THE 2nd Cataclysm 1920. IC-CLOSED per Sign Up.

[Wonderchicken]

"Well Bacs, your nation will find that an alliance with the Kievis is a dead end. And as far as my being reasonable, well you'll soon find out how reasonable I am compared to others. Guard!!..."

"You will kindly not be so familiar, Ensign Johnson. I am Devahkh-Thokh¹ Zervahli, and I expect to be taken to my men." Bacs stood and allowed himself to be carried away.

1 - Bacs's actual rank, in case anyone wanted a reminder. For the record, The next rank up is Davahkh. Thokh, as you can probably guess, is something akin to "under." I lied. I was wrong. Thokh is OVER, not under. The ranks go (from highest to lowest) Kah-Ahnto'nee Nahcs, Kah-Ahnto'nee, Vushvahkh Nahcs, Vushvahkh, Vahkh-Naydar, Devahkh-Thokh, Devahkh, Icskodar, Vushicskah-Pahv. Vushicskah-Pahv would be the equivalent of an Ensign, not a regular enlisted man.

[Lowell Leber]

"Yes, you will be given a few moments to talk with your men, under our supervision. After that, back to your cell till we dock in port!"

[Wonderchicken]

"Yes, you will be given a few moments to talk with your men, under our supervision. After that, back to your cell till we dock in port!"

OOC: Just as a reminder, I'm using the colors and brackets to show where the conversation is in Katothwa Re.

IC: "<Well?>" Tahkar looked positively frenzied, and he was looking over his friend for signs of a beating. Finding none, he looked back to Bacs's face and asked "<What happened with the Vushvakh...er, Captain?>"

Bacs looked sternly at him. "<We don't have much time. They're going to put me in my own cell, and I don't know how much we'll be allowed to talk after this, so listen carefully.>" Tahkar nodded, and Bacs continued. "<I hereby leave you in command of the men who remain from the Saidom Vubee for the foreseeable future. Be cooperative, as well as you can. Give the Leberites no reason to prevent your release. The High Command cannot avenge our brothers if they do not know of their deaths.>"

"<Why do you tell me this? It is you who will make the report in Hacs-Tolakh.>" Tahkar fretted. Outside, a guard rapped on the door. Time was running short.

"<Just now, I can't promise that. I have been promised that you will all be bargained with, but they think I have information they want. They are in a state of undeclared war with the Kievis, and view the Edmar as their own. It was their arrogance that caused them to kill our brothers.>"

"<What??>" Tahkar staggered back a little. The lock on the door was turning. Time was nearly gone.

"<Listen!>" Bacs fairly shouted. "<If I do not see you again, my brother, you must see to Tenjah. She...>" The door was open, now, and the guard was hauling Bacs roughly from the room.

"Come on, you!" the Leberite huffed.

"<Give her my love!>" Bacs called out as the door slammed shut.

OOC: I know he was told he would have a few minutes, and this conversation would not have taken that long in English. If you've looked in on the Katothwa Re thread, though, you have probably noticed that KR is NOT a particularly efficient language. Since Bacs and Tahkar were speaking KR, the exchange above probably took a good two or three minutes.

[Lowell Leber]

OOC-Understand. I like your use of language and your storytelling.

[Kievistan]

The Grand Realm of Kievistan

Official Communique

Feb. 28th, 1920

The Grand Realm of Kievistan hereby declares that it renounces its duties under the Treaty of 1880 and has severed all diplomatic relations with Lowell Leber. Furthurmore, we announce that full mobilization of all armed forces is in progress. While we hope that the current tensions can be resolved peacefully, we are prepared for war.

His Highness,
Emperor Alexander Rukownov.

[Wonderchicken]

Bridge
WDN Nacsnahdu
The Kievi Gulf
28 FEB 1920, 18:23 hours

"Kah-Ahnto'nee!"

The youth sprinting onto the bridge looked as though he had just set eyes on the hungry eyes of Guznahfar, himself. In his hand the youth clutched a communique that had evidently just come in.

"The message *huff* is marked *puff* for *huff!* your eyes, alone, Kah-Ahnto'nee!" Denebor quickly snatched the coded message from her messenger before he could pass out, and motioned for the Vushvakh-Nahcs to follow.

As Denebor strode to her ready room, Teelyeh turned the bridge over to Vakh-Naydar Csehsh¹ and moved to follow his superior, hoping against hope that he was wrong about what this meant.

1 - Pronounced "Sesh."

[Wonderchicken]

Kah Ahnto'nee's Ready Room
WDN Nacsnahdu
The Kievi Gulf
28 FEB 1920, 18:33 hours

Attention: Kah Ahnto'nee Deecsee Denebor

Office of the Consulate of Wo'n Darshekeen
Kievi, Kievistan
Official Communique per
Ambassador Himnai Vazhdakh
Kah Ahnto'nee Nahcs Dehnek Akhpunobacs
Notification of Orders

Confirmed earlier today, forces from the Armed Syndicate of Lowell Leber engaged a detachment of men from the Grand Realm of Kievistan. War has been declared¹. The full might of Wo'n Darshekeen has been pledged to avenge this act of aggression by the Leberites against the allies of the Kahpokahnahcs of Wo'n Darshekeen. Soldiers of the Icskah Fa and Fleegicskah Fa are to disembark in Romov. Make all possible speed. Any vessel flying the colors of Lowell Leber is to be treated as hostile and destroyed.

Signed
Kah Ahnto'nee Nahcs Dehnek Akhpunobacs

Denebor and Teelyeh sat across the desk from each other for a full minute before Mik spoke. "You know, Deecsee. Most of the time I like that you are so seldom wrong..."

Deecsee Denebor looked up from the decoded message at her first officer. There was no mirth in her eyes--only the steel of a Wochik warrior. Mik immediately regretted trying to make light of their situation. "You have no idea how much I, too, would prefer to have been wrong about this, Mik." In one swift motion she was on her feet, a wholly different creature striding toward the bridge. "Let's hope I don't start making up for it anytime soon."

In the next instant the bridge received word from the Kah Ahnto'nee, and the message was passed to the other ships in the group. As he joined her on the bridge, Mik Teelyeh muttered under his breath to the Kah Ahnto'nee.

"Actually, there just might be some good come of this, for my family anyway. My brother is a riveter in Aihah Vush. He's been out of work for months." Deecsee Denenbor nodded.

"Yes," she said. "I expect that the shipyards will have plenty of work in the coming months."

1 - (OOC) Actually, I know that (officially) war has not been declared. The Kah Ahnto'nee Nahcs, however, has been in Kievistan for months just waiting for an opportunity like this. I will not specify whether the yellow journalism was his idea or the Kievis'. Just for fun, here's the Kah Ahnto'nee Nahcs's signature.

[Lowell Leber]

The Grand Realm of Kievistan

Official Communique

Feb. 28th, 1920

The Grand Realm of Kievistan hereby declares that it renounces its duties under the Treaty of 1880 and has severed all diplomatic relations with Lowell Leber. Furthurmore, we announce that full mobilization of all armed forces is in progress. While we hope that the current tensions can be resolved peacefully, we are prepared for war.

His Highness,
Emperor Alexander Rukownov.

Imperial High Command
Areis City, L.L.
Feb. 28th

"Sir, if they are fully mobilizing then we can expect war anytime" said the the young adjunct to Marshal Steiner.
"Yes son, you are right. For all we know war may have already started. We have not heard from the Easterling sector in over two days. Granted there is a blizzard in the area, but I bet there is more foulness than just the weather. At any rate, please have our full mobilization plan on my desk by 1500 hours. I have a meeting with the Kaiser this evening."

OOC-Nullarni, I would expect your nation to be attempting a last ditch attempt at keeping the peace.
Australien- Perhaps a post about the mood in your nation?

[Wonderchicken]

OOC - ATTN Lowell Leber: Was the extent of damage ever assessed to either the Lynnette or the Brianna as a result of colliding with the Saidom Vubee?

[Wonderchicken]

Kah Ahnto'nee's Ready Room
WDN Nacsnahdu
The Kievi Gulf
28 FEB 1920, 18:37 hours

"Wait a second," Teelyeh blurted. "What about the Hacs-Tolahkh and his daughters? I doubt that any message sent from Kievi got as far as the Laynu. Vushvakh Mehvek won't have any way of knowing that her country's at war. What if one of her boats were spotted before they found out?"

"It could be disastrous," agreed Kah Ahnto'nee Denebor. She made her way to the charts. "You know, those Khotehlolah-tum don't need a ten-ship flotilla to get them the last 50 miles to Romov. The Tuvahndahfa can more than handle that. Now, the Kahtóshkah Hacsfehtah class boats can only make about 30 knots at top speed, but they're the fastest we've got out here. We'll send the Gah Dee'ahn and the Vah Zheh ahead to make all possible speed for the Laynu. They'll try to warn Mehvek."

"Sounds like you have something else in mind for the rest of us," Teelyeh prompted. Denebor nodded.

Through dark eyes she stated flatly, "The rest of us are going hunting. Get down to the wireless and contact the mainland. Get whatever you can on any relevant deployments." Teelyeh nodded, saluted, and was off.

Kah Ahnto'nee Denebor shook her head. She made her way to the charts. "I am confident that Vushvakh Mehvek will get the message coming out of Kievi." She paused. "Still...You know, those Khotehlolah-tum don't need a ten-ship flotilla to get them the last 50 miles to Romov. The Tuvahndahfa can more than handle that. And since we won't be needed for escort duty for a little while, I think we would be wise to start assessing our tactical situation. I want to know what the Leberites have and where they've put it. Where we're in their home waters and so far from ours, we're going to have to be pretty damned conservative."

"Agreed," Teelyeh said. "Where do you want to go first?"

"Let's start with the waters just north of the Leberite peninsula, between the gulf and the Crayfish Islands."

Teelyeh nodded again. "I suggest we send a few of the faster boats out a way from the main group to run reconnaissance and interference," he said.

"That would be the Gah Dee'ahn and the Vah Zheh," she concurred. "The Ahbi Ahdai-no is a Kahtóshkah Hacsfehtah class as well, but she's been having troubles whenever she gets over 28 knots, so let's hold her back." Denebor rifled through her maps for a moment, then turned back to Teelyeh. "We'll make our overall heading 2-6-3, but I want to zig zag a bit. Let's point the bows to 2-2-5 for a few clicks to start with."

Teelyeh nodded and added, "I'll run that down to the wireless room myself. I imagine you'll want to have whatever intel the Kah Ahnto'nee Nahcs has on relevant deployments, too." He saluted and spun for the hatch.

She returned his salute and muttered, "Damn right."

[Lowell Leber]

The Office of the Imperial Kaiser
Areis City, L.L.
Feb. 28th 1900 hours.

ICS: (Please Read but your characters shouldnt know this stuff.)

Around the small table sat the whos who of the Imperial High Command. At the head of the table sat the Kaiser himself. The Kaiser had already stated that pending the reports of his military leaders, he planned to delcare war by noon of the 1st.
To the Kaiser's left sat Marshal Steiner, who as Chief of Staff of the Imperial Army was going to be the main leader for the coming battles. To the Kasier's right sat Grand Admiral Raeder, his navy had already drawn first blood albeit with the weak ally of Kievistan. It was Raeder and his fleet that would need to protect the Edmar and the Crayfish Islands, as well as defend against any attempted amphibious operations while the army was busy on the Northern Front.

Next to Steiner sat Col. Francis Robist, head of the Strategic Intelligence Services. While Robist organization had infiltrated much of the Kievistani government in previous years, currently they were having trouble maintaining usful assets there. And as far as with the Wochiks, little was known other than that large contingents of military personal were near their main ports. In the upcoming war, the SIS would be primarily used to "sqeeze" important prisoners and such.

Across from Robist and next to Raeder sat Lt. General Austin Finch, chief of the Air Corps. For the years up to the war Finch had lobbied for more funding for the Air Corps. And while this had paid off in an advance monoplane fighter, the quanity of his force was lacking.

And at the end of the table sat Mr. Lane von Thyssen, Viscount of Brunn. Mr. von Thyssen was the Foreign Minister, and it was his job to keep as many other nations out of this war as possible and to maintain Nullarni's support. Out of all who sat at the table, von Thyssen was most cautious concerning the upcoming war....

[Lowell Leber]

Battlecruiser LLS Flemingsburg
100nm southeast of Kiserburg, Crayfish Islands.
Mar. 1, 1920 0930 hours.

ICS: Wonderchiken Read Please.
Captain Clyde "Ming" Lee scanned the horizon for ships from the bridge, but so far had only seen the two destroyer escorting them. A young seaman approached with a TG, "Captain, orders from GHQ ". Captain Lee opened looked at the wrinkled paper. He smiled in amusement.

"Helm, make your course 085 at flank speed! Signals, infom our escorts of our change in course!"
"Aye Captain!" came the response from two different crewman, as the Flemingsburg lurched and accelerated to 33 knots....

[Wonderchicken]

...so far had only seen the two destroyer escorting them.

OOC: If those are the Gah Dee'ahn and the Vah Zheh he's seeing, they're not destroyers. They're Kahtóshkah Hacsfehtah class battlecruisers.

[Wonderchicken]

Bridge
WDN Gah Dee'ahn
130 nautical miles east-southeast of Kiserburg, Crayfish Islands, roughly 25 miles east of the Battlecruiser LLS Flemingsburg
1 MAR 1920, 09:32 hours.

"Vushvahkh, we have confirmed sighting bearing 2-6-5."

Vushvahkh Csehntik acknowledged the information and turned to his helmsman. "Bring us about to 3-zero-5, helmsman. Make your speed 1-5 knots."

"Peh-o, Vushvahkh!"¹

Csehntik then motioned to the the Vahkh-Naydar. "Go have the wireless operator signal the Vah Zheh. Have Vushvahkh Nehtcs to drift south, and inform him of our course."

"Sir?" The Vahkh-Naydar didn't even try to hide her puzzlement. "We're well in visual range. Why not use the signal lamps?"

"We are going to use them, but Kah Ahnto'nee Denebor is a little far off to see them, isn't she? When she catches up, I'd like our battlecruisers straddling whoever that is out there like a..." Vushvahkh Csehntik wisely cut short his analogy when he noticed the look on his Vahkh-Naydar's face. He didn't need her reminding him of what his wife had said the last time he'd let his tongue slip like that.

1 - In case it needs explaining, peh-o is yes.

[Lowell Leber]

...so far had only seen the two destroyer escorting them.

OOC: If those are the Gah Dee'ahn and the Vah Zheh he's seeing, they're not destroyers. They're Kahtóshkah Hacsfehtah class battlecruisers.

OOC-No, he hasnt seen your ships. The destroyers escorting Flemingsburg are mine. And kudos to your lookouts, 25 miles is about the max for visual sighting.

[Wonderchicken]

...so far had only seen the two destroyer escorting them.

OOC: If those are the Gah Dee'ahn and the Vah Zheh he's seeing, they're not destroyers. They're Kahtóshkah Hacsfehtah class battlecruisers.

OOC-No, he hasnt seen your ships. The destroyers escorting Flemingsburg are mine. And kudos to your lookouts, 25 miles is about the max for visual sighting.

They call him Eagle-eye Jones.
...or they would...if they spoke English...and his name was Jones...

I can bring them in a little closer if that's better...? I guess I misread the reason for the Flemingsburg's course change.

[Lowell Leber]

Battlecruiser LLS Flemingsburg
100nm southeast of Kiserburg, Crayfish Islands.
Mar. 1, 1920 0934 hours.

"Conn, lookout. Visual sighting bearing 187 mark 4, range 24 miles!" came a cry over the intercom.
Captain Lee reached for his mic, "All hands General Quarters!". "Signals, notify our destroyers and radio in to GHQ our location and contact! Give me the phone Ensign. Lookout, can you identify the ships in any way?"

"Yes captain, Wonderchik heavy battlecruisers," replied the lookout. "And they appear to be turning to intercept!..."

[Lowell Leber]

...so far had only seen the two destroyer escorting them.

OOC: If those are the Gah Dee'ahn and the Vah Zheh he's seeing, they're not destroyers. They're Kahtóshkah Hacsfehtah class battlecruisers.

OOC-No, he hasnt seen your ships. The destroyers escorting Flemingsburg are mine. And kudos to your lookouts, 25 miles is about the max for visual sighting.

They call him Eagle-eye Jones.
...or they would...if they spoke English...and his name was Jones...

I can bring them in a little closer if that's better...? I guess I misread the reason for the Flemingsburg's course change.

[Wonderchicken]

Battlecruiser LLS Flemingsburg
100nm southeast of Kiserburg, Crayfish Islands.
Mar. 1, 1920 0934 hours.

"Conn, lookout. Visual sighting bearing 187 mark 4, range 24 miles!" came a cry over the intercom.
Captain Lee reached for his mic, "All hands General Quarters!". "Signals, notify our destroyers and radio in to GHQ our location and contact! Give me the phone Ensign. Lookout, can you identify the ships in any way?"

"Yes captain, Wonderchik heavy battlecruisers," replied the lookout. "And they appear to be turning to intercept!..."

OOC: Actually, they're turning to either side. The Gah Dee'ahn is moving north of where they expect your ships to go, and the Vah Zheh is ducking south of that location. Both are doing about 10-15 knots is all.

Now, the question on my mind, since I obviously misread something higher up, is: have I put my ships in the wrong location? This is the same group that, just a few posts ago (a matter of about fifteen hours), was only 50 miles from Romov. They were going to sweep across the waters that are directly north of LL, moving east to west with the Gah Dee'ahn and the Vah Zheh taking point some 20 miles ahead of the main group and spread a couple of miles apart from each other.

[Lowell Leber]

Battlecruiser LLS Flemingsburg
100nm southeast of Kiserburg, Crayfish Islands.
Mar. 1, 1920 0934 hours.

"Conn, lookout. Visual sighting bearing 187 mark 4, range 24 miles!" came a cry over the intercom.
Captain Lee reached for his mic, "All hands General Quarters!". "Signals, notify our destroyers and radio in to GHQ our location and contact! Give me the phone Ensign. Lookout, can you identify the ships in any way?"

"Yes captain, Wonderchik heavy battlecruisers," replied the lookout. "And they appear to be turning to intercept!..."

OOC: Actually, they're turning to either side. The Gah Dee'ahn is moving north of where they expect your ships to go, and the Vah Zheh is ducking south of that location. Both are doing about 10-15 knots is all.

Now, the question on my mind, since I obviously misread something higher up, is: have I put my ships in the wrong location? This is the same group that, just a few posts ago, was only 50 miles from Romov. They were going to sweep across the waters that are directly north of LL, moving east to west with the Gah Dee'ahn and the Vah Zheh taking point some 20 miles ahead of the main group and spread a couple of miles apart from each other.

OOC-then yes they are awfully far south in such a short time..

[Wonderchicken]

OOC: Then I call shenanigans! On me!

No Wochik lookouts have spotted any Leberite vessels, then. False alarm.

[Lowell Leber]

ok, lets erase both of our posts up to my first from the Flemingsburg

[Lowell Leber]

Yup...OOC ALL: The events 6 or so posts previous did not occur.
Wochik: perhaps you have a sinker in the area?

[Wonderchicken]

The only sinkers I have anywhere near LL are the three boats making a run on the Laynu Strait, and my surface vessels are all congregated together, except for two that are about 20 miles ahead of everybody else. I crunched a few numbers, and since the Wochik surface vessels are probably sweeping west at about 20 knots, they would have gone about 300 miles in the 13 hours since we left them 50 miles from Romov. Of course, they were zig-zagging, so their actual current distance from Romov is probably more like 200-250 miles.

[Lowell Leber]

Battlecruiser LLS Flemingsburg
100nm southeast of Kiserburg, Crayfish Islands.
Mar. 1, 1920 0930 hours.

ICS: Wonderchiken Read Please.
Captain Clyde "Ming" Lee scanned the horizon for ships from the bridge, but so far had only seen the two destroyer escorting them. A young seaman approached with a TG, "Captain, orders from GHQ ". Captain Lee opened looked at the wrinkled paper. He smiled in amusement.

"Helm, make your course 085 at flank speed! Signals, infom our escorts of our change in course!"
"Aye Captain!" came the response from two different crewman, as the Flemingsburg lurched and accelerated to 33 knots....

ICS:
Battlecruiser LLS Flemingsburg
230nm east of Kiserburg, Crayfish Islands.
Mar. 1, 1920 1900 hours.

Captain Lee looked over the orders from GHQ again. His group was to join forces with the aircraft carrier Empire and 4 more battelcrusiers as well as 6 more destroyers. Intel from Fleet GHQ suggested that a large group of Wochik surface vessels were heading south from Romov. They would be in position in to intercept in roughly 12 hours.

Captain Lee was concerned about his rules of engagement however. Technically no war had been declared, but for all intensive purposes it was already here. Lee worried about his oldest son Nathaniel, who had chosen a life as an army officer. Nathaniel was staioned somewhere in the Eastern region, a place isolated from LL proper by the Southeastern Range of mountains. The garrisons there were no doubt underequipped, being out of the way of any Kievistani offensive. Still, it was too isolated for Lee's likeing.