[Kerbin Only] Kerbin in Jeopardy

[Demitor]

2021 National Coverage: A new day for the Demitorian Naval Defence Force?

A new naval budget proposal has passed the Representative Commission by a vote of 70 to 65, clearing the way for final approval by the State Council. Current polling of councilmen show the tally to be at around 7-6. This would mean a deadlock, as the councilmen representing the regional assembly of Fariau have split. A simple majority would also not be enough to pass this legislation, as a supermajority, meaning 10 councilmen have to vote in favor, is required to pass all spending bills.

Today, Commissioner General David Rogers, the Lord High Commissioner for the Naval Force, has announced great news. With the passing of the most recent budget proposal through the Representative Commission, Commissioner Rogers now has a full working budget. Weeks of deadlock in the Representative Commission have hampered his efforts to bring the Naval Forces up to scratch again after a review in 2019 found numerous issues with everything the naval forces was doing. Issues with the standard of training, the quality of recruits when they left the training academy, and corruption in the officer corps was a national disgrace. Former Commissioner Michael Reid had been ousted at the request of the Inspector General for the Armed Forces, and that is when commissioner rogers took over,

Commissioner Rogers has been a driving force for reform in the navy ever since his promotion to Ensign in the Naval Academy class of 1980. Being a part of several small actions on the part of the Peacekeeping Force, Rogers has shown great willingness to improve his fleet. Only time will tell as to what happens.

[Barkadia]

Left Coalition Office, August 14th

It was bright and sunny today. One of the warmest days of the whole year. A crowd of Left Coalition voters was gathered outside the building, in the emptied parking lot on the east side of the building. The vote to decide who was going to be the True Pine nominee for this year happened last night. He is about to accept his nomination in just a moment.

There he is. Firdeck Sonderson himself. Swaggering himself onto the stage behind that podium.

"I want to give thanks for all of the faithful supporters in this crowd and those who couldn't make it across Barkadia. The optimistic youth ready define the future of their country. Those with families wanting to see their livelihoods further improved. The elderly willing to aid our progress further into the century. Those in military bases training the new generation of freedom fighters to liberate their homelands and defend what's theirs against the capitalist and imperialist juggernaut. Without you, this dream that we call Barkadia would not be possible. World Socialism would be but a pipe dream for the oppressed and exploited. But it is very real. And I want to continue our commitment to freedom and peace. The anarchists currently in power share our spirit but are natural idealists. They want peace with capitalism, they want to dissolve our state, they want to pursue unrealistic ideas. We can't do that. Socialist theory inherently is against almost all of what they stand for. I am not saying that they are ignorant. They are just unrealistic. Also, Barkadians are strong, and we have stood our ground against the CDN and Meridan Treaty despite the unequal strength and power. We are a part of the front line in the ever continuing struggle against those that seek to subvert and destroy us. Our commitments to socialist states across the world must continue and increase in strength and numbers. Although the Faulksnians share similar beliefs to those in power here, we also cannot abandon them. Vincent eventually wants to disband our military and bring our soldiers home from bases in socialist nations. Why? The Cold War is not over. It's not over until socialism reigns supreme over reaction. They will fight to the end, and we must pursue them to the ends of the planet. Our economy must not be decentralized, either. We will fail to take advantage of our resources and productive power. With YERISPLAN slowly coming online, we can't fail to take full advantage of it. If we want to beat Kolonia and eventually the Stractans, this is how we do it. If we are to fight economic sabotage and unequal development, this is how we do it. I believe in you Barkadia. Make the right choice this year. And if not this year, next year. I am here to fight for you, for socialism, for the world. For freedom and peace for everyone."

"I will leave you off with a quote from my favorite fictional character, JVS. While being asked about humanity in his office, he says, "I only believe in one thing only, the power of human will." I do too. Thank you for listening everyone, see you in December."

The crowd roars into applause as he repeats his swagger walking off the stage and back into the office building.

[New Anderia]

In the air over the Aprezyn Anderian Republic
Within the Greater Anderia-Dolfikland Border Region

Somehow, it was all going to shit again. Zabakh ostensibly should have been proud, his crew and the screaming turboprops of his aircraft were conducting the first of many missions to obliterate fascists from the face of the earth. But a profound sense of unease pervaded his mind. He had joined the Defense forces with his cousins years ago now, but they hadn't done much 'defending' as he saw it. One had died in Icaria, fighting for socialism on the other side of the world. The other was one of many discreetly being deployed to Aprezye in this ongoing power play between Anderia and Dolfikland. Zabakh had never held strong political convictions, only a burning desire to protect his family and his homeland. But this didn't seem right. How were they defending Anderia by going out and fighting wars overseas, by going out and bombing foreigners in their own country? And this, this was arguably worse. Picking a fight was bad enough, even if they had been goaded into it, but picking a fight in Anderia's own backyard seemed to be nothing more than putting the homeland at risk. Zabakh took a deep breath, and pushed the incongruity from his mind. He focused on his inner self, and prayed: "God the almighty, the merciful, I seek refuge in you, in your unparalleled magnificence. I seek protection from the front and rear, from the left and right, from the top and bottom. I thank you for your blessings, and implore your forgiveness for my sins."
Having steeled himself for the task ahead, he allowed his mind to be emptied of all but the immediate goal.

In short time, they had crossed out of the contested airspace in Aprezye and fully into Baydor. Their air force had been parceled out, grounded, or were otherwise occupied with other combat missions. As a result, escorts had been minimized and had even been equipped with some air-to-ground ordinance. They hugged the Lemponese border, over the communist zone of control. As they flew into the Air Control Zone of Lowerfield, the com crackled to life. "Unidentified Anderian Aircraft, this is Lowerfield Air Force Base. Request identification, and prepare to be intercepted." Zabakh and the copilot glanced at one another, before Zabakh activated his mic. "Lowerfield Air Force Base, this is Tupolev Oscar-November-Yankee-X-ray-Five-Four flying over Baydor. I'd like to think we're on the same side here, so don't be too hasty about taking potshots at us."
"Tupolev Onyx-Five-Four, this is Lowerfield. Harriers inbound for intercept. Please state the nature of your mission, or turn back."
"Lowerfield, this is Tupolev Onyx-Five-Four. We're here to send some fascists back to their maker, if that's alright."
"Tupolev Onyx-Five-Four, this is Lowerfield. Understood, you'll have some friends flying alongside you. Godspeed."
"Lowerfield, this is Tupolev Onyx-Five-Four. Don't worry, we'll be here all week. Over."
Zabakh's copilot was grinning like an idiot, and Zabakh couldn't help by smile a little. Despite everything, these Kolonians weren't really enemies. In other circumstances, they probably would have been good friends. Talking to the Kolonian pilots as they approached their target, and the calm of the clear blue skies above them had brought Zabakh some peace. They had much more in common than either would have been inclined to believe. Zabakh's smile soon faded, though, and he pushed stray thoughts from his mind again.

Not more than 20 minutes later, the low roar of the turboprop's engines could be heard from the ground even as the plane remained out of sight. The crisp sound of cruise missiles cutting through the air was drowned out by that beastly grumble. Roads, bridges, and railways were obliterated; formerly official military and government facilities, water and power plants, and numerous other strategic targets were hit from the air. They even hit damns built in the Gulf of Baydor, before turning back along with their escorts. Zabakh considered the wastefulness of it for a moment, pondering how in a few year's time Anderians would likely be investing in the arduous task of rebuilding what he had just destroyed in moments.
Zabakh composed himself, and continued on towards home.

[The United Kolonia Republic]

Over the skies of Baydor

September 3rd, 14:09

Thin clouds were spread out across the Baydor sky. It was a beautiful, clear afternoon. Serene.

War was scattered out down below. Pockets of fascist and communist forces fought against each other, and against the Baydorian government, with little progress being made in months for either side. Hundreds of kilometers away, at Anderian airfields, the careful balance of military standstill was being pushed aside. Transports from left wing countries across Kerbin were amassing to support a Red Baydor.

That was not here, and not today, though. In the skies over Baydor, there were just two AV-8Bs. No contrails cut across the blue today, except for theirs. The two pilots were the masters of the sky. The world was theirs.

Until the radio call came in, that is.

“Dingo 505, Lowerfield Tower.”

“Lowerfield Tower, Dingo 505 on frequency.”

“Intercept orders for singular Anderian bomber. Heading 170, 200 kilometers. Target is on frequency and compliant. Orders are to escort through to fascist targets in the North.”

“Dingo 505, understood, target heading 170, 200 kilometers. Be there in 10.”

From the ground below, the two contrails made a sharp turn towards the south. If the observer was paying attention, they might be able to see a singular, much larger contrail coming up on the horizon.

A few minutes passed as the two Harrier pilots discussed their intercept plan. They’d close for a head-on and pass in formation to the right of the bomber, before breaking into a V, with Dingo 511 staying a kilometer behind the Tupolev, and Dingo 505 coming up to lead the intercept.

“Dingo 505, Lowerfield Tower, target heading 180, 100 kilometers, closure rate 1,300 km/h.”

“Roger Lowerfield! Tally-Ho! Visual on the target. Changing to guard.”

Reaching over to the comms panel, Dingo 505’s pilot changed her plane’s frequency to 121.500.

“Anderian Aircraft, this is the Kolonian Air Force on Guard. Proceeding to intercept you, will pass you on your left side in 30 seconds.”

“Kolonian Air Force, this is Anderian Air Force Tupolev Onyx-Five-Four, on Guard with you.”

The three contrails merged together at blistering speeds. There was a beautiful split in the smaller two, as they danced around to catch up to the large one, until they once again merged together.

Dingo 505 pulled up on the left side of the Tu-95. Zabakh, the Anderian captain of the bomber, gave the fighter pilot a thumbs up, and she responded with a shaka.

“Tupolev, it’s a beautiful day to fly, isn’t it?”

“A beautiful day to visit Baydor! We’re on our way to the North to hit the fascists and send a few back to the Creator.”

“I’m sure our government is glad to accommodate you. Next time, would you mind painting your bomber any color but silver? Even without the contrails we could see you from the other side of the country!”

“I’ll keep that in mind. How’s your friend in the back?”

“Waving to your tail gunner, I presume!”

A chuckle went over the Anderian bomber’s intercom. Smiles grew on both of Dingo flight’s faces. The jokes were curtailed by an amber light over Dingo 511’s fuel gauge, though.

“Roger, Tupelov, take care and get home safe. You may proceed North to target”

“Thanks for the escort, Harriers! You have beautiful jets. Fly safe.”

She gave the Anderian pilots a salute, to which they did the same. Slamming the throttle to the full, she began to pull ahead of the swift flying bomber. Rolling to the left and pulling on the stick, the contrails separated once again, leaving the wispy blue skies with a final marking before all hell broke loose for some poor fascist bastards in the North.

[Corgelia]

Prezyrev, SUNC

Pavel groaned as his eyes slowly began to open. Shit, he'd overslept. Sure, he was on vacation from the congress, but he still shouldn't let his drug benders mess with his sleep schedule too much. Fuck, what time was it? He rolled his hungover body to check his phone.

"1:33. God damn it."

He saw almost a dozen missed calls from his campaign organizer. Sure, the elections were about 2 weeks out, but surely nothing that important happened while he was asleep.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

Ah, right, that was what woke him up. He'll call Mityel back once he sees who's at his door.

Pavel shambled himself out of bed, ran his hands through his hair to straighten it out a little, and pulled open the door.

Mityel looked exasperated. "There you are, Christ! I've been trying to reach you for the past 2 hours!"

"I saw. Wait, Mityel, what the hell is the big deal? I'm on vacation!"

"Not anymore you're not. This morning... christ, I still can't believe it."

"Spit it out already!"

"To quote: 'As of 12:00 PM on the 2nd of September, 2021, this Congress declares the dissolution of the Cancodian Socialist Union Party. New parties will be held outside of government purview for the time being, but should be prepared for government regulation in the coming months.'"

"Holy shit. It's actually gone?"

"Damn right it is. Here, eat this." Mityel thrust a small packet of food into Pavel's hand.

"The fuck is this?"

"Caffeinated granola. Now enough questions. We've got a party to build, and 18 days to do it."

[Nostrapais]

He was exhausted. For three days straight he had been working on his boss's request. Six hours of sleep and the equivalent of a coffee plantation running through his veins where all that kept him awake. None of this mattered anymore now. His masterpiece lied before him, on his drawing board, finished at last. It was a large piece of paper, probably out of any standard size, which was likely to give a heart attack to some poor printing press manager, but he didn't care.
The produce of his last 72 hours was a vintage looking poster (stuff antiquated by decades was coming back into the public's favor for some reason he could not figure), red, black, white mostly, impacting colors. At the bottom of it, one could see a child drawn down to his chest. His body was wrapped in a ragged Baydorian flag and his eyes were gazing towards the dark skies. From it rained bombs emblazoned with the sadly famous fascist symbol. Just like the sky, they were black, only lightly outlined in white to stand out and they were heading straight for the poor infant. Only, between him and death stood a stack of Nostrapaisian paper money held by a firm hand, all drawn in red, sheltering him. From it, a white light descended upon the child, softly bathing him and in his eyes, there was gratitude. On the roll of the hand's sleeve, one astute observer would have noticed the Nostrapaisian rising sun on the cufflink. This, he was the proudest off. It took him hours and a good twelve preparatory drawings to get the size, the perspective, the shading right.
Under all of that, there was the slogan:

YOU CAN HELP TOO ! DONATE TO SAVE LIVES FROM FASCIST AND CAPITALIST WARMONGERS !

The door shrieked behind him. He turned and gave a second to his eyes to readjust themselves to the light coming from the corridor. It was his boss, checking on him and, seeing the smile on his face, he did a good for once. And indeed, the congratulations came:

"Hey Arnaud, that's some great work here !"

A short pause.

"That will net you some good exposure !"

[Nostrapais]

"Remind me, why am I the only one digging ?"

"Because I ain't going to dig shit with a sprained shoulder."

"Yeah, right, talk about a convenient timing to hurt yourself."

Such was the extent of the conversation that went on on the night of the 16th of september between two shady figures in the countryside of Nostrapais' east. One was doing his best to dig a hole between two trees as the other was holding his phone with its flashlight on to illuminate the digging. Beside them sat a big cylinder made out of ceramic tubing cut from a plumbing pipe. It was sealed on both ends with several layers of plastic trash bags and kerthenian tape.

"You done yet ?"

"Oh my... Next time you open your mouth, it's you that I burry."

"Fuck's sake, just hurry, if we get caught with this crap, we're dead !"

"Oh, do you think I don't know that, smartass ? Help me there, who had to store this arsenal in his basement because you and your friends couldn't afford anything better than an wardrobe sized apartment in some shitty downtown building ? Oh right, it was me !"

"Hey, not fair, I did take some !"

"Oh yeaah, that's right, you did, I'm so sorry I forgot you took that one pistol while I had to somehow hide twelve rifles, a load of ammo and enough fucking explosives to tear down half that damn city !"

"Okay, okay, I get it. Just... dig."

"What ? You don't wanna talk anymore ?"

His interlocutor looked nervously around.

"No, you're right, I'm sorry for what I said, let's just get over with this and go home. Our group his done and nobody from the other ones answer, we did what we could, you certainly did the most out of all of us, but now, all that matters is getting out of that deathtrap and lay low until we can try again."

"Agreed, feels good to be recognized at last, let's get it done."

"Yeah, listen, when we're done here, I'll pay you a drink. What do you like, tequila ?"

"Man, you know I could never stand that shit."

He took a quick look around again.

"You sure you don't like tequila ?"

The other dropped the shovel.

"Told you I hate that ! What's you're probl..."

Before he could finish his sentence, a dozen policemen appeared behind the trees, pointing guns and flashlights at them. The digger was pulled out of his hole, quickly cuffed and put on his knees while, to his surprise, his comrade casually went to the officer in charge and handed him over his phone.

"You got a nice confession here. All the guns and explosives are in the pipe. He was the last one of this group."

"Good job sergeant."

Overhearing this, the digger blemished.

"You fucking rat !"

"Wrong animal man, I prefer mole. Why the long face ? You should be happy to see I can dig too in the end ! Sure it's dirt on you but hey, just doing my job."

[Ostreich1]

Tau Kicari Union Public Announcement

Due to increased tensions around the globe, the Tau Kicari Leadership Council has voted to increase the military budget to 1.25% of the GDP with the budget expected to steadily increase further in the near future to around 2%. As part of the increased military build up the Ministry of Defence has bought several rocket and gun artillery systems from Barkadia and a production licence for Serrian C-27As, along with an undisclosed purchase from Anderia and Chikara. Our industry analysts have noticed a build up in the aircraft and automotive industries with several companies including the Qazan Helicopters and Kicari Automotive Factory having purchased new buildings and have begun hiring more workers. We can only speculate just what they are planning at this time as the heads of these companies have not replied to our requests for a statement. The Ministry of International Trade has announced a new deal between the Union and Barkadia to send Kicari silicon in exchange for Barkadian oil.

Outside the Qazan Helicopters main factory near the Qazan docks.
Two cars are parked in front of the building and several men are standing around the cars. A man exits the factory and walks up to them. "You must be the Anderian engineers. Welcome to the Qazan Helicopters main factory, I will be you guide today and answer any questions you might have." He says

"Yes, yes. Now lets see what you have and what we need to do to get production up and running." A man who is clearly the leader of the group says to the guide as they walk towards the factory and open the front door. As they walk in they are greeted by various models of helicopters in various stages of construction, including a massive Mi-6 helicopter in the back. There is a small area near the main door that is empty and clearly waiting for construction of something to begin.

"I see you already produce the Mi-8. That is good and will make production easier." The lead engineer says. "But do you really expect to be able to produce many Mi-24s with what little space is left here?"

"Well we left that area there open which should be enough to produce an Mi-24." The guide replies as he points to the empty spot near the main door.

"Yes, you could produce an Mi-24 there but do you really expect to produce more than one a year in this building? Do you have another we could use?"

"Well, we don't have another free building since we figured that this would be fine for our needs." The guide replies.

"Do you want to take a decade to produce a single squadron of aircraft for the air force? This is not acceptable for your needs." The Engineer says before turning and leaving with his fellow engineers and technicians. The Kicari guide follows them out the door and begins to ask.

"Where are you going?"

"We are going to find a suitable building in this city. You are welcome to come with us." The Engineer says as he gets into his car. The Kicari guide gets in next to him and they begin to drive around the nearby warehouses and factories.

"What would you consider a suitable building? and how will you acquire this building when we find it?"

"You will be the one acquiring it when we find it, and the building must be large enough to house at least 4 helicopters at once and have easy access to the docks main roads." They continue driving for about ten minutes until the engineer spots a warehouse in front of them. "Stop the car. This building looks good but I will need to check the inside." The cars stop and they get out.

"How are we going to get in?"

"We will walk in the front door and look around until we get yelled at." The Engineer says before marching through the front door. Inside the warehouse are pallets with metal pipes of various sizes stacked up to the roof. Forklifts and workers can be seen walking about moving pallets onto and off trucks. "This is good, I think we should be able to build five or even six helicopters at once in here and that door is big enough to fit two at the same time." While they are talking a forklift almost hits them.

"OI! GET OUT OF HERE YOU DICKHEADS!"

"I believe this is our cue to go." The Engineer says as they all quickly rush out of the building and get back into the cars. "Now I want you to talk to your superiors about acquiring that building as soon as possible so we can begin production."

"Ok, I can't make any guarantees but I will try and convince them to do it." The guide says.

Inside the Kicari Aircraft Production Associations main factory near the Yar Çallı airport.
Several men from the Kicari Joint Air Force are led through the factory by two men and their assistants to a cleared area near the back of the building. On the way several An-2s can be seen being refitted with rocket pods and machine guns, and a couple more in the background in various stages of construction. They reach the back of the building where a few plastic seats are lined up in front of a whiteboard with two diagrams of planes that look like they came straight out of the Great War. To the right of the whiteboard there is a large radial engine sitting on a table, and to the left there is an assortment of weapons ranging from missiles and rockets, to guns and bombs.

"Please take a seat. I am Tulpar Alimov chief aircraft designer of the Kicari Aircraft Production Association and this is my Barkadian counterpart Dionýz Zima." Tulpar says as he gestures to Dionýz "Today we are going to present to you our preliminary work on the Ansat project which you can see here." He points to the diagram on the right which features a single engine monoplane with several hard points under the wings and fuselage and descriptions about its max speed and payload. Next to it is a diagram of another similar looking plane.

Dionýz begins speaking. "As you know the Kicari air force lacks any true fixed wing ground attack capability with the exception of those An-2s that you saw being modified. And as you also know the Ansat project seeks to rectify this by developing a modified version of the Anderian Yak-52 training aircraft, which has been enlarged slightly and given the Shvetsov ASh-62 engine which you can see over there." He points to the radial engine sitting on the table. "This engine currently powers the An-2s and the latest Kicari versions output approximately 1,100hp instead of the 360hp of the Yak-52s engine, and can be made to run on regular petrol. With the new engine the aircraft will have a max speed of 500 km/h instead of the Yak-52s 285 km/h max speed and we have also increased the fuel load of the aircraft from 122l to 350l of fuel to allow for a greater combat range and loiter time."

Tulpar takes over from Dionýz. "In addition to the increased max speed and fuel load, we have strengthened the wing spars to take a higher payload and added three weapon hard points on each wing plus one on the centre fuselage as you can see on the diagram. Over here on the table we have an assortment of weapons which we could potentially use with the Ansat. Going from top to bottom we have, an Anderian R-60 heat seeking missile for self defence and attacking helicopters, which as you can see is quite sensitive." Tulpar pulls out a lighter from his pocket and lights it in front of the seeker head. The fins of the missile begin tracking the lighter as he waves it around. "Moving on we have the KnM-15K anti tank missile from Chikara which has a range of 8km and can penetrate a 1.4 metre steel plate as you can see here." He picks up a photo that was sitting next to the missile and hands it over to the audience."To guide this weapon we have an Anderian laser guidance pod right here which can be mounted to either the inner wing hard points or the centre hard point where it can be operated by the copilot sitting in the back. Here we have a standard S-5 rocket which you could see being fitted to the An-2s earlier. Now onto the guns, we have a .50 calibre machine gun here which will be mounted inside the wings, one in each with 300 rounds of ammunition. Here we have a minigun firing 7.62mm rounds, this is the same type of gun used on the helicopter gunships and we have made some inquiries about a possible .50 calibre version but we have yet to hear back about that. These could be mounted in gun pods should you need more firepower for strafing runs. Now onto the bombs. Here we have a variety in the 50, 100, and 250 kilogram ranges. To allow for the accurate placement of these bombs we have installed a bomb sight for both the pilot and copilot on the aircraft and there is a possibility of acquiring laser guided bombs in the future for even greater accuracy." Tulpar walks back to the board and stands next to Dionýz.

Dionýz begins speaking again. "As you can see the Ansat program will give the KJAF a much improved ground attack capability and the first domestically produced purpose built combat aircraft in Kicar. This aircraft will be very cheap to operate and produce compared to more advanced types and capable of operating from those small mountain airfields you guys love so much. Now are there any questions?"

[Demitor]

DEMITORIAN BUREAU OF REGIONAL AFFAIRS ANNOUNCEMENT

The following is a message from the Bureau of Regional Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Due to the recent instability in Baydor and the conflicts that have transpired, a notice has been given to the Anderian, Kolonian and Baydor governments. The notice says that in the nature of hoping to diminish civilian casualties, the government of Demitor asks the parties involved to allow the evacuation of refugees to Demitor, where they will be housed until the end of the conflict. It goes on to explain that in the best defense of it's neutrality, the diplomatic missions to all of the warring parties involved will be notified when a evacuation is being planned to hopefully ensure that nobody fires at it's own aircraft or vessels. Aircraft of Demitorian origin will be marked with yellow neutrality stripes to further identify them, as well as the usage of the normal roundel.

The notice asks for a response as soon as feasible.

-

Gorin Air Force Base, Demitor

The outdated Demitorian air service was long brought up in the halls of government as an issue in need of fixing. However, the work of mechanics and technicians of the Demitorian Bureau of Defence had long kept the fleet of aircraft flying. The newest addition, the Q-5 unmanned reconnaissance platform, was still over five years old. It was serving well, as much as any other aircraft. Even the ancient IL-14 was still in active service as a light transport. There just hasn't been a conflict worth upgrading the air force for, and most of the military budget went to infrastructure and the Bureau of Aeronautic Research anyways. Much like the other parts of the defence services, there was a main focus on the strategy used. Defense first, offense second.

This remained clear on the leaders of the Defence service, such as Grand Air Marshal Henry Risoeick. Marshal Risoeck was responsible for the fleet. and reported straight to the Minister for Defence. However, sitting in his office, that person was not who he was talking to today. He was talking to a person from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. As a combat air patrol blasted off the runway, he argued with the diplomats, trying to explain that such an activity wasn't a smart idea. He had read the intelligence reports. He knew how much of a war zone the area was. Even with neutrality markings, the estimated losses from a evacuation campaign would be something that would be political suicide. A neutral Demitor would be the best way for the government to remain out of war. However, a call from the Minister for Defence changed that. He turned to his aides, shook his head, and gave some orders. A fleet of aircraft would be prepared in the event of an evacuation being authorized.

[Kerthenia]

In light of recent events;

Our common history, culture, and origin with the Icarian people brings us to make a solemn oath to the people of Icaria: any use of armed force on the Icarian Peninsula will be met in kind.

The people of Icaria have seen enough of war. At this very moment a coalition of nations has been meeting through backchannels to develop a treaty to finally put an end to the Icarian Civil War through a framework of mutual recognition and respect for each other's independence; but still honoring the wholeness of the Icarian people.

To all the warmongers of the world who would threaten the hard-won, fragile peace of a long-suffering people: you have been warned.

[Ostreich1]

Agios Public Announcement

With the increased tensions around the world the Serrian Navy has put the first fleet on high alert and the Agios Militia has increased the numbers of F-111 flights over the Mauralin gulf region. After months of talks between the Agios and Paros governments, and the Knights Hospitaller in Icaria have agreed to allow the Paros Archdiocese to join the Agios Militia funding scheme. The Mayors of Agios and Paros had this to say about the deal.
"I understand that many in Agios and Icaria have been calling for us to reduce the Militia budget for years, and I am proud to say that we have now done this without compromising the defence of our region of Serria. This deal will slash our spending on the militia while keeping the thousands of high paying jobs it supports and we will be redirecting those funds to the development efforts in Icaria to house the refugees." Said the Mayor of Agios.
The Mayor of Paros had this to say. "This deal will be bringing in hundreds of high paying jobs to Paros when we move the assembly lines of the new stealth fighter jet that was to be built in Agios to Paros to support the Militia. Along with these high paying jobs we will have a greater say in the defence of our Archdiocese during these trying times."
Yesterday a Serrian Space Force SOLV II successfully Launched from from Verga SFB, 16:22 local time carrying the Aurora-1 Mun lander and the MOCS-1 satellite to the Mun which will land at the site of the future Mun base and orbit where the future Mun fuel depot is set to be located.

The SOLV II launch yesterday

[Toonu Empire]

The imperial route

As the route encircling the whole Iconian archipelago continues, His Imperial Majesty is a cause of concerns and appraisals. The convoy reached the City of Lucia after stopping in Aquilia, Ulpia, Messalia and Olympia, in which the Emperor enjoyed the hospitality of the local populace and warm greetings toward a new era. As the popular prince became a ruling sovereign, the possibilities and future of the nation is unimaginable. By his words, he "wishes to influence Iconian traditionalists to support the transfer into a modern nation", slimming the unnecessary imperial traditions.

The generous Alanus Aemilius, the chairman and CEO of the NRP, has presented his imperial majesty with a yacht gift during the Emperor's visit to Lucia. The Emperor had to decline due to economic concerns raised by the IHA. Aemilius dismissed these concerns by the proposal of renting the yacht for free to the imperial family whenever it suits both sides.

'It is an enormous prestige for our family to serve the emperor's hobby and be allowed to host him on our behalf.', said the entrepreneur. The Emperor, who is known for his love of seafaring, has persuaded the Household agency to accept this gift. Another disturbing action of His Imperial Majesty was caused by his decision to pursue his career in the imperial navy.' The Emperor declined the promotion to the Comes rei Classis's rank as he wishes to continue his career, keeping his previous post of Primus Ordines of the HIMS Aurora. The request started disturbing outrage among the traditional conservatives who argued that the rank of the head of the Imperial Navy is merely ceremonial, promoting its harmlessness. The admiralty, in return, proposed the promotion to the rank of Nauarchus, with the pending response from the household. The new era has seemingly begun as the era of compromises. While many people approve of the Emperor's actions and praise him for his humble approach, the traditional conservative supporters say that he is breaking centuries of established traditions and customs.

The long awaited handshake.
The First Iconian Cosmonaut has reached the orbit of Kerbin on the wings of Sublustris Astrum in preparation of supporting flights to the future shared Mün base and building spacefaring constructions for the promotion of science. This was the Astra fifth flight and a third flight testing the crew cargo hold configuration allowing for the inspiring Iconian-Kolonian orbital rendezvous and docking, strengthening our relations and inspiring the people of the free world to be strong and united in the times that are coming. The secondary mission objective has also been successful and the cubesats, among which half were of academic community and the other quarter commercial, were deployed into their proper inclinations.

[Verkimlund]

Note Delivered By Royal Mail Diplomatic Courier On Behalf Of Pieter Koch, Lance Corporal ZLI, Prime Minister

To The Ambassadors Of The Democratic State Of Kara And Barkadia.


In light of recent developments in the troubled nation of Baydor, Peacekeeping Troops deployed by the Nation of Verkimlund. Numbering roughly 1013 Enlisted men and Officers have now received orders to cease all activity and await further instruction pending arrangements to be made towards the safe and diplomatically sound withdrawal of personnel and arms.


This force was deployed under orders to act as part of a larger joint peacekeeping force in Government controlled regions of Baydor, and does not form part of any combined combative or invasion force. Since the force's deployment in the region, mission statements at large have been altered in a manor by international partners that the Government of Verkimlund believes has the potential to lead to unrestricted and costly war with the nations of Barkadia, Nostrapais and Anderia. An outcome unwelcome on all sides. In light of this changing mission statement, which no longer reflects the aims of the Government of Verkimlund, an offer has been received from the Democratic State Of Kara offering neutral third party arbitration of this situation via the use of Ships to facilitate a removal of manpower and equipment. This would mark the end of Verkimlund's involvement in the region.


The Government of Verkimlund Therefor requests that accordance be received from the Nation of Barkadia indicating a joint understanding in a resumption of peaceful relations between our two nations during and after this cessation of activity in and removal of troops from the region allowing a return to the prior Status Quo

With Urgent Respect.
Pieter Koch, Prime Minister

[Barkadia]

Barkadian Embassy in Verkimuland

Viliam Jahoda sat at his desk, bored yet anxious. It was clear to anyone that tensions suddenly rose to almost unprecedented levels in the last few weeks. 500 Barkadians and whatever guns they could take with them are already stuck in Baydor, training whatever communist they could find. It's probably not 500 anymore. Here, it's different. The embassy has been being packed up for the last few days now. Viliam himself already burned some documents himself. Now he's just staring into the blank monitor, with his personal handgun sitting on the desk right under his chin held up by his hands. Anything could happ-

"Viliam? Viliam Jahoda? We just got a letter from the Verks, on behalf of their prime minister or whoever."

"Give it to me, quickly. Quick!"

The secretary runs it over and hands it to Viliam. He rips open the envelope. A minute or two later, he quickly dials the number of the True Pine on his landline phone.

Thousands of miles away, Vincent is authorizing directives on the mobilization of hundreds of thousands of reservists and thousands of vehicles, preparing for the war everyone knew was coming. The phone starts ringing.

"Viliam? Is that you? How are the preparations going? You'll be out in the next few days, I pro-"

"Nononononono, Vincent. The Verks are pulling out. Apparently we misunderstood their involvement in Baydor!"

"What do you mean? Are they suddenly not invading Baydor anymore?"

"They never were in the first place apparently. And now whatever personnel they have over there is being pulled out on Karan vessels. We don't need to leave, the war doesn't have to happen."

"What are we gonna tell the Nostrapaisians? They never trust what they're saying anyways."

"We can cross that bridge later, but we need to at least let them know that they no longer need to invade either. We're safe here."

"Thank you for letting me know, Vilian. Let them know that we hear them loud and clear. We accept the request."

"Yes sir!"

Vincent plops the handset back onto rest of the phone and lets out an audible sigh of relief.

[Nostrapais]

André Salais, Nostrapaisian Minister of External Affairs walked out of the Barkadian embassy, a large Kraft paper envelope in hands. He climbed into a black Sedan waiting for him into the staff parking. Inside was his driver, doubling as bodyguard and, occasionally, a good drinking buddy but also Jehan Mersault, Minister of Armies, not a bodyguard neither a good drinking buddy. While the former was stoically staring at the road, the later was anxiously looking at André.

"So ?"

"Some good news comrade."

A short silence.

"Mind telling me more ?"

"i could, but only the great lines."

He waved the envelope in front of his colleague with a contempt grin.

"Confidential stuff in there, but big, good news."

"I noticed the big red stamp, thanks. So, will you tell me or do I have to get down on all four and beg you to allow His Grace to share His wisdom ?"

Salais turned towards the driver with the face saying "You are now blind and deaf". The later nodded before reporting his attention to the traffic.

"A certain nation which may or may not border us decided to pull his troops out of another certain nation we may or may not have people in, therefore canceling a certain... heavy handed plan."

To Salais's surprise, the Minister of Armies let out a sigh of relief.

"Good stuff indeed."

"Pardon me ?"

It was now Salais's turn to stare at his comrade, waiting for an answer to a troubling question.

"Do you think it pleases me to send my people to death in the hellhole bordering us ? Even with the support of our Barkadian and Anderian friends, it would have been a bloodbath for the ages with absolutely zero gain bare a now hostile neighbour in a turmoil making Icaria look like a nice suburban playground and a good third, if not more of our army dead or crippled, not even taking into account the economical repercussions of this mess and the potential Dolfik reaction."

For the first time in his mandate, André looked at Mersault with a newfound respect.

"Those words are a welcome surprise. Say, what do we do now ?"

"We will discuss that with the Prime Minister and the President but, if it was all up to me, I'd say we keep a keen eye on our western neighbor and we send Faucher some more men and adequate defenses against those Kolonian planes. And if I was you, I'd try to arrange a meeting with the Verkims, see if you can find some deal that would show how nice and friendly people we are without giving them too much."

'Sounds like a plan to me, we'll see what the PM thinks of this."

[Demitor]

New Relations

In a office in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, High Commissioner Lucas Albright sits at his desk working on paperwork. His position as High Commissioner for Foreign Affairs means he's responsible to the State Council and the government at large for ensuring these tense waters in the world today are navigated well. He finishes the last bit of paperwork when the ambassador to Kolonia walks in. Ambassador Jameson Richards was a career diplomat, raised by diplomats. He practically grew up in the halls of government.

With Comissioner Albright motioning for the ambassador to take a seat, he then reaches for a small document in an envelope marked with the official state seal. He then turns back to the ambassador.

"So, Ambassador, I understand you have read the security briefings?"

The ambassador nodded in understanding. "Yes, Commissioner. I understand to ensure our security, our neighbors will have to understand our position."

"Good. Here's this letter. Take it to the Kolonian government. I want an answer on my desk by the end of the month when my report goes before the legislature."

The letter was an offer of a meeting between the Commissioner and his counterpart in Kolonia. It further states the purpose is to open up more diplomatic channels and the possibility of some agreements between the two nations, as well as a formal nonaggression pact.

The ambassador stood up and turned to leave before the commissioner motioned him back again.

"Ambassador, before you leave, understand the ambassador to Serria has also been given a similar letter to their government. We need to be sure to protect oursleves. The world is getting heated fast."

The ambassador nodded, and walked out. He left for a flight to Kolonia in the morning the next day, where he had a meeting scheduled with his contact in the Kolonian government. Now they would wait for a response from Serria, and then Kolonia.

[New Anderia]

• CONFIDENTIAL •
People's Democratic Republic of Anderia

Defense Staff Department
Supreme People's Commission for Defense

Official Communique


Date: 26/09/2021

Sender: Chief of the Defense Staff / Teyčiyev Z.

Receiver: People's Commissioner for Defense / Veličkev K.

Subject: Results & Preparations; Operation Za'aphiel & Operation Shofar

The Baydorian crisis has entered a new phase. Intelligence suggests that Dolfik military forces are preparing a full-scale
invasion of Baydor, and perhaps the broader Ando-Dolfik border region including Aprezye. Such a return to the status quo
along the Ando-Dolfik border would be unnacceptable. As a consequence, we have already begn moving forward with implementing
the provisions of Operation Shofar, and carried out Operation Za'aphiel as a demonstration of our atomic warfare capabilities.

Starting first with Operation Za'aphiel, as ordered by the Presidium at the outset of the Baydor crisis. The operation
included explosive tests of various nuclear weapons, to demonstrate both willingness to deploy tactical nuclear weapons and
capability to fight in nuclear battlefields. The exercise began with the aerial detonation of a 250kt warhead, to test the
survivability and usability of vehicles and munitions in the vicinity of an atomic blast. Soldiers drilled to use of nuclear
personal protective equipment subsequently moved into the focus area and began the process of bringing self-propelled
artillery, tanks, and other vehicles to operational readiness, as well as preparing defensive fortifications. Following
vehicle maneuvers and tests, nuclear landmines were deployed and tested along with nuclear artillery munitions to demonstrate
nuclear counterattack capability. Overall, 7 2kt warheads were detonated and our soldiers performed admirably, with minimal
incidents throughout the operation (detailed in formal reports). We consider the operation to be a success, and more
importantly we believe that the political implications for Dolfik military and civilian leadership will be evident.


Moving on to the preparations for Operation Shofar, the above map indicates the present geopolitical situation. While we have
more confirmed and potential allies than Dolfikland, Dolfik allies are concentrated in the Andolian theater. The possibility
of opening an Icarian theater is increasingly unlikely in the face of a Kerthenian ultimatum. That said, the decreasing
possibility of hostilities in the Icarian peninsula frees up the return of Anderian troops and the rerouting of Barkadian
forces through Chikara and onwards towards the frontline area.
Since the occupation of Aprezye, we have begun setting up field fortifications using prefabricated pillbox bunkers and anti-
tank hedgehogs. Aprezyn militias have been organized to supplement Anderian military forces and reserves, introducing an
additional 30,000 troops to support our combat forces. Technicians have inspected thousands of theater ballistic missiles over
the last several months, and target selection has been moving forward at a steady pace. Due to the buildup of Dolfik forces
near the Baydori border, we believe that a Dolfik invasion is likely imminent. We believe that it is pertinent, therefore, to
expedite the process of recognizing the communist forces in Baydor as a legitimate political force and stalling for time by
requesting the formation of a coalition government. The Political Committee of the Defense Forces has approved this measure
and has issued a letter through still existing diplomatic channels in the military-controlled regions of Baydor on behalf of
the Presidium through your office. Failing this, we have already secured permission from the communist forces in Baydor to
occupy the region to prevent counterrevolutionary violence from suppressing the will of the populace.

Signed
Zeliye Teyčiyev, Chief of the Defense Staff

[Barkadia]

The Rada building

The True Pine and The Council majority leader sit within the office of the former discussing a deal that was struck with the Karan government.

"So, Vincent, can you go over what you discussed with me again? I know we can't really say it out loud for the time being but it would be nice for me to know personally what's happening."

"Sure, whatever. The plan was for us to relocate most of our troops in Icaria to Anderia, right? Pretty straightforward. The issue is those damn Dolfik subs. We had no way around them. And obviously losing a large fraction of a quarter million soldiers and their hardware would be bad, to say the least. It's a good thing the Karans like us enough. They're letting cross into their territory via the Icarian Sea to transfer our troops to Anderia. They'll protect us as we cross the water way. Then, we would be able to use their infrastructure to leave via their ports or to cross into Nostrapais and use theirs."

"I'm assuming there was a catch, right?"

"You're smart. The catch was that we have to permanently reduce or cut the Nostrapaisians off from military aid. We have to pull out most of our troops, we have to find a reason to stall weapons sales, and we can't send them any more SAMs, ASMs, or ballistic missiles. What a bummer. But I think what we gained is far superior."

"What is our government even gonna tell them, sir? Or are we gonna say anything at all?"

"The Karans want us to give them a fake reason. I'll have our ambassadors say that due to the upcoming war that we cannot sell or donate them anymore weapons at this time. It's sort of true, anyways."

"We can still approve further civilian aid, right? The Karans aren't that rude."

"They said it was fine. Remember that we are trying to ally them, too. We have to concede some things and strike a balance at some point anyways."

"Fair enough. Thanks for letting me know. See you later, Vincent."

"Catch you later."

[Island Paradis]

The cold breeze swept across the southern cliffs where the kids played. What laid there were seashells by the seashore, driftwood, and the brass casings embedded in the silk sand of the beaches. A child tripped over an inlaid rifle buried in the dirt, and a man walked over. He stood over the child and smiled.

"Young Albert, this is not a good position to be in," the man laughably said, "get up, young sir."

"C'mon and help me dig it up," the boy feverishly said as he began clawing at the ground.

With a slight chuckle, the man kneeled to help. He pulled it up from its buttstock, dropping the mag and clearing the chamber. "What is it?" the boy asked as he picked up the polymer cartridge.

"An Ak-5 from the looks of things, young Albert, still has the markings of the Herulics," boasted the man.

Young Albert passed the cartridge to him before giving off a large grin. "See ya later, old man," as he started running again towards his friends and waving back.

He was holding another Herulic rifle, "another to add to the storage," he sighed.

Arriving at the range, he slapped in the mag and cocked the receiver. A crack and a flash were quickly followed by a quick clink of the metal plate as the bullet pierced through the thin sheet of aluminum. "Works like a charm."

He walked over to a conventional shipping storage bin, opening the door to a stash of identical rifles. He hooked it up and brandished them on the way out. "Hey, boss," yelled a younger man in the distance with a similar-looking woman next to him.

"What is it this time, you bastard, and ain't it Christina, what's the news," giving the two a massive bear hug.

"The boys from CVC got their first hours in new T-6Cs down at Mecoponacka. Hoping to get you there for a little celebratory flight and drink."

The old man pondered, stroking his chin, "Maybe not the beer, but you're right."

He paused again, "so Daniel, you want to get a bottle of brandy at my cabin," the three of them laughed sequentially.

"C'mon, you old man, get in the jeep," she replied, "if we get there fast enough, there might still be some left when we get to the field."

[Dolphiland]

"So, what brings you here today, lad?"

The question, asked in an Alban accent by an unimposing barkeep who at first seemed the same as any other working the various pubs in this town, was enough to snap Gaunt's attention back to reality for the first time since sitting down at the bar. Most other nights like this, the hardest question he'd had to answer what he wanted to drink, an easy enough question for a man like him. So to be struck with this one instead upon first sitting down, one which seemed mundane at first glance, stood out plenty enough to him.

"Just here to let loose after a long day of work, I suppose."

"Hmm, so you're in the Cliath Highlanders, aye?" the barkeep replied, with a glance towards the insignia Gaunt bore on his uniform.

"Aye, that I am."

"So what'd you like to drink?"

"Sign outside said something about signature whisky, think I'll take a glass of that."

"Aye, been served here since this pub first opened three centuries ago, I'll pour out some of it for you."

Just a few moments later, Gaunt was holding a drink in his hands. It looked, smelled, and tasted much like any other Alban whisky, albeit of higher quality than most he'd had of late.

"So, how long you been in?"

"Just a few months, why?"

"Idle chatter's all, been a slow night, plus ye'r in uniform, which is plenty enough to make you stand out in the crowd here, you don't mind, eh?"

"Not at all."

"So, how's your time in been so far?"

"Been alright I suppose, uniform's fair enough, impresses lasses and all that, but I got it for spending my time standing in formations and doing the King's menial work, seems like."

"And from what you said, you're here to distract yerself from all that, aye?"

"I suppose so."

"Hmm," said the barkeeper, with a frown, "and those you work with? Got any of that Alban camaraderie going on with you lot?"

"They're decent enough folk I suppose, but it's not one of those old war stories of brotherhood you hear about, certainly haven't gone drinking with any of them yet."

"And so you're by yourself here."

"And? What's that supposed to mean?"

"It isn't right for a soldiering lad like yourself to be drinking alone, outfit like yours? It fights and dies on the camaraderie of those in it, work together, fight together, and drink at the end of it to the brotherhood you share, 'tis the tradition of every true Alban soldier, doing all o' that, and not just drinking by yourself here to distract yourself from the woes of it all."

"Sir, with all respect, I'm not here to be told what I ought to be doing, just a drink and some peace."

"Sorry, nights like these, get all talkative is all."

"Hmm."

Gaunt was about to finally focus on his drink, when suddenly the door flew open, a uniform colored blur moving quickly from it towards him.

"Gaunt!"

"Williams?"

"Do you not check your phone like, at all? Spent more of my evening than I'd prefer checking every pub in town for you, what are you doing here, in uniform no less?"

"Catching a drink after a long day's all, why've you spend your whole evening looking for me?"

"Regiments got orders, we're deploying to Baydor, need you back in the barracks packing and prepping."

"Baydor? We joining the peacekeeping force there?"

"Haven't checked DNN either eh? Folks up top figured just sending peacekeepers to support Baydor's own forces wasn't enough with the way the civil war's going there, there's a full on operation, whole divisions are rolling down there, people are already likening it to an invasion, all to go kick the rebels out ourselves."

"And they figured that was a good idea, what with the commies being involved in there? Seems a bit like poking the bear."

"I don't make the decisions, all I know is that King William commands, and we obey, so as to ever defend the Kingsrike and Meanwealth in whatever way the people up top see fit. Now leave your drink and come along, we've got stuff to pack, gear to check, and a war to go fight in."

[New Anderia]

Inside the Dolfik Embassy in Anderia, Grožnŷk

Ežek walked swiftly, with a white-knuckled grip on his briefcase. He glanced at a few of the people he passed along the halls. The building had been seesawing between tension and ease for years now, ever since the border crisis began. Now, with the Civil War in Baydor boiling over, it seemed apparent to most that the fates of two great nations had been sealed in a pact of blood and steel. As he walked past a reinforced window he noted the tall chain link fencing topping the walls around the embassy, and more ominously the Republican Guardsmen making the rounds with hands on their rifles. Ežek maintained hope, though, that a violent clash between the two powers in Baydor could still be avoided and that diplomacy could prevail. Deep in the recesses of his mind, though, he had a feeling that he was, like many of his comrades in the defense forces, on a kind of death march.

In time, Ežek had reached his destination. Ežek didn't bother knocking. He threw the door open and marched in, much to the chagrin of the Dolfik ambassador's secretary, Seán. Seán stood up, and opened his mouth to protest, before Ežek raised a hand. "Don't. I need to speak with the ambassador, immediately. No ifs ands or buts." Seán stepped between Ežek and the inner door, but Ežek put a hand on Seán's shoulder and moved him out of the way. Pulling the door open, Ežek stepped into the private office of Edmund Keen. He looked up at the Anderian intruder, and furrowed his brow. "What in god's name do you think you're doing?" Ežek scowled, and replied curtly, "I'm trying to save all of our asses." He turned, and pulled the door in as Seán continued to protest outside. Ežek put his briefcase on a chair before the desk, opening it and withdrawing a handwritten note. "This," Ežek began, "is a proposal sent directly from the Foregin Commissioner." Keen raised an eyebrow. "On behalf of the communist rebels in Baydor, we're requesting the creation of a coalition government, to eliminate the fascist threat and to prevent the Civil War from spilling over into a war between our countries--"
"What in the hell are you talking about?"
"Please, let me finish. If your government doesn't agree to the formation of a coalition government, the Anderian Defense Forces are going to launch an intervention in Baydor on behalf of the communists. I don't need to tell you that this would be a disaster. Please, I need you to deliver this message up the chain of command. It's our last shot to prevent a war." Keen snatched the note from Ežek's hands, and began to look it over. Keen pursed his lips, before glancing up at Ežek. "Get the hell out of my office." Ežek's expression weakened, lowering his eyes and his mouth turning to a frown. "I'll do what I can," Keen continued. "I can't make any promises."
"Thank you." Ežek turned away from Keen, and left the office with considerably less gusto, as some of the futility began to impress itself upon him. Seán shot a fiery glare at Ežek as he left the room, before turning around to face Keen. "What was all that about?" Keen looked up at him with a gentle smile and tired eyes.
"You should start packing a bag this evening, I think." Edmund's smile faded. "No matter what we do, it's out of our hands."
Seán frowned, and quietly replied, "I see, sir."

[Nostrapais]

"People of Nostrapais, we are at war. I will not tell you the lies our enemies feed their citizens. This is not a war for freedom, neither for democracy, no. This is a war of conquest. Our honored soldiers will spill their blood along their Anderian, Baydorian and Barkadian comrades to take over land from the archaic kings of a rotten country and allow the Baydorian people to conquer what has been denied to them for so long. Not democracy, not freedom, none of these words rendered meaningless by the many abject wars they justified yet never materializing in the ruins of the so-called liberated nations. Equality ! Safety ! Fraternity ! In short, life ! Life away from the feudal vampires of Dolfikland, the corrupt Kolonian bourgeois politics ! This is why our brothers, our sisters, our fathers, our mothers and our friends will fight like our forefathers did ! When our nation rose from the ashes of a dead empire, they vowed to help the people of the world hunt down the demons they vanquished: the capital in the hands of the bourgeoisie and nobles, the religions used as blades instead of plows, the interest of the people used to justify their merciless crushing. Today, at last comes our chance to do as they did, accomplish their will and be sure people that each shell decimating decimating the enemy of the common good, each bullet piercing the skin of the leviathan's pawn, each bayonet covered in the dark blood of the oppressor, they will be watching and cheering ! Be sure people of Nostrapais..."

The door behind him opened.

"Please forgive me for the interruption sir, I have urgent news."

Jehan Mersault turned away from his mirror, towards his secretary.

"What is it ?"

"The Barkadians notified us of a massive cut in their military aid coming into effect on very short notice."

Jehan stood speechless for a few seconds.

"This is a joke, right ? We are on the brink of war, we are second inline behind Anderia, we have a Dolfik puppet at our doorstep and they cut us up like that ? No, no, this has to be some mistake, perhaps a letter they intended to send to Nari or the SUNC."

"I'm afraid it is not sir."

"How much is "massive" ?"

"The paper I received doesn't go in much details sir but, from what I understand, it means nearly everything that matters. Their troops will pull back, no more missiles of any kind and other weapon sales are all blocked."

"Reasons ?"

"They are concerned about their stocks regarding an upcoming war in the region."

The Minister of Armies turned red, grabbed a piece of paper and a pen on his desk and started furiously writing.

"Are they kidding me !? No shit a war is about to happen, and this is precisely why were ordering weapons and training together in case they don't remember ! How stupid or blind are they !? Order the Barkadian ambassador in my office ! Call the Minister of External Affairs, the Minister of Economy and the Prime Minister, schedule an emergency meeting today if possible, if not, then as soon as possible. I want the Generals in charge of the Army Reserves in my office too and the orders for a partial mobilization ready in two hours."

"It will be done sir, anything else ?"

"Find me something to punch before the Barkadian ambassador arrives or else we'll have a diplomatic incident on our hands."

[The United Kolonia Republic]

Kolonian Embassy Building, Grožnyk, Northwestern Anderia

October 5th, 16:15

"URGENCY" was the word of the day. Just under an hour before, the Anderian diplomatic hotline to the Kolonian embassy had sprung to life, with a request for an immediate meeting with the ambassador to discuss "A matter of Anderian & Kolonian security." A small diplomatic team was assembled outside the Kolonian embassy, and, unsure of what was to come, sent in to find out what the Kolonians wanted.

When the Kolonian ambassador offered to withdraw Kolonian forces from Baydor, there was understandable surprise. Though the full details would not be offered to the Anderians, President Petrov had discussed extensively with the leaders of every branch of the Kolonian Armed Forces, and then further with his civilian advisors and the leaders of the main parties of parliament.

In direct contrast to the decision made at the end July, there was a unanimous sentiment that the fight in Baydor was lost. Some blamed the Dolphiks, but many others understood that there was little they could have done to prevent key members of the coalition from packing their bags and heading out. When Verkimlund and Iconia withdrew for matters of national security, the coalition was effectively over.

Kolonia would now join them.

To prevent the withdrawal from Baydor from looking like a retreat, it would be phrased as the pooling of national assets back home for a strengthening of forces in Kolonia. It was admitted to the Anderians, though, that this was not entirely true. Though Kolonian soldiers would indeed be heading home, Kolonian aircraft and some Marines would be arriving in Tunguska as a defensive measure. It was made clear to them that the Kolonian forces would be there to defend Tunguska against hostile action, but that these operations would not extend back into Baydor.

In exchange for all of this, the Anderian military would not attack Kolonian forces offensively, and if war was to develop in the region, Kolonian forces in Baydor would not be targeted during their withdrawal phase.

Though they would not show it through emotionless faces, for the Anderians, this was a large victory. Lowerfield Air Force Base had been a primary target for potential operations against Baydor, and the withdrawal of Kolonian Air Power and direct military support was one less thing to worry about.

After a brief discussion with some people far higher in the chain of command, the Anderian answer to the deal was a clear, resounding yes.

Upon hearing the news, President Petrov breathed a large sigh of relief. Kolonian support into Baydor would continue, but it would not be Kolonian men and women sacrificing their lives in a foreign war that they were very clearly on the losing side of.

NOTE OF DEPLOYMENT
ADDRESSED TO: 19TH STRIKE GROUP, 31ST STRIKE GROUP
Good Evening.
Deployment orders have been issued to all personnel at Lowerfield Air Force Base. Kolonian Operations are due to cease in Baydor indefinitely. The evacuation of Kolonian ground forces in Baydor will be preceded by the withdrawal of attack aircraft and their equipment from Lowerfield, and thus all relevant personal have been assigned withdrawal orders, with the destination of Glasowic Airbase, Tunguska. For now, fighter operations will continue in Baydor to defend Kolonian military and requisitioned civilian transports, but upon the completion of the withdrawal they too will be retracted to Tunguska. The new mission of the 19th and 31st Strike Groups is to deter, and if that is unsuccessful, defend Tunguska against potential hostile action or invasion.
Reinforcements will come soon. Good luck.
SIGNED: GENERAL OF THE AIR FORCE, TOBIAS KORTIS

[Demitor]

23:27 Zulu
FOR OWN EYES ONLY
WHISKEY-SERR

TO: DEMITORIAN MISSION IN BAYDOR (DMiB), COMMAND STAFF
FROM: DEMITORIAN GENERAL STAFF, INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS SECTION CHIEF

TOPIC: DEMITORIAN FORCES IN BAYDOR - BRIEFING - OCTOBER 5TH, 2021

BREAK

ORDERS FROM COMMAND STAFF ARE AS FOLLOWED:

ENSURE THE SECURITY OF CIVILIANS IN WAR-TORN AREAS AS WELL AS CONTINUE EVACUATION OF CIVILIANS WHO ARE WILLING TO LEAVE. MERCHANT VESSELS ARE ON STANDBY IN INTERNATIONAL WATERS. CONTACT COMMANDER, BLUE WATER FLEET, DEMITORIAN NAVAL FORCES TO REACH VESSELS AND ESTABLISH FURTHER COMMUNICATION. IF A WAR ON THE CONTINENT BREAKS OUT, DO NOT ENGAGE. REPEAT, DO NOT ENGAGE ANY FORCES UNLESS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY. DECLARE NEUTRALITY AND EVACUATE MISSION AREA TO FRIENDLY COUNTRY WHEN ABLE IF WAR DOES BREAK OUT.

ORDERS TO BE FOLLOWED UNTIL NEXT BRIEFING:

CONTINUE TO PATROL AREAS UNDER DEMITORIAN CONTROL. CONTINUE TO WORK WITH NGO AND AID ORGANIZATIONS TO HELP CIVILIAN POPULATION. IF EMGAGED BY INSURGENT FORCES, DO NOT ENGAGE UNLESS LIFE SAFETY IS THREATENED, EVACUATE AREA AND CALL FOR ASSISTANCE FROM THE DEMITORIAN DIPLOMATIC MISSION TO BAYDOR. AIR SUPPORT IS LIMITED AT THS TIME. KEEP TO ONLY KNOWN SAFE AREAS AND PREVENT MOVEMENT OF WEAPONS TO INSURGENT FORCES. DO NOT ACT AS OCCUPYING FORCES. MISSION IS TO CONTINUE TO PROTECT CIVILIAN LIFE AT ALL COSTS. NO END DATE IS SET AT THIS TIME.

BREAK

END OF MESSAGE

[Nostrapais]

A cloud of dust rose from the dirt strip as an An-2 landed. The plane was clearly in poor shape, riddled with bullet holes, some parts of the fuselage and wings clearly showing field expedient reparations. On the left side of the aircraft, the passenger door was lacking, replaced by the menacing barrel of a heavy machinegun and a grenade box was completing the aircraft's arsenal. That was about the best the Nostrapaisian voluntaries in Baydor had for close air support, when it wasn't wrecked or grounded by Kolonian air strikes. For once though, the aircraft's floor wasn't littered with spent ammo casing neither grenade pins and the gunner jumped out with his heavy flack jacket intact. This aircraft wasn't on an attack sortie but rather on liaison duty to Anderia and back. Faucher headed out of his tent to great the aircraft's crew personally. The month of campaign alongside the Baydorian guerilleros had changed the man. Even skinnier than before, the fire in his eyes had been rekindled by the fighting. Here, he thought, he had a chance to act, to make his country and his people shine. He found in his Baydorian allies an equal will and soon came to greatly respect them for their hardship to the task and determination, despite the usual and seemingly unavoidable squabbles among the various leftist groups. Two days ago, coded radio signal from the homeland ordered him to send an envoy to Anderia to receive important news and order. The lady he assigned to the job was Sargent Katerina Valin, a military attache to the Nostrapaisian embassy in Anderia which insisted upon joining the volunteers when they passed by and a virtuoso of An-2 flying. She was the only pilot among the few flying for the Baydorian communists to not have been shot down once aboard the rickety yet nimble biplane.

"Welcome back Sargent, Faucher greeted her, what is the word ?"

"We will need to talk about this in private sir. Very important stuff."

Faucher walked towards his tent, holding the tarpaulin flap to let the pilot pass while, on the runway, the mechanics were busy pushing the plane towards his shelter as others were covering the airstrip in camo nets and branches.

"So ?"

"Big Anderian offensive coming very soon, Nostrapais will be joining the party too, one brigade, maybe two. We will be incorporated in these as an independent group in charge of everything we've been doing since we've been here. Liaison with the Baydorians, sabotage, guerilla warfare... The Brigadier in charge will only give us broad objectives we will have to accomplish as we see fit. In the meantime, we are to keep doing what we are doing with, if possible, an emphasis on sabotage behind enemy lines to hinder enemy troops movement as much as possible. That's the meat of it, everything's in here, she said as she pulled a sealed envelope from under her jacket. We will soon receive more materials too, ammo and demolition charges mainly."

"Mmh, I would have hoped for some more anti-aircraft weaponry but what can you do... In any case, good job Sargent, find the Baydorian officers and have them come to my tent, then have a break and a coffee with your crew, answered Faucher as he grabbed his orders. You deserved it."