The Stranger's Valentine

[Ilek-Vaad]

Horrified

Countess Winton's expression was set to horrified as she sat in the Regent's bed chambers. She wasn't there alone. The Lord Vaad had just made a perilous journey from the Eastern Marches to Thunder Bay and had inexplicably summoned three people. His First Tribune: Countess Winton, General of the Royal Guard: Lord Sumnerstone and the Press Secretary of the Apethorpe: a one Miss Langer. These three had entered, bowed and been seated before the now near naked Lord Vaad.

Corum Vaad. Patriarch of the House of Vaad, Regent to the Ducal Throne of the United Duchies had changed. Countess Winton had worked with him quite a bit, especially compared the others, and was shocked by what she was now seeing. Corum Vaad's fairly long and gently curling hair was now short, burned short, unevenly. His once dark brown eyes are now milky, like coffee with far too much cream. His body, now being attended to by Manglevites Yross and another of the Lord Vaad's LifeGuard, is burned. Up his back, the back of his arms and legs his LifeGuard carefully bandage several long third degree burns. They looked horrifying painful, Countess Winton had seen others burned less severely racked with pain, but here Corum Vaad stood, his only expression was one of annoyance and impatience. His once condescending smile was now a snarl, a grimace of one feigning a smile when they were angry.

Corum Vaad looked up as the summoned entered and looked angry as Manglevites Yross gently reminded him.

"My Lord, Countess Winton, Lord Sumnerstone and Miss Langer, as you requested........." Manglevites Yross was cut short by a harsh look from Corum Vaad, who looked as though he may strike his trusted LifeGuard.

Corum Vaad finally nods, sneering at his guests "Yes, yes, good. It's good that you all are here."

He pauses as Manglevites Yross wraps a bandage around his hand, before continuing. "Miss Langer, go round up the press, where ever it is that you would normally gather them for a............" he pauses looking quizzically to Manglevites Yross, who steps in and completes the Lord Vaad's thought "Press conference with the Grand Duke."

Corum Vaad nods and waves his freshly bandaged hand at Miss Langer "Go now, quickly, I will be there shortly." the pale and shaken Miss Langer scurries out, relieved to be sent away. Corum Vaad then turns to Lord Sumnerstone "General, how soon can all of the Royal Guard be prepared to move. Into combat that is. I want them with me as I resolve this 'Prince Makonen' fellow."

Lord Sumnerstone smiles broadly, he was one of the few that thought the Lord Vaad too timid to be Regent, this order warmed the cockles of his martial heart "Forty eight hours, Your Grace. We will be honored to be led in combat by Your Grace."

Corum Vaad grins, rather evilly, but apparently genuinely pleased at the answer. "Make it so General. You honor me with your loyalty, I will not let you down."

Countess Winton looks a bit more horrified at Lord Sumnerstone and then back at the Lord Vaad as he turns to her. "Now you Countess Winton, you are my First Tribune I will require that you brief the Privy Council on my plans......................"

The look of horror did not lessen as he laid out his plan.





OOC: United Duchies civil war narrative, unless of course A&H comes back.

[Ilek-Vaad]

The Aprthorpe - Press room

Sometime later the meeting had concluded and Lord Sumnerstone went to muster the Royal Guard and Countess Winton had the decidedly unpleasant duty to apprise the Privy Council of His Grace's upcoming action, actions which he would brook no debate about taking.

The press had gathered in the press room of Apethorpe Palace and were eager, and a bit confused. The Lord Vaad had only given a pair of interviews, and only for print. The media had barely caught glimpses of the man from a distance, and now here he was giving a press conference. What the enigmatic Vaadian would have to say would be anyone's guess.

Corum Vaad approached the podium purposefully, his dress was that of an Alconian General, albeit with no markings of rank, just a simple patch on the shoulder of the Alconian flag and swirling golden comets, the heraldic device of the House of Vaad, in place of any other insignia, underneath his coat is a gleaming galvorn breast plate and like any good Kerbal he has matching gauntlets. He smiles, as usual, but not the mischievous smile of a playboy billionaire that he usually wore, again it was changed into an unsettling sneer. Having reached the podium, he raises his right hand in a Byzantine Imperial salute, palm out, first two fingers and thumb pointed up, other two fingers pointed down and speaks.

"I do thank you all for coming so promptly, and I also ask that you bear with me as it is against tradition that the Patriarch of the House of Vaad explain himself to the press, in any circumstances. However it may be my duty to do so as Regent."

He smiles again, almost chucking at some joke that only he himself gets. He continues.

"I would first like to thank all of those who do their duty and show their honor by remaining steadfast to the rightful Regent of the United Duchies, all those who serve me willingly are remembered and I will strive to be worthy of their service. Second I would like to explain, plainly, my mind on the matters of my Regency and this insurgency."

"I would give anything to have never come to the United Duchies. I would give anything to have the House of Vaad untangled from the fortunes of the United Duchies. However that cannot be. I will try to explain why. I did not want to be Regent, I thought it a foolish idea but ,you may not understand this, It is not up to me. For over five thousand years there has been a Patriarch of the House of Vaad and the one duty of the Patriarch to look after family. The House of Crawford is indisputably my family. I am their blood relation and to refuse to look after their duties an obligations after their untimely and tragic disappearance is such a monstrous thing that I could not even contemplate not accepting the Regency and coming here.

I have now been here several months. I find Thunder Bay a lesser city compared to Great Lassic. I find the Apethorpe small, drafty and lacking in history as compared to the Acropolis. I miss the constant companionship of my family, my brothers my sisters and sisters in law, I miss my nieces and nephews. I miss the beautiful vistas of the Acropolis' gardens with their fine Byzantine mosaics and the view from the old Byzantine walls of the city of Great Lassic. I am tortured daily by the knowledge that I relinquished my dream post as Minister of Technology to come here. I am continually and on a daily basis reminded of the arrogance of the peoples of the United Duchies, the continued whining insistence of the Privy Council that Alconian custom should trump the customs of my House. I find it insulting that Alconian nobles who pride themselves on being the 13th or 14th Duke or Lord of where ever should deign talk down to the 68th Patriarch of the House of Vaad. I find the Nobles of the United Duchies whiny, impetuous youths, quick to take the sword when they are not allowed their way.

My family held the Title of Rex Lascis before there ever was a United Duchies, or an Alcona or Hubris for that matter. I am here anyway. It is my duty to look after my cousin Lady Emily Wittelbach, and it is my duty to look after the House of Crawford's possessions. I will do just that."

Here he pauses to the uncomfortable silence, still sneering.

"I came here, thinking that the United Duchies mourned the Crawfords. I sought to stand back and allow my noble and most honored kin to be mourned by their loyal and bereaved subjects. I sought to avoid being seen as replacing them and to instead carry on quietly behind the scenes as the Peoples of the United Duchies worked through their justifiable grief. I sought to look after Lady Wittelbach and busy myself with family affairs and to offer my ear personally to the other much lesser noble families of other Federation States. I balked at being called 'Your Grace' and proffered to be called Lord Vaad, in deference to His Grace, the last Crawford Grand Duke.

I wanted to be reverential of the House of Crawford and not come in stomping all over their memory. However, the Federation and a good many peoples and Royal Houses of the United Duchies mistook my respect for those who have passed as weakness. Well, that was a mistake."

Here he steps from behind the podium, and grips the hilt of his sword with his hand as he speaks, parading the obvious challenge and insult to the Alconians as he continues.

"I have ordered the most Right and Honourable Lord General Sumnerstone to muster the Royal Guard and prepare them for action, and as soon as they are readied I will personally end the insurrection."

He pauses again looking directly into one of the KCN cameras.

"To Lord Makonen, Chancellor Hume and the others who have dishonored themselves and gone to South York to challenge me, I am coming for you. I, my Royal Guard and my Life Guard are going to burn a hole in the map that is now occupied by the dot of 'South York'. You will bow down before me, you will call me 'Your Grace' and you will pledge fealty to the ducal throne of the United Duchies of Alcona and Hubris and it's rightful Regent or I will execute you for high treason and I will break your Houses and cast them down in an eternity of shame. My sword will personally end you unless you appeal to my magnanimous generosity and beg for forgiveness."

He turns again looking out over the reporters.

"When Hume and Makonen are finished I will then go to each and every person that offered them support, each and every city, town, military base that embraced them and they will pledge undying fealty to the Ducal Throne of the United Duchies and it's Regent or they will be executed as traitors. Tomorrow morning I will begin to sort out this insurrection and there will only be two types of peoples left within the United Duchies. The Loyal, and the dead."

He stands very straight and tall, raising his hand again as a Byzantine ruler might.

"You saw me as weak, you wanted a strong hand, here it is. The choices are to bow down before it or die. Once I have sorted this all out, I would be most pleased if all the peoples of the United Duchies would now understand me, and not force my hand again. I do not want to rule, I want the Grand Chamber and your elected officials to do that, but make no mistake if you force my hand, I will respond.

Let each man find his duty and his place. I swear that the United Duchies will not be divided and that peace will reign again. I swear that our enemies in the Federation will be laid low and that the United Duchies will never again be ignored and attacked by our backward neighbors. I thank you for your time, I will take no questions."

and with that he turns and walks casually from the podium and out of the press room. The shock, indignity and horror are all thick in the press room .

The Eastern Marches

General Lytleton walks calmly from his headquarters to his gathered commanders.

"Gentlemen, Ladies, I have just had word from His Grace, The Lord Vaad. Tomorrow we are receiving a consignment of hardware from the Commonwealth, new armor for the Hull Division and then we are to be ready to cross the frontier as soon as we have word that his Grace has set out for South York."

He looks them all over very sternly "Put aside how you feel about the Regent, we are here because the Blessed Kingdom has decided to seize land, kill our fellow Alconians and had their rump of a Federation President arrest our Keys in Port Olympus. War has been thrust upon us. Do your duty for the United Duchies, no matter who you believe the Regent should be."

He turns and salutes them "Now, go on to it, we all know what we need to do."

[Macisikan]

SECRET

MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (UIK/COV)
Secretariat of State for Imperial Security: General Minute to [name and position omitted]
Through: [omitted]
Copies to: [omitted]

GENERAL MINUTE: Civil Conflict in Alcona and Hubris (CMIRI N12.01)
Issue:
Extensive civil conflict has broken out in N12.01. This has significantly affected the stability of that nation's government, and a state of emergency has been declared to contain the unrest.

2. The Regent, Corum Vaad, has declared his personal intention to end the civil conflict, issuing an ultimatum to the insurrectionist leadership (details at Appendix A); we expect the execution of this ultimatum to commence immediately, and predict massive insurrectionist causalities (analysis at Appendix B).

Background:
3. N12.01, as noted in General Minutes [references and dates omitted], and Briefing [reference omitted] is a Federated Klatchian Nation; politically it is a semi-feudal state, having grafted multiple modern institutions on a foundation of feudal laws (details at Appendix D).

4. The San' Angelo Carrier Strike forces was challenged by one of the parties in the dispute; the Rear Admiral was able to diffuse the situation (details at Appendix E).

5. The proximate cause of the unrest is illegal and unrecognised claims to the Ducal Throne by local forces in defiance of the Lord Corum Vaad, and the attempt by the pretenders to militarily assert these claims.

6. Regent Vaad has indirectly implicated the unrest to external interference from President Caroline ab Ieauf of the Federation; analysis indicates this is extremely unlikely.

7. The Covenant has had prior dealings with 12.01; the outcome of these was poor, and the Serene Government views 12.01's former leadership with contempt.

8. Following the fractal collapse of Sheilas and Bruces (N12.18), and due to the ongoing civil conflict in Dyelli Beybi (N12.02), and military suppression of Karmanyaka (N12.07) the only Federation Nation capable of mounting any coherent defence to a Covenant intervention in Klatchia is the Glorious Kingdom of Vrak (N12.12), itself undergoing fractal instabilities (Security Briefing [reference omitted], included at Appendix F, refers).

9. As the Federation has not followed Lord-President Foxworth's recommendation to establish an independent military force, and following the effective disbandment of the Joint Defence Force, the Federation as an entity is incapable of mounting an independent military challenge.

Impact:
10a. Imperial military assets have been directly threatened while in International Waters.
10b. Imperial security is not directly threatened.
10c. A person friendly to the Covenant (Regent Corum Vaad) is intimately involved.

11. This matter is of concern to the Covenant. The situation should be monitored closely, and theatre commanders should be given permission to engage hostile elements in self-defence, including launching counter-strikes against land-based military assets.

[presenting officer's details omitted]

Recommendation:
That you:
(i) note the unrest in N12.01.
SO NOTED

(ii) note that only N12.12 has the military power to challenge the Covenant's force projection in Klatchia.
SO NOTED

(iii) approve the recommendation to MinDef to monitor the situation.
APPROVED

(iv) approve the recommendation to MinDef to allow theatre commanders discretion to engage hostile forces in self-defence, including launching counter-strikes against land-based military assets.
APPROVED

(v) approve the dissemination of these recommendation and information to the Ministry of Defence.
APPROVED

[delegate's details omitted]

[draft officer details omitted]
[file number details omitted]

SECRET

[Arisse]

The Commonwealth Tasker transport, despite it's side and rapid speed through the atmosphere descended, silently above the field in the Eastern Marches of the United Duchies.



It touched down almost gingerly, it only begins to emit sounds as the ramps on the sides open and hit the ground with an audible thud. Within minutes the, MOBAS assault vehicles begin speeding off of the Tasker, driven by the Hull Division Marines that have been training to use them during their construction.



The heavily armored and cloaked Navigator, one Trumane of the Guild of Merchants approaches the waiting General Lytleton and Exarch Edrull. It speaks as it approaches them.

"As ordered by..................................the Lord of Vaad. Two hundred............................and fifty....................MOBAS, vehicles. Inform the Lord of Vaad that.........................................the Guild Of Masons will begin assemblage.............................of the production facilitiers at Caterham by...........................this weeks end." As is speaks it holds out a thin LCD like pad. "I require proof..............................of delivery."

[Ilek-Vaad]

The Eastern Marches

General Lytleton watched as the new tanks with their shiny new plasma canons rolled off of the Commonwealth transport.

"So, these are the new Caterham-X4's? More toy bought with Alconian money for His Grace........."

Exarch Edrull chuckles as he takes the pad from Trumane of the Guild of Merchants and signs it and presses his thumb on the imprint pad "More toys yes, but like the Tormentor Battlecruisers for the Royal Navy, these were bought out of his own pocket."

General Lytleton make a semi-impressed grunt "I see, well let's get them to the line." He motions up to one of the tank commanders. "Commander, get these tanks in line and muster just short of hill sixteen A and await deployment orders there!"

The Commander salutes and gets on the radio and the new Hull Division Caterham-X4's rumble off in line, their electric engine surprisingly quiet.

The Apethorpe

After the press conference Corum Vaad had retired to his study, although he was about to be disturbed, as usual, by Countess Winton, although this time she has Sir Ozy in, the new Naval Marshal in tow. Countess Winton was shocked to see when she reached the study all of the Lifeguard that were usually with the Lord Vaad were lounging out in the hallway. She pauses looking to Sir Ozy, and then to Manglevites Yross, whom she had never seen away from the side of The Lord Vaad before.

"Is his Grace in? If so is he taking visitors?" She inquired of Manglevites Yross.

Yross looks at her and then knocksquietly at the study door, from within in could be heard the Lord Vaad 'Come.' was the only word he utters and Manglevites Yross ducks in and closes the door behind him. After several minutes he re-emerges.

"His grace will see Sir Ozy." He said as he opens the door for the fox. Countess Winton blinks and then looks cross.

"Did you inform him I was here as well?" she sputters

Manglevites Yross simply nods as he raises his arm to block Countess Winton's path and closes the door behind sir Ozy. Countess Winton folds her arms and glares at Manglevites Yross, who glares back.

Inside the study the Lord Vaad sits in the dark ,excepting the fire, his sword across his lap, looking out into the night sky. Sir Ozy enters quietly and positions himself before the Lord Vaad and bows with exceptional politeness. "Your Grace, thank you for seeing me."

Corum Vaad nods "Please be seated. You are here because of my speech and my plan."

Sir Ozy hops up onto the chair across from Corum Vaad and nods "Yes your Grace. Since returning from Port Olympus aside from getting the Royal Navy behind you and readied for action, I have been talking to acquaintances from the College of Peers and the Adel and various others. Many of them were on the fence as it were, but I fear your rather 'spirited' speech may have pushed them over to the other side."

Corum Vaad chuckles "Good."

Sir Ozy blinks "I do not understand Your Grace?"

Corum Vaad smiles broadly "My speech was intended to separate the oil from the water. I do not need nor do I want the support of men and women whose honor 'sits on a fence' in a time of crisis. You can tell them that, and then tell them when I've butchered Makonen and his traitors, I'm after them next. Damn them to hell."

Sir Ozy looks thoughtful, a bit shocked by the nonchalance in the Lord Vaad's voice. "I see Your Grace. I can see your point. I will be sure to convey your feelings on the matter."

Corum Vaad raises his eyebrows "This is the point where Countess Winton starts an argument. The Nachxa is right, you are a very judicious and calming fellow. If your friends find their honor and join me, there will be no further discussions of their previous lack of fortitude and I will have no reason to inquire whom they may be."

Sir Ozy nods and then stands and bows "I will inform them Your Grace, if there is nothing else, then good evening."

Corum Vaad nods "Good evening then."

Sir Ozy leaves as quietly as he came in and nods to Manglevites Yross and starts off down the hall, Countess Winton rushes after him.

"Well? He is mad isn't he, he's gone mad..........." she says in hushed tones bending to address Sir Ozy on his level.

Sir Ozy chuckles rubbing his chin as they turn and head down the stairs "Oh, he is mad my dear, very mad. Though he is not insane. I think that after South York, there may be no more blood."

[Arisse]

The Eastern Marches

Trumane of the Guild of Merchants bowed stiffly as Exarch Edrull signed and marked the plasma pad.

"A pleasure doing.........................business with the Lord of Vaad. We look.......................forward to his future patronage."

With that he withdrew in the same stiff mechanical manner, back to the Tasker Transport. Within minutes the MOBAS assault vehicles were all unloaded and the Tasker returned to space above with the same silent speed with which it had landed.

[Dyelli Beybi]

With the collapse of Vrakian Government, General Ming and the EVA had immediately crossed the border into Southern Vrak meeting limited resistance. It was codenamed 'Operation K' and had been sitting in the New Dyellian military archives since the formation of the division of the State between Dyelli Beybi and Vrak all those years previously. Under the Dyellians New Dyelli more or less ran itself although it followed foreign policy dictated by Cyro, although not on this occasion. It was, to the Guyan mind, a necessity. The winds of reunification had been blowing for some time now. First Diocletian had been wrestled back from the elves, then Fasta Benj had been reunified, and now it was the turn of 'Guyaland'. Political scientists would rightly spot this as a sign of devolution in Dyellian Government, the inability of Cyro to control the Semi Autonomous Regions, although anyone who thought they wouldn't pull together against an outside threat was a fool, the 'southern Kulturkampf' tied the States of the Kingdom together in the face of the 'blok pakrahs'.


Meanwhile on the Benjian border...

The soldier entered the command tent. Like most Benjians he was slightly built and dark of skin. He bowed, clutching the ornamental katana that marked him as an officer, "General Koizumi."

The General looked up from the maps on his desk. There was an LCD screen, but Koizumi avoided using technology where he could. He was a handsome man, well chiselled features and ever so slightly slanted dark eyes. Unlike the Officer who wore jungle fatigues the General and his staff wore significantly more ornate white dress uniforms, "Yes Lieutenant?"

"Scanners report incoming ships from orbit making a delivery to the hated Alcono-Vaadians, satellites indicate they have offloaded military weapons including a tank which appears most similar to the Bullfrog."

Koizumi straightened up, "They would do well to arm themselves against us. It is not worth worrying about these alien weapons, it will only make the inevitable conflict fairer and our inevitable victory more glorious. You have done well, we must stay informed. If they deploy into the jungle of the Federal parkland we must be aware and we must be poised to strike like the cobra when they attempt to bring the Benjian Government to heel. We are slaves of no one, especially not the hated Alcono-Vaadians. Homeland or death!"

[Ilek-Vaad]

The Eastern Marches

General Lytleton looks over at Exarch Edrull "I don't like this at all. I understand His Grace's apprehension with the Dyellians entering Vrak, but I don't think it quite merits pushing forward the timetable. If we move now, the Dyellians still have Prince Makonen to attempt to exploit, if they haven't already."

Exarch Edrull simply shrugs "You heard the Lord General, they are still twenty four hours until the Royal Guard is fully mobilized. We haven't much choice."

Lytleton nods "I still don't like just reacting, it's poor strategy. We need, something.............."

Edrull shrugs again " I'll take the coast and make sure the Dyellians have a spectacle to fix their eye. By the time they turn away, you'll be set to carry on."

Lytleton looks at Edrull dubiously "I think I see what you mean, but how do you intend to fix them?"

Eastern Marches - The Coast

Right on the border of the parkland, a spectacle was brewing, even miles away the sound, like rolling thunder echoes across the land. Fifteen thousand Velites Kerbals , the Blackhernai Companion, are lining up in perfect order, at their head the color guard and behind them several ranks of drummers. Exarch Edrull marches along the line shouting orders to the heavily armed black armored Kerbals.

"Blackhernai Vexillium! Compani! Protius!" He shouts and the lines lurch into movement marching to the timed beat of the thunderous drums. The flags of the United Duchies, the House of Vaad and the Blackhernai Companion fluttering at the head.

Several minutes after setting off the Kerbals in unison turn on their helmet loud speakers and begin singing. Singing the paen traditionally sung before they go into battle and as they sing they cross the border.......................

The Apethorpe

"Twelve hours your grace and we will be set, although the transports aren't here yet............." Lord General Sumnerstone is cut off by the Lord Vaad.

"The transports are at the airport." He says without even looking up.

"Your Grace? There is an airfield here at the Apethorpe...................." he says before being cut off again.

" I am aware. We will march to the transports. More to the point I will march to them and hopefully you and the Royal Guard will follow." the Loard Vaad says seemingly unconcerned.

Lord Sumnerstone nods, confused. "We will follow you, Your Grace."



OOC: Alcono-Vaadian? I'm deeply, deeply offended! I'm trying to keep them separate!

[Dyelli Beybi]

OOC: Its general Dyellian racism. Alcona was the traditional enemy and Ilek-Vaad is the new one, so they go together wonderfully.

"They are illegally entering Federal parkland Honourable General." Koizumi was actually using the LCD now. It allowed him a satellite view of things.

"They have no honour." Koizumi growled, "That is the land of Narv-X and Karndi, the homeland of the Oompa, a place of counter-Alcono-fascism, a place of the Kulturkampf."

There were many grave nods of agreement over this. The Kulturkampf was a new term, coined by expatriate Djel historians living in Christchurch. It was used to explain the long period of struggle between the Glawis monarchy and her client states in the South and the Alconans (widely portrayed as cultural opressors). The Nationalist Diocletian, Benjian and Guyan groups had taken the term up and run with it, it was also useful for Cyro as it stressed a unity of culture between the Southern States making the vague political unity of the Kingdom possible. The politicians were also using it to justify armed conflict with just about everyone. It was not just a dirty war, it was Kulturkampf, a struggle for the very survival of Southern culture against Northern opression.

"We must communicate with Fasta, inform them of the imminence of Alcono-Vaadian agression." a man in a Lieutenant-General's uniform half suggested, half ordered. A junior officer immediately bowed and withdrew.

"They are rabble." Koizumi sneered, "We will water the fields with their blood. Dispatch scout units from the First Benjian. I wish them to understand, as they close on the border that the South has risen. No longer will we stand for the Alconan hegemony. We will cast them down, they fight for imperialism, we fight for sokoku and we will never surrender."

Secretly Major-General Hata wondered if Koizumi had perhaps been reading a little too much philosophy, but it was not in the Benjian character to question a superior, so he nodded along gravely. When Koizumi inevitably spoke on the radio/television, people would eat up his rhetoric, if war came Koizumi would stir patriotic fervour... not that it needed much stirring.

[Ilek-Vaad]

The Eastern Marches

Aye-yo! Aye-Yo!
The West is Calling!
Gather up your arms and fore-ward!

Aye-yo! Aye-Yo!
The West is Calling!
Gather up your arms and fore-ward!

The racket made by the Kerbals was immense, fifteen thousand voices amplified by their loud speakers is deafening. Off the shore and out to sea the Royal Navy Carrier Ark Royal leads it's task group, now heading east, directly towards the Narv-X platform in the Squall straits.

Further North away from the shore thew Alconian Royal Marines were moving ahead as well, albeit much more conservatively lagging a bit behind the Kerbals, the good will earned by Lord Hull with the Oompa-Loompa's was paying dividends here. The Oompa's moved ahead stealthily, leading the Royal Marines expertly through the wilderness. The Kerbals simply stay on the old coastal roads, shadowed by the three Battlecruisers of the Lord Vaad and their escorts.

Thunderbay

The gates to the Apethorpe open wide and out strides Corum Vaad , dressed for combat, his sword drawn. He pauses to look back at the ranks of the Royal Guard.

"Men of Thundebay, Royal Guardians, stand with me this day, and be not afraid! Our enemies have cast aside duty and honor and seek to rend asunder the United Duchy for greed, and naked personal ambition. Stand with me! We go into battle with honor on our side, we fulfill our duties with diligence, and I swear that though I may die, the House of Vadd, the United Duchies and your honor will persist , paid for with our blood. Stand with me and be not afraid!"

He then sets off at a quick march, the constabulary have been pre-warned and hold back traffic as the Royal Guard set off behind him. His enthusiasm spreading quicker than wild fire among the Guard. Bring up the rear his Lifeguard hang back following the Royal Guard. Curious onlookers begin to gather along the streets, mouths agape at 'The Mad Lord Vaad'. It was suicide for the Royal Guard to go alone to South York, a whole division of Royal Marines and possibly hundred of thousand of Adel household troops stand to defend Prince Makonen and his 'Regency'.

Great Lassic, Ilek-Vaad

Sir Alec chuckles as he strokes the cat on his desk. "You know, we're going to blamed for this somehow."

The Minister of Defence nods as does the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister Nemaraan speaks first. "All attempts to talk to anyone have failed. I spent two weeks in Port Olympus, without a peep from anyone. It seems we're damned if we do and damned if we don't. The Dyellians paranoia grows by the second and I am afraid that with their typical acuity it won't be unleashed on the people actually marching towards them, but on us. As usual."

Minister Codreaneau nods "We should at least activate the Retaliatory Guard, and move the Tactical Groups in closer in case they are needed for actions. We could find ourselves rescuing Alconians or Dyellians, again, and I'm sure with no thanks from anyone."

Sir Alec nods and then frowns "I don't have a cat? Why is there a cat in here? Never mind, don't do that. No activating of the Guard until we have a clear need and a unanimous Mandate. Order Admirals Ilek and Aymara to pull back, give the Dyellians and Alconians a wide berth and plenty of room to duke it out if they like. Don't put any Vaadian lives in the way,at least none that aren't willing to die for Corum Vaad. What a kerfuffle."

They all nod solemnly, Sir Alec wipes his hand on his jacket "I think I'm allergic to cats..............."

With that, the Tactical Groups monitoring the events in Southwest Benjia and North East of the United Duchies begin to pull back, even further out of the way than the five hundred miles they had given previously.

[Dyelli Beybi]

OOC: I'll post a bit more character stuff later, but first I thought I might put up a brief news statement... mostly as a vague indication of what each of the Dyellian SARs are currently up to.

The Djel Valley
Politicians in the Djel Valley have generally refused to have anything to do with the mounting tensions between Fasta Benj and Alcona and Hubris, being much more interested in the upcoming elections, although the Red Army and Tzarina's Own have been quietly put under the command of Field Marshall Nobunaga (head of the Benjian Military). Prime Minister ap Adam has not appeared to speak since before the battle of Bath, sparking rumours of ill health.

Guyaland
Chairman Lee has ordered the economy to assume a 'war footing', meaning that most factories in the Region have been moved over to the production of arms and munitions. Former New Dyelli had firmly resisted the economic deregulations of the other SARs, remaining essentially a command economy.

Fasta Benj
Anti Alconan rhetoric has been stepped up with Prime Minister Squeegle making a long speech about the need to resurrect the Kulturkampf in the defence of Benjian freedom from 'external agencies'. Grand Admiral Collins also visited Fasta with a sizeable contingent of the air fleet, giving an impressive display of Kingdom aeronautical engineering.

The Dyelli Beybian Antartic Territories (OOC: Yes, it is in the North, the original explorer couldn't read his compass properly)
Elements of Nordheim have been engaged in 'training manouvres' near the Eastern border, although remaining outside of the demilitarised zone. Prime Minister Edmundovich has stressed the desire to promote the D.B.A.T. as an adventure tourism destination for all persons living within the Klatchian continent.

Diocletian
The first elections in Diocletian have seen Alexandra Plank, a Jiggadian refugee who had spent most of her adult life in Cyro elected as the first Prime Minister of Diocletian winning a clear majority with the DNP (Diocletian National Party), an unusually right wing party by Kingdom standards. Plank has committed to a military surge aimed at exterminating remaining Dökkálfar elements in the jungle on the east of the Gonad. Plank has also declared a hope to draw foreign investment into the Region through the liberalisation of protectionist Cyroist legislation.

Witch's Isle
The apple harvest has been unusually good this Autumn, with a larger than normal demand for seasonal workers from the mainland.

Outremere
Prime Minister Africanus has issued a strong condemnation of the COP movement, a movement which has drawn considerable interest since the shock news of an apparent heir to the throne having become affiliated. A special parliamentary inquiry has been launched into the indentured labour laws. News has also arrived of a Marxist insurrection on Binak I, commanded in part by Commander Bathe, believed to be a former military Officer. Hasbrandian forces have announced that while they have withdrawn from the Campbell Highlands, this is not an indication that the guerillas are gaining the upper hand in the conflict.

[Dyelli Beybi]

The Karndi jungle


As the border approached it would become clear the Benjians had been busy. Busy burrying anti-personnel land mines that was... horrible bar shaped plastic things that did not show up on metal detectors. A Dyellian section could lay 300 in an hour... and there had been more than a section out in the jungle and they had had much more than an hour. There were tens of thousands of mines. It would probably have been safe to traverse the area in vehicles, they would throw tracks and lose wheels, but ultimately they would get across with few casualties, but it could have been some kind of Benjian trick to get people locked inside the vehicles and therefore more vulnerable to ambush.

[Ilek-Vaad]

The Karndi jungle

The mines had been expected, after all these were Dyelians they were dealing with and the Royal Marines had planned for mines, razorwire, trenches, pill boxes and various other left overs from the first World War era that seemed to be the staple of Dyellian military thinking. The Oompa were quite adept at spotting the mines simply from surface disturbances caused by their buriers, the others were picked up with FLIR cameras that made the plastic mines stand out in the soil and easy to spot. This part was like training for the Marines, spot the mines, call up the mine sweeper (a large tank with a heavily armored spade) sweep the mines to the side, detonate with blast from a plasma grenade, move on. It slowed them, but only by the amount they had anticipated being slowed.

The Eastern Marches

Here things are very busy, Lord Hull has arrived to take personal charge of the campaign in anticipation of the Lord Vaad's arrival after he was done in South York murdering insurgents. The reaction of the Dyellians, to war footing, had helped unify the military behind Lord Hull, at least most of the Marines and Royal Navy felt that attacking loyal units in the East or deserting them would be a stain on ones honor, however they were ready to bolt if Prince Makonen could gain the upper hand.

Lord Hull was also still making attempts to contact and have a sit down with the Dyellians, half hearted attempts as it had done no good in the past. Sir Ozy Was working his contacts to try and help facilitate this, but even he was not optimistic.

Thunderbay

The Royal Guard had marched to the airport uneventfully, which was being seen as a major coup in itself. There had even been some isolated cheering for the Royal Guard, but most of the spectators were rather grim, not relishing the prospects of war. The Loard Vaad and his Royal Guard were now on the way to South York.

South York, in the Bay

Lieutenant Smythe handed the com back to the Communications Officer and looked over to Captain Perceval.

"I've told Sir Ozy that we've arrested you and the guided missile group in the bay are now his to command. He said that he will contact me in a bout an hour, to co-ordinate the landing of the Royal Guard."

Captain Perceval smiles "Good, I will inform Prince Makonen."

Ilek-Vaad

As usual the events in the rest of the Klatchia were buried back in the 'International News' section of the paper. The avergae Vaadian was unconcerned, and even amused by the Dyellians and Alconians.

[Dyelli Beybi]

As the border approached the jungle gave way to te wide Benjian plains. Huge flat expanses of land, slightly radioactive from the Racinia crisis. Koizumi stood on a slight rise. He was swapped his dress uniform for kakhi green battle blouse, "Sattelites indicate the hated Alcono-Vaadians will come from here." he waved a hand in the direction of the far distant tree line, "We have laid mines to the North and South... there are big signs up indicating this. These are dense fields, anti-tank mines mixed in. it will take them time to clear it, meaning they will have to assault the First Division head on, to the East of our current position. The remaining Divisions will take up positions to the rear, the Sixth and Seventh will act as mobile reserves to assault the enemy to the North or South if they attempt to clear the fields. Then we will launch Operation Hentai Kamen and the enemy will be swept back into the jungle."

"Sir." the junior officer he was with bowed obsequiously, "We also have word that General Makasho is holding the North in case a second assault we have not anticipated comes from that direction, General Yoshisada holds is positioned further South, while General Hidenobu holds the coastal road. Nobunaga has remained with Hamilton and Hideyoshi at Fasta, but it scarcely matters, we are legion, they are but few. There is no way in. The hated foreigners will die in their thousands."

__________

It wasn't that the Dyellians didn't want to talk... Of course the Benjians and Guyans were looking for an excuse to shoot Alconans. Cyro normally abhored war and normally held everyone else together, but the Prime Minister was missing and people were too busy dealing with the political fallout from the adventure in Bath to really care. Witch's Isle didn't care about much except fruit and conserving the pointless albatross, while Outremere and the DBAT generally didn't give a stuff. War was bad, but it was Alconans, and they were going to lose anyway. Did not Koizumi alone have over 50,000 combat infantry at his disposal, over 3,000 state of the art tanks, a similar number of other combat vehicles, 800 helicopters and 3,000 guns? Which was not even including the airforce, the not inconsiderable fleet assetts, and the massive logistics supply train... also armed, and was that not but a tenth of the Benjian military?

There was one person in Dyelli Beybi who did care though, the newly elected Prime Minister Plank... theoretically as important as any of the other Dyellian Prime Ministers.


To: Lord Hull
From: A Plank, Prime Minister of Diocletian, the Blessed Kingdom of Dyelli Beybi
Subject: War

While we understand you have made overtures towards the Dyellian keys in port olympus and found them unhelpful, I find it unusually falling to myself to inform you that the Dyellian Keys have been evacuated by the Klatchian Marshalls to some undisclosed location in former Lords of War and not heard from since. We were informed by the Marshalls at the time that Alcona and Hubris had planted a nuclear device under Parliament hill and that explosion was imminent. We have since learned that this information is false, but the Keys have not reappeared. This information is relevant as it goes some distance to explaining the Kingdom's silence.

We understand from my colleague, the Right Honourable Mr. Martin Squeegle in Fasta Benj that at least two large contingents of what I assume are Alconan troops to be marching on Benjian territory. Why?

I understand it probably has something to do with the issues between Alcona and Hubris and Cyro, in which case I would suggest you take the matter up with Cyro rather than provoking a war with Fasta. If you are unhappy about the speed with which Cyro is moving I would suggest you have patience. There is no Government as such, the place is effectively being run by O'Booze, which means that there is no foreign policy.

In the event that this does escalate to war and the Benjians do not slaughter the troops from the Dutchies, Diocletian will need to also declare war, which is not something I see as optimal. I do not wish to shift the economy to a war footing and I do not wish to have to move troops from Operation Bullion to aid in some completely pointless war. Do you not have enough internal problems to worry about as it is?

Yours sincerely,
A. Plank,
Prime Minister of Diocletian

[Ilek-Vaad]

Cross Harbour and the Park Lands

Cross Harbour was busy again. The units brought in previously finally had marching orders and additional divisions Royal Marines and the divisions of Blood Harbour artillery were on the move again. As the mines and path were cleared the heavier divisions were coming up in good order, though they seemed not to be in any particular hurry. Everyone in the Marches and in the parklands were content to move at the Velites Kerbals marching pace. General Koizumi had a quite a long wait on the dusty plains for any Alconians to show up. His dashing khaki uniform would probably have to suffer the indignity of pitting out long before he could swagger on his battlements in the face of the hated enemy.

The Alconians seemed to not be cooperating and advancing all along the jungle and plains, apparently more concerned about clearing all mines and poking into ever cranny and crevasse before they passed on.

On the other hand Lord Hull was rather quick to reply.

To: A Plank, Prime Minister of Diocletian, the Blessed Kingdom of Dyelli Beybi
From: Lord Hull\
Subject: re: War

Prime Minister Plank,
I appreciate your communication. The United Duchies, as has been stated ad nauseum, is concerned about the land grabbing that has apparently become the latest past time of the Blessed Kingdom. With no indications as to where the land grabbing will stop the His Grace has ordered that Federation lands on the borders of the United Duchies be protected. Southwest Benjia falls into that category. However the Blessed Kingdoms views Benjia it is Federation Parkland, and without an act of Parliament it is not territory of the Blessed Kingdom.

Absent an act of Parliament and in view of the civil war in the Blessed Kingdom His Grace sent envoys to the Blessed Kingdom, who were murdered and others were kidnapped. We would be most pleased were a diplomatic solution found to resolve these territorial issues but as of yet no one in the Blessed Kingdom has done anything but threaten, arrest and/or kill representatives of His Grace.

For the moment I have been ordered to seize and secure the Parklands West of Southwest Benjia, His Grace will decide what actions will be taken in regards to Southwest Benjia upon his arrival and I am certain that his decision will be swayed by the co-operation or continued intransigence of the government or governments of the Blessed Kingdom.

The United Duchies has no legal claim to the Parklands or Southwest Benjia, keeping that in mind, neither does the Blessed Kingdom. War will be caused only by actions on the part of the Blessed Kingdom, not by the United Duchies.

Lord Hull

[Dyelli Beybi]

Koizumi was content to wait... so long as the Alconans did not attempt to advance into the plains or mess with his minefields in the plains that was. Nobunaga had given strict orders not to attack the Alconans unless they crossed the border into Benjian territory. If they did then they were fair game, but until then he was ordered not to give any reason to be called the aggressor (much to his annoyance).

Plank meanwhile was doing her best to negotiate. She was ethnically Jiggadian so hadn't grown up with the deep seated resentment of Alconans... and besides, if she could pull off a less insane outcome she would lift the esteem of Diocletian and break with the deep seated idea that only Cyro was capable of managing foreign relations for the Kingdom.

To: Lord Hull, United Dutchies
From: A. Plank, Prime Minister of Diocletian
Subject: re: re: War

Lord Hull,
If you will forgive me for being blunt, the Federation has become something of a lame duck especially after the collapse of Government in Vrak. I know that probably isn't a sufficient excuse for the Benjian and New Dyellian land grabs, or probably the Gonad expansion either, but it does help to explain why there has been no attempt to gain a Federal mandate. Add to that the chaos in Cyro and you begin to have SARs acting unilaterally.

The problem from what I can see is twofold.

1) You are understandably angry over the deaths of emissaries to Cyro. While some would regard it as a valid causus belli, I hope that we can work through things.

2) Expansion into South-West Benjia, or "Benjian Anschluss" has you worried. I am not going to lie to you and say I think I have any chance of getting the Benjians to pull out, Squeegle will not agree to that even if it meant a three front war with the Dutchies, Guyaland and the Valley, but I hope that we can reach some other kind of agreement that averts bloodshed.

I believe you are a civilised man, so I am hoping you will agree to hold an emergency conference to avert catastrophe on the condition that no Alconan forces cross the Benjian border unless a diplomatic impasse has been reached. I am willing to offer my personal guarantee of safety to yourself or any Ambassador who might wish to travel to Bodga Bay, however I would understand fully if you decided following the events in the Valley that all areas of the Blessed Kingdom are unsafe. Conversely though I would be willing to accept a similar offer of safe conduct to the Dutchies or to any other neutral State.

Yours sicerely,
A. Plank,
Prime Minister of Diocletian

[Ilek-Vaad]

The Park Lands

Koizumi and company would have to wait, at the pace the Velites Kerbals are marching, it will be days before anything resembling an Alconian was visible on the plains. The entire advance was is meticulous.

The Lord Hull responds to Prime Minister Plank tersely:

To: A Plank, Prime Minister of Diocletian, the Blessed Kingdom of Dyelli Beybi
From: Lord Hull\
Subject: re:re:re: War

I am on my way.

Lord Hull

South York, in the harbor

Lieutenant Smythe nodded "Yes sir, 2 a.m. and we begin shelling the harbour, 20 minutes later the landing craft come in carrying the Royal Guard and his Grace. We won't let you or His Grace down Sir Ozy."

As the call ended Smythe nodded to Captain Perceval took the call that was on hold "Prince Makonen , Lord Vaad will be attempting a landing in the harbour after 2a.m., it will preceded by our bombardment, tell me where our men are and I'll miss. The Lord Vaad will walk right into your hands."

South York - Breakaway Parliament

Prince Makonen laughed out loud " Get the Lake Meade Royal Marines and their equipment to the harbour , that's where they will be hitting us. Co-ordinate with the Missile Cruisers in the harbour. This will all be over soon."

Alcona and Hubris, somewhere in the air

"This will all be over soon." Prince Corum stated with certainty, a certainty that was growing with every minute among the Royal Guard. He was so damn confident and certain and it was spreading like pneumonic plague in the Royal Guard.

"We'll land eight miles from the marsh bridge, the only way into the city from the Southwest..........we'll be in quick, all they need is a couple of machine guns to guard it and all they have to do it hold out for fifteen to twenty minutes to raise the alarm and bring support. We land at 1 a.m. we're at the bridge by 2 a.m., we're over by 2:08 a.m."

He pauses pointing to Lord General Sumnerstone "You and your men follow me, stay hot on my heels......." he then points to Manglevites Yross "You, Skorpions and launchers take out anything heavy, anyone at range, keep us covered. We reach the city center by dawn. Makonen is dead shortly thereafter. Unless the breakaway chancellor and council surrender immediately. Kill them all."

[Dyelli Beybi]

Fasta, Fasta Benj
Amid a relatively little amount of fanfare the Benjian Government decided to officially recognise Prince Makonen as the Head of State in Alcona and Hubris. The press, meanwhile, were left to speculate as to what Martin Squeegle was playing at.

Bodga Bay, Diocletian
Bodga Bay was a relatively small city by Dyellian standards, just pushing over a million inhabitants although it sprawled... apparently the locals were allergic to appartment or even terraced living. It was a hilly city and unusually (although perhaps not surprisingly considering it was on the Gonad) was surrounded by two fences and a minefield. The climate was as unpleasant as Cyro although unlike the Capital of the Kingdom it rained frequently, washing the streets clean of dust.

The airport was some distance out of town among what appeared to be fields of sugar cane, protected by its own walled enclosure although reports would indicate that these defences were probably not entirely necessary these days. They were more of a precaution in case the elf problem got serious again.

The Diocletians had given a rather specific flight plan. It was a bit round-about, skirting South of Fasta Benj and the Djel River Valley. It was probably sensible to avoid any potential conflicts. Whoever was onboard would find, despite this, that a pair of Benjian jets shadowed the aircraft until they reached the somewhat arbitrary Diocletian border.

If they had looked into the profile of Plank they would find she was an almost textbook example of what the Alconans had once described as 'Amazonian' Dyellian behaviour. She was young, ambitious, and had traded off her father (the same Jiggadian General Plank who had allied with the Benjians and led the attack on Cyro in the Second Dyellian civil war) to conjur up sufficient patriotic fervour to win the first Diocletian elections as head of the DNP.

[Ilek-Vaad]

Bodga Bay, Diocletian

There is only the single Alconian Ornithropter and it follows the flight plan exactly as laid out by Plank's people giving Benjia as wide a berth as possible. It then landed where instructed. On board the Diocletians would find only the Lord Hull and the pilot. Drssed as usual as an Alconian nobleman of some means, suit tie, with the only distinction being that his vest is replaced by his gleaming galvorn breastplate under his suit jacket and he also wears a pair of gleaming black galvorn bracers and gauntlets, as with any Alconian gentleman he wears his sword, a large broadsword, at his side.

Lord Hull is a tall handsome man, very well built and looks more like Hollywood's version of some foreign nobleman rather than an actual typical octogenarian noble. Hi pilot is an Alconian Royal Marine, and looks however one would expect them to look.

Lord Hull's features are set to 'grim' as he awaits whomever is waiting to greet him.

Narv-X Platform, Squall Straits

With no indication of any resistance, the Ark Royal and it's escorts are now in position and begin sending Royal Marines onto the platform. They are especially well prepared to sweep for mines and booby traps.

[Dyelli Beybi]

Plank had actually made the effort to come down to the airport, unusual for a Dyellian leader. The place was surrounded by soldiers in jungle camo uniforms. The ponchos that most of them were wearing were in fact some of the new 'active camouflage' designs...

Plank made her appearance with a moustache touting Dyellian General in standard kakhi dress uniform, although from his body language he wasn't actually supposed to be part of the welcoming committee, he wanted to be somewhere else. The Prime Minister herself had gone for a white business suit although she had allowed her sandy coloured hair to fall freely, and the wind caught it now, trailing behind her.

"Lord Hull, welcome to Diocletian." she called in that quaint 'West Country' accent that marked her as a local, although her height did that already; She was easily as tall as the Dyellian man, taller with heels.

"If you'll forgive the impertinence I have placed you in the same vehicle as me. From what I can tell we could have a war at any moment, so I don't want to waste any time." she smiled somewhat apologetically, although her eyes, a vivid green, communicated the fact that she wasn't someone who ever wasted time; the rashness of youth perhaps? Or maybe something to do with living on the Gonad?

"We have an NFEV" she waved towards the boxy looking Dyellian designed limousine. Hull might have seen one before, a concrete walled, windowless half track that was designed to absorb small arms fire, or, more importantly, be a safe transport through areas of deadly radiation in the event of a nuclear attack... not that Plank suspected something like that would happen, "Shall we?"

[Ilek-Vaad]

Bodga Bay, Diocletian

Lord Hull nods politely to both the Prime Minister and the unhappy General.

"I suppose that I can forgive the impertinence on this occasion." He says in a polite tone "Please do lead on."

South York

Along the harbor the Lake Meade Royal Marines were in place, well back from where the missile cruisers would target. The approach up from the harbor is covered from all angles , certain death for any landing craft that would approach. Out in the harbor Captain Pervceval watches the watch clock on the bridge as it slowly ticks down to 2 a.m. at which point he nods to the Gunnery Officer.

"Proceed." he states quite calmly, and the fake bombardment commences..............

Much further away and on the other side of the city well off into the outskirts the Marathon Transports of the Lord Vaad have landed and the Royal Guard and Life Guard disembark in good order onto the marsh, in the darkness the raised berm of the marsh road that leads onto the bridge is just barely visible.

Corum Vaad is off quickly, crouching and running off towards the bridge "Come on then men, we need to work quickly!" he says in a hushed voice.....................off in the distance the rumble of landing missiles can be heard.

[Dyelli Beybi]

Bodga Bay

The interior of an NFEV was well lit, the seating was plush leather... and their was a minibar, a telephone, and a television in this model. It was still early in Bodga Bay, but that didn't stop Plank immediately helping herself to a large glass of rum, before offering the bottle to Hull, "Its good stuff, not like that floor cleaner the Djels drink. General Marconi is in charge of the latest push against the pointy ears by the way." that was the one she had been with before, presumably.

"Now Lord Hull, if you'll forgive me for skipping straight down to business, what is it that you Alconans want? I have outlined what I think that might be in my communications, although I think it would be better to hear it from the horse's mouth, as it were. If its something reasonable I'm sure we can accomodate, although I will say now that if Alcona and Hubris is intending to begin using Vaadian gunboat diplomacy as part of the course there will be problems in the long run. We can't be seen to bow to displays of militancy, it undermines the authority of the Kingdom Governments and then we have revolutions."

[Ilek-Vaad]

Bodga Bay, Diocletian

Lord Hull declines the rum "No thank you." He smiles "It's not my brand."

He then sits quietly and listens to the Prime Minister. He nods as she finishes. "I understand the Dyellian position. What we want you to realize is that the 'gunboat diplomacy' as you put it started when Red Army forces began crossing borders and seizing land. I think that our initial response, seeking dialog and a settlement in the framework of the Federation, was entirely appropriate.Royal Marines and Velites Kerbals were not deployed until Federation Keys were arrested and Alconians were killed. Deployment of military forces under those circumstances is quite clearly appropriate."

He pauses and looks thoughtful before continuing. "At no time did we seek anything that forced Dyellian forces to withdraw. We sought to use dialog to help end your civil war, failing that Kerbals were sent to Bath to aid the Tzarina. It is regrettable that this was not possible to return her to her throne. With the Dyellian President of the Federation we sought an agreement that allowed Dyellian interests to remain in the lands they unlawfully seized. However for reasons that I can only speculate were paranoia that His Grace was somehow a Vaadian puppet meant that even after these agreements were made, they were not honored. At this point we will seize the Narv-X platform and the Federation Parkland up to the border of Southwest Benjia to contain the Blessed Kingdoms unchecked and little whetted appetite for expansion at the expense of the weakness of the Federation. If, as you say, the Blessed Kingdom feels that the Federation is no longer able to function, then we require new legal assurances as to the extent of the Blessed Kingdoms new borders with assurances that the Blessed Kingdom will accept the legal government of the United Duchies. If I have that , I am certain that the Chancellor and Grand Chamber will accept it and it will make my task of convincing His Grace that even if the Federation is dissolved that Dyellian expansion will be checked and that the Blessed Kingdom respects his family's obligations in the United Duchies and that non-aggression and dialog will be the manner in which all future misunderstandings are handled."

He sits back and looks the Prime Minister over "Prince Corum Vaad has sought to assuage his Federation neighbor's fears that he intends to be an extension of Vaadian power, to this end he refused a mutual defence pact with the Free Republic, he sought Federation resolution to Federation problems, he sought to aid his cousin-monarch of the Blessed Kingdom, a country that the Free Republic refuses to recognize. I do not see what more he can do to show that is, no, he must be committed to a strong and independent United Duchies, he thought the best way to do that was through a strong Federation, possibly he was wrong, he is after all mostly human. We have had every path to resolution blocked and no one in the Blessed Kingdom even spoke with us until Royal Marines were poised to strike. Unfortunately the Blessed Kingdom is giving us the impression that 'gunboat diplomacy' is the only way it will even speak with us."

South York

The Royal Guard moved at a quick trot along the side of the sunken road to the bridge, keeping low to avoid detection, they halted as the came within sight of the waterway and the bridge over it. General Sumnerstone crouched next to Corum Vaad, they peered over. As suspected it was lightly guarded, 'lightly' being a relative term. At the far end of the bridge is an LV parked lengthwise across it and a machine gun nest on either side of the road. To the Royal Guard with no heavy equipment 'lightly' wasn't looking as inviting as His Grace had promised.

"You know what to do." Corum Vaad says to Manglevites Yross, then turning to General Sumnerstone "Lord General, count to one hundred, and then the Royal Guard follows me." then he springs over the embankment, he draws his sword and pistol as he jumps up and sprints across the bridge.

Sumnerstone looks to Yross as the Lord Vaad leaps and Yross slinks off to the Life Guard's position, he is about to ask something and Yross cuts him off "I'd start counting Lord General.............."

With Royal Marines all moved to the harbor it was up to the militia to guard the bridge and their attention was behind them, the flashes and noises of the bombardment interested them greatly.

The Militia Captain whistled "Sounds like something is up, the way the Marines headed out there, that's where the action is."

One of the younger militiamen tosses a cigarette butt onto the ground "That's where I'd like to be, stuck here guarding a bridge no one uses........." He pauses nonchalantly turning to look derisively at the old stone bridge "It's not even wide enough for a tank no one would....................hey, what is that................."

"One hundred, let's go!!!" Sumnerstone yelled the last part and he and the Royal Guard jumped up and sprinted down to the bridge, screams and gunfire erupted at the far end at nearly the same time he finished counting. The gun and the LAV was turned away from the Royal Guard and shooting, in the dark pale blue flames have engulfed the machine gun nests and screaming was getting louder as they neared.

Behind them the Life Guard had loaded sabot rounds into their their Scorpion Anti-Material rifles and the LAV was ripped by several of them, the gaping holes opened up in it as the gun on it slowly turned down towards the Royal Guard, they paused,but then the LAV lurched forward and then accelerated straight ahead and then over the side of the bridge.

"MOVE!!!!" Sumnerstone yelled, the race was on.

[Dyelli Beybi]

"What do you mean not return her to her throne?" Plank had evidently not been kept in the loop over Cyro's problems, "Are you saying she's dead?" That would mean all kinds of interesting things for the new Diocletian regime.

The vehicle lurched gently as it moved out, the lack of windows could make a journey by NFEV into quite a disorientating experience and tended to make people who suffered from motion sickness REALLY sick, "I'd have probably come to the same decision if I was on your side." she conceded, "Admitedly Diocletian is a less than legitimate occupation as well, but what can I say? This is my homeland, I was born here. Coming back from exile is good."

"I think" she took a sip from her glass, "That you or perhaps working under the illusion that the Kingdom is a United State? Admitedly we have always allowed Cyro to more or less set the foreign policy, but to quote biblically 'My name is Legion: for we are many'"

She paused frowning pensively, then grinned broadly "I just implied the Kingdom was a biblical demon... that wasn't quite my intention, although I'm sure some people would find it quite fitting. Do you remember the Benjian invasion of Dyelli Beybi when you guys had both states placed under attainment?"

Hull would remember unless he was suffering from alzheimers, it was the only time a Klatchian state had deployed nuclear weapons against another... when the Benjians had fired at Bath, "I was a just a teenager at the time, but I remember the prior political situation relatively well. Back in the day Evilpsychoticguy, Axe and Fasta Benj were all Dyellian client states, to a greater or lesser degree they all followed Cyro's foreign policy regardless of how sensible it was. The war was sparked by the Benjian attempt to set themselves up as the dominant state in the Dyellian block. I remember how we were all waiting with baited breath for Axe to join in, but then the news came of the Benjian disasters at Bath and Cyro and the surrender of Jiggadian forces to the Republic and they backed down. That is how the SARs function now, fully independent but losely aligned, only difference is we're generally sensible enough not to invade each other... note how those Benjian fighters shawdowing pulled off when you entered our territory. It has only been in recent months that we have begun to independently determine foreign policy, mostly because Cyro is in no fit state to negotiate with the outside world. When she recovers she may find that the Kingdom has changed remarkably."

"The latest Dyellian expansions, I can absolutely promise you, are not a land grab. They are kulturkampf, I'm sure you've heard people blathering on about it. If you're unsure of the exact nuances of the philosophy, I can explain them to you." she concluded, "Now as for the Federation, effectively there are all of three states left and the Lord alone knows where any of the Keys are, probably eaten by the Var. Ab Ieauf is off globe trotting negotiating land sales to neutral parties in the hope that she can lure them into the Federation, although personally I think she is wasting her time. The Federation was born at a time when we expected Menelmacar to rain death upon us from the stars at any given moment. The time has come for the Federation to die. Play 'the last post' and lower the flag. As for Dyellian illegal land claims... I'm not sure if I can convince the East Benjians to go back, certainly you won't get me out of Diocletian without a fight. Can you think of anything we can do to assure you that kulturkampf is non-agressive?"

She smiled pleasantly, "It is my homeland, I would rather die here than leave her again. I'm sure you can understand that sentiment."

[Macisikan]

_________________________
Official Ministerial Communiqué

Classification: SECURITY-IN-CONFIDENCE
From: The Minister for External Affairs, United Imperial Kingdoms of Macisiakn
To: General Ming, Blessed Kingdom of Dyelli Beybi
Copies To: Prime Minister, the Tzarina, ap Adam, Dyelli Beybi; Sera A Plank, Prime Minister of Diocletian, Dyelli Beybi; Chairman Lee, “Guyaland”, Dyelli Beybi; Prime Minister Edmundovich, D.B.A.T, Dyelli Beybi; Prime Minister Africanus, Outmere, Dyelli Beybi; President Caroline ab Ieauf, Federated Klatchian Coast; Ambassador Claudia Black, Federal Ambassador to the Covenant; Ambassador-General Baronet Celestine Alarl, G.M.Q., UIK/COV.
Subject: Integrity of the Covenant Mission to Vrak

Greetings General Ming,

As you are aware, the Government of the Glorious Kingdom of Vrak has collapsed; His Serene Majesty's Government is advised that you are the commander of the security mission that has been deployed to maintain order and good government in that nation.

There remains present in the former capital of Vrak, the Diplomatic Mission of the Covenant Consul-General to Vrak, Lord Cellachan deMalara, with subordinate missions in most major cities of the former nation. These missions were accorded extraterritoriality by the Glorious Kingdom and the President in Port Olympus.

We are seeking your assistance in maintaining the security of these missions until they can be closed, or an alternative diplomatic arrangement be negotiated with the emergent Dyellian government responsible for the area.

Regards,

Justina Valdir
The Lady Justina Valdir, The Most Hon. The Marchioness of Valdester, M.P (L).
His Serene Majesty's Minister of External Affairs,
United Imperial Kingdoms of Macisikan, representative of the Covenant

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Arn-Maciska
As the message vanished into the ether, Valdir pursed her lips and looked up at her Private Secretary, bright and attentive and earnest as always.
"Peter, would you send in Sir Guy please, and call in Baronet Alarl and the SIS. In under ten we're going to get a call from the Minister of Defence, and then I'm going to need to sit with the Imperial Security Council, the ASR, and the Imperial Vice-Marshal. In that order."
"Yes Minister," he said, hurrying out of the office.
Valdir contemplated her coffee cup.
"Let's hope we can resolve this without involving the First..." she muttered.