Be Awake, Be Good [Camerania Only, PMT]

[The Ziron Empire]

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[The Norwegian Lands]

It has been almost four years since the last presidential election in The Norwegian Lands. Since the last time voters chose who they wanted to see as the “Face of Cameranian Democracy,” their choice, Michel Ulsrud, and his vice-president, Hal Ivars, had been killed in an airstrike on the Gray House. Governing the nation has since fallen on the shoulders of Prime Minister Jakub Halvorsen. An election would be held in the coming months, and Halvorsen - who had publicly stated that he never wanted to be Interim President - would, unsurprisingly, not be seeking a first full term.

As he is transported from the National Legislature to the Gray House, Acting Prime Minister Viktor Knudsen is rehearsing his speech. Not long afterwards, he arrives at the presidential residence and walks through the long hallway to the Office of the President. He stands in front of Halvorsen’s desk, takes a deep breath and recites the words he had been practicing.

- “Mr. President, it is in my capacity as Acting Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of The Norwegian Lands that I ask that you dissolve the 35th People’s Council and call an election to the 36th.”

As is custom, Pres. Halvorsen grants Prime Minister Knudsen’s request and draws up and signs paperwork to formalize the election call. Presidential and legislative elections are to be held in the coming months, and candidates are already declaring for both. All this is shown on TV, but when the cameras are turned off, the tone in the Gray House turns serious.

- Halvorsen: “Well, it’s almost time to pack up. I’m looking forward to putting these last eighteen months behind me.”

- Knudsen: “While I get that it’s the job of the Office to remain neutral in an election, you really need to think carefully. Tobin Hall’s running again, and I’m really worried about him and the Lucitanians.”

- Halvorsen: “Some of the things he’s said have given me reason for worry, too. The Lucitanians are more technologically-advanced than we are. Do you think they’ll try to interfere in the election process?”

- Knudsen: “I don’t know, but I don’t know if I wanna know either!”

[Denathor]

Royal Steward Robert III examined a map of the region that had been given to him by the official cartographers.

"It is quite empty. Never in my time have I seen the region quite so... fragile. I think we would do well to explore this opportunity."

He leaned over to one of his advisors.

"I don’t want any interference in this. Find a way to keep the Zironians out of our business."

Small forces of no more than 5000 troops have been sent to survey the following unclaimed nations: Italy, Greece, Turkey and Saudi Arabia.

An envoy has been sent to the Ziron Empire to discuss trade and military alliances.

[Amurrria]

Edo, United States of Amuria, 18th of July 2052

"Your Majesty." Began one of the guards. "It seems that the protests in Seoul have loosened up. Things are starting to finally work out." He said with a smile.

"Great news then." Otome replied. `Right. After Emperor Kenji disappeared a few years ago, after yet another attempt at his life by the Free Taiwan Army, a republic was officially proclaimed, the third in Amuria's history. I'm kind of surprised Jax didn't take over, after all he was Kenji's father. I guess that after the crisises he had to steer Amuria through, like the annexation of Korea, he's earned his right at retiring with his wife, the Shogun preceeding me. Takeru's down in Korea helping keeping order, and here I am, the Shogun, with barely any power. I should've been in Sapporo if not for this damned conference.` She thought.

Their car arrived in front of the Imperial Congress building in Edo. There was a path through the thousands of people present made specially for her. On the sides there were dozens of journalists and TV crews, who held up their cameras and smartphones filming the arrival of the Shogun. On the building's walls the flags of both the United States of Amuria, and the flag of the Empire of Amuria were present. Otome was surprised when she saw the last Emperor atop the stairs, Emperor Jax Yamato, the one who carved a place for Amuria in the harsh world.

"Your Imperial Majesty." She bowed as he smiled warmly. "What are you doing here?" She asked.

"I was called." She leaned towards her. "More like forced." He then stood back up. "To come here and decide the course of action that Amuria will take."

Otome looked at him as they walked inside the grand building. "Got any news from Takeru?" She asked.

"Yeah actually. He's doing pretty well in Korea. Currently he's in Pyongyang, there are rumors of an armed militia fighting for Korean Independence. It's not like Taiwan wasn't enough. Luckily enough they're nothing more than a bunch of crazy people who are being taken care of as we speak. They're formed out of the remnants of the old Armed Forces of North Korea. Ah, I deviated from the subject. Takeru'll be home in a month or so. Don't worry about him." He finished as they reached the Assembly Chamber, and they sat down on the chairs in the center of the room, with a desk in front of them. On the desk were newspapers with the latest news, and a bottle of water.

An old man dressed in a military uniform stood up and began speaking: "Amurria is facing a situation of turmoil. Korea and Taiwan are most likely plotting to get independence, and Kenji disappeared after the latest attempt at his life. Your Majesties." He said as he looked at Jax and Otome. "I ask of you to decide what course should we take." He then stood down."

Otome looked at the audience in the room and began saying: "Until Kenji returns, we'll need to maintain the status quo. Luckily for us we are dealing pretty easily with these insurrections. In the meantime we need to discuss whether the United States will keep existing or if we'll discuss a return to the Empire." She finished.

Jax began: "We'll maintain the United States of Amuria for as long as we need. And we'll also need some allies in this world." He said. "Call back Major Shirogane from Korea and order the MDF to secure the region." He finished as the audience nodded. The Prime Minister then stood up and said:

"I thus declare this meeting over." He then sat down as everyone else stood up and started leaving the room.

Sapporo, a few hours later

When she arrived at the Shogun's Palace, Takeru Shirogane was waiting in front of the gate, talking with his kids. Otome, when she saw him, rushed to him.

"Finally, you're back!" She almost shouted happily as she hugged him.

"Yeah. Home at last." He said as he smiled. "I was called home by Jax. Haven't talked with him for a few months."

"Yeah. You're needed to take care of the Mainland Defence Force." She said almost under her breath.

"Yeah. But for now let's rest." He said as he opened the Palace's door and walked inside. Their kids following.

[The Ziron Empire]

Knowledge is Power.

The old Socialist Empire was dead. Nearly two decades had passed since the failings of Hannibal Koslov and his Federation. The Empire has been reforged under the hammer of Stoicism and the anvil of self-discipline. In the view of long deactivated surveillance systems, children played and laughed. Scholars and philosophers debated the four pillars of the Republic under the rooftops of newly established state universities. The Zironian military marched, reorganized and rebuilt under the banner of defence and mutualism. The iron statues of tyrants long gone had fallen to bronze busts of Philosophers and Scientists. Stoicism had not seen such reverence since the days of Seneca and Epictetus. It was a Republic of reason. The vision of Plato had been realized at last, and now a Philosopher King sat on the Zironian throne.

Marcus Alexi knocked on the door, it’s deep echo ringing out through the quiet streets of suburban Arkadia. He adjusted his cap, feeling the outline of the olive branches sewn into its sides. His brown and purple uniform stood out in the gathering dark, which was abruptly broken by a light on the other side of the door.

“Come in.” spoke a voice.

Alexi opened the door softly. An elderly man in a wheelchair sat before him. He was aged well by the years, and his features spoke of great wisdom. Decorated in pyjamas and red silk slippers, he wheeled himself noisily into the kitchen and gestured for Alexi to follow. The house was decorated with tokens and trinkets from a bygone era. Aged, dull flags from Brysterion, Susistan, Hidrodia, and other nations reserved to the history books hung defiantly on the walls. Their colours faded and edges worn. Books on fisherman and on wars long over clung to a library shelf. Large insects bounced about in a cage near the window. Their black beady eyes watched Alexi as he traversed the strange room, following him until he disappeared into the kitchen.

“Want some?” the old man spoke, gesturing to a burgundy crystal glass of a dark whiskey.

“No. I don’t drink.”

“Good.” spoke the man as he quickly downed the glass. “So you’re the kid who wears the purple now? Hmph.”

Alexi stared quietly at the man.

“It’s disheartening what your generation has done to us. To Zironia. You’ve ruined it.” spoke the man again as he rubbed his wrinkled brow. “We were proud once. We controlled all that was. Think about what we used..”

Alexi cut him off.

“Peace isn’t something to be disheartened about, Koslov. People are happy now. Your greed almost killed the Empire. You need to look past yourself.”

The old man scowled and gritted his yellowing teeth.
“You’re a fool Alexi! No man can stave off the what happens to those on top. Hell, it’s in our motto. You’ll fail. We all do in the end. Your virtue won’t save you from that.”

Alexi wanted to shout at the aged man, but he knew better than that. Anger was a failing of the rational soul. This man was a relic. Nothing more.
Alexi’s chain of thought was disrupted by the buzzing of a cell phone. The Denathoran envoy was calling. He thanked Hannibal briefly, and turned to leave.

“You shouldn’t be Caesar. You shouldn’t be Emperor.” muttered the old man, as Alexi took his exit. “You’re too good for that. You don’t deserve it.”

“We shall see.”

The Ziron Empire has embraced an Age of Enlightenment under new philosophical doctrine, but rumours spread of trouble in the High Courts. The Ziron Empire has also chosen to establish firm ties with Denathor, agreeing to establish trade routs and suggesting a military alliance. Envoys have been sent to East Korea, the Norwegian Lands, Coalminer, the better USSR, and Amuria to secure trade routes.

[The Norwegian Lands]

Trouble is brewing at the Gray House.

- Jack King, Counselor to the President: “Gimme the remote!”

- Ian Douglas: Senior Advisor to the President: “Bit aam missin' golf!”

- King: “Who watches golf? Besides, TeleSport’s showing an international baseball game between Cothria and CoalMiner shortly, and seeing as those teams hate each other, those games make for must-watch TV!”

Before Douglas could respond, they hear the fax machine in Halvorsen’s office going off.

- King: “Who uses fax anymore?”

Halvorsen, returning from a meeting with business leaders, picks up the papers.

- “Ah, yes. The Zironians. It seems that as part of their ‘age of enlightenment,’ they’re going back to using obsolete technology.”

He picks up the phone, dials the number for the break room and waits for a response.

- King: “Hello?”

- “Jack, it’s the president. Listen, do you or Ian know how to use a fax machine?”

King does. He helps Halvorsen respond to the Zironian offer. Trade routes connecting both areas of TNL with the Ziron Empire are soon to be established, with negotiations for a full trade deal set to commence at a later date.

[Cothria]

The massive steel girders were hoisted into the air, their cables whining under the strain of many tonnes of steel and stone. Along the southern border to the better USSR and the eastern border to Coalminer, a border wall was under construction. Thousands of the working class toiled hand in hand upon one of the greatest public works projects in Cothrian history. Men chatted as the wall rose, set to rival the project of Qin Dynasty, that Great Wall that rotted away in China. All across Cothria, workers of the United Socialist States cheered as it came to a daunting close, and a week of celebrations followed.

Comrade John Paul Hutson stood atop a podium making his address from Los Angeles, the new capital of the reformed USSC.
"Comrades of our great Socialist States. Today, the hands of the proletariat may rest, for our great work is complete. To our east, the plumes of smoke bellow from a capitalist wasteland of fossil fuels and worker exploitation. To our south, our communist brothers have turned to autocracy. We stand as the last great bastion of hope to the men of Marx and Lenin. Let us rejoice, for these walls shall keep the great yolk of the workers protected!"

Cothria has sent envoys to all nations around the globe as representation with the aim of establishing Cothria as the sole true Socialist representative to the world. Trade route deals are also offered to the Norwegian Lands and the better USSR.

[New Lucitania]

The Kaiser, Ulrich von Fürst IV of Germany and his wife, Duchess Lorena Webern of Austria sat together in the dining hall of the Lucitanian Imperial Palace. Servants scuttled about the tables, delivering lavish meals and removing filth covered utensils. Pompous laughter and talking floated about the high ceilings.

“Why, I do say. This union is something of great splendour! Unification shall be a boon for Lucitania, our united Empire.” exclaimed Thraun Vögel, the German Grand Admiral of the Navy.

“Quite.” softly replied the Duchess, wiping her mouth with a serviette. “We are stronger together than apart.”

The Kaiser furrowed his brow and huffed with a harsh tone. “It’s good for us all, because we are encircled. The Norwegians to our west and north, and the Zironians to the east. We only have one way in and out of this crisis.”

“Mittelafrika is a fine plan Sire.” spoke the Admiral. “Albeit a risky move.”

“I want it done. And I want our military on standby, less we face a surprise invasion from our less than civilized neighbours.” spoke the Kaiser.”

“Yes Sir. I’ll contact Klaus, and we’ll have it done immediately.”

He left hurriedly.

A fleet of Lucitanian ships has left for Cameroon, Gabon, Nigeria, the Congo, and Angola with the goal of colonizing the region. The Lucitanian government has sent telegrams to the world, announcing these lands as Mittelafrika, an Imperial Lucitanian claim and now part of its Empire.

[The Ziron Empire]

The frozen Arctic Ocean shone with magnificent spirit, it’s great icy waves cascading over the bow of the Lider Class Destroyer IZS Romulus. It, alongside its sister ships the IZS Karna and the IZS Drona split through the ice, breaking it apart for the Carrier Fleet that followed. The flows broke and splintered under the weight of these great vessels. Nuclear engines strained against the forces of the ice, but man’s mechanical leviathans pushed natures shield back into the seas.

A radio light flickered, breaking the creaking glacial backdrop with a puff of static.

“Python... Fourth... April Showers... Echo... Princess... Jurassic...”

The great Zironian ships broke off their eastward course, their massive bows swinging round. Nearly one hundred miles behind them a Zironian Carrier group followed. The engines of the great metal monsters let out a hiss as they adjusted heading.

They were headed for Finland.

[The Norwegian Lands]

In Finland, a Norwegian Landish Coast Guard team notices the sight.

- Patrik Koivu: “Zironian ships inbound! What do you think they’re trying to do?”

- Risto Rantanen: “I dunno. I doubt they have any malicious intentions… but that nation is unpredictable. Keep watch, call for backup.”

Koivu radios the Coast Guard field office in Helsinki, alerting them to the sighting. They provide backup, hoping that it will be sufficient, but they have relayed the message to Chief of the Defense Staff Álvaro Hagelin just in case.

Elsewhere, a group of Zironian diplomats has arrived in Port Oslo and are meeting with Pres. Halvorsen, Douglas, King, fellow presidential advisors Heinz Beckert and Hailey Ulsrud, Prime Minister Knudsen, Economic Development Minister Harri Heinonen and Foreign Affairs Minister Torger Haugen at the Gray House.

- Halvorsen: “Great to see you guys.”

- Head of Zironian Delegation: “Great to see you, too. Man, we had one heck of a time getting here. After we sent you that fax, we started making our way here - by sailboat! It took us days to get here! Man, just because it’s an ‘Age of Enlightenment’ back home doesn’t mean we have to go back to the Enlightenment!”

- King: “I’ve been forced to take on an informal role as Jake’s secretary these days, seeing as I’m the only Gray House staffer who has any idea how to use a fax machine.”

- Zironian Ambassador to TNL: “Speaking of which, the fax machine at the embassy has been broken for some time and the Foreign Ministry seems in no hurry to fix it. Instead, every other day, my staff and I have had to take the bus to and from Staples to fax documents back home, so there goes the embassy budget right there.”

They all laugh.

- Pres. Halvorsen: “Buses and Staples. Two things you probably don’t have back home.”

- Ambassador: “Well, we have buses, but there may be one such store in the whole country, and that’s in the part of Arkadia that the government wants you to see.”

- Head Diplomat: “They’re trying to enlighten themselves. Well, you haven’t been enlightened ‘til you’ve been to Port Oslo!”

As it was part of the exchange of pleasantries prior to the meeting, and not part of the meeting itself, this entire exchange made it onto international television. As soon as Halvorsen realized this, he immediately offered every Zironian diplomat who was in the room asylum in his country, fearing the worst if they returned to the Ziron Empire. But he knew that with GPS tracking of all Zironian citizens, there was not much he could do. The diplomats would be transferred to a secure location outside the National Capital Region the next day, but Halvorsen was still worried that it would be a question of when - and not if - they were abducted by Zironian agents.

[Denathor]

In Fort Optimus, the Steward's Corridor of Iredale Castle is in uproar. Aides and military personnel run back and forth delivering messages, trying to sort out the truth from chaos. In his office, Robert dashes off a memo to John Paul Hutson.

Comrade John Paul Hutson,

I regret to inform you that recently your envoys to our nation have gone missing en route to Manchester. Please be assured that we are doing everything in our power to make sure they are found and will come home safely.

Our thoughts and prayers are with you,

Royal Steward Robert III

"There, that should do it," Robert said grimly, looking up at the only aide in the room. "Send this to Cothria. They need to be aware of this."

The aide left the room, leaving only Robert and General Asgard.

Robert leaned closer to his General.

"You’ve taken care of our guests?"

Asgard nodded.

"The order for execution was signed this morning, and the firing squad carried out the deed earlier this afternoon."

"Excellent. Hopefully this will deter other nations from trying to influence us and challenge our authority."

[The Ziron Empire]

Across the lands of the Enlightened Republic, citizens gasped. The broadcast was quickly cut, normal state sponsored messaging taking its place after the static. Bars, living rooms, and even the halls of government broke into speculative discourse. This would certainly mean dismissal for the Zironian diplomats stationed in the Norwegian Lands, perhaps worse.

Marcus Alexi smiled as the Ministry of Communication messages covered the international slip up with their blaring of hues and sound. He couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of this all. It was truly funny. As his laughter evolved into hysterics, a flurry of Senators, Generals, and other officials pushed their way into his office.

“It’s simple! We send them to a blacksite and have them recycled!” cried out a General, his raging mug as red as a tomato. The hall erupted with cries of agreement. Insults flew and hands rose. Marcus’ laughter slowly stopped. Waiting for the crowd to calm, he simply walked over to his desk, grabbed a small handheld copy of the Enchiridion, and began to read. Slowly, the room’s feverish cacophony broke down into a hushed murmur, and finally to silence.

“I do hope you are all quite done.” spoke the Emperor in his normal impassivity. “No, we will not be killing our diplomats. No, we will not be firing our diplomats. They reserve the right to criticize our government, as well as you or I directly for that matter. Don’t get caught up on such things. It is a waste of time.”

The room remained silent. Older Imperial officials scowled, younger ones smiled brightly or stood with mouths agape. Such a thing had not been allowed since the days of Comrade Stegnov Petrovich, but here stood an Emperor that would not be moved by such basic criticism.

“Sir!” a voice cried. A man, no more than twenty years of age ran into the room, briefcase in hand. “Ships have been sighted off the coast of Finland bearing the flag of war!”

“Norwegian?” asked the Emperor.

The man panted, trying to regain his breath. “No Sir. Zironian! Carrier Group Archimedes. They aren’t responding to our telegrams. We may be at war!”

Across the Arctic Ocean near the coast of Finland, the Zironian Carrier group entered Norwegian waters. A small band of Finnish Coast Guard vessels approached, their small motors churning up the water as they made for the Zironian leviathans. Another radio crackle broke the calm.

“Shakespeare... Cocktail... Tripoli...”

And the great guns began to sing.

The Ziron Empire has broken into a state of national emergency. As the government denies allegation of an automated fleet gone rogue, the Zironian Carrier Fleet Archimedes has begun to shell coastal cities in Finland, dispatching aircraft from its flagship to cover its advance further westward.

[The Norwegian Lands]

Brig. Gen. Hagelin briefs Pres. Halvorsen on the events in Finland.

- “We’ve got CF-18s stationed in Kuopio. Give us the word and we’ll have ‘em in the air in no time!”

- “In light of what happened the other day, I’d rather not PO them in case that prompts them to change their mind about not taking action against their diplomats. Write up a message and give it to Jack King, who mans my fax machine.”

He points to King.

- Brig. Gen. Hagelin: “I know how to use a fax machine. I get that you want a peaceful solution to the conflict, but if you wanna be Prime Minister again after the upcoming elections, looking weak might not help you!”

He leaves. Beckert approaches.

- “Speaking of elections, my sources back home (Beckert defected from Lucitania as a teenager) indicate that they plan on launching a mass disinformation campaign, among other measures, aimed at getting the people to elect Tobin Hall President.”

- Pres. Halvorsen: “I was afraid of that.”

Halvorsen phones his national security minister, Josh Hughes, asking him to look into how election infrastructure can be defended. The field for the presidential election is starting to take shape, with sitting parliamentarians Alexis Hall, Felix Lindskog and Kelly Olhauser, student protest leader Marie Ellison and Lucitanian sympathizer Tobin Hall among the candidates. Only two would make the runoff. But which two?

Svalbard is a remote archipelago in the North Atlantic, closer to the North Pole than it is Port Oslo. It is here that the Zironian diplomats awaken in a hospital recovery area. They have had their chips removed and are now untraceable, in case any Zironian soldiers - rogue or otherwise - decide to carry out an assassination mission. They are expected to be transported back to Port Oslo after they recover.

[Cothria]

Comrade John Paul Hutson read the printed memo in his hands. It was a worrying sign. What had happened to his diplomats? Defection? Lost at sea? These thoughts collected in his mind, but were quickly dispersed by a knocking on the door.

“Come in.” spoke the Comrade.

“Another team has been sent to Denathor. They should arrive within twenty four hours. Security is a little amped up, but they’ll be fine regardless.” spoke a woman in a dark red suit.

“I want an investigation launched into their disappearance. Scan the seabed if you have to, I want them found. State secrets are at stake.” huffed Comrade Hudson.

The women nodded and left.

“Now, for the Imperialists...” he spoke to himself.

Cothria has sent a fresh team of diplomats to the island of Denathor, followed by launching an investigation into the disappearance of the prior team. Military aid has been offered to the Norwegian Lands in light of the Zironian attack, which the United Socialist States of Cothria has condemned on the world stage. The People’s Army stands at the ready to assist.

[New Lucitania]

Kaiser Ulrich von Fürst IV sat at the large ovular desk buried deep underground. The room’s electric lights gave off their usual radiance, accompanied by the faint humming of their bulbs. At the table, High General Klaus, Grand Admital Thraun Vögel, Duchess Lorena Webern, and Chief Propaganda Minister O’brien Volkova sat in a circle.

The Kaiser spoke first.
“Our first order of business is simple. The diplomats from Cothria have been received in Kaas City. I’ll send them home packing in a weeks time. Our great Kaiserreich is no place for such socialist propaganda.”

The group nodded in agreement.

“Secondly, I want an increased military presence on our eastern border. The Zironians are getting desperate with their attack on the Norwegian Lands. Lucitania will be the gates to which the Empire must pass, and we will hold our ground.”

More nods signalled unity, but the voice of O’brien broke the quiet.
“And what of Tobin Hall?”

”The fact of the matter is simple.” spoke the Kaiser with commanding presence. “If we can get a sympathizer in Norwegian territory, we’ll have nearly full control of the European heartland. That man must win. Send him funds, send him whatever will help him win. Go there yourself, and bury all evidence under mountains of false flags and legal trails. I want it done.”

“Yes Kaiser.” spoke O’brien as he exited the room.

[The Norwegian Lands]

A hubbub is going on at a secure government facility in Coimbra. This city in near-northwestern Portugal is the home of the Norwegian Landish Space Agency, which has big plans.

- “Gen. Petersen, is everything ready?”

- Lt. Gen. Magnus Petersen, Director of the TNLSA: “I think so. The stage is set, the cameras and journalists are here, and I just had my speech cleared with the President’s team. It does not draw on classified information at all, so we’ll be fine.”

Lt. Gen. Petersen makes his way to a podium, where he puts his papers down, takes a deep breath and begins to speak.

- “Good morning. My fellow Norwegian Landers, it is with the highest honor that I announce on behalf of the Norwegian Landish Space Agency that TNL will be returning to space after a lengthy hiatus!”

Petersen goes on to explain that the mission will take a team of Norwegian Landish astronauts to “a faraway celestial body” (exactly where remains classified for fear of “another nation” - almost certainly the Ziron Empire - beating TNL there) to determine whether life could be sustained.

- “Sadly, the current trend of global warming is rendering this place inhospitable quicker than scientists have initially projected, and if there is nowhere left for us here, well, while it is said that there is no Planet B, we may have to make one out of another celestial body.”

A launch is planned within the “foreseeable future,” though Petersen won’t state exactly when.

The mission will take TNL to Enceladus, one of Saturn’s moons, which is believed to have a subsurface ocean of liquid water on it.

[The Ziron Empire]

Imperial Rocket Propulsion Ministry, ZICA, Kyiv
Eugene Dimitrov, Chief Astrophysicist of the Zironian Imperial Cosmology Administration held the silver letter opener in his hand. It’s small, fine blade made quick work of the mountain of paperwork that coagulated on his desk.

“Resources, shredder, resources, shredder...” he mumbled to himself, tossing the lucky parchment into a wire basket, and the unlucky to the paper shredder’s tiny maw. His days without sleep had rendered him slow, and he had made a nearly devastating mistake. His eyes widened as he snapped from his stupor, and he snatched an envelope from the jaws of the small machine.

Funding increase to the order of: Zironian Imperial Cosmology Administration

Net Increase: 17.8 Billion Crowns

First Bank of the Ministry of Finance
Marcus Alexi

He stared at the half torn paper with mouth agape and eyes wide. Staggering over to the telephone with broken posture, he yanked it from the wall mount and dialled speedily.

“Hey, yeah John? We got an increase... No. No no, more than that. Yeah... Yeah the Norwegians.. Sweet Seneca I’ll have it done.”

He jumped and clicked his heals together after hanging up the phone, walking out of the office with an ear to ear grin.

“Oh the boys are just gonna love this!”

176 Miles North of Coast, Finnish Border
The Archimedes Fleet continued their advance deep into Norwegian waters. The shelling had ceased, but aircraft patrolled the air above, free from the constraints of their human pilots. It had received termination codes, but they were no longer valid. Imperial codes of the highest order guided these great steel automatons. They were headed for Port Oslo.

With a Space Race possible against the Norwegian Lands, the High Courts have granted a funding increase to ZICA. While a destination is unknown, new craft are under construction with rumours in the works about a manned mission to the moon and Mars. The automated fleet has finally been acknowledged by the Zironian government, which has declared it ‘A mechanical tragedy beyond Zironian influence’ and has not taken responsibility. As part of a new deterrence strategy, the Empire is launching reconnaissance aircraft over the Norwegian Lands and Amuria in order to test how these nations respond militarily to Zironian pressure.

[Denathor]

On a highway somewhere between Manchester and Birmingham
The convoy of Cothrian officials and their Denathoran guards made their way along the deserted road, one of the officers nodded at a seemingly innocuous spot, except that the pavement was chipped and some of the chips were scorched.

"The boys at Scotland Yard know that this is where your guys disappeared. They know they took them north, but the trail runs cold just south of Dumfries. Don’t know who took them or they might’ve been able to track 'em longer. Though I wouldn’t worry about that right now. You’ve got us with you, and whoever it is isn’t going to try anything when we’re around."

In Edinburgh
Robert pored over blueprints that were decades old. They were horribly outdated now, but a bit of refurbishing could fix all the problems. Intrigue from across the region had reignited an old ambition of his. But not yet. He put aside the papers and gazed out his window to the north.

Over the North Sea
Honouring the centuries old alliance with the Norwegian Lands, fighter jets raced at supersonic speeds eastward. The pilots checked their GPS and adjusted the course to the north. The government knew this could freeze relations with the Zironians, but their hand had been forced by the earlier provocations.

The Denathoran Air Force has been sent to engage the rogue fleet.

[The Norwegian Lands]

Pres. Halvorsen watches the news out of Denathor.

- “A fleet of Ziron Empire’s top warships. Bound for Port Oslo. Why would they do that?”

- King: “Maybe they need to go to Staples?”

Everyone but Halvorsen laughs.

- “It’s not funny, Jack. That discussion very well may be the reason why they’re targeting us.”

- Beckert: “So what do we do, Mr. President?”

- Halvorsen: “We’ll be ready. Rosy, Tore, we’ll need you guys’ forces to keep an eye out in case the Denathorans fail to stop them. Al, while I hope it doesn’t come to this, we may need the navy to back the P.O.P.D. and the Coast Guard in case they can’t overwhelm the Zironians with numbers.”

Port Oslo Police Chief Henrik Rosén, Coast Guard Commissioner Tore Eskildsen and Gen. Hagelin acknowledge the President’s request.

- Halvorsen: “Of course, let’s hope that these plans that we’ve made have been made as a precautionary measure only.”

[The Ziron Empire]

Norwegian National Waters
The icy sands of the Norwegian shoreline glittered under the waining autumn moon. The prow of the mighty IZS Romulus churned the water as it cut through the water. The night was gripped with an eerie silence, inflated by the absence of any breath of wind. All was quiet.

A radar ping.

The computers aboard the Romulus whirred and clicked as their servers booted up. Radio signals bounced between the fleet. From fighter to carrier to gunship, the mechanical mind of this great war fleet calculated the best course of action.

Code: Select all

>Self preservation protocol: Point Gamma.
>Actions: 491.
>Mission parameters prioritized.
>Course to be maintained.
>All remaining inputs secondary.
>Beginning defensive protocols.

The darkness of night was blown to pieces by the thundering of a great battle. S-500 missile systems heaved their payloads into the skies, and they flew like bats out of hell. Aboard the Carrier IZS Belarus, modified Su-35’s rocketed off the flight deck and made their run to intercept the enemy. The remaining frigates and cruisers opened their great guns and slung their missiles towards the heavens.

Less than an hour later, the battle had cooled, and silence had returned to the Norwegians Seas.

Code: Select all

>Fleet count check initialized.
>Light Cruisers: 2/2
>Destroyers: 2/2
>Frigates: 2/2
>Supply Ships: 1/5
>Aircraft: 57/68

>Enemy combatants removed: 13/42

>Redirecting course. Supply chain compromised.
>Imperial commands issued.
>Reinforcements en route.

With supplies sinking to the dark depths of the sea, the Zironian Fleet has changed course, moving it to international waters. It was dropped anchor just outside the legal boundary of Norwegian controlled waters and remains stationary.

[The Norwegian Lands]

- Becca MacNeil, TNL NEWS anchor: “The world is in shock as a Denathoran effort to thwart a Zironian attack on Norwegian Landish soil seems to have failed. Late Thursday night, the fleet was seen in international waters rounding the northwestern coast of Spain before setting its bearings straight south, in the direction of major Norwegian Landish ports in Porto, Lisbon and Port Oslo, before dropping anchor roughly thirty kilometers west of Vigo. Anonymous Department of Defense sources speaking to the TNL Network’s Norwegian-language service say that they believe Port Oslo to be the Zironian fleet’s ultimate destination, but are mounting defenses of all three ports. Coming up, how one presidential candidate looks to reform post-secondary education and what their opponents are saying, plus, it’s one of the most fragile ecosystems on Planet Earth, but it could be the site of large-scale mining operations. We look at what a team of Norwegian Landish scientists is looking to do to stop these operations right after these.”

Pres. Halvorsen mutes the TV as it cuts to commercial.

- “Well, the Denathorans did the best they could, but against that fleet, even they couldn’t stop the Zironians. That shows what we’re up against.”

- Gen. Hagelin: “So what’s the next steps?”

- Pres. Halvorsen: “We’ll need gunboats docked at all three Portuguese ports with reinforcements from the Air Force ready to go. I believe the Coast Guard and local police departments are also helping. Remember, whatever we do, don’t shoot. If we leave them alone, they should leave us alone.”

Hagelin bows before leaving the Gray House boardroom. Halvorsen unmutes the TV just in time to catch a report on the news about the upcoming elections… Do note that what is contained within the spoiler below is not what was discussed on the news, only Tobin Hall and the Lucitanians know about it.

Tobin Hall has exchanged several phone calls with Lucitanian officials over the past few days. A mass disinformation campaign is being prepared with aims at electing Tobin Hall president, with a backup plan being made that would force whoever does become President to take a pro-Lucitanian world view while in office in the event Hall doesn’t make the runoff. An evil plan is being made, only time will tell if it is successful.

[Cothria]

Television screens flashed with the images of European drama.

“A true waste.” spoke Senior Officer Wei, his eyes fixated on the loss count of the Zironian battle. “Such technology could have been used to help people.”

“Indeed.” replied Comrade Hudson. “And what do you think of all this? These European’s and their squabbles?”

“Normally I would advise we don’t get involved. They dwarf us in size and might.”

“But?” inquired Hudson.

“But, it is worth it for the sake of the Global Revolution. If the citizens of these nations see that there is more to life than dying for so called ‘Divine Right’ it is our duty to show them how.”

“Cothria could be martyred.” spoke Hudson grimly.

“Yes. But our ideas will live on.”

The United Socialist States of Cothria has condemned the actions of Denathor and the Ziron Empire, describing the battle as ‘an unnecessary waste of lives and steel’. Comrade John Paul Hudson has urged for both sides to come to a peaceful agreement, and has offered an escort fleet to the Norwegian Lands to defend its shores.

[Denathor]

From his office, Robert looked at footage taken from cameras on board one of the aircraft. He read a memo he had been given and sighed.

"13 losses? Bloody hell, those were good planes, and more importantly good men. I was hoping from more of an impact..."

General Asgard cleared his throat.

"As much as we all were, sir, it should have some impact. The ships appear to be waiting off the coast for something, possibly reinforcements. If they come, we might have some idea whether or not this fleet is actually rogue."

"Or if the Zironians have any control over their military," put in another military figure.

The office was silent as all present digested this statement. Finally, an aide spoke.

"Also sir, this letter from the Cothrians."

Robert's eyebrows raised for second as he began to read the condemnation, but as he realized what it was, his face contorted into a scowl.

"Hudson is throwing his weight around more than his country has before. This might not bode well. We don’t want war here, but I feel that it may find us no matter what."

After the oversea assault, Denathor waits to make its next move.

[The Norwegian Lands]

With the Zironians still lying off the coast of Spain, Pres. Halvorsen and his national security team has engaged in closed-door discussions.

- Pres. Halvorsen: “So, what should we do about this? We saw what happened to the Denathorans.”

- Gen. Hagelin: “And they’re a military superpower. We’re not. We might need all the help we can get.”

- Pres. Halvorsen: “Denathor’s sworn to defend us if we’re ever attacked like that, but like I said earlier, they suffered significant casualties on the high seas the other night. Cothria’s offering help, but they and the Denathorans don’t like each other at all.”

- Gen. Hagelin: “So, what should we do?”

- Pres. Halvorsen: “We need to get the Denathorans and the Cothrians to the table ASAP. If those two can put their differences behind them and we can present a united front against the threat from the Zironians, we may have a chance if there is a war on Port Oslo’s coast.”

Invitations have been issued to the nations of Cothria and Denathor to discuss a military co-operation agreement between the two nations and TNL.

[New Lucitania]

Thunderous marching echoed through the streets of Kaas City, formerly Berlin. A military parade opened the hot summer day, the Kaiser and his wife watching from the balcony of their great Imperial Palace. German, Austrian, Polish, Swiss, Hungarian and Czechoslovakian troops rallied together under the Lucitanian banner. Soldiers stamped and saluted in perfect harmony, the warrior songs of ’The Watch on the Rhine’ smoothly flowing from ten thousand singing lips.

The Kaiser smiled brightly. “It’s truly something, isn’t it?”

“It is.” spoke his wife softly. “No more distinctions. No more provincial titles. Just Lucitania, all as one.”

“Mitteleuropa. Mittelafrika. Our great Empire.” echoed the Kaiser.

The glass doors behind them swung open. A tall man, with blonde hair and spectacles on the end of his long nose walked out onto the balcony.

“Klaus.” beamed the Kaiser. “What brings you to me today?”

“News from the new world and the old. Our campaign with Mr. Hall is looking promising. Though only time and circumstance will tell if it pays off. The Steward of Denathor has also launched an attack against the Zironian Fleet.”

“And, the result?” asked the Kaiser, raising an eyebrow.

“Hard to say. The fleet has stopped, but it’s still floating.”

“And the new world?” the Kaiser inquired.

“The Cothrians are throwing their weight around. Could escalate to a conflict with Denathor. The others remain silent.” Klaus finished, his voice parched.

The Kaiser turned his gaze back to his marching troops, their grey uniforms soaking up the rays of the radiant sun.
“Europe is a powder keg. The smallest spark is going to set this whole damn thing alight. We can’t move against the Norwegians, not if we want our campaign to succeed. We need to be the vanguard. The saviours. Fortify the eastern border with the Zironians, and move whatever necessary to defend it. I won’t risk those commies breaking what Empire we’ve made.”

“Consider it done.”

The Austro-German Empire of New Lucitania has sent envoys to the Norwegian Lands in hopes of establishing a European defensive line against the borders of the Ziron Empire.