Rebellion against tyrants is obedience to God [IC|MT|Open]

[Ninawa]

Ninawa's Capital City

Its another dark and gloomy day in Ninawa. The Capital City of Teshkent is empty and deserted as always.
A lot of cars can be seen infront of the Army Headquarters. People can be seen speaking to each other.
"Good day. My Name is General Maximov, Commander of the 17th Army District. I have been tasked with choosing our strategy in the conflict which is unfolding in Posteastan. There are multiple factions and independent nations fighting both on the ground and diplomatically. Its hard to find a faction which suits us and which we, the Ninawan People, should support but I think I have made my choice. The first thing to do is to try and get into the action on the ground and find out what is going. Intelligence has given me a lot of intel on the situation on the ground but for now we should focus on the smaller factions involved. I have choosen to make Diplomatic Contact with the Free State of Kolvce for a start and see how we could directly or indirectly help their in their struggle for power. After this I will send a Telegram to their authorities and we will begin to confer about what will happen in the future." All of the people clap and the general walks to his assistants room to make a Telegram to the Kolvce Free State.

To: Kolvce Free State
From: General Maximov from the Ninawan Government

Good day to you. This is a Message from General Maximov on behalf of the Ninawan Government. We would like to help you in your struggle, both directly and indirectly.
For that we would first of all ask you some questions. What is happening on the Ground? What is happening in Kolvce? Who are you fighting against and how could we help you? I thought about sending you military aid and troops to bolster your defenses, but for now I would like to get an insight on the situation in Posteastan.
Warm Greetings,
General Maximov

[Rivienland]

Villi Island, Caracasus

It had only been little more than a year since Rivienland had emerged on the regional diplomatic scene, but, for Count Marie-Charles d’Nicolet, Ambassador to Forest, this had only been his second time within the socialist state. There was no doubt that the communal culture of Caracasus was quite weird for a man of the nobility. To think that these socialists, in all their godlessness and equality, were the alleged allies of the Grand Duchy was hard to conceive. Regardless, they were here to solve the issues of Posteastan, and the Count would have to put his personal opinions aside.

He was not surprised how long it took for this Forest summit to be organized, because, as the Foreign Minister had summed it up, the Posteastan Crisis had fallen into complete chaos. The recent scandal surrounding the Kenmorian corporation, Construction Enterprises, had only further highlighted how everyone, nation or not, was entering the fray. Regardless, as everyone knew in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the main priority of the Forest summit was not only to find common ground with Rivienland’s neighbors, but to ease relations with the socialists. While many in the Grand Duchy supported a royalist restoration, good relations within Forest must come first.

“Allies and friends, I think we can all agree the situation in Posteastan is quite complicated, as many of you have voiced, but I firmly believe that when we finally formulate a pan-Forestian response we will only be a step closer to peace in the region.” He cleared his throat and continued. “First, as brought up by the representative from Allanea, we must address the issue of the Sakala Syndicate. While Rivienland cannot contribute any military assets, since we do not have any, we may still together, as a region, find ways to limit the operations of these criminals abroad. In short, every nation can contribute to the limiting of this inhumane slaving enterprise. Though, as brought forth by Allanea, the use of drone strikes, and aerial operations must be an issue handled carefully. Without a more defined plan, Rivienland will not support any military action of this scale. And, if any action of the sort is to be considered, it must strictly follow the conventions decreed by the World Assembly. In addition, these rumors of Karevka’s involvement in Posteastan must be backed with evidence before any condemnations can be issued. The involvement of any military forces within the country, unless for the purpose of distributing aid, must be harshly denounced by the region.

“Second, on the further topic of aid, which has now become a divided issue, I, on behalf of Rivienland, must firmly uphold that any aid sent to Posteastan cannot have political requirements attached for our humanitarian work is, first and foremost, used to assist the people, regardless of the political situation. As mentioned by Keilersmoor, my government is considering donating resources to the Posteastan Alms Society, a reputable third party that can distribute our aid in the most efficient manner.

“Finally, there are several issues with the Posteastanian government that must be address, and that many of you have already noted. These allegations of a ‘Kolvcian genocide’ must be answered, and I would recommend, in league with Forest, that a delegation of observers be sent to assess the situation. Furthermore, this declaration of war, by President Valaska on Caracasus and Uan aa Boa must be elaborated on. If Valaska meant this in the fullest respect, I believe Forest might need to take a second look at the government in Telinburg.

“In summary, we would submit before this summit that Forest denounce the Sakala Syndicate and work towards disrupting its operations abroad, gather further information on activities of Karevka within Posteastanian, consider distributing aid through third parties, and demand that President Valaska give further information regarding the ‘Kolvcian genocide’, and declaration of war on our fellow Forest nations. And, on a side note, as other nations have done, we believe a denouncement of the Northern Alliance, who has directly caused the collapse of Posteastan, be held accountable for their actions. Thank you all for your time, and I will now take questions.”

[Karevka]

Tabolov

The news was horrifying. They had armed them, helped them, treated the Posteastanians like brothers. Only to be betrayed and tossed aside. The order to pull out was from Komissarov himself, with a footnote stating that their disgraced allies were to be killed if necessary. Since the vehicles could not be lifted out, crews booby-trapped them with bombs or removed and dismantled their engines. Documents were burnt, guns deactivated and disabled. They would come back, one day, the soldiers thought as planes and helicopters left for home. One day.

[Uan aa Boa]

Villi Island Conference

Peter Nizhinsky bowed. "Comrade, I apologize for not having noticed you in the crowd. Let me, however, engage you in a story from my youth. At one point, quite a few years ago, several nations – some socialist, some radically capitalist such as mine, others social democracies – engaged in a struggle with a fascist, ultra-religious, ethnostate, called Iesus Christi, then engaged in a civil war. Because at the time us and our coalition partners were all in agreement that genocidal ultra-religious ethno-states were, you know, kind of bad, we decided to aid the faction that was fighting the fascist genocidal theocrats. As it always happens, missiles flew, battleships sailed, and eventually we began winning the war against the fascist genocidal theocrats."

"It was then that the antifascist faction began planning its entry into world politics as the 'legitimate' government of Iesus Christi. It turned out, then, that while it was 'antifascist' in the strict sense that iwas against fascism , it was still somewhat nationalist, and somewhat religious, and so a ludicrous argument then began between all parties regarding whether the Patriots – so they were termed – deserved our support. Some coalition partners argued that the people we were helping were as bad as the violent murderers we were fighting against, and that help should be restricted until they became as progressive on things like gay rights and free speech and secularism as your average social democracy. Others argued – indeed we did – that this was an issue to be left until the fascists were defeated. Very soon, the allegation rose that both parties in the debate were not interested in, you know, the well-being of te Iesians, but more interested in geopolitics victories. Very soon, some of the parties flipped off the coalition, made unsavory allegations about how the other coalition partners were plotting against tem, and fucked off into the great yonder and threatened actual war on the other partners. The Patriots, seeing that all this was going to work our rather badly, demanded the coalition leave, and signed a peace accord of sorts that split the country into two. The country remains still in a state of poverty and suspended conflict that sometimes flares up, and both halves of the country are impoverished by being on a constant war footing."

"To be clear here, here's what I don't want. I don't want to be in a situation where you accuse me of wanting to steal Posteastan's oil, deflower its maidens fair, or whatever it is. I don't want to be in a situation where we argue endlessly about which factions to support and make shitty accusations of each other, and arguing whether a given faction is "fascist", or merely acceptably "conservative", or whether – if you prefer – a given movement's "socialism" is too radical."

"The people of Posteastan are not children to be coddled by us, nor would they appreciate being coddled like children. Rather we need to work out how to help them. Ideally we need to resolve the crisis the country is in without engaging in a knives-drawn argument about what Marx termed "the design of the kitchens of the future". I am here willing to offer you help, money, supplies, but leave the strategic decisionmaking to the country and its neighbours, and apparently this is "immature". That said, Comrade, I accept your offer to brew me a coffee."

"Thank you Mr Nizhinsky, that is admirably clear. I will try to be clear equally clear in response. You will, of course, be aware that Forest is not a socialist organisation, but rather a confederation of diverse nations loosely brought together by a concern for environmental issues. So while you are with us please sort your recycling at the designated disposal points, try not to leave the water running when you clean your teeth, consider car sharing on your way back to the airport, and we shall all get along fine.

"In seriousness, though, my position is symmetric to yours. There are voices back home that disapprove of any collaboration between our nations but the majority is pragmatic. I do not wish to be accused of acting purely so as to foment revolution in other countries.

"I have personally led the condemnation of Construction Enterprises, as you know, but that is because they are positioning themselves so that we will find, when the dust settles, that they have bought half of Posteastan. If your nation or companies within it do the same then I will similarly challenge it, but as long as you do as you say you want to and go home to manage your portfolio (or whatever it is you people do) then I have no immediate objection to the fact that you are capitalists.

"Regarding unacceptable forms of fascism, that is currently Remus Balan and the Confederacy of Posteastan, plus others who cooperate with them. It is not difficult to spot when the line has been crossed - as someone wise noted, what looks like a duck and quacks like a duck is probably a duck. First Minister Marrik has just been setting out some of the widely recognised points of concern in the current situation.

"However much we disagree on fundamental issues, Mr Nizhinsky, I think we understand each other. I will endeavour not to put you in a position that causes you political embarrassment and I trust you will extend me the same courtesy. I do not believe anyone here is seeking carte blanche or looking to take offence lightly.

"And so... coffee."

[Union of Albandrite Socialist Republics]

Revolutionary City, UASR

The delivery of the image, along with accompanying intelligence reports from the Albandrite Ministry for State Security, had made clear the grave mistake the UASR had made. Premier Vinsky sat in his room, yet again, with his high command of differing government agencies.
"This will be a tough one to pull out of" Spoke the Head of the Military "Not only that, but the RDSU has requested provide further air support in assistance to their attack. This will blow the lid on all of our operations."
The Foreign Affairs Minister spoke next "The situation is, without a doubt, very grim." He shifted in his chair, uncomfortable to the fact that he got all of his nation in this mess "We still have a full force outside their waters. We can easily retract our support and use that force against them if they attempt anything."
The General nodded "They have virtually no air support. All it would take is some air strikes if they do something like hold any men we have there hostage..."
Vinsky coughed in his hand before speaking "Contact your men near Posteastan. I want a retreat of our forces on the ground. Once that operation is completed, let those fools in that country know we are done with them."



International Waters

Captain Arnold Belinski listened in on his phone, it was the Supreme Command of the APA. The orders were clear, get the men out and prepare the air forces on board the Aircraft Carrier for potential conflict. He obeyed, hanging up one phone and quickly picking up the other as he ordered the mobilization of troops aboard the carrier. Meanwhile, Belinski would reach back for his phone. Calling his men in Tabolov.

A single Mi-8 was now lifting from the ship, their goal was simple. Get the Military advisers of the APA out as soon as possible. Due to the frequent traffic of helicopters moving between the Stateist territory and the carrier, it seemed routinely normal for another helicopter to land on the airfield in the nation.

Tabolov

A small group of 12 soldiers walked out, their AK12's resting firmly in their grip. The story behind the armed presence was that this was the arrival of special forces in the nation. The Military advisers sent before had already been waiting at the air strip most commonly used by Albandrite forces in the nation, making no hesitation to quickly run into the helicopter as soon as the side door of the green vehicle opened.
It was quick operation, done in less than a single night with no further conflict, thanks to the then-good relations established between the Stateist forces and the UASR. However, the Helicopter had yet to land back on the carrier before said relations were ruined.

TO: President Vasilescu Tavitian and his respected Military Command
From: UASR Ministry of Foreign Affairs
ENCRYPTION: HIGHEST

Dear President Tavitian,

For several weeks the UASR has pledged support to your faction in hopes of your group being the most successful in establishing a progressive state worthy of building productive forces needed for your nation to fight off Imperialism. At last now, however, we see this was a failure on our part.

Your willingness to openly collaborate with Fascists has been a concern of ours for some time now and your attempts to cover it up have ultimately failed, as our comrades from other Socialist states had made us very well aware of your factions failure to achieve our requests.

All of our support, financially, militarily and politically for your group ends tonight. We have extracted our forces out and will cease to assist you in your coming operations. If you attempt any form of retaliation, the forces already located off your coast will be not afraid to respond with lethal force lacking any discrimination.

We thank you for your cooperation.

Further attempts to contact us will be ignored.

Workers of the World Unite

[Karevka]

Korodvinsk

The Politburo and the Central Committee was more than enraged by this cowardly stab in the back. By cooperating with the fascists, Tavitian was now a name that was to be spat on and he was named a Enemy of the People, a turncoat, a traitor, a disgrace to what Marx stood for. If they ever came for the DRK's help, even if they licked the Politburo's boots, they would get none.

[Keilersmoor]

Villi Island Conference

Blaumann, now without his jacket and his sleeves rolled up looked a lot less like the seasoned diplomat he was. He enjoyed cooking and communal cooking even more so. Oberst Gelder would not participate in such shenanigans and would most certainly not open as much the top bottom of his immaculately kept uniform while the meeting was in session.

With a cup of strong coffee prepared in the traditional way of the island in his hand Blaumann approached Nizhinsky taking a sip of the bitter sweet brew he said. "Excuse me Sir. I hope not to come across as rude. I would be honored to shake your hand. Form your looks I would not have guessed that you served against Bridget." There was a long and uneasy pause.

"You look much younger." Blaumann continued and hastily he added "My father fought in Iesus. Killed in action fighting fascists in Theresa. I…" he stopped and did not continue.

"I can agree with most that was said today. Keilersmoor will most not participate in any military action unless it is sanctioned by Forest. If that would be the case, we would not let our friends down and take part in every possible way."

"I must say I am a bit surprised that this meeting is open to everyone. I expected it to be a Forest only meeting. Coming from a nation that did benefit a lot from the colonial times I must say that this meeting reminds me a bit of these days. We are talking about how to divide Posteastan into our spheres of influence and talking a lot about Posteastan while refusing to talk to Posteastan. I must say we need to come to a conclusion who we want to accept as partners in Posteastan and to whom we want to talk."

"In my opinion we need to allow all parties to participate in negotiations but we must set up a strict set of rules on what will never be accepted as outcome of any kind of negotiation. We are lucky to have Mr Nizhinsky here. I think that no one who actually saw fascism at work first hand and who had his friends ripped apart by artillery shelling will take the issues of war or fascism very lightly. Maybe we can try and learn from the mistakes made in Iesus and try to prevent them?"

"So far we have already made a lot of progress. Supporting the Posteastan Alms Society seems like a good way forward. They are neutral and widely accepted. Their work is praised by everyone from the Valaska loyalists to the rebels in Kolvce. Now speaking of Kolvce I agree that we should find a way to investigate the situation there as soon as possible. I object to take actions against the Northern Alliance. I support a bilateral peace treaty between Posteastan and Oehiton. I agree that the Northern Alliance is to a large part responsible I don't think that it is the best of ideas to open yet another front in this war. I would very much like to see a Pan-Forestian reply to Mr Valaska's declaration of war. It if indeed was one."

Meanwhile in Langenbrück

It started as a powerful manifestation against neo-colonial aggression. The "Hands off Posteastan" rally had drawn more than 5000 supports in a very short time. Red flags, black flags and a large potpourri of other flags were flown. Students from the radical Vegan Front carried portraits of Mazemba affixed to very solid sticks. Even though their announcement that "If you are not outraged you are not paying attention" was directed at the general public in the regard to the situation in Posteastan they soon found an additional reason to be outraged.

Dressed in their pitch combat boots, camouflage pants and their trade mark Jacob Eisenhower t-shirts the hardline Revolutionary Communist Party appeared on the stage. Much to the surprise of the Vegan Front the RCP was carrying a huge portrait of the revisionist traitor Adeema Pula. At first sight the VFs were very pleased to see that the RCP pseudo-revolutionaries had finally come to their senses. Only on the second look they realized that Pula was demanding "Longer Leashes - Larger Cages" on the poster. Tearing the poster down turned out to be a difficult challenge. It was flanked by RCP stewards brandishing very small UASR flags on very large sticks. Lately Karevka flags had become popular with the RCP too.

After taunting the Vegans to try and get the poster the Revolutionaries switched to their favorite battle cry "Rob the rich! Arm the poor! Social justice - civil war!" and bludgeoned the Vegans right out of the demonstration braking a few bones and capturing quite a representable score of Mazemba posters and Boani flags. When the police tried to interfere in the brawl the demonstration turned into a full scale riot.

The Langenbrück police was not prepared for the scale of the violence and in more than a few isolated occasions was driven back by the protesters. The riot lasted for hours and only died down because of the cold temperatures and heavy rain in the morning. The radical left in Keilersmoor had made it clear that no form of intervention would be accepted.

[Karevka]

Strictly OOC:

Karevka has acted aggressively, provided aid and military support to the Stateists. Then they got the hell outta dodge once news broke that their ""'allies""" started killing commies.

[Lux Pulchrae]

Royalist HQ
D'Umbra looked at Dolgan, almost staring at him, finding the man's entrance rather weak hearted. Then a smirk appeared on his face "Signore Dolgan! May I have your attention? Forgive my intrusion Minister Thatcher, this will only be a second." he said as the man spoke quietly to Thatcher, d'Umbra walked closer to the two "Rodin Dolgan, vero?" the man in question nodded in confirmation "A simple question for you: do you like men, Mister Dolgan? Is there another man that has inherited your name through you?" the officer asked, causing quite confused looks by others "Because if you did, I would excuse that pathetic attempt of what you would call a salute. I've seen elderly women back home give more heart in their salutes than when you had just entered! That is a Roman salute! Not some American or British salute you can lazily perform, slap your hand against your forehead and call it a day. When in Rome, do as Romans do! As sons of Rome, we do as our fathers did and they did everything to their fullest extent! And yes, I would even consider a gypsy as yourself to be a son of Rome, my brother. When I see you salute, I want to see the glory and pride of Rome! Capito? Understood? It is the little things like this, appearance and form, which lifts morale. The appearance of strength, unison, and patria. No one's spirit is lifted by weak posture. I will leave you two alone when Signore Dolgan stands in attention, gives a proper salute and tells me for who he fights for." The others might have seen him as an asshole but personal opinion mattered little in the grand scheme of things. All must run smoothly in the ranks, from top-down, bottom-up and even side to side, all must work as one. If they were to put anyone on that throne, the Royalist must learn to work in unison. Like the old saying went, E PLURIBUS UNUM. A fascist ideal Lux Pulchrae sought to bestow upon the royalists.

Leoniza Airport
"Thank you for the appreciation. There was debate for how we should set it up, but we came to a compromise and had all three flags." Gentile waved the priest goodbye as they kept moving "Get some of the troops to back us up, but we, you and me, come unarmed. Show them we mean peace." Soon the two, and about fifteen other men who happened to be armed, made there way to the Allanean team held up in the barracks.

Barracks
As they arrived, they were approached by some rather shoddy looking men disheveled and all around dirty. As the man saluted, he saluted as well, and listened to the man, taking head of his requests. "Whoa, calm down Garibaldi Filthmouth, we come here in good faith and conscience. I am Giani Gentile, Grand Minister of Foreign Affairs for the Kingdom of Lux Pulchrae and my colleague, Rasvan Luca, a Posteastani native. We've come to tell you and your men that you are relieved. We have eveyrthing you want, or rather, everything you need back at the airfield. Water, food, some decent clothes, though they are civilian. And, um," Gentile stroked his cheeks and chin, indicating a clean shaven face "shaving equipment for you. I'd have to check if we have any 'motherfucking donuts.' It's downtime soldier, you can come with us now or whenever you feel like Captain...forgive me, I don't think you gave a name."

(OOC:been trying to post this all day since the morning but class work and I've had to adjust to newer posts >:^(

[Cat-Herders United]

Mesteñero Ranch, outside of Santa Gertrudis

While the Director of the Bureau of Foreign Affairs was away at the Villi Island conference, it was card night at Madam President’s ranch. As some talking heads on the television droned on about the conference in the background turned to a low volume, Catniss Mesteñero conentrated on the card game, or rather her fellow players.

To her right sat Cardinal Felix, representing the Pawpacy of the Feline Catolic Church. It was no secret that although the church was officially neutral in the secular nation, unofficially there were some strong ties with the green Purrservationist Party. Usually that would mean that they lean towards an isolationist or neutral foreign policy, but they were strangely silent about the whole Posteastan situation. She played a card and turned to ask him about it.

“Cardinal, I’d like your spiritual guidance about this whole Posteastan situation. I’ve been under tremendous pressure, really just the biggest, from these gentlemen”, she motioned at the men sitting across from her.

“But I have yet to hear from the church about the protesters and the various conspiracy theories going around. And make no mistake about it, if they get their way, that would drag us into a war in a faraway land whose people have not lifted a single finger against any cat-herder yet. Is that really what your people want for the country?”

The cardinal contemplated his hand of cards while petting a cat curled up in his lap.

“Of course we are men of peace, and we would avoid war. But should we really be so short sighted as to ignore the dangers brewing in Posteastan? After all, nobody is asking for meddling in Posteastan proper, just support for the people of Kolvce, who by all accounts are already de-facto in control of their own lands, and appear to be in real danger, whether or not those specific rumors have any merit to them. All parts of Posteastan are already damaged from war, surely you could do more to support Kolvce even through non-violent means? Or at least a minimum of fighting”, the cardinal said as he played a card.

To his right sat Felicity Fach, former President Pro-Tempore of the provisional government of Cat-Herders United, now chairwoman of Feline Dairy and Wool Products, the syndicate of independent dairy and textile exporters and one of the largest economic and cultural forces in the nation. She quickly played her card and grabbed a small sandwich. She was also the aunt of the current leader of the Purrservationist Party.

In between bites she said, “I’d just like to add that fighting for the independence and freedom of other peoples is an ancient cat-herder tradition and completely in line with our values. Or even if I’m exaggerating, it’s still great nation building domestically to embrace that role, and you are never going to get a chance to do it at such low cost again. Usually you’d have to occupy a whole nation to prop up some puppet government in a long and expensive and corrupting war, but here you just have to defend from occupation an entity that is for all intents and purposes already independent. No cat-herder need set foot on hostile ground for the whole thing, we would just help out with keeping certain factions from gaining land.”

To her right sat Bartholomew Gaucho, the leader of the Socialist Workers Party (Meowist), the third largest party in the assembly but growing in popularity from shrewd publicity about the Posteastan situation.

“Madam President, I realize that you have a deep faith in the ability of international law and institutions such as the World Assembly to solve all problems of foreign policy. Furthermore you believe that the country would be better off if we stayed out of conflicts that do not directly affect us at the present. With all due respect, I disagree with each of these ideas. But for now, since we’re already involved with the regional summit, we can try it your way. All I ask is that you get with your people and get the investigation into the Volunteer Legion stopped. No more looking into their finances or arms purchases, no more risk of arrests or asset seizures if they launch their expeditions from ports within Cat-Herders United rather than international waters as they have to do now. I realize that many of them appear a bit unbalanced and liable to do something regrettable... But that is actually a reason to support them. Give them some decent training and discipline. Look, it is no secret that my people already have connections with the Legion. Now, if we add Intelligence and the military into the mix, we could really get something accomplished. If for nothing else then to prevent war crimes from ill disciplined troops. Make no mistake, those troops will be there and they will fight, if it is not too late for Kolvce already.”

President Mesteñero pondered what had been said. She turned to her left, to the Vice President, and asked “Although normally I’d say arrest the whole Legion, under the circumstances it does sound reasonable that we back off the investigations. What do you think the odds are that they would get us into trouble if we let them keep operating without interference?”

“I’d say one hundred percent. Catniss, what exactly will we do when these volunteers start coming home in body bags? Even if it is the Volunteers’ fault for getting involved in a foreign war we have no business being in, how would that stance, or any other stance stand up to the public view when these gentlemen put the weeping widows and mothers in front of a camera and ask why this administration didn’t give our boys the support they needed to survive. Worse, if Kolvce is occupied by a hostile faction, are we going to bargain for the release of any POWs of cat-herder origin? How will we answer charges of abandoning the cause, making all our war deaths in vain? Yes, it is inevitable once these people get involved in other people’s wars, and yes I would blame the so-called ‘victims’. But will the voters see it the same way? Clearly, this ends well for us only in one of two ways: if we prevent any of our people from getting involved in any way whatsoever, or if we go all in and win. As for myself, I am in favor of staying out.”

President Mesteñero contemplated her cards again.

“I’d say that you have a sound analysis of the situation. But what you forget is that even though the rumors of biological warfare are certainly bogus, the forces advancing towards Kolvce are not exactly paragons of human rights. We already have aid workers there, all that you said would apply should they get captured. And it doesn’t take biological warfare to perform mass genocide. The will and the firepower are already there, the only thing missing is the capture of the land.”

“If as you say our only option is to be completely in or completely out, then I reckon that our place is completely in. Under these circumstances we cannot allow Kolvce to fall to the nationalists, and we cannot wait for the official government of Posteastan to act.”

“Due to a lack of popular support at the moment, all I can do is to stop the investigation into the Volunteer Legion, and give covert support. I will arrange with the navy to allow all their ships to turn a blind eye to the passage of all their vessels. But they will not be abandoned to their fates on the battlefield. We will provide them with equipment to contact our ships and call for a cruise missile strike on enemy positions. Any fighting that does occur can give us an excuse to recognize the government of Kolvce and provide further support openly.”

“So ladies and gentlemen, we are agreed upon this plan, and the limitation that we do not station forces on any part of Posteastan not claimed by the Kolvceans?”

As all the card players gave their assents, the foreign policy was decided in a smoke filled room...

[Danlina]

A press conference on the topic of the accusations against Minister Rozen is being held at the yard of the Port-Aviv conference hall in Danlina. Anyone who wishes to ask any questions can happily join the conference.
Link: viewtopic.php?f=5&t=460607

[Schwarzenfels]

Gifts for our friends the nationalists and the stateists

The threat of Posteastan becoming just another communist colony was now more severe than ever before. The royalists did finally act and do something but they would not have the guts and the endurance to withstand an invasion. Tavitian was an opportunist and would probably sell Posteastan to the highest bidder once he would hold it in his hands. Balan was the only one who was strong enough to lead this nation out of the darkness. His movement was too small and he had no external aid so it was time for Schwarzenfels to step in.

Contact with the nationalists was already establish, reaching the stateists was not difficult either. It was time to deliver some goods to both these groups. The delivery was carefully chosen. Foreign build weaponry with which the Posteastanian insurgents were familiar and with no links to the Principality of Schwarzenfels. Equipment that would give them an advantage but would not compromise their backers. Enough weapons platforms, ammunition and fuel were dropped from the skies to keep both armies running for quite some time. Running and capable of handing out some nasty surprises to all kinds of would be attackers.

The Principality of SCHWARZENFELS To: Remus Balan Hail Domnitor! I have taken the liberty to airdrop weapons and equipment for your soldiers. I must say your progress is a tiny bit below my expectations. The Royalists are rounding up communists by the thousands but you seem to fall behind a bit. To help your movement gain momentum I have taken the liberty to airdrop light armored vehicles and other equipment. Mostly light and medium air-defense technology and missile artillery. I hope this will give you the advantage you need. If you make some ground, I am willing to send more support. Keep in mind that the statists are much more popular and have more international backing than you. They are also more numerous and better equipped. To secure my investments I have delivered some air-defense units to them too. I hope you don't mind. As far as I know we are now allies and we work together for a period of time. On Guard! Generalissimo and Guardian Guide of Schwarzenfels by the Grace of God Albrecht von Hammerstein Encryption: High

[Great Oehiton]

Scuffles in newly build downtown Vik

Vidar, is the strongest party in the Kongshammer Thing. The reason why Vidar is not in the government is that all other parties are. The majority of the people of Øhiton has no interest in revenge and correction of the borders. They want to move on and reach a new era. However, those still stuck in the past are quite a few and even though some people might not be completely behind Vidar they like some of their ideas or at least think that Øhiton was not the only one acting wrong. You don't have to like the Peace Pavilions to think that the bombing of civilian infrastructure was a war crime.

Vidar had no intentions of ever accepting those who had betrayed Øhiton and served in an army that fought against them back to their homeland. While they were largely alone with the idea of going back to war and trying to reconquer the north a lot of representatives had strong resentments against people who had joined forces with Posteastan. While Vidar did not succeed with their motion to pass a law that would revoke the citizenship of people serving in foreign armed forces they managed to ensure a victory in the Thing on the question whether to repatriate those now living in Posteastan or not.

With a slight margin the repatriation was rejected and the Thing came to the decision that these people are now Posteastan's problem and that they should best be left alone, preferably to die and not cause any more problems.

Scuffles between protestors and the police broke out in Vik after the decision in Kongshammer. Vik was completely rebuild after the war and populated by people from the Sundland region. The region where most of the volunteers who fought in Posteastan originated from.

[Balagan]

From the Frying Pan into the Fire

Posteastan goes from bad to worse

Internally displaced persons, one of the biggest problems in Posteastan.

We have travelled through Posteastan and visited five provinces controlled by five different criminal organizations. We started in Telinburg, moved to Roztechko and then back to Mierbozia to finally reach Leozina via Tabolov. It was a difficult journey full of checkpoints, bribes, threats and fear. Wherever we went there was fear. Most people are afraid most of the time. There is a shortage of everything but violence.

Wherever we went we always met people willing to talk to us. Either because they needed someone to listen or they were trying to sell stories, photos or videos. We have personally witnessed many of the atrocities we speak about and we have put ourselves in great danger to bring this news to our readers. It must be made clear that the situation in Posteastan is terrible and dangerous but we must also keep in mind that the things we talk about are happening on a small scale. Dozens of people get killed here. Hundreds kidnapped. It is not like in Oehiton, not at all. However, if you count the quality and not the numbers Posteastan has no reason to hide.


Dissidents executed by the moralists in Mierbozia.

First we came to the province controlled by the Funar Cartel. Things here are perhaps worse than anywhere else. What distinguishes Funar from the other cartel bosses is that he oppresses the majority and not a minority. Women have no rights in this area. Not even the right to decide what to wear. They can't work, they can't engage in business and they don't enjoy basic human rights. Of course they fight back. But Mierbozia is not Krathos. There is no Women’s Defense Force, people here don't resist with guns, however, they do what they can to help each other. Like passing on information. I have never made it a secret that I am an outspoken gun enthusiast. I like to carry a Soraski (SAI ES-9) wherever I go. So it came a bit as a surprise to me to see the men of the Funar Cartel driving around in Allanean vehicles and using guns from the very same nation for their public executions.

The gang of Mr Funar is very strict when it comes to their executions. They are thoroughly and prefere to kill a few more people over letting a guilty one escape. One source told us that alleged homosexuals were tossed from high buildings in Mierbozia city. Again picked up in the countryside by vehicles sponsored by Allanea.

From what we could learn Iancu Funar is directly responsible for the murders. He has ordered them and he is personally informed about the progress of the atrocities. He has been enlisted by the Allenean secret service. His agent handler is Grand Ambassador Peter Nizhinsky, who's orders he is carrying out.


Somebody forgot something in Tabolov.

We entered Tabolov a few days later to find the situation a bit better. The Tavitian Crime Family tries to run is turf like a grotesque caricature of a state. They provide public services and they have a lot at their hands with the refugees pouring in from the east, fleeing the terror of the zealots. It was interesting to see that there was no persecution of so called 'communists' in Tabolov province. To make things clear I am not a communist. I hate communists just as rabidly as the next man. Like mad I hate them. They are lazy and smelly and hate our beloved Queen and our way of life for no apparent reason. No matter what, there is no communist movement in Posteastan. It simply does not exist. People are extremely afraid of communists and treat everything vaguely linked to Caracasus with suspicion. But more about that later.

As I said, until recently there was no persecution of 'communists' in Tabolov. For a reason. The Tavitian Crime Family had the backing of some foreign powers. Powers associated with socialism in one way or the other. Unlike Iancu Funar who is an agent of Allenea, Tavitian has maintained his independence. Karevka and the Union of Albandrite Socialist Republics were far from controlling him. They had some influence and they even provided money and equipment but Colonel Yurakin of Karevka could not enlist Tavitian in the State Security Directorate. Just recently Karevka and the UASR have cut their ties with the Tavitian Crime Family and airlifted their operatives out of Posteastan. Flying into and out of the Tavitian controlled territory will no longer be an option we have seen several modern and mobile anti-aircraft missile batteries, most likely left behind by either the UASR, Karevka or both.

The missile batteries might be some kind of bribe as both nations know very well that they have put Tavitian in a very difficult situation. He allied himself with socialists who, like the Propaganda in Posteastan tells all the time, have betrayed him. Now he will need to win back the trust of the ordinary people and show them that he is by no means a communist. The path he is going to take is easily foreseeable.


Royalist atrocities in Telin Province.

The last part of our journey was perhaps the bloodiest. Anti-democratic death squads are roaming the hills around Leozina killing and arresting people for no apparent reason. These anti-electionists are led by a man called Rasvan Luca. Luca is an agent who works for Lux Pulchrae. He can be by no standards considered a patriot of Posteastan. His handler is one Fredo d'Umbra from this failing backwater kingdom. D'Umbra is the mastermind behind the ongoing genocide. Together with his partner Giani Gentile he runs a child prostitution ring in Lux Pulchrae. Gentile who is also present in Leozina has a much more clouded role. He owns a company that is specialized in organizing adoptions to Lux Pulchrae from abroad. It might not come as a surprise that both men have very obvious financial interests in distributing the children of the arrested 'communists' to 'foster families' at home, paying by the hour for the family time.

We could personally witness the execution of suspected 'communists' in the hills of Leozina. It was a terrible sight. Carried out with the iconic Devenson General Use Rifle (Mark III) that almost exclusive exist in Great Nortend it gave away another power behind the mass killings. The Posteastan Alms Society is highly responsible for the bodies floating down the Milila. They bring in weapons, but not to defend some strange democracy hating fancy dress club but to kill innocent, hardworking Posteastanains and to steal their children to sell them to a fate much worse than ordinary slavery.

It is frightening to see that the allegation of being communist still holds so much power in Posteastan. After all those years of persecution and paranoia I had hoped that this had died down a bit. But it has not it is worse than it had ever been before now that there are so many guns in so many hands.

[Great Nortend]

A DECLARATION AGAINST PATENT FALSEHOODS We are forced, by the publication of complete untruths by the Balagan United Press and News Agency, to refute firmly the outrageous and libellous lies printed therein. The Government of Erbonia has, despite the clear implications wrought by the Balagan United Press and News Agency, not, and never has, supplied any firearms for the use of any militant group in the Republic of Posteastan. It does not condone the wanton, malicious and un-Christian killings of supposed communist persons, nor does it have any knowledge of 'anti-democratic death squads', as the Agency so emotionally puts things. His Majesty's Foreign Office has received telegrammes from His Erbonian Majesty's Minister in Telinberg that there has been an attempted establishment of a citizens' watch group, with the clear aim of preserving peace within the city of Leozina. This scheme has the support of the Minister, in whose experience knows that civil unrest often leads to lawlessness and violence. Any attempts to restore order to a shattered society is to be commended. Despite this, the Government must reiterate that it does not financially, militarily or politically support the citizens' watch group and has never provided any firearms or related ordinance or materiel for their use. It may be that certain members of the watch are overzealous, and the Minister will be making contact with the apparent leaders of the group to express our concerns relating to these reports of force, violence and indeed, murder. Authorised by the Lord High Treasurer on this Day at the Castle of Lerdenstone. GOD SAVE THE KING!

[Allanea]

Response from the Free Kingdom Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the recent publications by BUPANA

To clarify some of the allegations currently circulating regarding the use of Allanean weaponry, issue rifles, and other equipment in atrocities in Posteastan: yes, it is correct, and has never been concealed by the Free Kingdom, that we shipped small arms, trucks, and other equipment of this sort to several groups in Posteastan (the Socialists, the 'government', and the Moralists all benefitted from our largesse). The purpose of this aid has always been clear as well – weaponry and supplies were kept limited to light weapons with a law enforcement application, and the only thing we requested in return was that they deal with the wave of human trafficking that is currently besetting Posteastan.

We did not commission any anti-communist massacres, and when information reached us regarding murders of sex workers in Moralist territory we informed the Moralists in no uncertain terms that our aid was conditional on not murdering prostitutes up and down the place like Jack the Ripper. Then, the loss of the airport we used for shipping aid made the issue academic.

It also begins to be clear that several of the factions in Posteastan have become democidal or genocidal, and those who have aided them in any way are now facing serious problems.

Anyone who supported the government faction, the Moralists, Nationalists, Royalists, Separatists or Stateists [sic), should now be aware that each of these are involved in some manner of mass-murder somewhere. (The Renegade faction is involved in outright slavery, but we do not believe anyone supports them with anything).

It begins to be clear that we have a much more serious problem on our hands than was estimated but two weeks ago.

[Kenmoria]

This whole deal was turning into a mess that some in Construction Enterprises weren’t prepared to deal with in the slightest. At this point, the Government had become nothing more than people wistfully thinking about a time when rule and order used to actually exist, and the Syndicate were being slapped with so much international condemnation and foreign intervention that it was having a rather serious effect. All of the workers were doing well, and the wireless and wired network had provided coverage to the whole of the peripheries around Roztechko and Pitney, as well as the cities themselves.

On the plus side, Allanea seemed to have landed themselves in a spot of controversy themselves, which took the focus away from the de facto slavery regarding the workers. It wasn’t technically slavery, at least not by Kenmorian standards, but it was close enough that some more empathetic nations had a problem with it. Meanwhile, the entire country was viewed to have fractured into a multitude of little pieces now that so many nations were involved. It was the perfect opportunity for some actual involvement in the scenario to take place, along with a nice creation of a few monopolies in the area.

---

Subject: Further Involvement in Posteastan
To: President Niculai Valaska
From: Construction Enterprises
Encryption: Maximum

---

Dear President Niculai Valaska,

It was with sadness that we received news of the worsening situation in Posteastan, particularly the recent controversies that have appeared in abundance over the foreign involvement, as well as the further break down of law and order in some parts of the nation. Indeed, it does seem that the situation has turned into little more than a proxy war between major foreign nations.

However, there is some good news. We can confirm that full wireless and wired coverage has been provided to all the major areas of Roztechko and Pibtsy, which has led to us noticing a great number of possible threats to security, and dealing with them appropriately. In addition, the company is doing well, and we wish to make another investment in the region, with your permission.

As we are sure you are aware, there is a growing need for a sense of reliable force in Government-controlled areas, as well as taking back of regions that are currently controlled by dissident, treacherous factions. To this aim, we will be willing to subcontract a well known military firm in Kenmoria in order to bolster control of areas that are under your control, and expand these reaches.

Here are a number of suitable candidates, and we will probably mix and match different units to suit our needs, but they should be enough to bolster control and prevent further invasions of rightfully-owned soil. With your permission, they should be able to be sent via the sea to Pibtsu within a few days,

Yours sincerely,
Construction Enterprises

[Danlina]

The general public in Danlina never really liked the Danlinian intervention in Posteastan. The diplomatic crisis with Rozen was a fatal breaking point for the public support of Danlinian intervention, and the fact that there is no shortage of foreign newspapers in Danlina made it so every Danlinian citizen that is slightly interested in international news knows that Allenean weaponry, which the Danlinian military is quite fund of, is being used by genocidal factions in Posteastan. For some Danlinian economists this ment the end of cooperation with Allenea, but at the end of the day prime minister Robinson managed to gather some support to continue the good relations with Allenea. After all, Allenea is the best option for Danlina for a true ally in the Posteastan conflict. At least outside of the Paren motherland.
To whoever didn’t know, Danlina resides on a land named Paren, which consists of sixteen different countries. After two civil wars, the Parenian land was devided to four major nations: The Armed Republic Of Danlina, The Confederated Colonies Of Parentell, The Federal Republic Of Telroi, and The Queendom Of Uribill. Each one having their own political agendas and views, and in one way or another conflicted with the others.
Recently Danlina has been keeping good relations with Telroi, a thing that can come in handy if Telroi ever wishes to get involved in Posteastan, but a problem exists in Paren: Parentell, a nation deeply conflicted with Danlina, is considering getting involved in Posteastan. If the nations of Paren all end up intervening in Posteastan, Danlina’s agenda in the war will change from keeping humanitarian image into a violent political war that no one will benefit off of.

[Uan aa Boa]

From Adeema Pula, CCRWP
To DIplomatic personnel of the nations of Forest and the Free Kingdom of Allanea

To teach a child is to build the future.

Comrades and colleagues,

Unfolding events in Posteastan remain a cause of grave concern. The allegations made by the media in Balagan are impossible to verify and come from a source of questionable motivation, but there is no doubt that widespread purges and extra-judicial executions are taking place in multiple areas of the country. This underlines the widely held view at our recent meeting on Villi Island that arming anyone in the current climate is extremely unwise and leaves the nation doing so vulnerable to accusations.

We have perhaps up until now felt that it was a disadvantage that Forest could not come to an agreement on the future governance of Posteastan, but I suggest that in this situation where no local factions can be trusted it might be turned to our advantage. As you know, my government has been acting as a restraining influence on other socialist nations and attempting to dissuade them from military involvement. I call now on those nations in Forest that have contacts and connections with the monarchist powers to do the same. It is clear that the Royalist faction in Leoznia bears heavy responsibility for some of the worst atrocities presently being carried out. We denounce the government of Lux Pulchrae as fascists and hatespeakers, but we do not believe that other pro-monarchy nations such as Great Nortend will be comfortable with recent developments. They are likely, rather, to be in a similar position to our socialist comrades in Karevka and the UASR - regretting a hasty involvement with untrustworthy parties. I ask that those able to do so assist and encourage them to extricate themselves from this mess and pursue their policy objectives by diplomatic means.

We also note the continued use of air-drops by the fascist government of Schwarzenfels and potentially others to continue bringing new weapons into Posteastan. This is a problem, for while we are rightly urging responsible and reasonable governments to restrain themselves this does run the risk of leaving the floor to those that are irresponsible and unreasonable. We now have a de facto naval blockade to prevent deployments by sea. It is perhaps time to consider measures to control entry into Posteastan by air. The logistics of this would be difficult as we lack a base to operate from, but I would be interested to hear what you think of the idea in principle. In case this becomes a desirable option Uan aa Boa has ordered the deployment of the aircraft carrier Volunteers of Kikangane to the area, though it will take some time to arrive.

I would also like to discuss the potentially separatist region of Kolvce, which we have so far largely overlooked. It appears that it has suffered more than most areas from the effects of shortages and the influenza epidemic and it may be at risk of being conquered by the forces of Remus Balan and the Nationalist faction. As a historically and culturally distinct entity it may be a simpler case than the rest of Posteastan in that a popular mandate may exist for a safe and acceptable solution. We would be open to considering deploying peacekeeping forces there to prevent invasion by other factions and to support the establishment of an independent state if that is what the people there wish. We stress at the outset that the constitution and governance of such a state would be a matter for its own people and not to be dictated from abroad. I think this may be preferable to allowing Kolvce to be swallowed up by the intractable violence in the rest of the country. We wish to act decisively but not unilaterally, so again I would like to ask your opinions.

Warmest regards.

Tolerance is complicity!
Unity! Discipline! Progress!

[Caracasus]

Operation Hang About in Boats and Look Menacing. 240km from Quoris City docks.

Caracasusian military had never really mastered the art of fancy operation names and codenames. As with much else in Caracasus, military units had charge of naming whatever operation they were to undertake through a broad democratic process. Following Operation That's A Weird Looking Pineapple Cake, Commander Elects of Nineday House, in an attempt to add some decorum to proceedings, bought in a mandate that required operation names to have some relevance to the gravity of the situation. The bulk of the armed forces responded in kind, giving rise to an informal understanding that only the most slapdash, awkwardly long but kind of descriptive operation names were to be put forward and voted on. Hence Operation Hang About in Boats and Look Menacing.

The detachment set to join with the single TUSK destroyer already in the area consisted of ships from Caracasus's Fourth Fleet. Among them, Kilmori a Bashir class Dronehub ship that served as a communications hub, drone platform and electronic warfare base. The carrier Hapirith with its contingent of PD-42 interceptors, two modular TUSK destroyers outfitted for submarine detection and anti-air and the missile cruiser Orisio.

Their mission statement did not differ greatly from the operation name. They were to be a visible presence above all else. A deterrent for those who planned to ship more weapons into Postestan, by sea or by air.

It would take a while for the expedition to reach Postestan, It would take longer still for the strange coalition of nations involved to decide on a definitive course of action.

Extra! Extra! Read all about it! Communists killed in Postestan!

So it's very good to see Comrade Fletcher spitting fire and speaking truth to power in Postestan, and he's dead right about Communists being smelly. Hell, in sheer dedication to our mission to bring you the purest, unadulterated bullshit found anywhere online or offline most of us have given up our annual baths. Deodorant is running lower than our editor's supply of very necessary stimulants, if the lower desk drawer and false ceiling panel tile in the bathroom is anything to go by. Bet you didn't know I knew about that hiding spot, eh? I actually dare you to keep this bit in if you print it you profiteering, drug hoarding swine.

Comrade Fletcher, your labour vouchers are in the mail. We promise this time.

So when Nineday House and all those lovely comrades you absolute children voted into power all up and down your unions, schools, communes, city councils and council elect heard about the slaughter of communists in Postestan they were outraged. No-one, absolutely no-one on this planet should be able to butcher people without the Caracasusian armed forces getting to join in!

I mean, really. Machettes, rifles and nooses are only going to kill so many innocent civilians. Nineday House has warships equipped with missiles that'll obliterate an entire village full of collateral damage while the deathsquads of Postestan are still busy brutalizing child soldiers to go out and do their bidding. So dedicated is the Council Elect and Nineday House to keeping our revolution's resources, communal effort and lives out of the hands of imperialists that they've ensured that as much as possible is transformed instead into high payload explosives and great damn deathships instead. Take that, capitalism! You can't use our resources if we blow the lot on a stupidly overpowered army and give the surplus to anyone that looks like they're thinking about flying a red flag!

It was also very good to see so many of you marching in solidarity with our glorious revolution's apparent pressing need to bomb the people of Postestan yet again, after all it's been a decade or so since last time. So many of you waving flags, carrying banners. I assume of course that the slogans calling for the immediate removal of the Commander Elects were somehow ironic. In the true spirit of Pan-Forestian unity, It was good to see so many placards carrying the faces of our Forestian allies too, though I am not entirely sure I got the “Defenestrate them now” joke. That one must have gone somewhat over my head.

We will, of course, launch a campaign to have the entire of Nineday House once again credited with the Conquistador medal (pictured) in celebration of this tireless effort.

This order is one of the highest orders awarded via the Caracasusians Against War political coalition. It is awarded for politicians and military strategists who have undertaken the greatest level of resourcefulness in preventing shared property and wealth owned by Caracasus from falling into imperialist hands by throwing it away on the increasingly bloated military budget of Nineday House. To avoid offense to the delicate sensibilities and troubled consciences of its recipients, the order is free of any communist symbolism. It is instead made of the most precious materials emeralds from the west, diamonds from the south, silver from the north and gold from the east. The ribbon is made from the finest silk of the central provinces. The centerpiece pictures a very angry imperialist who can not steal Caracasus' resources and the suspension is decorated with an image of an Isnashi, a legendary panther like creature that is said to roam the jungles around Iberis. It feeds on the youth of teenagers which it lures to their death by promising them a life of adventure and riches. Recipients gain the honourary title Chevaliers of the Isnashi.

[Posteastan]

CONFEDERACY OF POSTEASTAN

Official Statement of the Confederacy of Posteastan

To: The Principality of Schwarzenfels
Subject: Patriotic Alliance
OFFICIAL TELEGRAM FROM THE DOMNITOR

---

Generalissimo,

side by side we march though these dark times. I am not pleased with this development but we have already allied with the stateists. We are gaining ground every day. Your gifts have arrived and we are planning on using them to our full advantage in the near future. We have taken care of the reds in our sector long before the royalists even thought about that problem and we are collaborating closely with them. These are difficult times and we cannot simply do as we please. We are cleaning Posteastan up but we need more time.

On Guard!

---

Office of the Domnitor
Orikson
Remus Balan

ROYALIST PARTY

Official Statement of the Royalsit Party

To: Grand Ambassador Peter Nizhinsky
Subject: Syndicate Wars
OFFICIAL TELEGRAM

---

Your Excellency,

We are currently discussing your offer of cooperation. Like you we think that the Sakala Syndicate is a great threat to the well-being of our people. We are men of honor and we are taking pride in our war against lawlessness. So far we have killed and arrested a lot of syndicate members. We are discussing your offer at the moment and we will give you a reply soon. Meanwhile we ask you to show your good will by moving against the poison master of the syndicate. Faramir Fletcher is their biggest assed. With him dead the road to peace will be open. It would help our young alliance a lot.

The Lion Will Return

---

Sir Rasvan Luca,
Leozina

REPUBLIC OF POSTEASTAN

Official Statement of the Republic of Posteastan

To: Construction Enterprises
Subject: Peace Prize
OFFICIAL TELEGRAM FROM THE PRESIDENT

---

My friends,

As always these are reassuring words. I am glad that we have you by our side. I have seen the lies and the evil propaganda smeared against your organization. To that end I have decided to take things further. Through the power as the legitimate leader of Posteastan I award the Construction Enterprises the National Peace Award. The highest decoration commemorating tireless work towards peace and wellbeing of the people of the world. If someone ever has deserved this decoration it is Construction Enterprises.

Your offer is most generous and much needed. I hope that you make more investments soon. Posteastan needs your money and your help. Things have already stabilized at the coast and with further investments we will be able to succeed all over the country.

I am glad to hear of that. This will indeed be a very good step forward. Right now we have to consolidate our position and we have to be very careful about the use of PMCs. Keep in mind that the UGF used mercenaries as barrier troops to prevent regular soldiers from joining the renegades. PMCs have a very bad reputation among the men of the National Guard because they fear them. They must operate outside the regular forces for now. If you can put pressure on other nations to allow us to buy military weapons that would be great. We need an air force and more armor.

---

Office of the President
Niculai Valaska
Telinburg

REPUBLIC OF POSTEASTAN

Official Statement of the Republic of Posteastan

To: Grand Ambassador Peter Nizhinsky
Subject: Operation Aulos
OFFICIAL TELEGRAM FROM THE PRESIDENT

---

My friends,

We are preparing everything for the upcoming Operation Aulos. We are ready to strike at your command. We are putting the lists you have given us to a good use but we need more men. I have ordered the courts to be ready at your command to issue arrest and search warrants seconds before we strike. The judges don't know what they are supposed to do but I have cancelled all vacations for them. We will keep all the ships in the harbor under some pretense. I want your men to board these ships and seize them but I don't want any of these sunk or my ports destroyed They are vital for our survival. If you want to deal a devastating blow against the Syndicate I suggest you focus on one Faramir Fletcher the syndicate's director of PR. With him dead the syndicate is in deep trouble.

---

Office of the President
Niculai Valaska
Telinburg

Leozina Hotel

Paternally slapping d'Umbra's rosy cheeks Dolgan spoke with a jolly voice "Oh, it is the wine talking now is it? See, my friend that lèse-majesté we take it very serious here. It is a matter of honor and discipline. If I had the time I would explain to you why it is not the place of a man of your standing to compare His Erbonian Majesty to a beggar. But I have a war to win. Please enjoy our wine." Wiping his wet fingers on his trousers he leaves the room with Thatcher following close behind.

"I think we have some serious problems here. We are in a military situation and an order is an order. Hierarchy must be upheld under any circumstances though our King has put you in charge and whoever is named in one of the letters. Mr Luca is acting more and more erratically. He is seeking an alliance with Balan. From a military perspective this might be a good idea but it needs to be tightly monitored. Politically it might prove dangerous in the long run. Next we have this Tavitian situation. The Free Posteastan Army is now a serious fighting force. I have no idea where all the weapons came from but they have, like, everything?" He pauses to take a sip from his hot tea. Enjoin the warmth for a few seconds he continues. " Tavitian is not pleased about the rejection of his offer of an alliance. He has not replied to an idea of a non-aggression treaty but instead keeps telling us about his elections. He is dead serious about them." He takes another sip and looks for something to smoke in his pockets. "I have no idea what he is up to but he seriously wants us to set up branches in his territory. He wants us to participate in this election to look it more legitimate. I think Luca is highly in favor of such an undertaking and I agree that we need allies if we want to proceed with our project. We can only win by convincing the people of Posteastan that we have the solution they are looking for. If we want to play this game, it needs to be played masterfully and frankly I am afraid that Tavitian is able to outsmart Luca." He takes a deep breath before he continues. "And then there is this grandmaster Nizhinsky figure. The operations against the communists are not good. Our men don't take these jobs lightly and with the recent mess the press has caused they are doing more damage than good. I am not asking for the captives to be released but we should be more careful. Peter Nizhinsky could be good way to score some publicity points and make some friends. He wants us to do the same thing again, but this time to the Syndicate. Acting more noble if you know what I mean. The end justifies the means but we need to be careful. If we do that we need to communicate our actions better." With that he ends his speech. "I have no damn cigarette. I need to find a smoke. When you return please hand my most humble apologies to Sir d'Umbr the Brave. We have enough problems already." With that he leaves the hotel and drives to the Leozina stadium.

The Airport

Sir Rasvan looked at the Allaneans with the face of an victorious warlord. "We have finest short bread from Great Nortend. If that is of any help for you." Looking back at Gentile he says "We need to take care of discipline. There is a severe lack of that. Both in the city and in our movement. We are not a party of protestors anymore we are an army at war!" He harrumphs. "I suggest we give ten lashes to everyone who looks awkward at our friends from Lux Pulchrae, and with your approval everyone who lays hands on one of our guests is executed. We don't need this! What we need it to establish facts, right? We have the firepower, we have the men and we have the will. We can wait here while more and more foreign troops come into our country or we can take the whole nation as I have taken this airport. Bold and swift, Gentile, mark my words. Bold and swift!" He makes a wide gesture vaguely in the direction of Telinburg. "We could take Telinburg tomorrow. The national guard has no fighting spirit and no experience in urban combat. We can march along the Telin right into the city and all this is over. With Valaska gone things will fall in place. You just have to give the order and Posteastan is free. Balan will have no other choice than to join us if we take the capital."

KOLVCE FREE STATE

Official Statement of the Magistrate

To: General Maximov from the Ninawan Government
Subject: Situation in Kolvce
OFFICIAL TELEGRAM FROM THE MAGISTRATE

---

You ask me about the situation in my home province and all I can say it is like hell on earth. We are under attack from fascists in the north who have by now taken almost a third of our province. We sometimes have to repel them with stones and axes. This is not working well for us. There is a shortage of food and of fuel. There is no starvation but people die because they are too weak. There is an outbreak of influenza that is like no other. I won't say what I think it is but not even Balan's men dare to roam the hills at night. Make of this whatever you want. If you want to help us you can do a lot of things. You can use your influence to legalize the Volunteer Legion for the Liberty of Kolvce. International freedom fighters who came to our land to help us resist the fascists. But the thing that would help us the most would be an initiative that removes guns from the politics of Posteastan.

---

For the people of Kolvce
Martí Marcó

CHURCH OF POSTEASTAN

Official Statement of the Church of Posteastan

To: Grand Ambassador Peter Nizhinsky
Subject: Lies and Propaganda
OFFICIAL LETTER OF THE PATRIARCH

---

Your Excellency,

The lies and propaganda smeared against you and our holy church are outraging. The lies could not come at a worse time. I am working day and night to keep things under control and now my fight against the syndicate has been undermined by this agent of the Sakala. I fear for my life now. The Skala's propaganda minister Faramir Fletcher has marked me as a target with his allegations. It is time to remove the higher ranks of these ungodly monsters. I say you make him the top priority on your list. Once he is dead we are willing to act on your command for the final push against the syndicate.

God be with you.

---

Patriarch
Iancu Funar

[Cat-Herders United]

“Now that is more like it!”

The container of “humanitarian aid” had just been unloaded from the heavy cargo plane in a secret hangar beside the airstrip and revealed behind some sacks of grain, three Spahpanzer Luchswith the Cat-Herder military logo erased and painted over with a Kolvce seal. The past few days had seen some RPG launchers, hand grenades, and plenty of ammunition, but this was the heaviest equipment yet. There were two possibilities in Dr Teodoro Colorado’s mind: either the party had more access to military equipment than he had thought, and was using it to aid the Volunteer Legion, or it was provided secretly by the government. But what did it matter if the government chose to play the support and infiltration game with the volunteers, the socialists had a head start, and at least it got access to some heavier equipment in the deal.

“Hey maybe ask if they can get us something to take the fight to the air next time?” he joked to the pilot.

Two days later when the heavy cargo plane returned, it contained two AW-159 “Wildcat” reconnaissance helicopters. Not exactly “death from above” but you can always use more reconnaissance. Not too shabby for a humble “volunteer legion”.

The heavy cargo plane itself seemed to be based off some Soviet design and may also have been provided by intelligence. Such planes were not common in Cat-Herders United because of the defensive nature of the military doctrine, so heavier equipment would come only slowly. But lighter equipment was more plentiful, as was manpower.

It was time to hinder the invaders. The heavy equipment would be used in conjunction with the forces of the Kolvce Free State of course. But now there were enough volunteers and equipment to launch some guerilla warbands, each warband containing a socialist infiltrator (and undoubtedly the folks at intelligence were attempting the same). Benefiting from the socialists’ accrued institutional knowledge about guerilla warfare in their training and carrying the kind of firepower, communications, and night-vision technology that the sponsorship of a foreign power could buy, warbands set out to get behind enemy lines into occupied Kolvce and light up the enemy’s supply chain with RPGs and portable mortar fire, and put some fear into their hearts on the front lines with some snipers taking aim at their officers.

[Allanea]

The Airport

Soon enough, more aircraft began to land at the airfield. They did not come empty. The Allaneans brought in dozens of tons of food – once again, rated to be the most caloric food possible. Rice, condensed milk, chocolate, and specialized baby food mixes were brought in, as were pallets of meat. The outbound planes, however, carried the aid workers that had been holed up at the airfield. The next flights, leaving in the evening, carried out the combat instructors and any classified gear – encrypted radios, documents – that could be packed on board.

Heavier items – trucks, cars, the units' generators – had been left behind, handed over to whatever charity organization could make use of them. Some were driven over to hospitals and fire departments and left there. The Allaneans had no desire to leave the items with the armed forces, now that rumors of mass-murder were doing on, however in a country with actual starvation going on it seemed a crime to just burn the trucks.

[Caracasus]

Villi Island

Something approaching a decision seemed to be creeping towards the assembled diplomats, leaders and associated hangers on, and with somewhat unusual haste, International Affairs began drafting a document for fellow Forestian nations to place their weight behind. It was above all else a statement of intent.

Pan-Forestian Statement on the Situation in Posteastan.

We believe that the current Posteastan situation is one that requires multilateral, genuine commitment to diplomatic resolution from all sides in the conflict. As the undersigned nations of Forest, we issue the following statement to every faction within Posteastan, its supporters and the wider world.

1. Abiding by all relevant international regulations, treaties and legislation the undersigned promise to contribute humanitarian aid and assistance to the citizens of Posteastan, including reconstruction and agricultural aid with the intended aim to reduce Posteastan's dependence on foreign aid and food and ensure it can develop a sustainable agricultural and industrial base.

2. This aid is to be administered in a fashion that acknowledges the de facto but not the de jure control of various parts of Posteastan and requires these factions accept the presence of Forestian aid personnel to ensure the speedy delivery and distribution of aid to all.

3. Noting the increased incidents of weapons and manpower being smuggled into the nation and condemning these attempts at subverting legislation against wars of aggression as nothing short of a crime against humanity.

4. Establishing the Pan Forestian naval task force and ensuring that while remaining within the boundaries of international legislation it has the authority – under the guidance of the undersigned nations – to take whatever action the undersigned nations feel is needed to stem the tide of weapons and military support to Posteastan.

5. Establishing a joint task force charged with exploring the possibility of and facilitating diplomatic relations between the various de facto organisations currently in charge of Posteastan.

---

Mountainous region near Tamo

Even here, deep in the country, you could see the smoke from the firestacks. Illegal mining of iron ore, coal and rare earth minerals continued unabated. Spoil heaps had been placed near roads for convenience, growing taller and taller until close up they dwarfed the mountains. The rainy season had come, and with it snowmelt from the mountains. A great torrent of water had circled, then collapsed the spoilheaps, burying almost every access road to the northern provinces in rock and mud.

Priscilla Keynes hunkered down inside the hide. With the forests all but gone, the wind came in fierce and eager. It tore through their overcoats and even here, sheltered as they were, she felt every one of her sixty four years right through to the bone.

“See that?”

The scout lifted up his binoculars. Nodded. The plane came in steep, slowed somewhat. A cargo plane – no discernible logo, no way of telling who it was from or what it was carrying.

“For us or....?”

The question hung in the air. Three weeks they'd been fighting. Three weeks against the Black Patrols. Weapons were short on ammunition, ground had been given up and they'd taken losses. Fewer than expected, though more than they could afford. The uneasy truce with the Kolvce Free State looked to be blossoming into something more permanent and useful. Their defense group had been photographed standing on ruined, burned out Fascist trucks and burning Fascist flags, though in fairness they'd not seen the worst of the fighting.

Still, whoever that airdrop was meant for...

“Get some people together, quietly. Get close and watch. If it's friendly, radio back. If not...”

The scout did not need to be told twice, he practically vanished into the scrub. Keynes picked up her binoculars and followed the path of the plane. The wind crept up – a storm was coming.

---

Ohiton - Yohan

"Well, that about sums up that then." The young man busied himself packing up the case.

The exchange of the ax head had gone smoothly; Yohan had been pictured standing side by side with the selected great and good of Ohiton. As the temperature of the building climbed into discomfort, the curator of the Ohiton Museum of Cultural History had given a long and detailed speech. Yohan noted that a couple of attendees had to be nudged sharply to stop them fully drifting into sleep.

And now? Yohan agreed. It did sum things up. Keynes and the others. Kjoll, Birla, Fahima and Seb. The Red Sky Faction that had damn near robbed every bank from here to the Archives had retired. A convoluted, messy chapter of history had closed as they'd grown old. Servers hacked from a continent away, money siphoned from slush funds, vaults raided at gunpoint and if rumors were to be believed the occasional assassination. Millions, perhaps billions of Syndicated Yen stashed away, occasionally tapped to fund whatever cause seemed to strike their fancy at any given time.

Most people retired to live out a simple life, and Yohan figured Keynes had done the same. Sure, training and leading a cadre of revolutionaries in Posteastan probably wasn't quite the same as a little commune in the foothills with chickens clucking through the communal gardens, but given Keynes it was about as close as she'd ever come.

There is a theory that suggests every choice creates a new universe. In one universe you put slippers on before leaving the bedroom, in the other you did not and stepped unprotected onto a discarded child's toy. The universes differed, sometimes to a great degree, other times barely noticeable depending on the choice itself.

Yohan would wonder later, much later, what the other universe was like. The one in which he simply boarded the Kavverit and returned to his apartment to write his memoirs. He'd wonder, as he watched the river burn, if that Yohan felt any better than he did.

He didn't go home. Not right away at any rate. Instead he booked a passage to Santa Gertrudis. He still had contacts within the Communist party there, and more than a few within the Legion itself. If rumours were to be believed, they were about the only ones capable of doing what he was about to ask them to do.

[Kenmoria]

The offer was accepted, which was great news for the company and bypassed was could have been weeks of negotiations, but the medal being awarded to Construction Enterprises was absolutely marvellous, to the degree that even some of the senior partners over in the Kenmorian headquarters had heard about it. Now, an image of the medallion was proudly displayed in the head office, with a nice plaque detailing the humanitarian work. Furthermore, President Niculai Valaska’s acceptance of the troops would look great when combined with this receipt of the award.

Following from this, therefore, the order was given for some of the privatised armies lurking in Kenmoria to be sent over via boat. Although aeroplane would have been far preferable, and taken much less time, it was simply easier to send the soldiers directly to Pibtsy, where they could start enforcing the martial law and expanding into Posteastan. Thus, International Defence Services were sent a telegram detailing the operation, and requesting for them to make available soldiers for the situation.

With that having been done, a plan was put in place. Firstly, the soldiers would be sent via boat, probably only a singular one for the time being, to Pibtsy. Once there, their ranks would be bolstered by local Syndicate employees as well as forcefully contracted locals who had been recruited in exchange for safety for their families. Within a few days, the soldiers would disperse across Pibtsy, and spread into a line of attack on Renegade areas, with the aim of hopefully taking Deslav.

The reason for focusing on Deslav was based on international reaction. No foreign power supported the Renegades, so there wouldn’t be too much of a problem when the invasion was mounted.