War of Laraosi Succession (IC)

[Laraos]

Background

Forged by blood and steel under Rawa the Great, the great Kingdom of Laraos was formed, stretching from the holy and densely urbanized Riverlands of the south, to the high harsh mountainous cold desert of the north, and man’s across the plateau in the heart of the county to the vast plains in the west. Rawa the Great, the first monarch of the Huarican Dynasty, military genius and father of the nation is still, even now two decades on from his death. But where people till look fondly upon his great statue in the capital of Machurata, or his triumphant Obelisco de la Huarican in the busy port of Huara City, the same is not true of his successors who have followed him onto the throne he worked so hard to build.

King Rawa the Great, though married twice and having taking numerous lovers, succeed in producing only one legitimate child, his son, King Rawa II of Laraos. It was in the days shortly before the birth of this son, this future monarch, that Rawa the Great penned the Doctrine of Succession. The rules of succession were laid out clearly and matter of factly: the throne was to past through the legitimate male line of primogeniture of Rawa the Great’s descendants. Should that line ever fail, it would move on to the collateral branches of his brothers, Koyas Huarican and Huayta Huarican. Females and their descendants were strictly excluded from the line of succession in perpetuity.

At the time in which the Doctrine of Succession was written, Rawa the Great was still childless. His first wife Queen Tawa had two children, but they were fathered by her late first husband. Her daughter (Rawa the Great’s step-daughter) had married Huayta Huarican, producing two sons of their own, Huayta and Rawa. Meanwhile Koyas Huarican, the eldest of the brothers had produced only two daughters, Ninana and Aitana. Rawa the Great had a third brother, Lorian Huarican, who for his crimes against the nation was excluded from the line of succession for him and his descendants. Thus for a time Huayta the Younger, nephew and step-grandson of the great king, was seen as the eventual successor to the throne. That is until the birth of the future Rawa II.

Rawa II ascended the throne upon the death of his father twenty years ago, just a boy of four, and under the regency of his mother, the kind but weak Queen Mother Mariana the nation was ruled by a series of chancellors laced with corruption, intrigue and affairs, till finally, breaking from his mother Rawa II and his new party at court, of which his cousin Huayta the Younger was a chief member of, took power for himself. Huayta the Younger was married to his cousin Aitana Huarican and declared heir presumptive of Rawa II. However neither this nor the young king’s reign was destined to last long.

At just 24 years old Huayta the Younger, the great hope and perennial heir to the throne died childless, windowing his bride. To compound the tragedy a year later at 21, King Rawa II died unmarried, though rumored to have fathered an illegitimate son. Following the Doctrine of Succession, Rawa II’s eldest uncle ascended the throne oaks King Koyas of Laraos, father of the widowed Aitana. His eldest daughter Ninana however had also married a Huarican cousin, Sumak, son of the disgraced Lorian Huarican excluded from the throne twenty odd years before. It was with him that Ninana provided King Koyas his only grandchildren: three boys all named for kings and would-be kings, Lorian, Koyas and Rawa.

Present Situation
Here we arrive at the present, four years since the death of Rawa II to now the death of King Koyas. For it was on his death bed, according to some sources, that the old King, charmed by his young grandson, conspired to give them his throne. For while the doctrine laid out the throne for Huayta the Younger’s brother, also named Rawa, to take the throne, here Koyas considered the inheritance of his own descendants. His grandsons were of his own blood, if through a daughter, and they had the name Huarican, if through a disgraced line. So the elderly king penned a new liberal act of succession, simultaneously legitimizing the line of Lorian Huarican and allowing the throne to past through a daughter in the case of there being no sons to her eldest son.

Thus was announced the supposedly last act of King Koyas as Princess Ninana and her husband Sumak Huarican announced his death to the nation, and proclaimed their 12 year old son as King Lorian of Laraos, with themselves as regents. Almost instantly the nation was divided, as news soon broke of Princess Aitana’s flight from the palace with the Crown Jewels, denouncing her sister and nephew as usurpers as she arrived in Huara City where her brother-in-law was in residence and whom she proclaimed the rightful King of Laraos as King Rawa III. For now Laraos has two kings, and though words have been the only weapons used so far, the clock is rapidly approaching the time when all out war shall break out between the two.

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King Lorian (Princess Ninana & Sumak Huarican)
With his supporters calling themselves the Lorites, King Lorian at only 12 years old is little more than a figure of his parents, Princess Ninana and Sumak Huarican. Sumak is a man more interested in science and academics than politics. He however spearheads a push for progressive protection of individual rights and ideals, parliamentary democracy and technocratic approach to society. Princess Ninana, proud and ambitious, with a insatiable taste for finery, leads the cabinet of Lorite councilors to secure the throne for her son at all cost.

King Rawa III
With his supporters calling themselves the Doctrians, King Rawa III, age 28, seeks to emulate in all things the greatness of Rawa I, raised by his mother to aspire forever to the throne of Laraos. Though socially awkward, when it comes to politics he approaches them with a passionate romantic, even unrealistic fervor. Believing in a strong central government with an even stronger military, a nation of universal suffrage where all bow to one great monarch. With the spirit of Rawa the Great, he intends on bringing his rivals to heels and with an iron fist wrapped in velvet to have the people Laraos learn to love him or fear him, one way or another.

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International Support

•Kingdom of Bornai
•Lacienia
•Laka Strolistandiler
•Romextly
•The Southern American Federation

•Coulcisen
•Edumaea
•Luxembourg-Bavaria
•Raudoya

•Yitanka
•Imarati

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Map:

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OOC Thread

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Rules
Rules of Play:
•No nuclear weapons or WMD's
•No one-liners.
•No annexations.
•No disintegrations.
•Intervening forces are capped at 15,000 soldiers. You can make a case for more, but you'll need a better OOC reason than "it's what my nation would do".
•No controlling other players' nations, militaries, or anything related to their Nation-State without their permission.
•Casualties are determined by the targeted player. Players who abuse this to make their armies invincible risk being booted from the RP.
•Non-intervention actions such as opening diplomatic channels, economic sanctions and other non-military actions are possible and welcomed.
•You MUST submit an application and be accepted to post in the IC. No exceptions.
•MT (Modern Tech) or Cold War Tech Only.
•Keep OOC chatter to the OOC thread as best you can.
•OP's word is law. I will mainly use this to settle disputes OOC.
•Have Fun!

[Laraos]

Day 1

Two Coronations

Machurata, Laraos

The bells tolled throughout the city Machurata, with only the roar of the most loyal subjects, or the best-paid performers, cheering at the base of the steps of the Great Sun Pyramid as the Archbishop of Cupipay placed the crown on the little head of Laraos' little king, proclaiming him as 'Lorian, first of his name of the House of Huarican, King of Laraos, Prince of the Treasury, Protector of the Realm, and Commander of the Laraosi Armed Forces by the Grace of God'. It was a splendid affair, with the royals having left the Palace de Intiasiru in a train of horse drawn carriages to the ancient temple that sat in the heart of not only the capital city but the nation. For while Laraos had, over time, become a Catholic nation, it had not entirely abandoned its old ways, and nowhere was that clearer than in Machurata, a city of canals and colorful temples converted from worship of the sun (more or less) to pray before the Virgin Mother, and markets, made grand by the avenues and monuments of Rawa the Great.

It was not however, the Crown of Rawa the Great that sat on young King Lorian's head. For all was not well with this coronation. King Koyas, the boy's grandfather had not been dead ten days, only just buried three days before in the Royal Catacombs of Huaracal. The Archbishop of Cupipay had no sooner given the late king the last rites than Princess Ninana and Sumak Huarican were rushing to push him to anoint their eldest son. The coronation was rushed, hurriedly thrown together in order to assert the child king's reign. They had none of the crown jewels crafted for their venerated uncle, so instead they had ordered a new crown simple and modern, cobbled together from gold and sapphires small enough to rest on the child's head. For even as the Princess, declared co-regent alongside her husband, held up her son up so that the people could see him, there was a nervousness throughout the royal party.

At the base of the Great Sun Pyramid General Panqua Allaca and two thousand soldiers guarded the holy site, along with the government buildings, and palatial complex of the city. Outside the city's tree-lined streets and gondala-filled canals the rest of the military under the Co-Regents' was being prepared to extend their rule to the rest of the kingdom. Twenty-two thousand soldiers had declared their loyalty to King Lorian, spitting the nation's army almost perfectly in half. For the other half had gone over to enemy. For in Laraos there were now, for the first time, and for the benefit of no one there were two kings in Laraos. An on the very same day that Lorian was being anointed, three hundred miles to the west the other king was being crowned.

Huara City, Laraos

Gunshots from rifles rang in the new reign of King Rawa the Third the true King of Laraos, Protector of the Realm, great successor of Rawa the Great, for his coronation on the steps of the Huara City Armory was most certainly a military affair. The City government of the largest city and busiest port in Laraos had arrived quickly to swear their loyalty to Rawa III and quickly found themselves flanked by over a thousand armed soldiers with two tanks rolling down the street. Rawa, the man who had lived so long in the shadow of his beloved older brother had stepped outside to cheers and whoops of approval, dressed in the steel-blue ceremonial uniform of a cavalry officer. Plain and rather short, one might not have immediately thought him to be the king of a realm of nearly twelve million people. But then came the arrival of his sister-in-law.

Princess Aitana, clad in all black, was still a great beauty as she aged comfortably into her mid-thirties. She had been widowed five years earlier, and ever since in public she was always seen in mourning, for her husband, Huayta the Younger, perennial heir to the throne, had been the perfect prince that never was. Tall, handsome, and charming, all had loved him, for in addition, he had that rare mixture of duty, kindness, and intelligence that would have seen him lead Laraos into a golden age. What better future could have been hoped for Laraos than Huayta the Younger and his beautiful and artistic bride? Alas, Huayta the Younger had died, carried away by pneumonia, though some of course suspected more nefarious causes, and all that love for him had been transplanted to his widow. And it was with that vast popular appeal that the princess placed the Paicha, the crown of Rawa the Great on her kneeling brother-in-law's head.

The Paicha, a grand headdress made of layers of blue and gold braid, from which hung a fringe of the finest blue wool, with blue tassels fixed to gold bands that sat on the king's head, golden sun disks hanging down and framing the king's face. An ornate carving of a sapphire heron flying before the rising son decorated the front of the crown, atop which sat a tuft of three blue feathers from a great blue heron. This, the Paicha made for Rawa III's venerated uncle, was the physical expression of ultimate political power in Laraos. Yet the Paicha, along with ceremonial specter and orb, had been stolen from its place in the Great Sun Pyramid but Aitana, who denounced her nephew as a usurper. The crowning of Rawa III was not in the capital, nor accompanied by grand fanfare or the holy anointing of the Archbishop of Cupipay. And yet he was king, with the support of some twenty-two thousand soldiers.

And more so, he had the entirety of the Laraosi Navy. The ten frigates and corvettes in Huara Bay and three patrol boats on the large Lake Ajawak and their officers and crews had declared, mere hours after learning of Rawa III's crowning, for him. Whether this was because they truly believed in his cause, or because he was far closer than far away Machurata, who could say? Whatever the case Rawa III happily announced the victory to his followers, for with Lake Ajawak under their control so too was the city of Ajawana. But King Rawa III was not content with two cities and two dozen ships. He would have the whole of his realm and quickly went to planning the capture, the restoration of his reign.

Map

[Laraos]

Day 2

Saraja, Laraos

General Panqua Allaca, the de facto commander of the Lorite Armed Forces, had ordered the first military action of the child king's reign. While Machurata was firmly in the hands of the Lorites, much of the country was so far slow as to declare for one king or another. The loss of Ajawana to the rebel, as he was so labeled by the Co-Regents, was an alarming one. They quickly needed to have their own victory. Princess Ninana had gathered her Crown Cabinet, and they had considered their options. They had the advantage of being geographically in the heart of the nation, and thus a wide array of cities and lands to exert their influence upon. Of their options Puscaya on the northern shore of Lake Ajawak and the holy city of Cupipay were seen as the most vital.

However, with Puscaya on the enemy's lake, and as they already held the Archbishop of Cupipay, who had the day before anointed the boy king atop the Great Sun Pyriamid to much acclaim, it was decided by the princess that the holy city was less likely to lead to a fight. It was not, let it not be mistaken because she feared for conflict between her men and that of the rebel or even didn't understand the strategic importance of the lakeside city, but a matter of view from the public. Should the first city they take resist them, it would to demoralize and potentially even de-legitimize them in the eyes of those cities that had yet to declare their support one way or another.

Cupipay and the city of Saraja which lay between it and the capital were considered softer targets, more likely to bend before the sight of approaching forces. And in this the Princess was in fact correct. For as Colonel Cuya Llancay, the officer that was set forth to accept that pledge of allegiance to the one true king, that of the little Lorian of Laraos, the one and true monarch of the realm as proclaimed by his parents, the city of Saraja gathered its officials and readied themselves to, if somewhat begrudgingly, welcome the brigade of soldiers that rolled into the city in their long convoy of trucks and armored cars. It was not to cheers or great popular acclaim, but instead that silent acceptance, with the raising of flags and polite smiles.

Within an hour it was clear to Llancay that the city was his, and thus he began carrying out operations to secure the Naccha Bridge, a large white and orange suspension bridge ornately decorated with traditional art that was the largest of only three bridges that crossed the mighty and wide waves of the Patanaya River, and across which it carried the road to Cupipay.

Map

[Romextly]

The Drone outside the plane really was driving his second in command, Brigadier General Trajan Silo, crazy. OR maybe it was the flying in the air by a hunk of metal that could fall out of the sky be another reason. Actually, it was entirely possible that the Brigadier was airsick. Shrugging, he turned around and headed towards the front of the plane, walking to the pilot's cabin. He walked past the platoon that was there to escort them, hearing the laughs as one of their comrades told a joke. Soon they realized he was there and stood up quickly and saluted him.

"Sir, Major General, sir." Voltesky walked over to their Lieutenant, Lt. Sergej Jovanovic.

"Lieutenant, are the pilots able to communicate?" He asked to the 5'6 Lt.

"Sir, I'm pretty sure." He said as he gulped.

"I didn't ask if you were. I asked if they were ready." He stepped closer, towering over him due to him being 6'3. To an outsider, it would look comical as the tallest general asked one of the shortest commissioned male officers.

"Yes sir, they're ready."

"Well thank you Lieutenant. At ease." He walked away, continuing to his target. Once he reached the door, he knocked on the door. He waited until he heard the "come in." to open the door. He opened it and saw the pilots, Lt. Petrovic and Cpt. Bolic. "Pilots, how close are we?"

Lt.Petrovic turned around to look at him. "Sir, we should be landing in half and hour."

Voltesky nodded and thought for a second. "Has the 1st Battalion landed yet?"

"They have around forty minutes ago. And the first battalion of the Imperii Regiment will be landing some five hours after we land."

"Well, here's to landing soon.." He turned around and walked back to his seat. He saw the members of his staff walking about, preparing the final details.

35 Minutes later.

The ramp of the Plane slowly lowered down, showing the men aboard their first look at Laraosi. The Platoon quickly moved forward, with their lieutenant at the front. Once the ramp had fully gotten down, they saw three KAES-1s and 11 TUY-90s. Standing in front stood multiple officers, who he suspected were the staff members and the commander of the battalion. The platoon on the planes marched down, their lieutenant asking one of the officers where to go. That officer told them to enter the TUYs, which they did. Major General Voltesky walked down with the rest of the staff to allow for the military crates to be taken out of the plane. The officers waiting down below saltued him.

"Lieutenant Colonel Oleg Jovanovic sir."

"Major David Peretz reporting sir."

"At ease men." The Major General said

"Sir, we have prepared a vehicle to help get you to the nearest commander. On the way, I will report to you what I know."

"Very well then. Let's go." He walked toward the KAES, ducking as he entered. The Lieutenant Colonel entered next to him, while his other staff entered the other KAES and the remaining TUYs.

"Package is on the way." The soldier in the passenger seat in the front said into the radio. Soon after, he saw multiple KAES leave to help lead the convoy. The TUYs containing the platoon moved off to the right while the vehicles with his staff entered the convoy. As they drove, the LC explained the situation.

"As of right now, the government has assured control of two cities and controls Huara city and Arajwana. They also control the nearby lake as the naval vessels there accepted the rule. However, the usurpers up north have taken another city, though apperently with none of the pomp that the King received when he retook the two cities here. Now, my battalion is on the ground and the Imperii Battalion is expected soon. The rest of my regiment should be here tomorrow. we have two squadrons of planes here so far."

"Well, we better get ready then, shouldn't we. Could you move your battalion in the direction of Coritade. We should secure the western coast to make sure our navy is relatively safe to provide support and deny a way of supplies to enter the fake regime."

"I will get my men on it sir."

[Kingdom of Bornai]

Colonel Arlimbus of the Bornaian Ground Forces, Rear Admiral Ferlins of the Bornaian Navy and Colonel Serolj of the Bornaian Air Force are sitting in the messdeck with each other as they chat about each other. The sounds of the other soldiers talking and laughing as they chat while eating fills the room.

"Arlimbus, how is it feeling? If this is a success you will be promoted to a brigadier general!" said Colonel Serolj as he is eating a tuna sandwich.

"Quite excited, but also disappointed. The mission is to give these soldiers under us experience which means having casualties are inevitable." said Colonel Arlimbus as he eats his steak

"Why would you need to be dissapointed? They would get precious experiences that can save their lives in the future as well as make them more professional." said Rear Admiral Ferlins as he eats his salad.

Not long after that, a soldier walks up to them and said "Sir, we are near the port of Huara City. We would arrive there in an estimated time of 15 minutes"

15 Minutes Later

The transport ships supplies, 3500 Infantry and 200 Tanks under the command of Colonel Arlimbus and the 2 Kordan-Class Battleships and 6 Sordan-Class Cruisers under the command of Rear Admiral Ferlins have arrived in the port of Huara City. While Colonel Arlimbus are preparing to send 1000 infantry adn 45 tanks each to the city of Coritade and city of Chancvraca and Rear Admiral Ferlins are preparing the missiles in case to intecept any missile that may be fired by the Lorites,Colonel Serolj went to the Aucapuma Army Airfield outside of Huara City to see his 120 planes and their needed equipments arrived safely. As Colonel Serolj was checking the planes and equipments, he saw a few planes in the horizon about to land in the airfield.

"That must be another supporter of the Doctrians arriving, seems like they are bringing in their soldiers in transport planes" said Colonel Serolj to himself

He waited until the lasst of the planes landed, he is suprised by the amount of soldiers they brought, he walks up to the highest ranking soldier he sees introducing himself.

"Greetings, I am Colonel Serolj of the Bornaian Air Force, pleasure to have your assistance. May I know who you are?" said Colonel Serolj

[Romextly]

-snip-

At the Airport
Lieutenant Colonel Nico Amato took off his glasses and looked out at the horizon. The Sun was getting ready to set and he and his battalion of Imperii had just landed in time. The few vehicles they had brought with them were being unloaded from the cargo planes they had with them while the soldiers got off their transport planes and started to form up in their companies for roll call.

He noticed not far off were a large multitude of cargo planes unloading. 'Must be the Bornians' he though to himself 'That's a ballsy move, moving all your men in a huge juicy target.' As he was thinking this, a high ranking officer walked up to him.

"Greetings, I am Colonel Serolj of the Bornaian Air Force, pleasure to have your assistance. May I know who you are?" said Colonel Serolj.

LC Amato nodded to him and responded. "I am Lieutenant Colonel Nico Amato of the Imperii Branch of the Imperial Romextlian Military. I suppose you're here supporting the Doctrians? It's good to have a fellow ally. Do you know by any chance where I could catch a ride to the closest military base? I need to meet with my CO, Major General Voltesky."

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Just Outside Larosi Sea

Vice Admiral Fabricio Conte sipped his coffee as he stared out of the Bridge of his ship. He was here, finally allowed to go into the action. His command ship, the IRN Napoli was of the Imperator class that was capable of carrying three squadrons of Volcanoes. The Rest of the Strike force was all around him, all nine being aware of them entering hostile territory.

A couple scores of miles behind them were the cargo ships protected by a another convoy of military vessels, though those ships were to return soon after. One those ships carried the armored brigade, vehicles, ammunition, parts, guns, 4 helicopters along with 500 Imperii soldiers. They were close to being allowed to unload and return.

As for now, they were just to take control of the Sea of Laros in order to deny aid coming in by sea. A key part would have to be the Bornaian naval detachment. He called out on the radio to any Bornaian ships nearby. "This is IRN Napoli of the Imperial Romextly Navy. Is there a ship of the Bornaian Navy nearby. I repeat, is there any ships of the Bornaian Navy nearby?"

[Laraos]

Day 3

Coritade, Laraos

Tutayan Cahua Huamancuri, Duke of Coritade was not slow in understanding the position of himself or his city. Of the three shining cities on the cresent-shaped coast of Huara Bay, Coritade was the oldest and second largest, dwarfed by Huara City and in turn dwarfing Chancyraca. The three sister cities were, on a clear day, in sight of one another, and it had become quite clear to those in Coritade which way Huara City was swinging. And that was strongly in the favor of the Doctrians. Huamancuri considered this carefully, and quickly as the arrival of large military movements with clear designs on his city. Of the twenty ducal titles that had been conferred upon the loyal generals and advisors of Rawa the Great, over half of the original holders were dead, three have gone extinct with them. The rest, either still held by their elderly grantees or since inherented by their sons, considered the current situation carefully.

Huamancuri was one such son who had inherented the title of Duke of Coritade from his father, the late General Cahua Huamancuri. And while the son, a man of thirty-six, was not the soldier that his father had been, preferring to serve in the halls of politics as oppose to on the battle field, he nevertheless believed he knew where his father would have stood on the matter of succession. King Koyas had never been a truly beloved king. Though he had been old and diligent, he had not inspired the patriotism of his brother, of other man who had given the Huamancuri's their positions and titles (though the titles did not come with any administrative power, it did come with certain rights and privileges as well as land ownership that gave the dukes great influence), that of Rawa the Great. And it was his line of succession that Huamancuri was set to support.

Making his way to the city hall building, a tall brick and steel building that jutted up towards the sky like a spear, its ground floor columns painted wild reds, yellows and greens in the images of feathered serpents, he pressed the council to declare their support for King Rawa III, for if not in memory of the first Huarican king, than at the very least to save the city from a fight with the rapidly approaching supporters of that king crowned in Huara City. It did not take long for the council, considering the forces at sea and on land, to agree with the Duke. The Laraosi flag was raised high above the city hall building as Huamancuri went to welcome the Doctrians and foreigner supporters into the city.

Cupipay, Laraos

Hundreds of miles north, a similar sight unfolded in the holy city of Cupipay as Colonel Llancay entered. The city of Cupipay was a small sleepy little town, with its important coming from its great bascilia, the Basilica of Our Lady of Tepeaquilla, a massive rococo style building that anyone would have been forgiven for believing to be a castle. It in fact had once been a fortess, and around it remained heavy thick walls now layered upon with white marble and ornate icongify of the Virgin Mother, the Holy Son and rows and rows of saints. It was this grandoiese place that served not only as a place of worship, but as the palatial eccelestial residence of the Archbishop and from where Church matters in the whole of Laraos were truly decided.

Llancay climbed the steps of the Basilica de Tepeaquilla and before a line up of specially selected reporters and read from before this holy building a speech.

"In the name of His Holiness, Mayuasiri I, Archbishop of Cupipay, at this very moment at the side of His Majesty the King, Lorian I, I come to you to speak to all good and faithful Laraosi citizens. Here in the name of the king we stand before the most holy of churches, with our sovereign anointed in the capital as all true Kings of Laraos have been since the birth of our great nation. The Rebel in Huara City seeks to deceive you, to take power by force, but we, the good and faithful people will not allow this to happen. God has chosen his ruler here on earth in the form of King Lorian, and though he is young, his future is bright, for under him is a future in which we bring about a new golden age of peace and prosperity. It is our most faithful duty to see to that those who threaten the sancity of the monarchy, of our very livelihoods and souls were brought down and punished for their crimes. Let all who declare for the Rebel be brought in cuffs before the courts before God and Man.

This short declaration was met with applause, for the citizens of Cupipay were greatly proud of their Archbishop, if more for its position if not for the man himself, and were quick to declare for Lorian I if he indeed had the blessing of the Archbishop. They were not aware, as no one outside of the small council of Princess Ninana that the Archbishop's support was entirely without cost. A strong conservative and traditionalist, his extended stay in the capital was under the implied threat of force by the army outside its city limits. He loathed Sumak Huarican, the little king's father, and thought the entirety of his progressive and liberal ideals to be most absurd. The true authority of the nation could not, he asserted, come from the people, as it would lead to madness in the pursuit of liberty of each and every conscience. But Princess Ninana was more pragmatic than her husband and she and the Archbishop shared a taste for the extravagance.

With one hand she promised to increase the religious authority wielded by the Archbishop, with absolute control of the courts in eccelestial matters, and giving him a seat on her council along with lavish apartments in the palace, with grand views of the city's canals and her army's patrols. With the other she promised to Sumak that once the Rebel was dealt with they could push forth all the reforms and rights of the people that he envisioned. In the meantime he was to over see the Ministeries of Energy, the Interior and Transportation, free to change and advance them as wished with his own appointments to positions.

Map

[Yitanka]

Dejanca, Kingdom of Laraos

A small freight ship crawled its way into port in the dark of night. It was an old vessel, its hull laid in a time when nearly the whole world was at war. It's slightly faded red ensign folded over itself in the dying breeze, identifying the ship as belonging to the Yitankan SSR. Its cargo: Assorted fish from the ever-cold Sea of Okhotsk. At least, that's all port officials could find.

Disembarking the ship and helping direct cargo to a rented out warehouse were 3 agents of the Yitankan "National Security Committee", known better as the KoAnWi. They were covertly deployed to Laraos to help stage an insurrection against the now troubled Laraosian government and, if successful, to aid the rebels in establishing a sympathetic Soviet-styled government. It wouldn't be easy, but Yitanka needed more loyal allies.

As the last crates left the elderly cargo ship, the KoAnWi agents began discreetly relocating a few of the containers. In these were the first of many rifles, pistols, explosives, and munitions that would inevitably flow into Laraos without notice. Tools of the upcoming revolution, generously provided by fellow workers in Yitanka.

With the weapons secured the agents split up, canvasing the city for potential recruits. They cautiously poked around for information on known communist political figures, disgruntled workers, or anyone who might be malleable enough to press into their cause.

[Raudoya]

Valya, Raudoya

No sooner had King Ottokar concluded his nation's involvement in one war that he involved himself in another. The Great Eastern War had been a long and bloody affair, but after years of fighting, it ended with a hard-fought victory, with vast new territories added to the Federation. The King of the Raudoyans had fully intended on keeping his nation at peace. But then the Laraosi king had gone and died and started a civil war across the Laraosi Sea. Ottokar considered the options, and had landed on supporting King Lorian in the succession dispute, for he was the younger of the two, and therefore the more malleable of the options. A Laraosi ruler that would grow up with a sense of indebt to the Raudoyans would be very valuable.

A small, unassuming bespectacled man, King Ottokar had proven himself a brilliant strategist during the Great Eastern War as he had overseen the ravaging of the Hantounian coutryside and pushed deep into enemy territory, territory that he now governed over. Of course Ottokar was aware of the differences of that conflict and this one. He did not (yet) have the support of the rest of the Borean League, and while Hantounia had been a threat to Raudoya itself, Laraos was not. There was also the matter of the Raudoyan people being tired and the Tur Company, the elite mercenaries he had hired to fight in his last war, having been paid off with lots of land, where uninterested in coming to his aid for little profit.

So the strategy was different. He would send less troops, and focus on supplying the Lorites and using more obtuse means to maintain their position and sabotage that of the Doctrians. But drafting his plan had taken time, and by the time his soldiers were ready to go, Huara Bay was decidedly lost for a full on attack. Raudoya didn't have the naval capabilities to compete, as its wars had largely been land and air based. But a landlocked Lorite government was not likely to last long. They needed a foothold on the coast. Huara City, Cortiade were reported to have fallen to the rebel, and Chanycara expected to do so next. So Ottokar turned his attention to Cuaraca, further south on the coast. The Raudoyan Navy wouldn't be able to reach it, having to pass through the Strait of Hagena and down the narrow sea past a fleet of enemy warships.But the Raudoyan Air Force could reach the city.

Over the Laraosi Sea,
En route to Cuaraca

General Lubomir Kola, hero and veteran of the Great Eastern War sat aboard of the Bercastle-III transport planes as they cross over the Laraosi Sea. Kola had insisted on joining his men in the airborne landing operation, the like of which had been often suggested during the Great Eastern War but had never been carried out by Raudoya. Their ally at the time, Great Hyruke had, however, and a team of advisors had given instruction on how carry out such a daring operation. The massive transport planes, each holding 154 paratroopers too had come from Great Hyruke. Kola had been informed that their ambassador was currently trying to persuade their amazon like frenemies into joining the Laraosi conflict as they had a navy capable of taking the Laraosi Sea.

"How long until we drop?" the General ask as the plane rocked slightly from turbulence.

Commander Mirsolav Adamcek answered, "About 35 minutes."

"Great," said the General, taking a deep breath.

The wing of planes, eight transport planes and a squadron of Veverka fighter, small older but fast and maneuverable jets that had held their own during the Great Eastern War as their escort. It had been determined that the airbase in Cuaraca was too small for them to land all their transport planes, so instead they would be landing into the city and securing it in the name of the Lorites. It was not long before the thirty-five minutes Adamcek had given had dwindled to 25, then ten and the five. The cavernous launching chamber turn red as the men, already geared up, line-up as Cuaraca came up below them with a countdown the massive bay door lowered into a ramp, revealing the seaside settlement. With a blare, the light turned green and 1,232 troopers from eight plans jumped, dropping over Cuaraca, the parachutes opening as they landed.

Cuaraca, Laraos

Over head the Raudoyan planes looped back around, heading westward back to base, but they would be back. In the meantime, General Kola and a translator, safely landed, and extracted from their parachutes went to find the leaders of Cuaraca and help them and their city come to an understanding.

En Route to Machurata

While General Kola oversaw the first landing of Raudoyan military personnel on Laraosi shores, Boris Dvorak oversaw the diplomatic arm of the federation arrive in Laraos. Dvorak, a puggy middle-aged man with small round glasses, thining blond hair and a warm smile had been sent as diplomat to the court of King Lorian. It was not with force alone that King Ottokar saught to see the Lorites victorious, and as the plane carrying Dvorak, taking a looping path as to avoid the areas controlled by the rebel, it dropped down quickly made pamphlets praising King Lorian, focused on visually showing the child king as a divine paragon, hoping to aid in swaying the many undecided citizens of the kingdom. As soon as Dvorak landed in the capital he went to go see the Co-Regents.

[Edumaea]

Harmenwa
Capital of Edumaea

The Council of State was an old and venerable institution, which had served as the nexus point for the administration of the Kingdom of Edumaea for many, many years. It brought together a mixture of ministers and advisors - those who oversaw the various organs of the government, as well as those who had the ear and trust of the Padishah, the supreme sovereign of the realm. Its meetings were mostly concerned with the long-term, big-picture administration of Edumaea. The ministers presented their reports on the functioning of their departments, the advisors listened and offered comments, suggestions, or input from their own discussions with the Padishah, and then typically they transitioned from meeting into a meal. Today, however, there was something else.

"We have one piece of new business," Supreme General Jallal Raisi, leader of the armed forces, rose and addressed the assembled council. "The situation in Laraos requires our attention." His aides began to pass out folders stuffed with papers. outlining an intervention plan for the civil war. "I have directed the Air Force to prepare three squadrons for deployment to Laraos, in order to support the legitimate government of King Lorian."

"Where is the Padishah?" Jaffar Momeni, the Prime Minister, interrupted with his question. For issues like this, the ruler was typically present. But he was nowhere to be seen. "What has he said about this?"

"The Padishah was the one who wished the Supreme General to undertake this operation," Sadiq Nouzari answered. The Grand Vizier was the most powerful of the men at this table who did not have a ministerial portfolio. He had long been seen as the right hand of the Padishah. When the sovereign was not present, it was Nouzari was served as his voice...as well as his eyes and ears. Nouzari and Prime Minister Momeni entertained a lengthy rivalry, fueled by personal differences as well as opposing visions for the direction of the nation.

"The Grand Vizier is correct," General Raisi confirmed. "This operation was drafted based on the Padishah's desire to support the proper monarch, but also in recognition of the distances involved. A large-scale intervention would be logistically difficult, and might drag us into a quagmire. Air support provides the Lorites - this is what the followers of the rightful king call themselves - with a key strategic and tactical edge, without a large footprint. I have tapped General Safavi to lead the expeditionary force."

General Salar Safavi was a capable commander, who had performed well during a recent anti-terror incursion by Edumaean forces into neighboring Pagon. The choice was a sound one. Prime Minister Momeni kept his personal reservations about the whole endeavor to himself. If the Padishah wanted to play kingmaker, there was little that he could do or say to oppose the royal will. But he resented being excluded from the prior discussions. It showed an arrogance on the part of the Padishah and his advisors, who felt that the rest of the government was simply there to carry out their whims.

Machurata
Capital of the Lorites

General Safavi arrived in the capital ahead of the squadrons, accompanied by a large command staff. Their purpose was to liaison with the Lorite military command structure and pave the way for the arrival of the warplanes. There were many issues to tackle: questions had to be answered about basing, supply, communication, and a dozen other potential points of friction. The more work General Safavi and his staff did now, the fewer headaches they would have later.

The Edumaean ambassador to Laraos, Amir Hossein Qanbari, had passed word to the Lorite government that General Safavi would be arriving. The general outline of the Edumaean intervention had already been approved, but agreeing to host thirty-six Su-30 multirole fighters was one thing, and the reality of such a force - not just the planes and pilots, but also the mechanics, supply staff, and all the other people that were needed to keep the planes and pilots active and effective - was another. So the Lorite government would have plenty of advance notice that General Safavi was coming, and what would be following in his wake.

[Kingdom of Bornai]

At the Airport

As Lieutenant Colonel Amato ask Colonel Serolj a few questions, Colonel Serolj responded “Well of course I'm here to support the Doctrians, and I do know where you could catch a ride to the nearest military base, as I am going there quite soon to meet up with my fellow officer, you can come with me.”

Just in time right after Colonel Serolj finished speaking, a Bornaian armored jeep arrived in time as the driver get out and saluted Colonel Serolj while saying “Sir, your vehicle is ready and the escorts are waiting at the exit of the airport.”




Inside the Laraosi Sea

Command Center, K.B.S Merlin

Soldiers are busy looking at the screens as they are patrolling the Larosi Sea looking for any sneaking attempts of hostile ships that would send in aid for the enemy. A soldier then walks up to Captain Maerdi.

“Sir, we got a message through the radio from a Romextly Navy Ship.” Said a soldier to Captain Maerdi.

“Let me listen to it.” said Captain Maerdi as takes the headphone from the soldier and wears it.

As Captain Maerdi listens in, he hears a male voice saying "This is IRN Napoli of the Imperial Romextly Navy. Is there a ship of the Bornaian Navy nearby. I repeat, is there any ships of the Bornaian Navy nearby?"

Captain Maerdi then sends another message saying “Yes there is, this is Captain Maerdi of the K.B.S Merlin. How may I help you?”




Caritade, Laraos

As the Soldiers and tanks roll down the street to the city hall, there are no resistance at all. They only get the occasional stare from inside the buildings.

As they are nearing the city hall, the beauty of the murals painted on the columns amazed the soldiers. Not long after, they arrived at the city hall, Lieutenant Colonel Andrew asked a nearby person who and where is the Duke of Coritade as he have many things to discuss with him.

[Laraos]

Machurata, Laraos

The Royal Palace was a large five story tall L-shaped complex of stone and glided gold and rococo designs of the sun, towers of sapphire domes and heron sculpted fenestrations. It was located on an island lined with wide canals, with a single marble arch bridge connecting it to the rest of the city. It was lined with painted stone herons. Gardens and ornamental landscapes and hedges surrounded the palace and rested on the terraced banks of the canal.

It was to the royal palace that Ambassador Dvorak and General Safavi were directed to, lead by footmen into the council room. It was a grand rectangular room that looked over the trees and rooftops of nearby squares of the city, the Great Sun Pyramid rising in the distance over the line of greenery. It had a high ceiling with murals of the sun and had bleach white walls, lined with massive larger than life statues of Rawa the Great and Rawa II, with a third place set aside for the statue of King Koyas, not yet completed.

Under the marble and gold eyes of the victorious statue of Rawa the Great (standing ever triumphant even twenty odd years after his death) the councilors gathered. They gathered around the long oath table that stood in its center. At the head of the table was a throne for the king, different from the throne which was in the State Room of the palace, but it was nonetheless empty. Instead flanking either side of it were the chairs of the Co-Regents, Princess Ninana and Sumak Huarican.

Princess Ninana sat as the de facto head of the council, despite the title of co-regent. She had not her traitorous sister’s beauty. Instead she had dull brown eyes, fat cheeks and a slightly rotund build. Like most Laraosi people, she had dark reddish brown skin and a long equine nose and long straight black hair. The Princess of Laraos wore a golden tiara and large sundisk earrings. Her dress was steel blue with lace sleeves, with a gold thread sari draped over her shoulder pinned with a sapphire heron brooch.

At the Princess’ side was her husband, Sumak Huarican, a tall man with a receding hairline. Age and luxurious food had made him heavy set, though he wore it well. Or at least he had convinced himself that he did. He wore his hair in a sunisimpa, the traditional hairstyle of royal and noble men of Laraos. It was a braid that ran down the length of a man’s head and ended in a top knot clasped with a gold bane. Sun disk earrings hung from his ears, and he wore blue trousers and ban collar shirt with a golden sash over his chest.

Also at the table was the Archbishop of Cupipay, a short thin elderly man with white hair beneath his white cape, dressed in fine white robes and gloves, an large ornate bejeweled golden cross hanging from his neck. He declined in his cushioned seat as it where a throne, his sharp eyes considering the others there. General Panqua Allaca was there, a handsome tall man with deep brown eyes. He had a blue stripe of paint across the ridge of his nose and cheeks, and his hair in a maquan simpa or simply maquan, a long braid that ran along the top of his head, but unlike Sumak’s, congruence along the curve of his skull and falling down into a single braid down his back. It was the traditional braid of warriors, worn by Laraosi soldiers from the lowest private to the greatest general. He wore the blue and gold court uniform of a general.

Major General Illary Carihuasari, Duke of Karlland, a gray haired man who had been good friends with King Koyas and thus sided with his daughter and grandchildren was there alongside Major General Sancho Cusipuma, a man with bright eyes, thick eyebrows and a thrice broken nose. The two had painted stripes on their faces and wore the maquan and court dress of military officers. There were then the senior ministers, four men who were charged with the running the most important departments of governance, Aklla Choque who was in charge of the Treasury;
Yuria Condor, who was in charge of the Interior; Sulca Huachalla who was in charge of foreign affairs and Achikilla Chakana who was in charge of National intelligence.

This was the council of the the Lorite government, the one true government in their view that gathered beneath the stone eyes of Rawa the Great as Dvorak and Safavi were brought into the room.

Cuaraca, Laraos

Hundreds of miles south of Machurata, the coastal city of Cuaraca, known within Laraos for being a vacation hub, had been in truth leaning towards joining the Doctrians. That was until Raudoyan soldiers came parachuting down from the sky. The airborne landing had caught all off guard and before the airbase could respond already hundreds of soldiers had been touching down around the city. This sudden occupation was not seen as a welcomed one, but, the city council, weighing its options , voted to hand over the city to the Lorites.

But this was not without debate and disagreement. Two the city councilors had voted in favor of the Doctrians, asserting that the law established by the first king, and not the scrambled supposed last will of a old man should govern the line of succession. And despite their outnumbered status, they stubbornly refused to surrender, and thus, by the orders of their own countrymen were arrested and placed in the city jail. But these councilors were not without their supporters, who began plotting their release and sent to Huara City a call for help.

Chanycara, Laraos

The same story was true up the coast in the smallest of the Three Sister Cities, Chanycara, which, seeing Huara City birth the Doctrians cause, Coritade welcome it, it too decided to begrudgingly accept it. But there were strong Lorite leanings in the city and they secretly sent messages East in hopes of being about a restoration in Chanycara.

Coritade, Laraos

Huamancuri stepped forward at City Hall as he came down to speak with Lieutenant Colonel Andrews, the Bornaian military officer that had arrived in the city. Though admittedly Huamancuri was disappointed that it was not King Rawa III himself who had come to introduce himself.

“I am the 2nd Duke of Coritade, please,” said Huamancuri, “allow me to welcome you to the city of Coritade, the eldest sister of the bay cities.”

Dejanca, Laraos

Perched on the very edge of the realm, with the border of the republic of Hantuonia there was perhaps no better place than Dejanca to ferment revolution. However the autocratic government of Rawa III and even more reactionary regimes of Rawa II under the regency of his mother had seen the seed of opposition to the monarchy firmly squashed. And yet. There were a great many people who still remembered the corruption of Queen Mother Mariana’s chancellors, and found the current situation of a fight between a little known man and an inbred boy to be ridiculous notion, one only whispered in the security of the home.

After all, if such a succession crisis could so easily break out, perhaps monarchy was not the best form of government, as they had been taught all their lives under successive kings. But what the , some started to wonder in underground salons where more scandalous conversations could be had here on the edge of the realm, would replace a monarch?

Map

[Romextly]

At the airport
By the time that early dawn broke out, over 3,000 men had arrived in the planes. The second Imperii Battalion, and two more Army Battalions and were quickly unloading their equipment. They would have to move fast as they had recently heard of the taking of Cuaraca. Colonel Devard Varga, commander of the Imperii Regiment, soon had his men ready to go within a couple of hours. Moving quickly, he started to march towards the taken city. Meanwhile, the two Army Battalions marched into the city to talk with their Commanding General.

At Romextly
A rocket was being launched, soaring through the skies, cutting open the clouds that stood in it's way, soon the propulsors fell back down to the ground, while the package was released. What was it? A satellite, recently commissioned to help make the job of the men on the ground much more easier. It slowly began to turn towards Laraosi, leaving the men in charge of tracking it's route much more relaxed and able to drink their hard owned coffee.

At IRN Napoli
As the Vice Admiral waited for a response from the Bornaian Navy, the cackle of the radio connecting with the men back in Romextly cackled alive.

"Vice Admiral Conte, are you there?"

"Yes, who is this?"

"This is Captain Rastus Andino. I regret to inform you that apparently Raudoyan paratrooper forces have taken the city of Cuaraca."

"Shit."

"Sorry sir. I've been informed to tell you that you should dock at Ojarnello."

"Okay. Thank you Captain." He then turned off the radio and nodded to his officers report the same news while he sat down in his chair and started thinking how he was to overcome this. After a couple of minutes, he came back out with a plan

"Get me Rear Admiral Nicholas Adamos, Captain Enzo Sanna, Brigadier General Natale Rinaldi and Major Rin Palumbo."

After a couple of minutes of contacting the mentioned people, all four were in a secure communications call. The Vice Admiral decided to start off the conversation. "Gentlemen, as you have all have well heard, some Lorian allies have taken Cuaraca. So, I have laid out a plan. Admiral Adamos, escort the men to Ojarnello. Major Rin Palumbo, get your men quickly off the ships and have them move towards Cuaraca. The Paratroopers should still be consolidating their hold on the city. Get them in positions half a mile away from the city. Meanwhile, Brigadier Rinaldi, get your men combat ready quickly and hopefully on three hours later you can reinforce the Marine detachment. As I'm sure, the rest of the Marine Regiment should also be getting with you. Meanwhile, Captain Sanna, I want you to fire 9 cruise missiles and destroy that airfield. I don't want there to be any place for their fighter planes or supply planes to land. Then blockade the entrance of the port. Meanwhile, I'll call up the Air Colonel and tell him to get two squadrons over there, and with another squadron from my ship, we will vastly outnumber the planes 3 to 12. Lets do it."

After ending the call, the Admiral was informed of the Bornaian Navy finally making contact with them. “Yes there is, this is Captain Maerdi of the K.B.S Merlin. How may I help you?”

"Well, Captain I would like to get hold of the commander of the naval detachment of your country."

At Huarna City
Colonel Pazzri was on the airfield, overseeing the unloading of the equipment, when one of his aides came running up to him. It was his newest one, joining his staff 8 months ago and still learning the ropes

"A call sir."

"From the Major General?"

"No sir, the Vice Admiral."

"Why exactly is that?"

"No idea sir."

Pazzri looked at him dead in the eyes "You didn't think to ask him?"

The aide looked down in shame. "No sir."

Pazzri just shook his head. "Return back to doing the paperwork." As the aide nodded and ran back, he picked up the phone. "This is Colonel Pazzri. To what do I owe the pleasure Vice Admiral?"

There was a pause in the conversation until the Admiral responded "I'm going to need two of your squadrons in the air. I need them to get to Ojarnello airport and refuel immediately. Afterwards, take to the sky and patrol the city Cuaraca."

"Sir, you are aware that-"

"Yes Colonel, I am aware that it has been taken. I'm leading the plan to take it back. Now can you scramble up two squadrons?"

"Yes sir. The Bluejays and Gentleminions are ready to go and Russelli's Revenge should be arriving soon."

"Well Colonel, I hope they're ready for this."

"Yes sir." Then the phone beeped to let him know that the call had ended. Grabbing the lieutenant next to him, he told him "Make sure these get unloaded."

"Yes sir."

The Colonel began to walk back to the base, only five minutes away. On the way walking, he typed in new numbers and began to call. "All members of the squadron, report to mess hall. I repeat all pilots of the Romextlian 27th Attack Wing, meet at the hall."

Minutes later, pilots were scrambling outside the mess hall to get to their planes as the support troops began clearing space for them.


Meanwhile at Ojarnello.
Once at the port, the Imperii soldiers were the first ones off. They quickly moved towards the center of the town to the government building and asked peacefully if they were Doctrian supporters. While this was happening, the first detachments of the armored brigade began getting off. In minutes they sent a company of their men to replace the Imperii troops. After seeing their replacements, the 500 men quickly boarded the little vehicles they managed to get of the ship and other vehicles they managed to scrounge up. They quickly marched towards their target city, their forward detachment being only a few minutes away when the next phase of the plan happened.

At IRN Suegra
Captain Sanna began to check his watch frequently, waiting for the confirmation that the Imperii troops were minutes away from their positions. He looked at one of his petty officers in charge of communications who just shook his head. Sanna began to pace around the bridge. He could be a called a veteran, but he was just an Ensign during the 4th Civil war of his nation. And during that, the only action he saw was their ship firing on a patrol boat. Just as he was reminiscing on the past and wondering how he got to a place where even more lives wer placed on him, the radio light went off. Sanna looked at the patty officer who nodded to him. Slowly, he picked up the phone.

"This is Captain Sanna. Who is this?"

"I am Captain Kason De Luca. The Sun and fish look beautiful tonight." Captain Sanna looked over to the Petty Officer, who was checking his journal. The Officer then looked up and nodded, signaling that it was the code of the day. "My men should be in their positions in 7 minutes. We're ready for some fireworks."

"I hope you like grey, as that's gonna be the color of those rockets."

Captain De Luca laughed "I'm signing off now. We got front row seats to something I don't wanna miss."

After the Captain had signed off, Sanna took a deep breath. "Fire the cruise missiles!" The order was then repeated on the intercom. Down below, the men loaded the missiles into the launchers and soon twelve were ready. Once the news had gotten to Sanna, he repeated what he had said before. The missiles were then launched, heading for the runways. They flew past the ocean until they reached the runways. The officer watching the missiles watched as miles of concrete flew in the air, flying all around. Once the smoke cleared, there was very few runways not completely destroyed. But these were still heavily damaged. There was no clear number of casualties, but there probably was only very few as they had aimed at the runway and not the actual airport itself. On the ship however, there was great cheer as their objective was complete.

Huara City
The Major General had arrived at the government building at which the King himself resided. Voltesky, along with Silo and his adjutant, Major Oreste Gatti walked up the stairs to enter the building. Hopefully other allied generals were here as well so that they could discuss their strategy. Meanwhile, his focus was on greeting the King and officially offering his sword as a symbolization of Romextly giving their support of the government.

Meanwhile, the remainder of the Imperii Regiment still in Huara city moved East to support the rest of the Regiment along with the now siege of Cuaraca. On the other side of the city, two Army Battalions were positioned to the northwest, ready to move once given the order.

The outskirts of Cuaraca
A half-mile from the city, after watching the explosion of their airfield, the Imperii forces had dug in. They dug out their foxholes around the perimeter of the city, while awaiting reinforcements. As for now, they were detaining any food supplies coming in by land and bought them in order to not allow food to reach the soldiers inside. After a couple of hours, two battalions from the Armored brigade finally arrived, an hour later than what was the agreed time. Apparently, it had taken them more than the allotted time due to some of the vehicles not having been fueled. However, now there was over 2,500 men surrounding the city with more on the way. With them, they had brought AA vehicles, armed with SAM's in order to help slow an ariel advance towards the city.

To help seal the first phase of the plan, multiple jets flew ahead, compliments of the Romextlian Air Force and the Romextlian Navy. Soon, most of them would be on the ground or ship nearby, though ready to be deployed at any time.

[Kingdom of Bornai]

Command Center, K.B.S Merlin

Captain Maerdi listens to the radio then commands his soldiers "Contact Rear Admiral Ferlins now, it seems like our ally have something to say to the Rear Admiral." He then gave the headphone back to the soldier operating the radio.

Not long after that, a different soldier comes to Captain Maerdi and said "Sir, we just got informed that Cuaraca has been taken by the enemy paratroopers, they ahve occupied the city and it seems like the Romextly are already planning to take back the city."

"From the looks of the Romextly military, I don't think they need any help. If they contact asking for help then shall we help, for now we will just continues patrolling the Laraosi Sea, but prepare the missiles." Said Captain Maerdi.

"Yes sir!" Answered the soldier as he goes to a radio to contact the soldiers assigned to the missiles.

Missile Control Room, K.B.S Merlin

"Yes. Alright. Will do." answer Lieutenant Commander Larp on the radio connecting to the command center.

Lieutenant Commander Larp then said to the soldiers in the room "Ready the missiles, we may need it in the near future."

"Yes, Sir!" answered the soldiers as they frantically arm the missile and ready them to launch at any moment.

Coritade, Laraos

Lieutenant Colonel Andrews talks to The 2nd Duke of Coritade "Ah, pleasure to meet you Duke of Coritade and Thank You for welcoming us. May I say, the murals on those pillars are incredible, but we are getting out of topic here. Please tell me everything about the city, how much supplies do you have, is there any Lorite supporter here, is there any citizen willing to enter the military to fight for King Rawa III and such, that would be a great help."

Lieutenant Colonel Andrews then orders his soldier to rest in the city and help the locals if they can, as that would gain the support of the citizens.

Military Base, Huara City

"Hey Arlimbus, you got information that Cuaraca was taken by the enemy? But it seems like the Romextly have sent missiles to destroy the airfield in Cuaraca." Said Rear Admiral Ferlins to Colonel Arlimbus

"Oh yeah, got that like 20 minutes ago. Oh well I am focused on taking Chancvraca. We already got Coritade so it's certain that we will get Chancvraca in the next day or so" Said Colonel Arlimbus

"What? You knew but didn't tell me? Well nevermind, I'll just be ready to intercept any missiles with my own missiles" said Rear Admiral Ferlins "Oh and, I plan to launch a few missile if we ever detect any enemy airship near the Laraosi Sea so as to not let what happened to Cuaraca happens to other cities."

[Edumaea]

It was to the royal palace that Ambassador Dvorak and General Safavi were directed to, lead by footmen into the council room. It was a grand rectangular room that looked over the trees and rooftops of nearby squares of the city, the Great Sun Pyramid rising in the distance over the line of greenery. It had a high ceiling with murals of the sun and had bleach white walls, lined with massive larger than life statues of Rawa the Great and Rawa II, with a third place set aside for the statue of King Koyas, not yet completed.

Under the marble and gold eyes of the victorious statue of Rawa the Great (standing ever triumphant even twenty odd years after his death) the councilors gathered. They gathered around the long oath table that stood in its center. At the head of the table was a throne for the king, different from the throne which was in the State Room of the palace, but it was nonetheless empty. Instead flanking either side of it were the chairs of the Co-Regents, Princess Ninana and Sumak Huarican.

...

This was the council of the the Lorite government, the one true government in their view that gathered beneath the stone eyes of Rawa the Great as Dvorak and Safavi were brought into the room.

General Salar Safavi was a lifetime Air Force officer, who had long since left behind the stress (and physical fitness requirements) of piloting for the role of commander and leader of men. He wore his dark blue dress uniform, tailored to fit his physique, which had expanded in the years since he had gone from flying fighter planes to sitting behind a desk. While he might not be able to pass the pilot physical evaluation anymore, he had a keen sense for the logistics and strategy of deploying aircraft, especially in support of ground operations. During the incursion into the Emirate of Rokat, one of the states of Pagon, he had masterminded the aerial campaign to suppress the Rokati air force, and support the Edumaean troops sent to clear out the Islamic terrorists that the regime was sheltering. His fighter squadrons had smashed a quarter of the Rokati air force on the ground and quickly impressed upon the survivors the futility of challenging the air support missions.

His travel from the airport to the royal palace was uneventful, but the shape of the world outside the city was changing fast. Safavi was receiving updates to his tablet with information on the arrival of other foreign forces, mostly in support of the false claimant in Huara City. Whatever information could be gleaned from news broadcasts, internet chatter, and unsecured or already compromised communications was being gathered and analyzed by the specialists in Military Intelligence. He was getting summaries now - he would access the more detailed and confidential reports after this meeting with the King, via the secure link in the Edumaean embassy. The speed of foreign assistance for the false king only confirmed the Padishah's suspicions of him - obviously he had these foreign backers on speed-dial, waiting for the opportunity to call them in to strengthen his hand.

The opulence of the palace was impressive, but most of the aesthetic flourishes were lost on General Safavi. He was a man who kept an office free of mementos and clutter, and had little interest in the fine details of architecture. His one indulgence was a pair of aviator sunglasses, a small reminder of his flying days, which were now tucked into the breast pocket of his shirt. A single aide followed behind him, carrying a briefcase with written materials for presentation to the Lorite council. They detailed the number of planes that Edumaea would be sending - at least initially - as well as what they would require in terms of basing facilities and logistical support.

General Safavi was not alone as he approached the council - the royal attendants had also sent in a man who was identified as Ambassador Dvorak, a representative of Raudoya. The general recognized the name of the nation which bordered Laraos to the southwest, but that was the extent of his knowledge. He offered his own introduction and a handshake as the pair were escorted into the council chambers.

When it was his turn to speak, General Safavi stepped forward and offered a very slight bow, then clasped his hands behind him. "Your excellencies, I am General Salar Safavi, of the Air Force of the Kingdom of Edumaea. I will be commanding the aerial forces which my sovereign, the Padishah Benam, scion of the Shajaran dynasty, has dispatched to aid the rightful King in his fight against these criminal usurpers." With a nod of his head, he sent his aide forward to deliver the materials. "In short: three squadrons of multirole fighters, effective in aerial combat as well as ground support missions. The planes and their pilots will arrive soon, along with support staff and munitions. However, they will require airfields and hangars, as well as barracks for the men, and of course fuel to fly. It is my hope that your government will be able to supply these things."

[Raudoya]

Cuaraca, Laraos

General Kola, in the immediate aftermath of the enemy air assault on the Cuaraca airbase cursed, but was thankful that they hadn’t attempted a landing on the airfield. Nonetheless he ordered his men to pull back into the city, moving to secure the docks and center city and administrative buildings. They had the men to hold the city, General Kola assured Commander Adamcek. Cuaraca had been meant to serve as a foot hold for retaking the Laraosi coast for the Lorites. It seemed however that they were instead going to be in for a siege.

Kola ordered a blockade of the city streets, raising concrete barriers along their widths and stacking sand bags in alleys and gap ways. A series of long thick wire coils were un wounded and stretched as a boom across the entrance to the port of Cuaraca. It was an old tactic, preventing ships or submarine from entering the harbor. An oldie but a goodie in the eyes of General Kola. The General ordered a curfew over the city while he city hall was commandeered as its headquarters.

General Kola went the councilors of the city.

“The enemy forces, those of the rebel, Rawa Huarican have positioned themselves around the city. However I have no intention of surrendering this city to them. If they wish, they may come, but they will die on the streets of Cuaraca before the rebel flies his flag over this building. As of now, the city is under martial law, and those who may attempt to perform subterfuge shall meet the same fate as the traitors in jail. Is that understood?”

Machurata, Laraos

Dvorak bowed as he stood before the privy council of King Lorian. A part of him had been expecting the little monarch to be there, and was thus a bit disappointed as not to meet a foreign king, something he as of yet had not accomplished. But he understood that the gears of politics were not likely great placed for twelve year olds. He listened to the Edumaean arrival, noting with a smile that Raudoya was not alone in coming to the aid of the Lorites.

When Safavi was finished, Dvorak spoke up, “Your Highness,” he nodded to the Princess, “Your Holiness,” he looked to the archbishop, “Your Excellencies,” he said addressing the rest of the councilors. “King Ottokar sends his regards and extends his hand of friendship and support against the false king in Huara City. The pretender will be crushed in do time. Already General Kola, a man of great tactical skill and honor has secured Cuaraca for the King.”

Dvorak cough slightly, clearing his throat as he continued. “Though the vultures that flock around the pretender have moved quickly, for in the face of your legitimacy they attempt to use force. They have attack the very Laraosi people, with a death toll in Cuaraca as of yet unknown, though I am certain that the death of any innocent subject of the King is a great sorrow upon your honorable noble hearts.”

“King Ottokar wishes to dispatch further three battalions to aid in your righteous and lawful cause of restoring order. But that can not be accomplished alone. A large force sent to Cuaraca would see a decisive blow to the pretender’s allies, and show to the people who is the true Protector of the Realm.”

[Yitanka]

Dejanca, Kingdom of Laraos

With a few potential candidates scoped out, the KoAnWi agents began a more refined search for someone with the potential to lead a communist uprising in Laraos. They didn't need to have any actual leadership skills, though if they did it would be a boon. But there needed to be a charismatic Laraosi leader at the forefront of the movement; a foreigner like the Yitankan agents simply would not do. No, a leader was required, and the KoAnWi agents were determined to find one here in Dejanca.

While the other two worked on finding a figurehead, one agent chartered a small boat to take him upstream towards Ullagru to find more recruits and sow the seeds for an uprising beyond just Dejanca.

---

Syunkau, Yitankan SSR

Meanwhile, another cargo ship was being loaded with a second shipment of carefully hidden supplies. Once readied, the KoAnWi would just need word from their field agents indicating success for the ship to be dispatched. Until then the lethal cargo would remain safe and secured in the port of the capital.

The equipment being loaded into this second ship was heavier than the first: RPG's, LMG's, plastic explosives, grenade launchers, and MAPADS were counted among the things ready to be sent to Laraos. And with everything being old Soviet-era stockpiled gear it was difficult to tell where exactly all this equipment was coming from.

But beyond sending supplies and fomenting a communist uprising, the Supreme Soviet could not agree on how far to take involvement in Laraos yet. Some younger and more eager legislators pushed the idea of direct intervention, but a larger demographic in the Supreme Soviet were beginning to think Yitanka had already invested to heavily and too quickly into Laraos. Only time would tell how Yitanka would ultimately engage in the events unfolding in Laraos.

[Laraos]

Huara City, Laraos

King Rawa III had commandeered the waterfront mayor's residence, that of the Orccosupa Mansion, an old terracotta stately manor that overlooked the curve of the harbor and the tall buildings of the commercial district of the port, while its own neighbors were the homes of the other wealthy elites of the city. However, the grand lawn of the mansion had become overrun with soldiers and was neatly lined with command tents as they carried out the orders from their King. Yanawayuta Nahuis, personal aid of the king, lead the Romextlian major general and his adjutant through the double doors of the Orccosupa Mansion and into the mayoral office to find King Rawa III.

The King, still a young man, sat behind a heavy cherrywood desk. He was of short stature and thin build with his dark black hair in the sunisimpa style. He had removed the Paicha, locking the precious headpiece away. He wore instead the royal war headpiece, a gold band that pinned to his top knot shaped a sapphire heron in flight the size of his palm. Sundisk earrings hung from his pierced ears and a ring of state sat on his finger. The smaller but no less grand headpiece was worn by the King of Laraos during times of war. He was an average-looking fellow, even in his military uniform. He looked average ever more so with his sister-in-law at his side.

Standing behind. quite literally in this case, Rawa III was Princess Aitana, shorter and thinner than her rival older sister, and all the more breathtakingly beautiful. She still more all black, her black sari belted to her thin waist and looping up across her chest and over her head, hiding her hair so that only her face and hands were visible. Aitana's eyes were the color of an ocean abyss and shined with sharpness as she observed all around her. Seated before the King and the princess was Admiral Pinto Ccahuantico, who had been amongst the first to declare for Rawa III and General Mamak Macavilca. Macavilca had originally been a colonel at the on set of the conflict, but had quickly earned the favor of the king and been raised to general. Tall, charming and ambitious, it had been Macavilca's urging that Rawa III had sent three thousand men under Colonel Quraoqllo Yacupaico to aid in the siege of Cuaraca and four thousand men under Colonel Nacchi Macavilca (the general's brother) to capture Pusacaya.

Coritade, Laraos

The Duke of Coritade greeted Colonel Andrews with polite warmness as he overviewed the city. "Coritade sits at the mouth of the Juyurarana River, where it meets the Huara Bay. Three bridges, connected the western and eastern banks of the city, along with one tunnel. Outside the old city walls, thick stone walls built during the 15th century were sprawling poor slums, while on the west bank atop the red clay hill of Antiguo Coritado was the ducal castle. Wth a population of some 217,000 it was the fourth largest city in the whole of the country and the second busiest seaport. As of yet, there are not any known Lorite sympathizers, though in such a large city that possibility can not be ruled out."

Of the city's population, some 500 young men had indeed come out to volunteer to join in the cause in the name of Rawa III. However, with already overcrowded slums ringing the outskirts of the port city, there were many who found the idea of military soldiers staying there, when they had already declared their support for the Doctrians chaffing.

Ojamello, Laraos

The arrival of waves of foreign soldiers onto their shores had unnerved the people of Ojamello. Was this the Laraos that they would live in under Rawa III? One under occupation? It had not been lost on many that most of the king in the west's support came from abroad. Was this because foreign nations wished to impose themselves upon the Laraosi? This question was on the lips of the citizens of Ojamello when they began to see smoke rising from their larger sister city of Cuaraca. They were attacking the city. True violence, so long feared in Laraos since the death of King Koyas, had finally come. And it had done so at the hands of the Doctrians. To the Romextilans Mayor Curichimba Anhuaman assured them that they were all Doctrians in the city.

But when night feel, under Anhuaman's orders, five policemen, Michik Chakana, Wayanay Ticllacuri, Ninahuamán Llactahuaman, Colquehuanca Sayritupac and Chalco Pinchi split up to sabotage their newfound enemy. At the small port of Ojamello, Pinchi and Llactahuaman brought their boat up beneath the dock and sawed notches several inches deep into the piers. On their own, they would have been find, but with every pier damaged over the course of three hours, the docks buckled and collapsed into the night. Meanwhile, Chakana, Ticllacuri and Sayritupac took the city's demolition explosive ordinances used for tearing down old buildings and lined at intervals for five miles on the road that connected Ojamello to Cuaraca, and at midnight, blasted them, destroying the road.

Cuaraca, Laraos

In the besieged city, panic was boiling under the surface. At the city jail, inmates were clamoring to be let out and the Lorite councilors had been forced to allocate more and more of the police force to protect the building for fear that civilians would attempt to charge the building and free councilors Sami Paccsi and Ninapajcha Ticllacuri (no relation to Wayanay Ticllacuri), either, in the case of Doctrians to hand them the city, or in the Lorites to execute them. Others in the city had started to bunker down, fearful of the future of the once picturesque resort city.

Dejanca, Laraos

Ticahuanca Jaillita, a woman in her thirties worked at docks in the city of Dejanca and had over the last week heard more and more of concerns over the fate of the country. In far away Huara City and Machurata, kings were fighting over which one of them had the better right to rule over them all. Jaillita however wasn't so convinced that either one of them was a good choice. She was a tall, mountain of a woman, with dark red brown sun-beaten skin and her hair pulled into three braids that kept it out of her face while she worked.

"Who do you think should be charged?" asked one of Jaillita's coworkers as they finished unloading the last of the day's shipments. Jaillita shrugged her muscular shoulders, wiping the sweat off her brow. She shrugged, but when she turned she found the others, who had all casually spilt into rival camps looking at her. She shrugged, and threw a rag over her shoulder.

"Don't know. Not like we get to decide. Don't know why, we are the ones who do all the work." She shrugged her shoulders and headed back home, leaving her co-workers to consider what she said.

Machurata, Laraos

Princess Ninana and the other members of the royal council looked over General Safavi's materials as they listened to him speak. The same was true as the heard out Ambassador Dvorvak. It was a reassuring meeting simply by their arrival. The limited foreign support for their government, paired with the growing control of the coast and thus Laraosi access to the rest of the commercial world was concerning to them all. Knowing that they had any, if only a few allies was a glimmer of hope that they could turn the tide in their favor. Princess Ninana nodded as she set down the papers and addressed first General Safavi.

"His Majesty thanks Padishah Benam for his assistance in putting down the rebel pretender. Together, we are confident that these criminals will not stand for long. You and your forces shall have open access to our airbase here in the capital."

"We may have, for now," said General Carihuasari, the gray haired Duke of Karlland, "lost the sea to the rebels, but Machurata has the roads. Llancay has taken Chuminari and Karlland has of course declared for His Majesty. the Three Sisters Cities may have the ports, but the mineral resources they export come from the North, and we have successfully cut them off. If we maintain air dominance, and that on land, we can push them back into the sea."

"We," added General Allaca, have already begun sending troops to secure the cities of Chacra, Lacas, Haitolo and Ayllcana. With the southern plains under our command we can starve the coast, or at least force them to import supplies at an unsustainable rate for their populations." General Allaca then turned to Ambassador Dvorak. "It is with great honor that we have the support of our good neighbor, Raudoya. Though the Cuaraca situation presents difficulties."

"Taking Cuaraca, tactically, is at this time," said General Carihuasari," useless. The Laraosi Sea is a narrow body of water, that is admittedly easy to blockade. With the Rebels in control of Huara Bay and the Strait of Hagena, that has been accomplished. Breaking the siege at Cuaraca will not undo that."

"We can not allow Cuaraca to fall to the rebels," interjected General Cusipuma, "if not for the city itself, then for the road connecting it to the southern plains. If Puscaya falls to the rebels, we can at least destroy the Quharicahua Bridge and sever it from the rest of the country." He referred to the old arched bridge that was one of the three that crossed the Patanaya River. As they already controlled one of the three, controlling the other two was of key strategy. "The same is not the case for Cuaraca."

"Tactically it may not benefit us," said Princess Ninana, "but strategically it is invaluable. Ambassador Dvorak is correct, it shall show the people that we are here to protect them, and that the rebels will all soon be defeated. This war has started in Cuaraca, it shall be there that it ends."

Map

[The Southern American Federation]

Official Declaration of War - The Southern American Federation
Just a few days ago, a usurper claimed the throne of Laraos. The Federation will not stand for this. As a part of the Foreign Security Act, the Federation will take up the task of defending the innocent lives of the world. Because of this, we will be dispatching the Federation Marines to restore order to the country in the hope of removing the rebels from the country. We stand with Romextly and Lacienia as they also assist Laraos in this time.

-Simon Riley, SAF Foreign Relations Department

Laraosi Sea - 12th Federation Marine Task Force
”Listen up, men. We’re venturing into uncharted territory and meeting unknown allies. Our objective is to eliminate holdouts of the dissenters and restore order to the country. We’ll be landing in Huara City where our allies already have a stronghold. From here, we’ll find out what we need to know, and begin an offensive”

Captain Alex Mason was addressing his troopers over the PA system as the fleet sailed through the Laraosi Sea towards the Doctrian territory. As the fleet pulled into the harbor, he attempted to contact the Doctrians and Romextlians.

Official Transmission
This is Captain Mason of the Southern American Federation to the Doctrian ships in Huara City Harbor. The Southern American Federation is here to assist the rightful rulers of the country and we request entry to the port.

[Coulcisen]

Solan Manor,
Solanyve,
the Councisen

A lieutenant commander and two aides strode through the Platinum Corridor of Solan Manor, the seat of government for the Coulcisen. To the left and right, they passed important offices and places where government officials toiled. Lesser government figures would have to wait. This matter was for the Coulan himself.

Solan Manor was an old building. It had once been one of the fabled pleasure palaces of the business guilds. It had been named for the pear trees that stood guard outside. The debauchery of the bygone Kingdom that this building must have seen, even in the midst of calamity, did not bear thinking about. The Platinum Corridor itself had once been the corridor linking the palace proper to the royal annexe, a raised structure on the outside. But now royalty had given way to stratocracy. The Royal Annexe was gone, but the many rooms to the side of the corridor proved useful for coordinating matters of government. The Coulan made his office a central location on the corridor, accessible but secure. The lieutenant commander knocked on the door, itself made of dark oak.

"In."

The military official swung open the door, and the three stepped into the room. The Coulan was writing at a computer on his desk, and regarded each of the individuals carefully, looking over the rim of his glasses to do so, before speaking.

"Say your piece."

"Coulan, we have prepared for you a summary of events currently occurring in Laraos. It is the belief of many in the intelligence bureau that Laraos presents a clear target for Coulcises intervention," he gestured to the two aides, who both presented their dossiers to the Coulan. Both were neatly presented and set out with no visible errors. The Lieutenant Commander must have considered this for quite a while to produce such dossiers. However, a section that might have been easily overlooked by a less perceptive individual stood out to the Coulan. 'Category DCT'.

"So, you've found grounds for a humanitarian mission, and a military mission. But I see here that you've also found grounds for a covert mission," the Coulan removed his glasses, folding them and placing them on the table in front of him, "The first is good, we want to empower those who need it. The second is acceptable, we want to support this Lorian in the aims you have stated he professes. I don't immediately see why an Abyss-Level operation is justified."

The Lieutenant Commander smirked, "It is my belief that a resistance group, set up for the eventuality that these Lorites fail, or in case Lorian fails to meet the mandate he professes to. At the moment, of course, he is under the protection of his regency. How will he act when on his own? It is for this reason that an Abyss-Level operation is due. Deep cover, guerilla training, likely anti-monarchist... Perhaps a limited pro-Coulcisen stance too. If they are not needed, we pull the cord and de-claw them. Perhaps even assist the Laraosi government in taking them down, allowing for closer relations. But if they are needed..."

"Yes, I get the picture," the Coulan pondered for a moment, "We do not want to make the process harder for the people of Laraos... But I agree, a controlled opposition to the monarchy is a good contingency. Let the Pit know we're commissioning them for this activity."

"Yes, sir."

The Coulan marked the documents with dark yellow stamps, closing both and handing them back to one of the aides, "I approve this action. Make it so."

---

Airport,
Machurata,
Laraos

The planes arrived, and with them the first contingent of the Coulcises army. The 40th and 43rd, as well as a portion of the SCSE, made busy around the airfield. This was a temporary base of operations, little more. Lieutenant Commander Vellon Sefeodan was the one tasked with organising the elite troops into an attack force. The plan was to begin an air-supported push up the Carpajura, towards Pachaja, Awanturpaja and Tocila. The Dâchtaeoch indicated that the Cancha mountains were a good target for Coulcisen's secondary aims, and capturing the upper Carpajura would assist with logistics later on.

"Get the car out," the Lieutenant Commander ordered, "I have to co-ordinate with their command."

---

LCDR Vellon waited to enter the presence of the Privy Council, wishing to maintain the decorum presented by the other members of the Lorite coalition. When he did enter, he bowed deferentially to the assembled monarchists. This was not his country, and monarchism was evidently seen in a very different light here. Being respectful was paramount.

"Greetings, your highnesses, Lords and Ladies of the realm," he nodded at each of the main members of the privy council in turn, "I am Lieutenant Commander Vellon of the Coulcises Army, at your service. Our government has seen fit to support King Lorian as rightful King of Laraos. A contingent of Commandos has been brought here, and are using an airbase in Machurata as our base of operations. It is the opinion of our government and strategists that the highlands must be secured to best defend from potential attacks. Rebels could use the river system for a speedy route to attack your capital. As such, we wish to propose a campaign up the Carpajura River, to secure the highlands and the border region. With your permission, we would begin our attack. Does this sound amenable to you?"

[Lacienia]

Huara Bay | 0900

From the bay cities, the inbound Lacienian ships could clearly be seen in all their glory. Freshly shined hulls shining in the sun, the great ships approached the Huara City Harbor and, after a short period of five minutes in which they requested permission to dock, began the transport ship, and her escorting destroyers came into nearby berths. However, to the surprise of many Laraosi citizens, the cruiser and other two destroyers did not dock and merely continued to float in the harbor, vigilant as ever. Soon, an armored division and approximately four battalions of infantrymen began offloading from the transport ship en masse.

A mere four hours later, the transport, her escorts, and the LCS Stafford departed the port and returned to the Laraosi Sea where they would sail south, leaving several thousand colonial marines behind to set up camp at the FOB that had been built in advance by a local construction firm and prepare for their vitally important mission. While not yet known to even most of the Sailors and Marines, the Lacienian Ships were beginning a critically important undertaking that had the ability to determine the way the course of the war.

Huara City Port

Lieutenant Colonel Steven Krueger, hunched over a table and clearly deep in thought, signaled to one of the junior officers to come over before saying matter-of-factly, "Now that we have arrived in Laraos, I believe it would be advisable to send a message to our allies in regards to the current situation and how we believe that Lacienia can play its part in the war. And, while I write said message, I'll need a car to take me to the Doctrian headquarters so I can acquaint myself with their command"

The junior officer, still rather shocked at being chosen to do mere secretarial work, replied with a simple, "Yes, Sir." turning to leave the room.

"Oh," the Junior Officer turned back around, "Send a message to General Fredrickson with regards to our successful offloading and the overall quality of the battalions and the base."

Once again, a "Yes, Sir." was uttered and the junior officer turned to exit. This time however, he made it to the exit.

Official Military Transmission
Source: LCS Stafford
Recipient: All Doctrian-Aligned Nations
Subject: Lacienian Involvement and Overall Strategy

Seeing that there has been a large increase in support for the Doctrians, we, the Lacienian high command, have come up with a strategy that, if executed properly, could hand us a major upper hand in the war. This strategy centers around the Carpajura River, Lake Ajawak, and how they can be invaded by sea on low-bottomed river transport/patrol boats. In the case of Lake Ajawak, we, the Lacienians, should have enough soldiers in Huara City that we can shift to Ajawana and deploy to Puscaya on the aforementioned craft. As for the Carpajura River, we feel that the most effective approach would be to send a small fleet of craft up the river with that, in turn, is split into two smaller groups of three battalions each. One for, Lacas, and one for Poracaja.

This operation should, if all goes well, be able to establish a foothold deep into Laraos and obtain a direct land route into Machurata and, by extension, the rest of the usurper's miserable affair. As for manpower, the Lacienian Colonial Marines should be able to accomplish the task, however, foreign troops would only make it easier to complete. Additionally, a highly mobile advance from Ojamello and Ajawana to Puscaya and Chacra should be able to secure the flatlands and ensure the security of all roads in the area, thus paving the way for a Doctrain victory.

36 Minutes Later
Now, with both messages written and sent over encrypted networks, Lieutenant Colonel Krueger stepped into the Nykomi Motors utility vehicle and shut the door behind him. Soon, at his signal of course, the car was cruising down the roads of Huara City, allowing the Colonel to both see the sights and assess the city's defenses. However, this sightseeing expedition could only last for so long and, after approximately 15 minutes, the car was back on its way to the gates of the Doctrian Headquarters where they, upon arrival, would be stopped at the gates and asked for identification before being let in and allowed to park. Finally, thought Colonel Krueger to himself as he stepped through the front doors of the building for his meeting.

OOC: I spent two days typing a giant message on google docs only to realize it was bad and I just decided to write a new one. Sorry for the delay. Though, I guess I do have some future messages pre-typed now.

[Laraos]

Day 8

Port Authority, Huara City, Laraos

Captain Maygua Malqui was the official in command of the city harbor. It was a great responsibility considering the large scale of the port. The port and the bay beyond had become crowded with the ships of the Doctrians and their supporters. Upon receiving the message he sent in response to that of Captain Mason.

Official Transmission
Greetings Captain Mason. Your assistance is much appreciated and welcomed. Your request to enter the port is granted.

Orccosupa Mansion, Huara City, Laraos

Lt. Colonel Krueger was escorted into the Orccosupa Mansion. King Rawa III had created a war room for the Doctrian generals and allied military officials in order to hash out plans and set out operations. There was good news from General Macavilca as his operations, at least those of his sponsoring had proven to be a success. In the south Colonel Yacupaico was pressing forward and had entered the edge from the forests to the plains. While there were few roads in the region, and none large enough to comfortably accommodate an army, the flat terrain of the plains eased in their advance.

It was news from Macavilca's brother however that the greatest news was from. Colonel Macavilca had taken Pusacaya to great success. The city, is perched on the northern shores of Lake Ajawak and the Patanaya River. The city, connected to the rest of the country by the Quharicahua Bridge was also connected to the sea by the deep channel arrived into the Carpajuta River and the lake. It had welcomed the arrival of Colonel Macavilca with cheering and thunderous applause as they raised the flag of Laraos along with a blue banner with the royal monogram of Rawa III, a crowned R and the number three transcribed in roman numerials. A new symbol to rally around for the Doctrians.

Alcaya, Laraos

It was not only in Pusacaya where the Doctrians were victorious as across the county more cities raised the blue banner of King Rawa III. In the industrial city of Alcaya, from which the vast majority of the country's tin and copper mining products were processed, they had sided with Huara City as it was with them that most had their business ties with. The blockade that had been imposed upon the industrial cities of the north by the Lorites was hurting not only the Three Sister Cities but them as well. Thus, as Colonel Llancay's forces approached, the police force blockaded the bridges that crossed the Quilcara River.

Chacra, Laraos

The same was true in the city of agricultural production, Chacra. The approaching Lorites had been fired upon by those in Chacra, forcing them to spread out around the outskirts of the city.

Ayllacana, Laraos

In the northeastern city of Ayllacana here too Doctrians took control , firing on the Lorites and forcing them out of the city following their attempt to establish their authority over the area.

Machurata, Laraos

The Co-Regents however did welcome come good news. Their soldiers were not repelled everywhere that they had set off to. In the south they had found far more success. The city of Lacas had thrown open their proverbial gates for the brigade of soldiers as they followed the road, raising the golden banner chosen by the Lorites. With the ease of the city joining under the faithful under the reign of the anointed King Lorian, the army continued on their push south towards Poracaja. The same was true in Haitolo as the Lorites captured the bridge that crossed the river. This was greeted with much appreciation in the capital. General Allaca assured Princess Ninana that this city secured, the whole of the southeast of the nation would soon fall into line.

They also had the news that a new ally had come to aid in their support of King Lorian. Princess Ninana listened carefully to Lt. Commander Vellon considering his proposal. The interior of the nation had thus far been silent in their support one way or another. It was hoped that as the Lorite territory stretched across the center of the country and thus cut them off from the Doctrian dominated coastline, they would too fall in line beneath the regency's government. Not to mention with the rise of the rebels in Chacra and Pusacaya, pushing back the enemy would be more pressing than ever.

"Lt. Commander," said the princess after sharing a look with General Allaca, "You are right in that keeping the riverways and highland free of the rebels, but we must also support our campaign to secure the southern plains and break the siege of Cuaraca. Spilting your forces would perhaps be the best course of action, with aerial attacks focusing on the south and coast, while your Brigade and Colonel Naupari Nacchaulla secure the upper Carpajura."

Map

[The Southern American Federation]

Official Military Transmission
Source: LCS Stafford
Recipient: All Doctrian-Aligned Nations
Subject: Lacienian Involvement and Overall Strategy
Seeing that there has been a large increase in support for the Doctrians, we, the Lacienian high command, have come up with a strategy that, if executed properly, could hand us a major upper hand in the war. This strategy centers around the Carpajura River, Lake Ajawak, and how they can be invaded by sea on low-bottomed river transport/patrol boats. In the case of Lake Ajawak, we, the Lacienians, should have enough soldiers in Huara City that we can shift to Ajawana and deploy to Puscaya on the aforementioned craft. As for the Carpajura River, we feel that the most effective approach would be to send a small fleet of craft up the river with that, in turn, is split into two smaller groups of three battalions each. One for, Lacas, and one for Poracaja.

This operation should, if all goes well, be able to establish a foothold deep into Laraos and obtain a direct land route into Machurata and, by extension, the rest of the usurper's miserable affair. As for manpower, the Lacienian Colonial Marines should be able to accomplish the task, however, foreign troops would only make it easier to complete. Additionally, a highly mobile advance from Ojamello and Ajawana to Puscaya and Chacra should be able to secure the flatlands and ensure the security of all roads in the area, thus paving the way for a Doctrian victory.

Official Transmission - Encrypted
Source: FNS Endeavor
To: Doctrian-Allied nations
From: Captain Alex Mason

The Federation Task Force approves of this proposition, and proposes dispatching two of the three Marine Expeditionary Units to assist the operation in the Carpajura River as well as two frigates. Arms and ammunitions will also be brought to be used if needed. The Federation hopes that these offers will only go to help Lacienia, the Federation, other Doctrian nations, and of course, the true leaders of Laraos.

[Raudoya]

2.5 miles south of Cuaraca

Commander Klapil looked down on the dark landscape of the southern Laraosi countryside as he lead his wing through the night. Klapil was spear heading Operation Thunderbolt, a two wave airborne landing and assault mission designed to combat the siege of Cuaraca and prevent the Doctrian forces from connecting with their forces around the city. The daring mission, with the militarized Laraosi Sea under Doctrian control had been forced to take an extreme zigzag pattern, hence the name Thunderbolt.

Flying from Raudoya they had traveled far to the south to the tip of the Laraosi Sea then turned sharply north over Laraos towards Cuaraca. They moved in secured formations of transports, bombers and fighter escorts. It was here that, just before they passed over the city and it’s ringed frontline of enemies that the transport and fighters spilt off from one another into groups A and B. Group A over the outskirts of Cuaraca Commander Roman Zukal lead his paratroopers to jump and land in the fields south of the city.

On the ground Commander Zukal ordered his battalion into defensive positions as they set up a temporary command post. As the officer was formulating a plan, the transport plans turned back to return home while the fighters veered north towards Pusacaya.

Over Pusacaya

It was over the city that had been identified by the Royal Council in Machurata according to Ambassador Dvorak, was one of the vital choke points in the ongoing conflict that the second phase of Operation Thunderbolt commenced as instead of dropping soldiers onto the realm below, they launched a bombing campaign to take down the Quharicahua Bridge. This mission too was not meant to be a heavy engagement operation, and instead as soon their payload was released they turned south. They retraced their steps to return back to Raudoya.

Northern outskirts of Ojamello

The third phase of Operation Thunderbolt was arguably the most dangerous as it was in all reality a repetition of the first. This airborne assault had necessarily had to come after the first wave as the transports had to pick up the third airborne battalion under Commander Jeroným Kaspar. Kaspar’s battalion was the newest of the airborne training regiments and we’re accompanied with light armored transportation and mortars and rocket launchers.

It was as the sun was dawning that Commander Kaspar’s battalion jumped over the northern fields of Ojamello, planning to both capture the fallen city, break the siege and form a front against the south advancing Doctrians.

[Imarati]

Huara City

While other nations poured in ships and troops and fighter jets and weapons into the Laraosi country, King Alexis saw to it that all were aware of his humanitarian efforts. Imarati was a small mountainous nation, that itself had seen a civil war ravage the countryside for the better part of two decades before the present young monarch had taken his throne. His three year reign so far had been a great time of healing and rebirth in Imarati, but even still, it was in no position to fight a war, or even support a side in it, at least, not as a nation. Having so long fought, many Imaratians had become skilled fighters and formed successful mercenary groups, which thus far proved good sources of income for the nation.

But it was not mercenaries who arrived in the port city on the Laraosi coast. Medical volunteers and diplomatic personnel were all that the King of Imarati sent, wishing to push for a more humane and peaceful approach to solving the conflict. Not that this was solely out of the good of the young king’s heart. Though King Alexis was by all accounts a nice man who generally got alone with most he came across, time one the throne with his more politically adept wife at his side has made him more crafty in searching for ways in which to tilt things in his favor. It was simply at the moment it was unclear as to which was in his favor, the Doctrians or the Lorites.

As Dr. Boris Tsenteradze disembarked he was joined by Consul Merab Tabagari. They however, unlike the other sects that had follsrnec into the city did not seek an audience with the king nor his commanders.

Machurata

As part of the King’s plan, he’d taken a stance of neutrality, wishing to have access to both the circles of King Rawa III and King Lorian, as to weigh each and support whoever most pleased his interests. Loyalty, when considering the Laraosi was worth less than nothing to him. But of course this was cloaked by the veneer of the primary goals of the two missions sent to the two rival courts. To aid the people caught between the two kings. The King’s little sister had been the primary funder for the aid units and personnel brought into the country. Such was the extension of aid painted as the kind gesture of a child moving a sovereign heart. This concern for the fate of millions was not lost on the diplomats sent as to strike at the heart strings of people, common and leaders alike. For as Alexis’ heart was moved, so too it was hoped the belligerents would be moved.

In Machurata the medical leader was Dr. Eduard Sakandelidze while the diplomat was Consul Mikheil Melua. Here too they showed no interest in speaking with Princess Ninana or her husband, the Co-Regents for Lorian.

It was not that either Melua nor Tabagaro had no intention of speaking with the respective leaders, but it had been decided to be a misstep of it were their first move. They were instead to learn the interests, concerns and opinions not of the Huarican rivals, but instead those of the people over which they governed. In both cities Dr. Tsenteradze and Dr. Sakandelidze launched information gathering campaigns, focused on health, social and economic needs of the people, handing out first aid kits stamped with the Cross of Imarati.

Dejanca

It was to the far south however that a far more subtle and daring plan unfolded. A small charter boat chugged into the harbor at the southernmost city of Laraos. It was simple, with a thin metal hull upon which barnacles were still festering upon just below the waves, and a small slow centimeters that belched black smoke every so often. It carried on it a few tons of condensed Imaratian goats milk, cheese, dried cod caught off the frigid Imaratian coast along with loaves of bread.

It’s crew was small, as befitting a boat of it humble stature, just three men that maintained the wheel house, the cargo deck and the small cabins below deck that squeezed in five people. For there were too more passengers on the little boat. Giorgi and Christina. As the only woman onboard, Christina had been lucky enough to have her own ten by eight foot cabin all to herself as they had sailed down the Laraosi Sea. Giorgi had however been made share his cabin with one of the crew members, a man with terrible snoring and even worse gas.

As one could imagine, Giorgi was eager to get off the ship as they sailed into the mouth of the Ullagru River. No sooner had it started tying itself off in one of the berths that Giorgi was leaping off the deck and onto the dock. Christina, on the other hand graciously thanked the men who had given her passage, shaking each of their hands as if they had been Lajaz shahs and not mere boaters. The captain, whose room he’d happily given up for Christina, all but swooned as he escorted the young woman off the boat.

“It has been a pleasure miss.” The captain said, putting a hand over his heart.

Christina smiled and waved him off. “The pleasure was all mine. I have never risen on a vessel such as yours. It was a marvelous experience.”

“If you ever need anything,” the captain continued, “please do not hesitate to ask.”

“Only that you continue to brave the sea,” was her response, looking to the cargo on the ship set to be unloaded. “I imagine food will become more and more needed by so many if this dreadful conflict goes on for much longer. We shall Ned brave men like you if people are to eat.”

“Certainly miss,” the captain said. He kissed her hand before returning aboard his ship. No sooner was he gone that Giorgi was upon her, pulling his close to his side.

“This is a bad Idea, cousin,” he said in a low voice as they walked slowly down the pier. “We shouldn’t have done this. I shouldn’t have let you convince me of this.”

Christina’s small wavered. It had taken a great deal to convince her cousin to aid her in sneaking into Laraos. She and Giorgi could not have been more different, both in temperament and in appearance. He was tall, dark haired and pale, an orphan born soldier who had only just become a man. She was petite, dark-skinned and beautiful, a young woman still possessed with the girlish notion that she could alone change the world.

She had convinced herself that she could help end the war, all by herself, if only she could get boots on the ground. In the way most college students thought to go build schools in more unfortunate nations, she saw herself bringing about peace. How? Well she had been fuzzy on the details. Giorgi had tried to convince her not to go, to focus on her studies. She had only just completed her first semester at university. But she had reminded him of the devastation visited upon Imarati during their own civil war. Giorgi had lost both his parents to the fighting. How could he do nothing if there was even a chance that that could be prevented in Laraos?

“It’s an untested idea.” Christina stayed by her cousin’s side as they reached the end of the dock, leading him to take a seat a wide post so that their feet hung out over the water. “But everyone is looking at this whole thing from the top down. I don’t think this will be solved on battlefields or in conference rooms. Nations aren’t armies or warships, or factories and ports. They are people.” She gestured to the dock workers going to unload the ship. “Nations are people. And I intend to learn everything there is to know about them.”

“That’s your plan?” Giorgi asked skeptically, “End a war by getting to know people?”

For a moment Christina had as far away lol in her eyes, as of imagining some far off place, some distant future, then. She smiled at her older cousin. “Something like that.”