Decisions (AMW)

[The Crooked Beat]

Northern Thortraia

Captain Herbst is coldly received by Captain Eero Tuppurainen, battalion medical officer, though not so coldly as would have been the case if Tuppurainen had realized that Herbst was actually in command of his battalion's attackers, and not, as he and most of his comrades assumed, a medical functionary. In Gandvik, after all, war is still very much a male preserve, and traditional attitudes regarding gender roles remain entrenched in spite of some considerable recent liberalization in other spheres of public life. The BMO barely manages to choke-back a caustic remark as he greets Herbst with a halfhearted salute before inquiring, in broken German, as to her reasons for visiting. For all his petulance, however, Tuppurainen's blood-stained fatigues and spattered eyeglasses bear evidence of his recent activity, and few would deny that, if not for his prompt arrival and industry, even more Gandvian lives would have been lost. In examining her surroundings, too, Herbst might arrive at a more thorough understanding of Tuppurainen's behavior. Over 40 Gandvians had been killed outright, many of them caught while still buttoned-up against inclement weather inside their armored personnel carriers, and while there is ample reason for a Nibelung officer like Herbst to have less sympathy for a volunteer Life Guardsman than for a conscript of equivalent rank and age, the sights, sounds, and smells surrounding their demise are no less horrible. At least as many more Guardsmen had been wounded in varying degrees of severity, though most of those with life-threatening injuries were already on their way to better-furnished regimental and divisional aid posts and Herbst herself would chiefly encounter ambulatory casualties. Major Ivar Degerlund, though miraculously unharmed by his explosive ejection from a Pav.84 turret, had suffered a mental collapse of shocking completness, and lay sobbing next to a kindly-disposed NCO, his anguished wailing having been reduced to a gentle murmur by a tranquilizer injection.

In all, it makes for a pitiful display of death and suffering, though by any normal standard Herbst's company did manage to score a substantial triumph over a much larger opposing force.

If Captain Herbst, overcome by the devastation surrounding her, had been taken by a reflective mood, the arrival of four mammoth Savander tank transporters from the regiment's maintenance depot would almost surely shatter it. Tuppurainen, ranking Gandvian officer on-scene, makes no voluntary mention of it, and is sure to evade if asked, but regimental HQ had ordered anything of possible intelligence value to be removed with all possible speed, Pav.84 main battle tanks especially, and anything not recoverable destroyed. Otherwise, however, Gandvian troops belonging to the 2nd Life Guards and Osasto Turunen would be found moving east with some speed.

Elsewhere in Thortraia, General Mattsson attempts to extract Operational Group T from what has revealed itself to be an exceedingly dangerous situation without risking any more of Gandvik's already-damaged national prestige. Brigadier General Deutz's message elicits only a "Message received, no authority to reply" from Mattsson's headquarters, and any Nibelung forces watching Gandvian troops where they could be found in strength, areas where they had only crossed into Thortraia to a shallow depth if at all, would detect no signs of retrograde movement. Munstra's satellites, for their part, would doubtless pick up on considerable activity within the Guards Armored Division's sector of operations, as Gandvik's most powerful tank formation quits its barracks and marshalling yards to take-up military dispositions. But apart from a handful of service troops, Operational Group T receives no direct reinforcements. Skirting Amberland, the 53rd Mechanized Regiment hastily withdraws most of its strength back into Curonia, leaving only a handful of Safari-mounted motorized patrols to occupy in a strictly nominal sense Thortraia's extreme Northeastern corner. Riga, as officials in Munstra might well expect, did not want to be seen caving into a Nibelung ultimatum, but if any more shots are to be fired, Gandvian authorities are equally eager that Nibelung troops should be the first ones to fire them. Although events near Haldsborough served to demonstrate in stark terms that Hari commanders are by no means reluctant to shoot at Gandvians if a suitable opportunity arises, State Councilors remain doubtful of Munstra's willingness to initiate a large-scale confrontation, and bank on an assumption that Deutz's ultimatum will be allowed to lapse.

Riga

There are few activities, apart from fly-fishing and listening to Richard Wagner, that hold out much appeal to Mikalous Andres-Kletsk in his advanced age, and speaking to foreigners, whatever their rank or station, is not an activity liable to put him in a friendly mood. Fortunately, however, like many older men Andres-Kletsk is an early riser, and Alderman Ahler's telephone call finds Gandvik's head-of-government, having just finished a light breakfast of pickled herring on toast after his morning constitutional, in decently good spirits, and more than usually willing to leave his hatred of former Oakist nations to one side. Picking up a hospital-green telephone receiver offered by his personal valet, Andres-Kletsk bids Ahler a gruff good-morning and attempts, as clearly as he can, to present his nation's case.

"Now look here," Andres-Kletsk begins in his usual way, after allowing Ahler to lay-out his concerns, "my foreign minister has asked me to present you with a proposal for putting this unpleasant business behind us. If Ianapalis agrees to withdraw its forces from Thortraia, and not send them back until after a second referendum has been held, Operational Group T will return to Gandvik and we will forget about that incident outside Haldsborough. You can consider your fuel supplies safe as well, in this scenario. Is this something your government can accept?"

[Cassanos]

Northern Thortraia
On the second day of the Gandvian incursion, it was obvious that while certain retrograde movements had taken place, Operational Group T was not retreating. Neither were the Gandvian formations still advancing, though, and Brigadier General Deutz and his superiors took that as a success. While Nibelung engineers were still busy creating obstacles along the Gandvian lines of advance, forward units had dispatched envoys under truce flags to the Gandvian lines, delivering the renewed demand that Gandvian forces withdraw. At an important crossroads northeast of Haldsborough, a Nibelung mechanized infantry platoon was ordered to approach the Gandvian checkpoint mounted on their Viveres and set up a checkpoint of their own, displacing the Gandvian troops. Their move was protected by a platoon of Fafnir 2A6s 1,500 metres behind.

Munstra, Republic of Nibelunc
Johannes Ahler had been in politics long enough to remain composed when faced with threats or insults, so he did not pounce on Andres-Kletsk for openly threatening Nibelunc – after all, this was international politics, and the leaders of two of Europe’s foremost powers could afford to be frank. Unfortunately, Ahler and Andrs-Kletsk, even after several years, did not have the intimate relationship the Alderman had with Scaramella or Bradsworth, which would have allowed for more open discussion. Still, there were the makings of a deal here, if Ahler wasn’t mistaken.
Mulling Andres-Kletsk’s offer over, Ahler made a decision: “This won’t do, I’m afraid. My people need better reassurance than that – the morning news will be full of your mobilization, and my government could not back down like this even if we wanted to. This is what I offer you:
We will support a referendum, but no new conference. If your forces return to Gandvik immediately and you demobilize your forces near Nibelunc and on the Shieldian border, we will try to strike a deal with the Shieldians. We can move some of our own troops south towards Thraia to relieve their forces and protect the Thortraian border, but they continue to move administrative personnel and law enforcement into Thortraia. From what I’ve heard, the Thortraian authorities have been a shambles lately, and fellow Shieldians are the ones who should rebuild their administration. Not us, not you. We sell it as us assisting them with military defence until Thortraia is stabilized after your incursion. Don’t try to argue, it’s your strike which put us into this mess. All that will, of course, involve some harsh words from us towards you, but that would happen anyway. And if we all remain rational and manage to disentangle our forces, it will be the only damage which has to be done from now on. If you accept, nobody will have to know this discussion has taken place.” Except for Bradsworth, of course. Ahler did not look forward to making that phone call.

[The Crooked Beat]

North of Haldsborough

Having drawn most of its heavy forces, including what remains of Ivar Degerlund's former command and its parent battalion, back behind Gandvik's own border or very close to it, Operational Group T can only muster a roughly platoon-size motorized patrol, a handful of armored cars and carriers, to directly oppose Nibelung moves against Checkpoint Sovellettavien (Applicable), but as they approach, Munstra's soldiers would find their targets hurriedly placing minefield warning signs and dragging debris into the roadway as an improvised means of forcing Viveres and embarked infantry to slow their progress. Troops operating in Thortraia had, in fact, been ordered not to deploy either anti-tank or anti-personnel mines in line with Riga's general obsession with avoiding civilian casualties, but, with luck, Nibelung forces would not be aware of that instruction. Perhaps, at least, it would keep them from attempting to run-down lighter Gandvian vehicles, which remain stubbornly stationary, with their heavy IFVs. No doubt much more disturbing to nearby Nibelungs, a shower of star-shells and parachute flares begins to burst overhead about ten minutes after their arrival opposite the contested checkpoint as Osasto Turunen's heavy mortar company opens rapid fire. With no more than two illumination rounds available for each of twelve mortar tubes, it is a very short barrage and one whose visual spectacle is muted by daylight, but General Mattsson hopes that even a limited and non-lethal display of firepower might serve to lessen pressure on forward detachments and observation posts in contact with a Hari presence that has proven itself anything but reluctant to throw its weight around.

Nibelung military envoys, meanwhile, are dealt with in a noncommittal fashion. Upon their reception by Gandvian troops, they would invariably find that no officers could be located, that radios were malfunctioning, or that it would be necessary to call at a different post, some distance away. No doubt General Deutz and his subordinates would quickly recognize Operational Group T's evasive behavior as little more than a fairly transparent effort to buy time, and perhaps also a symptom of the confusion generated in Mattsson's force by recent events. Few senior Gandvian commanders, after all, can avoid recognizing how drastically conditions in Thortraia have deviated from their initial plans and projections, and while certainly present in great strength, it would be a mistake to represent I. Army Corps as truly battle-ready, in terms of planning and mindset. Nibelung officers might then read Gandvian dithering as a sign of weakness, but they would not be wrong to predict a total unwillingness on Riga's part to be seen caving under foreign threats. Regardless of what little enthusiasm remains among Gandvian policy-makers, military and civilian, for a continued presence in Thortraia, there exists a strong consensus among State Councilors that Munstra must be forced to treat Gandvik as an equal. Even if Thortraia itself might not justify, in Riga's eyes, a large expenditure of men and materiel, Andres-Kletsk and most of his colleagues would do just about anything to defend Gandvik's place as a first-rate world power.

Riga

Speaking with Alderman Ahler quickly restores Andres-Kletsk's normal hostility. Foreigners, after all, are trying under ideal circumstances, and being addressed in decidedly less than deferential tones by a man that Andres-Kletsk has, on a number of occasions, characterized as a self-righteous harpy, is far more than he can easily bear. In some part of Andres-Kletsk's mind resides an awareness that Gandvian operations in Thortraia were a mistake of his own making, but hearing Ahler say as much fills Gandvik's head of government with anger. It takes him several moments to formulate a response, after deciding, against his acutely-formed sense of dignity, not to hang up.

"No Gandvian will leave Thortraia until firm guarantees have been received from Ianapalis. This is as far as you may push us."

[Cassanos]

Northern Thortraia

The Nibelung platoon, under strict orders to hold their fire, came to a halt some 200 metres from the Gandvian checkpoint. Uncertain about what to do, their commander and his radioman dismounted and walked over to the post, careful to step only where the Gandvian soldiers had set foot. The Viveres retreated another 300 metres to stay out of the range of any anti-tank rockets the Gandvians might have, their crews monitoring the situation through their gun optics.
When the platoon leader arrived at the Gandvian position, he began to explain that he was under orders to relieve the northeasterners' troops here and regulate traffic along this intersection. During his short speech, a series of pops and flashes overhead caused the inexperienced lieutenant to flinch, as his radio began to cackle with curses and requests for orders from his platoon. More than one Vivere gunner was ready to tear the Gandvin position apart with his vehicle's powerful 35mm autocannon, and only the presence of the Nibelung commander prevented another massacre by Nibelung soldiers convinced that the Gandvians had only waited to get a hostage. This few seconds' hesitation, though, allowed the platoon sergeant to issue a strict order to his overexcited men not to fire. The platoon commander, faced with a significant show of force, gathered himself and, trying to contain his rush of adrenaline, made his way back to his vehicles to ask for new orders.

Elsewhere in the woods and farmland of northeastern Thortraia, the Nibelung envoys, untrained in this kind of discussion, tried to refrain from showing their frustration and offered the use of their radiomen and -sets to the Gandvians whose equipment had apparently, serendipitously, broken down. In other places, they requested to be escorted to higher command posts in their Mercedes off-road-cars, though none really expected these requests to be granted.
A few hours later, the Nibelung units directly facing forward Gandvian positions received orders to stay at their posts until further notice. The Nibelung leadership hoped, apparently, that their mere presence would coax the Gandvians into leaving in the end.


Munstra, Nibelunc

Ahler himself had used some choice words to describe his opposite number in Riga on several occasions, but this didn't mean that he would not strike a more intimate tone with another national leader. Apparently, this had failed, and the Alderman would have to tread carefully if he didn't want negotiations to break down over one Gandvian's hurt sense of superiority. As much as it irked Ahler, he had to face the fact that Nibelunc was not in an ideal position to begin a serious conflict with another major power over Thortraia. At least not with a nation that, while perhaps not quite as powerful as Nibelunc in terms of wealth or military force, was a big player in eastern Europe, and an important trade partner to boot. Fortunately, he felt that Andres-Kletsk had left him an opening.
"Prime Minister, we would need you to specify which guarantees you want from the Shield. I must advise you that the Gull Flaggers will not be willing to leave before you do", or not willing at all "but I am prepared to talk to Director Bradsworth so we can reach an amiable solution to this conflict."

Johannes Ahler was not a poker player, but he knew that he had to go for a split pot if he could not have it all. Hopefully, the Shieldians would agree.

[The Crooked Beat]

Northern Thortraia

Frustrated in their attempt to establish a zone of control over Thortraia's northern corner, soldiers belonging to Operational Group T are greatly relieved to find local Nibelung forces abandoning, or at least suspending, their efforts to force a Gandvian withdrawal. As Munstra's intelligence services would no doubt soon be aware, if they were not already, in spite of blustery official rhetoric Army High Command is little short of desperate for a way out, and by softening its line somewhat, Nibelunc offered Riga a chance to extricate Mattsson's command without appearing to lose too much face. If matters ever arrived at a critical point, Gandvian planners had hoped that, with their intervening forces deployed only a short distance into Thortraia, the prospect of being forced to attack, in effect, Gandvik's strongest single ground formation on terrain more or less of its own choosing, would serve as an effective deterrent to any Hari attempts at clearing Thortraian territory entirely, and place Gandvian forces in a strong position to inflict painful losses on any such move, but outright warring with Nibelunc is a prospect relished by few if any realistically-minded Royal Army officers, an occasion that would almost certainly have matched or surpassed earlier campaigning in Weshield for its human and material toll, and which would also have placed in jeopardy Gandvik's vital European trade.

Riga

Valuable though they might be in securing and perpetuating an autocratic form of government, based in more or less equal measure on extensive patronage and co-optation, cutthroat political maneuvering, and carefully-directed state repression, Machiavellian and xenophobic qualities do not usually lend themselves to peaceful diplomacy. Chairman Andres-Kletsk, who embodied such traits to at least as great a degree as any other living Gandvian politician, is certainly not known for an excess of tact or grace, and Paul Gottfried von Nesslerode-Dellingshausen sighs audibly as he listens to Alderman Ahler's reply. Though it could hardly be counted as a major diplomatic victory, Ahler's decision to moderate his government's policies somewhat gives Riga just enough room to back away from its earlier threats without feeling too weak or submissive. Should they manage to secure a Republican withdrawal, reasons Nesslerode-Dellingshausen, even temporarily, what began as a nearly disastrous miscalculation might just be salvaged, and public opinion, inflamed by news of Operational Group T's losses near Haldsborough, calmed before any embarrassing questions are asked. Certainly, as Gandvik's foreign minister is well aware, Riga can scarcely afford to sever its economic ties with Nibelunc, and is if anything less well-placed to cope with a serious armed encounter. With luck, neither of those ugly contingencies would have to be faced-down quite yet. Installed on a leather sofa several paces from Andres-Kletsk himself, the Duke of Dorpat, listening to Ahler's telephone call on a separate receiver, nods significantly in the Chairman's direction.

"Specifically, Alderman, my government would be satisfied with an undertaking by the Republican governmet to remove all of its military personnel from Thortraia within two weeks, which Gandvik would reciprocate, coupled with an agreement to set a date for a second referendum on Thortraia's territorial status, properly overseen by international monitors, within the next thirty days. During the intervening span of time, my government is adamant that Thortraia's security needs should be met by local forces and those belonging to neutral powers only. There can be no question of a Gandvian withdrawal, I must emphasize, until similar commitments have been made by the Gull Flag Republic. This is our primary condition."

Ingermanburg

Tracing its westward arc across cloudless skies of brilliant blue, a pale mid-winter sun cast precious warming rays down on a city glistening in frozen beauty, shrouded in a haze of steam and smog belched-out in thick white clouds by factory smokestacks and chimneys which towered over what was still one of Europe's lowest-built urban areas. An observer standing on Ingermanburg's lattice-work TV tower could look upon a nearly uninterrupted panorama of a snow-covered metropolis, laid out between ice-bound Retusaari Bay and the Nymans Company's sprawling industrial compound inland. The thunderous report of a noon cannon, fired daily from the ramparts of Ingerman Fortress, found a shaved and sober Artturi Pajunen striding down a long corridor in Hirzebruch Palace, source of law and order across that restless district of five million residents. Policing such a region, as demonstrated by historical experience, tended to pose special challenges under ideal conditions, and Gandvik's so-called second city did not hold a reputation for good behavior. Some pundits, of a more poetic outlook, put this down to frustrated ambition. Built as a secondary seat of government at a time when Riga's conquest by Shieldian forces appeared very likely, but never fully employed as such, Ingermanburg still grew to surpass its Baltic neighbor in most measurable respects, and, according to its residents, most subjective qualities as well. That Riga, with less than one-sixth of Ingermanburg's population, a fraction of its industrial significance, and a cityscape whose limited number of great buildings struggled to contain an ever-growing ministerial establishment, continued to serve as state capital when so many other alternatives existed seemed to many Ingermanburgers like a great injustice. A more informative explanation might revolve around the city's high concentration of manufacturing workers, whose impoverishment, dissatisfaction, and readiness to organize set off a democratic revolt that overthrew the Berdichyiv monarchy in 1914, and which also triggered a series of events that destroyed Gandvik's short-lived Republic a decade later. A culture of machine politics, manipulated with some finesse by Mayor Abram Kramp and his patron, Governor Oskar Torngren, has also been cited as one factor working against long-term stability in Nyensholm's main settlement.

In any event, Ingermanburg held a special place in official memory, and maintained a police force in keeping with that dubious distinction. Counting approximately 15,000 sworn officers on strength, and able to draw from an additional central reserve, the municipal constabulary could usually keep a lid on whatever simmering discontent happened to bubble up from the city's social stew, but when faced with a particularly thorny or sensitive problem, Hirzebruch Palace was not above asking for help. Nor was Riga always content to leave local problems to local authorities.

Pajunen pushed through a set of heavy oak doors and into the spacious, opulent offices of Chief Inspector Hannu Antonius, Special Task Force commander, and was surprised to find the lobby empty except for Antonius himself and another man whose tan leather jacket and black sweater, which would not have looked out of place in a 1960s heist film, marked him beyond any doubt as a security policeman.

"Ah, Pajunen! Glad to see you've made it," began Antonius, sliding off his desk-edge perch, "My apologies for the short notice. Before we go any further, let me introduce you to Special Agent Lindfors. Lindfors, may I present Detective-Lieutenant Pajunen, of our Erityistä Työryhmää."

Special Agent Lindfors rose from his chair with some difficulty and turned to greet Pajunen, revealing to the Detective-Lieutenant a lean visage crisscrossed by a series of deep scars, only recently healed, which gave a man of not more than forty years a worn appearance as would have suited someone at least a decade older. Lindfors swayed unsteadily for a moment before his gloved left hand found a firm anchor, and, wearing a friendly smile, he extended his right arm in a standard greeting. "A pleasure to meet you, Detective-Lieutenant. Let me also congratulate you and your team on your recent arms seizure. Fine police-work, sir, fine indeed. We in Riga were mightily impressed." Antonius cast Pajunen a knowing glance. "But as I'm sure you can imagine, the nature of my presence here is less than entirely social. Chief Inspector, would you be so kind as to produce those photographs?"

Opening a black folder marked with red security tape, Antonius laid a series of color photos out on his desk-top for Pajunen to examine. Taken in typical crime-scene fashion, they showed a middle-aged male corpse face-down on a wood floor, blood pooled around his head. Pajunen took seconds to identify the victim. "Albin Katz...when were these taken?"

"Early this morning, about 0500," announced Lindfors, nonchalantly. "Suffice it to say, we in Riga would prefer to keep the assassination of a commissioner on the municipal board under wraps until we're a little surer of our footing. Assassination indeed," he added in response to Pajunen's puzzled expression. "Now take a look at this." Lindfors withdrew a much smaller photograph, recorded on instant film, from a paper envelope. "We believe this was taken shortly after Katz was killed. It appears to show a single bullet, 7.62mm Becker if I'm not mistaken, and a small note to the right of Katz's corpse. Can you read it, Pajunen?" The Detective-Lieutenant nodded in assent, a lump rising in his throat. In a clear hand, someone had written History is the judge — its executioner, the proletarian. "Marx. A bit pretentious if you ask me, but then again, most of these intellectual types are. At least, they felt the need to leave a calling-card."

"I don't mean to speak ill of the dead," interjected Pajunen, "but Albin Katz was no saint. How can we be sure this wasn't just a mob hit? If one of his less reputable associates wanted him to fall, wouldn't it make sense for them to blame the left? I mean, since that shooting in Kaunas..."

"What we're seeing right now, Detective-Lieutenant, is the formation of a pattern. That's why Special Agent Lindfors is here." Antonius, who had made his way across the room to a boiling kettle, took the opportunity to weigh-in while pouring himself a cup of tea. "If we don't move quickly, it will be 1968 all over again. The Reds have chosen now to cut their capers, and there's a reason for it, no doubt. As I've said before, you can bet they aren't in it alone. Our traditional antagonists, the independents, the communists, are on the march, and our friends in Riga are fairly sure there's a foreign dimension to this. Follow enough Reds, and you'll find a Gull giving them their orders."

"At least, we have been given reason to believe that this is the case," said Lindfors. "Available information suggests the existence of a large covert network of militant revolutionaries in this city, and my department means to root it out before any more damage is done. As you both know, the Security Police prefers to operate within its own means as a matter of course, and I hope you'll take our reaching out right now not only as a sign of our confidence, but also as a sign of how seriously we take this issue. The Director-General very much felt, especially after learning of the Special Task Force's recent exploits, that a pairing of the Security Police's advanced surveillance capabilities and expanded legal powers, with your local knowledge and contacts within Ingermanburg's criminal underworld, would be the most effective means of combatting leftist militancy before it becomes a truly disrputive force."

At that moment, Lindfors took hold of a previously-unnoticed cane. "Colleagues, I regret to tell you that I am expected back in Riga this evening, and the Director-General is one man who most definitely does not like to be kept waiting. I will be back on Wednesday with whatever assets I can pry away from headquarters, and hope to discuss our investigative strategy then. Detective-Lieutenant Pajunen, it was a pleasure meeting you. Chief Inspector, until Wednesday, adieu."

Sipping on his tea, Antonius watched Lindfors make his shuffling exit, while Pajunen stared blankly at Albin Katz's lifeless body, wondering what kinds of forces his hasty, self-serving fabrication had unleashed.

(OCC: My apologies for that shamelessly appropriated and no doubt mis-represented Marx quote. As usual, wanted to sound smart without making that much of an effort! Got Ian's line in, at least. )

[Cassanos]

Munstra, Nibelunc

Give them a finger and they try and take the whole hand. "Mr. Chairman, I will convey your requests to Ianapalis. However, I must advise you that the Federal Republic has obligations towards the Thortraian interim authorities which include the safeguarding of Thortraia's territorial integrity, a task which local forces can not fulfill at the moment. I will get back to you once I have talked to the Shieldians. Good day, Mr. Chairman."
Ahler put down the receiver and lit a cigarette. Leaning back inhaling the smoke, he closed his eyes and pondered his options.
A few minutes later, Ahler's secretary was on the phone again: "The Alderman is asking to speak to Director Bradsworth in an urgent matter."

[OOC]Sorry for the short post, but I thought I should get on with it.[/OOC]

[Iansisle]

Ianapalis

Some unkind pundits would say that the Shieldian government functioned as little else than a massive eastern extension of Nibelunc's power. The Radical elements of Jameston Place even went so far as to charge that Mr. Bradsworth sat in his office all day, waiting for the Alderman to call with marching orders. The recent suspension of executions in capital treason cases was cited as one example of the government's willingness to bend over backwards to please its Nib masters. In fact, most of the time Bradsworth spent in his office involved trying to balance the Radical and Moderate elements of his government; the vote to pass the Revolutionary Calendar Act -- something he had at first opposed -- had sapped a lot of the Director-President's political capital, but it would have been impossible to continue to carry out his economic reforms without the support of Lawrence Madders and his bloc and they had demanded a new calendar. He was in the middle of a conversation -- some might say shouting match -- with a representative from Furthingham, who was quite sure that Walmingtonian investments in local coal mines would not continue once the new calendar was adopted when the call from Munstra arrived. It took some doing to persuade the good Assemblyman to hang up in a relatively good temper, and Bradsworth hoped that the delay in getting to Ahler's call would not indicate a lack of concern over Thortraia.

"It is a great pleasure to hear your voice, my friend," Bradsworth started after introductions. "I merely wish that this call came in less dire circumstances. I presume it has to do with the unfortunate situation in Thortraia?"

[Cassanos]

Munstra, Nibelunc

Bradsworth's cordial words were a welcome change of tone for Ahler after Andres-Kletsk's terse not-quite civility. The Alderman only wished, like Bradsworth, that he had better news. "It has indeed, Charles. I have talked to Chairman Andres-Kletsk a few minutes ago. As the Walmingtonians would say, it was a rather tiresome affair." Ahler gave Bradsworth a quick run-down of his exchange with the Gandvian. After he had finished, there were a few seconds of silence before Ahler spoke again. "Now, I gather that the Ganders have as little interest in fighting a war over Thortraia as you or me, especially after the bloody nose we gave them at Haldsborough.
The way I see it, and Al agrees with me, they have maneuvered themselves into a situation which they did not expect, and Andres seems to want to get out of it without losing too much face. He's probably only putting up a show for his people with this mobilisation - but I can not say what will happen if we push them further. He needs something, something to show back home", here Ahler paused, "and I for one am inclined to give it to him before this thing escalates any further. I think I can broker a peaceful solution if you feel you can agree to guarantee you'll be pulling out your troops for the time being. I might persuade him to move back before you do. Nibelung forces will spread out to protect the border from any further incursions, and your administrative and police personnel could stay anyway. From what I've heard, Thortraia couldn't work without those anyway any time soon. When things have calmed down and you had time to move your people into key positions, we might have to have another referendum. I'm sorry, my friend, I don't like giving him anything any more than you do. What do you say?"

[Iansisle]

Ianapalis

"Ah," said Bradsworth. He let the air hang silent for a moment. "That is difficultly timed, I'm afraid. The Radical press wouldn't like it much if we were seen to give way to Gandvik, even in a relatively minor way."

He didn't mention it directly -- Ahler certainly knew, or at least his aides did -- but the difficultly arose primarily from the recall election scheduled for May 18th. It wasn't expected that the Radicals would get anywhere near the 55% required to trigger a new general election, but Bradsworth did not even want a close vote. That would just give Madders and his allies in the cabinet new ammunition and more power to direct policy -- which was, of course, what had led to the Thortraian intervention in the first place.

"Of course I would like to avoid armed conflict," Bradsworth finally said. "But I cannot permit a return to banditry and lawlessness, nor see more Shieldian blood spilled to salve Andres-Kletsk's pride. Independent monitors from your own country, Walmington, Geletia -- even Gandvik, if they want to come -- are welcome, of course, but I cannot give a recall order so soon after we decided to go in. That's just not a tenable solution, either from a domestic or an international standpoint -- you've seen our notes regarding the Javian presence in southern Thortraia, I presume? Perhaps, if I could talk directly with the Gandvians, we might be able to reach an agreement limiting heavy units in the area."

[Cassanos]

[b]Munstra, Nibelunc/b]

Johannes Ahler was indeed aware of the problems facing the young Shieldian republic, and like Bradsworth, he was troubled by the possibility of inner-party dissent dividing his own country. He suppressed a sigh.
"I can imagine that this will not be easy to the hardliners in your government, Charles. It is strange that our desire for peace should strengthen the warmongers, isn't it? Well. I agree that the Javian border needs to be protected, and the Thortraian forces have proven that they are unable to do that. We might be able to arrange for a Gull Flag deployment to stay there, and given time, I might get the Ting to permit our troops to augment yours there.
But Andres-Kletsk is facing his own domestic pressure from the Gandvian hawks, and I think he will not budge if we give him something to show back home. Perhaps we can indeed get an agreement on force reduction or postpone recalling your troops by a week or two, but he will want something for that. I suppose I can put you into contact with him. Can I get back to you this afternoon?"

[Iansisle]

Jameston Place

"You know that I have the utmost respect for your opinions, Johannes," said Bradsworth. He had been dreading giving this news for some time now. The Republic rested on its favorable relationship with Munstra, and any potential destabilizing of that friendship carried real and immediate repercussions. Not only would the Shield's military situation versus Gandvik be jeopardized, but billions of thalers in investment and aide -- the underpinnings of the Shieldian tiger -- were at stake. "I am sure that Andres-Kletsk can be reasoned with -- there must surely be a way to defuse this situation without picking winners and losers. I look forward to hearing from you again."

After hanging up the phone, Bradsworth reclined in his chair. The start of a draft on a bill to reorganize former Gallaga Company holdings in eastern Shadoran sat on his desk. Relunctantly, he pushed it aside and rang for his secretary.

"I'm going to need to meet with the cabinet -- yes, I understand he's in Balliat, get him on the phone."

Lenore House

"Captain Clayburgh!"

The ice crackled under Captain Johnson's feet as he cut across the lawn to intercept his counterpart in the Military Intelligence Office. Clayburgh stopped with his hand rested on the door to a Westerton sedan.

"This had better be fast, Johnson. I'm late for a meeting at Jameston Place."

"Oh -- I hadn't heard anything about -- "

"What is it?"

"Ah. Well, you see, two boxes of R42 ammunition has gone missing from the reserve cache at Pendleshaven and -- "

"You are holding me back from a cabinet meeting to tell me your vaunted Logistical Corps has lost a few boxes of ammunition for an obsolescent recoilless rifle? I don't have time for this." Clayburgh got in the Westerton and buckled his seatbelt. Johnson only just caught the edge of the door.

"No, see -- not lost, exactly. They were taken. By men in regular army uniforms, with orders to ship them to Apernia. And they never turned up there; when we ran the names given, they did not appear in the service records anywhere."

"A most peculiar occurrence," said Clayburgh. "Now kindly step back before I have my driver run over your foot."

The door slammed at the Westerton was gone in a haze of blue smoke.

[Cassanos]

[OOC]Sorry for my tardiness, just trying to keep this going.[/OOC]

Munstra, Nibelunc

After Bradsworth had hung up, Ahler called over Frank Diercke and asked his aide to arrange a secure conference call with ministers Fischer and Hambacher as well as Elmar Rüttel, Nibelunc's consul-representative in Thortraia. Half an hour later, the highest level of the Nibelung government had formulated a response to the current situation. Ahler would call Riga again, asking Andres-Kletsk whether he would be open to direct negotiations between his government, Ianapalis and Munstra. An inofficial three-way telephone conference on the afternoon of the same day would be much appreciated.
At the same time, Minister of Defence Hambacher would inform the Heerbann's general staff that BALTOPS 13, this year's iteration of a biennial Nibelung-Avargan staff exercise, would be conducted in two weeks instead of four, to the generals' dismay. While the new Shieldian military had already been invited to participate, Hambacher called his opposite number in Ianapalis about the possible participation of Shieldian army units in a series of maneuver and live-fire exercises in southeastern Cassanos in the second week of BALTOPS 13. When Hambacher told Ahler that BALTOPS had been conducted purely at the map table for almost two decades, the Alderman had been clear: "This year is different."

[The Crooked Beat]

Riga

Andres-Kletsk, in his typical fashion, does not offer any explicit commitment to Alderman Ahler's proposal for a telephone conference, but lest Nibelung officials take this as evidence of an unwillingness to negotiate, the Duke of Dorpat quickly summons Munstra's ambassador to Riga Castle. While few in Riga would consider it proper for a cabinet minister to speak with a foreign head of state directly on such an important subject, Nesslerode-Dellingshausen's more statesmanlike qualities would, with luck, be given an opportunity to influence official deliberations in both Munstra and Ianapalis through less-direct channels, and help to lessen any gathering sense of crisis in foreign capitals at a time when policy-makers in Riga itself tended to believe that, while conditions remained risky, a point of maximum danger had passed.

As usual, Nesslerode-Dellingshausen meets the Nibelung ambassador in his spacious personal offices, which together, and including attached secretarial and clerical spaces, account for nearly an entire floor of Riga Castle's Foreign Ministry reservation. Someone familiar with the Duke's personal habits would not be wrong to identify his unlit cigar and shuttered drinks cabinet as a sure sign that not all was as it should be, but he still greets the ambassador with customary if slightly affected warmth and a friendly handshake and begins with some standard pleasantries before moving on to address weightier subjects.

"To start with, I would like to assure your government that, in our decision to intervene in Thortraia, we did not, not by any means, intend to cause or provoke a rupture with Nibelunc, and we regret immensely the clash that took place outside Haldsborough. Simultaneously, however, I would ask you to look at this matter from our perspective. Months ago, my very department publicly warned Ianapalis to take no unilateral action on Thortraia, and yet this is exactly what the Gull Flag Republic does, not only flaunting this nation's statements, but effectively repudiating the Kingsmount Agreement itself. It was my government's conclusion, as I'm sure you can understand, that, by failing to respond in a forceful manner, we would lay ourselves open to charges of insincerity and empty bluster, and appear to some nations as unwilling to honor our undertakings or incapable of doing so.

"At the same time, as you may well be able to guess, we are most eager to see this entire Thortraian question settled in a peaceful manner. So long as Ianapalis' soldiers remain in a Thortraia that is still, legally speaking, an independent nation, I am afraid that our soldiers must stay put as well. Although I have been authorized to guarantee that our forces will not attempt to expand the area presently under control, any reduction of our current intervention force, without reciprocation on the GFR's part, is simply not acceptable to my government. With that said, we would be most receptive to a phased program of bilateral withdrawals. And we would also not object to the substitution of troops belonging to Nibelunc, or another third party, in Thortraia for those of the Gull Flag Republic, in order to maintain order and stability in the southern part of that province following any prospective removal of Republican forces. All of this, we very much hope, will pave the route to a second referendum on Thortraia's political status."

(OCC: My apologies for this excessively belated response, and sorry also for setting-up a meeting with the Nibelung ambassador without clearing it out-of-character first. All of what the Gandvian foreign minister is trying to say here can be communicated by some other means if necessary. Sloppy, and poorly put-together, but, with luck, another step toward actual negotiations on this particular subject.)