Daily life in Etharia (closed, Etharia only)

[Kanadorika]

Welcome to the first official role play of Etharia! This is a role playing thread depicting the daily life of the citizens of nations that make up Etharia. When we learn more about each other we will be able to coordinate our stories into more complex plots, but for now, this shall suffice.

[Kanadorika]

Lieutenant Ástvar Auðkellsson, Þinnagil Canton, Kanadorika

---

I peered out of the sno-cat's windshield in a desperate attempt to make sense of the environment around me. Snow wildly flew in all directions, severely limiting my visibility of the outside world. The thermometer indicated that the temperature was -42C. The cab was a comparatively warm 12C. In the back of the cab sat two bunks and a small galley. Frans was lying down on one of the bunks, scrolling madly in his smartphone.

We were transporting cargo to a military base in the frigid desolation of northern Kanadorika. The storm had prevented any aircraft from safely landing. Our trip would take several days of driving across vast snow banks and glaciated landscapes. The nights were getting increasingly longer, with there being only a few hours of sunlight a day. Soon, it would be polar night; darkness would reign as king. Twilight was already swallowing up the daytime, turning the sky into a deep purplish blue.

"It's colder than a well digger's ass out there!" Frans playfully remarked while he burrowed under blankets.

I smiled lightly. "Well it's a good thing you're in here, right?"

"Já... Já... I guess. Still bitchin' cold in here though." He got up and looked inside the pantry. "Hey, where's the food?"

I turned around in my seat and shrugged. "If there's not any in there it's probably in the trailer."

"I am certainly not going back there! You know I am on break."

"But you're the hungry one."

Frans pulled out a coin from his pocket. "Heads I go out, tails you."

"Flip it."

He did so, and to my disappointment, the coin landed on tails.

"Shit Frans how the hell am I supposed to trust that you flipped that fairly? For all I know that's a rigged coin!"

He sat there grinning slyly at me.

"Fine... fine... I'll get your damn food," I said out of slight annoyance. I pulled the throttle to a stop and reached for my jacket and put it on, dreading the rush of cold air that would fall onto me as soon as I opened the cabin door. Frans wrapped the blanket around himself.

The sno-cat's door squeaked a terrible racket when it opened, and I was immediately stung by the freezing air. I slammed the door shut behind me and attempted to hide my chin in my jacket to keep warm. Snow crunched under my feet as I leaped several feet to the ground.

'Bloody hell it is cold out here...'

Screaming winds made my face numb as I struggled to make my way to the trailer that the sno-cat was pulling. The trailer's two treads were almost coloured white from the snow and ice that clung to them. I walked around the rear of the trailer and opened up the steel doors, stepping inside. To my right was a compartment wich I also opened. I grabbed several cans of food and closed it, making my way back to the sno-cat.

"Happy?" I muttered while climbing back into the driver's seat.

Frans smiled once more. This one was suspiciously mischievous. "I lied" he said, "there was food in here all along. I just wanted to watch you freeze your ass off out there, which I did. It was quite hilarious."

Goddam Frans acting like his usual self...

"I'm going to die because of your pranks one of these days, just you watch."

[Ruppin]

Johann was sleeping, cap on his face, in his bunk.

"This will wake him up.", he hears very softly said. A bucket of cold water is poured over Johann.

"AH AH COLD!!!! I'M UP!!!!" He gets to his feet, and gives a salute.

"Ha, you always crack me up, Johann." says the man who woke Johann up.

"Wladyslaw, you prick!" He gives Wladyslaw a punch to the arm.

You see, Johann and his childhood friend, Wladyslaw, are both 2nd class Petty Officers enlisted in the Ruppin navy. Their ship, the Pommern, is stationed with the majority of Ruppin's army and navy at Rostock. The current naval bureau is in Berlin.

"New orders from HQ. We're going to investigate the more frequent raids of Polish trade ships. We are set of to Patrol the Baltic and the Danish Straits for any pirates."

Johann gets a change in uniform, and turns up on deck with Wladyslaw. All the other men are lined up there too, waiting for the commander to speak.

After the breifing, the two friends head to their posts, as the Pommern and four other ships leave Rostock Harbor for the Baltic Sea.

Today was a fair ocean day. It was the beginning of November, and it was just not too cold yet.

Once the detachment saw Gotland, they split up. Two ships headed for the Danish Straits to the east. Another two headed north to the Gulf of Bothnia. The Pommern would stick to Poland's coast, and patrol the Gulf of Riga and the Gulf of Finland. All ships would meet up in Kurland, then head back to Rostock.

The scan went by slow and boringly. Johann and Wladyslaw mostly were doing paperwork.

Then, next morning, a ship was spotted in the mist outside of Tallinn, but fled deep into the Gulf of Finland. The Pommern gave chase. Guns were readied, and officers put on deck. The ship was found in Noteborg Harbor.

"Hell, we can't attack it there! The ship is in Finnish Territory!" said the commander. "Let's just turn back."

The ship heads to Kurland, somewhat defeated. The ships from the Danish Straits come, reporting that nothing was there. The two ships from Bothnia never came back.

It was night when the ships entered Rostock harbor. Johann and Wladyslaw were fast asleep.

[Kelnjorvik]

hvat

[Republic of Canador]

Erik Bjornsson
Skállaka, Kanadorika.

---

The northern lights flickered brilliantly across the night sky, as if it were dancing to some cosmic tune. The temperature was well below zero; snow and ice covered the ground in an inhospitable layer. To my right were several passengers, bundled up in thick coats in an attempt to stay warm. I too was waiting for the arrival of the maglev train to Brautarhólmur.

I had never strayed far from my hometown. Growing up well above the arctic circle made me dependent on those around me. It was difficult leaving them behind to venture off to the big city. Unfortunately, I had no other choice. As an internal security officer in the AIO, I was left to the whims of high command. It was they who put in place my transfer. I did not do so willingly.

"Good evening Commissar."

An elderly man approached me from behind. "Might you know where the restrooms in this place are?"

I turned around and gave the man a pleasant smile. "Já. It's about 20 meters away. Go back to the hall, make a left. You should see it on your left."

He nodded and gave a thank you, then proceeded off of the train platform and back into the building. In the distance the bright lights of the train came into view. It approached the station gradually, slowing down from its race through the bitterly empty tundra. A bold eagle and wolfsangel were painted on the nose. It stopped by the platform and opened its doors for entry. Another internal security officer stood at the entrance, checking for tickets and travel visas.

"Hello sir, may I see your papers please?"

I nodded. I had never seen the man before. He must have been stationed in another unit. I pulled the items requested of me out of my pocket and flashed them to the commissar.

"You're good to go, detective. Have a nice day sir. One more thing," he chuckled, "why do you detectives get such nice uniforms? I look like rags in comparison!"

I gave him a stern, disapproving stare.

"Oh, uh sorry. Enjoy your ride."

He wasn't wrong. AIO Detective's uniforms were sharp. They were black, with red shoulder boards, a peaked officers cap, and black jackboots. The detective's insignia, three interlocking circles representing truth, vigilance, and loyalty adorned the cap and shoulder boards. A Kanadorikan eagle grasping the world with its talons was stitched on the right breast of the uniform.

I boarded the train and was greeted by an array of patriotic artwork and displays. Few seats were occupied. I found my seat and lowered myself down in it. The other passengers shuffled around. One peculiar man across the aisle glanced at me uneasily, as if I were a threat.

"Is there a problem sir?" I asked him.

The man wouldn't make eye contact with me. "Uh.... Uh n- no.... Sssir," he stuttered nervously."

Something about him seemed off. He seemed insincere. Nevertheless I continued. "Carry on then."

The train began accelerating forward. Bright city lights flickered outside the window, contrasting with the otherwise blank landscape. I pulled out a newspaper from the back of the seat.

Aresdóttir Condemns Russlavian Government

Like all Kanadorikans, I had negative opinions of Russlavia. Their acceptance of known Kanadorikan traitors and terrorists after the bloodless revolution made them enemies of the people. Those so called "Communists" should have been exterminated, not granted citizenship in a foreign nation. I'd have gladly put a bullet in each and every one of them in the name of my motherland and her children.

The lights of the city faded away to the quiet tundra. The train was moving quickly now, at at least several hundred kilometers per hour. My journey to Brautarhólmur would take no more than a few hours. I looked again at the man next to me. He sat up straight, unusually focused on whatever thought was going through his mind.

A stewardess came walking down an aisle pushing a cart. She was attractive; in her mid twenties.

"Sir Commissar, what would you like to drink?"

It took me a second to realize that she was talking to me.

"Oh hello Ms. May I just have a coffee? Just black please."

"Yes sir, coming right up."

While she poured the coffee, I noticed the man across the aisle stand up quickly. He walked to the front of the train with a grin on his face.

"You fuckers are all going to burn!" He opened up his coat and revealed a vest covered in explosives. "See you in Valhalla!"

[Pandeeria]

The night was just beginning to engulf Phyrik, the industrial capitol of the Socialist Federative Iverik Empire. The sidewalks were poorly kept, overgrown with weeds, and stained with filth. David Savyid, a man walking on the sidewalk, quickened his pace. Noting the time was 5:30 PM on his old and slightly rusted watch, or 17:30 when he rendered it into something comprehendible. For David's whole life he used the system of time often dubbed by the Lower Party as "military time", everyone used it. Everyone used it during and even before David was born, or at least that's what he thought. Being forty-three years of age, it became virtually impossible to draw back any clear memories. What was clear was that per Party outline, and to help coincide with the war effort, all sects of the economy were to use this "military time".

David deeply inhaled through his nostrils. The air smelled of rubber and industrial machinery, just the way it always smelled for as long as David was alive. The sidewalks were chipped, stained, and dirty, and every day military convoys consisting mainly of trucks, army jeeps, and tanks drove down the cracked and worn down roads while trash often was carried away by the wind. The near-ubiquitous ringing of police sirens faintly in the distance was there as well, and occasionally you could see a police helicopter or even drone fly over head. It was all the same to David, day in and day out, the continuous talks on the television and Radio of a new battle on the front lines, or an increase in a ration, or even the talks of a new piece of military technology. Even the posters that adorned the walls of the broken down buildings with degraded bricks and cracked glass and boarded-up-with-cardboard holes were the same. One displayed a depiction of a man and woman triumphantly raising up and crossing their arms, the man holding a hammer and the woman holding a sickle with the caption reading boldly "EQUALITY FOR ALL WORKERS!". The color scheme was exclusively varying shades of red, orange, and yellow. Another was a much more bland poster, in nearly complete black and white except the emblem of Iverik Socialism was printed out in it's full color scheme of sharp red, yellow, and black. The caption on this one read "THE PARTY LEADING US FORWARD YESTERDAY, TODAY, AND TOMMOROW!".

David wasn't quite sure what the poster was referencing to in saying that it was "leading us forward". He turned right at the corner and could see his apartment just a little further down the street. He could see his wife again, unless she went out with their remaining rations to get various things. Above his apartment, he could see the flag of the Iverik Empire, fluttering in the wind. He felt an involuntary wave of nationalistic pride, but it quickly subsided. David never knew why, but looking at the flag, the supposed "banner of liberty" as was remarked time to time again in the press, always made him felt uneasy. After the small bout of pride dissipating, he always felt a heavy feeling in his chest just looking at it. Something came over him, perhaps it was sadness, no, it was more akin to remorse. David couldn't tell way, but the flag pulled on his heart strings in a negative way, in a malicious way. He could not confine this in anyone, not even his own wife. She was one of the more fanatical Party loyalists. He felt loss, he knew something was horribly wrong. He always got that feeling from time to time again, but he couldn't make up his mind what it was.

By now he was entering his apartment and shoved those feelings back deep into his subconscious. There at the front desk was a woman, probably thirty-five years of age. David handed her his ID card, and after a momentarily pause she said something under her breath, nodded, and handed the card back to David. He walked up the stairs, found his room, fished out his key and unlocked the door.

He called out "Anna?".

No response.

David sat his brief case down and looked at the table. There was the note that read "Im out to use some of our food coupons. I'll be back soon Love ~A" she also scribbled on a cutesy little smilie face. There was no doubt that he loved her, and almost certainly vice versa, but there was something terrifying with living with her. She was completely engrossed in Party doctrine, completely obsessed with the principles of Iverik Socialism. She would both join and help organize party-sponsored group hikes, she would in her free time read books written and published by the very people who lead the Revolution, she even gives pro-abstinence talks to Upper Party teenagers from time to time. She is truly an example of how a Upper Party member should behave; she has even denounced her friends and even her own flesh and blood sister to the police before. The family unit of today in the Iverik Empire is but an extension of the police, family members are expected to keep eyes on each other incase there is some form of political heresy, some kind of inner hatred for the status quo. David also knows for sure that she spies on him, and she acts as if it is normal for husband and wife, daughter and son, all to spy on each other and speak out.

Of course all Upper Party members do that now-a-days. It is taught to Upper Party children in schools and in books and on the television and in music to watch their parents, and to watch their siblings. There is even a list of tell tale signs to look out for and if someone displays them, to alert the police immediately. Everyone acts as if it's normal, but David refuses to accept that. He isn't just considering it, he believes, he knows that there must've been a time in each couples trusted each other, a time where the main vocal point of marriage was love and not Party loyalty and creating children to further serve the country. A time where the police didn't survey all levels of society and in which the seemingly continuous arrests that are always on the news don't happen.

It didn't matter now. It was too late. David sat on the couch, turned on the television, and waited for his wife to get home.

[Sjovenia]

Joffrey Pettigrew

Belgija District, Sjovenia

"No..."

"What? Why not?"

"You do not have the proper authorization to enter"

"What do you mean???"

"You lack the Form CA9378, it is required by the Civil Authorities Protection Force of Sjovenia. You also, being a foreigner and not a citizen or national of Sjovenia, require a visa.....that's been paid for and stamped. You have here a blank visa stating your business in the country. However, you do not have a stamp and it wasn't verified that its been paid...good day." Joffrey said with a bit of an attitude. It had been a long week and it was finally Friday. His shift was almost over with little less than an hour to go.

Joffrey Pettigrew was a 22 year old Border Guard for the Civil Authority Protection Force. The Border Guards were more militaristic looking compared to most careers and duties in the CAPF. During morning shift Joffrey had manned the pedestrian side of the job but after lunch his shift was on controlling the traffic via road. Joffrey looked over at his coworker "Hey, I'm closing down for a minute, need a cigarette break." his coworker nodded as he stepped outside what he called the shack. Carrying his MP5 he adjusted his flight cap bearing the CAPF symbol. A blue circular badge with silver trimmings and a silver flame in the middle.

As he walked towards the designated smoking area Emily walked out. "Hey" he said nodding towards her. "Hey yourself guy..." she said with a bit of play. They both pulled out their cigarettes and Joffrey offered her a light. "Such a true gentleman" she said jokingly. "Fuck off" he muttered with a smile. "Aaaaaaand just like that he's gone." she said with a look of disappointment. "It's been a long day...cant wait to get home." he said taking a drag from his cigarette. Emily nodded in agreement "So hows the motorway?" she asked slightly shivering as a wind passed by. "Fine..." Joffrey said with pursed lips as he tried to cover his cigarette from being blown out. "Just had to turn a few cars around for lack of paperwork. Speaking of...hows work as a desk jockey?" he mocked with his lips still pursed around his cigarette. "Har har...I deal with assholes as well you know?" she said staring him down. " Ah shit....better get back in there. Line is building up again....See ya later!" Emily said quickly putting out the cigarette and rushing back inside. "See ya" Joffrey muttered as he did the same.

Joffrey slowly made the trudge back to his windowed "shack" before clicking a button. Above his window a green light illuminated and some cars began to form up in a qeue. "Welcome to Sjovenia, papers please..."

[Kanadorika]

August 19, 2002
Downtown Brautarhólmur, Republic of Kanadorika

Erika Oférsdóttir

"This is our country now! Our country! We have taken over, and we will drive you out!" The man yelled, attempting to silence me and prevent me from speaking my mind. I would have none of that.

"Your country? Do you honestly think that you can just walk here and claim my country? Let me tell you something; this nation has defeated plenty of enemies who have attempted to invade in the past. We have crushed them. You Jihadists? You are pathetic. Scum. You literally have no way to take this country by force." My cheeks were flushed, lips pursed. I wanted nothing more than to punch the man, but I had to restrain myself. Nevertheless, he ignored what I said and continued his own rant.

"Yes my country. Kanadorika belongs to Allah now, and you will convert or we will force you to leave. We will rule through shariah law to smash the non believer!"

I chuckled. The Jihadist was clearly dillusional if he truly belived in any of the nonsense he we spewing. To my right were more jihadists and terrorist sympathizers, waving flags belonging to the Islamic Union. They too were harassing Kanadorikan passerbys.

I knew it was useless, but I countered his statement anyways.

"Oh? And what force are you going to utilize to chase my fellow Kanadorikans out of our land?  You call your pathetic collection of terrorists an army? We will eradicate you from the face of the planet."

With a swift motion, he reached forward and put his hand around my neck until he managed to squeeze the air out of my lungs. He was chanting. "Allahu Ackbar! Allahu Ackbar!"

I clawed at his hands desperately in an attempt to get them off of me, but it was no use. I could not manage enough air to scream, and the world around me began fading.

With what consciousness I still had in me, I saw a black leather boot make contact with the jihadist's torso, breaking his hold on me. I collapsed to the ground as I gasped for air to regain what I had been deprived of, and looked up to see my saviour. He was a tall man, powerfully built with a strong jaw. He was dressed in a black uniform, though it wasn't one I could recognize. Around his arm was a red armband with an eagle on it. He reached his hand down and offered it to me, pulling me back up.

"Uhh... Thank you." I said to him, grateful, but unsure of who the hell he was. I heard screaming from my right and saw my attacker being pummeled with nightsticks by other men in the same black uniforms.

"Of course sister."

By now, the scene had turned into a riot, with brawling filling the street. My saviour yelled  something and the others like him began forming a wall between me and the rioters. He raised his right arm out in an extended salute, and began chanting, "Hail Kanadorika!" The others followed suit, and they confindently walked into the chaos, bashing In the heads of jihadists with their batons and protecting the Kanadorikans from any form of retaliation. They were brutal, covered in the blood of others, but remained highly organized in their line. After sustained injuries, the Jihadists finally retreated from the scene and left the other Kanadorikans alone.

I still had not the slightest idea of who those men were.
 

[Treko]

Cpl. Josef Novotný
Great Steppes, Central Yuan
13th Mechanized Infantry Korps

I gripped my assault rifle evermore tightly as a cool breeze swept across the massive steppes of Yuan. It didn't happen a lot but the cool breeze would always catch you off guard with how fast it came down the open plains. The brisk cool air reminded me of my home back on the coastline of Treko. Sadly, the cool breeze didn't have the smell of the sea attached to it but I think that would be the best greeting back home. Nonetheless, as thoughts of home disappeared from my mind I looked at the grand steppes one final time before I continued with the patrol of the perimeter outside the wall of the FOB.

"Cpl. Novotný, how goes the patrol of the perimeter, over?" said the static voice as it emanated from my radio set.

"All clear command. So far nothing has passed into my view , over" I replied as I took my hand away from the radio and looked back at the steppes. Another breeze swept across the plain but I ignored it as I squinted at the never ending steppes hoping to catch a glance of some unknown enemy.

"Roger that, Cpl. Novotný. Be advised that we have received word from HQ that Warlord units have been spotted in the area. If you spot any be sure to call it in immediately and fallback into the FOB, over"

"Copy that, Command." I responded as I continued my patrol of the perimeter. I had seen action before when this operation first started but things were changing. Currently our orders were to sit in our FOB and guard it until reinforcements arrived for the push into Central Yuan. I heard that the Northern and Southern areas of operation were getting some pretty heavy fighting. Lucky bastards. We've been sitting here with our thumbs up our asses and it was getting boring. Despite wanting action I wasn't looking to go into an engagement unprepared. However, blasting a steppes rider sounded like a lot of fun.

POP...POP...POP..POP..POP

I ignored what command was blasting out of my radio and just booked it towards the entrance of the FOB. The guard at the gate was motioning at us with his free hand to get in as quickly as possible before he closed the metal gate behind us. I quickly looked around and sighed with relief that everyone outside the FOB had gotten in safely. With assault rifle in hand I moved towards the ramparts of the FOB and took up position before scanning the steppes. I saw no one and it had gotten quiet after the first shots. Sniper was the most obvious answer and I wasn't to keen on that idea. Exposed heads make nice targets.

I fucking hate Yuan....

[Kanadorika]

July 15, 2017

Östsjö, Kanadorika

---

The Grand Master stood across from me, his face only illuminated by the flames flickering from the torches on the wall. We were deep within the crypt of Östsjö cathedral, the sarcophagi belonging to long dead bishops flanking us on all sides. Their effigies lay on top of their tombs, somber reminders of our own mortality.

"Do you, Jakob Vernharðsson, seek to join arms with The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon?"

"Yes," I confidentially answered, my mind fixated on what was to come.

The Grand Master was wearing a white hooded cloak with the red cross of the order brilliantly embroidered on the breast. He continued, "Do you have any debts?"

"No Grand Master."

"Are you betrothed  or married?"

"No Grand Master"

"Are you in good health?

"Yes Grand Master"

"Do you belong to any other order?"

"No Grand Master."

"The rules of our order," the Grand Master specified, "are strict, and you are beginning a life of endurance, and not one of ease; one of danger, and one of self-denial. You will have to watch, when perhaps you will be sighing for sleep; to endure fatigue, when you would fain rest; to be hungry and thirsty, when you are longing to eat and to drink; and to leave one country for another without a moment’s hesitation, if your vow requires it."

"Understood Grand Master."

"Recite your vows now."

"I swear to defend with my life, my strength, and my speech, the holy doctrines of the Trinity and the Catholic faith ; I promise to be obedient and submissive to the Grand Master; and to travel by sea or by land if need be, to defend my brother Christians against the Infidels. My right hand and sword shall be dedicated to the service of the Keisar and Church against the Moslems; and I swear never to shun a combat with any miscreants if only three in number. I will fight them in single combat, and never fly from an enemy."

"As Grand Master of our order, I hereby present you with this sword and tabard." He stepped forward and handed the items to me, then placed three kisses on my body; one on my lips, neck, and stomach. "As of today, you are a Knights Templar, a warrior of Christ, a defender of Christiandom."

The crusade to liberate Syretros from the Islamic hordes had been declared by the Pope and our Keisar, and I was now the bane of the Infidels. We shall not fall.

[Dominatus Leviathan]

When I finally disembarked from the secret submarine, designed for utmost secrecy, I was greeted by a gust of freezing wind, I shivered, as a man in a radiation suit approached me, he shock my hand, and took me inside, and after closing the doors, took off his mask and started talking.

You must be the recruit from the academy. Welcome to your new home away from home. Here, I shall bring you your radiation suit.

But I thought I was here to study climate patterns?

The man laughed, as he returned with a full, smaller radiation suit for me.

You really believe that? You must not have been paying attention in history. The Empire does not care about the climate. We are here to develop new weapons for warfare. Though technically banned by wartime conduct treaties, we need any advantage we can get in the current political climate.

I stared, shocked by what I was hearing, but I nodded as he explained my duties, I was to work with the already stationed departments to develop new, more advanced Bio/Chemical Weapons for the Empire's use. Science always did interest me so I had no moral concerns.

The next day I was working with a colleague, who seemed a bit over-enthusiastic about his work, after a brief introduction to my duties, which included research on materials and synthesising new new weapons, threw me a small container. He then nonchalantly said

It's fairly cold in here. Don't drop that. It's anthrax.

I quickly put the container down and made a mental note to never knock anything off a table.

[Kanadorika]

ᚺᛁᚷᚺ ᛗᛁᚾᛁᛋᛏᚱᛃ ᛟᚠ ᛁᚾᛏᛖᚱᚾᚨᛚ ᛋᛖᚲᚢᚱᛁᛏᛃ

---

From: Erling Sjaastad

---

To: Hópurfoher Finngdosson, Hópurfoher Laarsen

---

Subject: O.V. Order 339

---

FOR AUTHORIZED EYES ONLY

---

It has been half a year since the former Supreme Minister Herja Aresdottir has turned her back on fascism and reverted to monarchism by narcissistically declaring herself as the "Empress of Kanadorika." It seems that the rest of the AIO, being her own puppet from her time as the High Ministry's head, has done nothing but follow Aresdottir and reject the principles of fascism which the late Supreme Minister Gottskálksson stood for when he guided our nation away from the degeneracy of republicanism.

Unfortunately, even the People's Party, formerly the source of Kanadorikan fascism has rejected their ways and now fully supports the monarchist government and this new empire. We, the Overndarsveitin were intended to be the guardians of our new revolutionary society, and that shall not be a role we shrink away from. Upon the issuing of this order I expect you prepare for mobilizing your divisions and men and prepare them for upcoming action. We will take back our nation by force if it is necessary. The Imperial Armed Forces shall not stand in our way of revitalizing the dream we had worked so hard to achieve.

The Imperial Government is now the enemy of the Overndarsveitin, and thus, we must hide our intention from the AIO. I expect all of my general officers to meet with me in the OV compound in Edinvil, Thorlaksros on the date of 04/11/17, where we will discuss our future actions.

Erling Sjaastad
Æðsti-Hópurfoher

---

ORDERS ARE TO BE EXECUTED IMMEDIATELY

[Union of Euro Soviet States]

19:00 Hours
Beach north of the official border
Gefreiter Alexander
-------------
Alexander awoke inside his IFV, The best thing a Peoples Tank assault division could get that's close to . Where he fell asleep the previous night checking gear and more importantly his IFV. Gleaming with the colors of the UOESS, A Dark and deep blue matted to almost make a naval camouflage which would work for breach, If not for the bright golden trim of the IFV and Yellow Sword and Cannon. Symbol of the UECS Tank forces. He after getting up and groggly looking around. Well trying to look around as he hits his luckily helmeted head on a optic in the turret saying to himself "Where in the bleeding hell is the rest of the crew?"

And his response would not come in the sound of reports from his radio calling him a idiot for now seeing them but instead. The massive pounding of what at he first thought was artillery leading to him while clambering out of the rear hatch shouting out "Its a bloody Artillery Barra-!" He would be cut off as he falls in front of the boot of, as he looked up his superior office. Finely trimmed in his well pressed and dressed blue and gold uniform, Look like someone in the wrong time or place, Almost like one of the Kanadorika or Levithan elite soldiers. Or at least what Alexander would think one would look like.

What seperated him from those fascist pigs however is instead of shooting him, He offered a hand saying in a thick Central UECS accent "Ist about timen you voke Grefrieter, Ve'vhere almost about to start the assault without vou." Alexander would accept the hand smirking as it dragged him up. responding in a half mocking tone "ja Ja ja! Just abandon your gunner in a covert assault vhere if ve frak up ve all get executed!" He say chucking as he looked down to where they would be assaulting . A small town makeshiftly turned into a wooden fortress, a Fortress being pounded by multiple artillery cannons firing 13 rounds a minute but a fortress none the less.

"Alright maybe not that covert." He would once on his feet side step his officer trying to see what the hell was making all that noise seeing its what appear to be one of the mechinized battalions APC's playing some sort of Kanadorika metal of some sort. But soon all of that would be changed as the officer pulls out a radio. Saying some quick near un intellagble german into it. Leading to his crew, and soon him rushing into their Vehichles. Charging down the hill as guns blaze, Both the PanzerKorps, The enemies, The artillery and. Inside the cockpit. Music blazes even louder, Loud enough to drown out any thoughts or anything else besides adrenline. Yelling at him to kill or be killed. Truly tis the Tankers life for Alexander.

[Kanadorika]

Ingolfsfell, Ekjaldr Territory - Kanadorikan Empire

Krista Grímsdóttir

[Metsa Vennad]

A tribal area north of Alexandria that united to defend itself because the people thought they could not fight alone, but as one they could
United for cultural, economic, and defense reasons. A confederation of 6 tribes. The people of Kenlika united under their similarities in culture, their need for greater wealth among their people, and their understanding that a united defense force could be a good thing to defend against any potential invaders. The nation is guided by a group of Chieftains. One from each of the six tribes. Their military is, despite the time, still quite primitive. As an underdeveloped nation Kenlika has no allies and has no official navy despite having a few canoes that can be rode on by a few tribesmen.

[Kanadorika]

Dekanus (Sergeant)
Imaakka Nanoq
53rd Heavy Cavalry Battalion

October 8, 2016
In the vast deserts of Terani...

---

BBO-22 Valkyrja MkII

BBO-20 Keisari II MkII tanks

"Its fucking hot out here."

I frowned, punching Ísak in the arm for complaining.

"No shit, you're in a desert. What did you expect?"

It had been only two weeks since Loftkánadórika Flight 890 was bombed by the Islamic Union. Supreme Minister Herja Aresdóttir declared war on both the terrorist faction of Islamic Union and the nation of Terani, whose military was among the mightiest in the world and was suspected of directly funding the IU. Our battalion was in the middle of absolutely nowhere, our platoon in the process of staging, We sat outside on top the turret of our tank. The intense heat from the sun reflected off of the hard steel of the tank onto us. The atmosphere was new to us all. The temperature never rose this high in Kanadorika, even during the middle of the summer. I personally was more accustomed to ice than the oceans of fire hot sand which stretched infinitely beyond the horizon.

"Where is our bloody kenturion (lieutenant)?" Ísak complained once more.

We had a crew of three: Korporáll (Corporal) Ísak, our driver, Óbreyttur (senior private) Reginn, our gunner, and myself as commander. Our tank was the BBO-22 Valkyrja, which had only recently entered service and would be seeing combat for the first time today. The first thing I had noticed about the tank when I trained with it was its gun; a massive 6" (152mm) cannon whose barrel stuck considerably out of the turret and hung far out. It wasn't the first 6"/65 tank in Kanadorikan service, however prior to my retraining I was accustomed to the 5" (127mm) gun of my previous tank. This thing was a monster.

"I think that's him right there." Reginn shouted, perhaps a bit too loud considering he was right next to me.

I nodded. "Aye, lets go talk to him." I hopped off of the tank, my boots landing on the soft sand of the ground with a thud. "So," I began, looking at the kenturion. "What's the plan?"

"Well, recon has identified enemy heavy armor some 20 miles due east. Now, from what we are aware of, we have the element of surprise, so let's go in there, knock them out, and continue forwards. Understood?

"Yes sir" I acknowledged with a wide smile on my face. I was expecting to clash with Teranese light units, but not full on tank on tank warfare. The thought of it filled me with eagerness to see what the Valkyrja could do.

"Excellent. Let's move out." The kenturion turned away as I climbed back onto my tank, facing my crew to give them the good news.

"Well, looks like we are about to shoot us some armored towelheads for real this time."

"Yeah?" Reginn shouted with elation.

"Hell yeah. Teranese tanks are 20 miles to the west and they don't know we are here. Let's go fuck 'em up." I hopped off of the turret down to the front of the hull of the tank, opening the hatch and climbing inside. The Valkyrja tank had a fully automated and unmanned turret, meaning the crew sat in a special compartment at the front. I grabbed my cap and placed it on my head, buckling it in place. Ísak followed, settling himself at the helms.

I placed my hand on his soldier, getting his attention. "Abreast formation, ten yards distance. We are going to rush them at full speed."

"Roger that," he beamed enthusiastically.

"Reginn, we are going up against heavy armor, lets throw some sabots on those motherfuckers."

He nodded without saying a word, being interrupted by the roar of the tank's turbine engine whining to life. I stood up, exposing my upper torso outside of the open hatch to gain a better view of the outside world. The battalion began pulling apart, ensuring sufficient distance lay between the tanks to avoid any accidental collisions.

"Forwards, full speed" I directed to Ísak. The wind began brushing against my face, forcing me to don my goggles to avoid the inevitable sand from blasting my eyes. The rest of the unit raced alongside us, throwing up clouds of dust behind their tanks as they moved on. A wicked resonance began gradually growing in the sky above, and I looked up to see a squadron of carrier based A-20 Schmitar attack aircraft, no doubt en route to hunt down some prey. They had a reputation in the military for being able to drown out every other sound on the battlefield when they flew over, a result of their high powered turboprop engines and contra-rotating propellers. Hell, it was more than just a mere sound, I could feel their propellers tearing up the air in my body.

The miles quickly ticked by, being made short when traveling at over 40 miles per hour. Of course our engine was burning through exorbitant amounts of fuel, though our tankers would be following up right behind us. For now, we had nothing but open desert ahead of us, a tanker's dream considering we were trained in the dense forests of Northurland.

The intercom suddenly erupted in my ear. "This is Dekanus Räisänen! We got bogies two o'clock, three thousand yards! Preparing to engage! Over!"

I crawled back into the tank and closed the hatch above me.

Time to put the Valkyrja to the test...

[Kanadorika]

Seong Ri-Park
Lieutenant

---

"I'm sorry Major, but our nearest aircraft are an hour to the west. Can you hold out that long?"

Major Finnsson ground his teeth, speaking as calmly as he could despite the stress of the situation. "Understood. Have we been cleared to use special munitions should we be surrounded?"

"Not yet Major. Your request has not gone through."

"Understood." He put down the radio, inescapable doom evident on his face.

"Alright men, listen up. The Erapian heavy armored column that just kicked our ass and forced us back here? Well, they are en route to our position. They know we are here, and frankly, the terrain behind us makes retreat impossible. Let's dig in the best we can. If we are going to go down, let's take some of those bastards with us."

I pulled the trenching shovel off of my back, stabbing its tip into the dry soil below. The Major was close by, looking down in the distance with a pair or binoculars. Our position afforded an excellent view of the battlefield below. We were perched atop a low, gentle hill, the dry brush of the scrubland was short enough to provide a view out to the horizon, but obscuring our position enough to make pinpoint firing on our men difficult. The Erapians knew we were here, but an exact location beyond a general area was still (hopefully) unknown to them.

I began digging a trench large enough for several men to use, and deep enough to crouch in and protect our heads. My squad followed, and after about an hour, our job was complete, and we sat inside our trenches, waiting for the inevitable. I pulled out a pack of cigarettes to pass the time.

"Fuck, I need a light. Gús, you got one? I don't think I've ever needed a cig more than I do now."

Corporal Gús chuckled and smiled mischievously. "Yeah I got one, but it'll cost you."

"Ah shit, trying to blackmail me after all these years, huh?" I pulled out a second cigarette for him and handed it over.

"Alright you win take it."

"I'm glad we could have this exchange Lieutenant."

Gús lifted his lighter up to my cigarette and sparked it up.

"Thanks mate." I said, bringing it to my lips and taking a puff.

Trails of smoke kicked up by the Erapian tanks became visible about a dozen miles away, and they gradually grew closer with each moment. The Major's radio buzzed to life once more.

"Major Finnsson! Your request has been cleared"

"Affirmative. Special munitions will be used."

The Major stood up out of his trench, his face partially restored to a more neutral state.

"Command has approved a request I made concerning the usage of atomic munitions, so here's the plan. This is our only hope for coming out of this alive. We're gonna to nuke those bitches with our howitzer. When the initial shockwave passes over our heads, Lieutenant Seong's platoon is to advance towards ground zero and scout damage and report back on his findings. We will be making history boys, but we will survive. Get back in your trenches men and keep your heads down."

The men did just as he said, the thud of dozens of boots smacking the compacted dirt at the bottom of each trench sounding out.

Charging into an atomic blast... This wasn't quite what I had in mind when I enlisted, but fuck it. Who else can claim they've done the same?...

The howitzer men in the back shouted out a series of measurements and degrees. I glanced behind to see them handling the 8 inch shell, preparing to lift it into the breech with a winch.

I put my attention back to the tanks, which were at about 7 miles distance. Any normal howitzer would find hitting them with one shell the first time at this distance to be a daunting task, though with nuclear shells I supposed accuracy didn't matter much.

A voice rang out behind me once more.

"Preparing to fire! Heads down, eyes covered!"

I pulled my head down below the berm of the trench and closed my eyes, covering them with both hands. Soon enough, a thunderous boom struck out and the sound of a freight train roared as the shell passed overhead.

One...two...three...four...

I counted in my head the time until detonation , each individual second lasting an eternity and dragging on to unbearable levels.

I only got to 5. In an instant, the brightest flash. I had ever experience managed to reach my eyes. For a brief moment, even with my eyes tightly shut, the light pierced my overlapping hands and revealed the skeleton which lay within them. I looked up to see a hellish fireball sprouting from the ground, consuming and vaporizing everything in its path. A tremendous crack rang out across the horizon, several seconds delayed from the flash.

Those poor bastards... Victims of 20th Century science.

The shockwave was visible, travelling across the ground at supersonic speeds. I ducked my head once more as the force of the shockwave ripped through my own body and the men around me. The super heated blast of hot air would have surely burned us had we been exposed.

I poked my head up for the final time, observing the fiery mushroom cloud as the intensely bright fireball subsided into a monstrous plume of dark smoke and debris which reached into the heavens like a hand to God.

"Let's go men, out of the trenches and over the top!" I shouted to the others, in complete awe at the total destruction we had just witnessed. This wasn't even warfare. This was an infantry force completely slaughtering a superior enemy armored unit.

We pulled ourselves up, grabbing our rifles and walking towards the atomic nightmare unfolding just ahead. The cloud continued rising, looming over our position like a gigantic monster which we were were tasked with defeating.

The cloud faded as we grew closer and the damage the blast inflicted only became more apparent. Eventually, we began passing shrubs stripped of their leaves. Pieces of twisted metal were scattered on the ground as if they were dropped from an airplane. Tanks were knocked over, their hulls caved in, being nothing more than mere toys against the power of the atom. Bodies lay strewn about, their flesh incinerated and revealing the bone underneath. They appeared as if they had been left to decompose for weeks and we had only just stumbled upon their long dead and eroded corpses.

A slow movement to my right caught my eye. I spun my head to find a tattered Erapian soldier. The man's skin was charred, afflicted with horrendous third degree burns. His face was bloodied and his clothes in shreds, but he certainly was alive. A piece of steel shrapnel stuck out of his left thigh, the burns cauterizing the wound and preventing it from bleeding. He seemed to be cupping something in his hands, inspecting it with a blank expression lining his face. I kneeled down closer to discover that it was his eyeball hanging from his empty eye socket, the optical cord still attached. The soldier tried pushing it back into his skull to no avail, and now held on to it desperately; his last treasured possession in this world.

I couldn't let him sit there like that. The man had survived a nuclear blast, only to succumb to his burns and lacerations hours later in a excruciating, torturous death. I would instead end it for him myself.

I drew my pistol and placed it behind his skull. The Erapian didn't even flinch. Rather, he looked relieved, almost thankful that I was hastening his inevitable death. He pulled out an object from his breast pocket; a photograph of an older woman whom I assumed was his mother, and muttered something in his language. The man's voice was coarse, each syllable shooting pain into his throat like daggers.

With a short pause, I pulled the trigger. A gory explosion erupted in his skull and blew it apart. He slumped over dead; at peace, his brain resting in his lap. Chunks of scalp littered the ground next to his lifeless body.

"Let's keep going." I called out to the rest of the men, who seemed rather fascinated by the human remains created by the atomic whirlwind.

More tanks lay flipped and in chunks of pieces. Their turrets were ripped off. One seemed to land on its former commander, who had been out of the hatch before the explosion occurred. Needless to say, he was now without a head and his body was a pulpy mess, popped like a balloon underneath tons of steel.

As we reached ground zero, the debris shrank in size until it finally disappeared all together. Entire tanks vanished, vaporized from the intense heat of the blast. Those here were lucky; they never suffered the pain of being roasted alive that those at a further distance felt. These soldiers instead disappeared off the face of the Earth without a trace of their existence left.

This is where the fireball consumed everything in its path. The most modern, well protected vehicles of war? Not a chance they stood against atomic annihilation. Ashes fell from the heavens like nuclear snowflakes, coating the ground in a grey film. I could detect an oddly metallic sensation in my mouth, something which I had never quite tasted before.

I simply shrugged it off and continued pushing forwards. There was not a sign of evidence that an enemy force was formerly occupying the immediate surrounding area. The atomic shell has done its job wonderfully and evaporated the army threatening to obliterate us.

[Kanadorika]

Enrikk Hánsson
Arktik Patrol

---

The fire gradually died down and dwindled into glowing embers. The dogs had grown tired and had taken rest on the cold snow below, curling up into tight balls to preserve their body heat. I found sufficient warmth within my own sleeping bag, though I viewed the thick winter coats the dogs had with envy.

I was the only man in sight, sleeping on the vast icy planes of the northern Leirhofnian tundra as the Aurora Borealis flickered above in a cosmic dance. Despite this, I did not feel alone. I had the company of a dozen furry companions whose friendship I found invaluable during these long expeditions. One of the dogs, a female by the name of Deylíla, had fallen asleep by my head, her paw resting on my shoulder. Heat radiated from her core as she did her best to keep her master and best friend warm during what was a typical frigid Arctic night.

We had yet to run into any polar bears, though even if I didn't have the Gevehr 17 rifle laying by my side, I would have felt safe with the pups. For a couple of scraps of food a night and a head part and belly rub every now and then, they were the most loyal companions one could ask for. I often found myself carrying conversations with them when I mushed during the day, a likely symptom of what supreme desolation can do to a man.

I focused my attention to the night sky above. Northern Kanadorika was for the most part devoid of civilization, with few large towns existing at this latitude. This made the stars especially vivid, as they were not spoiled with light pollution.  Meteors streaked across the sky, catching the corner of my eyes and disappearing the moment I made eye contact. Satellites drifted slowly across the cosmos as they traversed their celestial orbit.

This was truly a no-man's land; inhospitable to all but the hardiest organisms. Miles of flat snowcover stretched for as far as the eye could see, though I knew there were mountains to the south that were obscured by the darkness.

The atmosphere was haunting. The universe expanded infinitely above me, proclaiming my insignificance in its grand scope of existence. Someday, perhaps, we would expand to the heavens and claim the planets and star systems as our own, placing the Imperial banner on each world our Empire conquested.

Someday...

Life as an Arktik Patrolman certainly wasn't easy. We were tasked with patrolling the vast northern tundra of northern Kanadorikan land for weeks at a time. We often worked in pairs, though every so often command would give us individual assignments to test our survival skills. My current assignment was such, and I was given sole responsibility over the dogs and the sleigh they pulled. Each dog was a purebred Kanadorikan Malamute, bred specifically for pulling loads hundreds of miles in sub zero conditions. These were hardy and stubborn dogs, but they were loving and affectionate.

Each sleigh was equipped with a pop up tent as part of its equipment, though I personally preferred laying under the stars in a sleeping bag. These dogs would give everything for me; the least I could do was lie down with them and keep them company. After all, I wasn't the only species here who required social interaction.

Howling in my immediate vicinity caught my attention, and I lifted my head to discover one of the dogs wide awake.

"Shhhhh.... Hey! Athena! You're going to wake everyone up. Be quie-"

More dogs woke up, opening their sleepy eyes and returning the howl.

So much for sleeping I guess...

And so I had the fantastic opportunity to listen to a bunch of furballs howl at nothing in particular, perhaps as an excuse to make senseless noise. Even Deylíla raised her head up from her slumber, though she didn't partake in the racket.

It was said by folklore that the Kanadorikan far north was haunted by the spirits of those who perished there. These spirits were benevolent, and would supposedly assist travelers in need. One of these was simply known as "the Girl in White", so named because of her white dress. Tradition said she was the ghost of a five year old girl whose mother had abandoned her and left her to die in the frost.

I personally didn't believe in the tales. After all, hysteria is quite easy to set in when you're all alone and mother nature is set on killing you. As a human, I was infringing on the habitats of animals who were veterans at surviving the Arctic.

Nevertheless, despite my skepticism, there were times where even I felt the presence of what seemed to be the Girl in White. The unexplainable sound of children's laughter? These voyages seem to be driving me to insanity.

I placed my head back down on the sweater I was using as a makeshift pillow. The dogs settled down once more, hopefully for the night. Deylíla was fast asleep, snoring loudly and twitching from whatever it was she dreamed about. I had better catch some rest now as well, as come tomorrow, we would be back to mushing.

[Imperial State of The Isles of Toxis]

Karl had a nice breakfast today , he had his coffee in his hand and his newspaper in the other one , he’s now marching towards his throne , the sofa . He sat on the sofa and started reading ... he was shocked , Ezhara had surrendered ! “So quick ?!” He thought ... this was better then excepted and the State was finally doing something , he imagined the famous war room and the generals within ... the way they laughed and then cursed Texis like they always did . That thought bored him so he started thinking that there must aleo be a parade in the near future , probably in Femasa the most northern city and then in Woroshire , the capital ... he was so exited maybe he could go to a trip to watch the parades ... but his job wouldn’t let him go ... no , it wouldn’t . He had to stay and supervise the beer factory , damn job was boring , just sit on a chair and make sure people do what they’re supposed to and they’re always doing what they’re supposed to ... the thought reminded him of his days in the army , the victory over Texis and the Operation “Blitz” , he thought of his comrades , what were they doing now ? Were they still in the army ? Did any of them built a family like he did ? Maybe some had continued their career just like his cousin did ... his lucky cousin , he was in command now , the highest position in the Empire only under the Emperor ! He was always proud of him , he was also probably laughing and cursing with the rest of the command . The fast surrender was nice indeed , no lives were lost and no resources were wasted , an ideal victory but there was a small problem that terrorist group “Play right” or “play write” or whatever it’s name was can cause a bit of trouble but they would also understand that Toxis is a gentle giant or a wanna-be giant ... WAIT SALES UP TO 50% !?

[Zkoda]

The war begun at midnight
Feifelstadt fell by lunch under heavy shelling and ten battalions surged across the long western border
High command advanced to Nebelsbad

the grand Hotel of Nebelsbad, the old and proud Ritz Imperial was turned to the high command of the Zkodan forces



The way they arrived, arrogant and sure of their victory. The Zkodans were laughing, they were in a celebration mood, they were talking about the success of their bombardment ... I wondered what they were bombarding, could it be cities ? Villages ? Hastily put together armies of boys ? Nobody knew yet, at least nobody in Nebelsbad, the staff couldn’t really hear much outside of the doors (as the Zkodans were pretty secretive indeed) and as Hotel staff they had the obligation to keep their mouths shut.

But well, they didn’t even try, the hotel’s owner and a large portion of the employees were Zkodish as well, they had put flags and decorations all around the place to welcome their new Overlords, it was also possible that all this was to convince the high command that it would be best if they stayed here since it was also true that they had agreed to pay the full price with a small discount for their stay. Nobody was really upset, my colleagues if not celebrating were working, and they were glad to be working, nobody wanted to end up like those poor souls who were working in Trekkish companies. Overall nobody really had a reason to risk his life to get some vital information for a nation that didn’t have an army yet, well except the most die hard of nationalists

But to be honest what difference did it make to be under one administrator or another ? They spoke the same language(well, the way they speak it is a disgrace I must admit that), had similar customs and similar ideals but the dissent runs back to the medieval era,first of all they were the reason of the breakup of the Empire and second of all in the times of the Kingdoms, our Kings never could get along but well ... both of their lines were dead anyways, butchered by the Trekkish swines ! Coming to think of it their rule is preferable to that of the Trekkish, nobody liked the Trekish here, absolutely nobody, dissent towards them run even as back as the stone age, just to not speak a similar tongue as them we had changed our language ! Hate towards them was in our veins, the Zkodish shared this hate, one of many things we have in common actually

Even though we were in a state of war there wasn’t really fighting going on, yeah we could hear the cannons firing but other than then there was no sound of any conflict, the people were busy with their daily work ... at least those who still had one, many people had lost their jobs in the Market Crash, especially in the heavy industry since most of the factories were owned by the Trekkish, they are now probably either hunting in forests or begging in streets and we also had no food to give them, usually we gave whatever was left from the food but the Zkodans really had big stomachs, they wiped the food we put on their tables clean

All and all the country is in disarray, the situation is chaotic as always and the Zkodan offensive didn’t really chnaged anything except, well, saving my and my colleagues’ jobs, since they are paying for their stay they filled our pockets immensely, it was as if the war am wasn’t going on, I mean except some grim reminders like a cannon shot at the distance or flags and uniforms it was just like before, I had to cook for a whole hotel of tourists

[Drevazyk]

Sofia Polivanov
Äänekoski, Haukipudas
The Kingdom of Drevazyk

---

The smell of diesel seeped into my window and woke me abruptly, without hesitation I brought my right hand up to my face. With my shaky hand, I felt the burn scar that covered the right side of my face. It was still there...ever present and still rough to the touch. I let out a small sigh and sat up on my bed before gazing out the window that was perpendicular from my bed. The view from the window gave me a clear view over downtown and the nearby port. Both downtown and the port were bustling with activity as if nothing had changed. I wanted to keep it that way. In this city and in this territory I controlled. This place would be where Trekkish Ideals still thrived and lived on within each citizen. However, I knew it wouldn’t be easy. The rest of Treko was controlled by warlords and other insufferable scum who thought they had the right to rule. I would make sure that the idea of uniting under them would never touch their lips.

Whilst I continued to gaze out the window and ponder about the future a light tapping came from my door. It was no doubt my minister of war-making sure I was up and about. Though with the continuous daily routine I’m sure he already knew I was up. So to keep up with said routine I arose from my bed and walked over to my dresser. I pulled out the top drawer and removed the neatly folded olive drab officers uniform before placing it on the bed. It was an old uniform...a uniform from when Treko was still unified. I still wore it to instill hope in the people but over all to instill hope in myself.

I opened the door to my room and was immediately met by my minister of war, Koldan Krymov. Despite being my right-hand man he didn’t really look the part. He stood a little taller than me and he had an athletic build but it was his face. He had a soft face that gave him a rather pleasant look but it was far from the truth. My minister of war was a ruthless man. I could personally attest to some of his actions which include strangling a man with a pair of trousers. Nonetheless, he was a loyal man to me and this nation. If anything were to happen to me well…

“Everything fine, General?” Koldan inquired, as we made our way down the hall which led to an elevator which we embarked.

“Yes...Just daydreaming I suppose.” I replied with a forced chuckle, “So what is on today's agenda?”

“Reconstruction, Military spending, borders, and the usual Zkoda problem.”

“This will surely be an interesting day,” I responded as the elevator came to a stop which we immediately left and took off to the war room.

[Kanadorika]

Svanbjörn Ogansson
Hrílækur County, Halfjord, Hvidovia

---

knock knock...

I paused from my readings, unsure if what I heard was indeed someone at the door.

knock knock knock...

It was undoubtedly somebody at my door, interrupting me from my literature. With a frustrated sigh, I put my book down on the desk and walked to answer the unexpected visitor. With a turn of the knob, I was confronted by a well groomed man, attired in a three piece suit.

"Hail Keisar," he greeted me, raising his arm in the standard salute.

I returned his greeting with my own. "Hail Keisar." The words disgusted me.

"Mr. Ogansson, I presume?" The gentleman replied upon seeing me.

I was taken slightly aback by the fact that the man knew my name, but shrugged it off. "Yes sir. How may I help you?"

"I am Deputy Edrikksson of the Hrílækur County Sheriff's Department. If you don't mind, I'd like to ask you a few routine questions regarding your recent traffic collision on the date of June twentythird of 2019." Edrikksson pulled out his wallet, flashing his badge and ID to confirm he was legitimate.

Ah... That damn car accident. My neck was still a bit sore from the incident.

"Oh yes. It was a nasty accident I must admit."

The officer put away his wallet, returning his gaze to mine. "I would certainly imagine. The autos were mangled wrecks in the photos. It's a miracle you survived as unscathed as you are. Anyways, as I'm sure you already know, the law requires us to transport you to a drug clinic to undergo routine drug testing. I understand you were not at fault for the accident, but we must follow procedure."

I was admittedly uncomfortable around the police given my less than legal activities. Nevertheless, I had no other choice but to comply here, for any resistance would lead to unwanted attention by the authorities. It's not as if they were here for any suspicious reasons either. It was common knowledge that the police drug tested all individuals involved in particularly bad auto accidents. "Of course deputy. I wouldn't mind at all."

"I thank you for your patience Mr. Ogansson. Now please, follow me to our car."

I followed the deputy outside, stepping foot on my front porch. I lived on the outskirts of the Brautarhólmurian Metropolitan Area; a massive conglomerate of tens of millions of people. This far outside of the city proper, however, was where the vast suburbs came into contact with the wild borreal forests, whose trees towered beyond my backyard. The day itself was blazing hot, the sun overhead heating up the temperature to 60°F. At this time of year, it would be another several weeks until the sun would set. It truly was a typical lazy summer day.

Deputy Edrikksson led me to his vehicle. It was a black unmarked luxury car sporting yellow Halfjord Cantonal license plates. He reached for the door handle, politely opening the rear passenger side door for me.

The deputy motioned for me to hop in before opening his own door. "Go ahead and have a seat back here Mr. Ogansson, we'll do the rest."

Upon sitting down, I realized there was a second individual in the driver's seat, whom I presumed to be another officer. He was dressed similarly to his partner, only his suit was navy blue compared to the other's black. The inside of the car clearly gave away that this was an emergency vehicle, something that was difficult to realize if just looking at the unassuming exterior. At the front of the passenger compartment lay scanner radios and switches to operate the siren and hidden strobe lights.

The two deputies discussed the best route to the medical clinic. The driver, whose voice I had yet to hear until now, spoke with a rural Hvidovian accent. After several more seconds of bickering with Deputy Edrikksson in the passenger seat, he put the car in gear and immediately looked over his shoulder at me.

"Nice to meet ye," he spoke as if he'd actually known me all along. "Deputy Máþiasson 'ere. Bangin' 'ot today, aye? Swore is 'otter than Akrifa righ' now." He chuckled, behaving surprisingly casual for a man I had just met. 'Ell I neva left 'dovia in me life anyway. I 'ear those bloodsuckin' buggers in 'ofn are absolute massive. No thank ye."

I couldn't hurt but smirk. "You mean those huge Leirhofnian mosquitoes aren't the stuff of legends? Amazing."

"Aye. The size of ye fist I 'ear." Deputy Máþiasson returned his attention back to driving, accelerating away from the curb.

…



We conversed for long enough that I lost track of time and location. I had realized that we were driving through the forests for quite some time now, and my suspicion with these men once again grew.

How possibly far could this drug testing clinic be?

The car continued barreling down the narrow two lane highway, spruce trees towering over us on either side. The car's GPS indicated we were going east.

Driving towards the Skaganes Mountains? What kind of clinic is this?

Realistically I had nothing to fear. This was, as Deputy Edrikksson said earlier, a routine procedure. Of course I wasn't exactly a routine passenger, and I couldn't shake the thought that perhaps these men knew more about me than they let on.

The car took a sudden turn on an unmarked dirt road, kicking up dust all around. It seemed to have been rarely traveled, the car's low body barely had enough clearance to travel over the rocks below. A small lake was visible through the windshield ahead, with the road terminating into an empty lot at its shore. A single parked car sat alone, backed in against the trees. A lone man stood forboodingly by the hood.

What was he wearing? It seemed to be some me sort of uniform; a baby blue peaked cap and coat with red epaulets....

It couldn't be... No. Not them....

Deputy Edrikksson turned to me, a twisted smirk on his face. "Have you caught on yet? I'm sure you've already come to the conclusion that we aren't driving you to a clinic,"

The car pulled into the lot and parked as my heart sank into my chest.

"Oh, and as for Máþiasson and myself? We aren't Sheriff's Deputies. Federal agents is more like it. To be specific, we are agents of the Ministry of the People's Justice, and we know exactly who you are Mr. Ogansson. We know that your true name is Frímann Vigfússon, and we know everything about that little organization you are part of. The NATSOC Front sound familiar?"

This was all a damn trap. It wasn't just some random accident I was involved with. The AIO intentionally caused a collision so that they could visit my house a week later without raising suspicion...

Agent Máþiasson spoke up in perfect metropolitan Hvidovian, his rural accent gone. "To be entirely honest with you, I was rather... how should I put this... excited when I heard that national socialists formed an underground group bent on revolution. I was only a rookie during the bloodless revolution." He chuckled at his last sentence, then continued, "In fact, what an oxymoron that is. The Bloodless Revolution? We made the streets red with the blood and entrails of the communists, anarchists, and national socialists. Overwhelming violence was the only answer to those who stood against our fascist rule, and we made sure to smash our jackboots into their skulls and end their pityful existences."

Edrikksson chimed in, sharing the same bloodthirsty grin his partner wore. "What Máþiasson is trying to say is that you Natsocs have added some extra exhilaration into our lives by coming together. And to think right here in the car with us is one of the chiefs of this illegal organization? To be frank, we wanted to see you publicly crucified, but the higher ups thought that would attract too much attention from your associates and scare them off like cockroaches. It's understandable, but disappointing. I hear we are reserving crucifixion for your boss though, so it certainly is something to look forward to."

How the fuck was my identity revealed? My true name was hidden to all but the top of the NATSOC Front. There was no way anybody there was an informant.

Agent Edrikksson opened his door, stepping outside before pulling open the handle on my own. His faux friendliness was gone, replaced by a wicked euphoria.

"Get out. We would like to introduce you to someone."

I briefly considered non-compliance, but decided against it. The gods would want me to show fearlessness in a moment like this. There was no hope in escaping. The fascist bastards held the upper hand here.

"Mr. Vigfússon. I've been expecting you."

It was the uniformed man, almost mocking me by using my real name in a Hameentrish accent as I stepped out of the seat of the car. My shoes crunched on the twigs and leaves of the forested groundcover.

"You see," the man went on, a cigarette hanging from his lips, "We aren't too terribly different. While economically you are little more than a sordid capitalist swine in everything but name, we can at least agree somewhat on our social policy, yes?" His cigarette glowed as he intentionally blew a puff in my face. "We both believe in what's best for our people, though sadly the national socialists seem to favor disbanding the empire and forming an independent ethnostate instead. We share the same enemies; the Jews, the Marxists, the anarchists. And yet we too are enemies. You reject Christ and his delegated political ruler on earth, our great Keisar Herja. Your group's obsession with the nation of Estland is also quite fascinating. Why fantasize over a people who have accomplished little when you were born a Norde? A ruler of the world?"

The other two officers walked off to the side, chatting among each other. the uniform man tossed his cigarette to the ground, grinding it with his boots to put out the embers, though it was much too damp regardless to start any fires.

"I must apologize for being rude. I believe I haven't introduced myself yet. I am Captain Saku Kilpeläinen. Native Hameentrish of course. I'm far from home, as you can tell. I don't have anything against Hvidovia, It's just not my home. But when I heard of this assignment, to take part in exterminating the outlaws of the NATSOC Front, I couldn't help but jump on it. And thus here I am today, with you feet away from me." The Captain let out a jolly laugh. He was savoring every moment of this.

I took advantage of those brief seconds where he was distracted by his own self amusement and lunged for his sheathed knife. My hands made contact with its hilt, sending waves of optimism through my body before his elbow smacked me in the jaw and the Captain pushed me back. Blood began to drip from my nose.

He let out another laugh. "Quite sneaky you are. Quite sneaky indeed." The Captain reached towards his belt and unholstered his sidearm. "This is the SK-03 semi-automatic pistol, standard issue in the Imperial Military as well as the High Ministry of Internal Security. It fires a small cartridge for a handgun, measuring only 5.7×28mm. Don't let its diminutive stature deceive you however. This weapon is designed to defeat the body armors found on the modern battlefield. Now unfortunately, you are not wearing any body armor, and thus I will be unable to see for myself how well the bulled penetrates on a live target.

Of course," he slyly smirked, "I could see the effects the bullet has on the human skull. While there is no doubt that your skull will be punctured and your brains turned to mush, the medical curiosity inside of me just can't shake such morbid imagery out of my mind. I must see it for myself."

Long ago, in my youth, I had heard of a peculiar habit that orcas living near the coast of Eyjan possessed. I was told that these hunters would not just instantly consume their prey once they located and cornered it, but that they would actually play with it as a cat would with a mouse. Supposedly, the whales would torture their victims for no other reason than entertainment. Even the apex predator needed some excitement.

From the corner of my eye an arm reached out and made contact with my already injured face. I was struck by an object much too hard to be a fist. It was the pistol. The force threw me on the floor in the prone position and I did the best I could to muffle any screams of pain that dared escape from my sealed lips. A boot made footfall on my lower back, the Captain placing his weight on it.

"On behalf of Her Majesty and the High Ministry of Internal Security, I, Captain Saku Kilpeläinen, do hereby announce that you will be terminated effective immediately for crimes including but not limiting to: high treason, heresy, blasphemy, and political noncompliance. Your immediate family will be apprehended and terminated by the state to once and for all exterminate the adverse affects your propaganda has had on them and prevent its spread into the society at large."

The Captain let out one last chuckle. "Do not worry, you will reunite with them in hell."

His grip tightened around the trigger and he gave it a slight but stern pull.

[Drevazyk]

Sergeant Venedikt Turov
The Kingdom of Drevazyk, Border to Disputed Territories
Треккиш пограничный отдел (ТПО)

---

The IMV traversed the dirt road smoothly, but the interior was an entirely different story. My squad and I held onto the bottom of our seats to avoid falling to the floor. Every bump could be felt and I prayed that the ride would come to an end but it didn’t. My squad and I had been enduring this road trip for nearly over 2 hours. Why? What was left of the Intelligence Agency was picking up a build-up of illegal crossings into Drevazyk. This was detrimental to the stability of Drevazyk because these border crossings were bringing in drugs, illegal immigrants, small arms, etc. Now General Sofia Polivanov was a hardliner and she didn’t take kindly to this illegal activity coming across the border. So her 2nd in Command, Koldan Krymov, was given the order to remove these threats from the nation. He had full reign of operations against these illegal activities. Putting it bluntly he was quite ruthless. These operations had been going on for several months and there was a sizeable decline in activity. However, Krymov didn’t want the small stuff. Krymov wanted to strike right at the heart of the activity. Needless To Say, hours of interrogation and torture of captured individuals finally paid off. Someone spilled their guts and gave us the name of the individuals in charge of these crossings… Slava Markov. When I read over his file it was pretty clear he was some random nobody that took advantage of the collapse. Overtime he had accumulated a criminal following. Thankfully, it was all crumbling before him.

The IMV came to a slow gentle halt and without hesitation, I pulled the lever up and opened the rear armored door. A part of me was expecting gunfire due to previous operations but our distance from the target concealed us for the time being. As my squad of 5 pulled perimeter, I watched as the 2 other squads disembark from their IMVs. When all squads were in place we began to push towards the compound. I was pulling up the left flank with my squad and sweeping around to the front of the compound.

As we neared the front of the compound we took positions in a defilade that was opposite of the front entrance. My squad and I watched the front entrance for a minute or so before a voice crackled over the radio...It was Koldan Krymov.

“...Remember, no one leaves the compound alive. Begin the operation, over and out ...”

There was a moment of silence before gunfire erupted. My squad, as well as the others, fired into the building. Glass shattered instantaneously, brick cracked showing the rebar beneath, and bullets perforated the interior drywall. The response from the criminals inside was quick as the fire was returned towards us albeit nowhere near our positions. As the return fire from the criminals continued I motioned for one of the men to respond. With an eerie silence, he pulled the rocket launcher from off of his shoulder, aimed, and fired. An impressive fireball blew out the front of the compound and caught the building on fire. Gunfire from within the compound seemed to stop as the fire began to engulf more and more of the compound. Sounds of the flickering flames were drowned out as two more rockets exploded within the compound which expedited the growth of the fire. Minutes passed before the front gate of the compound opened up revealing a convoy of 3 cars ready to depart. However, their escape was cut short as I opened fire with my TRk-762 straight into the driver side. The first car came to slow halt before another rocket hit the lead car making it a mere burning blockade. I motioned my squad forward and with weapons up, we approached the remaining 2 cars. Multiple individuals quickly exited the 2 cars with hands raised.

“Is Slava Markov here?” I shouted with my rifle still raised.

“Yes, don’t shoot!” replied Slava as I unloaded a volley into him before shooting the remainder with my squad.

[Drevazyk]

Sofia Polivanov
Äänekoski, Haukipudas
The Kingdom of Drevazyk

---

An exasperated sigh left my lips before I pinched the bridge of my nose and leaned back into my chair. I hadn't had a proper night sleep for some time and it was starting to show despite my best efforts to hide it. However, being the leader of a warlord state isn't exactly the easiest job in the world. Despite the best efforts of my 2nd-in-command, Koldan Krymov, the workload never seemed to dwindle in size. If anything I'm pretty sure the workload only increased. The only respite of peace I seemed to receive was during my review of intelligence reports on a variety of matters. I'm sure I don't have to look over everything but personally, I view it as part of the job. As I continued to relax in my brown leather chair I heard a ping emanate from my computer which I immediately leaned forward and investigated. The Intelligence Department had sent me two files via the secured LAN server. I gazed at the two files and hesitated to even open the files as it would stop my respite of peace. However, my curiosity got the best of me and I clicked on the first file labeled, "ISAT_Embassy." From what I gathered from the file there was an assault that took place against the Isatoshan embassy in Petrograd. What purpose to as why the warlord in that district agreed to that plan was certainly up in the air. He was either flexing his muscles, looking to get some hostages, or hoping to grab supplies. In regards to tactics, I would have personally just reduced that building to rubble before sending in the troops. Nonetheless, this action was certainly going to be dragged through the dirt. Though to be fair the fact they stayed in this collapsed state was on them... When the scroll bar wouldn't go any further I closed the "ISAT_Embassy," file and brought up the other file that was named, "Econ/Inter_Review." Upon opening and reading the file it was evident this was the monthly report on the economy and internal development. Usually, these were about the most boring things you could read but this report only brought a smile to my face. Our economic slump was coming back from the trashcan. The reform was finally showing and controlling the canal was bringing in good revenue. Nothing compared to the economic powerhouse we once were but everything was positive now.

With a smile still on my face, I grabbed the nearby phone that sat on my desk and called up my 2nd-in-command who quickly answered the phone, "Koldan... I bring some great news."

"Well, don't keep me waiting," Koldan replied, a slight annoyance could be heard in his rough voice.

"Begin mobilization for Operation Redemption. We move to take the oil fields and the iron mines."

"You better not be fucking with me...,"

"This the real deal. You got a week to get things underway before we move out."

[Treko]

Annika Trurikovichva
Treko, Haukipudas
The Empire of Treko

---

"You don't have to do this, your majesty. The doctors say you still need time to recover from the malnutrition," said Minister of War Sofia Polivanov, "The people will understand,"

I merely gave Sofia a side glance before focusing my attention back out the window of the car. It had been so long since I had seen the outside world. Down there in that missile silo I had not seen the beauty of the world nor had I breathed in the fresh cool air from the winter months. All that was down there was the stench of death and darkness. When we were beaten by the guards it was in pitch-black darkness. One could assume they took pleasure in beating us like the helpless animals that we were in there. Before I was saved the only peace of mind that I got was the thought that soon I would die and I would no longer have to suffer in this prison of hell. However, that peace of mind changed to pleasure when I watched those ТВСД operatives kill those guards. It was there in the hands of my saviors that I found that one must be ruthless and unyielding in the face of any obstacles. One of those obstacles was the Vovchaiv Cossacks that occupied the capital District of Vovchaiv. With the collapse of the nation, they had banded together and ruled over their "empire," but that was coming to an end. After my safe return to Haukipudas, Sofia took it upon herself and declared that the successor Kingdom of Drevazyk was no longer legitimate for the return of the Imperial family signaled the return of the Trekkish Empire. It was an eventful occasion, however, when I was told I was to be crowned Tsarina I initially refused. After all, I was not the heir to the throne but my brother Yrjö-Ari. Though his actions spoke louder than words. Following the death of our father, the collapse of Treko, and even the death of Jonatan did not bring back Yrjö-Ari. It was clear that my brother had no loyalty to the throne anymore so I took up the mantle that my brother forsook. As I thought over problems of the Empire I took notice of the massive crowd in front of the government building. The car slowly pulled around back and parked before I stepped out and made my way to the podium where I was greeted by the cheering of my people.

"Today is a historic event that will go down in the annals of Trekkish history! No longer is there a successor Kingdom but an Empire. However, there is much to be done and we are only at the start of this great journey but we will get there in the end. My brother Yrjö-Ari, heir to the crown, may have abandoned you in your time of need but I will not! I will stand with Treko until my last breath leaves my lungs. No longer will you feel unsafe in your own country. No longer will you ask will we have enough food for the month. No longer will Treko sit idly by when things go awry in the night. Treko has always been a nation of strength, pride, and resilience! We shall reclaim all that and more. I only ask that you put your faith in me as I put my faith in you. For I am Annika Trurikovichva the most illustrious Tsarina of the Trekkish Empire, Khagan of the Steppes, Hetman of the Trekkish Cossacks, Empress of Venesnia. Born into power but selected by God! As Tsarina I demand that the cossacks of the Vovchaiv District bend the knee or I will unleash the Michu Banner Horde upon your 'empire,' and It will not end until you beg for clemency."