and walked confidently down towards the circle.

“Amanda Lourenço is the greatest of all time”, said Roe Jogan. “There’s no question about it. She is the greatest female mixed martial artist to have ever stepped inside the circle.”

“And because she’s cleared out the entire Women’s Bantamweight Division”, Michele chimed in as the cutman applied Vaseline to Amanda’s face, “she’s decided to try and make history again, by going down one weight class to try and become the first simultaneous two-division champion in Meta Legends history!”

Once Amanda had stepped inside the circle, the lights turned a deep red, and fast-paced electronic music replaced Amanda’s walkout music. From the other side of the arena, Chen Yu-ke emerged, carrying the flag of the Singaporean Specially Administered Royal Territory, and sauntering down cockily.

“This is the woman that Amanda has to beat tonight”, said Roe. “Chen Yu-ke, the best female flyweight in the world.”

“As you all know, Yu-ke was stripped of the title after failing to make weight”, said Michele. “So tonight, she is fighting as the former Women’s Flyweight World Champion… and only Amanda Lourenço is eligible to win the vacant championship.”

“But, title or not, Chen Yu-ke is a formidable foe”, said Roe. “She cleared out the Women’s Flyweight division the same way Amanda cleared out the Women’s Bantamweight division. Her grappling skills are just on another level. She has 18 wins in 19 fights! Her only loss comes from a controversial split decision, early in her career!”

“But soon…”, said Michele, “We will see which of these two formidable women can call themselves the queen of the Flyweight Division.

“Our tale of the tape for this fight: Amanda Lourenço, the reigning Women’s Bantamweight Champion, weighing in at the flyweight limit at 125lbs; her opponent, Chen Yu-ke, missing weight by one and a half pounds, fights tonight as the former Women’s Flyweight Champiom. Chen Yu-Ke 28 years old, and Amanda six years the elder, at 34. Identical height, but Amanda has a one inch reach advantage. Chen is a black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, and Amanda is a freestyle fighter. Let’s go now to Bruce Duffer.”

“Ladies and gentlemen… THIS IS THE MAIN EVENT OF THE EVENING!!!” Bruce Duffer thundered into the microphone. “Sanctioned by the Royal Siamese Athletic Commission of Singapore, and brought to you by Tetsuya Fujimoto’s Buzzsaw Man, coming to theatres on the 1st of August. Our three judges scoring this contest tonight are Mr Sawat Jarungjitwitthawat, Mr John Carlton, and Mr Oliver Costa, and our referee in charge of the action is Mr Mahmoud Solomon.

“AAAAND NOW!!! FOR THOSE IN ATTENDANCE, AMD META LEGENDS FANS WATCHING FROM ALL AROUND THE WORLD… THIS IS THE MOMENT YOU’VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR!! IiiiiiiiIIIIT’S… TIIIIIIME!!! Five rounds, for the undisputed Women’s Flyweight World Championship!!!

“Introducing first, FIGHTING out of the blue corner: a mixed martial artist holding a professional record of 22 wins and 5 losses. She stands at 5ft and 7in tall, weighing in at 125lbs, training under American Top Team, and fighting out of Belem, Brazil, presenting the reigning Women’s Bantamweight Champion of the world, and the No. 1 ranked Women’s Flyweight contender in the world… THE CHALLENGER!!! AMANDA “THE TIGRESS” LOURENÇO!!! And introducing her opponent, FIGHTING out of the red corner: a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt holding a professional record of 18 wins and only 1 loss. She stands at 5ft and 7in tall, missing the Flyweight limit at 126.5lbs, training under Mighty Warrior MMA, and fighting out of Singapore, Siam… presenting the former undisputed Women’s Flyweight Champion of the world: “THE LION CITY WARRIOR”!!! CHEN YU-KE!!!”

Mahmoud Solomon called the two women to the centre of the circle to deliver the final instructions. The crowd waited with bated breath, as Amanda and Yu-ke bumped fists; and then, on the referee’s signal, the fight was on.

“Amanda Lourenço in black”, said Michele Scaramucci. “The former Women’s Flyweight Champion Chen Yu-ke in blue. The key to victory for Yu-ke is to take the fight to the ground and dominate Amanda in the grappling… and the key to victory for Amanda is to pick Yu-ke apart on the feet.”

For a minute, the two fighters felt each other out cautiously in the centre of the circle. The crowd waited in tense, anticipatory silence. Then, Amanda threw a high head kick, which Chen Yu-ke blocked. Immediately, Yu-ke moved in and tried to throw a combination, but Amanda blocked it too, and fired back with a jab to the face that stunned Chen Yu-ke.

“Ooo! Amanda’s landing early!”

Yu-ke then moved in and tried to clinch, but Amanda was too technical, immediately detangling herself from the clinch and firing back with a hook to Yu-ke’s jaw that sent the former champion stumbling to the side.

“She’s hurt!” Roe Jogan exclaimed. “Amanda’s landing early! Chen Yu-ke has got to find a way to survive!”

Now visibly desperate, Yu-ke dropped her level and lunged forward towards Amanda, shooting for a Hail Mary takedown, but Amanda sprawled masterfully, hitting Yu-ke with several powerful shots to the head from her top position, before once again disengaging.

“Yu-ke’s nose is bleeding”, Roe exclaimed.

“Amanda’s landing some massive shots!!!” Michele screamed. “Under siege is Chen Yu-ke!!!”

By now, Yu-ke’s options were exhausted, and with less than a minute on the clock, she backed away from Amanda towards the cage, but the Bantamweight Champion pushed forward ruthlessly, throwing jab after jab at Yu-ke and crushing her face. Then, as the Singaporean former champion shelled up against the wall, Amanda pried her guard open, hurled a massive uppercut, and put Yu-ke’s lights clean out.

“OOOOOOO!!!”

“OOOOOOO!!! IT’S GOOD NIGHT HOLY FRIGGIN IRENE!!!” Michele was screaming so loudly that his microphone was crackling. “TOO EASY!!! TOO EASY!!!”

“HISTORY HAS BEEN MADE!!!” Roe yelled, standing up and climbing onto the table in sheer excitement. “AMANDA LOURENÇO IS THE NEW WOMEN’S FLYWEIGHT CHAMPION!!!”

As the doctor promptly came into the circle to tend to the battered and unconscious Chen Yu-ke, Amanda Lourenço began walking around the edge of the circle, putting up one finger to her lips and shushing the people seated ringside. Her cornermen rushed in and hugged her tightly, carrying with them her Women’s Bantamweight championship belt; following closely behind was Bruce Duffer with the official result.

“I don’t believe it!” Michele exclaimed in disbelief. “I don’t believe it! I don’t believe it! I don’t believe it! Who can stop Amanda Lourenço! She’s an absolute monster! She’s incredible! Amanda’s incredible!”

“Oh my goodness! With that knockout, Amanda Lourenço has made history! She is now the first person to be the champion simultaneously in two weight classes!!”

“She came in as a slight favourite, but who could have predicted it’d be this easy!? She made it look like a clinic in there.

“What we do know… is that there is now new management in the Women’s Flyweight Division. For one final time tonight… here’s Bruce Duffer.”

Mahmoud Solomon brought Amanda Lourenço to the centre of the ring, as the paramedics quickly stretchered Chen Yu-ke out of the ring, away from the prying cameras.

“Ladies and gentlemen”, Bruce declared, raising his voice over the roaring crowd, “Referee Mahmoud Solomon has called a stop to this contest at 4 minutes and 29 seconds in the very first round, declaring the winner by KNOCKOUT… aaaand NEEEEWWW!!! UNDISPUTED WOMEN’S FLYWEIGHT CHAMPION OF THE WORLD!!! AMANDA “THE TIGRESS” LOURENÇO!!!”

Hideki Yoshida entered with the Women’s Flyweight belt, draping it over Amanda’s left shoulder, while Amanda’s team draped her other championship belt over her right shoulder. The cameras zoomed in on her in the historic moment, as Amanda, now the first simultaneous two-division champion in Meta Legends, held her belts up high confidently.

“I’m here with the winner… and new Women’s Flyweight Champion”, said Roe Jogan, walking up to Amanda. “Amanda Lourenço, you just shook up the world. How’s that feel?”

“I’m not surprised, motherfuckers”, Amanda said calmly. “She said her belt would stay here in Singapore. She said she would protect it… well, I’m sorry to all of you in this arena, but that’s not the case! Favela, tonight is our night!!”

The Singaporean crowd cheered, despite their home fighter having just been knocked out.

“You have just made history as the first simultaneous two-division champion in the biggest promotion in the world”, Roe continued. “You made it look so easy against one of the best flyweights of all time. It’s beyond doubt that you are the G.O.A.T. of Women’s MMA-“

“This new belt is just the beginning!” Amanda declared with a big grin, raising both belts high into the air. “The beginning of a new journey!!” She then turned to Roe. “Chen Yu-ke is a great fighter. She’s a great champion, and if she wants the rematch, I’ll let her have it. But the result will be the same.”

“Well, it was an honour to call your fight, Amanda”, said Roe, offering a handshake - only for Amanda to decline it because her hands were full, holding her belts. “Ladies and gentlemen, give it up for the Women’s Bantamweight Champion and the Women’s Flyweight Champion!!! Amanda Lourenço!!!”

“Thank you Roe!” Amanda yelled into the microphone. “Thank you Singapore!!”

“A historic night with a historic conclusion”, said Michele. “Thank you all for watching Meta Legends 175: Chen vs Lourenço! I’m Michele Scaramucci, commentating live with Roe Jogan! We’ll see you next time for Meta Legends 176: Clarke vs Morgan!!!”

…

Meta Legends 175: Chen vs Lourenço
Official results

Amanda Lourenço (C) def. Chen Yu-ke - R1 KO (punch)
For the vacant Women’s Flyweight World Championship
Performance of the Night (Lourenço)

Bartholomew Tennyson (C) def. Donald Berwick - R5 U. Dec
For the Flyweight World Championship

Dean Wesrey (3) def. Lê Nguyễn Quang Hiếu (1) - R1 Sub
Light-Heavyweight Bout
Performance of the Night (Wesrey)

Halil Öztürk def. Idris Hidayat (3) - R2 KO
Lightweight Bout
Knockout of the Night (Öztürk)

Hailemariam Berhanu def. Tato Abashidze - R1 KO
Welterweight Bout

Kanao Koshimizu def. Hitomi Nagayasu - R1 TKO
Women’s Strawweight Bout

Isaiah Valentine def. Giorgio Donizetti - R3 U Dec
Lightweight Bout
Fight of the Night (Valentine, Donizetti)

Carl Johnson def. Muhammad Imran - R1 Sub
Featherweight Bout
Submission of the Night (Johnson)

[Nagakawa]

META LEGENDS FC
FIGHTER RANKINGS (27 JULY 2020)

Flyweight
Champion:
Bartholomew Tennyson 20-4 (Tennessee, WWF) - 1 defence
1: Donald Berwick 20-7 (Florida, WWF)
2: Louis Kao 13-1 (Taipei, Taiwan)
3: Carl Magnusson 20-4 (Oslo, Norway)
4: Pornsak Kiatmoo9 13-3 / Muay Thai: 250-31-1 (Krung Thep, Kingdom of Siam)
5: Narongdej Banchamek 7-1 / Muay Thai: 226-39-2 (Krung Thep, Kingdom of Siam)

Bantamweight
Champion:
Inosuke Hirabashi 15-0 (Minakami, Japan) - 0 defences
1: Felix Alvarez 21-4 (Tabasco, Mexico)
2: Yodlek Gaiyanghadao 11-2 / Muay Thai: 196-37 (Lopburi, Kingdom of Siam)
3: Arthur Redford 15-4 (Georgia, WWF)
4: Kallian Gracie 26-8 / BJJ: 116-20 (Brazil, S. American Reich)
5: Keith Chang 12-3 / Boxing: 27-5 (Singapore, Kingdom of Siam)

Featherweight
Champion:
Gregory O’Connor 23-6 (Dublin, Ireland) - 0 defences
1: Bruce Lei 27-6 (South Han, Yuan)
2: Davaalkhagva Erdenebaatar 36-10 (Sükhbaatar, Yuan)
3: Kulabdam Banchamek 6-0 / Muay Thai: 306-48-4 (Krung Thep, Kingdom of Siam)
4: Zach Lee 17-5 (Gotham City, NAU)
5: Gottlob Liebermann 23-9 (Argentina, S. American Reich)

Lightweight
Champion:
Hong Cho-dong 14-1 (Daegu, Korea) - 0 defences
1: Władysław Jędrzejczyk 27-3 (Warsaw, Poland)
2: Vladimir Meretskov 21-6 (Moscow, NUSSR)
3: Halil Öztürk 9-1 (Ankara, Turkey) +3 (NR)
4: Magomedrasul Rukhollaev 11-0 (Makhachkala, Dagestan)
5: Yūki Tomioka 19-3-1 (1NC) (Osaka, Japan)

Welterweight
Champion:
Adam Clarke 31-7 (Tennessee, WWF) - 0 defences
1: Edward Morgan 21-2 (Albion)
2: Shinya Aoki 49-10 (Tokyo, Japan)
3: Yoo Seong-hoon 16-4 (Korea, Yuan)
4: Igor Tskhovrebov 9-3 (Moscow, Russia)
5: Mikheil Ochopintre 19-3 (Tbilisi, Georgia)

Middleweight
Champion:
Snoop Dogg 30-6 (Florida, WWF) - 7 defences
1: Rustam Mukhamedov 31-10 (Tashkent, Uzbekistan)
2: Liang Hong-yao 25-5 (Taipei, Taiwan)
3: Bobson Dugnutt 14-1 (Florida, WWF)
4: Johnson Ncube 20-6 (Harare, Zimbabwe)
5: Alberto Melendez 23-5 (Argentina, S. American Reich)

Light-Heavyweight
Champion:
Yoon Chul 19-3 (Seoul, Korea) - 1 defence
1: Dean Wesrey 11-0 (Gotham City, NAU) +2
2: Lê Nguyễn Quang Hiếu 16-3 (Huế, Vietnam) -1
3: Mönkh-orgil Nergüi 31-8 (Govi-Altai, Yuan) -1
4: Baasandorj Ganzorig 18-2 (Sükhbaatar, Yuan)
5: Felipe Sanchez 12-2 (Madrid, Spain)

Heavyweight
Champion:
Dolgorsüren Dagvadorj 38-7 (Ulaanbaatar, Yuan) - 6 defences
Interim Champion: Stephen Miocic 21-4 (Tennessee, WWF)
2: Vitaly Bogolyubov 10-0 / Judo: 69-23 (St. Petersburg, NUSSR)
3: Reimei Kazuki 7-1 / Grand Sumo: 747-318-78 (Dublin, Ireland / Tokyo, Japan)
4: Brock Lesnar 15-3 (S. Dakota, WWF)
5: Renato Figueira 34-11 (Brasília, Brazil)

Women’s Strawweight
Champion:
Miho Uchida 17-5 (Japan, Yuan) - 3 defences
1: Gemma Watkins 2-0 / Kickboxing: 89-0 (Albion)
2: Kiyomi Fujimoto 16-1 (Tokyo, Japan)
3: Rey McSriff 21-7 (Florida, WWF)
4: Paprika Jitmuangnon 6-1 / Muay Thai: 141-33-1 (Krung Thep, Kingdom of Siam)
5: Nancy Fernandez 13-3 (Manila, Maharlikan Federation)

Women’s Flyweight
Champion:
Amanda Lourenço 22-5 (Belem, Brazil) - 0 defences
1: Chen Yu-ke 18-2 (Singapore, Kingdom of Siam / Tennessee, WWF) -1
2: Wondergirl Banchamek 11-0 / Muay Thai: 98-18-3 (Lopburi, Kingdom of Siam)
3: Mòrag McDougall 17-5 (Albion)
4: Anastasia Lukashenko 32-18 (Belarus, NUSSR)
5: Han Ayun 20-4 (Korea, Yuan)

Women’s Bantamweight
Champion:
Amanda Lourenço 22-5 (Belem, Brazil) - 7 defences
1: Josephine Turner 19-4 (Wollongong, Oceania)
2: Natalie Rensch 12-3 (Albion)
3: Felicia Maricon Aguilar 27-12-1 (Manila, Maharlikan Federation) NR
4: Germaine Baumann 17-7 (Argentina, S. American Reich)
5: Yōko Itō 19-5 (Tokyo, Japan)

---

Men’s Pound-for-Pound
1: Snoop Dogg (30-6)
2: Dolgorsüren Dagvadorj (38-7)
3: Inosuke Hirabashi (15-0)
4: Hong Cho-dong (14-1)
5: Adam Clarke (31-7) +1
6: Władysław Jędrzejczyk (27-3) -1
7: Felix Alvarez (21-5)
8: Stephen Miocic (21-4)
9: Gregory O’Connor (23-6)
10: Yoon Chul (19-3)

Women’s Pound-for-Pound
1: Amanda Lourenço (22-5)
2: Miho Uchida (17-5)
3: Josephine Turner (19-4)
4: Han Ayun (20-4) +1
5: Kiyomi Fujimoto (16-1) +1
6: Chen Yu-ke (18-2) -2
7: Gemma Watkins (2-0)
8: Mòrag McDougall (17-5)
9: Felicia Maricon Aguilar (27-12-1)
10: Paprika Jitmuangnon (6-1)

[Britanania]

Göring Estate, Outside of Welthauptstadt Germania, Königreich Argentinien, Südamerikanischesreich, 1300 27 June 2020

The sun was shining on the vast Göring Estate, the 200 square kilomoetre estate that served as the ancestral home of the Görings in South America. Established early in the days of the Shadow Reich, the complex included several houses, hunting lodges, and castles, all surrounded and protected by gatehouses and defensive barriers. Forests and hunting grounds made up most of the grounds, and it was here that the two elder daughters of one of the Reich's most distinguished families found themselves.

Both Adelise and Helga were dressed in riding gear, and sporting gold JCL Reverso watches. Out here, the two witches were perfectly alone, and that's when Adelise stopped her horse, with Helga following suit.

"So, what did you want to talk about?" the SD Chief asked.

Adelise seemed pensive.

"I don't disagree with a lot of what Ilsa is doing, but I'm having reservations about this deception going on. When Viktoria hears about this, this will be hell to pay."

Helga remained quiet, almost afraid to speak.

"And I share Antoinette's concerns about what Freyja is going to do," Adelise continued. "Her and Freyja's feud is getting out of hand."

Finally, Helga let out a sigh.

"What are we supposed to do? Ilsa is functionally the Führerin."

"I'm not suggesting anything radical, but we need a moderating force until Viktoria recovers. We can't recall Freyja, but there's going to be a retaliation, and I'd like to be prepared for it."

"Then what are you suggesting?"

"Freyja needs to at least know what's going on. Ilsa won't act with impunity and can't continue to purge her opponents--real or perceived--with Freyja at least in the game."

Helga returned to her silence.

"I'll see what I can do."

[Pragia]

Collab with Naval Monte
Four Dragons Casino, New Vegas EPCOT
June 26th, 2020

It was amazing what a full night's sleep could do, and Teris was in Vegas by the end of the day, the twilight purple sky cooling the landscape to below the hundred-degree highs of the early summer days. Teris was one always to favor the desert instead of the oasis of Vegas. Before the coup, it was always a city of vice, which was not to his tastes before the coup, and only slightly more so now.

The sands beyond held secrets of men more bitter than him, and a few of his own. These were the real secrets, the ones that nobody needed to know. The secrets in the city were often only a piece of the truth, spoken through glib lips over large sums of money. The city defied the desolation around it, and that was where Teris’ admiration of the city ended. It wasn’t so much the overwriting of the past with idealism that seemed aimless as much as it was the cartoon creations that made up most of its lord’s servants and underlings.

He was already checked in at the Four Dragons, having called ahead and booked a suite at considerable expense for a last minute booking. The suite was modest for such an extravagant hotel, its view able to see the blinding bulbs of solar plants in the distance, as well as the more immediate evening sprawl of the planned city. He wasn’t quite sure who would come to fetch him for a meeting, it all felt abnormal, but there was very little that was normal about this place.

The door would open up. Stepping inside the room Teris would see a skinny white rabbit with large blue eyes, pink nose, a tuft of red hair who wears red overalls, yellow gloves, and a blue bow tie with yellow polka dots.

“I’m looking for a guy named Teris. You know where he is?” the toon asked

The teleporter looked the bunny up and down, keeping an even expression “That’d be me, Roger.” He had some memory of his characters, and had some appreciation for his movie. it was always surreal to him to actually speak to them. “Figures they would send you to pick me up.”

The toon smiled. “Yep. Mickey and Oswald are just about to finish up a big show in another joint. In the meantime I can take you to see old Walt since everyone else is busy.” The toon explained as he stuck his hand out.

“I know a few shortcuts in the city to take you to see him without waiting in line.”

Teris keeps a good enough poker face as he takes the toon’s comically large hand “Appreciate the special attention, I’m glad that Lord Disney is willing to hear me out.”

The rabbit would Teris through the building. As they cross through the great hall they would see several toons that resemble Goofy carrying off a man.

“Just let me play one more game man! I swear I can strike big!” he yelled but the toons ignored him. The Goofy clones would toss the man out the door.

“Looks like the Dragon has claimed another victim.” Roger said as he shook his head at the poor gambler.

“Poor guy, hope he didn’t lose too hard.” he’d add as the pair went through the lobby.

The two would leave the building and Roger would lead Teris through the back.

They would find a tree and the toon would push aside a rock, revealing a hole.

“Me and Bugs made our own tunnels throughout the city to get around without being seen. I can take you to Walt in a few minutes at tops.” he explained.

Teris would look at the hole in the ground, “Don’t think I’ll be able to…” he’d stick his foot in, the hole widening as he slipped in. It didn’t make sense, he could just as easily open a portal if he knew where to go, but when in Rome, do as the Romans do. “This place is a madhouse…” he’d mutter as he got waist deep, not distrusting the toon, but frustrated nonetheless.

Teris would without warning be sucked into the hole. His vision would be a blur as he was flying through a subterranean world. The dirt and rocks would break up with patchwork of pipes, roots, and fossils.

Somewhere in the tunnel he would see lights flashing as a carousel music began to play loudly.

“There is no earthly way of knowing..” he heard someone sing as random moving images began to play on the colorful walls. “Which direction we are going, or which direction we're rowing, or where the river’s rowing. Is it raining? Is it snowing? Is a hurricane a-blowing?”

Before more can be shown or heard Teris would see a bright light and he would be flung into the air.

Reflexes would take over for the teleporter as he was spat out from the chocolate river, a portal opening in front of him and side long along the ground, the operative rolling with the landing and getting to his feet. He would be sweating some, his heartbeat heightened as he was finally on the ground.

Roger would hop out of the hole. “The song was different that time. I still don’t know how Bugs manage to add all of that stuff down there.”

The two would find themselves standing in front of a large building.

“Walt is waiting for you in the penthouse above.” Rogar explained

Teris would sigh as he stills himself, not sure what to make of the rabbits developing teleportation. “Thanks Roger, have a good night.” he’d offer, hoping for things to come back down to reality.

“You too, pal.” The rabbit would hop back into the hole. Once he had left, the teleporter would scoff to himself at the absurdity of his situation, a new portal opening before him to the main hallway of the top floor, he was not familiar with the floor plan, but would be able to find the penthouse easily enough.

Once Teris appeared within the penthouse he would find empty tables in the room. The only thing with him were two securitrons and a floating screen made in a style that would remind him of the Jetsons.

The screen would show the young face of Walt Disney.

“Governor Teris. It’s a surprise to see you here. I hope you’ve been enjoying your stay in Vegas.”

“I have, as brief as it has been, Vegas is always an exciting place to be, but I unfortunately am not here for pleasure.” Teris would say “I’ve been asked to investigate a Reich informant in Vegas, and am asking for your assistance.”

The image of Disney did not change as the man from behind the screen became silent.

“I see your skills for the CIA have not diminished. I won’t ask how you became aware of a Reich informant since I knew about her for quite some time. I chose to ignore who she associated because she was a model employee. A rarity these days.” a hint of annoyance would be heard from his voice. A sign that some past employees that Disney had left a bad taste in his mouth.

“Unfortunately I can’t just offer you the informant. She has disappeared and I’m still trying to find her.” he explained.

“What I can tell you however is that she never left Vega. My securitrons have checked every vehicle coming and going through the city and not a sign of anyone trying to smuggle in or out of the city was found. So she must still be here somewhere. The question now is whether she is hiding her own free will or not.”

Teris kept a small frown visible as the man behind the screen explained a security risk away. He knew well enough that such an oversight could be kept in confidence. “I’d suggest that a Reich agent doesn’t fit the profile of a model employee, my recent experiences with them can attest. I’m a little more out of practice than I’d like to be, but I appreciate the openness. I will be looking around here, and I figure she has disappeared from her place of work and her residence?” He wasn’t going to contradict the imagineer, knowing that he could move someone through Vegas without securitrons being able to notice him.

“You are correct. The security cameras never showed her leaving or entering from her apartment or entering her work station in the Continental. I tried to look through all of the feeds but the strangest thing had occurred. Some of the camera feeds were cut off. Strange, don’t you think?”

“I do. Have you looked into intrusions in that time frame? I could use a face if there’s something more sophisticated going on here.” He would say, trying to scrutinize the screen.

“I have. But a glitch that corrupted some of the files. The timing of that glitch couldn’t have been a coincidence.” Disney's voice raised as anger was seeping out from the speakers.

“I tolerate the spy games that go on in Vegas but I draw the line when your cloak and dagger schemes threaten Vegas itself. The disappearance and most likely murder of an employee is an attack to both Vegas and myself.” The Imagineer declared.

“I believe we both can work together on this occasion, Mr. Renner. We both have a vested interest in finding Ms. Evelyn and discover who is behind her disappearance.”

Teris would lose the more confrontational frown that he had before “That’s good to hear, but now the cat is out of the bag. I know for a fact the Reich is aware of this disappearance. They’re probably pursuing her for similar reasons. I am sure there are other actors involved as well.” He’d say, “I intend to search some of the hotels she had frequented, starting with the Four Dragons. If you have any other ideas based on her history, or leads you are pursuing on your own, now would be a good time to tell me.”

“The Four Dragon was my next target. Don’t bother with the Continental. I checked and I found nothing. I already have an agent searching around for her. You may find him in the Four Dragon. He would be wearing a badge with my company logo within his coat. If you see that than know he works for me.”

Teris nodded, his steely eyes still regarding the screen “Very well then, as much as I would like to develop a plan, there are other moving parts here evidently. I’d suggest scrutinizing people who are going between suspected locations, especially her apartment. I’ll be on my way unless there is anything else.” he would say as he gets to his feet.

“There is not. I’m afraid our meeting will have to go. I appear to have lost track of time and another meeting I have is about to start soon. I value privacy with all of my clients, you see.” The man explained. Giving Teris the not so subtle hint to leave the room.

The elevator door would open and within the two would see an older man holding a lit cigarette

“Teris Renner? I see time was kind to you.” the older man said.

The teleporter would grin “Time and space alike, sir. You’re about the last face I’d expect to see here.” internally, panic was beginning to grip him. This was a development that would need to wait for later.

“Likewise.” the man replied back. “I can go back down if I’m interrupting something.”

“You aren’t.” Disney replied back. “Mr. Renner was about to leave.”

“Yep, think we’ll need to catch up some later, if you’re still in town.” he’d offer, opening a portal before him back to his room at the Four Dragons, stepping through and regarding the man with a nod.

Once on the other side, the portal would close, and Teris would open another into the back of the air conditioning vent back in the meeting room, peering through with his prying eye.

“I’m sorry about that.” Teris heard Disney say. “Today has been especially busy. Normally I would have had a previous guest out of the penthouse before another arrived.”

Teris would hear footsteps before he heard the other man speak. “It’s alright. He was most likely gonna figure out what would happen in this room eventually. Me and Renner have some history.”

Teris heard some of the robots moving. “You two worked with the old government I suppose?” the other man let out a chuckle. “We did. But we worked for different agencies.”

“What is your name? You never gave it to me with your message." The other man was silent.

“You can call me whatever you want. My real name is classified.”

The Imagineer was annoyed as most would know that Disney wasn’t a fan of secrets.

“If that is your wish then I will simply call you the G-Man. It fits with what you wish to discuss after all.” The robot body he used would release some sound as it changed the image on the screen.

“You wish to discuss a program from the old government.”

The man nodded. “Yes. I wish for the Delta Green Program to be reinstated.”

[Naval Monte]

North American Union, Nevada
New Vegas- EPCOT; Stratosphere/Lucky 38
June 26th, 2020

Disney was silent as he let the words mulled in his head. "I never heard of such program. Mind telling me what was the purpose behind it and why it was shut down?" Disney confessed. The man took a drag on his cigarette. "I'm surprised the Kelvins still kept it a secret since they shut us. Those fools really didn't know what they threw aside." The man said bitterly. "But hopefully today that mistake can be corrected."

The man would approach a table and would lift the suitcase he carried, slamming it on the table. He would unlock the latches and open the suitcase; revealing a treasure trove of documents, photos, tape recorders and video tapes, as well as a few floppy disks and a smaller examples of compact disks. "This is everything I manage to save before the Kelvins shut down the program. If you have doubts on what I will say all of this will be my evidence."

Walt felt tempted to look at the content right away but he refrained from doing so. He was a patient man and he wanted to see what this man had to say that required this much evidence. He kept his sights on the G-Man. "So. What was Delta Green." The cigarette man gesture for a nearby chair and Disney allowed him to sit.

"Delta Green was a covert operation developed in the wake of the new reality the Nazis made once we and the commies got our hands on their technology and mystic mumbo jumbo that somehow was tied to their tech. Before the program itself was made it's founding members was a committee made to oversee the records of what we gathered by the Nazis and see the efficacy of their work. Needless to say their report would inspire the US's metahuman program. But after that the committee would disappear as far as history is concern. In truth their mission shifted."

He would request a drink and Disney would input commands for a robot to fetch the man a glass of water. A flying drone would fly towards the cigarette smoking man carrying a glass of water with it's robot arm. The man grabbed it and drank some of the water. He put the glass down as he continue his tail. "However before I can explain more I have to first tell you of an experiment that at first would seem like it had nothing to do with what I'm gonna tell you but it would make sense soon. To understand how and why Delta Green came to be we have to go back to arguably to where it all began. To the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard in October 1943."

---

United States of America- Commonwealth of Philadelphia
Philadelphia Naval Shipyard
28 October 1943

"You're sure this experiment will work?" The captain, one Commander Joseph M. Connelly. The navy commander watch as his crew were loading up supplies into the Destroyer Escort they would be boarding. "I mean I don't like lying to my men on why we're really out here. I'm just hoping that nothing goes wrong with the device your people installed into the ship." A middle age man wearing glasses seem almost dismissive on the commander's concerns. "We've tested the Mirage Generator commander. It will work and it won't affect your men. At worst they may complain of headaches but that is why we won't keep the field active for too long." The man, one Doctor Arthur Turner, told the commander. "And should issues arise then Brown will be on board to fix them."

The captain still felt weary but decided to trust the professor's words on it. "I hope this machine of yours work. From what I had the Japs are fighting to the last man out there. If we can make our ships harder to see we could hopefully end this war far quicker." Doctor Turner was silent. In his mind he thought of his son who was on a air carrier fighting on the pacific.

He too prayed that the Mirage will work.
---

Doctor Turner stood on the deck of the USS Andrew Furuseth. By the side of the ship was the SS Salinas as both ships were acting as chase ships. On the deck were members of National Defense Research Council and the United States Navy. There were even government officials like James Forrestal who were present to see how American taxpayer money was spent for the war effort. More importantly were fellow researchers who worked part in Project Mirage.

Rudolph Ladenburg. John von Neumann. Albert Einstein. Vannevar Bush They and many others such as himself were all selected by the United States to find the means on developing a stealth and defense system to aid US ships out in the Pacific. It took years of hard work and months of modifying and upgrading the resonator before the experiment can begin but now their hard work will bear fruit.

"Testing is to begin in five seconds." the audience heard. The countdown began as they all held their breaths to see if the device will work. Once the countdown was done they all watch the ship being used for the test.

Gasps would be heard from some of the crew on the ships as a dome of shimmering lights would surround the ship. The outline of the ship became a hazy silhouette due to the light being bent once it made contact with the dome. Radio operators tried to get into contact with the ship.

However what came next would amaze even Dr. Turner and the other researchers. They would see the ship suddenly vanish from the water. Shimmering lights and all. From the ships frantic calls would be made on radio to get a response and others would check on sonar to find the missing ships. All coming empty.

As naval officials began to grill the researchers for information on what occurred Turner kept his sights on where the ship was. He only had one thing to do. He had to wait.

He had to wait for the countdown on the resonator to come down. When all of the batteries were drained dry.

Then, the experiment will be over.

Once the generator was no longer operation the field will cease and the Eldridge will return.

---

Present

"You expect me to believe that the Philadelphia Experiment. A conspiracy theory! Actually occurred?!" the imagineer scathingly asked. The cigarette smoking man merely gave him a grin. "I have the proof. Actual proof, to back up my claims." he told him as he lit a new cigarette. "But yes. The ship came back after it teleported to Norfolk, Virginia and back. The ships from what we gathered was somewhere between the transit if some of the insane raving from the survivors was interpreted correctly. But as you can guess the project was shelved after that fiasco and everyone there was either transferred to the Manhattan Project or quietly left with an order to keep their mouth shut and a hefty sum of cash to help persuade them to listen to Uncle Sam." He explained.

"So this Delta Green Program came as a result of the Philadelphia Experiment?" Walt asked. The man didn't show any reaction. "Not quite. Instead several key players who were present for the experiment. For example: Dr. Vannevar Bush. James Forrestal. These two and a few others present for Project Rainbow would become members of the Nazi Advanced Research Committee, the N.A.R.C, or NARC as most use to call it." the man wasn't expecting for Disney to find it amusing. He barely did.

The screen remained static and nothing was heard from the Imagineer. It was as he suspected.

"The N.A.R.C mission in studying the left over of the Nazi's technology and questioning on the scientists we manage to get through Operation Paperclip would have continued but their good work on decoding the Nazi's occult gibberish on their research notes to translate it into something that makes sense ended up impressing enough people that when something crashed into a ranch off New Mexico in 1947 they were called in to study."

Disney speak released the sound of something falling.

"You better not say what I think you are gonna say."

The G-Man only let a smirk. "Yes Walt. Something crashed in Roswell, New Mexico back in 1947, and it wasn't a weather balloon."

---

North American- State of Ohio
Riverside, Ohio- Wilbur Wright Field
Year: 10 July, 1947

The room was was pungent with the stench of smoke. The lights above barely lit for the occupants in the room as most smoked from cigarettes and a few from pipes. In front of their seats were photographs and documents. Reports that showed a strange metallic object. Strange runes etched to the metal that appeared to be a bizarre synthesis of organic and synthetic metal. None in the room can guess when biology began and when machinery ended.

"As you can see gentlemen." Henry S Truman said to get everyone's attention. "I call all of you over because right now our nation is at a crisis. The Russians are building both powerful bombs and metahumans. Now we have aircraft flying in our airspace that we can't determine the origins of. I've arranged this committee for us to uncover any information we can find on these crafts and to determine if they pose a threat to national security."

Donald H. Menzel would speak up. "Are you sure the Russians aren't involved?" he asked as smoke exited from a pipe he was smoking from. "This could be something made by one of their metahumans?" From across the table Detlev Bronk would speak. "The Russians didn't make this." he would grab a set of papers he brought with him. "Some studies were done on the material before it was transferred to this location. The material is nothing ever discovered on Earth."

Menzel still looked skeptical. "Excuse me if I find the idea of this thing coming from outer space ridiculous." Jerome Clarke Hunsaker would be the next one to speak. "It doesn't matter if it came from outer space or from Siberia. What is important is figuring out how that craft operated so we can replicate it's technologies." A few members in the room such as Roscoe H. Hillenkoetter, Gordon Gray, Nathan F. Twining, and Robert M. Montague voiced their approval.

"As much as I want to take this thing apart as the rest of you I still want to make sure our skies our safe from these thing." Hoyt Vandenberg. "We also need to make sure the public does not discover the truth on what occurred in Roswell." Forrestal added.

"You don't need to worry about that." Truman responded back. "I already have Hoover and his lackeys going around making sure the story of it being a weather balloon sticks."

The news that the cover would stick eased some members in the room. The room would return back to the topic of what to do with the craft and the assortments of items found within, including a few that were biological in origin.

---

"So this Delta Green Program was the United States clandestine operations related to UFOs?" Disney sounded almost dismissive. The Imagineer still finding it difficult to reconcile what he was being told with what he knows is reality. Magic and living toons were more believable to him than flying saucers and space men.

"The program was developed to deal with cases believed to be tied with extraterrestrial and supernatural phenomenon." The G-Man corrected. "Trumen would create a new executive federal department whose existence was classified and who reported directly to him. It was called the Department of Truth. The Program would create two separate organizations to fulfill the mission statement issued by the President. The first was the Modern Operational Nexus Acquisition and Retrieval Contingency Headquarters, or MONARCH. They were tasked with investigating unusual cases and retrieving the target if possible, and if that can't be done to neutralize it. It's secondary mission was to suppress any information that would leak out. It's sister agency was known as the Complex OperatioNs of Tracking, Retrieval, and Ordinance Logistics, or CONTROL. It dealt with the research and containment side."

The man sighed as he finished his glass of water. "I didn't come up with the names. Blame my former superiors on them." Disney remained silent. He listened intently as a drone was scanning the contents another robot pulled out to help the smaller flying robots scan so Walt can check on them.

"Where there any other projects that Delta Green was engaged in?" Walt broke the silence with a question. "Was MKUltra apart of that program." The G-Man shrugged. "Probably. But that was beyond my pay grade back when I worked for them officially." The man told another robot he wanted more water. The robot would take the glass and go off to fetch more water.

"But there was one project I know was under our jurisdiction. It was a series of projects that we did back at what was now the Camp Hero State Park."

Disney would already say what was in the other man's mind. "Montauk." Disney sighed. "That one is real too?!" he said with exasperation

The G-Man would chuckle. "I didn't take you for a fan for conspiracy theories." the man jibbed. The joke didn't amuse the man behind the screen. "I'm not. But for whatever reason people want to include me into nonsensical conspiracy theories. Would you believe that some people are convinced that I'm a cannibalistic cyborg who subsists on the flesh of Mexican children who cross the border illegally." the man couldn't resist but crack a smile at that.

"People are still convinced that Columbia slept with god knows how many presidents back before the coup." Walt would have rolled his eyes but the other man wouldn't have none as the screen flickered.

"Is Columbia aware of this program's existence." What he heard would surprise him. "No. Columbia was never made aware of the Delta Green Program. The Department of Truth. Or anything related to them." The G-Man said. "The President deem the information too sensitive for Columbia to be made aware of. It was determined that she was better off worrying about the Russians than what we were dealing with." he explained.

Disney was collecting his thoughts. He had other people, mainly robots and toons, read through the files and photographs he was collecting. Some were viewing and listening to the video and audio files that were on the briefcase.

"Why did the Kelvins shut down the Delta Green program? From the sounds of it your agency sounded important." The G-Man face morph to a grimace as he finished his cigarette. "Kelvin stupidity. What else. Like with Columbia, they also were never made aware of our existence. From what I heard they discover that funds and materials were being transferred to programs that was classified to them once they took over the US. They disbanded us because as far as they were aware we were just another metahuman program the US had and they wanted to shut all of those down to make their own."

Disney could see that. The Kelvins being too rash on their decisions and shutting down random agencies and programs that doesn't tickle their fancy. The robot that left to refill the glass was coming back as Disney asked another question

"Why come to me for this proposal? Why not to Teris? You two know each other?" the G-Man would grab the glass of water that was brought to him from the robot. "Me and a few holdouts believe that you can provide us with both the funding and materials we need to come back and understand our mission to not question too much on our methods." Disney was not surprise to hear the reason.

"I would need some time to look through everything you presented. In the meantime I suggest you stay in Vegas. It shouldn't take too long for me to look through all of this and make my judgement on whether the agency you worked in comes back."

The G-Man smiled. "Thank you, Walt. If you agree to bringing back the program you will be doing your country a service."

Disney would move away. "Now. I request to be left alone. In the meantime you can enjoy your stay in Vegas." The G-Man would say his farewells and leave the room.

Disney was now alone in the penthouse with the robots.

"The idea of reinstating that program to spite the Kelvins is tempting. But I first must confirm if what he has said is even true." the robot he control would have it's screen turned off as Disney began to go through all of the images and files collected. He would order coffee as he can tell this was gonna be a long night.

[Nagakawa]

Four Dragons Hotel and Casino, New Vegas Strip, New Vegas, Disneyland, 2000, 26 June 2020


“My name is Andrew Tate, Permanent Secretary of the Finance Department of the Kelvin Crown Territories.”

The receptionist at the information counter of the Four Dragons Casino in New Vegas was approached by a tall and well-built man with a shaved head and a pouty expression. He was dressed in a flamboyant, bright-red suit, and a cigar dangled from the corner of his mouth.

“I believe”, said Tate, towering over the receptionist, “that I booked a private room on the Jade Pavilion Concourse.”

“Yes, Mr Tate”, the receptionist replied with a bow. “Mr Fang Yu is already there.”

“Say, kid.”

The receptionist looked up at Tate nervously. The man had suddenly taken on a devilish aura, his trout lips parting to reveal a cruel smile.

“How may I address you?” Tate followed up, his smile growing wider. “What is your name?”

“My name’s Takumi”, the receptionist replied meekly. “Takumi Ishibashi.”

“Tuh-KOO-mee? Why is a Jap working at a Chinese establishment like this one!?”

Tate laughed, and then slapped the table. The sound of loud techno music could be heard reverberating from inside the casino; its main clientele was the South Han elite, after all, and they were big fans of gaudy techno music. The receptionist twiddled his fingers nervously, and Tate turned once again to face him.

“Anyway”, he said, “just give me the key.”

“Here you go, Mr Tate.” The receptionist did as he was told, and Permanent Secretary Andrew Tate disappeared down the corridor, headed for his rendezvous with his South Han contact. Once he was absolutely sure that Tate was out of earshot of him, Takumi took out a phone from under the desk and dialled a secure number.

“野中慎太郎です”、 he said. “アンドルーテートが来た。”

…



South Han Paladin Colonel Fang Yu was a man of thirty five, but who looked significantly older on account of a lifetime of military exercises followed by intense partying. His service uniform, adorned with badges and medals, seemed half a size too small for his steroid-enhanced physique, which popped against the buttons grotesquely like an overinflated balloon. Slumped on the sofa in the karaoke room, he looked less like an officer and more like a pimp.

Kelvin Family Finance Secretary Andrew Tate did not acknowledge Colonel Fang at all as he entered the room, instead helping himself to a seat directly opposite of Fang and manspreading as wide as he could.

“This room is so boring”, he said, partly to himself and partly to Fang. “Someone get some bitches in here.”

Fang nodded, but to Tate’s apparent irritation, didn’t do anything.

“We are here to discuss military aid to South Han”, Tate began, putting his feet on the table in between him and Colonel Fang. “Tell me, Faeng Yoo” - he mispronounced the Colonel’s name deliberately - “What is the status of the war in Asia?”

“Her Majesty is loath to admit it”, Colonel Fang replied, “but as it is, we have encountered far stiffer resistance than expected. Our doctrine of terrorising the local populaces into submission has not been successful. In fact, it would seem that they have become even more galvanised.”

“And what do you plan to do about that, Colonel?” Andrew Tate reclined further back in his chair, as he took a half-smoked cigar out of his pocket and began gnawing on it. “How do you plan to get them to surrender?”

“It’s clear we are not instilling enough fear in them”, Colonel Fang replied. “Her Majesty Empress Gao has issued a new directive, ordering the troops to scale up its killings of civilians in captured areas. As commander of the Han Airborne Formation, I have issued orders to all units that captured civilians are to be first publicly humiliated, before being killed.”

“Is that so?”

By now, Tate had reclined so far back in his chair that it was tilting backwards at more than forty five degrees. That he was balancing with only his feet on the table for support was quite an impressive feat.

“Of course, I’ve also issued orders to avoid expending ammunition in the execution of civilians”, said Fang. “As it is, our supplies are…”

“Mister Fang.”

Andrew Tate cut the South Han colonel off. Fang stopped and pursed his lips.

“I believe I told you in the previous briefing that you will be receiving Resistance support soon”, he added, taking a lighter out of his pocket and igniting the cigar stub. “Do not forget, Colonel Fang, that the Resistance are a friend of the Kelvin Family. Lord Josiah is in direct correspondence with Brigadier General Li Xianlong, commander of the Resistance in East Asia and Northern Vietnam. The Kelvin Family has pledged to provide financial support to the Resistance as well as logistical support in the form of ammunition. Rest assured, you can use as many bullets as you want. The Kelvin Family will direct the Resistance to provide ammunition to the Han military…”

That moment, Tate perked his ears.

“Colonel Fang”, he said, reclining so far back in his chair that the backrest was just a few millimetres away from touching the ground, “did you just hear a clicking sound?”

“A clicking… I can’t say I have, Mr Tate.”

“Are we being eavesdropped upon, Colonel Fang?”

“Impossible”, Colonel Fang replied. “This casino supports the Han. It only allows the most noble Han supporters to patronise its business.”

Tate shrugged.

“I shall take your word for it”, he said.

That moment, Andrew Tate’s phone began to ring. He spat the cigar across the room, and then pulled his chair back up and stood up to answer the phone.

“Andrew.” The voice on the other end of the line was raspy and contrived - as if the speaker was faking an accent. “I need to speak to you about the Japanese spy we apprehended in Kingston.”

“Of course, Mr Seagal”, Tate replied, his tone suddenly becoming more deferential than it had been with Colonel Fang. “Please, lay it on me.”

…

[Arlye Austros]

Santiago Menzendorf Carvallo.
Polish Pomerania. The day after Rudniki's abduction.


They spoke quietly on the bus on their way back to Gdansk, recalling the events of the last two days. Santiago and Janna traversed the forest as fast as they could, but decided not to ditch the tent and all their load, despite the sounds that felt ever present just behind the corner of their eyes. Once in Lipusz they finally managed to have a small rest as they were driven through the countryside.
Their words were hushed and in fast Spanish, aware that four other occupants could listen to them. Sometimes they glanced to the back of the bus towards the two teenagers who were obviously foreign.

“You think I am going crazy?” He asked her. Janna nodded, dismissing the idea. But being a meta wasn’t something Santiago obviously preferred. The idea was somewhat disgusting. He imagined years of conditioning by Buller propaganda were a part of it. But Janna’s childhood in that regard had been the same, and she didn’t seem scared to be near her friend.
“I think that you need to rest, Santi. That’s all. Maybe this is just too much to take in. Are you sure you saw me?”
He nodded and repeated the details for a third time. The bus dropped them at Zukowo, and the two walked towards the next stop.
“We will have to tell Beatrice and the others.”
“No!” he replied. Santiago couldn’t imagine how they would process it. “Not just yet. I need to understand what happened.”
“Maybe it’s not for you to understand it on your own behalf.” She looked back at him with that face she made when she tried to be the voice of reason. “You made me miss three days of classes. Least you can do is let me help you if I want to.
“I don’t mind you…” he hesitated at what those words meant. “Just. Not everybody. Not yet.”
She nodded as they reached the lone bus stop. Moments of him narrating his vision of the crater a fourth time were followed by a new boarding of a new bus. Two hours later and past teatime the two arrived at the neighborhood they lived in.
“I better go to bed straight away. Don’t want Mr. Kuvicic to think I partied all this time.” Janna shrugged as they passed before Santiago’s building.
“Same. Just started classes and already… Thanks for coming.” He mumbled. Janna nodded.
“Don’t mention it… Let’s talk tomorrow… actually. The day after. I’ll let you know.”

Santiago entered his building and climbed the stairs. His memory went back to the feeling he had on the night at Peplín. It was as if he wasn’t really himself. He also felt safe. Like not since… hell, maybe his childhood. Had that happened before.
Maybe he was a fucking meta. His father would have been furious to find out. Somehow that didn’t felt all too bad. He never felt his father was disappointed at him, not in a way that was hurting him. He just felt he wasn’t good enough for his expectations and that José didn’t fully know how to express it. At least now he would scream at him or something.
He didn’t notice the slight deviation from the keyhole as he went into his apartment, and he found it to be in perfect condition. If perfect meant just as unorganized as he left it. There was a letter on the floor just by the door. He grabbed it after leaving his backpack on the couch. His teacher saying he was worried for missing classes.
“Do kaduka.” he muttered. Then there was a reply from the door in three knocks.
“Janna?” he called and opened the door.

It wasn’t Janna.
“Mr. Menzendorf?” The two agents, dressed like civilians but exposing identifications that made them to be part of State Intelligence, didn’t even bother to be let in, and walked towards Santiago, who stood apart. A third figure, a black, cold-looking hand of dark material, halted the door as he was going to close it. “Please let our colleague in as well. We must have a word with you.”
The construct seemed to reassemble in the darkness of the hallway and then passed through the doorway before reassembling on itself again, occupying the whole height to the ceiling and looking, faceless, at Santiago.
“Am I in trouble?” He asked.
“Not as of now. We just need to have a word with you regarding your whereabouts in the last few days. Please have a sit. I assure you we are the only ones authorized to entry, our colleagues downstairs won’t intervene unless necessary.”

[Aidannadia]

Part Seven
Gibraltar

Following Epstein’s rather unceremonious ejection, Gereltu was the first one to break the ensuing silence.

“About time,” he mused aloud. “Now then, I believe we were discussing this Pakistan motion, yes?”

He clacked the end of his cane against the floor.

“I will repeat once more the suggestion the East Asian delegation puts forth–in layman's terms, so as not to waste any more time. Should the members of this Congress wish to provide assistance to the Great Lord Amir, we propose two options: a combined coalition against Resistance cells, or material aid to the forces of Central Asia in their fight against them. Unless, of course, other members wish to propose alternatives?”

Monika nodded and rose.

“First I wish to thank our hostess for removing the bellicose representative. Second, Lord Amir made it clear that he is hesitant to accept a combined coalition. I second therefore the proposal to provide material, as Lord Amir sees fit.”

Amir’s form was beginning to change as his body shrunk in both stature and body mass. The excess fur began to shrink back into his skin, his body morphing back to have more human features.

“I wouldn’t mind the material assistance.” his voice was still grovely from his transformation as he rubbed his throat.

“As much as I hate to admit it, the idea of a coalition is honestly much better and as much as I wanted to say yes I couldn’t be sure if doing so would have invited disaster to my realm.”

“The Reich will pledge whatever assistance Lord Amir requires,” Monika replied to the Great Khan.

"Material or manpower." Khalid said as he stood up, "Whatever Lord Amir desires, and whatever this body decides, the United Arab Federation shall provide to the best of its ability."

Solomon repeated his commitment of a special forces squadron, and added some financial resources that could be ironed out with the career diplomats. With the pressing agenda out of the way, the High Council’s meeting was drawing to a close, and as the diplomats got up to filter into the general meeting hall, Monika approached Lord Solomon and gave the African Great Lord a bow, congratulating him on his new appointment.
“If you have some time, Herr Solomon, after the Congress, I am sure there is much for us to discuss.”

The King regarded the representative directly for the first time since the meeting had begun. “I am sure there is.” He beamed, having now found a captive conversation partner. “How is the weather in Argentina? I do hear lovely things.”

“The weather is quite cool in Germania this time of year,” Monika informed the King. “Nothing too unappealing, and many of my comrades like to enjoy skiing this time of year.”

“Yes, I do suppose you benefit from the Angolan currents that far south. I can’t say that I’ve ever had the pleasure of making it out to the Andes myself, but skiing is a lovely passtime. I hear that wild game is a popular activity among those in the Reich. While the Serengeti enjoys its protected status from poachers, I could see exceptions being made for a select few.” Solomon’s speech meandered aimlessly.

“An open invitation is always available to your lordship, either for hunting or skiing, should you desire to visit the Reich,” Monika replied cheerfully. “Among other activities you might enjoy.”

“Do tell.” He goaded the minister into elaborating.

“In part of our extensive relationship with the Lei and Hikawa Cliques, many new resorts, casinos, and hotels are opening, especially in Freyjastadt. I assure you, Freyjastadt has the best nightlife in all of the Reich, and our very own Freyja von Ehrenburg would make for an excellent tour guide.”

“I’ll be sure to talk with my people about planning a visit sometime soon. With your glowing recommendation, how could I refuse?” He laughed boisterously.

“And of course,” Monika added with a smile, “there will be time for business as well as pleasure.”

Solomon chuckled. “Isn’t there always? I’ll have to be sure to bring an entourage to handle the details. Unfortunately, I believe Combo will be busy with the…” He gestured exasperatedly in the direction of the conference room the pair had recently left. “But I do hear from my Angolan compatriots that they desire new markets in which to find a foothold, and among them is interest in a number of…” The king sniffed lightly and wiped his nose with his thumb. “...luxury goods for the African party scene.” Solomon noted before giving a knowing smile.

“Among other aspects of business,” Monika agreed. “The proceedings today are evidence enough that collective security is a necessary aspect of politics.”

Solomon’s smile shifted from one of humor to one of decorum. “Ah, collective security among all of the lordships as servants before the Divine Pair is our responsibility as Lords.” He again pointed up before his smile faded. “But if not all are committed to preserving that peace, then partnerships would be required.” He closed with a nod.

Monika nodded in affirmation.

“And the more friends we have the greater a chance of success,” she added.

“And what does success look like?”

“No war,” Monika replied. “WIthout friends, would Central Asia have survived today’s events?”

Solomon’s smile returned and added with a bit of exasperation at the affair.. “Let us see that their friends help them to survive the year and beyond.”

“A hope the majority of us have, I believe, Herr Solomon. Should you have more than a passing curiosity, we can always discuss this in further detail, or through our career diplomats.”

"I welcome the discussion." He gave a polite nod and retreated into his diplomatic envoy as the group moved to the General Assembly.

[Pragia]

Co-Write with Britanania
Four Dragons Hotel and Casino, New Vegas Strip, New Vegas, Disneyland, 2000, 26 June 2020

Teris would descend from the rooms onto the floor of the Four Dragons, the lord of the Free State wearing a crisp navy suit, taken straight from his closet back at his manor. He had a lot on his mind as he walked, having overheard a conversation he would not have expected to hear in the presence of Walt Disney.

Beyond the tantalising secrets of his former employers and their secret operations, he still had a more immediate priority. He needed to find out about Evelyn, and it would need to start here. He wasn’t often the one gathering information in a low-intensity environment, and as the brilliant Macau-style lights were dazzling to the man with heightened senses. He would begin to walk the floor, his shoes clicking on the marble before landing on the carpeting of the main floor.

The Four Dragons was already in full swing as Antoinette entered the famous Vegas Strip hotel and casino. The smoke filled chambers and lounges, filled with East Asian and NAU dignitaries, was one of many hotels that made Vegas a veritable “free zone” in the world. Vegas was already a melting pot and the espionage capital of the world; the Four Dragons was merely the Ritz of it.

In another setting and another mission, Anotinette might have wanted to pay attention to the meeting between NAU cabinet ministers and South Han generals, but that wasn’t her mission. She merely flashed a slight smile as she passed by their lounge and into the main casino. Baccarat, poker, and mahjong tables where high rollers operated. Slot and pachinko machines. If Disney’s agents were correct, this was the place to look.

If someone knows where Evelyn is, Antoinette thought as she passed by. It would be here.

As she was entering the main floor of the casino, Antoinette spied the last person she wanted to see. She resisted the urge to frown at the sight of the teleporter who had sent her on an unwanted vacation to Australia.
“Scheisse,” Antoinette muttered under her breath. Her mind raced. It couldn’t have been a coincidence that Renner was here. It at least confirmed some of the Reich’s intelligence.

Evelyn’s disappearance, plus NAU top men. The intelligence she had must be accurate.His presence also might mean he knew something…

Steeling her resolve, the Reich agent began to approach the Texan Lord.

“Lord Teris,” Antoinette greeted him, using her posh British accent. To see one of the great heroes of the Coup is quite an honour.”

The Texan would look at the brunette as she approached him at the poker table he was staying at, listening and watching the floor. He would give a practised public smile “A pleasure, miss...” he’d offer, stretching out a hand, he always had to play a role, enjoying himself in this den.

“Weisz,” she replied, offering her hand. “Keira Weisz.”

He’d be slow to take it, his eyes scrutinising her as he tried to piece her name and her accent, some sort of South American, in all likelihood. His grip was not incredibly firm, possessing some warmth that he was projecting. “Well, Miss Weisz I don’t figure you’d like to join the next hand?” he’d offer, folding his own.

Antoinette offered a smile as she sat at the poker table.

“Hold’em or Five Card Stud?” she asked.

“Omaha, if you’d indulge me.” He’d say, it was a run-on joke between his teammates, but he had taken a liking to it. “So what privilege do I have for a pretty lady like you to play with an old guy like me?”

“Not everyday I meet a famous celebrity,” she returned, lighting a cigarette and offering one to Teris.
He’d nod, “Thank you kindly.” he’d say, flicking open a small portal above the candle across the room to light his own smoke. “Plenty of celebrities have a way of finding themselves down here, some of them are even 2D these days.” he’d say with a chuckle.

“Gangsters, film stars, and politicians, but few Metahuman heroes,” she returned, shuffling the deck and handing it to Teris. “Cut and deal.”

He’d cut high, giving himself plenty of the deck to work with as he continued “Sometimes you manage to get more than one, heck, Living Picture is close to hitting the grand slam there. Which of those does that make you?” he’d ask as he deals out, his eyebrows raising nonchalantly as he inspects his cards, moving them around more out of habit than strategy.

Antoinette inspected her cards. Two Jacks, a 9, and a 6.

“Tourist, mostly,” she replied. “Everyone has friends in Vegas.”

Teris would nod, chuckling to himself “Yeah, sometimes I wish I had more, sometimes I wish I had less.” his own hand was eclectic, an Ace, 10, 5, and 2. Suiting wasn’t terrible, but he wasn’t confident in his odds. “What would you say is the best part of it for you?”

“The city and attractions are fine, it’s the company that keeps me coming back.”

“That so?” He’d say, giving a sly eyebrow before flipping a third jack. “Suppose it depends on the kind of company in these parts, gotta say the tables here are nicer than the ones in Dallas.”

The agent placed her chips down.

“Nicer tables or nicer company at the tables?”

“Tables for sure, company remains to be seen, it's hard to beat good friends.” He’d say, looking her over as he called her bet. He wouldn’t give up so easily.

Antoinette raised the best, never letting her eyes escape Teris’.

“How do the women in Dallas compare with the tables and company?”

“Usually not as much makeup, and only slightly less leather, but good company all the same.” He’d say with a more shark-like grin as he called, the turn revealing the second diamond he’d need.

“So you’re not here for play, I take it. Work related?”

He’d shrug “Little bit of both. Plenty of elbows to rub for a guy like me out here. Tend to hop around my own territory for that business though. Figure a Friday night would be a good time to get some games in.” he could tell her game now, becoming more clear as he puts his own high bet in, the teleporter not sure if the river would send him where he needed to be.

Antoinette matched and then raised his bet.

“No interest then in the Congress session? Can’t say that I blame you, if President Kelvin isn’t going either.”

He’d shake his head “Don’t think I care much what President Joe is doing. The congress made itself clear when they snubbed me in March, the old guard don’t have a place in their games, and I’m not the best at sitting still.” He’d say, real bitterness creeping into his tone “Lost a lot of good people for that decision.” he’d meet her bet, over half of his chips in play.

“Incessed that he’s marrying his brother to a Nazi?”

“Least of my concerns, that’s politics.” he’d say dispassionately, “Figure you’re from down there?” he’d ask, trying to not be too confrontational.

“Albion, actually,” she replied. “But my job requires I follow politics closely.”

“Right...” He’d say, “And what work is that? I thought you weren’t a politician?” he’d say with a grin. The river finishes his flush as he speaks.

“I suppose I’m an analyst,” she replied.

“I could gather that, you do look the part well. Does that mean I’m being analysed?” he’d say with a laugh as he pushed up the remainder of his chips, it wasn’t enough to force the same, but he was confident in his position.

“You tell me,” Antoinette shot back with a sly smile, pushing her own chips forward to match the Texan lord. “You act like you want to be.”

“What can I say, sometimes I miss the attention. You’re doing better than the last group of analysts who went to my house a couple months back.” He’d say, flipping the middling hand that managed to become a strong position.

“Well you sound like a popular man, Lord Teris,” she returned, flipping her own hand onto the table.

“Seeing as I’m alone on a friday night with an ‘analyst’ I can’t say I agree.” He’d look over to some other tables before raking in his winnings. He didn’t have much in play, but a win was a win. “Set things up for a nice semi-retirement and you have black clothes thugs with grenades on your lawn. Maybe I should go back into politics.”

“Being Lord of Texas not good enough?” Antoinette lit another cigarette and took a puff as she leaned back in her chair.

“The Lord of Texas is in Austin, I just take the checks and show up to the big shows.” He’d still be slow-burning his own down to the filter. “But that’s getting a bit tired when people start blowing up buildings and killing kids.” He wasn't laughing anymore.
“What’s your plan then? Run against Kelvin maybe you prefer something a little more underhanded?”

“Time will tell, but the way I see it, something's cooking down south, and there’s going to be hell to pay, up the NA chain and past it.” His gaze was locked now, “I’d be content to sit it out if I weren't being poked so hard.”

“What do you make of the rumours the brothers killed Juliana?” Antoinette asked, slightly changing the subject.

Teris would allow disappointment to flicker across his face “Everyone has to face the music eventually. Rumor is rumor, and unfortunately I’m fresh out of mind readers I can trust.”

The agent smirked.

“Aren’t we all?”

The Lord of Texas would nod, and ask point blank “So, have you heard anything about Miss Evelyn?”

“I heard she might be found here.”

“Figures my first hunch would be a good one. Best of luck in your search.” He’d say, standing from his seat.

“And in yours,” she replied, standing as well. “I have a feeling we’ll see each other soon.”

[Britanania]

Gibraltar Parliament Building, Rock of Gibraltar, Éire, Western Europe, 26 June 2020

The High Council meeting was over. The result was a mixed bag, Monika had to admit, as the Fire Queen chose to leave and quit the General Congress' proceedings before it even began, and deep divisions remained within the High Council on a number of issues.

And yet, much was still achieved, the Reich's Foreign Minister concluded as she made her way into the equally cramped quarters of the Parliament Building. Already representatives from the Minor Houses were conversing and converging. A heavy atmosphere hung in the air. The war in East Asia dominated much of the chatter, and the recent conflict as a result of France's actions was still fresh in the minds of many.

Monika took her place with the rest of the Reich's representatives, reading over some of her notes as others filtered in.

[Nagakawa]

Combat Central
MMA News with Hiro Moritani and Raja Pranav
27 July 2020

Brazil's Lourenço to defend Women’s Bantamweight and Flyweight titles simultaneously, retire by 2022
SINGAPORE: Amanda Lourenço (22-5), the newly-crowned Women’s Flyweight Champion, has stated her intention to defend both the Women’s Flyweight title and the Women’s Bantamweight title simultaneously.

In a statement made to the press at the post-fight press conference the day after Meta Legends 175, Lourenço, 34, revealed that she had planned to retire no later than December 2022, and hoped to defend the Flyweight and Bantamweight titles at least one more time each.

“Many people say to me: Amanda, your legacy is already secure. But for me, it’s not about legacy, it’s about pushing myself as far as I can. I don’t want to retire with regrets. I want to show the world how great I can be, and how strong Brazil is.”

When asked about her opponent, former Women’s Flyweight Champion Chen Yu-ke (18-2), who is currently in the hospital pending discharge, Amanda was sympathetic.

“She missed weight, but we all make mistakes”, Lourenço said. “I don’t hold a grudge anymore. I hope she goes home safe to be with her family and comes back stronger.”

Amanda Lourenço is widely considered to be the greatest female mixed martial artist of all time. She first won the Women’s Bantamweight Championship in 2016, defeating then Women’s Bantamweight Champion Susie Marie Kohl (24-9) via knockout in the second round, and subsequently defending the title seven times.

~+~+~+~

Meta Legends signs YUUEI TETSUJIN FC Light-Heavyweight Champion Tenshin Uzui
OSAKA: In another signing of a top prospect, Meta Legends has announced that YUUEI TETSUJIN FC Light-Heavyweight Champion Tenshin Uzui (23-2) has signed a multi-fight contract with Meta Legends, and will be fighting by the end of 2020.

“At Meta Legends, we believe in signing only the best of the best, people who are always hunting for the finish and pushing themselves to be the best they can be”, said Meta Legends President Hideki Yoshida. “We have all the top fighters in the world - and Tenshin Uzui is one of the best of the best. I cannot wait to see what he does on the biggest stage of martial arts in the world.”

Tenshin Uzui, 28, is a 5x YUUEI TETSUJIN Light-Heavyweight Champion, and is considered to be one of the strongest light-heavyweights in the world. He vacated the YTFC LHW title in March 2020, and rumours abounded at the time that he had intended to go into boxing. He holds a record of 23-2, with 18 wins coming by way of finish.

When asked about his signing, Uzui was unequivocal in his thoughts.

“There are many fighters who are dominant because they know how to play the judges and win the decision”, he said. “I am not that kind of man. I guarantee you all fireworks every time I step in the circle. Nobody is stronger or flashier than me.”

Tenshin Uzui • 宇髄天心
Age: 28 (born 31 October 1991)
Height: 193cm
Weight: 93kg / 205lbs
Nickname(s): "The God of Festivals"
Nationality: Japanese
Fighting out of: Osaka, Japan
Division: Light-Heavyweight, Heavyweight (former), Middleweight (former)
Team: Uzui Clan Ninjutsu Academy
Rank: 3rd degree black belt in Shōtōkan Karate (Gichin Funakoshi)
Record: 23-2

• Wins: 23
  • By knockout: 15
  • By submission: 3
  • By decision: 4
  • By disqualification: 1
• Losses: 2
  • By knockout: 1
  • By decision: 1

~+~+~

• WIN 23-2 Rafael Soneca - R1 TKO (kick and punches) 4:01 - 26/02/2020 - YTFC Singapore (Singapore, Kingdom of Siam)
  Defended the YTFC Light-Heavyweight Championship. Broke the record for most consecutive LHW title defences in YTFC history (5); vacated the YTFC LHW title on 01/03/2020
• WIN 22-2 Gustav Ulrich - R4 Technical Submission (rear naked choke) 2:58 - 01/12/2019 - YTFC Taipei (Taipei, Taiwan)
  Defended the YTFC Light-Heavyweight Championship
• WIN 21-2 Hisashi Satsuma - R3 TKO (spinning back fist) 0:33 - 26/09/2019 - YTFC 10 Year Anniversary (Sapporo, Japan)
  Non-title openweight bout
• WIN 20-2 Gyūtarō Onimaru - R5 Unanimous Decision 5:00 - 01/07/2019 - YTFC 122 (Osaka, Japan)
  Defended the YTFC Light-Heavyweight Championship
• WIN 19-2 Masaharu Ōmi - R1 TKO (elbow) 2:23 - 14/06/2019 - YTFC 120 (Tokyo, Japan)
  Defended the YTFC Light-Heavyweight Championship
• WIN 18-2 Tetsuki Inagaki - R5 KO (punch) 4:58 - 01/12/2018 - YTFC 112 (Manila, Maharlikan Federation)
  Defended the YTFC Light-Heavyweight Championship; latest finish in YTFC history
• WIN 17-2 Viktor Alexandrov - R3 Unanimous Decision 5:00 - 31/07/2018 - YTFC 105 (Kitakyushu, Japan)
  Won the YTFC Light-Heavyweight Championship
• WIN 16-2 - Junpei Ishibashi - R1 KO (liver punch) 0:57 - 22/05/2018 - YTFC Hyakki Yagyo (Tokyo, Japan)
• LOSS 15-2 - Junpei Ishibashi - R3 Split Decision 5:00 - 23/12/2017 - YTFC Christmas Show Sapporo (Sapporo, Japan)
• WIN 15-1 - Takuya Ōnishi - R3 Unanimous Decision 5:00 - 10/10/2017 - YTFC 89 (Tokyo, Japan)
• LOSS 14-1 - Felipe Galvão - R3 KO (punch) 1:16 - 01/03/2017 - YTFC 84 (Sendai, Japan)
• WIN 14-0 - Hiroaki Kamishiro - R3 KO (kick) 1:10 - 12/01/2017 - YTFC 82 (Naha, Okinawa)
• WIN 13-0 - Gengorō Shakariki - R3 TKO (punches) 0:12 - 03/09/2016 - YTFC 79 (Tokyo, Japan)
• WIN 12-0 - Kōya Seki - R1 TKO (head kick and punches) 4:41 - 16/03/2016 - YTFC 74 (Tokyo, Japan)
  Catchweight bout (207.5lbs); Seki missed weight
• WIN 11-0 - Byambasuren Zorig - R2 Technical Submission (rear naked choke) 1:43 - 26/10/2015 - YTFC 70 (Osaka, Japan)
• WIN 10-0 - Gyūtarō Onimaru - R3 Split Decision 5:00 - 31/05/2015 - Victors’ Hollow Arena Japan
  Won the VH Light-Heavyweight Grand Prix
• WIN 9-0 - Kyōgai Tashiro - R1 KO (punch) 3:53 - 29/04/2015 - Victors’ Hollow Arena Japan
  VH Light-Heavyweight Grand Prix Semifinal
• WIN 8-0 - Joo Ji-soo - R3 Submission (rear naked choke) 3:19 - 13/03/2015 - Victors’ Hollow Arena Japan
  VH Light-Heavyweight Grand Prix Quarterfinal
• WIN 7-0 - Timofey Tartakovsky - R3 KO (flying knee) 0:22 - 05/12/2014 - Valor FC 131: Heroes of the Land
• WIN 6-0 - Timofey Tartakovsky - R1 DQ (illegal strike) 5:00 - 10/07/2014 - Valor FC 129: Blood of Warriors (Sapporo, Japan)
  Tartakovsky was disqualified for throwing a strike at Uzui after the end of the round
• WIN 5-0 - Joseph Kim - R2 TKO (head kick and punches) 3:51 - 23/06/2014 - WUXIA WARRIORS 10 (Beijing, Yuan)
  Light-Heavyweight debut
• WIN 4-0 - Vadim Maksimov - R3 Unanimous Decision 5:00 - 15/04/2014 - Valor FC 126: Legacy of Champions (Taipei, Taiwan)
• WIN 3-0 - Kōji Yanagihara - R1 TKO 3:23 (submission to punches) - 01/01/2014 - Valor FC New Year Special Show (Tokyo, Japan)
• WIN 2-0 - Junpei Akiyama - R1 KO 0:27 (punch) - 24/12/2013 - Valor FC 123: Mighty Warriors (Tokyo, Japan)
• WIN 1-0 - Antonio Vettori - R2 KO 1:16 (liver punch) - 10/10/2013 - Valor FC 121: Clash of Heroes (Tokyo, Japan)
  Heavyweight Bout

[Britanania]

18th Rifle Division Fire Support Base, Near Mường Khương, Lào Cai Province, Vietnamese Autonomous Democratic Republic, Kingdom of Siam, 1 July 2020

Sturmbannführerin Rosa Ramírez poured over the intelligence reports. Feyja's Chilean personal adjutant was paying special attention to the map showing the relative positions of the South Han forces. The invasion into Vietnam wasn't going according to the South Han's plan, Rosa knew. With the bulk of the rebellion being fought in East Asia proper, only token forces were being used for the half-baked vanity project--a sideshow of a sideshow--that was the war in Southeast Asia.

Not that the overall strategy matters to the civilians, Rosa reminded herself, glancing at a report of mass civilian massacres in Mường Khương. The war wasn't going well. South Han's forces were stretched thin along a wide front, soldiers were frustrated and taking it out on the local populations. It even appeared as if the higher-ups encouraged it.

Then, there were reports that South Han was relying on mercenaries to fill the gaps. Rosa flipped over a dossier with a picture of a flag

"The Lord's Resistance Army," she muttered with disgust. It was against them that elements of the 18th were to launch an attack. With the bulk of Brigadier General Cai Lei's forces attempting to take Lào Cai since the launch of South Han's invasion, the LRA Group was making a flanking attack on Mường Khương. Rather than the quick blitz that South Han wanted, Nguyễn Văn Minh's defense of Lào Cai City was more than Cai Lei expected, Rosa reasoned.

"We strike here," she said aloud, pointing to the LRA's position. "Turn their flank and threaten an invasion into Yunnan, relieve pressure on Minh's defenders, and force a general retreat.

That was the hope at least, the Reich SS officer had as she leaned back. Her superior was on the front now, leading that vanguard of their ambushes against the child soldier using mercenaries and their Paladin supplements. Rosa had nothing but disdain for them.

"At least Freyja has the fun job."

[Nagakawa]

1 July 2020

[DECLASSIFIED]

LAO AUTONOMOUS DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC
MINISTRY OF PUBLIC SECURITY
ກະຊວງປ້ອງກັນຄວາມສະຫງົບ

Transcript of a video message recorded by Brigadier General Li Xianlong (Commander, E. Asian Resistance) on 30 June 2020, 2245h, and addressed to S. Han Chief of Armed Forces Adm. Gao Wan-yang and S. Han Chief Magistrate for Defence Gao Guan-yu

- - - -

Resistance Brigadier General Li Xianlong (“L”) stands in a dark field. Behind him are approximately twenty bodies, likely Resistance fighters, but also one uniformed Paladin with an Officer rank. Lao Army Intelligence has identified their location as being in Ou Neua in northern Phongsaly Province, 15km south of the border with South Han.

L: Look here. These are the Resistance fighters who were killed today fighting on the Lao front. Take a picture of everyone!

[Camera pans to the bodies behind B. Gen. Li, before panning back to him.]

L: Now listen to me, you fucking bitches! These were my men! These were all good and loyal soldiers, proud sons of the Han! Freedom-loving men! They died because of your incompetence!

[pause]

L: Gao Wan-yang! Gao Guan-yu! Where the fuck is our ammunition? You promised us 100,000 rounds delivered by 26 June. We have received less than 30,000 rounds! Our food supplies are running dry, our men are eating rations that expired six years ago!

L: You are sitting, bitches, in your comfortable mansions in Hong Kong, growing fat while my men are being slaughtered for lack of ammunition. If you had given us the supplies you promised us, all these men behind me would still be alive.

[brief cut in video]

L: Because of your incompetence, the Lao front is collapsing. The Lao Army is quickly regaining territory, and we are being massacred while you enjoy yourselves in Hong Kong. I hope you sleep well at night. If our promised supplies do not arrive by 3 July, we will withdraw from the Lao Front and leave the fighting to the regular Han army. Mark my words, fuckers.”

[DECLASSIFIED]

[Tarnen]

Alfonso, The Bellagio Hotel, NEW VEGAS, Disneyland, 1930, 26 June 2020
Alfonso entered his hotel room, upscale from what he was used to, but this wasn’t the first time he stayed in a luxurious hotel. He arrived in New Vegas a few hours beforehand, leaving the Middle East almost immediately after placing the bug on Tariq’s right-hand man. The jet lag was getting to him but he needed to prepare for this mission as soon as he had some privacy.

He pulled out a black laptop putting his hand on top of it. The edges of his hand briefly flash blue before the laptop clicked allowing him to use it. A feminine voice began to play from the laptop showing documents and pictures of the Reich asset Alfonso was to help locate.

“Evelyn Lynd. A NAU national with Reich sympathies. Lynd was working at the EPCOT center, awaiting extraction from the Reich before she disappeared. Normally we do not help other government intelligence, but Lynd is a special case. She knows the name of ECLIPSE agents working in the NAU. As of right now, all ECLIPSE agents are accounted for. But that may soon change if she isn’t found.” Alfonso stared at a current picture of Evelyn Lynd remembering her details. “Agent Shadow, locate Evelyn and ensure she makes it own of NAU. There is a Reich agent also in New Vegas locating Evelyn her details have been sent to you. Good luck agent.”

The screen went black as he briefly stared at
his own reflection. He closed the laptop as he began to get dressed. Discretion was the name of the game here. Alfonso put on a dark suit, leaving the top of his dress shirt unbuttoned. The inside of his jacket was lined with eight knives, four on each side in case he needed to get out of a sticky situation.

A black-tinted car awaited him outside of the hotel. The driver nodded to Alfonso opening the door for him. Once he was settled the driver spoke up “Where to Mr. Diaz?” Of course, he was given a false identity, Ricardo Diaz, a banker from Spain on vacation in NAU. “Four Dragons.” He said with a hint of accent. He stared out the window looking at the lights down the strip.

[Britanania]

Four Dragons Hotel and Casino, New Vegas Strip, New Vegas, Disneyland, 2100, 26 June 2020

Her conversation with Teris confirmed for Antoinette a few things. The first was that the news of Evelyn's disappearance was legitimate, and this wasn't going to be a wasted mission.

And the second is that the Reich's enemies are also looking for her, the agent thought as she continued to stalk through the casino's ground floor. Antoinette recognised a few known South Han officers and politicians at the high rolling tables, and she smiled with the understanding many of them were clearly using Reichsgilde Cocaine. The number of South Han officials was a little surprising, given the increasing intensity of the conflict. The Reich's intelligence on the conflict in East Asia proper was mostly filtered through their Lei and Hikawa contacts, but Antoinette was neither privy to that, nor was that her mission.

Instead, the incognito SS operative made her way deeper into the casino before she was stopped by a man in a nice suit, American. He looked like a salesman.

"Hello Miss, you look like you are in the market for a new ring," he said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out an aquamarine ring.

"No, I don't believe I am," Antoinette replied, half ignoring him as she brushed past him.

"I insist," he returned, getting back in front of the Reich agent, twisting the gemstone, taking it off, and revealing a Swatskia underneath. Antoinette realised this man was like Evelyn; one of the Reich sympathisers in the NAU. Of course, it's possible this was an elaborate ruse, a trap for her, but if so, Antoinette knew the best way to avoid a trap was to spring it.

"Very well," she stopped and gestured to a bar table. "We can discuss the sale here."

[Europa Undivided]

Questioning
Collab between Arlye Austros and Europa Undivided

“Mr. Menzendorf?” The two agents, dressed like civilians but exposing identifications that made them to be part of State Intelligence, didn’t even bother to be let in, and walked towards Santiago, who stood apart. A third figure, a black, cold-looking hand of dark material, halted the door as he was going to close it. “Please let our colleague in as well. We must have a word with you.”
The construct seemed to reassemble in the darkness of the hallway and then passed through the doorway before reassembling on itself again, occupying the whole height to the ceiling and looking, faceless, at Santiago.
“Am I in trouble?” He asked.
“Not as of now. We just need to have a word with you regarding your whereabouts in the last few days. Please have a sit. I assure you we are the only ones authorized to entry, our colleagues downstairs won’t intervene unless necessary.”

The construct stared at Santiago with his faceless visage, the lack of an expression perhaps the most eerie part. Nevertheless, he spoke with a somewhat friendly, if not urgent tone; he sounded like someone that was looking all over the place for help, not a hardened investigator that may or may not resort to less-than-stellar methods if he found no success.

Nevertheless, appearances and tones can be deceiving.

“So,” the construct began as Santiago seated himself. “I’m Oskar Jurek. You may simply refer to me as Oskar, or Mr. Jurek. Anyway, for my first question. Where were you over the last week? Your companions in the other apartments have told me that you and… Janna, if I’m not mistaken, went on a trip not too long ago. Where did you go? I’m asking because… the Admiral Rudniki, the one that commanded the vessel that held you during the… what’s it, the ‘special military training’, has been kidnapped. Were you aware of that?”

Santiago, who’d been containing his apprehension at the knowledge these people had of his and Janna’s whereabouts, sat straighter as he heard Rudniki’s name. The construct’s narration, in a tone and cadence he’d come to know during their stay in the Admiral Petrowich, still was able to slightly frighten Santiago.

“Kidnapped? How? By wh-” of course, they didn’t know.

"His motorcade was ambushed by what seemed to be a group of well-equipped operators," Oskar answered. "Witnesses say that they had hidden their faces beneath balaclavas, so there is no identification. Two constructs like myself were destroyed; the chauffeur and the Admiral's personal guard were killed, whilst another was injured but survived thanks to armor. Now, what I need to know is your whereabouts at that time. It is no secret that you had gone on leave, so…"

The construct watched him pensively; the expression of shock were surely not false; either that, or he was a very well-trained actor. Nevertheless, he needed to make sure…

Santiago wondered if another such group would be visiting Janna at the moment. What was better? He was almost certain disclosing their actual whereabouts was not in their best interest. But he couldn’t be sure how much they already knew. And if Janna had told another construct anything, no doubt this Oskar -or what shadow remained of him- was aware of it.

“We went for a forest walk. Let me recall…” He quickly drew up the towns in the region in his mind and figured out a believable alternative route. “Our bus left us at Zukowo. From there we took a ride to the Kurze Grzedy reservation. I think through Sierakowice. We camped there for two nights.” He kept their stop at Zukowo real. But without giving too much detail to allow Janna some space to come up with her story, he drafted a plan farther north. Away from the crater.

If only there was a way to know what Janna would be saying.

Oskar was silent for a few moments. It almost appeared that the ghost within the psychomechanical construct was calculating, looking through databases and maps stored within his matrix to determine whether what Santiago had just told him was believable. The time that Oskar spent in this state was a few disconcerting seconds, staring back at Santiago with utter silence, his form completely unmoving.

“A forest trip, just the two of you?” Oskar remarked, his voice almost bordering on the mischievous. “I suppose that is to be expected. After all, you are, what, 17? 18? I remember my trips to the forest when I was at that age. Quite the experience.”

The construct scanned around the room with his head; in truth, he was actually scanning, searching for any hidden devices. In both life and undeath, he has the ability to scan for specific elements within a small radius, which was an ability that landed him at the investigatory department. At the moment, he was seeking out lithium batteries and connected communication devices that weren’t originally part of the apartment. Fortunately for everyone involved, he could not find any.

“So, what exactly did you do?” Oskar finally asked.

Santiago blushed and frowned.

Of course! There was a way. He remembered Janna’s face staring down at him. But. What if he fell unconscious again? He remembered he could still feel his surroundings when he left his body. But something told him that time he was overshooting the effort. He decided to give it a try.

“You can use your imagination.” He replied with a mild tone of annoyance. Santiago held on to that feeling as he forced a part of himself out of him. He felt this nauseating thing in his neck and head and tried not to make a face of disgust. He held on to the feeling. He was trying to be angry at this… thing.

Something appeared in his mind. It was like having a parasite. At some place outside his field of view he could see. It was as if a dream rushed into his head, remembered in real time as his point of view hovered over the room. Santiago shook softly on the sofa, staring at the construct in its unliving mask. “We just wanted to explore the forest.”

He needed time. His projection moved around the room and Santiago realized going outside would be taxing. But he had no choice. The part of his consciousness that was free passed through a wall and gave him a quick glance of a neighboring apartment before hovering out over the street.

In the room, Santiago glanced at the other two officers with an awkward silence.

<<I am here… I am here… I am here…>> He needed to get into Janna’s apartment quickly.

As a portion of Santiago’s consciousness fled the room and sought out Janna’s apartment, the construct agent and his companions still looked at him impassively, though one of the men standing behind their stony colleague seemed to be somewhat amused. Thankfully for Santiago, Oskar’s senses had become somewhat dulled; even with his own sensory abilities and the psychoactive sensors built into his form, he wouldn’t be able to tell if someone in front of him was feeling tired or not.

“Explore the forest?” Oskar asked, sounding somewhat confused. “Well, I suppose that is a somewhat valid alibi,” he remarked, earning the nods of his colleagues. “Forest exploration. I guess that it’s better than a concrete jungle all the time. Anyway…”

As the conversation dragged on, Santiago came across Janna’s apartment, where a woman with shades and the dark uniform of a detective was questioning her as well. She had apparently asked the same questions as Oskar did.

”We went to swim.” she said, looking her eyes aside to recall.
”Pretty standard for teenagers.” the woman implication made Janna blush and frown at the same time.
”Kissing isn’t illegal, right?”

Santiago focused to have a better control of his body, while his split conscience hovered in Janna’s apartment. He just as displeased and offended as Janna was across the street.
“Are we under suspicion?” He asked. “Or anybody of our group, for that matter?”

“Well, now that we got your answers and detected no foul play, I believe it is safe to say that you are no longer under suspicion,” Oskar nodded at Santiago. “This is the part where I… as you might say, dip out.”

With that, the construct disassembled into a flurry of black blocks, combining back into his somewhat humanoid form down in the street while his colleagues followed him out. It would seem that there isn’t anything to worry about, for now, at least.

[Britanania]

Four Dragons Hotel and Casino, New Vegas Strip, New Vegas, Disneyland, 2100, 26 June 2020

The pair made their way to the nearby bar. Antoinette ordered two drinks as the salesman introduced himself.

"Conrad Berger," he said in a low voice.

"Keira Weisz," Antoinette returned. "Now, Mr Berger, what are you selling?"

"Only the highest quality of gems," he said.

"Something my Neighbours would want?"

Berger shrugged.

"Neighbours and Cousins, I am sure, Miss Weisz."

Antoinette took a sip of her drink, set it down, and lit a cigarette.

"Have you spoken to any other potential buyers?"

"Not yet, just you. This gem only came in recently."

The Reich agent took a moment's pause, blowing out some smoke before taking another sip from her glass.

"All right, I'm listening."

Berger nodded and took a sip of his own.

"New Vegas is a fascinating place," he said rather casually. "Just last night, I saw Secretary Tate with three male Chinese escorts." He smiled widely. "I delivered the pizza myself." Berger chuckled slightly as he put his glass down, his face becoming serious once again.

"I saw the gem the other night. Possibly the last one who did."

Antoinette leaned in.

"Where?" She was almost whispering.

"Here, at the Four Dragons. The Toons sent you here, right? Everything happens here. Your Neighbours and Cousins are always here, anyway."

"Was there a Manifest for the gem?"

"Not that I'm aware," Berger said, shaking his head. "That would have gotten out by now."

"Was the gem going to another buyer?"

"Last I heard, no. I was going with it, at least, so I hoped. I'm not a coat trailer," he insisted.

Antoinette let out a long puff.

"Do you think the gem was stolen?"

"Probably," Berger replied after putting his glass down. "By whom though, I can't say. But, your answers are almost certainly in the Four Dragons, Miss Weisz."

[Christian Confederation]

(Old placeholder)

[Arlye Austros]

Colab between Remnants of Exilvania and Arlye Austros.
Königreich Brasilien
Cáceres, the Pantanal.
July 3rd.

They had been travelling for days at this point, hightailing their way out of Germania shortly after Krüger had given them the orders to, north, always north. Through Argentina and then Paraguay and now into Brazil, their eventual target being Manaus, deep within the Amazon jungle. All just to escape the watchful eyes and roaming forces of the Gestapo.

They had been no fools. Ilsa and her Gestapo cronies might have been looking to do a political purge first and foremost but Krüger didn’t consider Ilsa fool enough to just completely ignore the assassination attempt and not launch an actual investigation alongside her purge. And he and his few men were prime suspects. Unidentified, unassigned SS lurking about in the capital at the time of the attack? Yeah, no, he wasn’t taking that chance.

The Amazonas would hide them. Krüger knew a perfect place, deep within it, back from the time of the Shadow Reich, which was now unlikely to still be operating. And he doubted the Reich had gone through the pain of actually tearing the place down. His old Napola.

Currently they were following road 070, the most direct route he had found towards their destination which was close to Manaus and approaching the small city of Cáceres, where Krüger intended to make a short stop with his men and then continue the journey, next stop likely being Pontes e Lacerda.

At present their path took them through what were fields and wetlands, few of the men bothering to check their surroundings, many of them tired and unattentive after multiple days of relentlessly driving. Krüger was one of them, his old age catching up to him and calmly snoring in the lead vehicle, up until he received an elbow in his side, waking him up just perfectly.

“Sturmbannführer, something is off about this area.”

, Helga, driving the actual vehicle, said while keeping her eyes on the road, her steely gaze taking in everything before them. Krüger suppressed a yawn while trying to stretch a little, his bones and muscles cracking and popping as he did so, the seat having been anything but a particularly comfortable place to fall asleep in. Checking his surroundings, he didn’t see anything out of order. No tanks, police, farmers…nobody!

Nobody…

All of a sudden he was wide awake, his eyes scanning the fields and areas around them. They didn’t appear to have been maintained lately at all. No, they appeared like ruins of what a field might have been once. He couldn’t see any animals either. Nothing, the entire area just seemed…dead.

“Hold the vehicle. I don’t want to get into this any deeper than we already are.”

, the aging Resistance Major commanded the young secretary, the truck coming to a fairly abrupt but still perfectly executed stop, the vehicles behind them stopping far less elegantly if their screeching tires were anything to go by.

“Keep the engine going in case we need to move quickly.”

, Krüger commanded before opening the door and dismounting, the black of his SS uniform catching and just eating the light of the sun as he looked around, the lifeless lenses of his gas mask scanning the area as impassively as a robot would have.

For a minute it seemed that everything around them was just as it seemed to be: devoid of life or motion. As it passed, however, a quick movement somewhere near them revealed that there was something breathing nearby. A quick line of small, black figures, no more than a palm tall and dragging behind them tails that made half their length, sprinted across the road out and back into the dried-out grass.

What followed was a soft tremor that rang through the prairie and into the wetlands to the east. It vanished in seconds, but movement continued between the grass and beneath it.

“What the actual…”

, Krüger slowly murmured as he squinted his old eyes at the grass. He hadn’t seen the figures for long but he was familiar enough with their ilk to know what they were. Rats. Of course rats would be scurrying around. But something was still off…the way the grass shook and waved, as though so much more was going on.

Something was off and Krüger was seriously questioning his decision to take this route. Perhaps he should’ve taken route 364 after Cuiabá instead. He rapped against the door of the truck, Helga opening it shortly after to find his hand stretched out to her expectantly.

“Grenade.”

, was all he told her and she followed his request without hesitation, the familiar weight and shape of a grenade soon within Krüger’s hands. The old man then proceeded to leisurely remove the safety, check where he could see some movement in the grass, primed the grenade and then threw it in one mighty toss that belied his old age.

The prairie was rocked with a thud through the mud that was followed by an intense silence for some seconds. Three bodies landed on the road in a disgusting series of plunks, one of them twitched and got up, sneaking back into the grass, while another one joined the third in laying still after some trembling.

After the movement died out, the rumble grew back into existence. In the middle of the high grass there was a bulge out of the ground, and reddened dirt erupted to the wind as hundreds of tiny mammals bursted out. Another one appeared just behind it, and more started to dot the area after that. In the treeline further back more movement became visible, as it joined the tide of black and brown rats that now trampled the grass and proceeeded surrounded the intruders.
Jepp, that was definitely rats, Krüger thought as he watched the corpses flying through the air and landing on the road, one of which managed to limp back into the tall grass. That would have been all there’d have been to think about too, if the entire field didn’t just…well…begin to show scenes like out of some of those newer horror movies. So Helga had been right, they’d been driving straight into some sort of trap set by the Dynasties no doubt.

“Helga, inform the others that we will try to turn. We are heading back to Cuiabá. If they will let us. Everyone is to keep their grenades ready, I have a feeling we will be needing them now.”

It was times like these when he wished to have brought a flamethrower. In the meantime other things would have to do the trick. Maybe a totem could scare them off? He had his SS dagger in his hands within but a moment, kneeling down next to the two corpses and impaling one of them on the dagger before bringing it back to the truck and draping it across the truck’s hood.

“Alright Helga, start turning.”

, he said as he climbed onto the running board, trying to keep an eye on the rodents surrounding them. He shivered slightly. Ghastly buggers. He hated lots of fast, small beasts a lot more than he did the largest and most lumbering creatures this world had to offer these days.

The tide broke out of the shrivelled grass and rushed towards the truck as it started to move. Rats marched on columns towards each truck, dangerously close to cutting off their movement, while more were visually pouring down into the foundations of the cement road, upon which cracks, still no wider than a straw, started to form and grow.

“Forget turning, the others need to drive in reverse. I don’t care how difficult it is, we don’t have time.”

, the Major stated calmly as he decided to relocate from the running board to the inside of the driver’s cabin. Less risk of rodents. Once inside however he witnessed something rather curious, his eyes watching Helga operating the driver’s wheel, the gas pedal and the gear shift with a hectic urgency he had never before seen from her.

“Do you not like rats, dear?”

, he asked, Helga not even offering him a glance in return as she slammed down the gas pedal with her high heels and steered them back the way they’d come, passing by the other trucks in their little convoy as she squished any rat that dared to show itself before them. The corpse Krüger had placed on the truck’s hood flew right onto their windshield, the young woman flinching before resolutely turning on the wipers and having the corpse wiped off the windshield.

“I will inform an exterminator once proper distance has been achieved. For now I would like you to buckle up your seatbelt, Sturmbannführer. This ride could be mildly uncomfortable.”

She suddenly narrowed her eyes as she peered ahead at something Krüger couldn’t really see with his old eyes anymore. Whatever it was, she didn’t seem to like it as she reaffirmed:

“Mildly uncomfortable with a chance of human sized bumps.”

Being the only human shape they’d seen in a while, the woman standing in the middle of the road, surrounded by orbits of thousands of rats centred on her, looked not human enough for most people. The prisoner uniform, already in a bad shape when handled to her, was reduced to rags and tattered cloth. The number of identification was invisible already, and her trousers had been torn all the way to the knees. Her hair was somewhat kept, twisted in a single, dusty and greasy tuft that fell over her left shoulder.

María’s eyes locked on the incoming convoy framed in an expressionless face, which evidenced that she’d eaten poorly for a time, and showed half-healed bruises on the neck, cheek and temple.

She flicked a hand before her. The swarm that danced around her broke its formation and went to face the first car head on. More came from the bushes and grass, joining the line that gained height by the second, while the ground before it was loosened by a multitude of claws and teeth trapped in a non-preserving frenzy.

The line became a bump, and kept growing. As a last warning, the woman raised a hand to warn the convoy to stop.

The first or rather last truck of the convoy, reversing towards María at full speed actually did stop, though whether that was because of the quickly growing wave of rodents or because of María’s gesture was unclear. The doors at the back of the truck were opened and a pair of men in SS uniform threw two grenades with practised movements at the incoming wave, likely to try and blow a hole into it.

Their actions didn’t earn them any congratulations or pats on the back from Krüger and Helga, who were coming up alongside the convoy, the truck being notably faster due to not driving in reverse, so much so that the second truck behind them had chosen to try and turn now that the road was free. Inside however Krüger cursed as he watched the last truck slow and finally stop:

“Idiots! What kind of behaviour were they teaching you for special operations?!?”

Helga on the other hand just watched the wave, her knuckles white against her already pale skin as she kept rushing towards it at full speed. She did look at María for a moment, her cold blue eyes meeting those of the woman for perhaps little more than a split second but it wasn’t enough to convince her to remain.

Krüger noticed her as well, now that they had gotten so close. With Helga seemingly going for a direct collision course, he made a split second decision upon seeing the haggard figure and gestured for her to get the hell off the road.

The woman glanced at the two men that had just stopped the wave she’d conjured. Every maim and evisceration was felt in her mind, but she was all too used to it. The wall collapsed and instead a torrent of rats headed for the bait, lunging at the two armed men, aiming to reduce them to a chewed carcass.

The remnants of her tide quickly dwindled. María seemed willing to be rolled over for a moment. But in the last second stepped aside.

María’s looks followed the escaping vehicle. She decided not to let anybody go, and called upon a nest farther down the road.

Once more the ground burst open and the inhabitants of the breeding hole climbed upon each other, gaining height as their target came closer. Once it’d reached up to three metres and the truck was close enough it unleashed its weight, much like a log felled without much care.

Almost the men could have successfully closed the doors again, almost. Yet the sacrifice of a few particularly brave or particularly suicidal rats ruined their chances of survival as they got crushed by the door and prevented it from being closed, allowing the rest of the swarm to jump inside of the vehicle, screams, shouts, shots and a few muffled explosions following shortly after as the truck began to swerve and then managed to tumble off the road and onto its head.

The remaining vehicles maintained their courses however, the other still reversing and another having managed to fully turn and beginning to pick up speed to pass María as well. Krüger and Helga’s lead vehicle however continued on ahead, Helga clearly being unintimidated by the veritable wall of rats…however quite clearly also not particularly happy about it as she tore at the steering wheel, the wheels of the truck screeching as it began to drift and slam the side of its rear end into the rats. Inside the driver’s cabin, Krüger thanked whatever deity had made him fasten his seatbelt while he thought of how the men in the back might be doing.Helga however remained quiet, trying to get back control of the careening vehicle.

The fallen column disintegrated after unleashing its force on the truck, and the rats moved in every direction, turning the road into a muffled (and slippery) surface. María grunted, seemingly uncomfortable, maybe even in slight pain, and turned to the oncoming vehicles.

More columns began to rise from the high grass like massive tentacles. The rats grabbed on to each other to provide further cohesion to the structure, biting tail and foot and clawing backs and necks. The first column leaned and then rotated, gaining speed as it swung horizontally towards a truck, smashing it on the side.

María, who looked at the spectacle with her head leaning over her shoulder, quickly glanced at the escaping first target.

The truck struck by the rats shook from the impact but initially didn’t seem to be changing its direction or falling over or anything of the sort. Alas, the slippery, rat and gore covered surface spelled its demise as the driver proved unable to keep the truck on track, sending it crashing off the road and into the fields to be rat food. Though at least the men inside were protected still from the rodents -for however long it took them to bite, chew and smash their way into the truck proper.

The other truck did not suffer a violent rodent flail attack nor did its driver showcase a lack of skill, turning hundreds if not thousands of rodents into fine paste as he drove past María and joined Helga and Krüger’s escaping truck.

The woman seemed annoyed at the sight, turning to follow the escaping vehicles with her eyes. She hesitated on what to do for a moment, probably thinking on whether to follow them.

“That would be dumb.” She muttered.

The huddle of black hair and tails that entirely covered the last vehicle rose at the side of the road. The ground itself seemed to open up, as thousands of beings went through underground paths and eroded the earth and grass. María approached and the rats fell back, forming a perimeter around the wreck.

A single rat stood on two legs by her. The woman reached down and let it lick her fingers as she closed her eyes.

“Alright… Now how was it?...” She muttered and opened her eyes, raising her voice towards the vehicle. “Wenn ihr mit mir reden, vielleicht von hier leben gehen können. Wer von euch Englisch oder Spanisch sprechen?”

María was initially met with silence. Little did she know that the people inside of the vehicle were using their radios to communicate with each other, the driver of the overturned truck having contacted Krüger:

“Sturmbannführer, come in. We have come off the road and will be unable to continue. The enemy is offering to parlay in return for safe passage. Your orders?”

All the way on the other end of the connection sat Krüger, his truck at this point safely out of the zone but still speeding at full speed just to make sure. The report surprised him, not having thought the rodent swarm to leave any survivors, particularly not after they had put up this amount of resistance. But…since the enemy was showing a weakness, why not exploit it?

“Take their offer. Put me on speaker. If I give the order, sell your lives as costly as you can.”

“Understood, Sturmbannführer.”

With that the driver tinkered a little with the radio before attaching it to his ballistic vest. He doubted the enemy would notice that it was on as he shouted:

“Alright, alright, I will be coming out. No devouring please.”

He carefully unlocked and then opened the door, crawling out of the truck with one hand on the pin of a hand grenade he had attached to his vest. The other was in the air, its palm turned outwards.

“Alright meta, I am here. Stop speaking german, it’s grating what you do with our language.”

, he spat. For all intents and purposes he looked like a member of the SS. Fully kitted out in their usual combat gear, his face hidden behind a ski mask. Still, a pair of blue eyes stared María down unwaveringly, widening just for a moment at the realisation of what she probably was.

Her eyes fixed on the grenade that was ready to be set off at a moment’s notice. She’d been informed of talking inside the truck, and that at least three survivors remained. Now that the doors were unlocked she could send everything she had in and make the other two suffer a rather painful death.

But that just wasn’t enough.

She chuckled. “Meta… I don’t think anybody had directly called me that. Is that how you address your übermenschlich bosses back at Germania, officer?” She made a joking inflection at the adjective. “ I know a couple of oily-black camp overseers who would have any staff whipped for that sort of impertinence. Let alone prisoners. Did your superior flee the blockade?”

The SS man’s eyes narrowed at her tone, her words seemingly making little sense to him as he asked:

“What blockade? You mean your little rodent field? Newsflash, Metahure, you’ve failed to stop those who matter. My Kommandant will continue to carry out his mission and eventually you will curse the day you let him go.”

María had to control her impulse to have the man’s toes devoured. In doing so she sighed and muttered.

“Oh, I have so much to curse already.” She then raised her voice. “I don’t really care about your mission. Well… maybe I would if I knew, but I don’t care enough to torture you and find out. But I do find your choice of words… interesting. I know enough German to understand you don’t actually like my kind.” She chuckled. “That makes us two. Tell me. Does your Kommandant think the same?”

He cocked his head to the side, looking her over one more time before inhaling, seemingly about to spout another tirade of slurs at her…just for the radio on his chest to crackle, the man freezing before his hands fumbled with it, putting it on speaker:

“He does, Frau…?”

“Insassin Nummer 944…” She grinned. María wasn’t about to announce her identity to the Reich, nor to the resistance, as she started to suspect these guys were somehow associated with them.

“A camp inmate? Given that it’s Von Eisenfaust junior running the ship now, I wager you weren’t sent there on counts of homosexuality or disability, nor any racial reasons. Political then?”

, the crackling old voice replied through the radio, though from the sound of it the speaker seemed sceptical of her claims.

María towards the communicator that was strapped to the man’s vest. She assumed they were not that far away, but she still wasn’t all that keen on going after them. “The cunt would know. I am not really sure why I was put to rot.”
<<Though I know why I deserve it.>>

The woman’s minions were now still, like small figurines on the mud that looked at unison to the man standing on the truck.

“Is she still in command? I would very much like to present her to my new friends.”

There was silence for a while, the man with the radio constantly looking back and forth from the radio to María to the rats, waiting with bated breath for what might happen first. When it already seemed as though there would be no further reply and he was back in charge of the operation, the radio crackled again and he was cucked out of speaking by his Kommandant:

“Some might say so, though I personally doubt it. A bombing was recently carried out against her and while she has appeared on TV since…well, suffice to say that I have my doubts about it being an earnest televised appearance.

In either case, security and searches will be particularly tight now, ‘inmate’. You would do well not to get caught in the net that is being cast by the politicians in Germania.”

“And the Resistance?” She asked immediately as the voice in the radio stopped. Her expression was beyond any reading, as María wasn’t really thinking of anything but the fact she was lost.

She had considered going to Germania. She was moving without a clear course, but admittedly had leaned south. If that bitch was dead then there wasn’t much of a point to go there. Then, there was Steiner. She asked. “Did anybody survive?”

There was a chortled laugh coming from the radio, María’s questions apparently amusing her counterpart on the other side of the connection.

“The Resistance? ‘Inmate’, the show is over even if Menzendorf tries to save what he can. It’s everyone for himself.”

There was a solemn silence following that before the voice continued thoughtfully, stating:

“We did not remain to check on the truthfulness of the information but from the way the Reich is framing it…well…no one of any importance has been harmed. It is doubtful that they are entirely truthful though.”

The woman didn’t flinch at the mention of her husband. She nodded softly as the information was given out to her.

“Everyone for himself.” She quoted slowly. “I suppose there was not much more to be expected from the whole lot of you.” With each word her voice was filled with poison. “It’s only fitting that the Council was replaced by mere survivors after they sold us all out. Everyone.”

The circle of rodents that had been still up to that moment advanced, as if the brakes that held it from falling to a pit -on which centre stood the car and the survivors of the crash- gave in for a second, only to hold them in place once more. The thousand pair of eyes watched with starving gaze from their closer viewpoint.

“We may have held if all of you politicians and self-serving pricks hadn’t looked after yourself only. Perhaps I was the fool to have trusted you. Now I should amend my mistake. I can’t bring Mount Buller back. But I can make sure that whatever is left is clean from that shit.”

The man nervously looked at the advancing rats, nearly pulling the pin of the grenade…though they stopped just in time for him not to do so, the soldier visibly letting out a breath he had held before reporting:

“She’s almost let the rats attack. Don’t think we are making it. It was an honour to have served under you, Sturmbannführer.”

The radio crackled one last time, the voice coming from it asking:

“Don’t mention it, the honour is all mine. Now as for the ‘inmate’...I believe my commanding officer told Menzendorf that it was time to abandon Australia but the man didn’t listen…not in time at least.

Before you give your swarm of rodents their harshly fought for meal, perhaps you would like to tell me, who are you ‘inmate’? Metahuman camp inmates are quite rare and you seem…connected to our cause.”

A smile that had formed in her face as the man holding the grenade acknowledged his situation faded when the officer on the radio replied.

“Abandon Australia! As if the evacuation of hundreds of thousands of civilians was feasible! Watkins, Bradford, Kontos, Barr. They all knew this was impossible once the invasion started. Even rouge groups like The Trylobites or that Tall Lady’s were well aware of that fact!”

Her rant was halted as if a run amok horse was brought to a sudden and obedient stop. María, who’d been opening and closing her right fist as she spoke, sighed and looked down at her own feet. “No, my good voice in a radio. Everybody deserves to pay for the death of my children. Officers and rouges alike. The first marched my boys to the front to die. The latter left us and probably sold my girls out to the Reich! You all deserve to die. I am no longer connected to your cause, Kommandant. You go and let them know that.”

The last sentence was directed at the man with the radio. When she was done talking the rats opened a path in the direction of the road the escaping vehicles had taken, like a tide that falls back to reveal a path out of an island.

But as it happened, the other side swelled and lunged forward. A mass of rodents smashed onto the vehicle, shaking it.

“Your grievances have been noted…werte Frau. I will make some inquiries at a later point. Perhaps if we meet again I shall know more. Sieg Heil.”

, the voice uttered the final syllables with a particularly resigned sigh. Then the radio finally went silent, though it was lost in the cacophony of the rodent assault on the vehicles. The radioman slowly took the radio out of his vest before dropping it on the ground and stepping on it a few times, breaking the piece before he turned towards María, not heeding the shouts of his comrades, the muffled banging from inside the truck.

“The Sturmbannführer is getting a little too gentle in his twilight years. Do not worry, you won’t be meeting again in this life.”

, he said, pulling his handgun almost leisurely out of his thigh holster while keeping his other hand on the grenade pin, ready to draw it at a moment’s notice. His blue eyes look dead into her own, betraying a certain…peace they had not held before, as though he had found something to steady his resolve on.

María sighed. She’d hoped for this not to happen.

The man raised his weapon in a swift movement. María, seeing the play, flicked an order in her mind. The ground before her came to life and a barrier of her minions raised alongside the soldier’s movement.

The bullet impacted the wave of rats, killing a handfull in the process and creating a red mist that washed on her. As the barrier fell back to the grass and melted away the tide that had been ravaging the interior of the truck overflowed out over the roof, shaking the structure and causing the man to fall on his left side. Another shot was made he he fell, the bullet lost in the distance. A shadow rose above the road.

Another tower made of animals grew by the vehicle, which was devoid of human life out of that lone shooter. The man looked up and saw the column rising three metres, then four, then five. He pulled the pin and tried to aim for María one last time.

It fell down like a hammer, hastened by the woman. The impact broke bones and tendons of both man and mice. Screams escaped the gorging one second before an explosion scattered their remains all over the field. She grunted at the collective agony that came back into her mind.

“Fucking idiot.” She spat on the ground after cleaning her face with the remains of her prisoner shirt, then looked north, hesitating for a second. The rats returned to their nesting, but they were ready to serve her as soon as she needed it.

“No. Not that way. We are still going south.”

[Britanania]

Gibraltar Parliament Building, Rock of Gibraltar, Éire, Western Europe, 26 June 2020

Monika rose to adress the Congress.

"Lords and Ladies of the Congress," the Reich's Foreign Minister began. "First, I begin by applauding the swiftness and resourcefulness of our most excellent host in dealing with the French Situation. It is a testament to her skills as a Metahuman and as a Great Lord that the traitorous former-French Vassal was defeated through the combined efforts of the Western European Lords under Irish leadership, and it serves as a model of how to defeat similar treasonous lords, a lesson I am sure the East Asian delegation has taken."

The SS General paused, looking around the cramped and stuffy room.

"This leads me to my point of address. Millions of ethnic Germans were displaced as a result of the genocidal policies of the former French Vassal. The Reich agreed to take in many of these refugees and settle them in our territory. This has not been a secret to anyone in this room. However, what the Reich now asks is that from the assets taken from the former French Government, the Reich be reimbursed for the transportation and settlement of these refugees, and to provide for their well-being, make subsistence funds available, and pay for social services, including mental health, medical care, and housing and education costs. Much of the former French Government's treasury was boosted with funds taken directly from these refugees, after all."

[Nagakawa]

Hong Kong, South Han
Imperial Han Armed Forces Central Manpower Headquarters

2 July 2020
6:30AM

From the moment the sun began to rise, a long queue had already formed outside of the Central Manpower HQ of the South Han military in Hong Kong. The mass mobilisation effort implemented by the flailing military was now fully underway, and where previously limited only to young men, it now encompassed a wide scope of the population. A single Paladin stood at the guardroom of the building, supervising the uniformed conscripts as they took the fingerprints of the soon-to-be soldiers passing through the gate into the building.

A commotion erupted near the guardroom. A scrawny young man of about twenty five, standing close to the front of the line, suddenly squatted down and began to cry.

"I don't want to", he sobbed. "I don't want to... I want to go home..."

The Paladin in the guardroom folded his arms, turned to one of the armed conscripts standing at the gate, and gestured to the crying man. The conscript, understanding the order, marched out to where the crying man squatted, before pulling him aside out of the queue.

"I don't want to go", the man cried, squatting back down.

"Get up!" The conscript seized the man by the elbow and pulled him back up to his feet. "You should be proud that you get to serve your country."

"I don't... I don't... ahh... Ahh..."

"You should be proud of your future service", the conscript said, but in that moment, his voice wavered, and his eyes briefly went blank. The Paladin standing by the guardhouse folded his arms.

Suddenly, the nervous murmuring of the queue of soon-to-be soldiers was interrupted by the shrill, blaring cry of an air raid siren. The chattering din turned into a hideous cry of despair and uncertainty.

This was the first time that the air raid siren had been activated over Hong Kong.

That could only mean...

...

Gorkhi Terelj National Park
Japanese Imperial Household

"Your Majesty, we have received an update from Admiral Arima."

The Emperor of Japan, dressed in a smart black kimono, was enthroned in his office in the Japanese Imperial Household in Mongolia, surrounded by telegraph machines and by his aides. The Mongolian ōzeki Enkaku stood by his side, quietly eyeing the Navy attache as he entered, bowed to the Emperor, and unrolled a sheet of paper.

"The blockade of Hong Kong is complete. No ships will be entering or exiting the Hong Kong Maritime Economic Zone. In other words, South Han no longer has access to the sea."

"Faster than expected, Lieutenant Commander Hanada." The Emperor peered briefly up at Enkaku to gauge his reaction, and then returned to face the attache. "Any word from Hikawa?"

"Hikawa has requested to be allowed to initiate targeted bombing of key government installations", Attache Hanada replied. "Admiral Arima is deferring to you on this matter."

The Emperor paused for a moment, as if in hesitation. He tapped his pen on the desk, clasping it tensely between two fingers like a cigarette.

"Your Majesty?" Hanada prodded politely. Enkaku glared at him, and the attache averted his gaze from the former ōzeki.

Then, the Emperor nodded affirmatively.

"Go ahead."