For Scientific Purposes... [Closed | Ajax Only]

[Gristol-Serkonos]

Sea of Dakmoor,
Approaching Waltch Air Defence Zone
2032 hours

"Reinitialize navigation, it must've gone awry again." after flipping the switches on his console, the pilot pulled the troubleshooting manual and flicked through the pages.
"Right. Reboot in progress, initializing back ups." the weapon systems officer spoke behind him.

Flying above 28,000 metres above sea level, an experimental Morgenroete X-704 high altitude reconnaissance aircraft was undergoing a test flight north of Gristol-Serkonos. Having achieved first flight just two months ago, the air force wanted an extended duration test flight to test the systems. The high altitude flight also drew the attention of the Space and Aeronautical Research Agency, who asked the air force to test their new imaging sensors for their upcoming research satellites. Using SARA as a cover for the high altitude flight attempt, the flight started without much incident for a few hours until their navigation mishap.

"Control, this is Vulture." the pilot spoke over the radio. "Control, do you read?"

Static responded, the pilot clicking his tongue in annoyance. The pilot begun to restart the communication systems as he barked at his WSO. "Comms is also out of whack, this must be system-wide."
"I got partial backups started. Nav is good now." the WSO responded, looking over at the nav screen. "Hey, check your nav. I must be reading this incorrectly. I think we are flying towards Waltch airspace." the WSO asked. Turning the knob on the pilots starboard screen towards the nav screen, the pilot concurred. Telling the WSO of their proposed heading towards Gristo-Serkonan airspace, "Turning to 1-5-0." he pushed the stick to the right, turning the plane east back home.

Few Hours Later,
H.G. Touflexis Building, Office of National Defence

Stuart Loughton, the Minister of National Defense, followed Chancellor Kaniehtí:io Fox into the situation room where the Armed Forces Defence Council are gathered. He took the seat beside him, where the Chancellor, the presiding officer of the council was supposed to be. He opened his binder, reading through the reports and maps that were included. Clearing his throat, and noting the looks of the officers towards them, he spoke.

"What's the situation?" he asked, returning his eyes on the binder.
"Few hours ago, we lost contact with an experimental high altitude reconnaissance aircraft two hours into its test flight." the Chief of the Armed Forces spoke, reporting the situation in a matter-of-fact manner. "It was its first high altitude flight and carried various telemetry sensors and an early prototype for SARA's new earth imaging sensor."
"Was it really necessary to start the flight this late?" Chancellor Fox asked.
"We wanted to test the night flying capabilities of the craft." the commander of the Air Force responded, clicking a button that showed the aircraft's intended flight path. "It was intended to take flight over north of us and into the east coast." he continued then clicked a button again, showing the last telemetry readings. "However, two hours into the flight, it appears to have suffered some software faults and directed the plane towards the Sea of Dakmoor and the Waltch Air Defense Zone. We also lost communications contact with the craft and we could not risk sending an F-104 to guide it home as the craft skirted Waltch airspace."
"Did we regain contact?" Loughton replied.

"We regained telemetry contact with them about 30 minutes when it disappeared again." the air force commander spoke again "This time, it reported numerous system failures and a rapid loss of altitude. Pilot and the WSO have also ejected."
"Are CSAR teams ready to retrieve the crew?" Loughton inquired.
"Yes sir, we have Naval Task Force 14 from Maritime Forces North ready to deploy its CSAR teams on the area." the Chief of the Armed Forces replied "In that task force, we are able to launch two HH-218 helicopters and one V-213 V/STOL aircraft through the RGSS Triumph."

Looking up from her binder, the Chancellor looked at the screen with the flight path map situated one end of the room. "Lieutenant-General, do we have a visual on last known location of the aircraft?"
"Our intelligence satellites are not on orbit at the moment, but the flight data recorder has activated its beacon." the air force commander responded as an aide approached the General with the coordinates from the flight data recorder. "It would seem we know where it is now." Realizing the GPS coordinates, the air force general reported "The aircraft crashed in the border region in the Avaler Commonwealth within Walzenia."

Reading the copy of the document for a moment, the Chancellor sighed, rubbing her forehead before standing up. "Thank you, gentlemen. Have the Naval Task Force ready for immediate rescue operation when we clear it with Waltch authorities." Loughton also followed the Chancellor outside of the room. "Assuming we get one." she muttered.

Chancellor Fox enabled the speed-dial to her Chief of Staff on her smartphone. "Assemble the National Security Council for an emergency session, and summon the Waltch ambassador to the Chancellor's Office." she spoke through the phone.
"Understood ma'am." her Chief of Staff replied through the phone. Few minutes later, she is outside the H.G. Touflexis Building. She then climbed into the state car with the National Defence Minister. "To the Chancellor's Office, right now." she ordered the driver.

"Chancellor is riding."
"Convoy on the move."

The Chancellor's State Car, guarded by three Governmental Security Service vehicles ahead and behind it, drove quickly towards the Parliament Precinct Grounds.

[Nordwalsh]

Wabashieuw, Avaler, FCW,
Near the Avaler-Matagamon border,
Along the W15, outside of town.
[Moon Is On The March]

The pickup truck lurched to a stop at the intersection. Kini leaned heavily on the steering wheel as she leered into the darkness for oncoming headlights, preparing to cross the bridge across the Potosh River. A dull roar emanated over the sound of the truck's engine. Kini clicked her tongue in annoyance that an airliner would be passing so low at this hour. They were probably en route to Nybronswiek or Donmer - no business going so low, so far out. She put the truck in park, rolled down her window and leaned out into the chilly March night air, a gust of wind whipping her braid around against the cab. She looked up into the sky, searching for the tell-tale blinking lights of the big plane in idle amusement. It was a clear night, temperature hovering right above freezing - pleasant, all things considered, especially so early into spring.

The droning of the engines was growing louder. Kini craned her neck around, thinking maybe the plane was just barely obscured by the trees flanking both sides of the road. She was just about to get back in the truck and proceed on her way when the sound reached its apex and a blur flashed across her vision for just a second.

The woman blinked twice, massaging her eyes with her hand, uncertain that she had actually seen something. Her bewilderment was heightened as the bellowing was suddenly cut short, punctuated by a thunderous boom that echoed around the hills.

"Mecwa, was that a-?!" The words caught in her throat as she rushed to open the door and clamber out of the truck. Cursing aloud, Kini jogged across the intersection onto the bridge and leaned against the guardrail, squinting into the night in the direction it had gone. Sure enough, in the distance, a faint orange light lit up the forest. A meteor? No, that was a plane - she had seen its shape clearly for a brief moment as it passed over the bridge, maybe a hundred meters in the air. Trying to make an emergency landing on the river, maybe?

If that was the case, the plane had missed sorely. It was difficult to make out the geography in the darkness, but it had definitely slammed into solid ground, plowing through some trees in the process. Rushing back to her truck and pulling her phone out of her pocket, she tried to correlate the westerly location with a mental map of the area. Dialing the emergency number, she made a left turn towards the fire.

---

The earliest azure streaks of dawn were starting to appear on the horizon as Kini leaned tiredly with her back to the fire engine, surveying the scene. It had been a very minor blaze, considering the source - she had heard a firefighter reckoning that there had been very little fuel left in the tank, which may have been one of the factors contributing to the crash. She wearily watched as two men argued at the tree-line - they had been at it for hours. One had a rifle slung across his back and wore the camouflage jacket and bisected shoulder patch of the Red-Black Guards, the RZW, while the other wore a black-and-yellow police uniform. They were at odds over jurisdiction. One of the firemen had been a Guard, and immediately declared that the aircraft was military in origin, and that therefore all operations relating to it should be overseen by the Guards until they received word from the feds on how to proceed. Kini was inclined to agree - the sleek shape of the craft, in addition to a tarnished insignia discovered on the far-flung tail rudder, clearly indicated that it was foreign, as did the persistence of a new set of engines that had been roaring overhead for hours. She expected a helicopter in from New Brasbourg any minute now.

The arguing men suddenly went their separate ways with a huff, and the guardsman shifted his focus to her, as one of the few people not doing something else.

"Kiniaqkisa, right?" The guardsman, whose uniform indicated that he was one Sergeant Veurink, inquired. He had a short neck and a ruddy face, but, she supposed, decidedly kind eyes.

"Kini. Last name Dow. What do you need?" She responded, exhaustion evident in her voice.

"Oh, you used to be in the Guards, right? Ogi Poel mentioned a Kini Dow a few times."

"That's right. You with Nybronswiek?"

"Nah, the Blackfish, outta Asqueranon." That made sense, Kini thought - with Wabashieuw lacking its own RZW company, Asqueranon was probably the closest one. Veurink scratched at the stubble on his chin. "You're the one who first called the crash in?"

"That's right."

"Listen, we're a bit shorthanded. You wanna reactivate?"

"Does that require paperwork?" She asked dryly.

Veurink gave her a goofy grin. "You're just a comrade doing her part in an emergency, right? In a purely unofficial capacity."

"Look, I can get off of work but I'd prefer to go home and get some sleep before anything else."

"Fair enough." Both of them looked to the sky as the whir of helicopter blades joined the general ruckus of the operation. "Get some shut-eye, but we could really use you back here, soon as possible. Sounds like the feds are here and we need all hands on deck."

---

Donmeir, Nytiersland, FCW,
Federal Regional Command - Southeast - Headquarters (REGKOM-ZO HQ)
EARLY MORNING

Serena Duiker ran a hand through her hair and downed her third cup of coffee. The Lieutenant-General, REGKOM-ZO, had certainly seen better days, but she noted with satisfaction that the Chief of Federal Intelligence, Pascal Esiban, had shown up in a sweater and jeans.

Two assembled groups regarded each other with tired bemusement through the screens facilitating their teleconference. On one side, the Federal Security Council in Moienrout, and on the other, Duiker and the staff of the Waltch military's southeastern regional command. Both were summoned in the small hours of the morning. Closely following developments and exchanging communiques with Gristo-Serkonan officials throughout the night, they now arrived at a point of contention.

"Simply handing over the craft and the pilot is out of the question." Cedric Keizer, Commissioner of Defense, shook his head and repeated himself for the third time. "We can't let a sleight like this go unanswered. We need to reach out to the Ottonians, the Messidorians, get them to join us in condemning this action and back us up while we learn what we can from the wreckage."

"I just don't think that's prudent." Theodosia Wolff, Commissioner of Foreign Affairs and Chancellor, leaned back in her chair and brought a hand to her chin. "Our situation is too tenuous at the moment to risk alienating lukewarm countries like Gistrol-Serkonos. If we want to succeed in Enyama and elsewhere long-term, we can't risk exhausting goodwill over something like this."

"Normally I'd agree, Theo," Keizer replied, "but part of that long-term success is having our armed forces taken seriously. What will Ol' Nate across the Dakmoor think, if even the Serkonians are breaching our airspace unanswered? A Waltch option in Enyama is contingent on displaying strength and leveraging every advantage we can get. Fox is going to stand against Elatia, and choose Belfras over Walzenia, no matter what."

"That's a good point, Ced." Esiban chewed on a pen in-between jotting down notes. "But, for what it's worth, it looks like an accident, right? Nothing we have suggests Serkonos was plotting anything. Regardless of external appearances, I don't think this represents any sort of credible threat to national security."

Duiker rested her chin on steepled fingers as the Council continued to go back and forth. The situation on the ground was mostly under control, which meant that all she could do was wait for instructions. The crash site, roughly two hundred kilometers from the border, appeared to be that of some sort of reconnaissance craft, and had been quickly secured by militias in the area - she preferred not to entertain the Red-Black Guards whenever possible, but they had proven useful this time. However, the pilot was still unaccounted for - it was unclear if they had ejected, but preliminary examination suggested that there wasn't anybody onboard when the plane crashed.

"This just doesn't seem worth burning bridges with Serkonos over." Wolff shook her head, frustration clearly growing. "Even if the aircraft is cutting edge, the more of Norumbia we can keep nominally uncommitted to a Belfrasian bloc, the better."

"Could I suggest a compromise?" Commissioner of Economic Affairs and Finance, Majumi Van De Laan, interjected. Leaning forward, she made twirling motions with her pen as she spoke. "Once we find the pilot, or their body, we turn them over immediately as a gesture of goodwill. However, we keep the aircraft - give some bullshit reason."

"We could give them some scraps, tell them that's all that was left." Esiban mused.

"For instance." Van De Laan gestured at him. "Or, since I doubt they'd buy that, make a statement that the well-being and liberty of the pilot is respected, but the craft, as an inanimate object, doesn't have the same right of return."

"Finder's keepers." Keizer scoffed.

Wolff looked around the room, scribbling down a note for future reference. "Should we make that a motion then?"

---

Wabashieuw, Avaler, FCW,
LATE MORNING

The airman limped down the side of the hill, stifling grunts of pain as he hobbled along on an injured ankle. Just twisted on landing, he hoped, not broken - the pain in his chest from slamming into a tree in midair was more concerning. He could scarcely hear anything over his own breathing, the sound of helicopters overhead and birds in the forest fading in and out with his own blood rushing in his ears. He reached his destination, a small stream rushing along in the valley between two hills, and knelt down to fill up his canteen, wincing at the weight on his bad ankle. The airman had set up a small hideout in what looked to be an big, abandoned badger den further up the hill; the rest of his emergency kit was stashed there, and all he could do now was avoid detection and await further instructions on his handheld radio. Pouring a little water over his sweaty head, he briefly wondered if his colleague was okay, but quickly decided that it was no use worrying about that - if they could meet up, great, but otherwise it was out of his hands and into those of people much better equipped to handle the situation than him. He took a moment to simply stare, transfixed, at the ripples and babbling of the flowing stream and clear his head.

"Haho, brudder." A female voice cut through his respite. He looked up to the sight of a woman crouched on the other side of the stream, leveling a rifle at him with a cool gaze as a man further up the opposite hill did the same. Somebody out of view shouted insistently. "Wat brengt ja na Zagawaki?"

[Gristol-Serkonos]

GOOGLE TRANSLATION WARNING.

Border Region, Avaler, FCW

Unbucking herself from the parachute, Flight Lieutenant Tanis Johnson moved quickly out to cover. She was the weapon systems officer of the now-crashed X-704. "Suit must have depressurized during the descent." she noted the depressurized high altitude flight suit. She then took off her enclosed helmet and pulled out the two parts of the survival pistol. She quickly assembled it, snapping the suppressor into the extended barrel and locking it into the slide before racking it. Satisfied with her work, she then holstered the pistol. Tanis then activated the emergency handheld radio, receiving only static. She switched it off to conserve power. She patted around her suit, finding the emergency kit on her pocket.

Tanis needs to keep herself hidden until contact with command is established. Opening the compass on the sleeve of her suit, she quickly determined her bearings and begun a trek for higher ground. She would probably get better signal reception up there, she mused.

---

Meanwhile:

"Haho, brudder." spoke the woman across the stream.

"Oh, fuck my life." After ducking for cover behind the tree, Squadron Leader Vegard Eriksen soon realized she was not alone. Fighting this would be a futile exercise. He will be captured and he hoped Tanis would exfil safely.

"Wat brengt ja na Zagawaki?"

"Ah shit." he muttered, going out of cover, he faced towards the armed group. Holding up his survival pistol, he then threw it on the ground. The injured pilot then lifted both of his hands. "Beklager, kan ikke si at jeg forstår deg." he replied in his native Gristol-accented Nordic tongue. "You folks good with Anglic instead?"

---

National Security Council Board Room
Chancellor's Office and Privy Council Building, Parliament Precinct Grounds
Pontiac-Bernadotte, Capital District Region

"What are our options if we cannot recover the wreckage?" Chancellor Kaniehtí:io Fox asked.
"Assuming diplomatic options are exhausted, destroyer RGSS Kanièn꞉ke of Naval Task Force 14 can launch a Javelin cruise missile to destroy the wreckage." Hans Beck, the National Security Advisor responded the Chancellor.
"Alright, unless that is a serious option, we are leaving that out of the communique." Fox retorted.

"Chancellor, a cruise missile would risk an confrontation with the Waltch government." Ewald Travis, the Minister of State Affairs added "We can't risk that over some unarmed wreck."
"That unarmed wreck is an experimental aircraft in a development program worth four billion crowns so far." the Defense Minister responded with an annoyed tone. "Considering their history of meddling, we can't trust Walzenia would willingly give up the wreck. And don't get me started with SARA's imaging sensor technology in that aircraft." Clasping his hands together, Loughton added "We need to send our CSAR teams into the crash-site."
"With the permission of the Waltch government, of course." Travis added.
"Yes."

Chancellor Fox looked one of the diplomatic aides working for the State Office standing on the side. He was a tall, bespectabled fellow, wearing the usual white collar attire most people would wear in the Chancellor's Office. "You." Fox pointed "Are you a diplomatic aide to the State Office?"
"Yes, ma'am." the aide replied.
"Travis, work with your aides in the State Office, get me a draft of the communique in an hour." Fox ordered "We need to get our affairs in order before going in." looking towards Loughton, she spoke again. "Order the mobilization of Naval Task Force 14 and the CSAR teams. If we need the cruise missile, we might as well have it as our fallback option. We are not going to let them have the wreck."

Loughton nodded, and with the Chancellor satisfied she stood up. "I'll await their response in my office. We'll resume the meeting there."

With the meeting adjurned, Ewald Travis beckoned the aide to follow him outside as the rest of the council left the room. With an hour to draft, he'll need the aide and the members of the State Communique Office working on this quick. An hour later, Fox would approve the communique draft, sending the file over to the State Office to be sent.

---

THE UNITED KINGDOM AND CONSTITUTIONAL UNION OF GRISTOL-SERKONOS
OFFICE OF STATE AFFAIRS
Parliament Precinct Grounds,
Pontiac-Bernadotte, 1WR 9MQ

Addressed to:
Theodosia Wolff,
Chancellor and Commissioner of Foreign Affairs
Government of Federated Commonwealths of Walzenia

Madam Chancellor,

As you are aware, an experimental aircraft of Gristo-Serkonan origin has made a crash landing in your nation. We sincerely regret this incident as this aircraft was not intended to violate Waltch air sovereignty. Preliminary analysis of telemetry we received from the aircraft indicates that a cascade of system failures has brought the aircraft to your territory and subsequently crash-land there.

In the interest of keeping our part of the region's stable, the Government is interested in resolving this unfortunate affair swiftly. The Government is also prepared to assist local units in finding and repatriating the aircraft's test pilots.

There is also another matter regarding our crashed aircraft. Due to the nature of our nation's proprietary technology security laws regarding experimental technology. The aircraft manufacturer, Morgenroete Aerospace, is required to have self-destruct mechanisms on crucial areas of the aircraft to prevent technology transfers not approved by the Government. Please note that any tampering or removal of wreckage from the crash site without authorized personnel present would result in the activation of self-destruct mechanism.

In addition, the Government will announce to Parliament that a naval task force will be deployed in your region. This naval force which will act as a staging ground for our Combat Search and Rescue Teams. With your permission, they will enter the country and assist local units in SAR operations and the retrieval of the crashed aircraft.

Sincerely,

The Rt Hon. Kaniehtí:io Fox
Chancellor, First Minister of the State
Government of Gristol-Serkonos

Hon. Ewald Travis
Minister for State Affairs and Minister responsible for Norumbian State Affairs
Government of Gristol-Serkonos

[Yisroel]

---

---

Trending Stories -- Suvarovan Noblewoman Assumes Presidency -- Royalists Gain Edge In Bloody Fahrani Civil War -- Impeachment Of Ostrozavan Supreme Justices Proceeds Apace

---

Reported Crash Of Gristo-Serkonan Military Aircraft In Walzenia Sparks Diplomatic Crisis In Normally-Quiet Northeast Norumbia

---

_{Pictured: The Enanojan Forest in Avaler, Walzenia, where the alleged crash-landing occurred.}

---

The crash landing of the aircraft and the existing moderately tense geopolitical relations between Gristol-Serkonos and Walzenia have Norumbia watchers concerned about another global hotspot emerging on the continent.
^{March 5th, 2021| By Binyomin Eisenberger (beisenberg@ryd.org) | 6:27am EDT}

---

YERUSHALAYIM, YISRAEL — Late Thursday night, diplomatic reports emerged out of Norumbia that a Gristo-Serkonan military aircraft testing experimental surveillance and aerodynamics technology crash-landed in a border region of Walzenia, to its north. There are conflicting accounts of whether the military plane was shot down - possibly by Walzenian forces - or whether it had a technical failure, but all sources from both countries agree that the aircraft crashed in a forest near Avaler, Walzenia, and that at least one Gristo-Serkonan crewmember is in Walzenian custody.

The Walzenian RZW ("Red-Black Guard"), a government paramilitary force, was the first responder on the scene. The RZW spokesman, Manuel Braun, confirmed that a plane crash occurred and that the craft was of military design. He replied to our query: "[The] [s]ituation is under control [and the] proper channels are addressing it." He declined to elaborate upon additional questioning.

The office of the Gristol-Serkonos Chancellor, Kaniehtí:io Fox, issued a statement, saying: "The Government is committed in returning the pilots home, and are positive that a settlement with regards to the wreck can be found. We could like to make it known that our laws pertaining to proprietary technology requires us to retrieve it under any circumstances."

Leaked Communique Suggests No Quick Resolution For Foreseeable Future

Sources in the Foreign Ministry, who received shared intelligence from their Gristo-Serkonan counterparts, reveal that the United Kingdom sent the Federated Commonwealth a communique asking to "resolv[e] this unfortunate affair swiftly," saying that the aircraft crashed unintentionally as a result of "a cascade of system failures." The Gristo-Serkonans then offered aid to recover the test pilots and recover the wreck, alleging a "self-destruction" method that will be triggered if the wreckage is moved by local authorities. They also conveyed their intent to order a naval squadron north off Walzenian territorial waters to bring military forces into position as part of their offer to recover the wreck and pilots.

The Walzenian response was not divulged, but Norumbian geopolitical watchers doubt the Waltch, who have moderately cold relations with the GS, would hand over such an purportedly valuable trove of advanced foreign technology.

Officials in Belfras, considered by many nations as the preeminent Norumbian power, were watching events to their north carefully. The Consul's office stated that they're "concerned about the unfolding events," and that while "we fully intend on respecting rights and international borders, we are interested in investigating the incident" as well. In addition, an unconfirmed source reportedly near General Anastasios Dialetis, the Chief of the military council and operational executive for the armed forces, asserted that "the [Belfrasian] high command is currently observing the issue 'very closely'."

This is a developing story.

Binyomin Eisenberger reported from Yerushalayim, Yisrael. None of these organizations are associated with the RYD, and all opinions and personal views in the article do not reflect the viewpoints of the RYD or their employees.

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© The Royal Yerushalayim Dispatch 2021

[Nordwalsh]

Donmeir, Nytiersland, FCW,
Federal Regional Command - Southeast - Headquarters (REGKOM-ZO HQ)

As she scanned the communique, Duiker motioned for an aide. "Naschets," she addressed the Federal Security Council, "this says here pilots. plural. We've been operating under the assumption that there was just one."

"Does that halve our leverage, or double it?" Esiban quipped with raised eyebrows.

"I'm bringing Colonel Ohopou into the call, from the 6th Brigade out of Bronswiek. He's overseeing the operations on the ground in Wabashieuw and needs to know about this."

"Hold on, Lieutenant General." Keizer slapped his own copy of the communique down on the table and pushed his chair back. "We need to figure out a course of action first. They're talking about bringing out a goddamned naval task force. We need to decide on a response and inform Vollenhoven with the First Fleet immediately."

"I think we need to bring the whole Committee in on this if we're talking about a military response." Van De Laan looked uncertainly between Wolff and Keizer.

"I don't think we have the luxury of time here, Majumi." Keizer shook his head. "We don't need Lili here to know this is a textbook case for chancellery executive power." He referred to Liliane Sipichou, Commissioner of Justice, who, having been stranded in her home city of Leona due to a fierce storm that had rolled in off the Winivere, was currently making her way to Moienrout by train and was thus far unable to access a stable, secure line of communication. Keizer looked to Wolff, who had so far watched the exchange in silent contemplation. "I'll vouch for you in front of Congress, Theo - we need to quickly deal with an imminent threat."

Wolff looked off into space. "Do we have an ETA on when that Serkonian task force might reach our waters?"

After a moment of hesitation, "Probably two days. Maybe within twenty-four hours, depending on where they're sending it from." Duiker replied. "We can get a more precise estimate from Military Intelligence."

"For what it's worth, Comrade Wolff, I think it's in our best interests to act swiftly as well." Esiban weighed in, throwing a furtive glance towards Van De Laan, who furrowed her brow.

"It's going to look bad, you know that Theo." She cautioned the chancellor. "The SAZ is going to read you the constitution. By the weekend there'll be memes with your face beside Octavia Laberenz's all over the internet, and having the Defense and Intelligence heads pleading your case in Congress won't help matters."

Wolff looked to Duiker. "How credible do we think the claims of a self-destruct mechanism are? Is that standard practice for military aircraft like this?"

"Hard to say. If it's experimental technology, it might very well have something like that, but given what we've seen so far, I'm inclined to believe this craft doesn't. I think it's more likely that the self-destruct device is a cover story. They probably intend to have their CSAR teams destroy the wreck, or else destroy it with a missile or airstrike launched from their naval task force."

"In which case we'd be forced to respond somehow." Keizer added with a grimace.

"In which case we probably get Belfras's attention." Wolff joined him in the grimace. "Best case from that is Ghant stepping in to curb Latin influence, and that leaves us exactly where we'd be not interfering at all: humbled and with limited options."

"So it's a horse a head then, yeah?" Esiban turned a palm upwards and looked around the room, continuing to gnaw on his pen cap with the other hand.

Taking a deep breath, Wolff turned her notepad to a fresh page. "We take a firm stand. We hand over the first pilot immediately, as a gesture of goodwill, and promise the safe return of the second. However, we keep the craft. We'll forbid Serkonian aircraft from entering our airspace and head off that task force to make sure they behave. Lieutenant General, get Colonel Ohopou and the FLA on the phone, and scramble the RZW to find that pilot as soon as possible. We'll send out a communique to Fox immediately on our end."

"And we're doing this under Emergency Powers?" Van De Laan asked gingerly.

"That's right, for now at least. We should have the entire Committee together by tomorrow morning - we'll probably have breathing room to decide things collectively by then."

Esiban stopped chewing on his pen cap. "This is the prudent choice, Comrade Wolff."

---

Madam Chancellor,

We appreciate your concern for the eyes in the fields and the ears in the woods. You'll be pleased to learn that Squadron Leader Eriksen has been safely recovered and is currently receiving treatment for injuries sustained upon landing. We hope to repatriate him as soon as his condition allows it. His co-pilot will be treated with the same dignity and respect. We would appreciate your assistance in locating and assisting them, but would like to make it known that no foreign military or law enforcement personnel or vehicles will be allowed into Waltch territory. It is recommended that you communicate with the co-pilot, if at all possible, and ask them to cooperate with Waltch authorities.

However, the remains of the aircraft will not be repatriated, and the Gristo-Serkonian government and Morgenroete Aerospace will be held to account for any injuries or deaths caused by these self-destruction mechanisms.

Please note that your naval task force will be met by the Federal Waltch Navy and prevented from entering Waltch waters or airspace. Any air assets will be forced to land.

It will become clear upon Squadron Leader Eriksen's return that Walzenia's intentions are compassionate, and we wish only to see this matter quickly resolved. Human health and dignity are among the most important principles set forth in our constitution. We humbly request that you hold true to your desire for stability in northeastern Norumbia.

Sincerely,

The General Committee of the Commonwealth Congress