Concert and Comity [IC | OPEN | PMT/FT]

[The Ice States]

Ooc: Any member of Esvanovia, Greater Dienstad, Gholgoth/Varathron, or Teremara is free to join this RP. It is themed around N-Day, although you can participate even if you are not involved in N-Day. Ooc discussion should go on the #n-day channel on the GD Discord. This is an alternate-reality roleplay, but you are free to treat it as canon in your own nation if you would prefer that. I did indeed receive permission from the player behind Minskiev for the first section of the post.
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Providence.

Minskiev-195, 1033 CE.

One millennium ago, it was far in space. It was not even near Earth, let alone the great powers therein -- from the most despised nation, the Unified Authority, to the most respected one, the Golden Throne. It was a great desert; a remote planet somewhere, once a desolate wasteland; and the area was once used by the Minskievian government for military research. Minskiev-195 had been one of many so-called "switchers" used by Minskiev's military, areas which were de jure separate nations and occasionally would enter the World Assembly itself to facilitate military efforts. By now, however, Minskiev's World Assembly representation had been stable and, for now a long time, focused far away from this wasteland. The area became neglected, and a growing population of space nomads found it a good idea to make the nation their home.

That was when a great flame fell in the orange sky of this desert. But it was not merely one flame; it was dozens, all headed towards that one area. Some of the flames died before they could reach the desert; but alas, 53 too many had touched the surface. And 47 had already done so earlier. The population had become the dust that made up Minskiev-195. Every one of the people who were settling there had become ash. As did factories, warehouses, power plants, and so on. Oh, and houses too.

They were not merely flames. They were nuclear weapons, and nobody was left to defend against them. And the nomads residing in the nation were not merely space nomads. They were settlers from the Solanum faction of the Interstellar Alliance. And the Interstellar Alliance was not merely an alliance. It was an empire of hundreds of diverse factions; constantly at war with both each other which only "allied" to wage war on the rest of the multiverse. Suddenly, an arms control treaty had been signed, although fighting had continued. It was merely nuclear weapons that the world was, for now, safe from; where from the so-called "Alliance" anyway. Minskiev-195 was merely unlucky, as it was the last of Solanum member states to be annihilated during this war.

The Solanum faction was at war with the Magnus Equitum, the largest and most vicious faction of the Alliance. The result was that nearly every one of the thousands of member states making up the Solanum had been annihilated; and if it was not, it would go on to suffer disastrously with diseases, mutations, and far more. By now, the Magnus Equitum were effectively synonymous with the Interstellar Alliance. They had won the war, and the arms control treaty was simply every other faction being effectively coerced into accepting their victory. The military, the government, the population -- the vast majority of the Alliance's everything was now controlled entirely by the Magnus Equitum.

Somewhere in outer space, 2033 CE.

And by now 1000 years had passed. In Earth, with peace being largely made, the Magnus Equitum faded away into nothing more than folk legend. And indeed, that was ultimately understandable; they had not reared their head in Earth for a millennium. They do say that ignorance is bliss, after all...

Much had changed for the Interstellar Alliance. It was no longer dominated by the Magnus Equitum, and was no longer actively conquering. Most importantly, however, the arms control treaty was about to expire. It was a critical flaw with the treaty; but the iron hand of the Magnus Equitum forced it to be so. This would ensure that other factions could not grow too large. They were ready to expand their own hegemony. To reinstate the total control that one faction had over not only the entire Alliance, but over the multiverse, as at the end of 1033.

On Earth, the Ice States was facing a difficult time. All the poor decisions made by the previous Ice regimes had come back to bite the nation. As a result of its youthful folly, not only had it had ended up with a Foreign Advisors Council, but it was now merely a member state of the Eternal Union, in turn largely led by Devonia. The Ice States had a high level of control over domestic affairs, and to an extent those in Devonia, but it was practically impossible for it to make its own decisions on foreign affairs, not only with the Foreign Advisors Council, but also with Devonia exercising its level of control. It was both de jure and de facto impossible for the Ice States to go to war, except if the entire Eternal Union opted to, and thus only if Devonia approved it; as well as with the knowledge that any planned war the Ice States involved itself in would have to go through the Foreign Advisors Council, and thus become knowledge among two superpowers before war even began.

However, there was a frontier wherein the Ice States largely had authority to do what it wanted: outer space. Years ago, an Ice corporation had sent an unmanned spacecraft, Klyprera Liosmyndari (Icelandi for "Klyprer's Photographer") which routinely sent over images of outer space back to the Ice States; and while during the war with the Golden Throne, the original offices of that corporation were destroyed, access to the spacecraft was promptly recovered by the Eternal Union. Now, a small grey speck flying far away appeared in the last photo sent. Innocious; most likely some kind of interstellar object. At some point, the spacecraft got near enough to the object to notice the whole object shining in green light.

Klyprera Liosmyndari was programmed to send small shuttles to gain a closer, 3D view of unusual objects found in space; which had been done many times before, such as for planets potentially holding intelligent life, or new types of celestial objects discovered. Eventually, one was sent. A large photograph of the object had just been taken. It was ready to be transmitted, as a ray of yellow light shone upon the shuttle, originating from the object.

Another such ray was then fired upon Klyprera Liosmyndari. No more images -- not just of the object, but of anything -- were received in Earth from Klyprer's Photographer. By sheer chance, what it would stumble upon would be the greatest threat not only the Ice States, and not only the Eternal Union, and not only Greater Dienstad, but the whole of Earth would face. This "interstellar object" was in fact just one spacecraft of the Interstellar Alliance, and was ready to sow the seeds of destruction and chaos in Earth.

Inside the spacecraft.

"Those Icers are truly full of themselves," spoke the Knight. "They can be in blissful ignorance now, but it is certainly not going to be them who will defend S391P3 from the Alliance." There was a cheer heard around the desk, before the Knight continued. "We do not fear even the Unified Authority. Their so-called 'Cappers' are naught against our might."

"Regarding the operation itself, I want you to be aware of our intended landing day. We intend Replacement to occur on the 30th of September, in sixteen days, which we shall name 'N-Day'. Now, I understand that not all aboard this ship are necessarily...sharing a faction. It has been a millennium since 1033, when Magnus Equitum dominated over all other factions in the Interstellar Alliance. Indeed, my very title traces its origins to how that faction named their commanders. However, ultimately we are still an alliance, and we are here to work for the good of all of us. Nearly every Replacement has occurred as subjects had decayed to war, famine, and other disasters. Replacement benefitted not only them, in gaining competent, experienced leadership, but also existing members, whose wealth was massively improved and could get out of the situations they ended up in. That is why the Interstellar Alliance formed, and what we see here in Earth is a group of decaying, weak mortals who routinely murder their own kind for political, often ideological, ends."

A circular wave of yellow light was sent throughout the ship; and each individual on board had thousands of images instantly uploaded to their mind. Ruins of Malgrave after its bombing. Civilians vomiting blood before fainting to their deaths during the Varathron Blood Fever outbreak. Krasnovans bleeding with open wounds while Ordenite guards continued to beat them. Czaslyudians lying on killing floors during Operation Diamond Dog. Kravenite women being assaulted to manufacture Capitol Police personnel. Scandinvan activists being burnt alive on a live camera feed while tied to dried cedar. The images went on and on.

Of course, to the Knight these images were nothing more than propaganda. Tools, to manipulate his soldiers for the invasion. And the images, as violent as they were, absolutely could not speak for themselves. He had to speak himself; it was the only way to keep what were the tools of his group.

The warship continued its flight, through planets, star systems, and outer space in general. Meanwhile, the Knight continued his speech. "We are here to fight war for the alliance, and we shall win. Yes?" Echoes of "For the alliance" were roared throughout the room, while the Knight was met with applause...

[Langong]

WIP
Unnatural State



East Varathron , Zelenaya Garrison
12:01 AM East Varathron Standard Time


Zelenaya Garrison, once a forsaken middle of nowhere territory where outlaw , and the poorest of peasant live. Now it's a island size military installation with towering wall , all manners of automated turret , and numerous highly trained personnel. While everyone is joyful that reinforcement are coming, the second that they knew that it's the "Skull"[/i] , and not just 1 but all 5 , they knew that the situation was serious enough that the [i]"best of the worst" were deployed.

The Consul General sit on his chair, puffing smoke with Grande cigar on between his fingers. His aide beside him watched anxiously as the elderly man coughed blood but the Consul General gestured her that he is fine, as he lied on the chair , his mind wander back to the folder sent by the Ice states that he read yesterday . He closed both eyes and puff more. The thought of alien invasion bring lots of bad memory back whether during the ALPHA war nor the aftermath conflict that follow.

At first he knew that Langong satellite had detected some unknown object not far from earth orbit but didn't think much of it until he heard about a staff of embassy stationed in Ice state forwarded him that folder as well as a footage of the finding ,after confirming the finding with his contact in Information Department , he know how serious is the situation . From that point on he knew what's need to be done ,funnily enough that is the easiest task he ever had in half in 30 years , just a few phone call while reciting key part of the document and suddenly the entire Langong administration are rapidly preparing itself for the inevitable invasion with reinforcement from Zelenaya soon arriving to help weather the initial assault.

Unfortunately there will be no further reinforcement for a time being as the gate that connect Terran and Earth had been closed to prevent the invasion from reaching their homeworld. After puffed his cigar one last time, he snuffs it off and moved away from his chair. looking toward the street filled with all sorts of military vehicle and personnel moving toward their post. His aide took his old coat from the hanger and put it neatly on him, an image was reflected from the aide glasses ,the collar had a skull wing insignia with half-clenched right fist and two fingers held aloft in with an inscription of "Only God Free us" was written below the fist , he put his officer cap before he walked outside his office . Calmly stepping toward the door with his hand behind back when the soldier stationed outside opened his door and other salute him with his right arm raised and his hand form a half-clenched right fist while his two fingers held. The elderly Consul General reply with the same salute with his aide now following him from behind with his group of "400 Division" fully equipped and coming out from all over the door in the hallway, covering the Consul General and his aide from all possible angle.

The Consul General simply felt tired for all of these "charade" to kept a single old fossil alive ,but he can't simply brushed them off and let them continue their work to escorted him to command center.



East Varathron , Langong States ,Gui du city
12:05 AM East Varathron Standard Time


Gui du , once a hellscape during the Great East Varathron war , now it's a sprawling metropolis filled with technological wonder. A place where everyone can dream and fulfill it if they study and work hard enough. Normally the city would be filled with all manners of advertisement , everyone coming from many origins and species either working or haggling with thousand vehicle moving along the road or hovering above it. Now the city is filled with numerous checkpoint armed with either the Public Security Officer or Corporate Security Enforcer in public area and Vigilante Corps patrolling their respective neighborhood. Various member from "Gentleman Association" are seen coordinating with Garrison forces by maintaining the outer checkpoint perimeter.

All of these were seen in a tower where the President of Langong reside. His accomplishment gone a long way after serving the previous Langong head of state in his reform effort to turn Langong from sham of nation to a great powerhouse. While he isn't exactly loyal to Terran due to him being born in Langong, he's still felt the obligation to return the favor and maintain his the legacy entrusted to him.

"System, connect me to the Ice States"

[Drakonian Imperium]

0224 Zulu
DSS Endurance
On Lunar Approach
Spacecraft Flight Deck

"This is your Captain speaking, we are on approach to Luna orbit. Secure all stations and prepare for rotation and deceleration."

Captain Aelius Fulgentius turned off the spacecraft's intercom. "Lucinus," he said, turning in his flight chair to look back out the flight deck toward its rear access hatch. "Did you log that O2 Line Patch?"

"Yes, Captain." Lucinus floated into the Flight Deck. "We will need to overhaul that whole system when we land."

After over six years of near continuous operation, the Drakonian Space Ship Endurance required constant maintenance for all her systems to function properly. Fortunately, the spacecraft had been designed to operate in such an environment and under constant pressures. Every critical system, and even most of the non-critical systems had redundancy. DSS Endurance was the second Earth-Luna transport built and operated by Drakonia. She had first come into service in 2016 for the purpose of supplying Drakonia's base on the Moon. Endurance and her older sister August each spent three months at the Ptolemaeia Colony while the other spent three months in Earth orbit. Then they would swap. This insured the supply of the Colony and allowed the regular transfer of personnel, but it put a lot of wear on the spacecraft. And as each craft got older, maintenance became routine.

"What else is new," Endurance's co-pilot, Captain Damianus Facundus quipped. While equal in rank, Aelius was the craft and mission commander.

Aelius turned his attention back to the flight console as Lucinus took his seat at one of the rear stations. Activating the radio, he said: "Ptolemaeus Control, this the Endurance. We are entering orbit and on track for landing in Two-Seven Minutes."

Moments later he received the expected response over his headset. "Affirmative Ptolemaeus, Endurance out."

Endurance was primitive compared to most space powers. No artificial gravity, only the occasional thrust gravity when the main engine fired. No universe bending faster-than-light engines. No fancy Sci-Fi weapons, only defensive weaponry, missiles, and whatever latest so-called science project they were testing. Only a nuclear reactor, and retractable solar arrays for emergencies, to power her systems. Drakonia wasn't a space power, it was a nascent Earth-bound empire reaching out to stars and mostly only making it to the Moon; or Luna, as the Drakonians preferred to call it.

"Retracting radiators," Facundus called out, flipping switches on his console. "Closing cargo bay doors."

Despite the common belief, while space was cold, vacuum was a terrible medium for the transmission of heat. And thus spacecraft had to go to elaborate measures to prevent itself from overheating. For this purpose, Endurance possessed two large radiator arrays, which were retracted during maneuvering to prevent stress on their structure damaging them. Furthermore, the interior cargo bay doors were also lined with radiators and thus kept open during flight to provide further heat dissipation. While the craft would build up heat with these systems no longer deployed, the outer hull of Endurance was armored and this metal armor was designed to function as additional heat sinks. Thus allowing the spacecraft to continue operating for a limited time before heat began to disrupt function of crew and equipment.

"Endurance is ready to maneuver," Facundus reported.

"Status of crew and stations," Aelius prompted.

Lucinus looked over his console. "All stations secure. All passengers and crew ready."

Again, Aelius activated the ship's intercom. "All hands, brace for maneuvers and burn!"

He deactivated the intercom, shouting out to those on the flight deck, "Firing thrusters!"

Inside Endurance, inertia pulled those aboard in one direction as the spacecraft rotated turning its rear engine toward the Moon. For the briefest moment they stabilized, before--

"Firing Engine!"

--Everyone was pushed backwards in their seats as the rocket engine fired and the ship decelerated. Aelius called out every second it burned.

"Three...Two...One!"

And then suddenly they were once more weightless. Aelius looked over his instruments. "Burn complete," he reported. "Maneuvering for orbit."

Again, the craft rotated, this time to aim the primary engine in a new direction, adjacent to the Moon.

"Firing Engine! Two...One! Burn complete." Aelius checked his console. "Orbit established."

Facundus added helpfully, "Ptolemaeia, here we come!"

__________________
* DSS Endurance's Motto in Latin: "Through Difficulties to the Moon".

[The Ice States]

Mars.

Southport City, The Ice States.

The room was silent, apart from King Noltensmeier addressing the Ice leadership. The Foreign Advisors Council was present in the meeting too, in three seats separate from the rest of the attendants at the front behind the podium, with Noltensmeier presenting his speech on his podium at the front of the room. "We meet in no pleasure to discuss a great threat to all of us," Noltensmeier spoke. Perhaps he was just blovitating, but who knew. One of the Foreign Advisors represented the entity which discovered the threat, perhaps that Advisor would know. The speech may not have been very engaging, and it may have been simply another government meeting. Politicians sat dressed in dull-coloured suits, while multiple military officials wore their full formal military outfits.

However the context was now known for the destruction of the Klyprera Liosmyndari, and he was about to reveal it to all. "We have received a communique from the Mokan government, and it describes a great threat to the entire planet of Earth on which we reside." As a reminder of what had happened to the spacecraft, I as the narrator would like to present the description earlier of events well in outer space, far from the reality where this meeting was occuring...

Somewhere in space, in the days before.

A small grey speck flying far away appeared in the last photo sent. Innocious; most likely some kind of interstellar object. At some point, the spacecraft got near enough to the object to notice the whole object shining in green light. Klyprera Liosmyndari was programmed to send small shuttles to gain a closer, 3D view of unusual objects found in space; which had been done many times before, such as for planets potentially holding intelligent life, or new types of celestial objects discovered. Eventually, one was sent. A large photograph of the object had just been taken. It was ready to be transmitted, as a ray of yellow light shone upon the shuttle, originating from the object. Another such ray was then fired upon Klyprera Liosmyndari. No more images -- not just of the object, but of anything -- were received in Earth from Klyprer's Photographer.

The real story here must be continued, however. The attacking spacecraft was half a kilometre wide, and had 50 personnel on it. The ray used was in fact an "Atomic Destroyer", a highly concentrated alpha ray with an extreme ionising potential. It worked by first sending a ray of yellow light for the purpose of quickly scanning the surface of the target to find creases, holes, bumps and all else; this would be processed by artificial intelligence to find within miliseconds the location where deploying the weapon itself would most speedily achieve the weapon's goal. Next, the actual alpha ray would be sent; the result of its contact with any atom was the near-instant ionisation of that atom. When used against a large surface such as a spacecraft, the ions formed would simply repel each other to the point of the surface simply exploding. Once a layer of the surface was destroyed, the process would be repeated within miliseconds each time; until the entire spacecraft became nothing more than a group of ions and free radicals floating in space. Once the ray was withheld, the electrons would promptly return to their original source. What would form was a gooey piece of metal, plastic, and all the other materials making up Klyprer's Photographer. The...space object was now entirely unrecognisable from its original form. And the weapon used was extremely powerful to destroy spacecraft. Of course, given how easy it is for alpha rays to be intercepted, it could not be used anywhere other than the vacuum of outer space; a literal paper tissue, let alone air, is sufficient to block alpha rays.

The Mokan photograph of Klyprera Lionsmyndari's remains.*

Continuing our story deep in space, it was merely coincidence that a few days later a Mokan spacecraft was flying in the area. And the Mokan spacecraft ended up flying in relative proximity to yet another strange object. Quickly, it took an image of the object; but the crew found that object was rather unusual. From afar, it looked merely like a meteroid; but as one zoomed in, it looked less and less like one. It appeared as if it was in some plastic casing; and rightly so, the object was composed of metal, plastic... an absorption spectrum was taken of the object, and the apparent chemical composition was the same as would be expected of a spacecraft.

The object was by far most likely to be the remains of Klyprer's Photographer, given the timing and nature of the discovery. However to confirm this, various space agencies were forwarded the data, including the Mokan one and those of other members of the Commonwealth Colonial Administration. The chemical composition of the object was soon proven to be exactly the same as that of Klyprera Lionsmyndari. But there was more...

Just as this information was forwarded, a large fleet appeared. Hundreds, and soon thousands, of warships were all flying towards Earth. The Alliance ships were armed to the brink with incredible weaponry. And they were just coming across the very front of the fleet; as more ships, the area which the ships were going through grew larger. As a result of their incredible speed, the Mokan ship was simply ignored, even as the Alliance warships travelled next to it.

It was very dangerous for the Mokan crew; and a prompt removal from the area was planned. Attack would be infeasible at the moment given the sheer quantity of the ships; but the fleet simply could not be identified to any nation on Earth. It could only have come from outer space. However, just as the Mokan ship was preparing to leave the Mokans found images uploaded directly to their minds; not only that, but the previous speech of the Knight was directly uploaded to their minds. Suddenly, they had learned about their plans. It truly appeared that the Knight was standing right there, inside the ship; somewhat like a hologram, but one generated only by the mind, rather than actually being present. As the uploads occurred only in a particular physical range with the expectation that ships would pass right through it, it replayed, and replayed, and replayed. The intentions of the Alliance were never explicitly stated in any manner comprehensible to the Mokans; but they did hear much of it. "Regarding the operation itself, I want you to be aware of our intended landing day. We intend for Replacement to occur on the 30th of September, in just five days." Replacement of what? Were they simply passing through this solar system or did they actually intend to somehow 'Replace' Earth? Most likely the latter, the fleet was decelerating and clearly travelling towards Earth. "Replacement benefitted not only them, in gaining competent, experienced leadership, but also existing members, whose wealth was massively improved and could get out of the situations they ended up in...what we see here in Earth is a group of decaying, weak mortals who routinely murder their own kind for political, often ideological, ends." Soon, the graphic images were uploaded to Mokan minds -- many events the Mokans had directly been involved in, in some manner or another -- made it even more obvious who the target of invasion was.

Replacement meant replacement of leadership; and forcible replacement at that, to occur on the "landing day", "N-Day" of the 30th of September. A response had to be prepared now; and it had to be a multinational one. The Kravenites would have to put their differences aside and fight alongside the Marshites to save Earth from the Interstellar Alliance. The Golden Throne would have to work with the Ordenstaat and Scandinvan Empire. Which is why the Mokan findings were immediately forwarded to all CCA members, as well as nearly every nation in Earth, specifically those with a stake in space.

Back in Southport City.

As Noltensmeier finished speaking of all these events, the atmosphere in the room changed from blind dismissal to resentment towards the Alliance, and the knowledge that something had to be done. Noltensmeier smiled and he spoke into the microphone. "I will now be transferring to the Mokan Foreign Advisor." The Mokan rose to speak as Noltensmeier took a seat near the back of the podium, and simply cut to the chase. "Now that we know of the truly hostile intent of the Interstellar Alliance, the People's Unified Federation intends to form an interregional coalition based in Motokata against the same. The Devonian leadership has informed me that the Eternal Union will be joining conditional on the Ice leadership agreeing, and we have called this meeting to receive a yes or no answer whether the Eternal Union shall join. Nations across Gholgoth, Teremara, Greater Dienstad, Varathron, Esvanovia, and Earth in general will be joining. Holy Marsh will be a member, as will the Golden Throne; Asucki will join from over in Teremara; the Anagonians are participating; even the Ordenstaat and Unified Authority will be uniting for our cause. Thank you, Jonathan, you may speak again."

Noltensmeier then took the Mokan's place. "We shall do a show of hands here. Please raise your hand if you have any objection whatsoever to joining the coalition." Several hands were raised. The first to speak was promptly asked to do so. "While I understand the importance of this matter, and the threat posed by the Interstellar Alliance, we cannot ignore the fact that we would be collaborating with a power which continually operates in nothing but the name of subversion and bad faith. I am uncomfortable with the prospect of having to deal with the behaviour of such an entity." Another individual to raise their hand promptly added, "I agree entirely with this speaker. It is impossible to collaborate with the Unified Authority, if only because it impossible for them to collaborate with anyone."

After half a minute of silence, Noltensmeier addressed the objections. "Let it be known that I believe your objections are based in reason, and the Unified Authority has shown a consistent record of operating in bad faith. However, ultimately we must note that the Authority is still undoubtedly a clever and powerful nation. We can minimise our direct collaboration with the Unified Authority, but ultimately we cannot deny Earth our military strength because of another entity providing their rather substantial strength. Now, are there any other objections?"

Once Noltensmeier had finished speaking, an Ice general speak, even though he did not object to membership. "I would like to add that the destruction of Klyprera Lionsmyndari is an act of war. Given what the Mokans have informed us of, it is absolutely not justified for us to simply ignore this threat as a result of us sharing membership with a vile nation. I fully agree with...the majority in this room that the Eternal Union ought to enter into the coalition. In addition, I would note that even if we do not enter into the coalition, it is likely that the Unified Authority will still seek to exploit the situation for their own benefit; their membership helps to ensure that they will at least contribute to defense efforts even if they will subvert the rest of Earth regardless."

The original objector spoke again. The discussions throughout the room went on and on, until eventually the discussion reached a consensus. Noltensmeier requested a show of hands as before. Not even a singular hand was raised, even after nearly one minute of silence. "Would the other members of the Foreign Advisors Council like to comment?"

That, of course, was not the end of the meeting; further details continued to be hammered out throughout. But the Eternal Union had now decided how it would participate; it would join the Mokan coalition. However, sooner or later, the elephant in the room of the Eternal Union's nuclear capabilities having been transferred to the Ordenites had been addressed. Over the next few days, a deal was struck with the Ordenites for the return of the Union's nuclear weapons to facilitate its participation in the defensive efforts against the Alliance.

---

Once the Eternal Union became a member of what was now named the Motokata Defense Coalition, countless other nations throughout Earth had been invited; nearly every nation on Earth was soon informed of the threat, and every nation with sufficient military capabilities to contribute to the defensive efforts was invited. However, it was essential that the operation remained entirely secret, and the general public was not informed until the attack was to actually begin. The public was still not informed of the reason for the destruction of Klyprera Liosmyndari...

_{(Ooc: *Image created using Kapwing AI.)}

[Asucki]

Noavoerin, Asuckian Empire

The sprawling city of Noavoerin rested, as it had for centuries, upon the eastern Asuckian coast, guarding the intersection between the Inain River and the Middle Waters. Since the late nineteenth century, the metropolis had served as a headquarters for the nation's expansion into western Tavlyria. Over the past century and a half, the Asuckians had managed to unite the Celts, Gaels, and Angles of Tavlyria, forming one of Teremara's greatest empires on a level comparable with the Grand Terim Caliphate or Colonial Gaul.

The Ćaelinvuaael (lit. "Home of kings") dominated the center of the city's downtown. Despite the name, it hadn't actually been the permanent residence for any high king since the beginning of the nation's expansion, but the title stuck. In the current day, it held the offices of the members of the imperial cabinet and various chambers for use by the Vaelksraaem, the elected parliament. By all metrics it was the empire's primary capitol building.

A government car pulled up to this impressive building. A clean-cut man in a suit scurried out carrying a manila folder. He began approaching the entrance. His importance was immediately evident as the security at the door waved him through without a second glance. He quickly navigated through the capitol's winding hallways before finally reaching his objective. He knocked on the door in front of him and was received by the room's occupant.

They both sat down and the new arrival spoke after a few moments' silence. "News from our friends over in Greater Dienstad,' he said bluntly, throwing the folder down on the table. The other lifted it with his fingertips, careful to prevent the documents inside from spilling out. He flipped through it for an extended period of silence. Eventually he was seemingly satisfied and returned the dossier to its original location.

"What is this?" he said incredulously.

"You read it."

"The Mokan government is inviting us to an interregional coalition to repel an alien invasion," said the other in a tone approaching sarcasm. He closed both eyes and moved his head back in a further gesture of disbelief.

"They brought receipts. You saw them in the file. Ask your guys in the Air Force."

"Mhm?"

"I talked to them as soon as I heard about this whole deal. They got data from the Coalition. All signs say it's real, as shocking as it is. There's a hostile fleet approaching rapidly from somewhere in deep space. Given the way they handled the spacecraft, it's clear that they aren't friendly. The way I see it, we really don't have much of a choice but to at least hear them out." He took a brief pause before adding, "Plus, even if nothing comes of it, it wouldn't hurt to expand our influence into areas outside of Teremara."

The other, who did in fact have access to information from the Asuckian Air Force as the Minister of Defense, wiped his brow with the back of his hand. "I have to make some calls," he said after another long silence. He stood up and dramatically reached for the corded phone on his desk which was intended for situations such as this. He began dialing, fumbling briefly with the antiquated technology.

"As do I," said the man from the car, "We're meeting in Motokata City to discuss the details of the international response to this. I'll have somebody on a flight out before the day's end," promised the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

[Drakonian Imperium]

0501 Zulu
DSS Endurance
Ptolemaeia, Luna
Spacecraft Flight Deck

"Cap, I think you need to see this."

On the primary landing pad of the Ptolemaeus Crater, the DSS Endurance sat perched like some space age rocket ready to leap skyward. The spacecraft was designed to land on the thrust cone of its rocket motor with six equally spaced landing legs extended to provide additional balance. The cylindrical craft reached upward from the engine, wider at the long cargo section, slightly narrowing with the passenger and crew section ending in a cone where on one of the taping edges the flight deck windows could be seen. Bulges appeared equally spaced along the hull, hiding thermal radiator arrays, the emergency solar power arrays, and point defense guns. A tower extended alongside the Endurance part way up reaching into her open cargo bay to facilitate the offloading of supplies for the colony. Further up at the tower's apex an enclosed gangway connected to the habitat section allowing for the transport of crew and passengers and to connect the ship’s systems into the base.

It was from the Ptolemaeus Crater that the Drakonian colony took its name. Originally, Drakonia had landed in the adjacent Herschel Crater; only inheriting Ptolemaeus when its ally, Britmattia, had abruptly departed Earth and the Solar System. This had left Drakonia with the problem of maintaining a large lunar base, which was further complicated by the departure of space-faring allies. Left to provide for its own defense against extraterrestrial threats, the Imperium had vastly expanded its nascent space program. DSS August and DSS Endurance had been built to supply the new larger lunar base.

More recent expansion, had been at Drakonia prompting. In order to decentralize the bases' missile batteries and gain access to Mare Nubium* the colony grew into the neighboring Alphonsus Crater. Drakonia had also laid claim to a corridor north out of Herschel Crater through the Spörer Crater in order to provide access to the Sinus Medii**. With this large area of lunar surface the Imperium had scattered missile batteries in order to defend its terrestrial homeland. There had also been tests of LASER weapons at the base and on the two spacecraft. However, the colony itself could only support a few hundred individuals at a time, because of the difficulty of supplying air, water, and food. A titanic effort had to be made to supply the base. Despite quarterly supply missions, August and Endurance were inadequate, thus requiring additional unmanned supply rockets to keep everyone on Ptolemaeia alive and the base operational.

Endurance, and her sister ship, had been designed like a skyscraper so that when her engines were firing the thrust could provide gravity pushing the crew downward. This also worked when she landed on the Moon with its slight gravity. However, the flight deck was oriented around windows facing skyward, leaving her crew sitting on their backs when in the Pilot or Co-Pilot's stations, or on their side, behind them in the Navigation and Flight Engineer's station. And thus, Captain Aelius Fulgentius seated at the Pilot's station had to look over his shoulder to see Captain Damianus Facundus entering the flight deck from the access way in the floor.

Facundus' serious tone concerned Aelius.

"I came across this while I was uploading the reconnaissance data to the Base," the Co-Pilot continued.

Endurance and August were not just armed supply platforms, they were also multirole craft equipped with a wide ray of sensors to watch out for threats to Earth and Drakonia.

Facundus' handed Aelius a tablet showing video of an object orbiting above the lunar horizon. "That craft was stationary over that position for the last six hours as we approached Luna," Facundus explained. "It was still there, when we orbited to land."

Aelius zoomed the video in on the unknown craft. It was small, the size of a cutter or patrol craft. "Could be civilian."

"That is a long time to sightsee," Facundus rejected. "And look at those lines, it's definitely military." He pointed to part of the craft. "Those look like infrared sensors and that looks like a LIDAR array. That's a reconnaissance craft."

"Did you flag it," Aelius asked.

"Of course," his Co-Pilot shot back before adding. "I don't like--"

A gesture of Aelius' hand cut the man off mid-sentence. Aelius looked distant as he listened to his headset.

"What is it," Facundus' queried.

"The Base just went on alert," Aelius replied. "Something is in a very low orbit above us."

Immediately, Facundus leapt upwards into the Co-Pilot's seat, using the low lunar gravity to quickly propel himself upward and in an arc into a seated position. By the time he was in place, Aelius had pulled up the Base's external video feed.

"That's it!" Facundus fumbled to put on his headset.

"Unidentified craft," the radio crackled. "This is Ptolemaeia Base. You are in restricted airspace. Identify yourself and your purpose."

There was no response.

"Ptolemaeia Control, this Endurance," Aelius called over a separate internal base communication channel through the umbilical tower. "Do you want us heating up our reactor?"

"Standby, Endurance."

Once again, the radio crackled to life. "Unidentified craft, this is Ptolemaeia Base. You are in restricted airspace. Identify yourself and your purpose or you will be considered hostile."

The craft hung in place over the crater for several more seconds, and then what sounded like an air horn blasted over the radio. Aelius and Facundus scrambled to get their headphones off their ears. Barely seeing the craft shoot off spaceward. It was gone by the time the base's video cameras adjusted.

As the two men put their headsets back on, a frustrated voice came over the internal communications: "Stand down, Endurance."

__________________
* Latin: "Sea of Clouds"; a Lunar dark basaltic plain.
** Latin: "Middle Bay"; a small Lunar "sea", adjacent to the Mare Insularum ("Sea of Islands") and Mare Vaporum ("Sea of Vapors").

[Tangatarehua]

Tangatarehua, being a nation with a long and storied history, had existed during the events of the previous millennium.

Today, it was recorded only as a legend. The legend went that during the 16th year of the reign of Empress He Wahine Pai Haere, great demons emerged from Nga-atua, the sixth heaven and home of the inferior gods. It was said that Tawhaki, the mortal deity, wished to enact revenge upon Rehua, the god of the stars, by attacking his people on the earth.

The legend told of great fires and plagues but that ultimately Rehua kept his people safe while those in distant lands suffered greatly at the hands of the demons.

It was never assumed that the legend was true. Critical analysis suggested that the 16th year of the reign of Empress He Wahine Pai Haere was auspicious not for a war with beings from the heavens, but for being the year that some of the nation's greatest storytellers accidentally ingested psilocybin mushrooms while foraging for food in the autumn.

In the end, memory is fallible and truth is evasive. What really happened that year would never be known.

TSDF Temporary Headquarters
(Room next to the ball pit at MacRonald's Family Restaurant)
Tamaki

The seats at MacRonald's were not built for a man the size of Te Rata Te Rongomau, the Most Honourable Rangatira of Tangatarehua. His gigantic frame, almost seven feet tall in stature, folded uneasily into a chair at the head of a row of tables, as various representatives of Tangatarehua's government and industry gathered to discuss the grave news that had been wired to the Department of State.

In the background, children shouted and screamed in the nearby ball-pit. The restaurant managers assured them this was the quietest table they had available. The restaurant had once been a major TSDF base, but the nation's pacifist foreign policy in conjunction with the governments increasingly unrealistic promises to cut taxes meant that when the MacRonald's restaurant chain offered cold hard foreign cash for the land, they jumped at the chance to close the base and privatise the land.

Despite the informal setting, the various men (for they were all men - even in the 21st century it was not customary in Tangatarehua for any military-adjacent matter to be discussed by women) bowed deeply and reverentially before the Rangatira before taking their seats as if this were a board room, or a government office.

"I don't quite know how to tell you this gentlemen," the Rangatira began, "but we have received a communique from various governments in Greater Dienstad warning of a threat from... well, from Ranginui."

Several of the men at the table blinked in confusion.

Ranginui? The great sky? Was this some sort of religious thing? Had, at 81 years of age, dementia and senility caught up completely with the Most Honourable Rangatira?

Te Rongomau nodded at the man immediately to his left - Tipene Kahurangi Patariki, the Secretary of the Exterior, who produced a brown paper folder and pulled from it a series of photographs and dispatches received from other nations, distributing them around the table.

"This is a joke, right?" said one of the men. "This is like the set-up to some crappy science fiction film... like something out of a Piripi Kei Tiki novel!"

The Rangatira's heavily tattooed face betrayed no emotion. If this was a joke, his ability to retain a stolid demeanour was an Oscar-worthy performance.

"This is no joke," he said after a long silence. "The fate not just of our Empire but of the entire human race is at threat. It is at threat from sinister individuals from beyond the stars."

A small murmuring of disbelief followed. Some men looked frightened, others looked angry, others still continued to smirk, waiting for the punchline.

"Most Honourable Rangatira, I must ask," one of the men - a CEO - began, "why have you gathered us here?"

"Our Empire has little it can offer realistically to any pan-global war effort," said Te Rongomau, as if the CEO had made no such interjection. "I suppose this might be the cruel irony of our former enemies having forcibly disarmed us.

"However I believe that we still may be able to play a key and special role in the upcoming conflict. Are we not, after all, the People of Rehua, the god of the stars? Is that not the name of our nation? If Rehua is sending forces to invade, surely he will spare his faithful nation, will he not?"

Two of the men at the side of the table looked at each other, sharing an expression that read, The old man's gone crazy.

"I ask again, Most Honourable sir, why have you selected us to attend such a vital national security meeting?" said the CEO again.

"I would have thought that obvious," said Te Rongomau. "You are all experts in the fields of space travel and astronomy. Are you not?"

Every one of the industry leaders in the room shifted uncomfortably in their chairs.

"Well?" The Rangatira spoke to the first man along the table. "I've seen the products that your company produces, Mr. Manaia. I've seen your advertisements. You sell 'Space Crackers' that are 'Out of this world', with cartoon astronauts on the box!"

"Most Honourable Rangatira, I-" Manaia didn't quite know how to proceed. "That's just branding, sir. Our crackers don't actually come from outer space... we make them at a factory in Wharekorana. The astronauts are just actors."

The Rangatira looked crestfallen, but turned hopefully to the next man at the table.

"What about you? You've had direct experience fighting creatures from the cosmos! I've seen footage with my own two eyes!"

The man he spoke to - Tane Kauri Hohepa - was younger than him but very muscular and almost as large.

"I'm sorry Rangatira but... that was a film," he said. "I'm an actor. There were no monsters - just a green screen and some CGI models."

"Oh come on now!" snapped Te Rongomau. "Don't tell me that even you have been drawn in by the conspiracy theories! 'The moon landing was faked' they say! 'There were no aliens it was just a movie' they say! Honestly man - have some mana, have some pride in your great achievements!"

"With all respect... I wouldn't know what to do if I came face to face with a real alien," Hohepa admitted. "I'm sorry."

"Well if you're half the actor you claim to be, maybe you ought to pretend! Maybe you ought to be that character once again, in real life... I just know that people would rally behind you just like they did during your performance in 'Mutant Crabs from Hell and Outer Space Part Four'!"

With one final dejected sigh the Rangatira turned to the Secretary of the Interior.

"You won't let me down, will you?" he said. "I heard you deported an entire boatload of illegal aliens last weekend!"

The Interior Secretary gave the Rangatira a rather fixed smile.

"They were aliens... as in non-citizens without documentation. They weren't from outer space. Furthermore, the government has recently enacted a policy that allows anyone with a biometric passport to stay in Tangatarehua for up to 12 months provided they don't accept employment, purchase property or use public services."

"Maybe the invasion won't be so bad?" piped one one of the ever optimistic junior officials at the back of the room. "If these space people have biometric passports, it's no problem! Heck - I think it might be good for the economy! I move that we provide them with hospitality and show them just why we are Greater Dienstad's number one tourist destination!"

"We'll call that Plan B," said the Rangatira before turning to the head of the Tangatarehua Self-Defence Force. "But we do have one last contingency up our sleeves..."

Lieutenant General Tane Wiremu's jaw nearly dropped to the floor, for he knew exactly what the Rangatira had in mind.

"You don't mean... the... the secret weapon?"

The Rangatira nodded gravely. "That's why we had to hold this meeting here. Yes this is now a MacRonald's restaurant but underneath is hidden, in secret, the deadliest weapon held by the Tangatarehua Self-Defence Force."

There were gasps of shock and awe, though one man coughed that it was "outrageous" that Tangatarehua still secretly possessed a weapons stockpile.

"Rangatira - you are aware of the protocol surrounding activation of the Black Plan?" said Lt. Gen. Wiremu. "It's unconstitutional! It's a defiance of our nation's pacifist values!"

"I am, but I believe that there is sufficient necessity to activate it," said the Rangatira. "Earlier today, Parliament authorised its activation in a secret vote. And even Her Sacred Majesty herself has given her blessing. Protocol has been followed to the letter."

Gingerly, his hands shaking, Lt. Gen Wiremu reached for the gold necklace he wore. On the end of the chain was a key. The Rangatira produced two other keys - including one that notably bore the seal of the Imperial Household.

"All three keys are here," said the Rangatira. "Behind this wall are three hidden keyholes, installed when this was still a military base. We should probably evacuate the kid's ball-pit before we activate it."

"I'm on it, sir," said the Secretary of the Interior, running to get the attention of the MacRonald's restaurant manager, who managed to quickly empty the play area by fabricating a story that one of the children had vomited and/or defecated in the ball pit.

Soon, the three keys were in place and each was turned 90 degrees clockwise simultaneously.

A tremendous rumbling shook the room, slowing to a mechanical whirr as the ball pit split apart and up from it rose an object on a hidden platform.

The men at the table approached the platform and looked down, seeing with their own eyes the secret weapon, Tangatarehua's deadliest weapon, the Empire's last line of defence:

It was a long stick, which was slightly jagged and pointy at the end.

There were gasps.

"There it is, gentlemen," said the Rangatira in a hushed tone. "The pointed stick of pointyness! If we throw that hard enough at one of the aliens it could take out one of their eyes... er, assuming they have eyes! Heck - we might even be able to give them a concussion if we whack them hard enough!"

A long silence followed. Then-

"Rangatira?" The CEO of the cracker factory spoke up. "I don't mean any disrespect, but I don't think that our nation has sufficient military hardware to defend ourselves - or the human race - from an advanced race of space invaders."

The Rangatira looked disappointed. "You... you really think so?"

The CEO nodded, as did everyone else in the room.

"Hmm... well I guess maybe we should focus on diplomacy instead. Maybe on delivering food and aid to the wounded. What language do the aliens speak? I'm fluent in English if that's helpful at all?

"Oh well - I suppose let's just pray to Rehua that he will spare our Empire from the oncoming slaughter."