Inside the Political Minds of Kylaris [ARCHIVED]

[Kylaris]

THE REGION OF:
KYLARIS



Presents:
Inside the Political Minds of Kylaris

"One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics, is that you end up being governed by your inferiors."
- Plato, Philosopher

This is a thread for which the members of Kylaris can have a new and interpretive way of expressing their reactions to situations within the News Threads. Whereas usually from the perspective of a news source in that thread; this one entertains the possibility of presenting the inner machinations of your Heads of State, or other important members of government, through a personal first or third person perspective as they watch the events unravel, speak to it to their cabinets or express their concerns through speeches.

[Commonwealth of Hank the Cat]

Saint Ryansburg, Teslachatski

Yuri was sitting around in his incredibly affluent office, awaiting reports from the various generals that he had given orders to. He had ordered the standard rotation of his generals, having them take command of a different army group in Teslachatski. This way entirely due to wanting to have his different generals keep a eye on the party members in those areas: He trusted his generals more then any of the party members. He wanted to make sure that none of his generals had been swayed in support of some inner-faction in the Party, and had stopped supporting him. The rotations were nesscary to make sure that he could keep a eye out for differences in how his Generals acted around him, when they were in a province they seemed to "like" and when they were away from that province.

Meanwhile, he was typing on his computer. It was rather outdated: it was a older IBM model, but he preferred it as it reminded of the "good old days" of the 19s, as he was rather "old-school" and as such, caused much headaches for the engineers that he had hired to repair and update his old computers, and refused to update or use laptops, despite the constant requests. He would have none of it: His old-school style was better. Teslachatski had barely updated itself: it was still very common to see Cadallics and Chevrolet sport coupes on the streets and modern paneling was a pipe-dream in Teslachatski.

Yuri typed in "www.kub.com" and was brought to the Kylaris Union of Broadcasting. He clicked on "General News" and was brought to the article about the "memes" in Gaullica. Upon reading the entire article, he signed into his fake account he used to comment, and posted a simplistic comment.

"Adam Jones"
"what a bunch of losers :/"

Upon posting his comment, he called his wife, Natasha Nikolev, into the room, and showed her the page. They both promptly laughed, and exchanged jokes focusing mostly on the expense of asterian rappers and gaullican professors who they felt, that due to the article, shared the same general thought patterns.

"Ah, you have to see this." Natasha bent over and clicked "Politics", and selected the Slim Shady article.

Yuri and Natasha promptly laughed like the entitled rich people that they were, and started discussing the article.

Yuri, confused, spoke. "Who is Slim Shady?"

Natasha tried to explain to him the concept of "rappers" and who they were, grasping at the air as he struggled to explain. "Slim Shady is what captialists call a "rapper" have you ever heard of rap? It's electronic sounds, they use a program called "autotune" to make their voices rhyme without actually rhyming. It's very strange. And they use subminal messaging to further the cause of the music industry. It's very strange.

Yuri cocked his head, and looked at the screen, reading one of "Slim Shady"'s statements. "It amazes me how music has turned into this strange abomination of electionic sounds and nonsensical words grafted together into music. It's like they encourage the creation of this drivel, and then whine about how it's destroying our society. It is simple. I'm glad we don't let people here become like this man."

Upon saying this, both Nikolev's rubbed their faces, due to their own disgust at the "rap" and their belief in it's degradation of society. Yuri spoke to Natasha, realizing he was hungry and bored.

"I think it is time to go to restaurant: I reserved a spot at the Bogatyye lyu, you come along with me."

As he got up, he leaned in to his wife's head and whispered to her.

"By the way...do you have the list for tomorrow? I know the factions are getting a little "uppity" so hopefully we can watch a few firing squads tomorrow?"

Grinning along with him, Natasha nodded, and they promptly pranced off to their armored limousine, having been reassured that their iron grip on power was safe, for now.

[Senkaku]

Operation 949 Summary, Details, and Analysis

EYES ONLY: CONTROL LEVEL 5

Property of the Sensitive Affairs Bureau · Destroy after reading · Redactions removed · Reproduction prohibited

This briefing has been provided to the State Council and select MSJ and Supreme Command officers. Redactions have been removed but classified material remains highlighted. Any sharing or reproduction of this document is punishable by death, and it is to be incinerated after reading.

Operational Summary:
Operation 949 is a major operation slated for launch sometime in summer 2016 (likely during July) involving QTO forces, primarily SFAF troops. 18 group armies along with 14 air wings will be deployed to Namkwon under the pretenses of joint exercises following the completion of one of the first stages of MSJ Operation 0948 to provide optional casus belli against Siamat. Reinforcements may be provided as seen fit by Supreme Command and the State Council.

Ideally the operation will be undertaken without the introduction of overt hostilities, and it will be launched simultaneously with the final stage of MSJ Operation 0948 to destabilize or topple the Siamati government. The primary objective of the operation is to occupy partially or completely the region of Siamat up to the Negaran border and return control of the area of the Namkwok government, as well as to eliminate or seriously weaken political opposition to Siamati reunification and to destroy maximum quantities of Negaran materiel and troops (as it is expected that Negaran forces will certainly intervene to protect Siamat). Ideally all of Siamat will be occupied and opposition to the operation's primary objective liquidated, but Negaran intervention may compromise this objective and lead to a partial occupation of the country. In this case, if only partial completion of the main objective is possible, Operation 949 will seek to cause maximum devastation to Siamati infrastructure via shelling, missile attacks, aerial bombardment, cyberwarfare, bombings, and guerilla warfare in Negaran-controlled regions, with the aim of weakening Siamat's ability to resist continued efforts at reunification that may proceed under the auspices of either the SFAF or the MSJ.

Operational Details:
11 group armies (comprising roughly 550,000 men) along with 10 full air wings will be deployed for joint exercises with QTO forces along the Siamati frontier following the completion of one of the first stages of MSJ Operation 948. As the joint QTO exercises progress, the remaining forces will be deployed into southern regions of Namkwon, while MSJ Operation 948 will interfere with Negaran IMINT, SIGINT, and HUMINT to disguise these secondary movements to the maximum extent possible. Additional measures will also be taken to disguise these movements, such as using regular civilian passenger trains to move troops, setting up dummy aircraft at various bases to disguise real aircraft movements, concealing aircraft and troop billets under covered areas, and other measures.

While the QTO joint exercises are under way, some forces will be infiltrated across the Siamati frontier to work with MSJ-sponsored ethnic Namkwok rebels in southern Siamat to begin low-intensity guerrilla and asymmetric warfare and possibly, if Siamati abilities are sufficiently degraded, to even begin low-intensity regular operations. The MSJ will work against Negaran intelligence to persuade Negaran authorities that these activities are in fact due to real Namkwok separatists becoming more active and that they do not pose a sufficient threat to dispatch additional NRA forces. This is being done to prevent any adverse overreaction to the main invasion, as when one drops a frog into boiling water. Drop it straight into boiling water and the frog will leap out, but put it in cool water and slowly bring it to a boil and the frog will scarcely notice until it dies.

The date for the opening of the main portion of the operation has thus far been left to Supreme Command's discretion and will be decided when the MSJ has completed all the necessary objectives and all forces are in place.

The MSJ will begin an operation under the auspices of MSJ Operation 948 to launch a coup d'état in Siamat. Forces that have already been infiltrated across the frontier, along with the ethnic Namkwok rebels will also begin major and sudden assaults. Once this has begun, the forces involved in the QTO joint exercises will begin to cross the Siamati frontier in force. Destruction of Negaran forces is to be prioritized, and using armored spearheads with heavy air, missile, and artillery support and the advantage of surprise, there is to be a swift advance on major objectives. Siamati forces will ideally be paralyzed by the coup, allowing for even faster movement, and under optimal conditions, with maximum application of force and maximum efficiency (in addition to minimal Negaran interference, which is admittedly unlikely), total occupation of the area can be expected as soon as ten days after the commencement of the main attack.

Critically important, however, will be the lack of overt hostilities between any QTO parties and Negara. QTO does not recognize Siamat as a legitimate government, so this is irrelevant, but prevention of overt hostilities with Negara is critical to preventing undesirable escalation of the conflict. As such, all identifying symbols or insignias will be removed from the uniforms and vehicles of the forces involved and there will be no official declaration of war or any overt change in government positions or policies towards Negara.

Operational Analysis:
Unfortunately, it is considered unlikely that Negaran interference will permit a total occupation of Siamat, at least a permanent one. Once the NRA is fully cognizant of the actual nature of the invasion it will become difficult to prevent at least some retreats from the border, meaning a Siamati remnant area will likely survive. Maximum destruction of infrastructure in this region will be helpful to weaken the integrity of the surviving Siamati state to any future reunification operations.

Significant losses will likely be undertaken over the course of this operation, given its scale, which are considered unavoidable and acceptable. The Negaran military is a capable fighting force and large numbers of casualties will be unavoidable, particularly in urban environments. However, SFAF and QTO forces will also be able to inflict serious casualties on the enemy, and MSJ support will prove important in interfering with enemy operations. Some MSJ networks within Siamat and Negara will also likely suffer serious damage, but will recover in time.

An extended presence in the occupied zone after the stabilization of a front will likely be necessary to help Namkwok security forces quash rebellion and dissent and to deter potential Negaran counterattacks. Contingencies have been prepared for extended counterinsurgency campaigns.

Overall, Operation 949 will provide a major geopolitical blow to the imperialist powers, severely weakening or ideally destroying one of Negara's key allies and strengthening the prestige and legitimacy of the Namkwok government and by extension all of the QTO. It will also demonstrate the fighting abilities of the SFAF in particular to the world and provide experience for military and government leaders to consider as they proceed with ongoing modernization and expansion projects.

[Lunas Legion]

Palace of the Revolution,
Hall of the Revolutinary Council,
Petrovsk

It was a rare event for a full meeting of the Revolutionary Council to be called at such short notice. It normally took days for the Council's membership to gather in it's entirety, as at least one member was normally on the other side of the country or abroad.

However, when the General-Secretary personally calls a meeting unannounced with no indication of the topic to be discussed, only the foolish would dare to be late. It could be something extremely serious with immedate threats to national security.

Or, in this case, it could be a certificate in Gaullican and Kaxakhian lying on the conference table in front of the General-Secretary.

"You have all read this certificate, correct?" General-Secretary Vladimir Syndrei shifted his gaze down the table, the four military commissars and the NKVD commissar to his left, the others to his right, and Petrova at the other end of the table facing him.

Everyone nodded.

"Good. Yudentin, please explain why I am now in possession of a 'honourary degree in memes'."

"Uh..." Uhlman Yudentin, Commissar for the NKVD, twitched uneasily. "General-Secretary..."

Josef Olovski saved him. "General-Secretary, a meme is a strange Internet phenemon that is normally amusing for some reason."

Syndrei's eyes narrowed. "You mean to say that the Internet regards me as a amusing joke, Olovski?"

"More of... A unique cultural icon. Petrova, you're closest to the door, go find a NKVD laptop so we can show the General-Secretary one of these memes."

Petrova moved to stand, but Yudentin waved her to sit down, reaching into his briefcase and pulling out a laptop.

"Always prepared, as expected Yudentin." Kolach chuckled slightly. "Now show us these memes."

Yudentin placed the laptop on the table, flipped it open and began to type furiously, the sound of the keys clicking the only sound in the otherwise silent room as the rest of the Council watched.

"Found one." Yudentin breathed a sigh of relief as he pushed the laptop into the middle of the table, before hitting the enter key and letting the video play.

They watched the video in silence.

The silence continued for some minutes after.

"Hmm." Syndrei broke the silence. "Well, that was entertaining, no? All those who disapprove of my memes, leave."

No one did.

"Excellent. I shall put this alongside my medals as a sign of my contribution to Internet culture on behalf of the people of Kaxakh. Our previous meeting agreed to let our combat-ready forces continue their exercises until the 10th, so that is this meeting adjourned. Good day, comrades."

[Vredlandia]

Reichstal, Vredlandia
Office of Chancellor Adam Bolde

"Oh, Daniel, glad you're here! I have something for you", Bolde said and for a short second let all his earnestness slip away. From a drawer in his desk he took a large, beautifully decorated bottle of liquid. A smile hushed over the Chancellor's face as he handed it over to his secretary. "Do you remember the blackcurrant bushes I asked you to buy for my farm some years ago? They finally blossomed this year and had a really rich harvest. Eventually I made some liquor from them, and thought you should get a bottle. You should feel honored, only my cabinet colleagues received one", Chancellor Bolde told Daniel and his smile slowly disappeared. "Now don't stand here and grin like you won the lottery. I think I asked you to fetch someone, no?"

An hour later the Chancellor heard sirens outside. His Vice Chancellor had arrived.

"Adam, could you not have called me? You might be able to imagine that I have signific-"

"Oh, we both know you have your assistants do all the work. Did you even read the law they're working on right now?"

"Of course!"

"No, you didn't. Because if you did, you would see that they don't write it for you. Before we ousted Geldrich, he told me everything about the entire Cabinet. The bottle of liquor I sent you yesterday... Is it empty already? Hid behind your books? Of course it is - your reserves are always gone by the end of the week, which is why you're not available for interviews. I admire you, really. You drink that much and yet I would have never noticed. I drink a beer and the whole nation laughs about how drunk I am."

The Vice Chancellor stood in shock about what Bolde just revealed.

"Anyways, you don't have anything to fear from me. Just get the law through, defend it, and get the seal from our King. Or even better - make him comment on it. I know you can convince him. Your Ministry is going to work under my command for as long as you dont fix your alcoholism, and in return nobody will ever know they voted for a drunkard. You are dismissed. Please send my warmest greetings to your husband."

Wollnitz nodded. She didn't know which law she had to defend yet, but the Minister of Social Affairs could only imagine it had to do with homosexuality. Political Reichstal knew how angry the Chancellor was at the success of Pride Parades all over the world, and he wanted to show that they weren't welcome and accepted in Vredlandia. The more the world was liberalized, the stronger he resisted. Unlike von Geldrich, who would have been just fine slowly adapting. But Bolde was different, more ambitious and stubborn. Marlene Wollnitz admired him, yet today she also learnt to fear him.

[Senkaku]

Things That Go Bump in the Night
Son An, Namkwon
Reangcungdien Station

---

Son An's main train station was eerily silent for so early in the evening. Though darkness was still falling, the station's cavernous interior was silent as the grave, save for the hum of lights and air conditioners and the breath and soft footsteps of a few people. On an average night, it would be swarming with people traveling into Son An from the suburbs for a night out or heading home from work, or arriving or departing on trips further afield.

Tonight, though, and for the following week, the entire station would be shut down between the hours of eight-thirty at night and five-thirty in the morning. The Department of Transportation had fabricated some excuse- maintenance of some sort, entirely believable, since the vast edifice dated to the colonial era under the Nguyen dynasty.
Lin Aiguo felt the floor begin to vibrate slightly under his feet. The distant noise of engines and metal wheels whirling over rails reached his ears and instant later, drawing inexorably closer as he waited on the deserted platform.
Before he knew it, there was suddenly a train in front of him, whipping past, windows and lights blurring in front of his eyes. He began to be able to make out the passengers as it slowed further, eventually until it was moving at a crawl. Then there was a great hissing noise, all up and down the enormous passenger train, and it came to a stop. The entire station seemed to echo with it as multiple trains came to a rest.

Lin Aiguo stared through the window of a perfectly normal high-speed passenger train at a man in perfectly normal street clothes, with a large backpack, who happened to have a BB-9 assault rifle resting in his lap. So did the men sitting next to him and across from him, and as the doors opened, more men and some women- all in normal-looking clothing, hefting assault rifles and machine guns and other firearms and heavy bags- began flooding off of the train. He could hear the doors hissing open behind him, too, on the other side of the platform he was standing on, and all at once the station began to be filled with voices. He could hear orders being shouted in Songhua, see people clumping up in seemingly random arrangements and falling into military-like formations.
He thought back to the Director's words about this operation, in a crisp, spartan conference room deep within the MSJ's huge headquarters in Tianjing.
You will take the lead in managing this, Aiguo. You helped propose it, and now you will help lead a key part of the effort to drive the imperialists to their knees.
You, Aiguo, are part of the vanguard now. Part of the arduous march, eh?
The MSJ colonel began walking up the platform, towards the front of the train. Soldiers were getting back on, now, to unload heavier packages and boxes he only assumed carried supplies and heavy weaponry.
Through the skylights, he could see stars staring down at Son An in the fading twilight.

After what seemed like hours of walking, he reached the end of the platform. Here, at the head of the train, near the car they'd ridden on, some of the top officers in the Siamat Force were standing around. Aiguo even recognized some of them without their uniforms- powerful and high-placed men and women, all of them. He had no doubt all had had a hand in planning this vast undertaking, but it was his program that had brought them here under cover of darkness.
"Honored guests," he said with a faint smile and a slight bow. As one, these generals and marshals and heroes and ministers and leaders turned their eyes to him, hanging on his words.
You're part of the march now. Part of something bigger than the MSJ, bigger than yourself. They all seemed confused for a moment, taking in his dark-colored street clothes. "I am Colonel Lin Aiguo, with the Sensitive Affairs Bureau. If you will all follow me? There is a special subway to take you to your lodgings in Son An."
They all nodded and smiled, picking up their bags or gesturing to porters on the train, and began to follow him. There was a cool breeze blowing through the station all of a sudden, teasing Aiguo's hair as he led a cavalcade of dignitaries through Reangcungdien's cavernous and abruptly crowded halls.
And so, the arduous march begins.

[Alouite]

Olivier F. Martin,
Liberty City,
Côte d'Argent,
Roeselle

Chancellor Martin walked from a meeting he had had with the Minister of Defense and had a meeting scheduled with Roessan JDF representative General Andre Brun. They were to meet at the Army Headquarters in Liberty City and Mr. Martin brought along two military officials not associated with the JDF for the meeting as it pertained to both Roeselle and the JDF. General Marc Dupond and Admiral Nadine Bourdon. They would later report back to the Minister of Defense with details on the meeting as he was busy overseeing the results of conducting military drills in and around Sud Pointe with his staff, thankfully that was the biggest focus of the Roessan military at that time, though a threat still loomed over the Republic.

They met in the room and everyone shook hands saying hello to one another. They all clearly knew who each other were though General Brun was a bit surprised the Chancellor wasn't just going to have a one on one meeting with him. Chancellor Martin began "Everyone is fully aware of the current situation, correct?" The generals replied some variation of 'Yes Mr. Chancellor', he continued "Good, so we won't need to waste time going over it." He continued "There was an anarchist bombing here in the capital not long ago, and the terror group which calls itself the Human Liberation Front has only grown since. The group operates here in Roeselle and in the Asterian Federation. This is why I wanted to bring it to the JDF's attention." He looked at the JDF representative "General Brun, I want you to speak with the JDF about cracking down on this to prove a point to terror groups like it. That our alliance is not to be messed with. I am typically the last man pushing for military action, however, having served myself, I see the necessity here." He paused. "Any questions?"

Admiral Bourdon asked "Mr. Chancellor, how could the Navy assist in this case? Isn't this a priority for the Gendarmerie?"

Chancellor Martin replied "It was, but I fear that this organization is a higher threat. We have reports that the anarchists are purchasing weapons of Kaxakh origin, including bombs and sniper rifles. So you see, we may need special forces to assist our Gendarmerie and the Asterian police forces, and there are no better special forces than the men serving in the JDF. This will include Naval forces in the JDF who will begin increasing inspections on incoming cargo to look out for illegal weapons that could end up in the hands of these terrorists."

General Brun noted that the Chancellor had finished speaking "Might I ask something as well Mr. Chancellor?" The Chancellor nodded. "Sir, I suggest we hold a summit with the Asterians on this and that you present this idea to their President. I would go with you to assist in recommending joint military action."

Chancellor Martin replied "Very well, we will have a larger meeting. Does anything else need to be discussed before we go on?" General Dupond nodded. "What is it General?"

General Dupond replied "Mr. Chancellor, sir, I think that your plan is very good. But I wanted to ask if you think we should make public announcements telling people to be vigilant and watch out for these, and perhaps install additional video surveillance cameras in cities and populated areas."

Chancellor Martin replied "I don't want to scare the public or make it seem like we cannot handle this threat. These are deluded and disillusioned madmen, we can handle them and we will handle them. If we do what you propose then the terrorists win and they strip away privacy and a feeling of safety from the people."

General Dupond replied "I suppose that makes more sense sir, nevermind."

Chancellor Martin then said "Alright, well then our meeting on this subject has concluded. We will re-convene on the 12th unless I arrange the summit before then to discuss actions that we will take until a Joint investigation begins. Have a good day." He stood up and picked up his folder before leaving the room.

[Vredlandia]

Reichstal, Vredlandia
Royal Palais of His Majesty

King Ferdinand sat at his desk, watching live coverage of the Oil Crisis. Chancellor Bolde and the Crown Prince both stood in the office with him and his Senior Secretary, silent as His Majesty was obviously trying to formulate a clever sentence. He would blow air out of his nose loudly while doing so, leading the Crown Prince to react with a loud sigh. "Brother, we can sit this out, but at least we have to do so loudly."

"Even bad news would be better than uncertainty, Your Majesty", Chancellor Bolde aided the Crown Prince. "We are not one of the targeted nations, and the government worked on a response strategy. In two hours I could have the Secretary of State in front of the media. In two days everything will feel normal again. Let us handle it - If everything works out fine, you can claim to have had everything under control. And if not, you can blame your government. Either way you'll emerge from the crisis stronger, Your Majesty."

Ferdinand's hands shaked while he moved his glass of brandy to his mouth. "Good", the King commented after taking a short look at his Senior Secretary, who stood in the corner of the room and nodded in agreement. "Right. Do what you must, but keep me informed."

"Certainly, Your Majesty", the Chancellor agreed and turned to the Crown Prince. "Your Royal Highness."

After the Chancellor was out of the building, Erwin Lamter, the Senior Secretary, took his seat again. "There's a meeting with the Glytteronian Consul scheduled for 9:15 am, about the embassy situation. The Gand Duke of Marshland wishes to talk to you about the arranged marriage with his daughter afterwards, and your attendance would be welcome in the Council of States after their lunch break. I will inform you of the other events later, Your Majesty", he said, and just as the King wanted to answer, Lamter continued.

"Oh, and there are two laws for you to sign. Also a journalist wants to write about the Royal Family. Marie Antonstett, Daily Vredlandian."

"That one? I loved her article, truly the most dedicated one about my horses yet. Let her write, if there's nothing our intelligence finds. I think I owe her that favour after she boosted our sales. Alright. Brother, I'll see you at the Council of States. Mr.Lamter, make sure my car is ready when I'm about to leave - not like last time. And now send the consul in."

[Negara-West Hesia]

INTERNAL MEMORANDUM - NEGARAN REPUBLICAN ARMY

TOP SECRET - LIMITED DISTRIBUTION - CODE UMBRE

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO ODTI/SRA PERSONNEL

REVISION 57.24.92

---

Recent developments in the Siamati theatre have demonstrated that:

• The Songhua leadership can no longer be treated as a rational actor.
• QTO HUMINT capabilities are both more extensive and more developed than prior intelligence suggests.
• A defensive posture is no longer sufficient to ensure security in Siamat or along the Southern Frontier.
• ODTI cannot always be relied upon to provide assistance, not only in a timely fashion, but in general.
• The Siamati Republican Army is grossly under-prepared to conduct independent operations against Namkwon.

As a result, the Chiefs of Staff of the Negaran Republican Army in agreement with senior members of the government have agreed to:

• End all non-immediately-equitable co-operation, tacit or otherwise, with the Songhua authorities.
• Conduct an extensive investigation into potential QTO espionage within Negara and seriously bolster our HUMINT capabilities.
• Formulate an aggressive, offensive plan for the annihilation of QTO forces in Namkwon and the defense of both Negara and Siamat.
• Prepare to operate in isolation to the rest of ODTI, perhaps indefinitely in the case of a serious conflict with Songguo.
• Martial the SRA, expand HUMINT in Siamat, and support insurgent movements in Namkwon indefinitely.

In accordance with new information compartmentalization policies, all copies of this document are to be destroyed as soon as plans and relevant documents are formulated, secured, and distributed as appropriate. Until then REVISION 57.24.92 is to be treated as TOP SECRET under information compartmentalization program UMBRE, and is not to be distributed to anyone outside of UMBRE clearance INCLUDING senior ODTI and SRA personnel.

---

1. In accordance with the new non-cooperative policy, all formal ties to Songguo are to be cut with the exception of recognition and emergency channels both directly and through the [Eastern Isles]. The Songhua mission to Negara will be informed that they are no longer welcome in the country, but are to be permitted to leave freely within a reasonable time-frame. Songhua citizens resident in Negara will be permitted to remain until their accreditation expires, although they will no longer be able to seek recourse at the Songhua embassy. Concurrently, the Negaran mission to Songguo will be indefinitely recalled, and is expected to cease all operations by the end of the calendar year. Negaran citizens in Songguo are strongly advised to leave the country, and will be compensated for travel expenses by the Negaran state.

2. In order to circumvent expected infiltration into the Military Intelligence Service, the investigation into QTO espionage in Negara will be conducted by the Department of Internal Affairs' Bureau of Counter-Republican Activities, which will be granted sweeping powers to investigate, detain, interrogate, and punish suspected traitors and spies within the confines of the 1936 Constitution. Details will be handled by the DIA and cannot be published in NRA documents. The MIS will concurrently be expected to expand staff and operations to allow for more HUMINT intelligence-gathering.

3. The "Namkwon Offensive" plan, henceforth "Operation RAJ", is to be formulated as a broad stroke, no-holds-barred, political, military, and intelligence offensive. All means, including the use of nuclear weapons, openly aggressive operations, and false flag operations may be considered despite prior recourse to international law, in keeping with our new assessment of the Songhua authorities as irrational, aggressive actors, pending approval by the President.

4. The lack of ODTI support is to be given due consideration both in the planning of Operation RAJ and future discussion of foreign policy with regards to Songguo. Negara must be prepared to act independently of her allies and enemies in her own defense.

5. The Siamati Republican Army is to be thoroughly investigated by a new agency under the aegis of the Department of Foreign Affairs. All Military Intelligence operations currently ongoing in Siamat may be considered subsidiary to and subject to investigation by the DFA's investigation pending approval by the President. Support to resistance movements in Namkwok-held territory is to be increased gradually, along the safest channels.

[Senkaku]

Prasong Square
Had Mai
Had Mai Province
Provisional East Namkwok Republic

---

"And we must never, will never, forget those brave patriots, the fallen comrades of so many living heroes who are here with us today, who sacrificed themselves for the future of their nation, of their children! To those who still fight for lost and injust causes, know that against such passion and tenacity, your days are numbered!"
Huihong raised a hand to wave to the crowd as they broke out in a roar of approval. Prasong Square still bore the wounds of the ferocious fighting that had occurred during the siege of Had Mai, with many buildings pocked with bullet holes and some even with walls and ceilings torn away by shells, but thousands of people had turned out to listen to his speech nonetheless. As he walked off the impromptu stage, made of hurriedly thrown-together bamboo slats and steel pipes, he felt a lump form in his throat. It was deeply moving to see thousands of people cheering as his audience was now, waving the new flag of their young republic, celebrating their liberation from the oppression of the imperialist cowards and dogs who had repressed them for so long.
His escorts pushed a path for him through the crowd, but Huihong tarried, taking selfies with some people, shaking hands, offering encouragement and reassurance and little inspirations to the mass of humanity that thronged Prasong Square. These people are the base, this is why I love what I do. His bodyguards and aides tried to hurry him along, but as they bundled him into the car, he offered a few final waves to the crowd.
"That was a tremendous speech, sir," his chief of staff, Liu, said as the car began moving, picking up speed as it left the throngs of people who were milling about the square behind.
"It would be hard for it to flop, with such an enthusiastic audience," Huihong said gravely, and gestured out the window. "Those people- that's why we do what we do. They're what matters."
Liu nodded. "Linzi texted me and said she was crying by the end."
Huihong smiled at the mention of his secretary. "Well, I have to thank the two of you for helping me to edit it." They lapsed into silence as the car cruised through Had Mai, heading towards their next destination- a tour of reconstruction efforts at the city's airport.

A small white truck was parked near the corner up ahead, outside a small cafe. Huihong smiled as he saw a father hand his daughter a sweet as they stepped out of the cafe's door. Calm is returning. His car stopped to let a few motorcycles zip across the intersection ahead of them, and then accelerated forward, pulling closer to the nondescript white truck as father and daughter began walking down the sidewalk.

There was a noise so overpowering that after an instant Huihong felt a stab of pain in both ears and then a buzzing noise, and the world seemed to tip on its side in a blaze of orange light. The world went silent and pitch-black for a moment, but Huihong could feel faint bumping sensations, as if he were being tossed around.
As his vision began to return, the world seemed gray, leached of color, and he realized he was laying in the middle of the street, well clear of the car. What is happening? What could have- what? The car was laying on its left side, windows and windshield smashed, one door torn clean off, smoke issuing from the engine, and the white truck was suddenly a blackened husk with a huge plume of smoke and flame rising from it. Huihong staggered to his feet, but his right knee seemed not to obey his commands, flopping limply. He looked down, and realized that blood was soaking his shirt and pants, dripping down from his knee and multiple points on his torso.
My God. It must be some sort of terrorist attack. An assassination? His hearing was still gone, the noises of the world reduced to a faint buzzing, but he could see people running around, waving their arms. Bodies were laying in the street.
He looked towards the sidewalk, towards where the girl and her father had been walking, and saw something so obscene, so horrific, that his mind shied away from processing what his eyes were seeing. The cafe, meanwhile, had had its windows blown in, and surviving patrons were staggering out, mouths open and eyes wide in shock.
Huihong started feeling dizzy, and a moment later the world settled into a gentle, warm blackness as he crumpled to the ground.

---

"Is he going to make it?"
Liu, his hair disheveled, blood running down the left side of his face from his ear and a bad gash on his forehead, stared feverishly at the doctor who had just emerged from the operating room as a nurse dabbed at the cut.
The surgeon sighed, lowering his mask. "It's hard to say. We're fortunate that we've had proper medical supplies delivered since the siege, but it's going to be touch and go. It would be even in a hospital in your homeland. But we're doing everything we can, and he has at least a fighting chance. The fact he's survived this long is promising. He's a fighter."
"That he is," Liu said faintly.

[Senkaku]

Operation 1622 ADAMANTINE Update: Condition ULTRAMARINE (Sub-Conditions ARDENT 1 and ARDENT 2 Included)

EYES ONLY: CONTROL LEVEL 6

Property of the State Council Research Office · Destroy after reading · Redactions removed · Reproduction prohibited

This briefing has been provided to the State Council and select MSJ and Supreme Command officers. Redactions have been removed, as have classification highlights due to the highly sensitive nature of all intelligence contained herein. Any sharing or reproduction of this document is punishable by death or other exceptional punishment, and it is to be incinerated after reading. Under special authority it may disseminated to QTO officials cleared to Control Level 5 documents.

In light of new developments pertaining to Operation 1622 "ADAMANTINE" (ongoing broad strategic Coian operations), regarding geopolitical developments in Badawiya, infrastructure investment in Hyndana, emerging possible conflicts in Iyakasar and Heja, and a "deep freeze" in relations with Negara following the execution of Operation 949, updates have been made by Supreme Command to Operation 1622 Condition ULTRAMARINE. This briefing summarizes Condition ULTRMARINE's previous form and contingent operations, and details the updates that have been made to Condition ULTRAMARINE.

To those unfamiliar with this element of Operation 1622 or who are in need of a refresher, Condition ULTRAMARINE is the worst-case scenario with maximum escalation for a major conflict with the Eastern imperialist powers. It presumes that war has been initiated overtly on multiple fronts and that nuclear weapons are in play, against all Eastern imperialist powers. Condition ULTRAMARINE has Sub-Condition ARDENT, which also presumes the initiation of the same type of conflict with all non-QTO powers and has two interpretations for both a grand foreign conspiracy and for a three-way war.

The previous operations entailed in the baseline form of Condition ULTRAMARINE entail the immediate deployment of SFAF forces already in position on the Southwestern Frontier and the Namkwok-Siamati and Namkwok-Negaran border in combined-arms operations to launch rapid incursions and seize as much enemy territory as possible and destroy the maximum number of enemy soldiers and materiel. The full force of the Namkwok military would also be deployed as fast as possible to the northern and eastern frontiers. Condition ULTRAMARINE accounts for these forces being seriously impacted by the use of DITO nuclear warheads, as the condition itself is contingent on an enemy first strike, and the Strategic Missile Forces would respond by targeting enemy troop formations to support SFAF forces in their attacks. Ideally, the Sensitive Affairs Bureau would be able to give advance warning of an incoming first strike or preparations for it that would allow contingencies to be implemented that would allow a greater percentage of these forces to survive, but this cannot be relied upon. The Sensitive Affairs Bureau would immediately be called on to engage in all active measures at its disposal in every hostile nation. Additionally, the Strategic Missile Forces, as well as the deterrent forces operated by the Navy and Air Force, would target enemy cities and civilian population centers, particularly with cobalt-boosted warheads, in an effort to maximize enemy casualties. A comprehensive list of targets is enclosed later in this document, but suffice to say for this summary that it includes all enemy troop formations, military bases, and population centers of any relevance. It is not anticipated that all nuclear strikes would be successful, but even assuming enemy interceptor systems work near peak efficacy, a significant number of missiles and some bombers will still survive to deliver their warheads on target. Only a very small number of warheads, based on shorter-range tactical missiles, would be held in reserve to support further strikes and tactical advances, and surviving warhead production facilities would be brought up to full production.

It is assumed that any DITO first strike would also have targeted civilian population centers, meaning that the homeland would be in chaos, but reserve networks and local mobilization bureaus would immediately be taken over by whatever remained of the Interior Security Ministry to mobilize as many reservists as possibly in the shortest amount of time possible. This process would begin as soon as enemy nuclear launches were detected and would continue after the response strikes and initial SFAF assaults. SFAF personnel based in the homeland and mobilized reservists would be sent to reinforce ongoing assaults, and also deployed by road, rail, and ideally air (to whatever extent possible) through Khatagh to reinforce Khataghi forces in an attack on Negara's Northwestern Frontier. Whatever forces could be brought from Hyndana would also be deployed in an effort to overrun Negaran positions on all fronts.
The early warning station and air/naval base at Chihongshan would likely be targeted by an enemy first strike, but if it survived, it would neutralize Yocatullic objection to further use of the base as an offensive platform. Resupply by (ideally) aircraft would follow, or alternatively could be carried out via surface vessels or submarines. It is unlikely Chihongshan would be able to do much more than attempt to create a distraction in East Hesia, however, and more likely that the base would simply be vaporized.
Following nuclear strikes, the submarines and aircraft with Health Ministry Biodefense Bureau personnel would be directed to launch whatever special payloads they were equipped with at enemy population centers (mainly Negaran ones, as the swift destruction of resistance on mainland Coius is the main imperative in a conflict against DITO), prioritizing those neglected by nuclear attacks and left more intact. Any special projects under the jurisdiction of the Research Office would also be deployed to whatever extent possible.
The navy would deploy a number of major surface combatants to support operations in Siamat and ideally move north to attack mainland Negara, engage the Negaran navy, and make attacks on Hesia. SFNS Changsheng and Zongjin are presumed to have survived the nuclear attack, as is SFNS Ao Guang. Ideally, Ao Qin would also have survived the assault, but this should not be assumed. If it does, it will join the Sainam/Hesia/Negara task force. Of the Ao Jun-class, meanwhile, if all three survive, then two will be deployed along with the Combined Fleet to Sainam, with one remaining to provide defense for the coast of the motherland. If two survive, one will voyage with the Combined Fleet, and the other will remain behind, and if only one survives, then it will join the Combined Fleet. Changsheng, Zongjin, Ao Guang, and possibly Ao Qin and the Ao Jun-class vessels (assuming they survive) would be allotted their full escort screens, or whatever elements remained of those escort screens. They would be accompanied by the Fancheng, Hanjin, Taizhou, and Xikou Coastal Defense Flotillas' missile boats and fast attack craft, and by the SSNs and diesel-electric submarines of the First, Second, and Third Submarine Attack Groups.

The main focus for the war would be to swiftly eliminate Negaran resistance, through overwhelming nuclear, chemical, biological, radiological, and conventional assaults making no distinction between military and civilian targets throughout the Negaran heartland. Strategic bombing, commerce interdiction, terror attacks, sabotage, and psychological warfare would all be employed to the maximum extent possible. Ideally, the aggressive pursuit of Condition ULTRAMARINE's planned responses will lead to an implosion of organized enemy resistance (though at an obscene price in blood and treasure). The implosion of DITO defenses in Negara will allow similar aggressive campaigns to be conducted in northern Coius to secure the entire Coian mainland.
Should these measures fail to lead to the collapse of enemy forces, or should serious reversals be suffered, there can be no de-escalation or backing down. Beyond this stage there is no clear plan for how to fight such a war, since a significant fraction of the world population would likely have been exterminated and vast quantities of materiel lost, along with huge numbers of soldiers. Reservist mobilization would continue to be crucial, as would the security of rail lines and roads through Khatagh and Namkwon.

Sub-Condition ARDENT presents different challenges and a bleaker outlook in terms of the likelihood of victory. Naval forces' immediate priority would be to neutralize Nematsu, and the Strategic Missile Forces would engage in radiological sterilization of the islands with cobalt-boosted weaponry to deny enemy forces any utility whatsoever there. This jeopardizes the SFN's ability to deploy the Combined Fleet to support operations in Negara as well as coastal defense of the motherland itself. The presentation of further enemies would necessitate the dispersion of nuclear warheads more widely, targeting a number of CSS cities, troop formations, and military bases, as well as the dispersion of Health Ministry assets and whatever projects the Research Office is able to bring to bear. Additionally, Sub-Condition ARDENT promises a heavier first strike against the motherland itself and the rest of QTO, particularly if the imperialist powers are in collusion. The combined arms of CSS and DITO could be resisted for a time, but the worst-case scenario of Sub-Condition ARDENT (ARDENT 1), in which the imperialist powers are all conspiring together, likely would eventually reach a logical conclusion in the extermination of the vast majority of the Songhua population and the populations of other QTO nations. As such, Sub-Condition ARDENT 1 places an even heavier emphasis on killing the absolute maximum number of enemy civilians and destroying enemy civilian infrastructure, allocating a greater proportion of the strategic deterrent to cities rather than troop formations or bases compared to baseline ULTRAMARINE, and instructs troops entering enemy territory to engage in scorched-earth tactics including the massacre of civilians. ARDENT 1, as essentially a "lost cause", aims to inflict so much pain on the enemy that they will at least pull back from the prospect of exterminating the Songhua nation and the nations of the Qingzhou Treaty Organization. This is perhaps a misguided goal, in the view of some, but on the other hand, all ULTRAMARINE conditions do presume an enemy nuclear first strike against military and civilian targets.

ARDENT 2 offers a marginally more cheerful picture. Once again, Nematsu would present a challenge to the SFN and require complete radiological sterilization with cobalt weapons, but the prospect of fewer CSS nuclear weapons hitting the motherland and QTO targets, of a large number of them hitting DITO targets, and of CSS forces tying huge numbers of DITO troops up in Euclea, offer hope that is not present in ARDENT 1. ARDENT 2 differs from baseline ULTRAMARINE only in the fact that some additional targets within Songguo and QTO will have been destroyed and that Nematsu will require naval operations and radiological sterilization, tying up naval and Strategic Missile Forces assets. Once this has been accomplished, the Communist threat will have been wiped out from Coius and no longer be an immediate operational concern. However, the Chaozhou, Xianghai, Haixingwai, and Beigang Coastal Defense Flotillas, as well as the Second Submarine Attack Group, would remain behind, along with two of any surviving Ao Jun-class carriers (or one, if only one survived the first strike) to defend the motherland and the Hyndanan and Farsi coasts against Kaxakhi naval elements approaching from the north, while whatever remained of the assets allocated to the Combined Fleet would proceed onwards to Sainam, Negara, and Hesia.

In light of recent developments, several cities (enclosed later in this document) in what is now East Namkwon have been removed as nuclear strike targets, along with a number of Siamati military bases and troop formations. With certain objectives now already controlled, fewer troops and nuclear weapons will need to be concentrated to securing the Siamati coast, and more forces can be applied to the north to directly battle the NRA. Furthermore, in the event of a suspected incoming first strike, the Sensitive Affairs Bureau will move to enact active measures against the governments of Heja and Samastara. Reserve troops from Hyndana and from the motherland on their way to battlefields further abroad will also be able to make use of newly completed and planned high-speed passenger and freight rail lines in Hyndana.

Furthermore, the frustration of Negara at the execution of Operation 949 means that Condition ULTRAMARINE's postulation of a first strike should be returned to the status of imminent threat. The Negaran government does not appear to be handling its defeat well and may be prone to irrational and dangerous moves, up to and including the mass unprovoked use of nuclear weapons. The SFAF should once again adopt a state of immediate readiness to respond to the contingency of Condition ULTRAMARINE and Sub-Conditions ARDENT 1 and 2. Ideally other QTO militaries and governments will adopt similar stances, to ensure the most effective possible response in the event of war.

REDACTED: MAXIMUM CONTROL LEVEL, DO NOT DISTRIBUTE TO FOREIGN QTO PERSONNEL

The Sensitive Affairs Bureau will also undertake serious analysis of the reliability of other QTO governments in the event of a first strike or indications of an imminent first strike. If necessary, it will prosecute passive and active measures against them to ensure the war effort is not disturbed in any way. The Khataghi government is particularly considered strategically critical to the deployment of troops across Coius, but the Hyndanan, Farsi, and Namkwok governments should also be scrutinized.

[Elepis]

tag

[Senkaku]

Dancing With Razors

---

Carcosa
IV Locia
78 Via Santa Maria Palmara

---

"Marta! What a pleasure it is to see you- congratulations on the election," Marcus said. His deep voice, coarsened by years of heavy smoking, reverberated scratchily off the cold marble walls of the atrium. "I have some refreshments waiting on the balcony, but can I offer you a cigarette first?"
"No, thank you," Marta said, smiling just wide enough to show every single even, pearly white tooth. Her light, airy, singsong voice, by contrast, seemed totally unfazed by the decades of smoke that had battered against her vocal cords. "I must not have told you- my grandchildren are trying to get me to switch to those new electronic cigarettes. They say it's better for you." She shrugged noncommittally. "But a small bite to eat and some wine would be lovely." She tucked a long white-gray curl a little away from her face, and Marcus bowed slightly and extended an arm.
"Of course, allow me," he said smoothly. Marta cocked her head slightly, her smile fading a bit, and accepted his arm, gliding alongside him through the house's hallways out onto the terrace.
"Is Elena home?", she inquired as they disengaged, despite the fact that she already knew the answer. Two servants, dressed in white, pulled out two neat metal folding chairs from the simple teak table that sat in the middle of the terrace. Marcus motioned for her to sit, and she lifted her dress slightly to accommodate the movement.
"No, she's off in Verlois today to see her hairdresser. Wine?" Marcus nodded at the silver carafe that sat perfectly positioned between the two of them, beads of condensation from having been chilled still gathering on its sides.
Marta shifted her glass on the table slightly and gave the same carefully crafted, exquisitely sculpted political smile, her teeth looking like a wall of glacial ice in the afternoon heat. "That would be lovely. From your winery?"
Marcus inclined his head slightly. "Indeed." One of the servants artfully poured a cascade of golden liquid into her glass, the sunlight reflecting through the wine and the crystal and shimmering on the table and the terrace tiles. "I suppose champagne might be more appropriate today," he remarked as his glass was filled. Marta chuckled, her laugh made of the same icy, artfully concocted artifice as her gleaming smile.
"I'm holding off on that until this evening- you're coming, aren't you? Lucius is organizing a little get-together to celebrate for me, he thinks it's a secret," she said.
Marcus smiled, trying to prevent his eyes from flicking around the terrace too much as he sensed the approach of danger from an as-of-yet unknown quarter, and waved at the servants to depart. "Husbands often seem to have trouble keeping secrets from their wives," he replied with a slightly nervous bob of the head. Marta's empty smile twitched slightly as she noticed the shimmer of a little bit of perspiration on his brow.
"Well, you certainly don't," she replied coolly. Marcus looked nonplussed, but she was slowly setting the stage and ending the first act of their little dance. "Chief Justice, I have a favor to ask of you."
"Anything," he replied with an equally level tone, his brain frantically turning over to find meaning in her remark, to figure out what flank she was about to strike from.
"I'd like to work with you more, in my administration, to make the High Court a more involved arm of the government. It seems to me that for quite a while the Court has been perhaps overly focused on impeding what it views as overreach or silliness from the apparatium- which is well and good, of course, until it starts to obstruct the governance of the city. And, of course, on the other hand, you're deluged in minor appeals and concerns- I imagine it must be quite difficult to handle such a caseload sometimes. I think my administration ought to work with you more closely to smooth out some of that."
"How do you mean?", Marcus replied, eyes narrowing.
"Well, do you really think nine justices is enough? Might it not be useful to have some others to handle some of your workload, and to contribute new voices and ideas to the dialogue of the older justices?"
"The High Court has always consisted of nine justices," Marcus said with a smile. "Are you suggesting you'd appoint more? That surely would violate constitutional precedent."
"Oh, I'm sure the Democrats would see it that way, I imagine your court would end up adjudicating a lawsuit against my government if I did such a thing. But don't you see what I'm saying? Might it not be in your interest as well to support such a case?"
"It seems an odd way to repay Annalise Portia for securing my appointment to the Court, by ruling against her party," Marcus said, suddenly sounding unsure as he realized what Marta was suggesting.
"But the Court is surely above petty partisan politics," the princeps countered, her eyes narrowing slightly in delight as she watched him squirm. "And besides, what else would better cement your legacy? The visionary chief justice who helped ensure the government remained united and functional for years to come, who overcame ideological gaps to do the right thing- that sounds quite attractive."
"But what you're suggesting is partisan," he replied, digging his heels in as he took in the terrain of the battlefield. She took a sip of wine as he marshaled years of legal scholarship to the front, the golden liquid flashing in the sunlight. "It would be a violation of constitutional precedent and would weaken the Court's independence. I could never rule in favor of something like that, and I don't think I could convince any others to do so either."
"Ah well, what a shame," she said breezily. "Well, I had to ask."
"Of course," he replied, exhaling heavily and taking a sip of wine as the threat seemed to pass.
"By the way- have you seen some of what the whisper sheets are saying about me now?", she said, smirking. "I believe I read one this morning calling me the 'Antichrist's concubine'."
"Dreadful," Marcus sniffed. "I know they can be amusing, but I hate to see them drag people's names through the mud like that, even when everyone knows it's just silliness."
"I thought it was amusing, but yes, sometimes it is unfortunate. Imagine if they were to go after you?", she said, chuckling and leaning forward conspiratorially. "What do you think they'd say?"
He smiled, recognizing the rare appearance of the friendlier side of the woman sitting across from him. "Oh, probably something about my mustache in fact being a set of antennae for contacting demons," he laughed.
"Or perhaps they'd invent an affair," she said a little more slowly, but still with a smile. "With an intern, say? What figure do you think they'd invent for the hush money you'd have paid?"
She leaned back in her chair a little, a vicious glint in her eye as he drew up short.
"Oh- oh, I don't know," he stammered, sweat suddenly re-emerging on his brow as he tried to convince himself she was still joking along, that the threat's real depth had not suddenly come roaring to the forefront. "I'm sure something grossly inflated, probably-"
"Oh, certainly, but with a record as spotless as yours, it might cause real fallout. No, you're right, perhaps it isn't funny when they do things like that." An airplane passed between them and the sun, briefly casting the terrace in shadow. "It's certainly worth considering, though."
"It certainly is," he replied slowly.

[Lunas Legion]

Condition #7 Update #11/111
FOR REVOLUTIONARY COUNCIL AND NKVD ROOM 20 USE ONLY · COPY 1/14 ISSUED TO REVOLUTIONARY COUNCIL· TO BE DESTROYED AFTER MEETING #2/11 · REPRODUCTION OR REMOVAL FROM KREMLIN FORBIDDEN BY ORDER 198 · REDACTIONS REMOVED BY ORDER 3 · PRODUCED BY NKVD ROOM 20

This document contains the monthly update to Condition #7 Update #11/111, and is only to be issued following a global strategic alteration or tactical alteration has happened within THEATER E or affecting ALLY C or ALLY A. The Revolutionary Council is to decide each month whether such an alteration has happened. The offending alteration is to be specified below the STRATEGIC NUCLEAR FORCES STATUS REPORTS. No justification is required. If no such alterations have occurred according to Revolutionary Council vote, then this document will not be presented and COPY 1/14 of this document is to be destroyed immediately. Otherwise this document is to be copied (13) times to be provided to the Revolutionary Council.

STRATEGIC NUCLEAR FORCES: STATUS REPORTS

Note: Orders of battle of nuclear forces can be found outside of this document. Refer to those orders of battle as required.

STATUS 1: Kaxakh People's Strategic Missile Forces (KNRVSN)
The KNRVSN currently has a launchable inventory of (463) ballistic missiles from (261) mobile launchers, (20) rail-mobile launchers and (210) silos holding (1402) warheads.

STATUS 2: Kaxakh People's Navy (KNF)
The KNF currently has a launchable inventory of (172) ballistic missiles from (10) ballistic missile submarines holding (808) warheads.

STATUS 3: Kaxakh People's Air Force (KNVVS)
The KNVVS currently has a launchable inventory of (83) missiles from (83) strategic bombers holding (83) warheads. Note: the unloaded reserve of (17) warheads are unlikely to be usable in a nuclear engagement due to anticipated destruction of airbases.

STATUS (TOTAL):
(2293) warheads
(718) missiles
Note: This current stockpile, while workable, is less than what Koskov set as the minimum stockpile and should be increased through reactivation of mothballed equipment and new production orders.

OFFENDING STRATEGIC ALTERATION: 2016 ASTERIAN ELECTION

CONDITION #7 CASE E UPDATE #11/111

CASE E operates on the presumption of war against the DITO-EC-JDF Axis of powers. The instigator does not matter, as CASE E has been designed to work for both offensive and defensive operations. The primary aim is to maximise gains without nuclear war; however, nuclear war is to be expected if CASE E is activated. Given current GRU-SVR assessments of DITO-EC-JDF troop deployment strength and locations, it is likely that any attack would have some advance warning allowing for a pre-emptive strike into Occupied Wazovia. The Eastern, Northeastern and Southeastern Fronts are able to mobilise and assault across the Wazovian border in approx. 96 hours including time for NBC preperations which are mandatory for all CSS forces.

During this 96 hour window airbases, Wazovian civilian targets and military infrastructure will be targeted with chemical and biological weapons to eliminate as much enemy infrastructure and as many potential combatants as possible. Chemical and biological strikes will simultaneously strike airbases and naval infrastructure in Gaullica, Hellenos, Srvotjska, Drôhynia and Prăvka. All involved forces are to advance to the border of Wazovia and Srvotjska, Drôhynia and Prăvka and begin fortifying the border. No advance is to be made into Gaullica or Hellenos without executive authorisation. At this point ceasefire negotiations will be attempted, with the ultimatum of a Kaxakh first strike against DITO-EC-JDF if they fail or are rejected. First Fleet and Fourth Fleet, along with allied naval forces, are to move to engage a presumed combined DITO-EC fleet near Hellenos with air support. Second Fleet is to remain near the Western Coastline and ensure the SSBN force remains intact. Third Fleet is to attempt to break through the Sveltlanan Gap and distract the Asterian Navy from supporting Euclea. Naval victory is not expected, but will distract the enemy navy from assisting Euclea with fire/aerial support.

In the event that the conflict should go nuclear, all bomber-launched nuclear missiles are to target Wazovian civilian targets, along with any unlaunched chemical and biological weaponry. WAZOVIA MUST BE DESTROYED. Kaxakh troops should advance into Gaullica and Hellenos after a 24 hour window of the first missile launch, having already been prepared for fighting under NBC conditions. The remaining missile strike capacity will be split evenly between Euclea and Asteria and again evenly split between military and civilian targets. Isla Juanan biological and chemical weapons may also be used against Asteria and Roselle.

CONDITION #7 CASE C UPDATE #11/111

CASE C operates on the presumption of war against the QTO. Regardless of whether an offensive or defensive war, the Kaxakh Fourth Fleet, along with the Nematsujin People's Navy, is to put to sea and withdraw northwards and link up with the Second and First Fleets to form the Great Red Fleet. The Great Red Fleet will sail south, destroy the Songhua, Farsi and Hyndanan navies via defeat in detail. The SSBNs of the Second Fleet will launch nuclear strikes to cripple QTO naval infrastructure. Any QTO naval landings, cut off from reinforcements and supplies, will be swiftly destroyed by the Nematsujin People's Army. Should a QTO nuclear strike be launched, the KNVVS' bombers are to strike civilian and military targets within Fars whilst the SSBNs and Strategic Missile Troops target other QTO civilian and military targets. As this case is not anticipated, given the QTO's focus towards Negara and our focus on Euclea, it is less detailed than CASE E.

CONDITION #7 CASE ACE UPDATE #11/111

CASE ACE is a simultaneous war with both QTO and the DITO-EC-JDF axis. Should such a war occour, CASE E will be enacted with 1/2 of all land-based missiles targeted at Euclea to be diverted towards new targets in QTO states. No other changes will be made.

[Senkaku]

This Thing All Things Devours

---

Dongjing
Northern Apartments
Palace of the White Lotus

---

The wind was stirring a million glittering crescents on the Reservoir of Lustre as Liu ascended the steps, the edge of the wavelets catching Dongjing's lights as the night wore on towards morning. A pair of imperial Tiger Guards, dressed in their blue-lacquered armor and fierce golden masks, stood at attention by the door, ceremonial halberds ramrod straight, as the Emperor's personal secretary swept into the palace. Ahead of him, white-garbed medical technicians, nurses, and doctors flitted silently about like startled owls, so quiet that the creaking of the palace's eaves could almost be heard over their whispers. Liu began ascending the stairs towards the Emperor's bedroom, weaving through the palace's winding hallways with the unconscious ease that came with years of practice. Every door in the palace seemed to be open, with doctors and members of the Emperor's staff flitting about, and at every door a pair of Tiger guards stood, their armor a flimsy reassurance of the security of the Son of Heaven.
Liu quietly entered the room, where two nurses, a doctor, a servant, and another pair of Tigers were silently positioned, watching the gentle rise and fall of the Emperor's chest under the blankets of his bed. Two enormous medical towers had been positioned like another pair of guards beside his bed, mounting an arsenal of monitors and medical devices, with IVs snaking down beneath the covers into the Son of Heaven's increasingly frail body.
"His Radiance usually requests I wake him at six thirty," Liu whispered quietly to the doctor on hand. "Might it be better to let him rest, or may I do so?"
The woman nodded curtly. "Yes. Rest is very important if he is to make any sort of recovery."
Liu inclined his head, deferring to her expertise. "Very well." Best to go send back the breakfast team, then, a cold breakfast won't do him any good.

---

The servants with their trays of food scurried out onto the terraces, vanishing in the darkness, and Liu paused for a moment to look at the Reservoir of Lustre. At the far end, the sprawl of the Daming glittered, and on the right side, the Pyramid and the Central Complex were swarming with activity as usual.
In the quiet night air, filled with the distant noises of the imperial city's unsleeping and eternally bustling citizenry, Liu's court-honed ears picked up noises from inside. Whispering tones were being abandoned, taking on a tone of urgency, and he immediately turned and headed back inside. The white lab coats and blue medical scrubs were no longer flitting around like purposeless birds- they were converging now like an attacking army, flowing upstairs, communicating swiftly and transmitting medical jargon that, while impenetrable to him, sounded serious enough. None of them were getting out of his way now- the Emperor's personal secretary was not a surgeon or an ontologist or a nurse, he had nothing to offer them in the way of assistance.
Nonetheless, as a black dread began growing in the back of his throat, Liu once again hurried along towards the Emperor's room. Voices were growing louder, and he noticed Tigers had left their posts- he even saw one bow to one of the lead surgeons, hurrying out the other way on some urgent mission. The bleep-bleep-bleep of monitors wailing their distress signals was just barely audible over the tumult, as nurses and doctors carrying more equipment hurried past him. It was difficult to even get into the bedroom without bumping into anyone, but Liu froze as he saw what was transpiring.
One of the doctors was bent over the Son of Heaven, delivering chest compressions. Another was counting, and he could see the pads of a defibrillator attached to the Emperor's bare chest where his blankets and shirt had been ripped efficiently away. New IVs were attached to him, and as he felt himself drawn almost inexorably closer, he noticed tiny specks of blood on the Emperor's pajama pants, near the thigh- it looked as if he'd just been injected with something, perhaps an epinephrine cocktail or the like.
Another nurse stopped giving rescue breaths as someone came forward with an apparatus apparently to force air into the Emperor's lungs, while a doctor looking at the vast array of monitors calmly announced, "I still have no pulse."

The Emperor's eyes were still closed, as they had been when he had come in earlier, and something told Liu that he would not wake up.

---

"This is Personal Secretary Chang. I need to speak with the First Minister, immediately."
"Sir, I'm afraid he's asleep."
"It's an urgent matter pertaining to the Emperor's health, so you may want to wake him."
There was a long pause at the other end of the line. Liu was standing on the steps again, staring in numb shock at the placid waters and the distant lights of the Daming.
"I'll go wake him, sir." There was another pause, the sound of muffled voices, and then Hao Jinkai's groggy voice came over the line.
"Secretary Chang? What's happened? Is everything alright?"
"His Radiance is dead."
There was a silence, shortly followed by a loud clatter, which Liu took to mean that the First Minister had dropped the phone. A pair of Tigers, meanwhile, began hauling the flag and the dynastic standard down to half-mast from the flagpole on the terrace below.

---

The Chamber of the State Council was rarely occupied at such an unholy hour, but the frantic efforts of the Imperial Household Agency and the Office of the First Minister had woken those who needed to be there. The First Minister checked his watch, and a frazzled-looking aide suddenly came through one of the side doors, hurrying over to him from across the room.
"Sir, we just received word from Director Ai. He's cancelled all his meetings, he should be arriving at the airfield in a matter of minutes. The Air Force is going to put him on a bomber so he can get here as quickly as possible, and the Khataghi are clearing out the airspace ahead of him."
"Very good. Now, ladies and gentlemen, obviously the death of the Son of Heaven is a terrible blow to all of us." The assembled ministers, blinking sleep from their eyes and looking numb from shock and grief, nodded vaguely along. The First Minister's voice was steady, but his whole body seemed to be vibrating with tension.
"But while it is a devastating event for the nation, it opens an avenue for progress."
Ying Meilin, the usually ice-veined Ministry of Interior Security, suddenly spoke up, an edge of anger entering her voice. "You can't seriously be proposing taking advantage of the death of our emperor for political ends, can you? Please, Jinkai. The nation is facing enough." The entire room shifted slightly in their seats at her use of his first name.
"I am advocating only for the removal of poisonous elements within this government," the First Minister responded in a dangerously quiet voice. "I think all of us can agree it is past time that the Grand Secretary and his faction were bypassed, and this is the best chance we will have to do it."
Meilin leaned forward in her chair, regaining some of her composure. "With respect, First Minister, do you really think that such actions are suitable for such a distressing time? I share some of your concerns about obstructive elements in the government, but the nation will already be facing one crisis."
"It seems the perfect time to me," Foreign Minister Chao said sharply. "In my humble opinion, the Grand Secretary's secretiveness and obstructionism have played no small role in deteriorating the quality and length of His Radiance's medical treatments. If nothing else, punishment ought to be meted out against him for that."
"You can't seriously be blaming him for lung cancer," Ying fired back at him. "He didn't force those cigarettes on him decades ago! I mean-"
"No, but he did meddle with-"
"Enough," the First Minister said icily. "Meilin, I appreciate your concerns, but once news breaks and the government moves forward with the succession and transition process, decisive action against the Grand Secretary's cronyism will be difficult. I'm afraid I must insist that this is the course of action we take."
"As you wish," she replied resignedly. "What duties will this entail the discharge of, for my ministry?"
"Thus far we've kept the Grand Secretary in the dark about what has transpired. You will have to coordinate with the Imperial Guard and the Imperial Household Agency to maintain that for a few hours more, probably through Personal Secretary Chang- thank Heaven he called us first. Then, likely with the help of regular army forces, or Harmonious Fist paramilitaries, you will take the Grand Secretary, his cronies, and sympathizers of his faction within the government into custody. Obviously this will entail cutting off their escape routes, and it would be best if we could totally minimize media coverage and sources of information so none of them can get their bearings and try and organize any pushback."
"And what shall we tell the Heir Designate?", Health Minister Zhu inquired.
It was Meilin who responded to him, looking up from scrawling a few notes on a sheet of paper. "We'll tell him is father is dead, but due to some security concern or other that we'll be keeping him in his rooms for a little while, as preparations are made for the funeral. The imperial court will have to be gutted, and we can't have him organizing any resistance to it either."
"It does seem as though we may end up turning our future emperor against us, then," Zhu said, sounding as resigned as Meilin. "I know he has no fondness for the Grand Secretary, but the government gutting the court, as you say, will not inspire any fondness for us from him."
"A risk we shall have to take," Jinkai pronounced.

---

[Negara-West Hesia]

Khon Yai, Khon Yai Prefecture, Republic of Siamat

Tep Kukit had been a Corporal when the war had broken out. Sent into battle with only half an idea of what to expect, he was among the first to be engaged in battle- near Pen Ratchma, where the so-called rebels had almost wiped them out. Like so many in those panicked first days of the war, his first engagement had been his last. Tep had been lucky, though. Where so many others had been killed, he had managed to crawl his way out of it; the rest of the war was a blurred daze of running East, to the coast, and being forced to watch from the side-lines as jets screamed overhead and tanks rolled in the streets with the NRA's re-entry into Siamat.

He coughed and spluttered as a cloud of dust washed over him, coloring his ratty clothes a paler shade of grey. Hurried steps brought him past a mound of rubble that had once been a liquor store. Khon Yai was rebuilding, so the tabloids liked to say, but it was not a fast process, or cheap. He scanned the corner of the block up ahead for road signs; what he saw there almost gave him pause, but cursory examination of the pair of SRA soldiers on the corner of the road, cigarettes burning slowly down to a stub, revealed no military police armbands or white helmets. The rifles they cradles weren't meant for him.

Tep bowed his head and moved past. If they weren't out to arrest him, it was nothing more than a painful reminder that the enemy was still lurking out there, like the rats they were. Shuffling along the sidewalk, his eyes glancing up at the facades of passing buildings from under his ragged hood, it took him a while to find the right address, but the distinctive light blue door stood out, just as advertised. He strode up to it, past the milling crowd, and delivered a harsh rap to the faded paint and waited.

There was a rustling from inside, like a chain being pulled away, and suddenly Tep became acutely aware of a small crack in the door, shadowed so that he couldn't see whoever was looking at him through it. "Who is it?" a voice asked, harsh and feminine.

"It's Chongrak- I've come to call with my uncle," he answered, a little raggedly.

The door swung open inward, and a short, older woman waved him inside hurriedly. Tep stepped up into the cool hallway, past the door, and the wood was slammed shut behind him. "Your uncle is out back," she snapped without even the slightest notion of belief. Tep drew his hood down and offered her a nod as she continued to bar the door, walking on through the hallway into the courtyard past it. It was a bright, warm day; the courtyard, shared by a few of the block's buildings, was an almost unspeakable luxury, lush and green by careful gardening. What took Tep by more surprise was the figure sat down by an old, wrought-iron garden table.

Captain Decha Kunchai looked like the war had never happened. He was clean-shaven, perfectly at ease with an ashtray at the ready, a few cigarettes already stubbed out in it. More than that, in a pressed dress uniform, his hat on the table, he looked like some Gaullican colonial officer of old, relaxing after a long day of doing nothing.

Tep's right arm reflexively started into a salute, but he managed to stop himself. "Captain," he greeted the older man stiffly, standing straight as an arrow, and the officer looked up at him, still with the air of perfect ease, and smiled a little as if Tep was an old friend and they were just meeting for an afternoon.

"At ease, corporal," Kunchai replied, and Tep found himself relaxing. He had never considered the Captain particularly inspiring, but with him sitting like this, it was like he was faced with a completely different man. A man he wanted to follow. "Sit, please; there's no need to stand on ceremony."

Tep sauntered into the plastic chair, across the table from the officer. His mind flashed back to the soldiers on the street corner; he tensed, eyes starting to dart about for another way out. Kunchai seemed to have plans of his own. He offered Tep a cigarette. "Smoke?"

A few more moments of peace followed. It couldn't hurt that much, Tep decided, so he took the cigarette with his mumbled thanks and let the Captain light it for him. It was the smoothest smoke he'd had in a while.

"Son," Kunchai began, relaxing into his chair a little further with a hint of a smile that didn't seem like it would ever fade. "How would you like to serve your country?"

Tep coughed, drawing the cigarette out from between his lips. "You called me out here to ask me to sign up again? Fuck you, old man," he said, eyes squinting up towards the sun. "You know I ran away."

Kunchai shrugged. "I know you stayed alive. That takes grit, soldier."

"I'm no soldier. Look, Captain, I'm glad you're alive- really- but if all you have for me is some recruitment pep-talk, I've got better things to do." Tep rose to his feet, sticking the cigarette back between his lips. "Thanks for the smoke."

Kunchai's smile faded, but only a little. "Hey, take it easy. Siddown," he said, motioning to the chair. "Don't worry- I'm not here to make you sign up again. I've just got a job for you."

Tep tilted his head. "Job?"

"Yeah- don't worry, it's not in the Navy, either. Look, here's the deal; we do need people. Drivers, cooks, that sort of thing. People that're really willing to make a difference, help everyone get back on their feet." Kunchai rose to his feet, smiling properly once again, striding closer to Tep. "I heard you were in town, figured I'd offer you a spot. Keep you off the street and all that. Sound good?"

The man offered Tep a hand. His shoulders sagged somewhat, relaxing; Tep nodded at Kunchai, and reached out to clasp the Captain's hand in a shake. "Sure, I could go for that," he replied. "Where do you need me?"

---

INTERNAL MEMORANDUM - NEGARAN REPUBLICAN ARMY

TOP SECRET - LIMITED DISTRIBUTION - CODE UMBRE

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO ALLIED PERSONNEL

PROPOSAL 14.78.92

The Department of Foreign Affairs' Security and Reconciliation Commission has proved fairly successful in identifying the means and motives of numerous Songhua informants and intelligence networks stationed in Siamat and environs, particularly among our and the Siamati Republican Army's Military Intelligence networks. In accordance with its mission to identify and exploit "intelligence opportunities" encountered, it has also been establishing networks of supply for Siamati insurgents located in Namkwok-held Siamati territory. The SRC's director has approached us with an request for approval for an extensive intelligence/security operation, codenamed "Grey Men."

Following the QTO attack on Siamat and subsequent end of conventional hostilities, a number of politicised NGOs, most of them charitable, have emerged as part of the reconstruction effort in Siamat. Many of the employees of these NGOs are part of a broader anti-Songhua/QTO movement emerging in Siamat after the war; some, indeed, have become so radicalised as to seek entry with Siamati militias still engaged across the border. With a concerted effort on the SRC's part, agents may be able to infiltrate these groups in order to create cells of highly dedicated assets useful for striking certain targets of interest within Namkwon and further afield.

It is to be emphasised that the actual effectiveness of such cells can at best be limited, but their long-term applications are both varied and obvious. In taking control of the development of such organisations, the SRC (and by extension, Negara) may yield the advantages of an asymmetrical strike force against QTO interests in Coius. To this end, the SRC has begun inserting agents to provide counterintelligence and recruitment services to such cells, and to vet organisations from potential Songhua infiltration and anti-Negaran sentiment, as well as "scout" for talent.

For a more detailed overview of SRC recruitment operations in Siamat, see pages 3-7 of this document.

[Senkaku]

State Council Chambers, Palace of the Grand Assembly, Tianjing, Capital Region, Songguo

---

"Difficulties present themselves on every front, Jinkai, but executing the employees of my bureau is generally not considered a good way to respond to said difficulties unless, as they do not currently, those difficulties stem from the conduct of said employees," Ai Jianjun said coldly, while the First Minister avoided his stare and shuffled some papers. "Jin Chunhua is an exemplary officer with a distinguished career, who followed her orders well in this matter. Even if she were not, it is hardly her fault that this came to light- she was not responsible for the breach."
"Regrettably, Jianjun," the First Minister said, glancing at his watch and lazily drawing out the ends of his words, "this government has chosen to try and avoid the threat of nuclear war, and as part of that, her distinguished career and lack of culpability in this... shenanigan, that your bureau perpetrated-"
"-perpetrated after it was suggested to us, by the Grand Secretary!"
"Who is now rotting in an Antarctic jail cell!", Jinkai said, suddenly raising his voice and slamming his fist down on the table. "We don't have time to quibble about what a lovely officer the resident was."
"Is", the MSJ director doggedly persisted.
"Jianjun, please, don't be like this," Interior Security Minister Ying scoffed. "She is one officer. In a way, she will be giving the ultimate sacrifice for her country. Once she is arrested and safely in custody, if it would make you feel better, I'm sure this could all be explained to her, but it has to be done. Once the investigation starts we'll look like fools no different from the Grand Secretary if we don't do something."
"Meilin is correct," the First Minister said with a sigh. "It's not as if I like it, but she will need to be dealt with. Along with any other senior personnel who were directly involved in and had knowledge of the full scope of the operation."
"There is nothing I can do to stop you, but I would like to register my very strong objections and ask that this be recorded and a secret controlled file be added to MSJ archives detailing that Jin Chunhua was not a traitor or a rogue agent."
"Fine," Jinkai said dismissively. "Where are we with the communications situation with the enemy?"
"I've selected a suitable candidate," Foreign Minister Chao said quietly. "Shen Caihou, a 66-year-old vice-consul in Carcosa. Dual citizenship with Gaullica, thanks to being born on Baishadao with one full Gaullican-citizen parent. Served for ten years in the MSJ, mostly on political operations in northern Bahia and technical operations in Asteria, before joining the Foreign Ministry. He's extremely capable, but he hasn't been promoted further beyond vice-consul because of concerns about his background- not only dual citizenship, but went to college in Verlois, and his mother is also half-Chau, to make matters worse for him."
"A quarter-Chau, Gaullican-educated vice-consul is our current plan?"
"Both myself and Director Ai have worked personally with him in the past, before moving on, and having reviewed other candidates, I very much believe he would be the best courier."
Meilin interjected again. "The Interior Security Service has also never had cause to have any ideological doubts about him or suspect any criminal activity, political or otherwise. His only vice is the occasional drink, and very infrequently some opium."
"Very well. This meeting is adjourned."

---

"What a lovely morning for a stroll, Ambassador," Chunhua remarked idly, squinting against the bright sun that was stabbing down at her from the piercingly clear blue sky. Shaoqi seemed nervous for some reason, blinking rapidly and occasionally looking over his shoulder. Once they were far enough from the bench a little ways back on the path- where Chunhua happened to know there was a microphone and a pair of hidden cameras- he stopped walking.
"Chunhua, I'm telling you this as a friend and colleague. No one can know I told you this, do you understand?"
Alarm bells immediately began going off in the resident's head. Whatever he says next is going to change your life, Chunhua. "Of course! We've been colleagues for so long, what is it?"
"I received word from Tianjing that a team of Interior Security officers have been sent to collect you."
"Who else knows?", she automatically responded, taking a sharp breath in.
"I got the message just before I asked you to take a walk, so no one. I have to go back inside and alert people. Do whatever you have to do." He abruptly turned around and began walking back inside.
Chunhua stood for a moment, regarding the bonelike, leafless branches of the garden's trees flexing slightly in the bracing sea breeze coming off the water, and then slowly began trudging back inside.

---

Six people in dark suits disembarked from the town car that had pulled up in front of the embassy, none bearing any obvious identification. Five were tall, heavyset, with flat faces and big hands and black unmarked holsters that made it clear their job was simply to provide security and, if necessary, perform violence. The four men and lone woman of this group formed a rough pentagon around the other member of their group, a slight young man who was clearly the leader. Two of the embassy's counterintelligence officers were already waiting for them by the curb.
"Where is the resident?", the small young man asked one of them, whose hair was slowly turning white at the tips.
"When I came out here, she had just gone into the bathroom nearest to her office, according to surveillance. Follow me."
They entered the embassy, proceeding through the lobby without any trouble from security, and began heading upstairs when a flustered aide suddenly angled out of a side hall to intercept them. She began speaking rapidly to the counterintelligence officer with the white-tinged hair.
"Sir, the resident went back into her office and apparently a moment later we lost all footage from cameras in the northern half of the compound. Microphones in her office and several surrounding rooms have also stopped responding."
"Perfect timing," he grumbled, but brushed her aside. "It's fine."

Eventually they arrived at a tall white double door, with simple, circular brass knobs, and the counterintelligence officer nonchalantly opened the left door and stepped into the room.
There was a sharp ping, a grunt, a spray of blood, and the sound of shattering glass, and a moment later the man fell to the floor like a marionette puppet with its strings cut, his blood making black spots on the blue carpeting and spraying the white wall with crimson. The other seven behind him recoiled, pulling out weapons, as there was another loud shattering noise from inside the office and then, a moment later, the sound of branches snapping and crunching outside.
"Go!", the small Interior Security man barked, and the five bruisers burst inside, guns drawn. One of the windows behind the resident's desk had been smashed, and the enforcers hurried over, peering down into the garden, where Chunhua was disentangling herself from a bush. Hearing the commotion above, she fired a few wild shots up, forcing them back away from the windows while the other counterintelligence officer knelt to take her fallen comrade's vitals.
There was a sudden volley of unsilenced pistol fire from the window, and three of the enforcers hurried to go downstairs.
"Is he alive?", the Interior Security leader asked quietly.
"He's breathing and he has a pulse. It looks like she just grazed him."
He went to the window and looked down, where Chunhua was sprawled prone, red leaking onto the grass around her.

---

"So she shot one of the counterintelligence agents who was apprehending her and then was shot after jumping out of a window? What is this, a fucking B-grade thriller? I thought we were supposed to be the competent ones at all this spying bullshit," the First Minister grumbled, handing some papers to an aide who swiftly turned off into some passed-by room as he and the Interior Security Minister walked briskly through the corridors of power. "Is she alive? Did it tip off local authorities? I can't imagine anyone would be too pleased if they noticed gunfire after the attacks, even if it's all being discharged inside the embassy. Did anyone film it?"
Meilin threw up her hands. "Woah, woah. One question at a time. Yes, she's alive, in stable condition, and on a plane back. As far as we know, Glyt authorities were not alerted, there was only a brief exchange of fire and she was using a silenced weapon. That goes for filming too- no one, as far as we know, spotted it, and it's at an awkward angle for any security cameras from other embassies to pick up because of where her office is situated. I've seen the footage from our own cameras and it isn't much anyways- she jumps out, gets sorta stuck in a bush, fires vaguely back up at the window, and then you see a few muzzle flashes near the window and it's over."
"I expect there to be an inquiry over this. Someone must have tipped her off."
"Given that half the cameras and microphones in the embassy were disabled by an ultrasonic pulse, I'm inclined to agree. The entire embassy staff will be interviewed and we'll review if there would have been any way for her to access the message to the ambassador."
"Alright. I'll text you after this meeting and we can discuss further. Any news about the courier that you've heard?"
She shrugged. "His flight should be leaving about now from Gabajin. He'll be in Kota Merdeka in a few hours."

[Senkaku]

Beauty At Low Temperatures

---

Special Detention Center 194
Sector Two, Songhua Antursine Mandate

---

The helicopter's engine roared as it kicked up snow around the edge of the helipad, forcing Baozhai to narrow her eyes against the lashing ice crystals. The unmarked Interior Security Service craft settled slowly onto the pad like an uneasy bird of prey, rotors hardly slowing, and its side door opened. The lone passenger, bundled up against the bitter cold, was likewise squinting against the whipping snow and the brilliant glare of the ice sheet, having just emerged from the more suitably lit interior of the helicopter. He had scarcely disembarked when the rotors spun back up to fever pitch, and the jet-black craft launched itself skyward once more.
Once the earth-shaking thunder of its engines had diminished slightly, Baozhai called out to the passenger, who was blinking and staring around at the glaring, featureless, utterly pristine ice sheet that stretched for miles around them. "I am Commandant Liu. Welcome."
He walked over, giving her a slight nod of recognition. "Thank you, Commandant. Just to confirm- you have been fully briefed on the matter of my business here?"
"Yes. We've taken all the relevant steps." Now that he was closer, Baozhai was surprised by how young the man was, and noticed how light his eyes were. Like chips of ice, she thought, glancing at the glittering fields of snow stretching monotonously to the horizon. "Let me show you to your destination." She turned around, rubbing her hands together a little as a gust of wind slithered off of the frigid Antursine plains around them, and walked the few short paces to the bunker entrance, presenting her ID card to the scanner. A moment later, there was the strangely distant clunking of the various locks disarming, and the steel door glided open when she gave it a slight tug.
"After you," the young man said politely, and they stepped inside. The door clicked shut and automatically re-locked behind them, and Baozhai sat down on one of the convenient benches to unlace her heavy boots and take off her coats, hat, and mittens. She motioned to the man to do the same.
"The prison is heated just fine, so you may get a bit warm in that," she commented, pointing at his parka and gloves. A pair of guards appeared like ghosts from some adjacent room, taking their coats and warm clothes, and giving Baozhai her normal work shoes to slip on.

Once they were both properly attired for the perfectly acceptable temperature inside, Baozhai began leading the man through winding hallways, past more locked steel doors and guard posts, towards the main body of the prison. As they walked, she found herself filling the usual eerie silence with small talk, expositing about the facility and the various details the man might be able to observe if he cared to, while he politely listened and occasionally asked small questions. "...there's really no part of the prison where there isn't a camera on you, really, at least in the actual prison part. Obviously in the guard quarters there's not as much need for constant surveillance, and policy suggests we usually keep microphones and cameras in their quarters off unless there are political or psychological concerns about them. The prisoners, though- we never get rid of any records. They've apparently built us an entire data center somewhere, I think maybe Phula, and we just store everything there, 24/7 video and audio in every part of their cells, whenever they're allowed to walk in the hallway or a courtyard. We actually coordinate it so that no two prisoners are ever within earshot of each other, on the rare occasions that any are allowed to leave their cells, and when they're in the cell they have no interaction whatsoever because we've got such thick walls and a very special system of air ducts. And look, here we are." The last door in their way had been opened by the two guards standing outside, and they entered a small room with a steel table and several chairs. One wall was entirely taken up by a floor-to-ceiling one-way mirror, and through it they could see a middle-aged woman with slightly graying hair strapped to a medical bed, with several devices monitoring her and IVs attached.
"And there's the lovely Miss Jin," the man said, setting his briefcase on the table. "You said you'd taken all the relevant steps regarding her situation?"
"She is completely alert."
"Good. I hope I won't have to do too much persuading..."

---

INCOMING HIGH-PRIORITY MESSAGE: ENCRYPTED

---

ANTURSINE DETENTION SPECIAL DEPARTMENT REPORT
EYES ONLY: CONTROL LEVEL 6 · INCINERATION MANDATORY

Property of the Interior Security Ministry · Destroy after reading · Redactions removed · Reproduction prohibited
This briefing has been provided to the State Council. All material within this document is considered to be classified. Any sharing or reproduction of this document is punishable by death, and it is to be incinerated after reading. Improper destruction of this document carries a penalty of fifty years' imprisonment.

CODENAME 8-23 ALPHA, Jin Chunhua, former resident MSJ officer in Glytter, who was detained on the 13th due to broad political concerns regarding the situation with Euclea on the orders of the State Council, has been deemed COOPERATIVE and ready for possible interviews by Glytteronian questioners who may be dispatched. Her death warrant has appropriately been stayed. Minimal pain tolerance testing was required to establish Miss Jin's cooperation, which her psychoanalysis team believes stems largely from her continuing sense of duty to the nation and understanding of the situation, which overcomes her resentment at its unfortunate outcome for her. Further briefings to follow on other members of the 8-23 cohort.

[Elepis]

The Lions of Fars

---

Aslah Zndan Camp Omega
Qostanak Province, two hundred miles south of Darreh

---

The Dongjing Y-9 transport plane's engines whirred as the turboprop driven plane banked forward to land on the desert runway. The small, versatile air craft was the mainstay of the Farsi's air-force transport fleet, able to travel long distance with a small fuel load carrying a respectable cargo. Today though the unmarked aircraft carried only a few men, an Officer of the Vezarat-e Ettela'at va Amniyat-e Keshvar, VEVAK as it was better known, and a few soldiers, brutal non-commissioned officers of the Pasdaran Internal Corps who had clung onto their machine guns throughout the flight from Darreh. The metropolis was only two hundred or so miles away by car, but there were no roads within one hundred miles of Aslah Zndan Camp Omega so anyone wishing to approach the camp had to come by air or die walking across the dry dusty desert mountains of the Farsi Plateau.

For most of the short journey the Officer, looking out of the window behind his head, could only see mile after mile of sand covered mountains, the entire mineral rich region of Qostanak devoid of all natural life. But below the plane's wings he could now see the large, perfectly square prison camp set into the landscape. As the plane made its wind blown descent towards the ground, he began to make out more and more of the camp. It was separated into three distinct quadrants, the one the pilot was aiming for held a runway and small control tower and was only separated from the second by a low barbed wire fence. This second compound was made up of low concrete blocks set out in neat rows, he could see a small pool and a long building which the Officer presumed was a mess or canteen for the guards. Hardly an inspiring site but not devoid all luxuries. However the third and largest section, taking up half of the entire camp and separated from the other two by a high reinforced concrete wall was desolate, a handful of low wooden huts around a large paved exercise ground surrounded on three sides by high razor wire fences topped with guard towers. For a high security prison housing traitors to the Farsi state, there were surprisingly few manmade defences but that fact was compensated for by the landscape of the endless Farsi Plateau. At five thousand four hundred feet above sea level, the desert landscape was its own security, any prisoner foolish enough to run would find himself dead within days, devoid of food, water and shelter.

He knew what to expect, but it still came a shock as the Officer stepped of the aircraft's gangplank that even in April at the start of the year, temperatures reach well over thirty degrees Celsius and the dust of the desert blew around his face. He would hate to be trapped here like the prisoners in July and August, when temperatures would rise to forty degrees Celsius. As well as blocking escape, nature also worked as the camp's torture method, the wooden huts the condemned lived in receiving no air conditioning during the day and no heating at night.

The Officer was greeted on the ground by the camp's commandant, a middle aged woman of southern decent with dead eyes and a hand with no finger nails. The Officer had already read her file, the daughter of a farmer from Sundurva Province, she had joined the Pasdaran and fought in Darhsistan before being transferred to various small time duties and ending up as the commander of her own isolated kingdom in the far west of Fars.
"Erika Chothia, I am the Commandant here, welcome." She said in clipped tones, extending her good hand to greet him.
The Officer gave his name, rank and number, she didn't need to know more. She knew why he was here. "Is he ready, Rozi Khan Burki?" he asked, as he walked towards the guard's quarter with its swimming pool and concrete barracks. On the other side of the dividing wall to his left he couldn't hear a sound even though it was midday and he knew there to be eighty men and women living in the small space.
"Of course." The Commandant said, striding to catch up with him in an attempt to show her authority.
The Officer didn't care for small talk, he knew all he had to know about this place, god knows he had probably sent enough people here or to any other of the identical camps littered across the plateau. Nonetheless, the Commandant filled the eerie silence with her talk "Of course, the condemned are kept under constant watch for however long they are here for. We have cameras fitted in each of the huts, guards who patrol every hour, always in pairs. They are allowed to talk to each other, but after a few days of arriving here they all fall silent anyway. We had one man last year, tried to keep his spirits up by jogging on the spot for hours everyday. But now he just lies there, hugging his one good leg."
The Officer blocked her out, he didn't care. Most people in Fars would never know of or experience these prisons, for the most part the Farsi people were free to do and say as they wished, as long as it didn't cause too many problems. You were only brought here if you directly subverted the state or tried to work against her people, in fact many of the people in the six or so Aslah Zndan camps dotted around the country weren't even Farsi, many Darshi radicals or Anhurvish spies. Rozi Khan Burki, the man the officer had come to interrogate, was an ex-Darshi soldier who in the early 2000's had come into contact with the Anhurvish secret service in Darshistan, a relationship which ended in him setting up the terror cell now known as the Mhafez az-Ketab Front before being snatched and taken here.

The Officer found the man in a small concrete cell, his nose already broken and blood dripping from his chin. "You began without me?" he asked the Commandant.
"Usual practise." She replied "Nothing much, just a few iron-rods to the face and kicks to the groin. We've left the real fun to you and your boys." She explained, pointing towards the Pasdaran troopers who had followed the Officer through to the cell.
He looked at the Darshi man in the face, imagining what was to come. "Very good, is it all set up for us?" He asked
"Of course, everything you asked for, chairs, beds, iron frame. Before you go though, this is to do with the Susa attacks , isn't it? How could he be behind it thought?"
The Officer rolled his eyes "We know the terror cell he founded was behind it, we just want him to identify some people for us. Give us some background."
As the woman left the room, he walked up to the broken man and stared him in the eyes as the troopers took him into an adjoining cell.

[Senkaku]

RESEARCH OFFICE ARCHIVES

EYES ONLY: MAXIMUM CONTROL LEVEL

Property of the State Council Research Office · Destroy after reading · Redactions removed · Reproduction prohibited

State Council Research Office archives are classified. Any sharing or reproduction of this document is punishable by death or other exceptional punishment, and it is to be incinerated after reading.

11-25-16 Imperial Palace Audio Files Transcript
Gate of Divine Might (Recording begins at 23:17 Hours)

[begin tape]
SPEAKER 1 (BELIEVED TO BE COLONEL WU XIAN OF THE IMPERIAL TIGER GUARD†): Grand [unintelligible], we need to evacuate the palace immediately. Your helicopter is standing by in the Courtyard of the Silver Heron.

SPEAKER 2 (ZHAO BOLIN): Absolutely fucking not! Why haven't we heard anything from Tianjing [unintelligible] [loud explosions]

SPEAKER 1: Excellency, your person is under direct threat here. I only have command of a certain subset of the Tiger Guards, and the rest may now be looking to apprehend your person. We've heard that there is a warrant-

SPEAKER 2: Fuck their warrants. Why have Governor Chen and Viceroy Huang gone offline? If we are to have any chance here, we have to hear something from Tianjing [unintelligible] lost cause. [gunfire]

SPEAKER 1: We're trying to establish contact from the Dongjing Imperial Broadcasting Office, sir, but we need to get you on that helicopter. They haven't deployed any anti-aircraft units and the palace is not safe at this point [gunfire interrupts] [unintelligible].

SPEAKER 3 (UNKNOWN FEMALE): I would strongly recommend using the evacuation tunnels rather than a helicopter. Interior Security will scramble air defense units if they suspect that a high-value target like the Grand Secretary is fleeing [unintelligible interruption, likely from Zhao Bolin] of course. Retreating. They will likely deduce you're aboard the helicopter, though, Your Excellency. I would recommend either bringing in a military craft that is less identifiable or [loud explosions interrupt].

SPEAKER 1: Regardless, I think that was an RPG being fired near the Palace of the White Lotus, so we need to evacuate quickly. What will it be, sir?

SPEAKER 2: [long sigh] [pause] [unintelligible] is right. We should go through the tunnels; Interior Security has not blocked them and if they do, we can pose as terrified courtiers.

SPEAKER 3: Do you intend to remain in Dongjing?

SPEAKER 2: It will be safer to take a brief trip to Beigang, where I can direct things from a safer [unintelligible, loud explosions interrupt]

[departing footsteps, gunfire]

[Recording ends]

[The Kingdom of Glitter]

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ON BEHALF OF THE GLYTTERONIAN GOVERNMENT

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PRESS RELEASE

Regarding the recent underground nuclear test conducted by the Democratic Republic of Thurne

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has grave concerns in regards to the recent development in he Democratic Republic of Thurne, most notably the recent nuclear test conducted by the Thurnic Ministry of Science and Technology. The test, which was confirmed earlier today by Thunese state media, poses a direct threat to the stability of Asteria Inferior, as well as the region at large.

The acquisition of a nuclear arsenal in a state such as the Democratic Republic of Thurne, which has acted as an international pariah for nearly seven decades, will have significant ramifications. Neighboring states will now have reason to act irrationally in response, some of which may choose to act preemptively. Of particular concern is the Federation of Asteria, and by extension the entirety of the Joint Defense Force, who will feel threatened by both this nuclear test and the acquisition of weapons of mass destruction in Thurne. As the world works to achieve a lasting peace between two of its greatest powers, this nuclear test poses a serious threat to international affairs.

The Glytteronian government remains fully committed to the Treaty of St. Ragnarstad and achieving global nuclear proliferation. The acquisition of a nuclear arsenal by the Democratic Republic of Thurne is counterproductive to these efforts. In particular, one potential ramification would be a regional nuclear arms race as neighboring states seek a deterrent of their own against the Democratic Republic of Thurne, which has a long history of threatening its neighbors. Another potential ramification is the strategic redeployment of nuclear weapons by the Federation of Asteria within its allied states, in particular those within the Joint Defense Force. The direction result of this would be that more nations would have nuclear weapons within their borders, escalating both regional and international tensions.

As such, the Glytteornian government hereby condemns this nuclear test, and strongly urges the government of the Democratic Republic of Thurne to end its nuclear program. Further nuclear tests, and potentially missile tests, would be a provocation of the Federation of Asteria.

The Glytteronian Ambassador to the Community of Nations, Catrina Finley, will be putting forth a motion at the request of the Glytteronian government within the Internatonal Assembly. The motion will call for the International Community to condemn the nuclear tests. Ambassador Finley, at the request of the Glytteronian government, will also work with her colleagues within the Community of Nations in order to implement sanctions against the Democratic Republic of Thurne.

Independent of the Community of Nations, the Glytteronian government will be examining potential sanctions it will place on the Democratic Republic of Thurne and prominent members of the Thurnic regime. The Glytteronian government will also strongly urge the Euclean Community to consider implementing sanctions on the Democratic Republic of Thurne.

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[The Kingdom of Glitter]

19 May 2017
Teach-an-Chultúir
Spálgleann, Glytter

"He cannot be serious, he has to delete this. Half of this isn't even fact" Taoiseach O'Reilly said with a growl. He had just been briefed on the tweet storm from the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Frank Casarnach.

"Why in God's name would this country's top diplomat attack the Federation on twitter today, of all godforsaken days. The day the CN votes on a motion we bloody asked them to vote on, and the day the Federation's President is here, in Glytter" he fumed.

"I just do not understand, I don't. What is he doing" the Taoiseach said as he threw the papers, painted with the printed out chain of damaging tweets, to the ground.

His visibly worried Chief of Staff, Darren McGovern, watched helplessly. There was nothing he could really do to calm his boss. Both were new to the posts they held and unfortunately, until Jimmy won the election, of Jimmy won the election that is, their influence would be minimal. This was especially true when it came to the cabinet, a holdover of Walker's. Nearly of the cabinet endorsed Casarnach in the leadership contest. Many of those who aligned with Casarnach were weary of O'Reilly ability to deliver, both a winning electoral result and on his electoral promises.

"This is coming in the middle of the damned campaign, days before I unveil the contract" O'Reilly continued after a brief pause.

"What is he doing? Sabotaging me? That conniving fuck is a mistake. Alexis made a mistake ever appointing him. He does this time and time again. He thrives off of standing behind a podium and starting shit for the rest of us. Remember when he stood there and lectured White on gender for hours? Remember when he started a major diplomatic incident with the Vredlandians? Well I bloody do. He needed to be sacked, not suspended. He's a liability, and I've sold my soul to him".

McGovern's head was about to explode. The two had been friends since university, and of course this was not the firs time tensions flared. However, this was different. Darren knew there was some truth to what the Taoiseach had said. Casarnach was in fact a conniving fuck, that was no secret. O'Reilly, on McGovern's suggestion, made the mistake of striking a deal with the Foreign Minister in order to secure the party leadership post. In exchange for the party leadership, O'Reilly told Casarnach he would remain Foreign Minister and would be able to handpick the Ministers of the Interior and Finance, meaning Casarnach would hold or directly influence the three top cabinet posts.

It had been a draining Convention, seven ballots failed to produce a winner. The scary part was that, should MacQueen have withdrawn and backed Casarnach, he would have won, easily. That was why Darren recommended O'Reilly make the deal, there was no other way for him to become Taoiseach. When Casarnach accepted the deal, he got delegates loyal to MacQueen to switch to O'Reilly. Now, Darren knew why Casarnach accepted.

"I just do not get it. He is getting too cocky, how do we put up with five more years of this? I jus-" the Taoiseach was interrupted by his Chief of Staff.

"Jimmy" he said firmly. "You need to stop thinking, just for a moment. Sit down, cool down" he continued as he forced O'Reilly to sit on the sofa.

"This is bad, yes. I am not denying that, I can't deny that. However, we can handle this. You get to talk to Avery tonight, you can smooth this over then. I'll make sure the Foreign Ministry gets out a statement praising the Asterians for their work in getting the resolution passed and distancing us from Casarnach. I'll have our chief spokesperson do the same, we can get on top of this" he finished.

Privately, Darren knew just what this was. Casarnach was intentionally sabotaging O'Reilly. Why? Casarnach still wanted to be Taoiseach. O'Reilly was weak, especially when it came to foreign policy, and Frank knew it. The SDs were tanking every since the union debacle, but the National Party was gaining in the polls. As were Centre and the Glytter Democrats, all at the expense of Liberty, who had seen three weeks of strong support in the polls - three consecutive weeks of new highs . This would fuel the rise of the smaller parties. Liberty looked as if it would lose even more seats, which was not ideal given the current minority coalition government. Centre had promised it would enter a coalition with Liberty again, so their gains could even out the loses or even give the coalition a majority. However, the Nationals and Glyt Dems both threatened that. The situation was far from ideal, and with Walker running a campaign to become the President of the Euclean Community, O'Reilly's most powerful ally was out of commission. There was no way in hell the deal with Casarnach could hold after the election. McGovern knew this, and he knew this had to become a reality. However, now was not the time. O'Reilly was in a panic, and he needed to be calmed.

"This will be fine, I promise. Avery is reasonable, Walker liked him, you like him, Glytter likes him. Casarnach is brash, he's controversial. He captivates the news cycle, that's why Walker chose him. Besides, Asterian bashing is still very popular with the right flank of our base. This could help keep them in line, and pull the rug out from under the Nats" Darren said, lying the entire time.

As O'Reilly sat down he folded his hands on his lap. He kicked his legs up onto the sofa, laying down on it. "I guess you're right. I need a break, and a coffee".

[Senkaku]

Dragons in the Wild

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There was a storm gathering over Dongjing.


The White City of the Songhua emperors sprawled across the plains, the Lai River slicing like a twisting serpent through its towers and boulevards, glittering along with a million windows and windshields as the late afternoon sun continued to blast down. It was one of the first truly hot days of the year, a taste of the coming summer, and now the thunderstorms that always followed the imperial city's stifling, sticky summer days were gathering their strength. A vast pillar of clouds was gathering to the west, hot updrafts billowing skyward and making the clouds bloat and swell and grow pregnant with the promise of a downpour.

Among all the usual busy air traffic over the imperial city and the Capital Region, a single, small private jet, bearing the national flag and the imperial crest on its tail, was winging its way towards Dongjing's airport.

Inside, an old woman peered out the window, unperturbed by the turbulence buffeting the aircraft. A cup of boiling tea rested between her wrinkled hands, gripped lightly but unshakingly, barely so much as rippling as the plane was shaken by a divine hand. Beneath her unfurled her native city, not much changed since her last visit- to bury her own son- but vastly changed from the panorama that remained fixed in her mind, of her first flight over the city nearly seventy years before.

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Below, beside the Reservoir of Lustre, among the trees that lined its banks, an osprey was perched, regarding the water for prey. The plane's shadow flashed by in an instant, but it was enough to startle the carp the raptor had been tracking, and it was about to cry out in frustration.

Then, somewhere deep in its primitive mind, a strange, foreboding premonition, as if a freezing gaze had just fallen upon it, silenced the call in its throat, and it nervously glanced skyward.

The jet had moved on, soaring towards the airport, but the presence that had appeared with its shadow had come to Dongjing to stay.

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The flight from Xikou had been a long one, and Yulan set her now empty cup of tea down and stretched a little as the plane taxied. Outside, the sun began to disappear behind the blossoming thunderheads, and the Grand Empress Dowager heard the first distant growling of thunder.

[Senkaku]

RESEARCH OFFICE ARCHIVES

EYES ONLY: MAXIMUM CONTROL LEVEL

Property of the State Council Research Office · Incineration mandatory · Redactions removed · Reproduction prohibited

State Council Research Office archives are classified. Any sharing or reproduction of this document is punishable by death or other exceptional punishment, and it is to be incinerated after reading.

MAIN OFFICE DIRECTIVE 6614 5/19/17
REGARDING SPECIAL DIVISION CASE AMETHYST CYBER OPERATIONS

HIH Director Lin, on the advice of the Analysis Division, has directed that the Special Division's task force on Case Amethyst (all planning and operations regarding the Kingdom of Glytter and its domestic and foreign affairs), specifically the cyberwarfare desk and Case Amethyst's liaisons with the Line I cyberoperations department of the Sensitive Affairs Bureau, shift attention towards new active measures to be taken against the Free Market Party and its leader, Mme. Saorla Ni Chadhla (CODENAME 830 RED THROAT). HIH has instructed that the Special Division immediately move to increase access to and retrieve damaging electronic material and records pertaining to the Free Market Party and Mme. Ni Chadhla, and Case Amethyst's Sensitive Affairs Bureau liaisons are to move to implement the necessary steps towards the deniable release of such damaging materials via sources approachable by the Sensitive Affairs Bureau.

Sensitive Affairs Bureau Director Ai has already confirmed that the Bureau will assist in the execution of these new active measures by use of contacts within the UniLeaks organization, but Special Division Case Amethyst liaison officers will be responsible for working with their Sensitive Affairs Bureau counterparts to oversee the specifics of the information transfers.

Mme. Ni Chadhla's unusual prescience surrounding the August 23rd Incident could be representative of her general trend towards upsetting Glytteronian politics with wild and destabilizing antics, or indicative of her possession of intelligence that led her to those conclusions. HIH and the Analysis Division therefore conclude active measures to sabotage her credibility and political power are thus long overdue, and that such measures will reduce her ability to negatively impact Glytteronian politics and public opinion. Furthermore, the disruption caused by a high-profile active political measure such as this will further worsen the position of Domestic Intelligence Service Director Terry MacArthur (CODENAME 1811 MANTA) and generally damage the Service's morale and its view in the public. This damage, and ideally turmoil resulting from a MacArthur resignation, will weaken Glytteronian counterintelligence and offer the Sensitive Affairs Bureau greater leeway in conducting operations.

Furthermore, in light of recent social media incidents and new political intelligence from the Foreign Ministry and Sensitive Affairs Bureau, the Special Division, in cooperation with the Sensitive Affairs Bureau, is to increase monitoring of Foreign Minister Frank Casarnach (CODENAME 1214 BETTA) and general political intelligence collection on all Glytteronian cabinet members.

[Senkaku]

Leviathan

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Operations Planning and Coordination Conference Center, Qin Siming State Security Center, Tianjing, Capital Region, Songguo





"Your Imperial Highness. Welcome." Meilin frowned slightly as the elderly woman came into the room, exchanging a quick glance with Jianjun, who shrugged and offered his own salutation.
"Your presence is an honor, Your Imperial Highness."
The Interior Security Minister and the MSJ Director both stared at the Grand Empress Dowager with studiously neutral expressions as she slowly entered the room. The old woman was wearing a severe black and white skirt suit, not unlike Meilin, leaning slightly on a cane in her right hand that clashed sharply with the austerity of the rest of her wardrobe. The cane had tiny golden phoenixes with pearl eyes soaring up its length, towards the pommel, where a dragon's mouth clutched a diamond that looked to be the size of a chicken's egg. Meilin squinted slightly at the dragon's eyes, realizing that the dynastic crest had been delicately engraved into each of the glittering opals that stared coldly upwards.

The Grand Empress Dowager sat down at the other end of the table from them, taking the seat at the head of the long glass rectangle without a word and tapping the remote sitting near her to switch on the massive screens around them. Meilin could feel a slight current of disapproval from the other woman already- both Jianjun and Meilin had remained seated when she had entered. You're not at court any more, my lady, Meilin thought, suppressing a smirk. We were polite the first time, but it's time to get down to business now. Welcome to the other great machine.
"I trust all continues to go well in coordinating the new approach on Case Amethyst for both of you?", the old imperial offered, her rich, almost singsong voice offering an archaeological trace of faded beauty and vivacity.
"Quite," Jianjun replied crisply. "Shall we address the agenda, then?"
The two bureaucrats slightly adjusted the small stack of pristine papers that sat in front of each of them, straightening them into perfect rectangles exactly aligned with the edge of the table, and switched on their tablets with almost perfectly mirrored motions. The Grand Empress Dowager, by contrast, produced a small, dark blue notebook and a fountain pen from some pocket inside her jacket, along with a square of folded, rumpled sheets of paper, which she lazily unraveled and let curl out onto the glass.
Meilin cleared her throat slightly, feeling strangely aware of the noise, and lifted her hands from her lap to splay her fingers on the table like dead butterflies.
"Jianjun, you wanted to cover the nuclear issue, yes?"
The MSJ Director nodded, tapping his tablet and bringing three charts up on the screens around the room. Meilin shot a glance towards the Grand Empress Dowager, who squinted intently at the maps.
"These are maps of Valentir, Thurne, and Afallon. You'll see known weapons development and possibly testing facilities marked in Valentir and Thurne, along with other infrastructure, and the map of Afallon shows areas we believe they may use to develop infrastructure for their own bomb project. The Thurnic program is the furthest along, obviously, since they've actually tested some bombs, but the Valentiri are much more likely to be able to develop effective missile systems that can threaten the Motherland, by virtue of their superior wealth and technical abilities. Indications are that they're making considerable progress towards the development of adequately ranged launch vehicles. Their strategic position in Sublustria, as opposed to Thurnic hostility towards Asteria and general Afallonese isolationism, also makes their possession of nuclear armaments considerably more interesting and would, needless to say, greatly complicate Supreme Command's planning for military contingencies in the region."
The Grand Empress Dowager suddenly cut in. "My officers have also been reporting to me about the reconnaissance operations in Valentir- do you have a proposal of any sort?"
"My thoughts on the matter would only be relevant if accepted by the State Council, but I'm a proponent of beginning to take active measures. As much as we might desire disruption in the region, you can have too much of a good thing, and this plays into the Negarans' hands."

The Grand Empress Dowager tapped her pen against the desk, tilting her head and regarding him. Somehow, the way she looked at him made him feel simultaneously invisible and like the only person in the room.
"Well, we didn't do that for Case Amethyst- is there any need to for this? Unless you're proposing anything of real significance," she added with a shrug.
"It would be best to at least discuss it with the Standing Committee," Meilin quickly added, narrowing her eyes a little at the old woman. Did she just smirk a little? Meilin could not decide if the Grand Empress Dowager's lips had turned upwards a little.
"Of course," she simply replied smoothly. "But given the speed their program seems to be developing, best to expedite the process."

I need to speak to Jinkai about this. She's been on the job for barely two weeks and she's already trying to push out ahead of the Standing Committee. This appointment was a mistake, and this is just our second meeting. Meilin gave a tight, forced smile and nodded. "I'll reach out and see if the First Minister and the Foreign Minister can do a teleconference this evening. Now, to the second point, regarding ISS operations around Angery against the Chau..."