The North Mesder War (IC, TWI ONLY)

[Atnaia]

Hegemon's Office
Hegemonic Administration Buildings
Port Gray, Atna Prefecture, Atnaia

"Gas attacks?" Wessich chuckled. "My my, they are escalating."

Yorke shifted in his seat. "Too quickly?"

Wessich shrugged. He set his tablet on the desk between them. "Well within my expectations. Nothing that can't be handled."

Yorke nodded. "Should we contact Barbury?"

"I believe that would be appropriate," Wessich said. He turned his chair and glanced out the window, overlooking Harbour Mills from Old Fort Hill. "He should put a worm in the ears of the representatives of the League now, so they're ready when the time comes."

Yorke tapped a note into his phone with a stylus. "How does Bhikkustan's..."

"Bhikkustan's coup has nothing to do with this matter," Wessich interrupted. He was peeved by the Bhikkustani insolence of not following through with his predictions, Yorke could tell. Wessich's face had a tell-tale way of tightening when he thoght people were playing against his rules or, worse yet, playing a different game altogether.

Yorke cleared his throat. "Should we think about getting boots on the ground in Taziristan?"

Wessich mulled that over. "Perhaps. I think we should mobilize a small force, let's call them peacekeepers, but not land them anywhere yet. Just have them ready..."

"Exercises at Merrit, perhaps?"

"Make it so."

Yorke made another note. "You know, I've been having thoughts about some of the louder voices in the Quorum."

"Yes?"

"As I see it, the entire Nortaz Doctrine has them riled up," Yorke continued. "I know that Lostwith has been having closed door meetings."

Wessich nodded. "That's true. What's your point?"

"We need to quell their concerns," Yorke said. "Or..."

"Or," Wessich said, a simple statement of fact. "I think we both know the other end of or is more trouble than it is worth."

"For now," Yorke agreed.

"For now. So, what's your thought on placating the dissenters, then?"

"Offer them a tribute," Yorke answered. "In the form of an untapped market."

Wessich raised an eyebrow. "What market would that be?"

"When was the last time we looked towards San Javier?"

Wessich made a deep hum in the back of his throat. "Sometime around the coup."

Yorke stood. "Just something to consider."

Wessich smiled. "Yes. Yes it is..."

[Wellsia]

Oswald Bastable stood, with two members of the Embassy guard, outside the gate of the Taziri command center in Aeselrich. Sweat dripped down his face, not from heat, but from anxiety, rumors were that the Taziri were gassing the Norse and he needed to know that it would not happen here. Over 500 Wellsians and other nationalities were held up in the Wellsian Embassy and their safety was what brought him here.

[Keomora]

KES Retribution, Docked in Wellsia
Agnes was escorted inside the assault ship, with two marines flanking her to ensure both her well being and the safety of the crew. When they arrived at the bridge Agnes found the room empty, save the Rear Admiral herself who was busy with a laptop, a map, and several forms. "Good Morning Miss Weatherby, pleasant to see you," Elizabeth said in greeting, as she furiously typed on the keyboard. "Excuse me for my lack of tact but I will be unpleasant for the next few sentences. Like many people I do not appreciate being lied to, and your governor has a lot to explain."

Hayara, Keomora

Code: Select all

Orders from High Command,
First Fleet assemble with Task Force Yalta in Wellsia
Once there wait for signal, then commence First Strike
Second Fleet assemble at the eastern coast of KUN for operation Frost Arrow.

[Wellsia]

Agnes looked down, a little ashamed at how the Admiral had addressed her, then with a sigh she straightened up and looked at the intimidating smaller woman. "Admiral, first we did not lie to you, we were acting on false information presented at the highest levels about the intention of the Taziri use of our bases. That being said, Wellsia has agreed to allow Keomora to have joint use of our base, we are not inclined to report anything to you or your government. I have here a personal letter from Governor Dewar apologizing for the misinformation that he gave you."


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Bridge CWS (Cynelic Wellsin Scip) Warsprite

Senior Flagofficer Halfhyde looked at the communicate that his flag commander had just handed him. It was from Operations Division.

Rumors are that the Taziri have instigated mass genocide against the people of Upper Norseland, this hasn't been confirmed and as of yet no action is to be taken against the Taziri aircraft using the airport at Grand Harbour. You are to place your Force on alert, recall all leaves and stand ready for the possibility of defending the Kuria Islands from attack by any foreign nation. We are not expecting any attacks, at this time, but wish to be prepared for all possibilities.

Turning he looked at the assembly of officers gathered behind him. "Gentlemen, things may be getting interesting in a hurry. I want all forces on partial alert, and lets keep on our toes. We will not jump the gun and expect the worst, but we will be prepared if it comes. That is all for now".

[Ostehaar]

Peter and Mehnard in 'Team N' were successful in their task, and as a result a new intelligence source inside Taziristan - the Islamic Guard network - coult be attained. Now it was the turn of Mehk and Elena in 'Team I' to show their worth. Their mission: extraction of Ahmet Katirici, a 73 year old professor of military history at Adam Ruh University. As a person who had examined full reports of the Taziristani armed forces from Upper Norseland, Katirici was in a position to elaborate on Taziristan's actions in the nation, and confirm the claims of genocide. It was in the interest of humanity itself that Katirici would live to testify against General Nadir.

It was also a rather 'easy' task. Katirici could show up at his workplace, and most of his family had already been executed by Upper Norseland. While Mehk and Elena went to meet Katirici in the university, Peter and Mehnard were waiting outside of his grand-kin's school. Given the order, they would take the child with them and head for a predetermined safe-house. The entire Operation Workflow team, with two extra persons, would then board a small merchant boat and sail southwards, where an Oster vessel would extract them back home.

"You will live, Mister Katirici," Mehk was going to tell him, "we can take care of you and your relatives. You will have an opportunity to contribute to General Nadir's demise."

But first they had to meet him.

---

"Excuse me, sir," Elena spoke humbly to the secretary in Adam Ruh University main offices. "I am Dora Aserger, a researcher from Ostehaar. I requested to meet Professor Katirici yesterday, to talk about one of his books regarding the First Imperial War. Can you please tell him I've arrived?"

Mehk smiled politely, standing behind her and to her side.

[Taziristan]

"Uh...." The older man said slowly, shifting his turban. "I don't really see you here.." He thought for a moment. "Ah, well, he is getting forgetful. His room is 241. He'll be out of class in about 20 minutes."

[Ostehaar]

"Thank you," Elena said and added a friendly smile. Mehk followed behind and smiled to the old man as well, nodding his head once in thanks. "We'll make sure he remembers to list us next time."

The two visitors waited for the next third of the hour next to the Professor's room. Elena checked her watch for several times, once every few minutes. When it the time was 2 minutes past the hour, Katirici arrived from across the hall.

"Professor Katirici," Elena called with a slight bow, "I'm Dora Aserger from Ostehaar, we spoke on the phone..." She said the last few words with an asking tone, as if to imply to the Professor that it was in his best interest to 'recognize' her and let the two visitors in his office. "I haven't arrived too early, have I?"

[Taziristan]

Ahmet Katirci sat at his desk as young, bored students left the room. He glanced at his watch. His son would be out of school soon. Well, his grandson. Either way he had to pick him up. He closed a page about Hodgkins lymphoma and slowly started to collect his things to leave, but looked up to see two people, obviously foreign, slowly entering his room.

"Can I help you?" He asked weakly, trying not to cough. 'Damn lungs', he thought.

[Ostehaar]

Elena smiled. "I really enjoyed reading your latest article, so I came here to share my thoughts and view on this field of research with you." She then presented Katirci with a document that looked like an academic paper. "Please take a look in the conclusion of this paper, in page five, and tell me what you think."

I am a representative of the Oster government. I can extract you and your grandson as soon as you wish, and offer you better medical treatment in Ostehaar. If you suspect your office could be bugged, please act as if this is an academic paper and write down your response in the back. If not, please tell me right now if you wish to be extracted or not. Thank you.

As the Professor read the 'conclusion', Mehk made sure they weren't watched and closed the door behind them.

[Taziristan]

Katirci looked over it slowly, deliberately. "Your research on this topic must relate to my most recent.... article. Are you sure you can make things better?" He patted his chest as he spoke.

[Ostehaar]

"Oh, Professor Katirci," Elena chuckled, "I wouldn't pretend to know better than you on the matter, after all. I do know that we have an excellent faculty and the some of best researchers in the region."

"If you ever want to come and visit us in our department, we would love to have you."

[Taziristan]

Katirci smiled. "I'd love to." He then quickly turned the paper over and wrote an address and time. "I hope to see you soon."

---

20 miles away at the TIC headquarters, a TIC agent monitored the foreigners through a hidden camera. They were too old for students and Katirci, though he was obviously trying to hide it, was speaking in code to the strangers. The agent picked up his hardline and called his supervisor and sent a quick email over the server to the Director.

It looked like Katirci was breaking his deal. This would not be tolerated.

[Atnaia]

Hegemon's Office
Hegemonic Administration Buildings
Port Gray, Atna Prefecture, Atnaia

Hegemon Thomas Wessich kept his face set in a line as he spoke into the handset of his phone.

"Yes...yes...excellent...thank you," he said. "Continue the fine work."

He hung up and turned to the other individuals in the office. "That was Barbury," he said. "The League is moving against Taziristan, in the wake of revelations regarding their activities during the war."

"How many dead civilians?" Afram Kwaku asked in his slightly accented baritone. They'd had inclinations, hints, that things had been worse than the Taziris had let on, but hadn't managed to get a clear picture. Thankfully, they could always rely on their friends from Ostehaar for such matters.

"Well over half a million," Wessich said. "Regardless, the time is now. Barty?"

Yorke was already tapping a message. "Our troops on Merrit are ready at your command."

"Excellent," Wessich said. He folded his hands on his desk. "I'll meet with the generals in the War Room, but they have my permission to move now. War Plan Green stands?"

Yorke nodded. "The Second Fleet will move into the strait between Taziristan and Merrit while the First Fleet maintains home defense. The Second Fleet will screen our forces as they land in the southwest. Our goal is to take the airforce base there as swiftly as possible to limit their retaliatory capacity. We'll attempt to maintain air support from northern Atnaia and Merrit, but the airfields on Merrit are far from complete and ca't support a full complement of the sort we would need for standard ops. Capturing the airfield is our best bet at gaining air superiority."

Wessich waved a hand. "The specifics will be handled by the generals. Robert, your stance?"

"Our immediate concern once we have the base will be to disable Ada Ev," North replied. "Any major population center is also an important economic tool, and taking Ada Ev will cripple their transportation capacity into the heartlands."

"Our largest problem is that a huge amount of their forces are in the east," Yorke said. "A western approach would be longer and safer. We have two air bases and a military headquarters within spitting distance of our invasion site, and intel already suggests that's where their forces are centralized."

"And, of course, it would be naive to believe they don't know we are coming," Kwaku chimed in.

Wessich nodded. "While occupation is the goal, we need to remember how this looks. Our priority must be to cripple their combat capabilities, not to occupy difficult to hold civilian centers with possibly angry dissidents. We'll have support from Polar Svalbard, Barbury has already confirmed that much, and I expect support from other corners as well. It may be a meatgrinder in the short term, but we'll have Taubadel spin it as showing our intent to remove a dangerous military regime, not to enforce Atnaian morals on civilians."

Yorke frowned. "Easier to go for the throat at Adam Ruh."

"Easier, but not more sellable," Wessich said. "We're playing a game of advertising with this war. Taziristan cannot stand against a League coalition alone, and their actions have assured that they will be alone. Our victory is inevitable. How we sell our victory and the actions to get there will be worth much much more than than the act of winning itself."

Kwaku nodded. "I'll get Taubadel on the phone and have him begin drafting releases for the press."

Wessich stood and smoothed his suit. "Meanwhile, I have a meeting in the War Room."

[Ostehaar]

Although it was already late September, the weather in Taziristan was still relatively warmer than usual, albeit dry. Evening winds whistled between small suburban houses and wide trees, creating a rather gloomy atmosphere, as if the end of the world was near. The Oster team knew that this wasn't so far from the truth. After all, the entire country was going to fall into war and then occupation. All the people they saw on the way to Katirci's house would soon be living in a nation controlled by outside forces - soldiers would walk in their streets and foreign planes would roar above their cities.

They parked two cars in a nearby street. Dressed as local civilians, they exited and split into two groups - Mehk and Elena were to approach the Professor in his house and lead him outside, while Peter and Mehnard would wait near the getaway car and secure a quick ride to the safe-house.

As they approached Katirci's house, Mehk slowed down a bit and surveyed the area. He narrowed his eyes in suspicion.

"What is it?" Elena asked, focusing on her partner's gaze.

"Something is not right," he uttered. He drew out his mobile phone and contacted Peter and Mehnard. "Change in plan. You'll pick us up right in front of his house. Approach now." He then held Elena's elbow and hustled her along towards the house, with his other hand touching the pistol in his pocket.

"There are too many people around here," he said quietly, "compared to what you would expect in a quiet suburban neighborhood. We may have to do this... hastily."

Meanwhile, Peter stepped on the gas, brought the car close to the Professor's house, and stopped, leaving the engine running. About the same time, Mehk opened the gate to Katirci's front yard and the two Oster spies waled casually towards the front door. They rang the bell and waited, while the two agents in the car made sure they were within quick reach of their guns, ready to forcefully extract.

A slightly deranged smile spread on Mehk's face. "The moment he crosses the doorstep," he said, "the mood here will change."

[Keomora]

Agnes looked down, a little ashamed at how the Admiral had addressed her, then with a sigh she straightened up and looked at the intimidating smaller woman. "Admiral, first we did not lie to you, we were acting on false information presented at the highest levels about the intention of the Taziri use of our bases. That being said, Wellsia has agreed to allow Keomora to have joint use of our base, we are not inclined to report anything to you or your government. I have here a personal letter from Governor Dewar apologizing for the misinformation that he gave you."

Elizabeth shook her head.
"It is not your duty to apologize, that lies upon Governor Dewar. If he can't even apologize to me in person than he lacks the honor and respect of his post. I will leave tomorrow, but tell him this. He slighted a princess of the empire, and Keomora does not forget."
With a wave she dismissed Agnes, who was quickly escorted out by a pair of marines.
"Tell the Task Force to prepare to leave this port," she told her second in command.
"Where are we going to?"
Elizabeth grinned. "Upper Norseland of course. Seems to me like the League finally showing some teeth. And remind when we had back to this port to hire that Agnes woman. I could use her."

[Wellsia]

Sir Henry Havelock looked at the letter he had just written to the Taziri Government, he had to make sure that it was stern enough to be convincing and not enough to alienate a long time ally. He was concerned about the events that would soon be taking place on Wellsia's southern border and his office would be in the for front of things about to happen. The letter informed the Taziri government that the Kingdom of Wellsia was revoking the use of all land, air and naval bases Under Wellsian control and that the Taziri government pleases recall all military and civilian personnel and equipment from these bases.

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Grand Harbor, Perm, Kuria Islands.
Flag Bridge of RWS Warsprite.
Agnes Weatherberry stood shaken by the events of her meeting with Elizabeth Karma on the Retribution. She was afraid of what the Keomoran admiral might do in her anger. She knew she should have gone back to the office, but her fear had brought her instead to the flagship. Senior Flagofficer Vincent Halfhyde looked at his guest and with a smile asked, "Agnes, what is wrong?
Agnes Weatherberry, attempted to smile back, answered,"I'm afraid Sir Vincent, the Keomorans think we lied to them and when Hamish sent me with an apology to Admiral Karma, she got angry that he hadn't come in person and felt we had slighted her and the Keomorans. I'm afraid of what she might do."
Vincent, wanted to step forward and calm her fears, but protocol prevented any contact. "Don't worry Agnes, the Keomorans have informed us that they are leaving and have put ashore all of our workers that had been helping with their repairs. Once they have cleared the harbor my Force will be heading north as well to ensure the Taziri are not attacked in Wellsian waters. You have nothing to worry about, and I wouldn't concern poor Hamish over any of this, he is to timid and sensitive to have Elizabeth Karma mad at him."
"Thank you, Sir Vincent, I feel better having you know what happened, I knew you could handle it." With that Agnes Weatherberry left, she decided that she had had enough for the day and needed a drink and an afternoon off.

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Vincent Halfhyde stood and sniffed the air, enjoying the lingering smell of perfume in the air. Shaking his head, he laughed out loud, which brought his staff running into the Bridge office. Turning he faced the startled staff and with a smile on his face, "Gentlemen the Keomorans are leaving, we are to head north and ensure that they or no one else enters Wellsian territorial waters or attacks the Taziri in our waters. Inform all Commanders to get their ships ready and let the Ark Royal know to recall her air wing and have them land as we clear the harbor."

Halfhyde stood and watched as the sleek Keomoran ships left one after another, he didn't want to fight Elizabeth Karma, he was fond of the Keomoran admiral , but knew if pushed came to shove he would blow her out of the water. At that moment he felt a rumble in the depths of the ship as the powerful turbines came alive, a cloud of black smoke rose above the ships as the pulverized coal made syngas ignited. The time had come, his force was now heading to sea to do whatever was needed to protect Wellsian interest in a crises that was getting bigger and bigger in the North Mesder.

[Atnaia]

Sgt. Rich Worthington carefully checked his rifle, the deck of the landing craft shifting underneath him. There was an element of ritual about it, like a samurai sharpening his sword before battle. Jisei. Self-control. Everyone had their pre-battle rituals and habits, even if they didn't know what they were. Even rookies would do something, anything, to clear the nerves. This was his ritual, continuously going over every element of his weapon with his hands, checking and rechecking slides and clips and ammunition. The kid next to him clenched his eyes and moved his lips in half-silent prayer. Rich glanced over.

"First live battle?"

The kid opened his eyes. He actually wasn't much younger than Rich, but they looked a world apart. Rich had the dead, cold eyes of a shark. This kid had the terror-stricken eyes of a rabbit.

"Yeah," the kid said. "Yeah. Joined up after the Crisis to go to college."

Rich clenched and unclenched his jaw. He popped off his magazine and popped it back in. "If you want to make it back to enjoy that little luxury, stick close."

The kid blinked. "What?"

Rich looked at him. "I don't die easy. Stay close and you won't either."

There was a jolt and a bang and the ramp ahead of them splashed down. "Go go go!" came the call behind them and the soldiers on the landing vessel swarmed forward into hip-deep water. The kid next to Rich roared, stepped forward, then snapped back as his head was mulched by a machine gun bullet. Rich sighed and stepped over the body.

"I said stay close," he said, and jumped into the water.

He splashed up to the beach, bullets whizzing into the water around him. All across the beach, Atnaian soldiers were swarming up the pebbly ground towards the Taziri defensive line. The Taziri hadn't had enough time to build proper defenses, but compared to the open ground that the Atnaians were covering, even their sandbags and hasty trenches seemed like a fortress, and somewhere, a few miles inland, there was the airforce base, which was an actual fortress. This was going to be a meatgrinder.

Rich lifted his rifle and fired a few bursts towards the Taziri lines, then slipped onto the dry land and cut sideways. To his left, a tank splashed off one of the landers and tried to get purchase on the algae-and-water slick beach. A pair of helos buzzed overhead, peppering the Taziris with a rain of fire. There was a whistling noise above the shouting and bullets and screaming and a trail of smoke smashed into the side of one of the helicopters. There was a plume of red and orange from the side of the vehicle and a sound of screaming metal over the tenor of the explosion, and the helicopter pinwheeled downwards, slamming into the beach thirty feet to Rich's left. He darted forward and took cover behind it as machine gun fire slammed down towards him. He could hear the grinding of the melted main rotor, and the tail rotor stills spun, creeping down towards the beach and kicking up stones as the burning vehicle settled.

Rich glanced in as he made to move and saw a single survivor, gripping at a shattered and tattered arm and, to his credit, barely showing pain on his face. Rich reached in, grabbed the man by the scruff and tugged him out, laying him behind the cover and then moving on. He didn't have time to do any more for the man, medics would eventually pick out the wounded and show up to provide aid. Rich had a different job. Over his radio headset, he could hear a string of updates from around the battlefield. Turned out he was in one of the less shitty areas, which was surprising given the bodies he could see nearby. To the east the Atnaians were being held off, and to the west a few of the transports hadn't even made it to shore. If the Rich's center could smash forwards, they might have a chance to split the Taziri lines and give the eastern and western flanks a chance to catch up.

[Polar Svalbard]

Admiral Xerxes stood outside the bridge of the SNS Egersund, the cool salty air of the sea billowed over him as the carrier broke the waves with its massive prow. He looked to his left and saw an AWACS aircraft preparing to launch in order to assist the picket ships in locating the Taziri ships that were undoubtedly in this region of the sea. He heard the whine of its engines as it started to go, and he watched it take off into the breezy air.

After a few minutes one of the junior officers ran out to him from the inside of the bridge. Xerxes turned to him, already knowing what he was about to say as he had said not to bother him unless it was urgent. The junior officer started, "Sir we just received word from one of the picket ships, the frigate Day's End. It sent us a transmission that on radar it has the profiles of two ships. AWACS have confirmed this and says that they are more than likely Taziri frigates from their western strike group."

The admiral looked and him and smiled, "Alright, thank you. Follow me." With that he walked back into the bridge, a clear difference from the cool breeze outside. "Alright I'd like missiles to engage those ships, have the destroyers launch their cruise missiles. If we could have a few of our strike craft in the area to check the damage and if necessary clean up anything that remains."

The officers got to work, multiple on radios contacting different ships in the fleet. As the admiral looked to the right of the bridge he could see two of the destroyers firing missiles on that side.

[Taziristan]

Adam Ruh, Taziristan
1 Day before Atnaian Invasion

It was dusk in Adam Ruh as Azir silently in the back of the black, Covanant made van. In his hands was a civilian bought Remington 700 fitted with a military issue scope. They had been waiting here for about 30 minutes and the time between the van turning off and the supposed meet the Professor was having seemed to be an ever increasing number. Hell, they didn't even know if he was going to have a meet. They were just told to watch the house and patrol in case there was one. If one did occur, they would do what had to be done to keep Katirci out of foreign hands.

"Hey do you see those two walking up the street there?" A voice said over the radio.

"Yeah. Same ones from the video." Another one on the radio. "This is it. Get ready Azir. Take the shot as soon as Katirci opens up."

He reached down and clicked his radio. "Yes, sir."

Then he moved to the window of the van and rolled it down just enough for his rifle to peak out and give him clear line of site. He could see the pair walking down the road before one slowed his pace and said something, then reached for his side. "Careful, guys, I think they're armed."

There was no response, but the other two slowed their pace as well and reached behind them. Then, from around the corner, a white van gunned its engine and started straight towards Katirici's house. As it did, the agents pulled their guns and moved quickly towards the house, firing at the van as it came towards them. Azir aimed to where he thought the driver would be in the tinted van, let out a breath, then squeezed the trigger.

The shot went straight through the windshield and the van veered wildly to the side, but suddenly straightened out and stopped in front of Katirci's house, blocking Azir's view. The pair that had been walked now returned fire at the agents, hitting one as the other jumped behind a nearby car. "Shit."

Azir pulled his rifle from the window and burst out of the van as he raced to get a new line of sight. Seeing him, someone in the van started shooting, but missed. Azir jumped down behind a car and leveled his rifle as Katirci and a child ran towards the van. Azir lined him up as quickly as he could, then squeezed the trigger. Blood squirted from Katirci's leg as he fell and Azir lined up another shot and squeezed the trigger. The shot, Aimed for Katirci's chest, was fired just a moment too late. The bullet struck the boy who had just leaned down to save his grandfather on the left side of the back. As the tiny body crumpled, the pair on the street pushed katirci in the car. One of them reached for the child, but the agent fired and hit her in the hand and she was pulled back into the van. The door slid shut and it gunned down the street.

Azir ducked behind the car and he saw a small object come from the passenger window. The round, plastic looking thing went under the van the team had used, and then exploded. The van erupted into flames as shrapnel tore through the fuel tank, destroying any possibility of pursuit.

Azir slowly got up, hold his rifle, then walked towards the boy laying in the street as he choked up blood. There was no saving the boy, who was no older than 12. Azir bowed his head as a tear fell from his eye, then he pulled his side arm out and, with one shot, ended the boy's misery.

KUN Harbor
6 Hours before Atnaian Invasion

Fleet Admiral Amir Muhammet sat aboard his destroyer patrolling the harbor outside of the KUN. For close to a month, he had overseen 3 amphibious invasions and 5 beachheads. Almost all parts controlled by the Navy had gone off without a hitch. Besides the accident here and there or the disabling of a landing craft due to maintenance trouble, all assets, both human and otherwise, had been moved ashore. Hell, even men from other nations had made it. Through it all, he had never worried once about the fate of the operation. Even if it took years, no one believed it could have failed. This culture was primitive, its people were brutes, and its laws were outlandish. Who could argue with Taziristan that the destruction of this culture was the only right thing to do? And so, Admiral Muhammet had carried out his operations not intending to fight larger, more powerful fleets. He had carried himself with confidence and determination, with full faith that he was doing the right thing.

But now, as his ship was resting peacefully in KUN waters, he was afraid.

Only a couple hours ago, a news alert had brought attention to a resolution passed by the League authorizing a military intervention in the KUN coupled with an invasion of his homeland. It was only a matter of time before Atnaian vessels were doing exactly what he had done here. And, just like the landings here, they would go more or less without a reason for the Hegemon to worry. They would storm through the light resisitance, capture the beachhead, offload armor, then plow through to take away everything he held dear. And the most frustrating part of it all was the eerie silence coming from his radios. There had been no orders, no alerts, no sightings of enemy ships. Nothing.

Muhammet got up and walked out of the bridge and started at the coast line. The smoke still billowed from the cities as the soldiers let fires plow through the streets and woodlands, only putting them out if they got in the way of an operation. But just as he began to enjoy the sights and smells of victory, a loud alarm sounded through the ship.

'General Quarters, General Quarters. Man your Battlestations. This is Not a Drill.'

Admiral Muhammet swung around and marched quickly into the bridge. "What's the situation?"

"Sir, Strike Group Wellsia is reporting that they just lost two frigates to enemy missiles. Confirmed radar on a large fleet coming in, now." The officer held the headset close to his ear. "Sir, they are saying that they are falling back towards the Channel to meet up with other strike groups."

"They're leaving us here?"

"Yes, sir."

Muhammet breathed slowly as he thought. They hadn't received orders from Nadir, but this was his call to make. Not Adam Ruh's. "Tell them to continue to pull back and consolidate our three strike groups at the center of the bay. We will have to hold our own here while they regroup."

[Taziristan]

Southeast Taziristan

Sergeant Amir sat with his back against a wall of sandbags as the hot sun beat down on his back. They had only returned home a couple days ago, but then were forced to start building beach defenses as if they were going to be invaded. Walls of sandbags, mines, and Machine Gun emplacements concentrated on narrow beachheads. To Amir, it was stupidity. IF they were going to be invaded, then it would be by a modern force of Atnaians or Keomorans. Not some idiot who threw his men at a beach like it was World War 2. Still, his officers said build, so he built.

Amir stretched and took a long drink out of his canteen before turning around to look out to sea. Then he Stopped. Appearing on the horizon was a huge armada, almost exactly like the one he had taken to KUN. Above them, what looked like jets were racing toward the coast.

"Shit," he muttered. Then he grabbed his radio. "Captain, this is Amir. Do you see this shit?"

"Yes, It's the Atnaians. They're coming for us. We are scrambling jets, but get your men away from the emplacements and take the machine guns with you. They'll be hitting those hard. Don't deploy them until the landing craft are hitting the beaches. It's the only way we have a chance for a defense."

"Yes, sir," Amir said as he turned to his squad. "Looks like we didn't build these things for nothing! Let's get these guns packed-" He was drowned out as F-14s and F-41s raced over the beach thousands of feet above him in tight formations. He turned to watch them fly by, but then saw them firing missiles at the specks in the distance. Almost all of them had fired one and it seemed like a wall of rockets flinging themselves at the distant targets. As soon as they fired though, they broke. Pulling left and right as missiles seemed to pop out of the water and fly towards the planes. Then the specks in the distance also fired a wall of missiles.

From the ground, all it looked like was a chaotic dance of orange and gray as planes broke formation and started releasing countermeasures, paths of orange and white lining the tail of each plane as the wall of enemy missiles attempted to find their targets. Some hit the flares and others hit planes. Only a couple of the pilots jumped. As Amir watched, he saw a plane get hit, but somehow stay together as it began tumbling out of the sky. Through the cockpit looked fine, the pilot didn't jump as he struggled to pull his plane up to no avail. Instead, he tried to turn sharply towards the water, but did so too quickly. His damaged wing sheered away from the plane as if peeled like paper and the plane barreled straight down at the beach.

Amir jumped to cover as the plane and what was left of its arsenal slammed into the mine-laden beach. The explosion rocked the men, throwing some to the ground and obliterating anyone on the beach. Amir lay behind the sand bag, holding his ears as the ringing blocked out all other senses. He lay there for minutes while he waited for it stop, then finally opened his eyes. His squad was getting up, with Corporal Ridvan and Berlat picking up their rifles and seeing to their men. Amir slowly got up as well, then grabbed his radio.

"Captain, one of our guys crashed out here."

"No fucking shit, Amir. Now do what you were told. You probably have an hour tops before the Atnaians will use rifles to try and kill you instead of our own Damn planes."

"Yes, sir."

Amir looked back at his men. All of them seemed ok. He hadn't had a full squad since the ambush in Aelderich, but Ridvan and Berlat had managed to keep their men alive through the whole campaign. He looked over them, watching for wounds they might have ignored in checking their men. Spying some blood on Berlat's arm, he walked up and touched it. "You hit, Berlat?"

"No, Sergeant, just a scratch from falling in that explosion."

Amir nodded. "Get that checked out. The rest of you, pack this gun and move it somewhere safe till the Atnaians get here."

With that, the men started moving around the camp as another wave of Taziri jets raced out to meet the enemy.

---

Adam Ruh

Commander Osman stormed into the war room as officers hurriedly changed out maps of Upper Norseland to Maps of Taziristan and Atnaia. They were all grim, pale faced, and disorganized as they prepped the war room to deal with the new front. Osman watched them for a bit before a junior officer noticed him.

"Atten-hut!"

The room froze as everyone snapped to attention. "At ease." Osman surveyed the men, then noted Nadir's empty seat. "Where is Nadir?"

A young officer shook his head. "We don't know. He's not at his house or his office. We checked everywhere we thought we would know."

Osman swallowed, then put on a fake smile. "Then he must be off at the Council." The other officers nodded. "Until he gets back, we have a nation to defend."

Osman walked over and sat at the head of the table and other officers took their places. "What's the situation?"

"Well, the Atnaian Navy that was perched at Merrit is now about to be close enough to drop landing craft and, of course, missiles. Our Air Force in the area has engaged, but we faced heavy losses to the Hawkins Class frigates and to Atnaian jets. The last 30 of our planes are being moved to air bases further inland for now. The Reserves have set up beach defenses and soldiers based at the Air base there have set up defenses as well. But most of our armor and men are in KUN. We only have 5,000 here to defend the area initially, though logistics personnel are being put on the front lines as well. But you know..." The officer looked around. "They weren't trained as well as our guys in KUN. They're just warm bodies and rifles at this point."

"And in KUN?"

"Wellsia has requested that we leave the area, and we are evacuating supplies and personnel from the base there. But we may not be able to get much out. The Svalbardian 1st Fleet has engaged our forces and already forced a strike group into retreat. Admiral Muhammet has fallen back into the harbor and the other strike groups are consolidating."

"Damnit." Osman breathed. "How long until the Atnaians land."

"Intel says maybe 20 minutes. They've been loading their craft there for an hour or so."

"Well, we've done what we can. Any artillery units left to hit them with?"

"They're all in KUN," An officer said sadly. "Just like everything else."

---

Southeast Taziristan

For the last hour, Amir had watched as planes, although never very close together, had battled it out in the skies. Rarely, a Taziri and Atnaian plane would meet up and exchange gunfire in the sky, streams of tracers coming from each until one, and Amir could never tell which, would plummet into the sea. Eventually, though, the Taziri jets just stopped coming, though the Atnaians were also pulling most of their air force back as well. Now, Amir and his men waited by a machine gun and multiple stinger missiles as the Atnaian landing craft pushed unhampered through the choppy waves. Beside him, Ridvan pointed the machine gun down range, breathing in heavily as he waited for he first ramp to fall. Berat nursed his arm, which now had a bandage on it, and prepped the first stinger. Amir silently clutched his rifle as the ships got closer and closer in what seemed like the longest ride he'd ever been forced to watch.

"Well," one private down the line in a mechanics uniform said as he shifted nervously, watching the first landing craft reach shallow water. "I wanted action."

"You're about to get plenty of it," Amir said slowly.

As soon as the ramp dropped, Ridvan opened fire along with every gun on the beach. Atnaian boys tried to come out of the boat, but were gunned down before they left the ramp. As more and more ramps dropped, more guns opened up and mortars started firing off rounds. Amir leveled his rifle and squeezed off controlled, accurate bursts, trying to hit the lead guys coming up the center. Out at sea, helos buzzed over the Atnaian craft, then two diverted to come onto the land. "Berat! Helos!"

"I see em!" he yelled as he grabbed a stinger and leveled it. But by the time he was able to get a lock, the helos were already raining bullets down on the sandbags. Behind him, Amir heard the stinger lock and Berat fired. It hit the helo in the side and swayed left and right before hitting the ground with the blades still turning, cutting into dead Atnaians. A boy tried to climb out and another Atnaian reached to help him as Ridvan opened up on him.

Amir hit Ridvan's helmet. "Focus on the ones shooting at you, dumbass!" He pointed to a squad of Atnaians attempting to break in the center. "Shoot them!"

Ridvan nodded and trained his gun on the group of 7, hitting them all as they tried to move through the mine field. After that, his gun clicked. "Reload!" Ridvan shouted at the private next to him. The private grabbed a box of ammo and hurriedly replaced it as Amir fired at the ever closing Atnaians. Behind the bodies and carcuses of planes and helos, more landing craft dumped men onto the beaches.

"Get that gun firing, Ridvan!"

The private finally finished his reload and Ridvan opened up again. But the Atnaians had gotten close now and were taking cover behind rocks and helos. One man stepped out of cover and tossed a smoke grenade right in front of the emplacement. Ridvan stopped firing as the smoke blocked his view.

"Displace! Displace!" Amir yelled as Ridvan and the Private grabbed the gun and moved backward to their secondary defense. Bullets whizzed by them as the Atnaians charged the center. Amir jumped down behind the sandbags and lobbed a grenade as Ridvan ignored the tripod and set the gun on the sandbags and fired into the crowd of Atnaians storming the emplacement. Before long, the small wave of men lay dead on the thin grass and blood moved slowly down hill. As the smoke grenade cleared, more helos began moving towards the beach. Amir looked around him, trying to find Berat and his men for the Stingers.

"Where's Berat?" Ridvan pointed down at the group of Taziri uniforms laying still on the ground.

"Shit!" Amir paused for a moment, then grabbed a private and ran down the hill to grab the stingers before the Atnaians could regroup. A helo saw them and started firing, cutting the private down as Amir grabbed a stinger, locked on, and fired. As he did, he felt a burning sensation as a bullet grazed his leg from the beach. Still, the rocket met its mark and hit the tail rotor of the helo. It veered back towards the beach and circled around in the air before it hit the ground in yet another fiery explosion. Before turning to go back to his men, Amir looked to the sandbags where they had been, then around. All around him, dead Taziris lined the sandbags, hunched over and still bleeding, some screaming as they died from mortal wounds. Limping, Amir swallowed and ran back to his men. Ridvan wasn't firing anymore. "Why aren't you firing!?"

"Out of ammo!"

"Already," Amir yelled. "Shit, leave the gun and lets get out of here. We have to fall back to the rally point. We've been broken here."

Ridvan nodded and grabbed a rifle from a dead Taziri and raced way from the beach behind Amir.

[Atnaia]

Rich charged forward towards the nearest gun emplacement. Slipping in a pile of gore and seaweed, he could here bullets whizz above his head like angry bees. Slamming wrists first onto the stony beach, he felt the skin on the palms of his hands sheer away. He grimaced, stood, hefted his rifle and fired a few shots towards the Taziri. The Atnaian forces were pushing forward, held back by the entrenchment but clearly gaining ground. Rich reached the first row of sandbags and took cover, the Taziris beyond already having fallen back. The gun emplacement to his right had stopped firing. A command came over his headset.

"Anyone who can, capture their guns," someone said. "That''s useful equipment."

Rich turned towards the emplacement and slinked along the sandbags. Shots popped into the bags around him, sending out spurs of white sand. As he reached the emplacement, he joined several other soldiers with private rank insignias on their shoulders. He pointed at his own sergeant bars. "What group are you in?" he yelled.

"Yellow," one of them answered. Rich nodded. There was an explosion somewhere behind him as an artillery shot skipped off the beach, landed in the water and detonated, nearly capsizing a landing vessel.

"That gun's gone quiet," he said. "Two of you go take it, the rest of us are going to sweep their trenches."

The privates nodded and naturally divided up. Together with his team, Rich hopped the sandbags into the hastily built trenches of the Taziri. One of the enemy troops swarmed forward to meet him, but Rich drove the butt of his rifle into the center of the man's face, shattering his nose and sending him sprawling backwards onto the earthy ground. Rich didn't give him a chance to stand up. He stomped down with the heel of his boot, crushing the man's windpipe. He heard the ratatat of a pair of bursts and two of his men fired past him, sending another Taziri spinning into the sandbags.

The lines looked mostly empty. The Taziri appeared to be retreating backwards out of their lines at the beach. At this point it was turning into a mop job. Rich glanced around. "Where's their artillery lines?"

One of the privates pointed somewhat west-northwest. "Somewhere over there, sir," he answered. "Towards the air base, I think."

In answer, there was a whistling noise and the gun emplacement that he had sent two men to clear out exploded in a plume of dirt, fire, sandbags and metal shrapnel. Instinctively, Rich covered his face from the debris. "Our goal is to get to those guns."

They began moving. Rich heard a screecching, metallic noise and smelt an oily, smoky scent above the dirt and gore, and an OSD-T2 tank crested the top of the sandbags and smashed down, demolishing the improvised wall and creeping over the lines. It's turret turned, there was a thud, and somewhere to the north Rich could hear a boom and some screaming. One of the private's poked his head over the edge of the trench to get a look.

"They hit some transpo--" he started, before his head snapped back with a sickening crunch and his body crumpled into a heap.

'Heads down!" Rich ordered, and they made their way towards the guns.

[Wellsia]

Sir Vincent Halfhyde stood on the flying bridge of the powerful battlecruiser, around him his force moved rapidly through the choppy seas. He was maintaining a speed of 20 knots to get his force north of the Taziri logistic base in North Riding.
"Sir." interrupted his Flag Commander Hubert Eaton, " Sir, we just received a communicate from Operations, it seems two Taziri frigates have been destroyed by cruise missiles."
Turning he looked at Flag, "Are we sure Hubert?"
"Yes, sir, an AWAC plane was shadowing the Taziri group."
" Do we know who did it ? asked the Senior Flagofficer.
"Speculation is Polar Svalbard, Sir Vincent, one of he Taziri frigates was only five miles off our coast when hit."
Vincent Halfhyde turned once more into the wind and stared off at the distant horizon. " Inform Flagofficer Frederick Coningham on the Ark Royal about what is happening and tell him I want two fighters in the air at all times, also get one of his AWACS in the air and send it off toward where the attack took place. Inform all ship commanders to place their ships on alert and have all radar units except the Ark's on active search, they may know where we are, but I damn sure want to know where they are."
"Sir", responded The Flag commander, the Atnians have invaded Taziristan, Operations have ordered the Repulse to Vannin Island since it is just north of Taziristan and at the mouth of the Between. Also to our advantage they are sending us the Victorious with a cruiser and two destroyers as escort, moving at top speed across the Pond.
"Good, a second carrier will be helpful."
"Flag, also have an official communicate sent to Fleet Admiral Amir Muhammet and let him know that any Taziri ship entering Wellsian waters with flags lowered will be protected and interned till end of hostilities."
"Are you sure sir?''
"Send it, not that it will do any good, no Taziri captain will take advantage of it, to do so would be a lost of face, they will go down fighting instead of surrendering or running to us. Pride can be good or destructive."

[The Grand Force]

WEST TARZIRISTAN 9:00 AM

1st trooper Ryan Waters stood in the bay of the troop transport moving through the clear water next to his twenty other transports moved towards the white beach. He held his rifle in both hands his fifteen pound back pack weighing on his back '' Forty seconds!'' shouted his commander. He started thinking about being back at home, to think just four months ago he had graduated high school, got drafted then trained for three months, he had never planned to be in the army never even got into a fight and now he was on the front lines. He thought of his father too old to be drafted working in an old factory in Ironsville making steel. He though of his mother staying at home with his little sister, and his twin brother who was somewhere in one of these boats. Before he could day dream any more the gate behind him in the back of the transport opened and his sergeant yelled '' Door's open get out now!'' and he jumped into the chill water.

It was not very deep up a little more than his knees, he got to the beach, most of the soldiers were on the beach the jungle looming just a few dozen meters ahead then shots rang out. Just a few bullets pierced the air around Ryan, a man to his left fell down and started clenching his knee with both hands. ''Return fire! Return Fire, goddamn it!'' yelled the sergeant and the woods lit up as Grand soldiers shot at it Ryan heard the thuds as bullets hit trees and the screams of those caught by the shots. ''Push forward take the beach!'' screamed the sergeant and everyone ran forward toward the jungle. Ryan ran past trees and through shrubbery and thought '' This is weird, there's no machine guns or barbed wire we haven't even seen the enemy yet.'' then he stopped and looked down at his feet was a man blood pouring from a hole in his chest, in his right hand a pistol. The man wore no uniform or insignia, he was a civilian who took up arms against him, there was no time to ponder why he did this or why he had to die though and Ryan knew it he continued on into the jungle with his team.

[Covonant]

PALATINE MANOR, PRIME MINISTER RESIDENCE, COVENTRY, COVONANT

"Thank you Mr. Baptiste, your updates are useful. Take care." The Prime Minister hung up on the League representative Ashur Baptiste who provided an update on the leagues position and Covonant's stance on the Taziristan-Upper Norseland conflict. The Minister of Defense and the Chief of Defense Staff were all seated in front of the Prime Minister in the Prime Minister's office inside the Palatine Manor.

"General, what is our response to this event. I know we have issued sanctions but there is instability near our borders and we must assist the league in having normalcy and peace." Asked Prime Minister Marl.

"Sir, the Tazirs will not relent unless force is used against them. I propose we launch a military invasion on Taziristan to curtail their actions. Let the others up north deal with getting them out of Upper Norseland." Responded General Machelli

"Prime Minister is that necessary, to invade Taziristan would mean the Consul would declare war. Is Covonant prepared for that. I think a more subtle move we use the C6 as a means to curtail their actions. This conflict is bigger than Covonant and we can't expect to ride in as heroes and save the day, regardless how good our military may be. How can we be sure of a victory. I am not saying we should be iffy on whether to intervene but to intervene as a body not alone. The C6 would serve a great purpose in this." Minister Sula advised.

Prime Minister Marl was in a predicament. Already his approval rating had decreased and his popularity is staggering. The opposition despises him and some of his own government members want him out. He however sees opportunity in this conflict for himself.

"Minister Sula, I want you to call a meeting with member states of the C6, they might be useful in this, however I am not relying solely on the C6. I see an opportunity in this for Covonant to ensure stability and peace reigns. General, get me a report on our troops and equipment on our base in Ipland, and the same for our base in Keomora immediately." Ordered Prime Minister Marl

"Sir, you are not thinking of striking from Ipland and Keomora are you. If I may offer sound advise. I do not think that would be a smart move Prime Minister. You would stretch our operations to areas that are not necessary. Our troops on Ipland could play a role but what does our base in Keomora has to do with this Sir. Focus on our base in Ipland and launching troops from Covonant. Taziristan is close enough for it to work."Pleaded the General

"And I suppose you want our navy to handle it General?" Asked Prime Minister Marl

"No sir, not our navy alone. I don't see this being a battle on the seas Sir, rather a battle of the skies. Sir this is not to be viewed as a war to push back and leave. Sir this operation is an invasion, the navy is important but our air force will lead the way to our victory. Our airbase on Ipland will serve the better purpose in this conflict." expressed General Machelli

"You have never failed me yet General, your love for Covonant has no ends. I will ponder on it. But for now I need the reports on both bases in Ipland and Keomora. Our base in Keomora may serve purpose for C6 involvement. And Minister Sula prepare to have our armed forces on alert. I will bring a motion to the Consul to allow us to intervene in this conflict. Do not let out any critical information to the public until we are in the clear and all is in order." The Prime Minister expressed.

They all left, leaving Prime Minister Marl alone in his office. He looked over the reports from the IDC and pondered on the response from the Consul and the public. He knew this would be hard to bring across but in every crisis there is an opportunity, he thought to himself.

[Keomora]

Off the Easter Coast of KUN
Lieutenant Vincent Cho was afraid. Sitting on a chair in one of the preparation rooms within the KES Kaimor, one of the Amphibious Assault Ships that resembled the Mistral Class. His gear ready, weapon assembled and full of ammunition he waited for waited for his commanding officer to tell them that the attack was underway and they had to enter the well deck, were he had to lead men to battle. Breathing in and out he knew that his force was only a landing force. A thousand men ready to clear a remote area so that the logistics people can make runways so that supplies can be airlifted. VIncent sighed when he saw his commanding officer. It was go time.

KES Kalankar
Admiral Urukori would not have ordered for the attack to commence with the Taziri navy to still be in action. But the President ignored his advice and ordered him to attack. So he did the logical decision, move his fleet to protect the assault group. With four frigates, two destroyers, a cruiser, and 30 jet fighters he was more than equipped to defend the assault ship. And a reassuring part was the reports that Polar Svalbard begun attacks, and Rear Admiral Karma left Wellsia to hunt down Taziri ships. He tapped his desk with his sword. This wasn't going to be easy.

Bay of KUN, KES Livon
Commander Shepherd disliked his submarine. To not complain the Deathstalker was an amazing class of subs. But his small flaws that made it just bearable. Odd sounds. Odd dimensions. And slow. He would have loved the nuclear submarines. But he had his duty.
"Jack! We got our orders. Mining some harbours... blah blah blah, sinking any Taziri ships in KUN waters?" The eyebrows of the commander rose.
"Good."