Pacific War of 2017 (TG for Invite)

[The Union of British North America]

Alexandria, Union Capital Territory (UCT), Union of British North America (UBNA)

Major General Anthony Asgill, a high-ranking officer of the Royal North American Mounted Police (RNAMP) Special Branch Division 9 was woken up by a call on his home phone. Asgill looked at the alarm clock before he picked up the receiver. "7 am? What the devil..." he started but then heard the familiar voice of one of his major colleagues, Colonel Carver Bushell, in charge of the UCT RNAMP Special Branch. "Sir, it's Bushell, we have a situation. Some local bobbies reported a demonstration in front of the of JPS embassy. There are people with signs, and Army Officers sharpening their swords in front of the embassy. The embassy security guards are not happy. You need to come down here now." Asgill wasn't supposed to be at headquarters until 9 am, and he had several meetings about Sons of Liberty activity in his district later today. "Ok, I am getting ready and I will be there in 20 minutes. Have our boys and girls control the civilian crowd, and get someone from the Army Military Police to handle their own people." ordered Asgill. What the hell is going on, wondered Asgill.

Victoria, UCT, UBNA

Hyacinth Amagi, the Liberal Democrat MP for Queens-New York in the House of Commons, was staring out of her window in the Jefferson Parliamentary Office Building that was a block away from Parliament Hill, where Union Block, the building for the Union Parliament's meetings, was located. She saw several thousand people descend on Massaschusetts Avenue, the street connecting Parliament Hill to Interprovince 395. Massachusetts Aveune runs through the northern half of the Territory, and is home to Embassy Row. She heard a faint chant: "JPS go home. Go home fascists!" Local news was stating that several officer cadets from the North American Army were sharpening their swords on the steps of the embassy. RNAMP UCT Office and UCT Police were deployed in riot gear, forming lines to control the crowds. "I should go down there, to calm the crowds. We need to have public peace, not a potential riot. Charlie, can you call on Brian Daugherty and Veronica Boroughs? They would also join me in this." "Yes, ma'am, but you have a meeting with the Minister for Environment and Energy in a couple hours, and the crowds now reduce traffic to a snail crawl. Are you sure?" asked her chief of staff, Charlies Knowles. "Yes. All of the MPs and Ministers' schedules are going to suffer from this unless we peacefully resolve it." replied Amagi. "Why not let the police handles this? I hear that Army Police are going to arrest the cadets for abandoning their post at the Military College and for behavior unfitting an Officer of the Union. You and the others don't have to get involved." "My decision is final, Charlie." "Uhh...yes, ma'am." said Charlie with some disapproval that could not be fully concealed. "Your car is on its way."

10 minutes later, with only 5 minutes of driving time before having to stop and walk to the embassy due to so many people, the MP was on the steps of the embassy telling the cadets to stop.

Victoria, UCT, UBNA, No. 16 Pennsylvania Avenue

The PM, David Ryan, was abruptly awoken by his wife Clara, who got up to answer the door. Clara saw one of the new personal aides to the PM give the news to her. She turned from the door and told her husband to wake up. "Dear, dear, the Chief of Police of the Territory wants to speak with you now. He is downstairs in the Sage Room." "What does he want?" asked David. "There's a big row over on Massachusetts Avenue, and you need to get up to learn more. Go, get up, I will wake the kids." "No, let them sleep, school doesn't start for another two hours." David got up, put on his bathrobe, and headed out his bedroom door towards the staircase that led downstairs. He walked down the corridor to the Sage Room, a parlor room for small state gatherings. He walked in and saw the Chief. "What's going on? What's happening on Massachusetts?" "Sir, there is a large demonstration, several thousand people, on the Avenue. They all appeared overnight. Their main focus is at the JPS Embassy on the Row." replied the Chief. "Damn, what's the police's response?" "Mounties and local bobbies are controlling the civilians, but there are Army cadets sharpening their swords on the steps of the embassy. I am still trying to reach the Military Police." The Chief checked his cellphone, waiting for a call from one of his lieutenants at the scene. "What are the cadets doing?" asked David in disbelief. "There are 12 officers we have identified, each taking turns sharpening their cadet cavalry sword. So far, 3 have completed their task, and are standing with swords in ceremonial position, where the blade's fuller is in front of their faces. Local media is broadcasting from a distance, and I imagine the NABC is going to ask for an official response soon." "Thank you, Chief." "Welcome, sir. I'll head over to the scene now to marshal the crowds." The Chief left the room, and an aide came in next.

"Sir, the Governor-General wants to speak with you. And the Foreign Office and Home Office need to talk with you as well." said the aide. "Bloody good way to start the morning." said David sarcastically.

[Japan and Pacific States]

Victoria, UCT, UBNA

Ambassador Mari Kurokawa had started to get sick of the protest of which was taking place outside of her embassy, in the past there had been smaller ones, but of lesser note with a couple people yelling certain obscenities at the Japanese guards standing on either side of the double doors with type 64 battle rifles slung over their shoulders, of course they remained mostly indifferent to the situation standing almost as still as statues but their eyes were affixed on the officers sharpening their swords on the steps, earlier the order was given by the guard's commander to affix bayonets to the end of their rifles encase the situation had gotten worse. To which Ambassador Kurokawa had hoped it wouldn't. Standing at a window in her office overlooking the street below she was nearing the breaking point where she herself would call the Shogun and ask for advisement on the situation. "These Americans... Since our victory against them they can't let go of their precious western coast." Kurokawa said pinching the bridge of her nose while the Guard commander, a Fudai of the Imperial Royal Guard stood at the doors to the Ambassador's office. "It's pitiful to focus one's energy on something they cannot change, madam Ambassador, should it be necessary your helicopter is on the roof right now should these Americans try to get in." The guard commander said bowing his head to the ambassador. "Thank you Fudai, are your men all armed with the rubber ammunition?" Kurokawa turned facing the Fudai. "Yes ma'am. As per your orders." The Fudai responded once again bowing his head. "Good, good." Afterwards the phone had started to ring on the Ambassador's desk, pushing a button on the bottom panel of it she answered the call. "Yes? Who's calling?"

"Your superior, Ambassador." It was surprisingly, the head of Japan's foreign ministry, Regent Kyoko Takatsukasa. "Y-yes ma'am! I suppose you've heard of the recent... Issue with the Americans here." Kurokawa said while she quickly bowed her head, but then remembered it wouldn't make much of a difference if she did or not as she was unable to be seen. "I have, and as has the Shogun. She's informed me that you are to take whatever non-lethal methods you see necessary to insure your own protection and the protection of your staff." Kyoko said holding the phone receiver in her right hand while she was busy filling out reports from other Japanese embassies in the world, recently it had become a sort of "trend" for countries in the middle east, Africa, Europe and now North America to protest and prevent operation of Japanese embassies in their respective countries, the protest currently in North America would be among the last to be tolerated. "Should the North American Army officers sharpening their swords on the steps of our embassy not withdraw in five minutes, your men have orders sanctioned by the Shogun herself to use non-lethal force to remove them from the premises, that is all." Kyoko hung up the phone to Kurokawa's discontent, the action of which she suspected the Shogun had wanted her to take would possibly make her job harder.

"Dammit all...." Kurokawa said after the Regent hung up the phone on her end, taking a deep breath she shook her head. "You heard that yourself Fudai, they want us to remove the Americans from the premises by force in five minutes." Kurokawa pulled her chair out from her desk where it was mostly pushed in and sat down on it covering her eyes with both her hands before she moved her hands to the arms of her chair. "Alright, Fudai you have your orders... Give them to your men." Kurokawa said knowing she would have a feeling she'd regret allowing it. "Yes ma'am." The Fudai bowed his head and turned leaving the room, shutting the doors behind himself. "Another day, another problem." Kurokawa said before she picked up the phone to call the local police constable in charge of the area, waiting for them to pick up.

Kyoto, Capital City of the Empire of Japanese Pacific States, Mainland Japan, Imperial Japanese Military General Headquarters.

Shogun Meiya and the other Regents watched the news with intrigue, the Regents and the Shogun made up a small council, the Regency council, a sort of shadow government to the public government which was the Diet. In the middle of the table there was a half orb sitting directly center of the table playing a hologram of which was playing the current news. "One would think that the British would have a more secure grip on their citizens, and now allow them to take part in such idiotic nonsense." Shogun Meiya said outloud to the quiet and dark room of which was only illuminated by the light from the holographic projector. "Well this is taking place in North America your majesty, such events in according to disorder should be a regular thing there, but this in my opinion is idiotic." Regent Takatsukasa said while she watched the news, noticing a news camera focusing in on a Imperial Royal Guard Fudai of whom opened the front door of the embassy giving orders to the two guards standing outside on either side of the door, the guards themselves were also Imperial Royal Guard members, non nobility of course, easily noticed by their black and bronze trimmed uniforms. After the Fudai apparently finished speaking to the two guards only to go back inside the two unslung their rifles and pulled back the charging handle on their rifles, chambering a round then switching the rifles off of safety only to see them holding their rifles by the handguard with the lower end of the stock resting on the ground. The non-nobility members were ready to go through with their orders.

[Estane]

I am interested in joining this! How do I?

Estane has a territory in the Pacific, the Solomon Islands!

[The Union of British North America]

Victoria, UCT, UBNA

Major General Asgill was on the scene, with Colonel Bushell, walking towards the front of the embassy where 10 of the cadets were standing with the swords in front of their faces, in ceremonial position, while the last two were getting ready to start their sharpening. "Why didn't the Military Police come here? We could've gotten some from the Victoria Royal Navy Yard. Bushell, do the usual thing with protests. Have Flannery and Stanley watch the cadets. I'll go speak with the person in charge of the JPS embassy security." said Asgill. "Yessir." replied Bushell. Asgill walked up to the gates where the two guards were standing. They both got somewhat tense and started to raise their guns to a defensive posture. "Easy, I am Major General Anthony Asgill, Royal North American Mounted Police." Asgill took off his officer's hat. "I would like to speak with your commander, the Fudai. We need to talk."

Less than a hundred feet away, Hyacinth Amagi MP, stood on top of a bench, with Charlie right next to her. The other MPs Amagi wanted were not able to come due to the size of the crowds and the ongoing traffic jam. Amagi was able to walk part of the way. "Ma'am, we should be careful. Some of these people are displaying signs with the Gadsden Snake."said Charlie.

The Gadsden Snake was a symbol of the Sons of Liberty, a domestic terrorist organization dedicated to abolishing the monarchy in the Union, as well as leaving the British Commonwealth. There were two branches of the Sons, the Northern Sons and the Southern Sons. The Southern Sons were a racist group, opposed to the abolition of slavery that occurred in 1835. They were much more radical than the Northern Sons--they desired secession of the southeastern provinces from the Union. The Northern Sons, on the other hand, were just opposed to British rule and the Monarchy, even though the Crown and Parliament were amenable to the Colonies in the 1760s in that the home country granted home rule and gradually built up the UBNA's federal and national structures so it could function on its own. But with the occupation of the Pacific Provinces in 1945 by the Japanese Pacific States, the Sons were given a huge reason to continue opposing the government. "Defeatists", "Traitors", they said in 1945. The conditional ceasefire and agreement were the best the Union could do at the time. Despite victory in Europe and the defeat of Nazism, the JPS rolled right up to the door, occupied the western most provinces of the Union, and were only held off due to the North American Army's strategic placements in the Rockies to hold off the JPS until a stalemate occurred and both nations could not fight anymore. Field Marshal Sir Douglas MacArthur signed the conditional agreement aboard the HMNAS Missouri in Los Angeles. Over 70 years later, people are bitter, and rightly are. The nation's foreign policy approach to the JPS has changed somewhat since the 1970s, from containment to detente, but news of atrocities, both past and ongoing, have stirred up emotions.

"Never mind them, I need to speak to the people." she said. Amagi began her speech: "My fellow citizens, don't give into hate. Don't let oppression get to you. We shall lead by example, so that the nations of the world can have a beacon of hope from tyranny. The JPS is oppressive, they control everything about their citizens, but we respect the rights of our citizens, we give them freedom and equality. The JPS cannot last on oppression forever. Oppression exhausts everyone and everything, forcing people to see for what it is. But we still have the upper hand, we have the high ground." "And they have our dignity, our pride." shouted a protester back. "We always have our dignity, for we are strong." replied Amagi. "Just another defeatist, another dove. We need action!" replied a protester with a Gadsden Flag.

A constable walked up to Amagi. "Ma'am, this is not the perfect time for this. I know you are exercising your right to free expression, but my orders are to keep peace in the public..." "I am a Member of Parliament. I can speak on the affairs of our great nation at anytime." Amagi got down from the bench and started walking towards the gate where Asgill and the embassy guards were standing. "You..." she pointing at the guard closest to her. "...why do you follow these oppressors, the officers who command you and the orders they give? Why do you watch oppression take place around you and do nothing? Why do not protest? Have you seen the Pacific Provinces, what they do both Japanese and North American citizens?" asked Amagi. Asgill turned around and recognized her. She was the MP backbencher, Hyacinth Amagi, the idealist. She was quite the vocal opponent of the poor human rights record of the JPS. She was on last week's NABC Prime Minister's Questions grilling Prime Minister Ryan on foreign policy and human rights. "Miss Amagi, this is not helping. You need to step away. I am dealing with this..." started Asgill. One of the officer cadets, the last to sharpen his sword, spoke: "Tyranny shall not last forever. It shall be blown away..." the cadet pointed his cavalry sword at one of the guards as he said that. "Dammit, man, you cannot do that. I am placing you under arrest for disturbing the peace. You and your friends." said Asgill. One of the officer cadets suddenly started a scrap with Flannery and Stanley was wrestling another cadet to the ground. Several UCT Police started to move in towards the cadets through the crowd, blowing their whistles. Suddenly, the cadet who pointed his sword charged Asgill. Asgill grabbed on to the cadet as he was pushed up against the metal gate, the JPS embassy guards taking a few steps back. "Dammit, stop it! Stop it, all of you! Bushell! Bushell!" yelled Asgill into his walkie talkie as he pinned the cadet to the ground. "Get backup, the crowd is uneasy." "Yessir. Be advised, there is a large group of protesters coming to the other entrance of the embassy." said Bushell. "Dammit. Damn the Sons. They instigated this." said Asgill to himself. Asgill cuffed the cadet and turned to the embassy guards. "Hold your fire, for gods sake. Get me the Fudai, I have my men heading to the other entrance to deal with the protesters. I need to speak with your commander."

[Japan and Pacific States]

Victoria, UCT, UBNA

Major General Asgill was on the scene, with Colonel Bushell, walking towards the front of the embassy where 10 of the cadets were standing with the swords in front of their faces, in ceremonial position, while the last two were getting ready to start their sharpening. "Why didn't the Military Police come here? We could've gotten some from the Victoria Royal Navy Yard. Bushell, do the usual thing with protests. Have Flannery and Stanley watch the cadets. I'll go speak with the person in charge of the JPS embassy security." said Asgill. "Yessir." replied Bushell. Asgill walked up to the gates where the two guards were standing. They both got somewhat tense and started to raise their guns to a defensive posture. "Easy, I am Major General Anthony Asgill, Royal North American Mounted Police." Asgill took off his officer's hat. "I would like to speak with your commander, the Fudai. We need to talk."

Less than a hundred feet away, Hyacinth Amagi MP, stood on top of a bench, with Charlie right next to her. The other MPs Amagi wanted were not able to come due to the size of the crowds and the ongoing traffic jam. Amagi was able to walk part of the way. "Ma'am, we should be careful. Some of these people are displaying signs with the Gadsden Snake."said Charlie.

The Gadsden Snake was a symbol of the Sons of Liberty, a domestic terrorist organization dedicated to abolishing the monarchy in the Union, as well as leaving the British Commonwealth. There were two branches of the Sons, the Northern Sons and the Southern Sons. The Southern Sons were a racist group, opposed to the abolition of slavery that occurred in 1835. They were much more radical than the Northern Sons--they desired secession of the southeastern provinces from the Union. The Northern Sons, on the other hand, were just opposed to British rule and the Monarchy, even though the Crown and Parliament were amenable to the Colonies in the 1760s in that the home country granted home rule and gradually built up the UBNA's federal and national structures so it could function on its own. But with the occupation of the Pacific Provinces in 1945 by the Japanese Pacific States, the Sons were given a huge reason to continue opposing the government. "Defeatists", "Traitors", they said in 1945. The conditional ceasefire and agreement were the best the Union could do at the time. Despite victory in Europe and the defeat of Nazism, the JPS rolled right up to the door, occupied the western most provinces of the Union, and were only held off due to the North American Army's strategic placements in the Rockies to hold off the JPS until a stalemate occurred and both nations could not fight anymore. Field Marshal Sir Douglas MacArthur signed the conditional agreement aboard the HMNAS Missouri in Los Angeles. Over 70 years later, people are bitter, and rightly are. The nation's foreign policy approach to the JPS has changed somewhat since the 1970s, from containment to detente, but news of atrocities, both past and ongoing, have stirred up emotions.

"Never mind them, I need to speak to the people." she said. Amagi began her speech: "My fellow citizens, don't give into hate. Don't let oppression get to you. We shall lead by example, so that the nations of the world can have a beacon of hope from tyranny. The JPS is oppressive, they control everything about their citizens, but we respect the rights of our citizens, we give them freedom and equality. The JPS cannot last on oppression forever. Oppression exhausts everyone and everything, forcing people to see for what it is. But we still have the upper hand, we have the high ground." "And they have our dignity, our pride." shouted a protester back. "We always have our dignity, for we are strong." replied Amagi. "Just another defeatist, another dove. We need action!" replied a protester with a Gadsden Flag.

A constable walked up to Amagi. "Ma'am, this is not the perfect time for this. I know you are exercising your right to free expression, but my orders are to keep peace in the public..." "I am a Member of Parliament. I can speak on the affairs of our great nation at anytime." Amagi got down from the bench and started walking towards the gate where Asgill and the embassy guards were standing. "You..." she pointing at the guard closest to her. "...why do you follow these oppressors, the officers who command you and the orders they give? Why do you watch oppression take place around you and do nothing? Why do not protest? Have you seen the Pacific Provinces, what they do both Japanese and North American citizens?" asked Amagi. Asgill turned around and recognized her. She was the MP backbencher, Hyacinth Amagi, the idealist. She was quite the vocal opponent of the poor human rights record of the JPS. She was on last week's NABC Prime Minister's Questions grilling Prime Minister Ryan on foreign policy and human rights. "Miss Amagi, this is not helping. You need to step away. I am dealing with this..." started Asgill. One of the officer cadets, the last to sharpen his sword, spoke: "Tyranny shall not last forever. It shall be blown away..." the cadet pointed his cavalry sword at one of the guards as he said that. "Dammit, man, you cannot do that. I am placing you under arrest for disturbing the peace. You and your friends." said Asgill. One of the officer cadets suddenly started a scrap with Flannery and Stanley was wrestling another cadet to the ground. Several UCT Police started to move in towards the cadets through the crowd, blowing their whistles. Suddenly, the cadet who pointed his sword charged Asgill. Asgill grabbed on to the cadet as he was pushed up against the metal gate, the JPS embassy guards taking a few steps back. "Dammit, stop it! Stop it, all of you! Bushell! Bushell!" yelled Asgill into his walkie talkie as he pinned the cadet to the ground. "Get backup, the crowd is uneasy." "Yessir. Be advised, there is a large group of protesters coming to the other entrance of the embassy." said Bushell. "Dammit. Damn the Sons. They instigated this." said Asgill to himself. Asgill cuffed the cadet and turned to the embassy guards. "Hold your fire, for gods sake. Get me the Fudai, I have my men heading to the other entrance to deal with the protesters. I need to speak with your commander."

Victoria, UCT, UBNA

The Imperial Royal Guard member Amagi just happened to point at was Shirogane Takeru, a non-nobility member of the IJRG of whom was assigned to the embassy. "We follow the orders of our superiors because we believe in an Asia free from the west, since the latest years of the 1800s the peoples of Asia have been oppressed and divided by the British, Russians, Germans and these... Americans. As decided by our Shogunate we will never allow such a thing ever again. Never again will the peoples of Asia be oppressed and divided by you westerners." Shirogane spoke, before having a sword pointed at him by a Cadet officer, immediately in response Takeru shouldered his rifle keeping it pointed to the cadet before he was wrestled to the ground by two officers, immediately after that Fudai Ichiroku Katsumoto came out from the embassy with a handheld air raid siren turning the crank on it for a few moments gaining the attention of everyone nearby, stopping afterwards he handed the siren to Takeru of whom took it, slinging his rifle over his shoulder before the Fudai put one hand on the pommel of his katana of which was hanging from a hidden hook on his uniform.

"What is the meaning of all of this! The foolish boy seeks to harm a member of her majesty's royal guard!?" Katsumoto was very visibly angry looking around before he turned his attention to the general. "I am Fudai Irchiroku Katsumoto of the Imperial Royal Guard, what is it you wish to speak on.. General?" Katsumoto took his hand from his katana crossing his arms while he waited for a response, being joined by two more guards, this time Tozamas, easily noticed by their creamy white uniforms with bronze trim. "Keep that boy on a leash, crossing the path of an Imperial Guard of Japan isn't a move anyone with half a brain would do."

Back in Japan, Shogun Meiya and the regency council continued to watch the situation, Regent Saionji remarked. "Watch that idiotic boy, he wished to cross with that Non-nobility member... He's lucky those police were there to stay him otherwise he'd be dead." Regent Saionji said leaning forward on the table watching the scene with interest while Shogun Meiya nodded her head in agreement. "Yes, he is indeed lucky, the fool." Meiya said while she herself watched the appearance of Fudai Katsumoto and the two Tozamas behind him.

[Allanea]

In the Free Kingdom of Allanea, Liberty-City

“Another Imperial Japan.” – King Alexander said with discontent.

“These things do happen,” - replied Grand Marshal Priscilla Conde. “We live in a fractal universe, and therefore there have been many Americas, many Britains, and many Japans. It appears that these fellows have won their version of the World War.”

“We have been the lucky ones,” – Alexander noted. “We have left our version of America and Russia just after the Grand Multiversal Split, and only centuries later found the version to return.”

“It appears,” – Priscilla replied, “That they control most of their Western United States... well, really, it is not the Western United States anymore, now is it?”

“Yes, that is true.” – Alexander pondered. “Should we care?"

“The BNA people seem like they deserve our assistance.”

“Hmm, very well. Then, have Maverick offer it.”

Encrypted Message to the government of the UBNA

Dear friends!

The tensions between your government and your neighbours to the West have not escaped the watchful eye of His Imperial Majesty’s government. For this reason, we would like to offer you security cooperation. In particular, we are making very early preparations for war should it become necessary. Specifically we have put five mechanized divisions on alert, and are preparing two submarine squadrons for sailing, one to the Pacific, and on the to the Atlantic. However we must stress that this will take time to fully prepare and make ready.

As such, while the preparations are being made, we would like to make clear some serious issues:

1. How much is known to you about the nature of your neighbors’ government?
2. What are your war goals in the event that hostilities do commence? What are your long-term plans?

We understand that this request may sound unusual from a nation with which you have had no previous contact. But you understand that we cannot provide military assistance without having this information – it would be irresponsible for us.

[The Union of British North America]

Victoria, UCT, UBNA

"Hello, Fudai Katsumoto. General Asgill, Royal Mounted Police. I am glad to see you. We have additional police reinforcements from Alexandria en route to keep the peace." Asgill leaned in further, to tell the Fudai something important. "We are aware of standard embassy security protocols, and that is why you need us, for there may be elements here wishing to see violence inflicted on protesters here. Just let us do the work. The Victoria Police were unprepared for the response to this demonstration. But the Alexandria Police will make up the difference." The Fudai and the Major General were on the same page, and they continued talking about the security of the perimeter.

Amagi was laying against the embassy wall near the gate, still recovering from her shock. Her aide Charlie rushed to her side, helping her up. She was on the ground the minute the cadet charged that Major General. "Dear lord, how could this happen, Charlie?" asked the bewildered MP. "Well, apparently, these cadets are of a single mind, focused on a single goal: fighting back against Japan." "My, this is terrible. Our national mood is being hijacked by warmongers."

The revanchists, the cadets who led this demonstration at the JPS embassy, desired the return of the Western Provinces into Union hands, which is, of course, still a goal of the Union foreign policy beltway since the end of the Second World War. But progress has been made since then; increased trade, allowed border crossings for civilians to see friends and family. There was a setback in the 80s, the consequences of the Southeast Asia-Australasian War, that was overcame in 2005, with the reopening of the Rocky Mountain Border in 2006. But, in that decade from the reopening, there has been a lot of agitation against the JPS, not only here but also in Imperial Germany, Italy, India, and a couple JPS territories. People were acting out against the JPS.

"...Good, thank you for your help, Fudai." said Asgill. Both of them shook hands, and walked away. Asgill walked over to Flannery and Stanley, with the twelve cadets in custody. "Where's Bushell?" asked Asgill. "He's on the phone with the Army Police. They are finally sending some uniforms to pick up these boys." said Stanley. "Ok. I'll leave Bushell with you, he's in charge, I'm going to Central-East HQ for my belated meeting with with Full General Sir Nathan Appleby. Once the Military Police pick them up, head to Central-East and wait for further instructions. I have a strong feeling General Appleby is going to give us a long, cross-country job." Asgill turned his head to the left and saw an NABC camera crew recording a man helping Amagi up from her fall. "Well, that will make the headlines for the next few days." Asgill whispered to himself.

[Japan and Pacific States]

Victoria, UCT, UBNA

"Hello, Fudai Katsumoto. General Asgill, Royal Mounted Police. I am glad to see you. We have additional police reinforcements from Alexandria en route to keep the peace." Asgill leaned in further, to tell the Fudai something important. "We are aware of standard embassy security protocols, and that is why you need us, for there may be elements here wishing to see violence inflicted on protesters here. Just let us do the work. The Victoria Police were unprepared for the response to this demonstration. But the Alexandria Police will make up the difference." The Fudai and the Major General were on the same page, and they continued talking about the security of the perimeter.

Amagi was laying against the embassy wall near the gate, still recovering from her shock. Her aide Charlie rushed to her side, helping her up. She was on the ground the minute the cadet charged that Major General. "Dear lord, how could this happen, Charlie?" asked the bewildered MP. "Well, apparently, these cadets are of a single mind, focused on a single goal: fighting back against Japan." "My, this is terrible. Our national mood is being hijacked by warmongers."

The revanchists, the cadets who led this demonstration at the JPS embassy, desired the return of the Western Provinces into Union hands, which is, of course, still a goal of the Union foreign policy beltway since the end of the Second World War. But progress has been made since then; increased trade, allowed border crossings for civilians to see friends and family. There was a setback in the 80s, the consequences of the Southeast Asia-Australasian War, that was overcame in 2005, with the reopening of the Rocky Mountain Border in 2006. But, in that decade from the reopening, there has been a lot of agitation against the JPS, not only here but also in Imperial Germany, Italy, India, and a couple JPS territories. People were acting out against the JPS.

"...Good, thank you for your help, Fudai." said Asgill. Both of them shook hands, and walked away. Asgill walked over to Flannery and Stanley, with the twelve cadets in custody. "Where's Bushell?" asked Asgill. "He's on the phone with the Army Police. They are finally sending some uniforms to pick up these boys." said Stanley. "Ok. I'll leave Bushell with you, he's in charge, I'm going to Central-East HQ for my belated meeting with with Full General Sir Nathan Appleby. Once the Military Police pick them up, head to Central-East and wait for further instructions. I have a strong feeling General Appleby is going to give us a long, cross-country job." Asgill turned his head to the left and saw an NABC camera crew recording a man helping Amagi up from her fall. "Well, that will make the headlines for the next few days." Asgill whispered to himself.

Victoria, UCT, UBNA

Fudai Katsumoto nodded his head while he watched Amagi's aide help Amagi up, walking to the two with one Tozama following behind him, noticeably female, she was Chinese with some rather strange coloured hair, almost looking like the real life equivalent of a popular Japanese vocaloid character. "You are PM Amagi yes? ....You should inform your government it should keep a tighter leash on it's troops, especially cadets, were the situation reversed and this were an embassy of your own in Kyoto, Tokyo, Bejing, Seoul, or our West North American territories such a situation wouldn't have taken place." Fudai Katsumoto said plainly before looking to the cameraman of whom was just about to shove his camera in Katsumoto's face before Katsumoto decided before that had a chance of happening to return to his position at the top of the steps with the Tozama... Of whom followed behind later but not before speaking to Amagi. "I am Tozama Cui Yifei from Bejing, I have heard you wish to know why those such as I obey the orders of the Japanese? Look at the history of China before they came along, thanks to you westerners we were divided by the western powers and warlords, that is now a thing of the past with them, we have unity, we have agriculture, infrastructure, we are able to live like all civilized peoples should thanks to them, we pay a small price for it in taxes yes, but that's it." Cui then turned and followed the Fudai taking her place behind him with her Type 05 slung over her shoulder.

Ambassador Kurokawa sighed and nodded her head watching the finale of the scene with the cadets as it wrapped up, military police finally arrived to collect the cadets while the Imperial Royal Guard kept the crowd back from the gates with their Type 64s held at the ready. "Politics and the stupidity of the masses.... I should really look into a new career... Like science.." Kurokawa turned from her window and sat down at her desk before she started writing up her report of the current events of which took place, for Regent Takatsukasa of whom was most likely watching everything on television right now with the rest of the regency council. The whole report would take about normally an hour to compile but with recent events it would most likely take longer with the crowd not seeming like it'd disperse for some time.

[New Decius]

OOC: Maybe we should have made this Private.

German Embassy, Victoria
UCT, UBNA

"Look at how many there are Klaus." Josef Brenner, KSK-Schütze, whispered to his fellow guard Klaus Schümer, also a KSK-Schütze, while they stood just inside the gates of the compound the German Embassy inhabited here in Victoria. Oddly enough, German and British relations had been very good as of late once the trouble with Japan started up. Also Germany stood as a bulwark against the Communist regime in the British Isles so it had that going for it. But, the German Empire's interest in the affair was purely for self-gain through annexing Japanese territories. "All of them headed to that protest outside the Japanese Embassy. You wouldn't see this kind of a crowd in Berlin for something like that. Though people do come out for the military reviews and when the Kaiser makes his speeches."

Before Klaus could respond, there was a great commotion from inside the Embassy as the guards were blowing whistles and alarms were sounding and men were rushing about. Then there came a distinct sound...a gunshot. And it had come from the Ambassador's private chambers. Klaus and Josef were inside faster than you could say 'Scheiße'.

Five Minutes Earlier

Johannes Weißmann, KSK-Standartenführer, and the garrison commander for the Embassy, opened the door to Ambassador Zeigler's room quietly and shut it behind just so. He checked that the silencer was secured on his weapon, a Walther P-63, and slowly approached the bed where the rather plump diplomat was sleeping. Weißmann had no issue with his orders at all, even if they were part of a false flag operation, particularly because he couldn't stand Zeigler. The man was half-Belgian and so not a true German, not to mention he was a pacifist, not fit for modern German politics.

He walked over and slowly lifted his pistol towards the Ambassador's sleeping form before firing a single shot into his cranium. The bullet was a through and through, blood spreading quickly across the bedspread as the man's heavy breathing quickly came to a halt. Now for the frame-up.

Johannes unclipped the silencer and went about trashing the room to make it appear as though a struggle had taken place. Smashing a vase or two and knocking over a table, pulling down a painting and finally he unlocked and opened the window. Then the final touch, a gunshot. The shot rang through the entire building and instantly alarms and whistles were sounding everywhere. He started shouting himself. "Help! Guards! The Ambassador has been murdered by the Japanese! Help!" And so the stage was set. Berlin would be pleased. Oh Johannes would publicly be demoted for inefficiency and such but behind the scenes he would be the hero that helped bring down Japan. The Kaiser might even pin a medal on him.

Germany needed a casus belli with which to initiate hostilities, and what better to falsify than the assassination of an Ambassador. Sure they could have had Ambassador Steinbauer in Tokyo bumped off but Berlin had a bigger beef with Zeigler who was up for retirement in a couple years anyway. It just came a little early for him. With Zeigler's death, the German garrison at the embassy would be inspired to join the riot outside the Japanese embassy and Germany could announce the official opening of hostilities between the two countries, clearing the way for another operation taking place in Tokyo itself.

Soon enough about twenty of the thirty guards at the embassy were running for the Japanese embassy with night sticks at the ready, inflamed by what they believed was a Japanese crime against their nation.

[The Union of British North America]

Victoria, UCT, UBNA

Amagi was going to correct the Fudai that she was a Member of Parliament, an MP, and not the PM, which is acronym for the Prime Minister, and was going to rebut the Tozama and Fudai's remarks about the lack of democracy in the JPS, and the importance of the Union Act of Rights 1787 that protects the right to peaceful assembly, but she was cut off by both the Tozama and the Fudai walking away from her. "They are sure of themselves. Thank you Charlie for helping me up." she turned to Charlie. "The Japanese say a demonstration like this would not happen in their country. And Germany would also say the same thing. But we have demonstrations because there is the freedom to assemble peacefully. Of course, those cadets were being belligerent, ruining the nonviolent aspect. If they weren't here, the crowd would have just protested all around the embassy, for hours, until someone from the embassy would show up to speak to the crowd and say for them to go home. Today's police prescence was also lacking. Why was the Victoria Police stretched thin? I'll speak about this at the next PM's Questions..." she trailed as she saw about 30 people wearing jackboots and black uniforms running towards the JPS embassy. They were looking very angry.

Asgill, who was about to step in his car which would have taken him to the Sir John Hoover Building, the RNAMP HQ for the Central-East District, the Union Capital Territory, and the nationwide General Headquarters, was in complete surprise when he saw 30 black-clad men run towards the embassy. He turned around and saw a group of 20 Victoria Policemen in riot gear walking towards him. "You there, stop those people from reaching the embassy gate!" The men heard him, running in front of the gate and forming a shield wall with their ballistic shields, and police batons at the ready. The black-clad men just stopped a foot way from the shield wall. The Victoria Police were yelling "stop, put down your weapons, this is a breach of the peace" several times at the men in black. Asgill walked over and overheard the men in black yelling in German. "What the hell is this? German embassy security? And you just came of the embassy and ran all the way here? Have you forgotten this is sovereign British North American soil?" he asked the crowd of Germans, waiting for someone there in charge of the rabble to speak.

No. 16 Pennsylvania Avenue, Victoria, UCT, UBNA

Foreign Minister G. W. Clarkson, was sitting silently in the Cabinet Room with the Home Minister Octavia Peel while the PM stepped outside to get a report from the Chief of the Victoria Police on the dispersion of the crowds at the JPS embassy. The NABC's coverage of the demonstration was on in the Cabinet Room, at a low volume.

"...Authorities say that the ones who organized this march were the Independence Party, a left-wing nationalist group dedicated for the Union to leave the British Commonwealth. Party leader Percival Fromage said in a statement earlier today that the people's will was out in full force, opposed to the JPS's aggressive foreign policy and the government acquiescing to the demands and whims of the JPS. The Home Office and MOD have stated that the cadets, the face of the demonstration, have been arrested by the Royal Mounted Police, and Military Police have taken them into custody..."

"That's a relief," replied Clarkson. "Today would have been a serious incident if anyone have gotten hurt." "Indeed. Why was the police presence lacking? Mounties had to arrest the cadets, not the Victoria Police." wondered Peel. "It is strange. I'll send a letter apologizing for the unpreparedness of the Victoria Police.

The Prime Minister David Ryan returned to the room, sat down in his chair, and when he saw the TV he saw Hyacinth Amagi being helped up by her aide, Charlie. "I say, Amagi gets herself into a lot trouble. There was the fiasco at the UN Building three months ago, the scene she caused at the demonstration at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting at New Manchester, Florida two weeks ago, and now this." He both knew Hyacinth and Charles through the government whip. But of course, Amagi was the free spirit in Parliament.

The TV cut to a "breaking news" segment, with all of the special effects fanfare. A live shot of the embassy was being shown.

"...This just in, apparently there are about 30 men in black wielding to what appears to clubs or nightsticks, running towards the JPS embassy. Victoria Police have blocked them 50 feet from the embassy, but the Police are slowly being pushed back. Mounted Police also seems to be getting involved. It is unknown who these men are..."

The Foreign Minister's phone was going off. "Excuse me, Prime Minister. Something from my office." said Clarkson. Clarkson stepped to the window, sat on the sill, and answered the phone. "What the devil...are you sure about this?" said Clarkson worryingly. "Dammit...contact the Charge d'Affaires at the German Embassy, and get me the Japanese Ambassador. I have the PM right here."

"What's wrong, Gabriel?" asked David. "The German Ambassador to our country was just assassinated in his embassy. They are saying it was the Japanese." said Clarkson as he sat down at the table. "Bloody hell. Here, really?" said the PM in shock and disbelief. "And at this time?" asked Peel. The three suddenly connected the dots together. "Those men in black on the tele...they are German embassy guards..." said Peel. "Peel, Clarkson, we need to contain this quickly. We cannot have a bloodbath on Massachusetts. Clarkson, you do what you just said on your phone. Peel, send in the Mounted Police with reinforcements, and bump up police with firearm officers." In the UBNA, most local police do not carry guns, and so have special police officers who carry them, though Mounted Police are allowed to have guns by federal law.

"What is going on?" wondered the PM. Why such bellicosity today? And would war start again?

[New Decius]

Victoria

The majority of the embassy guards initially ignored the orders of the British police to throw their night sticks and even a couple tear-gas grenades as far as they could which for some who had got close was to the steps of the embassy. They shouted obscenity's at the Japanese in their native tongue. Eventually they began shouting at the British police and rioters "They killed our Ambassador!" or "They are murderers!"

Finally KSK-Standartenführer Johannes Weißmann turned up to control his men. "Alright men disperse! Back to the embassy! We'll let the diplomats sort this out! EVEN IF ITS CLEAR THE BLOODY JAPS KILLED OUR AMBASSADOR! I SAW THE ASSASSIN WITH MY OWN TWO EYES!" All this was a lie and yet the men had no reason to doubt their commander. After all the German news had been full of anti-Japanese propaganda as of late, the men had now been conditioned to think of the Japanese as worse than even the Russian's. But reluctantly they began to head back towards the German embassy, still shouting at the Japanese as they went away.

Kaiserliche Außenministerium, Berlin

The Imperial German Foreign Office was abuzz with activity given that one of Germany's more important diplomats was just assassinated. But, no one in the Foreign Office, including the Foreign Minister, was aware that the assassination was part of a false flag operation planned by the OHL to create tension and war with Japan. All any of them knew was that one of their colleagues had just been murdered brutally in his sleep. That was enough to incite anger in a lot of them-most of the Far East Consulates were being ordered for closure within an hour of the news reaching Germania and there was talk of shutting down the embassy in Japan itself. Some even whispered of a total end to diplomatic relations and going straight to war.

Others wanted a more measured response, not just from Germany, but also the UBNA as well since the incident in question took place on their territory. The most popular opinion was that the guard commander who witnessed the attack should be accompanied by British police to identify the Japanese assailant. This was the move favored by Außenminister Güdrun Keller for her intended call to Prime Minister David Ryan of the UBNA. The Kaiser had wanted to make the call himself but Güdrun felt that would have been a bit much and so had persuaded the Undersecretary for Diplomatic Affairs to distract His Imperial Majesty until she was done.

On the way to her office she noticed that every monitor in the building was playing the news story about the assassination and she grimaced. Zeigler may have been half-Belgian but he was still a servant of the Fatherland and also a husband and father of three. Not to mention the Kingdom of Belgium, a constituent state of the German Empire for over half a century now, was in an uproar about the incident. Apparently Florismart Gervais Wolfe, the Belgian Secretary of Foreign Affairs, had been calling the Japanese government for the past hour but no one would take their calls. Güdrun understood why. Belgium was only a state of the German Empire and hardly an important one at that, maybe the Foreign Minister's of Prussia or Bavaria might have gotten through but right now it was the big fish who mattered.

She turned to her aide Sigrund and then gestured to a monitor. "Has anyone found his wife and children yet?" But Sigrund shook his head. "No Ma'am, in fact they haven't been seen for two days now." Güdrun turned and continued on, this whole situation smelled rotten.

She arrived in her office and got on the phone immediately. "Put me through to Prime Minister Ryan of the UBNA. Immediately."

[The Union of British North America]

Victoria, UCT, UBNA
No. 16 Pennsylvania Avenue, Private Offices of the Prime Minister

"Yes, Sir Jordi?" asked PM David Ryan, holding his left temple in his left hand as Cabinet Secretary Sir Jordi Maxwell walked in. "Prime Minister, I have received a call from the German Foreign Ministry via their embassy. Ministers Clarkson and Peel have been informed. Außenminister Keller wants to speak with you about the assassination of the Ambassador and finding the culprit. They argue that since the incident took place in our country, we should help them find the perpetrator." "Yes, what happened was very terrible for Ambassador Ziegler. I just met with him three days ago, with the Governor-General. And now this. A Japanese assassin took his life, they say. I will speak with the Außenminister. Ryan picked up his receiver as the call was transferred from the communications room on the first floor of No. 16. "Hello, Außenminister. My condolences for Ambassador Ziegler. He was a remarkable man. It's hard to imagine something like this. We'll find the culprit or culprits and we'll bring them all to justice." The Außenminister said some grateful pleasantries back to the Prime Minister, mentioning meeting the PM and his wife had with Minister Keller in Brussels two months ago with the Belgian Foreign Minister. "Yes, my wife liked your shoes, if I recall. I also recall meeting with the Belgian Foreign Minister, and having dinner with him and Ambassador Ziegler's family that same night. A private treat hosted by his wife. It was for a trade deal between the Kingdom of Belgium and the UBNA. But, Außenminister, we will find the killer of Ziegler and bring closure for his family. I assure you this, ma'am." said Ryan. The two finished their conversation, laying out how the Germans want to go about the investigation.

"Sir Jordi, inform General Appleby of the RNAMP General Headquarters to start a joint investigation with the Germans." "Yes, Prime Minister." replied Sir Jordi.

Victoria, UCT, UBNA
Sir John Hoover Building, Royal North American Mounted Police General Headquarters Floor 14

"Asgill, I have a new assignment for you and your team. I know, you are investigating the Sons of Liberty's involvement in today's demonstration with the cadets, but this comes from the PM himself. No. 16 wants you to investigate the assassination of the German Ambassador the the UBNA." said General Sir Nathan Appleby, Head of the RNAMP. "Ziegler, right?" asked Stanley. "Yes, Lieutenant Colonel. " "What are the Germans wanting to do in the investigation with us?" asked Flannery. "Apparently, Major, the chief of embassy security there, KSK-Standartenfuhrer Johannes Weißmann, will meet with you all at the embassy in an hour to begin the investigation. He'll give you the details. Asgill, you are in charge of this, of our people." "Yessir." said Major General Asgill. Asgill saluted Sir Nathan and turned to his team.

"All right, Flannery, you are going to find possible JPS agents in the Eastern Provinces from the Home Office Intelligence Department. It's possible if it was a Japanese assassin, he would have fled the Territory and into one of the Mid-Atlantic Provinces, or even further than that. Stanley, you will search for possible suspicious people on the cameras, both the public IR cameras near the embassy and in the embassy's surveillance room while Flannery and I will be in the Ambassador's room with the Jerry security chief. Got it?" Both Lt. Col Stanley and Major Flannery saluted the Major General and the Full General. The team drove to the German Embassy, in the Northwest Quadrant of the Territory. The team got out and was greeted by a German embassy staff member waiting for them.

Asgill, Flannery, and Stanley were members of the RNAMP Special Branch, the domestic security enforcement arm for the federal level. His team was part of the Division 9, which handled special investigations of terrorism, espionage, assassination, and other major unique threats to national security. The investigation of the assassination of the German Ambassador would be under his jurisdiction, as would investigating certain Sons of Liberty cells and members, which he believed were really behind today's demonstration with the cadets.

[New Decius]

German Embassy, Victoria
Union Capital Territory, UBNA

Johannes leaned over the shoulder of the embassy communications officer, whom like all said personnel at every German embassy was a member of the Abwehr, waiting for him to receive the files. The boys back at the Hauptquartier der Abwehr were doctoring the footage from the exterior camera's on the building so they would show a dark figure scaling the compound walls and then entering the Ambassador's window. There were no camera's in the diplomat's actual chamber so the KSK had that going for it. The fact that a German-made slug was in his head could be explained away with the pure fact that Germany was one of the largest exporters of arms in the world. The assassin could have purchased or been supplied with a German gun to throw the authorities off the trail. The Oberste Heeresleitung and the Abwehr had thought of everything to cover their tracks-they had to.

The German Empire was only four years out of a civil war started by an attempted fascist coup and the death of the previous Kaiser from a heart attack. Infighting among Wilhelm Augustus III, five children had left the throne vacant for six months after his death and then later the abdication of Crown Prince Rudolph to Switzerland. Seven months in saw the current Kaiser, Erwin Ludwig I, leading the Loyalist forces against his sister, Princess Ilsa Gotha IV, who led the fascists. By the end of 2014, the Loyalist's stood victorious but Erwin's reign was too new to embark on any new military ventures such as the planned seizure of Saudi Arabia to secure the world's largest oil fields. Until now His Imperial Majesty had mostly been focused on the domestic front, industry, public development, scientific advancement. If the German people found out about how many lines the government had crossed preparing for a new war, it would be a disaster. Especially given that German citizens had been killed and the lives of German soldiers endangered for the success of this plan. There would be riots and unrest not seen since the fall of the German Empire in 1919.

Finally, just as Johannes was ready to beat the computer with his fists, the file came through from Berlin and Helmut quickly uploaded it to the network, replacing the original footage with the new stuff. Incidentally, just as Johannes would be 'publicly' deemed inefficient but rewarded behind the scenes, so too would he. He after all was party to monitoring the camera's and he would be blamed for not seeing the silent figure climbing into the window. Oh some guards would genuinely be dishonorably discharged or demoted for inefficiency but that hardly mattered in the grand scheme of things.

And the file came just in time too, one of the guards came in to tell Johannes that the UBNA authorities were here to speak with him regarding the case. The KSK commander straightened out his uniform and followed the guard out into the lobby where the British were waiting.

He shook hands with each of the men before assuming a somber, rather guilty expression. "Welcome gentlemen and thank you for the assistance on the case. You'll understand I'm a bit disheartened at the moment. It was on my watch that Herr Zeigler was killed-no, that he was murdered. If I had done my duty better and been faster checking on his room I might have caught the assassin before he could do the deed. The fault of this case lies solely with me. Berlin is likely to strip me of my rank, combat decorations, and possibly even discharge me altogether."

He perked up just a bit. "Still hopefully we can work well together and catch the scheming Japanese scoundrel that committed this horrid crime."

Imperial German Embassy, Tokyo
Empire of Japanese Pacific States

Erik von Steinbauer downed the glass of schnapps in one go as a parting to his colleague in Victoria, then promptly got back to business. In his office was a man who technically did not exist in any records or documentation. The man's identity had been wiped from the slates and all those that had known him, childhood friends and even family, had been removed to ensure security. This was the talent of the Abwehr and a necessity sometimes for the KSK, particularly in regards to Project Alfa, a program that was so top secret it wasn't even based inside German territory and its staff never left the facility. Anyone who found out about the program would swiftly be vanished themselves, unless you had clearance from the Kaiser himself, which thankfully Steinbauer did. So no men in trenchcoats would be arriving at his door anytime soon.

Erik laid a folder out on his desk for the man to pick up, he hadn't said a word since the meeting started. "Hauptmann, your orders are in here. This mission is of vital importance, if it weren't Berlin would never have let me learn who you were and what it is exactly you can do. Your very existence violates at least a dozen international laws and conventions, but you are probably the best soldier at His Majesty's disposal." The man opened the folder and found several photographs of a young girl next to a woman he recognized as the IJA Special Projects Director Kouzuki Yuuko. Erik explained. "We believe that this young girl is of vital importance to the Japanese and that she may be their version of what you are, human experimentation. Strange rumors circling about, but one central theme they keep coming back to is ESP. I trust you can imagine what this girl could offer to progressing Project Alfa and its sibling programs. I do not know the particulars but apparently it is of paramount importance she be secured. Which will not be an easy task. We don't even know where she is."

The man stepped forward into the light, revealing his face which was somewhat tanned, hinting at action in a warm climate. He was quite tall, easily six feet, and muscular underneath the black uniform he wore. But the most notable feature were his eyes, they were crimson. A few strands of snow white hair peaked out from under his field cap.

When he spoke, his voice was almost more like a canine growl than the soft tones of a human being. Erik also noticed to his horror that his teeth were sharpened like a canine's as well. "Ambassador, from this point on you are to forget you ever saw me, I do not exist. If you ever speak of this encounter you will quickly wish you had not. Good day." And with that he exited the office.

---

Walking up the stairs to the helipad on the roof of the embassy, Hauptmann (Captain) Hans Günsche, thought on the meeting and judged whether or not the diplomat was likely to talk. Based on the fact that he was shaking in his bones, not likely. Now up to the roof where the helicopter would pick him up to take him to the meet-up with his team. He was rather unlike any other member of the KSK squad.

Project Alfa was Germany's top-secret super soldier program or one of them at least. Several others existed but none of them knew any details about the others, this was in case one was compromised the others could continue unhindered. Project Alfa in specific was an enhancement program centered around giving human's the traits of animal's, not so much full gene splicing as enhancing the senses and the like. The favored animal's were canine's, wolves to be specific, since it was found they were the easiest to control when subjects were in the initial stages. Most of the subjects went mad from the initial drug cocktail they were given and were gassed to prevent them becoming feral. The prior animal used had been gorilla's and that had been a nightmare for the men who had to put down feral subjects, given that the target could snap them in half. Thus gassing had been introduced to make the process easier. After that, those that survived and managed to stay sane were tested and trained rigorously until they were deemed ready. Hans was one of the few success stories of the project.

He knew from rumors that the other projects were based around cybernetic enhancement and the like and had borne some more successful soldiers than Project Alfa, but they were just filler. Once Project Alfa became more efficient and capable, they could produce soldiers with the predatory instinct of an animal, eliminate a human's ill-equipped instincts from the equation. Not to mention enhance the senses and strength immensely. That was why this possible ESP girl could be important. One of the major problems subjects had was keeping control of their sanity during the process, and if this ESP girl was real, then she would be of immense help. ESP by nature meant a person had a greater command of their brain's functions and power than the average person. If the scientists in Project Alfa could figure out how that was achieved then more subjects might made it through the process.

But for now the orders were simply observe and report, not capture.

[The Union of British North America]

Victoria, UCT, UBNA
German Embassy

Asgill was the last person to shake Johannes's hand. "Our condolences, KSK-Standartenfuhrer...may I call you Colonel? My German is a bit rusty. I am Major General Anthony Asgill." Asgill turned and introduced his men. "This is Lt. Col. Vernon Stanley and Major David Flannery. RNAMP Special Branch. We investigate special homeland security cases, and a high-profile assassination case like this falls under our jurisdiction." Both Flannery and Stanley saluted the higher-ranking German officer as Asgill introduced them. "Flannery here has searched for possible active JPS operatives in the Eastern Union Provinces, coming up with several names in that file he is holding. He also looked for potential leads in the Prairie Provinces, but found none. Stanley needs to look at your security footage, the system within the embassy walls. Our public IR cameras have not found anyone suspicious on the streets near the embassy. Have you seen the perpetrator? We'll also have to do our analysis of the crime scene. A team from the Special Branch's CSI Unit will be here in 20 minutes."

Victoria, UCT, UBNA
No. 16

"No response from the JPS embassy, sir." said Sir Jordi. "They'll have to return our calls. We've been calling them for over two hours. I even asked Peel to ask the Governor-General to apply some diplomatic pressure, such as a persona non grata declaration. He's refused so far." said Ryan. "Anyway, they'll talk to us eventually. What's on my schedule for tomorrow?"

"You have this week's Cabinet meeting at 1 pm, definitely over Germany and Japan, a meeting with the North American Chamber of Commerce Executive Committee and the North American Federation of Labor President and Vice President on industrial relations at 9 am, a lunch with the High Commissioners from Australia, India, and South Africa at two, tea with the Venezuelan ambassador at four, and working dinner with a few Senators and MPs from the Gulf Provinces on gas duty reform at 6 pm." "Wonderful. Bloody wonderful. The only thing I will enjoy will be Cabinet because I can nap then." said Ryan half-jokingly. Parliament, filled with a coalition of fiscal moderates and other squishy Third Way compromising hacks, are fiddling with the tax code in certain areas in order to attract investment and boost consumption at the moment. A Liberal Democratic-New Labor Party coalition that is pushing on all sides to make Ryan do this and that. The JPS, Germany, the economy, South America, the Commonwealth. Amagi was pushing him hard on foreign policy last week, and Davidson and Charteris from the Loyal Opposition, the Grand Conservative Party, would hammer him about the economy this Thursday in the Commons. Today was Tuesday, the day of the demonstration. The week wasn't over yet.

[Japan and Pacific States]

Victoria, UCT, UBNA
German Embassy

Asgill was the last person to shake Johannes's hand. "Our condolences, Standartenfuhrer...may I call you Colonel? My German is a bit rusty. I am Major General Anthony Asgill." Asgill turned and introduced his men. "This is Lt. Col. Vernon Stanley and Major David Flannery. RNAMP Special Branch. We investigate special homeland security cases, and a high-profile assassination case like this falls under our jurisdiction." Both Flannery and Stanley saluted the higher-ranking German officer as Asgill introduced them. "Flannery here has searched for possible active JPS operatives in the Eastern Union Provinces, coming up with several names in that file he is holding. He also looked for potential leads in the Prairie Provinces, but found none. Stanley needs to look at your security footage, the system within the embassy walls. Our public IR cameras have not found anyone suspicious on the streets near the embassy. Have you seen the perpetrator? We'll also have to do our analysis of the crime scene. A team from the Special Branch's CSI Unit will be here in 20 minutes."

Victoria, UCT, UBNA
No. 16

"No response from the JPS embassy, sir." said Sir Jordi. "They'll have to return our calls. We've been calling them for over two hours. I even asked Peel to ask the Governor-General to apply some diplomatic pressure, such as a persona non grata declaration. He's refused so far." said Ryan. "Anyway, they'll talk to us eventually. What's on my schedule for tomorrow?"

"You have this week's Cabinet meeting at 1 pm, definitely over Germany and Japan, a meeting with the North American Chamber of Commerce Executive Committee and the North American Federation of Labor President and Vice President on industrial relations at 9 am, a lunch with the High Commissioners from Australia, India, and South Africa at two, tea with the Venezuelan ambassador at four, and working dinner with a few Senators and MPs from the Gulf Provinces on gas duty reform at 6 pm." "Wonderful. Bloody wonderful. The only thing I will enjoy will be Cabinet because I can nap then." said Ryan half-jokingly. Parliament, filled with a coalition of fiscal moderates and other squishy Third Way compromising hacks, are fiddling with the tax code in certain areas in order to attract investment and boost consumption at the moment. A Liberal Democratic-New Labor Party coalition that is pushing on all sides to make Ryan do this and that. The JPS, Germany, the economy, South America, the Commonwealth. Amagi was pushing him hard on foreign policy last week, and Davidson and Charteris from the Loyal Opposition, the Grand Conservative Party, would hammer him about the economy this Thursday in the Commons. Today was Tuesday, the day of the demonstration. The week wasn't over yet.

Kyoto, Capital of the Empire of Japanese Pacific States, Imperial Japanese Military General Headquarters

After the leak of a suppose assassination of a German ambassador in UBNA had taken place and it was claimed that the Shogunate was the one of whom authorized it, Regent Ikaruga Takatsugu along with Regent Saionji were dismissed from the meeting, both were the heads of intelligence, foreign and domestic, it was decided by Shogun Meiya that they would be the ones investigating into the matter. Sitting at his desk in his office, Regent Ikaruga was looking over a stack of files systematically eliminating any possible culprits, he certainly hadn't authorized any sort of assassination, it would have been outside of his jurisdiction, such decisions were made by the Shogun, not anyone else. Proceeding to look through the files he found only three agents were currently operating in the UBNA, none of them in Victoria or anywhere remotely close to Victoria, one was operating in Britain, another was operating in Florida, and another was operating close to Japanese territory just on the other side of the rocky mountains as a border guard, that was essentially how Japan operated... Of course they only got away with the last one because he was Korean, not Japanese, and went to the UBNA undercover as a "refugee". "Damn.... Nothing... Not even a remote possibility..." The Regent said putting the last file down closing it before leaning on his desk clasping his hands together. "I wonder if Saionji's having any luck..."

Regent Saionji of course had a wider berth to cover, spies were a diamond dozen in Japan, whether they have been from China, Korea, Japan or North America was the issue, no information was given on the supposed "assassin's" identity which only made Regent Saionji's job harder, there were thousands of files on spies in each part of the Empire that could very well have been culprits to the attack but they also couldn't have been as Japanese domestic spies only operated in the Empire taking out spy rings and resistance organizations they never had any part in foreign intelligence... But that doesn't mean there haven't been a few of whom in the past have ended up having to take part in oversees operations, even in just minute operations. "Nothing, of course... As I'd expected..." Saionji picked up his phone and called the Imperial war room where Shogun Meiya, Regent Takatsukasa and Regent Kujou were sat watching the situation outside of the Japanese embassy in Victoria, there were still but a few protestors still outside, but not like the large mob that was there before with the military cadets. The small garrison of the Embassy was of course fully mustered at all entrances encase if such a mob were to form again and things were to get violent.

"This is a mess..." Kyoko said while she watched the protestors, hearing them yell certain obscenities at the guards, demanding that Japan leave the it's western north American territories amongst other things. "I agree... We need to-" Shogun Meiya was stopped mid sentence as the phone started to ring from Kyoko's part of the table, pushing a button on a panel directly infront of her she answered the call. "Yes?" Kyoko said while she watched the news being played holographically in the room. "Regent Takatsukasa, it's ambassador Kurokawa, do you have any orders for me ma'am? I keep receiving calls from the Germans, the Belgians, and finally the local police they want us to give a statement on this whole assassination thing..." Kurokawa said from her end while she sat in her chair at her desk though they couldn't see it, Kurokawa was very nervous, of course who wouldn't be at this point, just a couple hours ago there was a full mob at the front of the embassy and now there's accusations of Japan assassinating a German ambassador, the last part worried Kurokawa more than anything else. The Japanese foreign ministry was far from close with the Japanese foreign intelligence agency but still the fact of this most likely didn't matter to the average person, Japanese were Japanese so it didn't matter if they were part of the military in any capacity they were distrusted and hated.

"Kyoko, can Ambassador Kurokawa hear me?" Kyoko was about to ask before Kurokawa responded with a hesitant yes. "Good.... Now Ambassador Kurokawa listen to me very closely, you are to give but one statement, we do not have any spies or possible "assassins" anywhere near Victoria, and I, Shogun Mitsurugi Meiya had not authorized any such action. Everyone knows here in our Empire and abroad that my word, and the word of the Emperor is law... This should buy us some time while we figure out what to do." Shogun Meiya said to which Ambassador Kurokawa replied with "Yes ma'am, I will give this message. Thank you." Kurokawa said before Kyoko hung up on her. "Dear Amaterasu... Please see us forward in this and prevent any evil from prevailing..." Kurokawa said under her breath after setting the phone down on the receiver taking a deep breath, she waited for another call whether it be from the Germans, Belgians or anyone from the local police she was now ready to give a response to these accusations.

[The Union of British North America]

Fort Montgomery, Maryland Province
Home Intelligence Department (HID) Building, Floor of the Directorate of Signals Intelligence and Information Security (SIIS Directorate)
45 minutes before Asgill and his team go the German Embassy to investigate the assassination of Ambassador Ziegler

Inside the large glass building was the main apparatus of the Home Intelligence Department SIIS Directorate, the UBNA's domestic intelligence service and SIGNIT and INFOSEC service, Lloyd Bardsley was perusing the files of identified JPS agents operating in the Union as of this month. Bardsley managed to hack and quietly crawl his way through the defense barriers and firewalls of the JPS networks. He was in the Dive Room, a special room for people with cybernetics and enhanced hacking capabilities to look for information that one would not be able to find normally, even on the dark web or on common encrypted networks. He, with the special "commercial" satellite launched last year, the Bravado III, was able to ride in on signals coming into both the JPS domestic and foreign intelligence computer networks, and even look at some high-level stuff. A major breakthrough, though not the first of its kind. Occasionally, the one of the super powers build a satellite with less than half of the capabilities of the Bravado III to get into certain networks, only to have them "go offline" after a month or two. But it has been one year. The main reason for the success of the satellite was that it was much faster than older models, allowing for quick procurement of intelligence, and then powering down to appear more like a commercial satellite to avoid detection.

"Ok, a 'Junichiro Gouda', who is really Yosuke Tachibana, IJA, in Florida, and his cover is a Japanese immigrant who came in the 90s. He occasionally leaves for Japan on important business for his firm, Kitagawa Financial, a major investment bank in New Liverpool, Florida, that occasionally handles some dirty money for the JPS defense industry and their Ministry of Defense. He has been spotted several times in the last few weeks near the the HMNAS New Liverpool, the naval base where the RNAN Atlantic Fleet HQ is located. Apparently, he was to listen in to find out about new ships that the CINC Pacific and CINC Atlantic were discussing in meetings. According to CIND (Central Intelligence Department), he is coming back from his 'business meeting' in Osaka. Gouda's plane from Honolulu is to arrive in New Liverpool in about an hour." said Bardsley. "Excellent. I'll have the Mounties' Special Branch pick him up when he gets off. What about the other two?" asked Armand Livingstone, the HID Director of SIGNIT and INFOSEC Operations, which was the second largest Directorate in the entire Department.

"The next one is 'Zhou Ai" aka Shiyu Huang, a Chinese IJA operative in Britain. She is a Chinese Communist in the Socialist Republic of Great Britain, as a special military observer to go after our CIND operatives in London, and gather intel on the Germans from across the channel. She is currently spending her nights at a compound with a prominent SRGB general right now. " said Bardsley. "I'll inform NARSOC, and they'll send a SAS team to pick her up when they get the chance. What about the border guard?" said Livingstone.

Bardsley continued: "The 31 year old refugee turned border guard from Korea, "Kye Yong-Sik" aka Ko Joon-Ho, Korean operator for the IJA. His task is helping IJA Special Forces capture JPS defectors and have them "safely return" to the Occupied Provinces or the rest of the Empire. He also has been in way too many photos next to certain buildings at an Army base near Denver, where the units of the 4th Territorial Army, 2nd Mechanized Brigade, 2nd Gears Battalion are maintained." "Military Police will pick him up in minutes when I inform General MacDonald of the Fourth Territorial." said Livingstone.

"Good job. Log off, and then go communicate with Major General Asgill on your findings. Tell him to call the HID Director-General. I'll brief the DG on this. We'll have to wait several hours before we can use Bravado III again." said the Director. Livingstone and Asgill are old war buddies, both served in the Southeast Asian War and are former Army Gear ZEKE pilots, doing armored reconnaissance in Australia and Myanmar. They were also colleagues for home intelligence operations such as the ongoing investigation. Livingstone knew Asgill would find the real culprit, not this false JPS agent.

The Director stared at the Diving Chair, the special system that the mild cyborg Bardsley just used. He then turned to Bardsley, who had his back to him, seeing his neck ports. Bardsley was one of the minimally "cyberized" individuals, one with a basic, standard cyber-brain. About 10% of the UBNA's population, and a growing part of the military's ranks, were cyberized to various degrees, though most were minimally cyberized. Minimal cyberization was the least intrusive--a thin metal shell around the brain, along with special bio-neural micro-machines inside of neural tissues, which all connected to a special device on the cerebellum, that had outside ports on the back of the neck for external connections to things like terminals or other people with the same setup. Bardsley also had special, experimental wideband wireless connections in his cyber-brain for deep diving cyber-reconnaissance missions like this. He was the future of warfare, on the battlefield where cyber-warfare would be waged.

The JPS and Germans have developed their own cybernetic prosthetic body parts recently, but the UBNA was the first to pioneer the tech in the 70s and 80s during the development of Metal Gears in the Army; a lot was learned about biomechanical engineering back then. Then DARDO, with well established background research into AI started making neural-cybernetic breakthroughs in the last 5 years. Megatech independently came up with the same tech two years ago, though more of a civilian model that was regulated with groundbreaking legislation passed last year. Within two years, about 44 million people in the Union adopted this technology for their lives. Economic efficiency improved, record-breaking productivity increases in all major industries, and now emerging markets in Europe and Asia. But this have given rise to more corporations wanting to develop civilian cybernetics and body part prosthetic replacement, and more political haggling in the bureaucracies and backrooms to allow these things. The Archbishop of Canterbury from his lectern of the Union Cathedral in Victoria denounced the tech, and the emergence of the supportive group the All-Union Transhumanism Advancement Organization (AUTAO) and the opposition group the Human Liberation Front (HLF) right after the Cybernetic and Special Prosthetic Technology Regulation Act 2016 (the "Cyborg Legalisation Act") was passed. There were already two major HLF riots in New York and Chicago in the 5 months after the Act was passed and given Royal Assent. Society was fundamentally changing right before Livingstone's eyes. He didn't want to cyberize, but he saw the benefits and the costs. International agreements and domestic legislation would have to be forged in this new world.

"Yessir." said Bradsley. He walked out of the room to contact Asgill. Livingstone went up to the DG's office.

Office of the HID Director-General

"Sir, there are no JPS agents within 100 miles of the UCT. And we are 99% certain. Unless the JPS did this off the books, which isn't like them." said Livingstone. "A false accusation, then. The Germans are known for this. Poland and Norway during the Second World War, for example." said Director-General Charles De Ville. "I'll inform the Home and Foreign Offices, and the appropriate authorities for the JPS agents." said Livingstone. "Do it. We got the Germans in a snare this time." said the DG. "Yessir, right away." said Livingstone. "Livy, I think your Directorate will be established as a separate entity soon. You take up most of the budget." "Be that as it may, Director-General, this has been a very productive and groundbreaking program, the Diving system and Bravado III. Bardsley is a superb intelligence analyst." replied Livingstone. "Well, after this, you will be the first Director-General of a separate Signals Intelligence and Information Security Department. You have my blessing and recommendation. Dismissed." "Thank you sir." Livingstone left the office to return to his own to inform the Foreign and Home Offices, and the right people about the JPS agents.

RNAMP Prowler Car, on the way to the German Embassy, Victoria, UCT, UBNA

"...I see. Thank you Bardsley. Give Livingstone my regards, and tell him we need to have a drink after this case. You are invited too, of course. You helped smash this case. You did all of the work. Good job." said Asgill, who was on his phone and in the back seat. "Thank you, sir. It would be an honor. Goodbye." said Bardsley over the phone. After Bardsley hung up, Asgill told his team. "It seems someone or some people in the German Embassy have fibbed about the death of Ambassador Ziegler." "What, really?" asked Stanley who was driving. "You mean, someone in the embassy wanted Ziegler dead." said Flannery. "Yes, but who, that is something we need to find out. We'll have to investigate the crime scene as well as the embassy's security footage. I imagine someone may come up with fake video, and tampered with the scene, or even staged the room. Assignments haven't changed though. Stanley is on the security footage, Flannery is with me at the crime scene." "What about the file of the JPS agents we have given to us by the Home Office Intel Department? It's got to be old now by a month or two." said Flannery. "Bardsley found the two agents on that file--they are in New Orleans Federal Prison right now. We'll use it to find out who really knew about the assassination. They probably would be quick to blame one the people in the file. It'll be like a variation of the Prisoners' Dilemma--no one has really seen these people, so there cannot be anyone agreed upon to be the scapegoat, and so there would be a discrepancy in there stories." The car drove through the opened gate of the embassy just as Asgill finished explaining his plan. "Ok. Everyone be on the lookout for suspicious people in the embassy. Here are your copies of the two men in the file to show to the security and clerical staff." The car stopped at the entrance of the embassy, the three men got out, and an embassy staff member led them to a room to wait for the head of embassy security, Johannes Weißmann.

[New Decius]

Embassy of the Empire of Japan, Berlin
Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire

Just as Japanese mobs had surrounded the German embassy and consulates in the Japanese Empire, similar German mobs surrounded the Japanese embassy and consulates in Germany. However, today the normal crowd of enraged students and veterans was forced to disperse by the arrival of several squads of soldiers from the Kaiserliche Armee, a change from the usual police dispersion. Normally the Ordnungspolizei (Order Police) dispersed the crowd slowly and almost tiredly, not today. The soldiers shouted and shoved and gestured with their assault rifles, some even kicked stubborn protesters to the ground to get their point across. They were however less rough with the citizens wearing veteran emblems, but still the square was cleared all the same. This was quite a shock for both the protesters and the Japanese guards at the embassy-the German police were largely reluctant when it came to dispersing the crowds at least once a week. These soldiers were effective and willing in their task and established a perimeter around the square with a black Feisler Fe-109 attack helicopter hovering over the area within minutes.

An Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant Colonel) in charge of the operation approached the Japanese guards outside the compound and saluted. The markings on his uniform identified him as a member of the Gardes du Corps, the personal bodyguard of the German Emperor, meaning this group of soldiers were here at the order of the Kaiser himself! Now there was indeed a real shock for the Japanese guards and the crowd of German civilian's observing the situation. Why would the Kaiser's bodyguard be breaking up a riot at an embassy. The answer soon became clear.

The Oberstleutnant spoke fluent, if accented, Japanese. "Prepare to receive His Imperial and Royal Majesty, Erwin Ludwig I, Emperor of Germany and King of Prussia. His Majesty desires a meeting with the ambassador immediately and he shall be arriving shortly. Our orders are to hold the crowd at bay until said meeting has concluded, that is all." the officer then saluted once more. He returned to the center of the square and switched back to German for issuing orders to his men. "I want this cordon sealed tight. The KPD has been acting up lately and they are not to have any opportunity at His Majesty. The first man I see so much as relax, will be shot!" Moments later another black helicopter entered the area and came in for a landing in the square.

When the doors opened, who should exit the craft but the Kaiser himself. He had forgone the usual Prussian white uniform for a modest black suit and red tie. Like all members of the Germania Dynasty, he possessed cerulean blue eyes and flaxen blond hair trimmed neatly at the sides and back. Erwin Ludiwg I did however wear a pair of rounded spectacles like his Great-Uncle Heinrich la Germania und Habsburg, the current Emperor of Austria, does. However though his Great-Uncle is a former Field Marshal and also more than fifty years his senior, the young Kaiser holds far more power in his hands. Heinrich's Austrian Empire is a non-nuclear armed German vassal that commands only Austria, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Croatia, whereas Erwin commands an empire that controls territory on three continents. The Kaiser is accompanied by several guards in plain clothes as well as a young woman in her late teens dressed in a conservative black blazer and skirt.

The ruler of the German Empire, and of the European Community (German system of alliances in Europe including Italy, Hungary, Bulgaria, and Sweden), strode towards the gates of the compound with determination marked upon his features. Once the crowd saw him though, half the square erupted in cheers and chants while the other half was shocked as to why he was here. In a display of intelligence, Erwin spoke Japanese to the guards fluently and with a barely noticeable accent.

"I trust the Ambassador is in. I desire a meeting at once regarding the current situation between our two nations. I would advise your superior grasp this opportunity while they can. The next time I will be available for discussion is six months from now. And given the current situation do any of us want to wait that long?"

Victoria

Johannes lead the men inside the compound and towards the security room. "Gentlemen, we've been carefully going over the security footage and it seems we found how the culprit got in. Apparently a matter of faulty wiring enabled their entry." He elaborated further. "As you no doubt no, most diplomatic enclaves electrify the walls of their compound's for added security. It would seem a fuse blew and the walls were shut down without our knowledge. So the assailant was able to scale the wall and enter the compound." They arrived at the embassy security room and were led over to the main station showing the outside camera's. "Helmut, bring up the footage you found." The technical officer pulled up the video file which showed the dark figure using a hook and rope to scale the outer wall and then jumped to the ambassador's window.

Though this was the fake footage, the technician's at Abwehr Headquarters certainly knew what they were doing. Well that and advanced computer technology allowed them to create a more than convincing video file showing an assailant entering the building from outside. "Unfortunately, there are no camera's inside the Ambassador's chambers and I regret to say that I did not get a very good look at his face during the struggle. I can tell you he was tall and somewhat stocky." Then there was a fire in Johannes eyes. "But it must be the Japanese! They were furious we chose to hold naval exercises in the Pacific and Ambassador Ziegler was a strong supporter of the exercises. It must be them! Maybe a Japanese agent did not themselves do it, but they could have arranged it. We have a strong case building that they are covertly supplying the KPD for a rising against the monarchy. Perhaps they got one of the filthy communist dogs to do it for them."

He calmed down after that and cleared his throat. "If you would like I can have a guard escort one of you to the crime scene. We have yet to move the body."

[The Union of British North America]

Victoria, UCT, UBNA
German Embassy

Asgill, Flannery, and Stanley all knew WeiBmann was being overly disheveled about this, enough to make them feel uncomfortable. Of course, German officers were known for boisterous declarations and explanations, especially when it came to military matters. And they would be very agitated by this murder given they are very nationalistic and have huge disliking about the JPS. But his explanation was somewhat convincing, and due to circumstantial evidence already presented, it would be compelling to those who haven't heard what the SIIS Directorate dug up an hour ago. The report from Bardsley almost completely ruled out a direct JPS involvement. But more evidence needed to be collected. A setback, a stumble, but not a fall, for the investigation team. "All right then. Standartenfuhrer WeiBmann, I want Lt. Col. Stanley to check out where the assailant came in at the embassy wall, and where the blown fuse is for the wall's electric fence. Stanley here is an investigative expert at electronics and mechanics. Major Flannery and I will check the ambassador's room. We would also ask to see if anyone saw someone unauthorized in the part of the embassy that the Ambassador was in, or in any other unauthorized area? The Special Branch CSI Unit will investigate the room, they should be arriving now. Flannery and I will interview any of the security or clerical staff who saw anything, anything at all while Captain Holiday and her CSI team check out the deceased's room." asked Asgill.

[Japan and Pacific States]

Embassy of the Empire of Japan, Berlin
Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire

Just as Japanese mobs had surrounded the German embassy and consulates in the Japanese Empire, similar German mobs surrounded the Japanese embassy and consulates in Germany. However, today the normal crowd of enraged students and veterans was forced to disperse by the arrival of several squads of soldiers from the Kaiserliche Armee, a change from the usual police dispersion. Normally the Ordnungspolizei (Order Police) dispersed the crowd slowly and almost tiredly, not today. The soldiers shouted and shoved and gestured with their assault rifles, some even kicked stubborn protesters to the ground to get their point across. They were however less rough with the citizens wearing veteran emblems, but still the square was cleared all the same. This was quite a shock for both the protesters and the Japanese guards at the embassy-the German police were largely reluctant when it came to dispersing the crowds at least once a week. These soldiers were effective and willing in their task and established a perimeter around the square with a black Feisler Fe-109 attack helicopter hovering over the area within minutes.

An Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant Colonel) in charge of the operation approached the Japanese guards outside the compound and saluted. The markings on his uniform identified him as a member of the Gardes du Corps, the personal bodyguard of the German Emperor, meaning this group of soldiers were here at the order of the Kaiser himself! Now there was indeed a real shock for the Japanese guards and the crowd of German civilian's observing the situation. Why would the Kaiser's bodyguard be breaking up a riot at an embassy. The answer soon became clear.

The Oberstleutnant spoke fluent, if accented, Japanese. "Prepare to receive His Imperial and Royal Majesty, Erwin Ludwig I, Emperor of Germany and King of Prussia. His Majesty desires a meeting with the ambassador immediately and he shall be arriving shortly. Our orders are to hold the crowd at bay until said meeting has concluded, that is all." the officer then saluted once more. He returned to the center of the square and switched back to German for issuing orders to his men. "I want this cordon sealed tight. The KPD has been acting up lately and they are not to have any opportunity at His Majesty. The first man I see so much as relax, will be shot!" Moments later another black helicopter entered the area and came in for a landing in the square.

When the doors opened, who should exit the craft but the Kaiser himself. He had forgone the usual Prussian white uniform for a modest black suit and red tie. Like all members of the Germania Dynasty, he possessed cerulean blue eyes and flaxen blond hair trimmed neatly at the sides and back. Erwin Ludiwg I did however wear a pair of rounded spectacles like his Great-Uncle Heinrich la Germania und Habsburg, the current Emperor of Austria, does. However though his Great-Uncle is a former Field Marshal and also more than fifty years his senior, the young Kaiser holds far more power in his hands. Heinrich's Austrian Empire is a non-nuclear armed German vassal that commands only Austria, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Croatia, whereas Erwin commands an empire that controls territory on three continents. The Kaiser is accompanied by several guards in plain clothes as well as a young woman in her late teens dressed in a conservative black blazer and skirt.

The ruler of the German Empire, and of the European Community (German system of alliances in Europe including Italy, Hungary, Bulgaria, and Sweden), strode towards the gates of the compound with determination marked upon his features. Once the crowd saw him though, half the square erupted in cheers and chants while the other half was shocked as to why he was here. In a display of intelligence, Erwin spoke Japanese to the guards fluently and with a barely noticeable accent.

"I trust the Ambassador is in. I desire a meeting at once regarding the current situation between our two nations. I would advise your superior grasp this opportunity while they can. The next time I will be available for discussion is six months from now. And given the current situation do any of us want to wait that long?"

Embassy of the Empire of Japan, Berlin
Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire

At the gate Erwin was met by a Tozama and a Non-nobility member of the IJRG, listening to what he said, the Tozama looked to the Non-nobility member and spoke to him in Japanese. Not a second later after the Tozama finished speaking to the Non-nobility member, the Non-nobility member ran to the embassy, of course the Tozama remained there while the group at the gate waited and a few minutes later a Vassal Retainer of the IJRG came out with a Fudai and the Non-nobility member. "Open the gate!" The Vassal Retainer yelled, the vassal retainer was Makabe Sukerokurou a Vassal Retainer, more of a single minded by the books military type than anyone else at the embassy, the gates were opened by the Tozama readjusting her Type 64 Battle Rifle over her shoulder while the Vassal Retainer, Fudai and the Non-nobility member stepped forward with the Vassal Retainer bowing his head, of which he hated to do, the Japanese and all Asians in their empire had gained a sort of feeling of superiority over the western countries like Germany or UBNA, they had won a world war despite them being but a small island nation, expanding into a large empire that covered over a quarter of the globe. They did what most considered at the time to be an impossibility. "I am Vassal Retainer Makabe Sukerokurou, I am to escort you to Ambassador Sakaki." Makabe raised his head holding his hands behind his back.

Sakaki stood in the window overlooking the square looking down on the scene, she was of course wearing the Japanese United Nations uniforms which looked somewhat just barely like the IJRG uniform a black uniform with blue trim, skirt, double breasted button uniform jacket and tie. Adjusting her glasses she sighed and rolled her eyes. "Dammit... The Kaiser? Really? They have the gall to accuse us of killing their ambassador and then show up unannounced." Nodding her head she turned around and walked to her desk pressing a button on a panel on the desk. "Tozama, please bring up five members of the IJRG to my office before the Kaiser gets up here with his little bodyguard... I don't like this." Sakaki took her hand off the button, the panel itself essentially consisted of multiple buttons, one for closing the blinds, one was a direct line to the Imperial Military General Headquarters, another turned the lights on or off, and lastly the one she pushed was a direct line to the IJRG's office in the embassy. Within the time allotted, three Non nobility members of the IJRG entered with Type 05 assault rifles slung over their shoulders taking up positions at each doorway and two Tozamas took up positions directly to each side of the Ambassador. No chance would be taken in this meeting for anything to happen. There was now officially no trust what so ever between Japan and Germany in any official or unofficial capacity.

[New Decius]

Embassy of the Empire of Japan, Berlin
Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire

Just as Japanese mobs had surrounded the German embassy and consulates in the Japanese Empire, similar German mobs surrounded the Japanese embassy and consulates in Germany. However, today the normal crowd of enraged students and veterans was forced to disperse by the arrival of several squads of soldiers from the Kaiserliche Armee, a change from the usual police dispersion. Normally the Ordnungspolizei (Order Police) dispersed the crowd slowly and almost tiredly, not today. The soldiers shouted and shoved and gestured with their assault rifles, some even kicked stubborn protesters to the ground to get their point across. They were however less rough with the citizens wearing veteran emblems, but still the square was cleared all the same. This was quite a shock for both the protesters and the Japanese guards at the embassy-the German police were largely reluctant when it came to dispersing the crowds at least once a week. These soldiers were effective and willing in their task and established a perimeter around the square with a black Feisler Fe-109 attack helicopter hovering over the area within minutes.

An Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant Colonel) in charge of the operation approached the Japanese guards outside the compound and saluted. The markings on his uniform identified him as a member of the Gardes du Corps, the personal bodyguard of the German Emperor, meaning this group of soldiers were here at the order of the Kaiser himself! Now there was indeed a real shock for the Japanese guards and the crowd of German civilian's observing the situation. Why would the Kaiser's bodyguard be breaking up a riot at an embassy. The answer soon became clear.

The Oberstleutnant spoke fluent, if accented, Japanese. "Prepare to receive His Imperial and Royal Majesty, Erwin Ludwig I, Emperor of Germany and King of Prussia. His Majesty desires a meeting with the ambassador immediately and he shall be arriving shortly. Our orders are to hold the crowd at bay until said meeting has concluded, that is all." the officer then saluted once more. He returned to the center of the square and switched back to German for issuing orders to his men. "I want this cordon sealed tight. The KPD has been acting up lately and they are not to have any opportunity at His Majesty. The first man I see so much as relax, will be shot!" Moments later another black helicopter entered the area and came in for a landing in the square.

When the doors opened, who should exit the craft but the Kaiser himself. He had forgone the usual Prussian white uniform for a modest black suit and red tie. Like all members of the Germania Dynasty, he possessed cerulean blue eyes and flaxen blond hair trimmed neatly at the sides and back. Erwin Ludiwg I did however wear a pair of rounded spectacles like his Great-Uncle Heinrich la Germania und Habsburg, the current Emperor of Austria, does. However though his Great-Uncle is a former Field Marshal and also more than fifty years his senior, the young Kaiser holds far more power in his hands. Heinrich's Austrian Empire is a non-nuclear armed German vassal that commands only Austria, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Croatia, whereas Erwin commands an empire that controls territory on three continents. The Kaiser is accompanied by several guards in plain clothes as well as a young woman in her late teens dressed in a conservative black blazer and skirt.

The ruler of the German Empire, and of the European Community (German system of alliances in Europe including Italy, Hungary, Bulgaria, and Sweden), strode towards the gates of the compound with determination marked upon his features. Once the crowd saw him though, half the square erupted in cheers and chants while the other half was shocked as to why he was here. In a display of intelligence, Erwin spoke Japanese to the guards fluently and with a barely noticeable accent.

"I trust the Ambassador is in. I desire a meeting at once regarding the current situation between our two nations. I would advise your superior grasp this opportunity while they can. The next time I will be available for discussion is six months from now. And given the current situation do any of us want to wait that long?"

Embassy of the Empire of Japan, Berlin
Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire

At the gate Erwin was met by a Tozama and a Non-nobility member of the IJRG, listening to what he said, the Tozama looked to the Non-nobility member and spoke to him in Japanese. Not a second later after the Tozama finished speaking to the Non-nobility member, the Non-nobility member ran to the embassy, of course the Tozama remained there while the group at the gate waited and a few minutes later a Vassal Retainer of the IJRG came out with a Fudai and the Non-nobility member. "Open the gate!" The Vassal Retainer yelled, the vassal retainer was Makabe Seijyurou a recently graduated Vassal Retainer from an IJRG training school, more of a single minded by the books military type than anyone else at the embassy, the gates were opened by the Tozama readjusting her Type 64 Battle Rifle over her shoulder while the Vassal Retainer, Fudai and the Non-nobility member stepped forward with the Vassal Retainer bowing his head, of which he hated to do, the Japanese and all Asians in their empire had gained a sort of feeling of superiority over the western countries like Germany or UBNA, they had won a world war despite them being but a small island nation, expanding into a large empire that covered over a quarter of the globe. They did what most considered at the time to be an impossibility. "I am Vassal Retainer Makabe Seijyurou, I am to escort you to Ambassador Sakaki." Makabe raised his head holding his hands behind his back.

Sakaki stood in the window overlooking the square looking down on the scene, she was of course wearing the Japanese United Nations uniforms which looked somewhat just barely like the IJRG uniform a black uniform with blue trim, skirt, double breasted button uniform jacket and tie. Adjusting her glasses she sighed and rolled her eyes. "Dammit... The Kaiser? Really? They have the gall to accuse us of killing their ambassador and then show up unannounced." Nodding her head she turned around and walked to her desk pressing a button on a panel on the desk. "Tozama, please bring up five members of the IJRG to my office before the Kaiser gets up here with his little bodyguard... I don't like this." Sakaki took her hand off the button, the panel itself essentially consisted of multiple buttons, one for closing the blinds, one was a direct line to the Imperial Military General Headquarters, another turned the lights on or off, and lastly the one she pushed was a direct line to the IJRG's office in the embassy. Within the time allotted, three Non nobility members of the IJRG entered with Type 05 assault rifles slung over their shoulders taking up positions at each doorway and two Tozamas took up positions directly to each side of the Ambassador. No chance would be taken in this meeting for anything to happen. There was now officially no trust what so ever between Japan and Germany in any official or unofficial capacity.

Berlin

The small three man team with the Kaiser carried only their Walther P-73 sidearms which did nothing to ease their nerves as they flanked their sovereign into the embassy. Given the current situation, it was quite possible that His Majesty could be killed by the IJRG forces inside the embassy, but if they did then the Kaiserliche Armee troops outside would ensure that no one left the building alive. Not to mention it would plunge the entire world into a devastating war-both Germany and Japan stood as technologically advanced superpowers, each commanding a fourth of the globe and millions of soldiers under arms. Even without MAD taking place the world would suffer from a conventional war as well. Though, His Majesty had no intention of the fight starting here, it was far too soon and Germany was not yet ready on all fronts for the coming conflict.

The twenty-nine year old Emperor of Germany was a picture of calm as they were led to the Ambassador's office. Erwin was a bit of a singularity in modern German history, being the only Kaiser of the last four to not serve in the military prior to his ascending the throne. His father (Wilhelm Augustus III) and grandfather (Siegfried Mannheim II) had both served with the Kaiserliche Armee for at least a decade before they took the throne and his great-grandfather (Wilhelm Augustus I) had been a combat pilot in the Luftwaffe. Though Erwin had attended university in Zurich for a career as a diplomat, then the fascist's tried to seize power and he was the only remaining member of the line of succession that the Loyalists would rally behind. He quickly gained the respect of the military elite of Germany by embarking on an extensive expansion of the space program. Now was the time to strike out on the path of conquest that Germany had followed since the empire was reborn in the 1950's and which had led to dominance in Europe and Africa.

Finally they arrived in Ambassador Sakaki's office and the presence of the armed guards carrying battle rifles did more than worry the small security detail, it raised their hackles to high heaven. But Erwin calmly stepped forward and bowed to the Ambassador in a show of respect and deference as this was technically Japanese soil inside the embassy. He also chose to speak in Japanese as well to further appease those in the room. "Your Grace it is a pleasure to speak with you though if I am correct this is also our first meeting since I took the throne, unless there is an occasion I have forgotten. I had hoped to meet under better circumstances than this, there are a lot of guns in this room on both sides, but I suppose it cannot be avoided." He gestured for his security detail to relax a little, and maybe they did just a little, their shoulder's became slightly less stiff and their eyes stopped wildly scanning the room.

"Firstly allow me to state that despite what has been reported, outside of the hasty reaction and assumption by the guards at the Victoria embassy and the state government of Belgium, the German Empire neither blames nor suspects the Japanese Empire of assassinating Henri Ziegler. At this point in time I understand the Abwehr suspects communist radicals within our borders of committing the crime. Secondly, let it be known that I requested this meeting regarding a cooling of tensions that have built up between our nations. A petty squabble that has spiraled out of control threatens stability in both our nations. It is my goal to resolve this tension." Erwin very much doubted they would take his word at face value, but he powered on none the less. "As I understand it, several of our warships came within a close distance of Japanese waters on a small number of occasions. For this I do apologize, these officers were acting without orders from the Naval High Command here in Berlin and have since been reprimanded and stripped of their rank. I understand the Japanese people were quite incensed by this perceived intrusion, hence the mob at our embassy. However, not long after a cache of weapons was stolen from your embassy here in Berlin and found its way into the hands of the KPD whom used them to launch an attack against a military academy and a corporate office in which several dozen were killed. The German people were rather angry that you did not take greater lengths to assist our Kriminalpolizei in tracking down these stolen weapons."

"What followed was a rather petty matter of both sides cancelling visas for foreign citizens staying in our respective empire's. We closed our consulate in Osaka shortly thereafter. Though if I am correct the Japanese Empire took, and I assume continues to take, objection to our decision to hold joint-naval exercises in the Northern Pacific with our Italian allies. On that matter I will state that the exercises are completely legal and in international waters, analysts have assured they posed no great danger to any commercial interests of nations in the region. Though, I can understand why you took objection to these war games, after all if for example the British and French chose to hold war games in the North Sea involving about a hundred warships including quite a few carriers and nuclear missile submarines, only forty kilometers from German shores, we would object as well. Perhaps that matter can be resolved." This was no great concession on Germany's part-ending the war games early mattered very little to the grand scheme of things. By now upgrades to the naval bases in Indochina and the Karolin Islands were almost completed and the entire fleet could be dispersed and rebased to nearby ports.

"Recently, the Communist bandits in our territory of Indochina have been receiving a flow of support from a foreign state, including Russian and American weapons. We of course do not suspect Japan as supplying these terrorists but as a partner in the region, if the Japanese Empire could assist in locating the lifeline of the bandits it would be most appreciated. And if the bandits were to suddenly lose their foreign supplier, we would very much have no need to continue conducting military exercises in the Pacific." The Abwehr had a more than well-backed up case pointing towards Japan as supplying the Communists in Indochina with new weapons and equipment. But if Germany openly accused Japan of supplying the terrorists then it was fairly easy for Japan to deny it and go on. Or they could turn it around to claim Germany had been covertly shipping small portions of its Cold War-era equipment to the Chinese Nationalists over the years. Which Germany had in fact done several times in the past decade. But here was a simple offer, end the Communist pipeline and the war games would end.

Victoria

Weißmann nodded and called over one of the guards to take Stanley over to the South Wall where the assailant had entered the compound and then the fuse box for the electric fence. He then answered the question regarding witnesses. "Unfortunately the assailant only entered the Ambassador's chambers and only stayed long enough to commit the murder. I caught him just after he had put one in the Ambassador's head. As I said I didn't get much of a good look at him. I can take you to his chambers though, please follow me."

Weißmann led them through the embassy and up to the second floor where the ambassador's room was located. Two guards with assault rifles stood by the door, barring entry. They relented though when they saw Weißmann. Johannes himself knew that when the Brit investigated the fuse box, he would find several wires cut-an act of sabotage that had apparently gone unnoticed by the guards. While slightly insulted that he had to appear so incompetent, Johannes knew he had a part to play and a way in which that part must be handled.

The room bore signs of a struggle, shattered vase, knocked over lamp, broken table. The Ambassador remained where he had been when he had died, in bed, bullet hole in his scalp, long since done bleeding. The pillow and bedspread were stained a dark red from the blood that had spread over them.

[Japan and Pacific States]

Berlin

The small three man team with the Kaiser carried only their Walther P-73 sidearms which did nothing to ease their nerves as they flanked their sovereign into the embassy. Given the current situation, it was quite possible that His Majesty could be killed by the IJRG forces inside the embassy, but if they did then the Kaiserliche Armee troops outside would ensure that no one left the building alive. Not to mention it would plunge the entire world into a devastating war-both Germany and Japan stood as technologically advanced superpowers, each commanding a fourth of the globe and millions of soldiers under arms. Even without MAD taking place the world would suffer from a conventional war as well. Though, His Majesty had no intention of the fight starting here, it was far too soon and Germany was not yet ready on all fronts for the coming conflict.

The twenty-nine year old Emperor of Germany was a picture of calm as they were led to the Ambassador's office. Erwin was a bit of a singularity in modern German history, being the only Kaiser of the last four to not serve in the military prior to his ascending the throne. His father (Wilhelm Augustus III) and grandfather (Siegfried Mannheim II) had both served with the Kaiserliche Armee for at least a decade before they took the throne and his great-grandfather (Wilhelm Augustus I) had been a combat pilot in the Luftwaffe. Though Erwin had attended university in Zurich for a career as a diplomat, then the fascist's tried to seize power and he was the only remaining member of the line of succession that the Loyalists would rally behind. He quickly gained the respect of the military elite of Germany by embarking on an extensive expansion of the space program. Now was the time to strike out on the path of conquest that Germany had followed since the empire was reborn in the 1950's and which had led to dominance in Europe and Africa.

Finally they arrived in Ambassador Sakaki's office and the presence of the armed guards carrying battle rifles did more than worry the small security detail, it raised their hackles to high heaven. But Erwin calmly stepped forward and bowed to the Ambassador in a show of respect and deference as this was technically Japanese soil inside the embassy. He also chose to speak in Japanese as well to further appease those in the room. "Your Grace it is a pleasure to speak with you though if I am correct this is also our first meeting since I took the throne, unless there is an occasion I have forgotten. I had hoped to meet under better circumstances than this, there are a lot of guns in this room on both sides, but I suppose it cannot be avoided." He gestured for his security detail to relax a little, and maybe they did just a little, their shoulder's became slightly less stiff and their eyes stopped wildly scanning the room.

"Firstly allow me to state that despite what has been reported, outside of the hasty reaction and assumption by the guards at the Victoria embassy and the state government of Belgium, the German Empire neither blames nor suspects the Japanese Empire of assassinating Henri Ziegler. At this point in time I understand the Abwehr suspects communist radicals within our borders of committing the crime. Secondly, let it be known that I requested this meeting regarding a cooling of tensions that have built up between our nations. A petty squabble that has spiraled out of control threatens stability in both our nations. It is my goal to resolve this tension." Erwin very much doubted they would take his word at face value, but he powered on none the less. "As I understand it, several of our warships came within a close distance of Japanese waters on a small number of occasions. For this I do apologize, these officers were acting without orders from the Naval High Command here in Berlin and have since been reprimanded and stripped of their rank. I understand the Japanese people were quite incensed by this perceived intrusion, hence the mob at our embassy. However, not long after a cache of weapons was stolen from your embassy here in Berlin and found its way into the hands of the KPD whom used them to launch an attack against a military academy and a corporate office in which several dozen were killed. The German people were rather angry that you did not take greater lengths to assist our Kriminalpolizei in tracking down these stolen weapons."

"What followed was a rather petty matter of both sides cancelling visas for foreign citizens staying in our respective empire's. We closed our consulate in Osaka shortly thereafter. Though if I am correct the Japanese Empire took, and I assume continues to take, objection to our decision to hold joint-naval exercises in the Northern Pacific with our Italian allies. On that matter I will state that the exercises are completely legal and in international waters, analysts have assured they posed no great danger to any commercial interests of nations in the region. Though, I can understand why you took objection to these war games, after all if for example the British and French chose to hold war games in the North Sea involving about a hundred warships including quite a few carriers and nuclear missile submarines, only forty kilometers from German shores, we would object as well. Perhaps that matter can be resolved." This was no great concession on Germany's part-ending the war games early mattered very little to the grand scheme of things. By now upgrades to the naval bases in Indochina and the Karolin Islands were almost completed and the entire fleet could be dispersed and rebased to nearby ports.

"Recently, the Communist bandits in our territory of Indochina have been receiving a flow of support from a foreign state, including Russian and American weapons. We of course do not suspect Japan as supplying these terrorists but as a partner in the region, if the Japanese Empire could assist in locating the lifeline of the bandits it would be most appreciated. And if the bandits were to suddenly lose their foreign supplier, we would very much have no need to continue conducting military exercises in the Pacific." The Abwehr had a more than well-backed up case pointing towards Japan as supplying the Communists in Indochina with new weapons and equipment. But if Germany openly accused Japan of supplying the terrorists then it was fairly easy for Japan to deny it and go on. Or they could turn it around to claim Germany had been covertly shipping small portions of its Cold War-era equipment to the Chinese Nationalists over the years. Which Germany had in fact done several times in the past decade. But here was a simple offer, end the Communist pipeline and the war games would end.

Berlin, The German Empire, Kingdom of Prussia, Empire of Japanese Pacific States Embassy, Ambassador Sakaki Chizuru's office

Sakaki silently listed to the Kaiser's spiel, as he went on about the events recently with the supposed assassination by Japan on the Belgian born German ambassador, then the multiple incidents over the years with Imperial German Navy ships coming close to the Japanese homeland then the war games in the pacific and finally the to what Sakaki clearly understood was Germany's assumption of Japanese supplying of the communist partisans in Indochina, a territory of which at the end of WWII up unto the 1950s was a Japanese territory before it was "given" over to Imperial Germany and how if such supplies were not allowed to get through the war games in the Pacific would halt. "You've no reason to continue or have started military exercises in the pacific then. We are not supplying any "bandits" as you call them, if they are receiving weapons from Japanese companies then it is the burden of the company of which the weapons originated to stop selling their weapons, the Shogunate does not take interest in such matters, but understand if these... War games were to continue to take place then the will of the Japanese people to secure the mainland from any perceived threats is greater than that of the Shogun herself." Japan wasn't scared by much, especially nowadays since the past events of the incidents with German ships coming close to the Japanese mainland had caused demands for a increase in the naval budget which went to more aircraft carriers and missile carrying warships.

"I should remind you I am not a common peasant, a member of my own family was at one point the Prime Minister of Japan, I was given a decent education as befitting my job, I'm no idiot, Kaiser. As for your claim that your country doesn't blame Japan for the unfortunate death of your ambassador, let me be clear, had such an order been given by the Shogun it would have been for the intent of going to war and beforehand my office here would have been closed. We are not underhanded barbarians that would use such methods to start a war, instead we would prefer to attack military targets, not civilian." Sakaki would make it clear to the Kaiser that pinning such an attack on the Empire would not be easy, and of course she was right, only military targets in recent years were attacked by Japan before they started any conflict what so ever, civilians usually weren't among the dead except when they picked up weapons in the name of the country that was being attacked, then to the Japanese they weren't considered civilians from that point forward.

"Is that all Herr Kaiser?" Sakaki wasn't one for beating around a bush for sure, something she picked up from her father of whom was the Prime Minister of Japan from 2001 to 2010. She would be blunt especially with the Germans, clarity that Japan wouldn't be the one to start a war in this case unless it was absolutely necessary was the point of which Sakaki was trying to get across. "I will of course pass your supposed... Offer onto the Shogun but as I've said, we do not support communists in any shape or form. And I'd like to request any captured weapons from the communists of whom stole the ones from our embassy are to be returned along with any ammunition for them salvaged." Sakaki pushed her glasses back on her nose while she sat at her desk her hands clasped together.

[The Union of British North America]

Victoria, UCT, UBNA
German Embassy Inner Perimeter, Electric Fence Power Station

Stanley walked with the embassy guard Hans Schmidt to where the blown fuse was. 'Blown fuse', the phrase used by WeiBmann. When Stanley saw the fuse box, he didn't see the usual explosive residue, though some fine dark brown/blackish dirt and some grease was thrown here and there around the box. He didn't see any parts of the wires on the ground. Nor any metal pieces on the ground. The box's little metal door to cover the system was open, but the latch was still attached, with the small lock on the ground. Usually, the metal latch would be blown off, and a large overload or explosion would be needed to shut down the electrical system of this part of the embassy wall. But this all had the trappings of careful cutting, even though the person who cut these wires cut each in different places to make them appear like it was an accident or faulty wiring that led to an explosion. But this was sloppy work for a cover up.

So, there either was someone in the embassy who wanted Ambassador Henri Ziegler dead and attempted to cover it up, or there was an outside assassin, JPS or not, with terrible inside help. WeiBmann, who suggested the fuse was blown, was either honestly mistaken about how the power for the wall was cut off, or he failed to remember a crucial detail to keep his story straight. Of course, WeiBmann is a suspect, as is essentially all of the staff. There wasn't enough evidence to suggest him, however, but there is at least the near-certain piece of evidence that there weren't any JPS agents in the region around Victoria--HID has improved on monitoring JPS agents since the beginning of the Cold War. Maybe the assassin was German, or at least not Japanese? It's possible. WeiBmann said he didn't get a good look at the assailant, but did say the guy was tall and stocky. So, did WeiBmann see the assassin close enough, or just assumed from the camera footage? The Major General and Flannery needed to get WeiBmann's alibi. There were still too many unknowns, but at least faulty wiring could be ruled out. The assassin had help. An assassin relying on a serendipitous opportunity such as getting over the embassy wall that was electrified and hoping the fuse was out is too unlikely.

"Mr. Schimdt. I need to see the possible or known locations for the assassin's entry into the embassy building itself. Could you take me to that place or those places?" asked Stanley in his accented German.

Ambassador Henri Ziegler's Quarters, Third Floor of the German Embassy, Victoria

Captain Samantha Holiday, head of the RNAMP's Special Branch CSI Unit saluted Asgill and WeiBmann. "Sirs, we'll get straight to work on forensic evidence collection. We'll analyse most of the forensic evidence at the lab, but we can do some analysis here. For example, blood splatter. I'll get to work on that while Lieutenants Isaac and Mellow collect the evidence that need to go to the lab." "Thank you. Captain. No doubt the evidence collected here will add more to our understanding of this mystery." said Asgill.

[New Decius]

Berlin

The small three man team with the Kaiser carried only their Walther P-73 sidearms which did nothing to ease their nerves as they flanked their sovereign into the embassy. Given the current situation, it was quite possible that His Majesty could be killed by the IJRG forces inside the embassy, but if they did then the Kaiserliche Armee troops outside would ensure that no one left the building alive. Not to mention it would plunge the entire world into a devastating war-both Germany and Japan stood as technologically advanced superpowers, each commanding a fourth of the globe and millions of soldiers under arms. Even without MAD taking place the world would suffer from a conventional war as well. Though, His Majesty had no intention of the fight starting here, it was far too soon and Germany was not yet ready on all fronts for the coming conflict.

The twenty-nine year old Emperor of Germany was a picture of calm as they were led to the Ambassador's office. Erwin was a bit of a singularity in modern German history, being the only Kaiser of the last four to not serve in the military prior to his ascending the throne. His father (Wilhelm Augustus III) and grandfather (Siegfried Mannheim II) had both served with the Kaiserliche Armee for at least a decade before they took the throne and his great-grandfather (Wilhelm Augustus I) had been a combat pilot in the Luftwaffe. Though Erwin had attended university in Zurich for a career as a diplomat, then the fascist's tried to seize power and he was the only remaining member of the line of succession that the Loyalists would rally behind. He quickly gained the respect of the military elite of Germany by embarking on an extensive expansion of the space program. Now was the time to strike out on the path of conquest that Germany had followed since the empire was reborn in the 1950's and which had led to dominance in Europe and Africa.

Finally they arrived in Ambassador Sakaki's office and the presence of the armed guards carrying battle rifles did more than worry the small security detail, it raised their hackles to high heaven. But Erwin calmly stepped forward and bowed to the Ambassador in a show of respect and deference as this was technically Japanese soil inside the embassy. He also chose to speak in Japanese as well to further appease those in the room. "Your Grace it is a pleasure to speak with you though if I am correct this is also our first meeting since I took the throne, unless there is an occasion I have forgotten. I had hoped to meet under better circumstances than this, there are a lot of guns in this room on both sides, but I suppose it cannot be avoided." He gestured for his security detail to relax a little, and maybe they did just a little, their shoulder's became slightly less stiff and their eyes stopped wildly scanning the room.

"Firstly allow me to state that despite what has been reported, outside of the hasty reaction and assumption by the guards at the Victoria embassy and the state government of Belgium, the German Empire neither blames nor suspects the Japanese Empire of assassinating Henri Ziegler. At this point in time I understand the Abwehr suspects communist radicals within our borders of committing the crime. Secondly, let it be known that I requested this meeting regarding a cooling of tensions that have built up between our nations. A petty squabble that has spiraled out of control threatens stability in both our nations. It is my goal to resolve this tension." Erwin very much doubted they would take his word at face value, but he powered on none the less. "As I understand it, several of our warships came within a close distance of Japanese waters on a small number of occasions. For this I do apologize, these officers were acting without orders from the Naval High Command here in Berlin and have since been reprimanded and stripped of their rank. I understand the Japanese people were quite incensed by this perceived intrusion, hence the mob at our embassy. However, not long after a cache of weapons was stolen from your embassy here in Berlin and found its way into the hands of the KPD whom used them to launch an attack against a military academy and a corporate office in which several dozen were killed. The German people were rather angry that you did not take greater lengths to assist our Kriminalpolizei in tracking down these stolen weapons."

"What followed was a rather petty matter of both sides cancelling visas for foreign citizens staying in our respective empire's. We closed our consulate in Osaka shortly thereafter. Though if I am correct the Japanese Empire took, and I assume continues to take, objection to our decision to hold joint-naval exercises in the Northern Pacific with our Italian allies. On that matter I will state that the exercises are completely legal and in international waters, analysts have assured they posed no great danger to any commercial interests of nations in the region. Though, I can understand why you took objection to these war games, after all if for example the British and French chose to hold war games in the North Sea involving about a hundred warships including quite a few carriers and nuclear missile submarines, only forty kilometers from German shores, we would object as well. Perhaps that matter can be resolved." This was no great concession on Germany's part-ending the war games early mattered very little to the grand scheme of things. By now upgrades to the naval bases in Indochina and the Karolin Islands were almost completed and the entire fleet could be dispersed and rebased to nearby ports.

"Recently, the Communist bandits in our territory of Indochina have been receiving a flow of support from a foreign state, including Russian and American weapons. We of course do not suspect Japan as supplying these terrorists but as a partner in the region, if the Japanese Empire could assist in locating the lifeline of the bandits it would be most appreciated. And if the bandits were to suddenly lose their foreign supplier, we would very much have no need to continue conducting military exercises in the Pacific." The Abwehr had a more than well-backed up case pointing towards Japan as supplying the Communists in Indochina with new weapons and equipment. But if Germany openly accused Japan of supplying the terrorists then it was fairly easy for Japan to deny it and go on. Or they could turn it around to claim Germany had been covertly shipping small portions of its Cold War-era equipment to the Chinese Nationalists over the years. Which Germany had in fact done several times in the past decade. But here was a simple offer, end the Communist pipeline and the war games would end.

Berlin, The German Empire, Kingdom of Prussia, Empire of Japanese Pacific States Embassy, Ambassador Sakaki Chizuru's office

Sakaki silently listed to the Kaiser's spiel, as he went on about the events recently with the supposed assassination by Japan on the Belgian born German ambassador, then the multiple incidents over the years with Imperial German Navy ships coming close to the Japanese homeland then the war games in the pacific and finally the to what Sakaki clearly understood was Germany's assumption of Japanese supplying of the communist partisans in Indochina, a territory of which at the end of WWII up unto the 1950s was a Japanese territory before it was "given" over to Imperial Germany and how if such supplies were not allowed to get through the war games in the Pacific would halt. "You've no reason to continue or have started military exercises in the pacific then. We are not supplying any "bandits" as you call them, if they are receiving weapons from Japanese companies then it is the burden of the company of which the weapons originated to stop selling their weapons, the Shogunate does not take interest in such matters, but understand if these... War games were to continue to take place then the will of the Japanese people to secure the mainland from any perceived threats is greater than that of the Shogun herself." Japan wasn't scared by much, especially nowadays since the past events of the incidents with German ships coming close to the Japanese mainland had caused demands for a increase in the naval budget which went to more aircraft carriers and missile carrying warships.

"I should remind you I am not a common peasant, a member of my own family was at one point the Prime Minister of Japan, I was given a decent education as befitting my job, I'm no idiot, Kaiser. As for your claim that your country doesn't blame Japan for the unfortunate death of your ambassador, let me be clear, had such an order been given by the Shogun it would have been for the intent of going to war and beforehand my office here would have been closed. We are not underhanded barbarians that would use such methods to start a war, instead we would prefer to attack military targets, not civilian." Sakaki would make it clear to the Kaiser that pinning such an attack on the Empire would not be easy, and of course she was right, only military targets in recent years were attacked by Japan before they started any conflict what so ever, civilians usually weren't among the dead except when they picked up weapons in the name of the country that was being attacked, then to the Japanese they weren't considered civilians from that point forward.

"Is that all Herr Kaiser?" Sakaki wasn't one for beating around a bush for sure, something she picked up from her father of whom was the Prime Minister of Japan from 2001 to 2010. She would be blunt especially with the Germans, clarity that Japan wouldn't be the one to start a war in this case unless it was absolutely necessary was the point of which Sakaki was trying to get across. "I will of course pass your supposed... Offer onto the Shogun but as I've said, we do not support communists in any shape or form. And I'd like to request any captured weapons from the communists of whom stole the ones from our embassy are to be returned along with any ammunition for them salvaged." Sakaki pushed her glasses back on her nose while she sat at her desk her hands clasped together.

One of the guards practically snarled and took a step forward. "How dare you address the Kaiser in such a fashion! You filthy wretch! I should-" then he found himself on the receiving end of a slap to the face by none other than the Kaiser himself. "Franz that is quite enough. You are a member of the KSD, you must hold yourself to a higher standard and respect decorum where necessary. I will not have diplomatic envoy's spoken to in that manner in Germany. You will be silent."

Then he turned back to Sakaki but his expression was less calm and light-heartened. Now it was rather cold and uncaring. "You can deliver the following message then to the Shogun. The exercises in the North Pacific will not end anytime soon and ground warfare exercises will soon begin in Indochina. You may also inform the Shogun that the German Empire, the entire European Community actually, no longer recognizes Japan's right to ownership of Malaysia, New Guinea, or the Greater Sunda Islands." He pushed his sleeve up to check the time on his watch and then turned to the young lady next to him while turning to leave. "Cecile if you would please."

She stepped forward a sweet smile on her face. "Good day, I am Cecile van Haaten, Diplomatic Liaison of the European Community, in whose territory you technically now stand. By order of European Parliament Resolution #1106 all Japanese diplomatic enclaves including embassies and consulates within the territory of the European Community are to be shut down and all representatives expelled. These include the embassies in Berlin, Rome, Vienna, Budapest, Bucharest, Sofia, Helsinki, and Stockholm. Those who refuse to leave will be forcibly removed by EUROPOL officers." She stopped to take a breath but never lost that smile. "Similarly all European embassies within Japan will close down and the representatives return within the next two weeks, you have a similar time frame. Thank you for listening."

The Kaiser could be heard laughing down the hallway. "You can deliver the message to the Shogun on your way back to Japan."

Victoria

Just as Asgill, Flannery, and Staley were getting ahead in their investigation, they were all asked to meeting Colonel Weißmann in the lobby in the middle of their investigation. Weißmann appeared rather somber in his greeting of them, almost fearful even. "Gentlemen I'm afraid Berlin has just ordered us to cease the joint-investigation and allow our own authorities to handle the case. Apparently a team of KSD officers is on their way by plane to Victoria now to take over the case. And judging by their reputation I may myself be arrested for inefficiency. Nasty cruel bastards the KSD."

The Kaiserliche Siecherheitsdienst was as ruthless as the KGB in dealing with security threats and perceived disloyalty. The Ordnungspolizei kept the peace in the streets, the Kriminalpolizei were the criminal investigators, and the Abwehr were the spies. The KSD were the ones who made people disappear, never to be heard from again. Their reputation was known around the world for being ruthless and unforgiving, having total authority and amnesty direct from the Kaiser himself.

However, to any sane person, this would also smell of a cover up.

Weißmann continued. "I will need you and your team to vacate the premises post-haste. I do apologize but any evidence collected will need to be turned in here at the lobby."

[Japan and Pacific States]

Berlin

One of the guards practically snarled and took a step forward. "How dare you address the Kaiser in such a fashion! You filthy wretch! I should-" then he found himself on the receiving end of a slap to the face by none other than the Kaiser himself. "Franz that is quite enough. You are a member of the KSD, you must hold yourself to a higher standard and respect decorum where necessary. I will not have diplomatic envoy's spoken to in that manner in Germany. You will be silent."

Then he turned back to Sakaki but his expression was less calm and light-heartened. Now it was rather cold and uncaring. "You can deliver the following message then to the Shogun. The exercises in the North Pacific will not end anytime soon and ground warfare exercises will soon begin in Indochina. You may also inform the Shogun that the German Empire, the entire European Community actually, no longer recognizes Japan's right to ownership of Malaysia, New Guinea, or the Greater Sunda Islands." He pushed his sleeve up to check the time on his watch and then turned to the young lady next to him while turning to leave. "Cecile if you would please."

She stepped forward a sweet smile on her face. "Good day, I am Cecile van Haaten, Diplomatic Liaison of the European Community, in whose territory you technically now stand. By order of European Parliament Resolution #1106 all Japanese diplomatic enclaves including embassies and consulates within the territory of the European Community are to be shut down and all representatives expelled. These include the embassies in Berlin, Rome, Vienna, Budapest, Bucharest, Sofia, Helsinki, and Stockholm. Those who refuse to leave will be forcibly removed by EUROPOL officers." She stopped to take a breath but never lost that smile. "Similarly all European embassies within Japan will close down and the representatives return within the next two weeks, you have a similar time frame. Thank you for listening."

The Kaiser could be heard laughing down the hallway. "You can deliver the message to the Shogun on your way back to Japan."

Berlin, Imperial Germany

Sakaki wasn't too happy with the recent information. Of course a western power flexing it's "muscles" politically, Japan was all too familiar with this, as well as with the military aspect of it... This would most likely lead to something the Kaiser wouldn't expect. Of which was being stopped at the Gate of the embassy by a group of Non-nobility members of the IJRG. "You should look up to the ambassador's office "Herr" Kaiser." One non-nobility member said pointing up to the ambassador's office to which Sakaki stood with the window open. "You should choose your words better, western filth, we can not if you recognize our claim on Malaysia, New Guinea, or the Sunda Islands. Scum like you may think you've any control but you don't. You're a cockroach. Only fit to be squashed." Sakaki smirked and motioned for the guards blocking the gate to open them of which they did. "Now run home little boy." Sakaki closed her window and the curtains walking to her desk pressing the third button over on the panel, of which was a direct satellite communications link to the Imperial Japanese Military General Headquarters waiting for one of the regents or the Shogun herself to pick up.. Though it wasn't the Shogun, it was Regent Takatsukasa.

"Ambassador Chizuru, have you anything to report?" Kyoko asked raising an eyebrow, the Regents were currently in the middle of a meeting over the identities of possible assassins in the case of the assassination of the German ambassador. "Yes I do, I was just visited personally by the German's little Emperor. He's declared himself that our embassies in Europe are to close down. Essentially he's throwing us out." Sakaki said crossing her arms... Much to the displeasure of the Shogun. "Damn Germans...." Meiya sighed and held her forehead. "Anything else?" Kyoko asked hoping for more information. "Yes your highness... They've also declared that they do not recognize our ownership of Malaysia, New Guinea or the Sunda Islands." Meiya's eyes widened and she immediately shot up. "They said what?!" Meiya said rather loudly almost causing Kyoko and Chizuru to "jump" out of their skin. "I see...."

Kyoko said sighing then looking to the Shogun. "What are we to do then, Shogun?" Meiya put her hands onto the table pressing a button on her panel picking up the call. "Ambassador, do you hear me?" Meiya asked to which Sakaki replied with. "Yes." Meiya looked around the table and sighed. "You are to destroy any and all documents, start calling, tell citizens still left in Europe they are to return to the Empire... And take that god awful german flag off our embassy... Burn it. In full view of everyone.... We shall be watching, if they impede your progress in leaving then we will impede the progress of their embassy staff, with a firing line. Got it?" Shogun Meiya said, she was serious, if the Germans attempted to impede the progress of Japanese diplomatic staff then they would respond in kind... With deadly force, Meiya disconnected from the call as did Kyoko, then Meiya looked to Kyoko. "Revoke any and all European passports, put out a general notice that anyone from Europe of whom does not leave within a week will be considered illegal aliens and imprisoned." Meiya said sitting down in her chair clasping her hands together. "Y-yess your majesty." Kyoko said rather hesitantly.

[The Union of British North America]

Berlin, outside the Germany Embassy

Diplomat Brian Rose was standing the crowd outside the German embassy, briefly deafened by the crowds cheering when they all saw their sovereign, the Kaiser. Brian Rose is a Foreign Service Officer (FSO), a high-ranking member of the North American Diplomatic Service, and attached to the UBNA Embassy in Berlin. His specialty was politics, working with governments in other countries.

He was originally at the protests of the JPS, recording with his smart phone's camera, and talking with a few of the protesters. They all said the same thing: the JPS needs to learn a thing or two. Then, the German police emerged and controlled the crowds; Brian followed the cops orders to prevent getting hit or arrested. Of course, hitting or arresting a British North American diplomat would cause a diplomatic snafu, though a small one. He still had his phone with him, and he recorded the descending helicopter landing in the square in front of the embassy, and the emergence of the German Kaiser from the helicopter. About half of the crowds were cheering when the Kaiser walked up to the embassy gates. The other half were stunned, with few singing "Heil dir im Siegerkranz". "Oh my, the Kaiser is here in person. The Germans are known for their military flair." Rose whispered to himself. The Kaiser entered the embassy with his security detail, with JPS embassy staff and guards bowing reluctantly as HIM passed by them.

About 20 minutes later, the Kaiser left the embassy building proper, but there were several JPS guards wearing the distinctive IJRG garb, an elite unit of the JPS military, blocking his path. It was sort of hard to see, but then he heard the little speech that the JPS Ambassador Sakaki was yelling out of the open window down towards the Kaiser. A lot of the German crowd started booing after she finished, calling her names and other profanities.

While the ambassador was yelling at the Kaiser, a photojournalist started taking photos of the ambassador's window. Rose recognized him as his friend and media contact Nino Vorona, a British North American journalist working for the Victoria Post, the leading UBNA capital newspaper. "Nino, good to see you!" said Rose "Hey, I haven't seen you since the state dinner with the King of the Netherlands. What's up? What are you doing here, Mr. Diplomat?" asked Vorona. "I'm partly on a grocery run for a staff party, and I got wind of these protests here, so I came down to check it out. Covering this for the Post, huh? There have been a lot of protests; like the one two days ago in Victoria. And a week before that in New York." replied Rose. "Yeah, I was there in Vickie, taking photos for the 6 pm online article I was going to write. And now I am here because I got word of it from a German media friend of mine." said Vorona.

"I can't believe she just insulted the Kaiser, in front of these German citizens. And I can't believe she will be lampooned in the European and North American newspapers for this." said Rose. "Well, she made a whole spectacle of this herself. There will be WhoTube videos autotuning this, memes, whatever. She's be an international focus for social for some time. What I am going to do, however, is that I am going to ask some foreign policy experts at what this means. She just said something about a recognition issue over some Southeast Asian nations. This is something that the foreign policy establishment and other people are wondering back home." said Vorona. "Well, I'll look forward to seeing that article. I gotta get back to the embassy to get these German cookies and beer to the party and tell Ambassador Emerson about what happened here." said Rose. "See you later, Brian. Take of yourself." said Vorona. "You too, Nino."

Victoria, UCT, UBNA
German Embassy

Just as Captain Holiday finished looking at the blood splatter, taking some photographs, and making some copies on her flash drive, she heeded Asgill's order to head to the lobby and to cease evidence collection, leaving any evidence she had collected. The Major General sent her a text rather than calling her, which was strange. He usually called to ask for her when he needed CSI support, or for anything else. What was also strange that he texted her to make copies of any forensic evidence documentation she could. All she could do was make copies of the photographs of the blood splatter. Everything else needed be bagged and swabbed and taken to the lab--but now they could not do that. "Yes, sir." she texted back before she copied the blood splatter photographs on to her thumb drive; she put the flash drive in her inner pocket of her RNAMP utility jacket, as well as a small hair sample she got near the Ambassador's body that she managed to smuggle out of the room. Lieutenants Isaac and Mellow followed her to the elevator with their equipment and went down to the lobby floor.

Stanley reported in, and his order was also in a text; Asgill and Flannery were waiting there already in the lobby. "Stanley, please prepare a copy of your case notes for when the German police authorities arrive. They are taking over the investigation; we are needed no more. Stanley knew what the Major General was doing. All evidence that was collected was to be handed over to the Germans. And of course Asgill did not trust the Germans on this. So, Stanley, sitting at in a small office with a computer and a printer typed up his "report" for the Germans, which was just suggesting what WeiBmann thought, along with the idea that the assassin had inside help. Of course, Stanley knew that WeiBmann's story was most likely not the case, but there was still lacking evidence. He did find out that there was a window slightly a jar on the second floor where the Ambassador's quarters were, though there were several other windows slightly open on the other floors too. Damn, thought Stanley, still not enough evidence. Asgill, Stanley, and Flannery still strongly felt that the Germans were lying, but there wasn't enough evidence. Maybe the blood splatter would suggest something.

Holiday and her team got off of the elevator, and Asgill told her to make a report for the German authorities, while Isaac and Mellow were to put away their equipment and go on ahead back to HQ; she would go back with the three detectives. After she finished her report, she put a hand on her chest, signaling Asgill that she had the copies. "Here you are, Colonel, the evidence that we manged to collect, as well as reports from Stanley and Holiday. Thank you for your cooperation. We hope you catch the killer, and bring him, her, or they, to justice. Good night." said Asgill. The other lower rank officers saluted the Colonel, and the Colonel returned the saluted. The four RNAMP officers got into the prowler car and drove out of the embassy.

"What did you find Stanley?" asked Asgill who was in the back seat, looking out the window. "Wires were cut, and there was an attempt at covering it up. The Ambassador's bedroom window was slightly a jar too." said Stanley. "It was open when I got there. I think it was the Ambassador doing it, for fresh air. An assassin would have opened it all the way in order to get in, especially if he had to shoot the ambassador, and no time to close it if he had to escape." said Holiday, adding to Stanley's account. "The Major General and I found the room a mess with books, papers, and broken glass and ceramics everywhere, before you got here Captain." said Flannery. "Isaac and Mellow said that it was a common sign of struggle, though somewhat excessive. Perhaps the ambassador was pushed around by the assassin? I know the ambassador was not that physically strong. But the ambassador, given his age and physique, probably would not have put up a lasting fight." said Holiday.

She continued: "I know that the Major General wanted me to get some evidence out of the embassy." Stanley said the same thing too about his case notes. Flannery looked both of them, and then the Major General. "The investigation was effectively over and covered up the moment WeiBmann told us to scram." said Asgill to Flannery. "I had to make a decision--justice or war in the pacific. The government doesn't want war in the pacific, and there is someone out there wanting war." Asgill turned to Holiday. "What did the blood splatter suggest?" "Execution-style. Perhaps after the struggle, with the ambassador lying on the bed, or..." "...or that the ambassador was shot while sleeping. His body--his limbs close together like he was taking a nap." finished Asgill. "What? Did the assassin shoot the ambassador while he was sleeping?" asked Flannery. "That is what I think. I agree with Isaac and Mellow, the signs of struggle were a little too excessive to look real." said Asgill. "I did get some hair sample out of the embassy. It was right next to the ambassador's bed on the floor. Distinctive for its light color." "Perhaps, blond hair, Captain?" asked Asgill. "You don't mean...WeiBmann?" asked Flannery. "We'll test the hair, put together our report of what we know, and then go on from there. Our government will know who did it, or at least strongly suspect who did it given the amount of evidence we were allowed. And then we will figure out how to present this to the German government, bypassing the usual German authorities, which to say is their military." said Asgill.

The Victoria Post, 10 September 2017
"WESTERN FILTH: JPS AMBASSADOR TO GERMANY INSULTS KAISER OVER SE ASIA"
By Nino Vorona

Japanese Ambassador Sokaki, after finishing a private meeting with Kaiser Erwin Ludwig I of the German Empire in the former's embassy, insulted him publicly just minutes after the meeting over foreign policy. The small speech given by Ambassador Sokaki, which was recorded by smart phones and news cameras, posted onto WhoTube and seen on the evening news, and seen millions of times and shared thousands of times on social media platforms, has led to internet parodies as well as condemnation from people across the world, though it is hard to gauge opinions in the JPS due to media censorship. The shouting from the upper window of the Japanese embassy suggests a dispute of territorial claims between Germany and Japan in Southeast Asia, such as Malaysia which was a Commonwealth Member before the occupation by Japan during the Second World War. The SE Asia area is a strategic location for military operations as well as trade. Germany states it has claims due to annexing the Netherlands during the Second World War and assuming control of its colonial empire. Japan states that it has territorial claims due to the occupation and incorporation into the Empire of Japanese Pacific States.

The ambassador's remarks and timing suggest that the dispute began minutes before the Kaiser left the embassy building and before members of the Imperial Japanese Royal Guard let the Kaiser pass through the embassy gate.

Several foreign policy experts predict this is part of a greater cooling of relations between countries under the influence of Germany or Japan, and perhaps the warning signs of war. There have been several protests and demonstrations against Germany and Japan in several countries, with our own nation having one two days ago. There is strong nationalist sentiment in both Germany and Japan, with open expressions of hatred as well as bouts of violence.

In the demonstration two days ago, the Royal North American Mounted Police arrested the 12 Army cadets who were sharpening their cavalry swords in front of the JPS embassy, one of whom pointed his sword at a JPS embassy guard, as well as dozens of protesters believed to be part of the domestic terrorist group Sons of Liberty, whose Pacific branch is an active resistance group in the Occupied Provinces. The Union government released a statement the night after the demonstrations condemning the group, on both sides of the Rockies, for causing disturbances and threatening lives.

Hyacinth Amagi, MP for Queens-New York, was at the demonstration two days ago in Victoria, speaking with the Japanese embassy guards, wondering why they support an oppressive government. The guards responded that they are, along with the rest of the JPS, opposed to western imperialism and aggression. The JPS was created after the Second World War, after winning and occupying East and most of Southeast Asia, as well as the Occupied Provinces in the last year of the war.

These demonstrations do indicate a greater tension in the air, and this may be a powder keg to a major war. Does the Ambassador's remarks light the fuse? This paper, as well as many people, hope this is not the case.