Current Craxx Happenings [Craxx/IC/Open]

[Dernel]

Im not gonna bother making the first post all nice looking, this is simply the place for the Current RP issues to be handled in character, not through news.

[Dernel]

In response to viewtopic.php?p=38633312#p38633312
Zubeknakov watched the recording of the address while he was pouring himself a drink, he sat down and drank slowly from his glass as he watched, and when the recording was finished he looked up to his aide,
"Ok, and this is the guy that we dealt with before right?"
"Yes, during the Trenakan Insurgency."
"He does realize we don't have any ties with them because of that right?"
"Being a leader of an entire government, I would imagine such..."
"He does also realize we are an autarky, correct?"
"That isn't something many people know about sir."
"And what is it that put them on this rant?"
"It is believed to be a paragraph from The Empyrea Post in Lapsil."
"Huh...", Zubeknakov sat thinking for a moment, "Hand me my tablet please." He began to type a letter that would be addressed to Piikala:

To: Emperor 太陽神 of Piikala
From: Secretary of Defense Gorbachev Zubeknakov

Good Evening,
As it is late that I am writing this.

As a representative of the Dernellian government, it has been raised to my concern that you feel ill will towards us. I can understand that from past squanders and skirmishes why you may contain some latent resentment towards our government, but I think the recent rise in tensions is totally unfounded. For one to enact sanctions, trade embargos, tariffs, and threaten to go to war with another, concerningly much stronger government, over a single excerpt from a newspaper magazine is a little immature, premature, if not also flat out comical.

Dernel simply cancelled flights to and from the Piikalan colony over concerns of the use of biological weapons, of which are known to be notoriously hard to control. The threat of Dernellian sanctions against Piikala is only in the event that your nation should fail to keep the biological weapons under control. If this seems unreasonable, then perhaps I am unreasonable, but safety of my peoples comes before the wellbeing of ties of a former enemy nation. I'm sure you can relate.

In regards to the recent actions taken against Dernel, they are truly of no consequence. No Dernellians reside in Piikala, no Piikalans reside in Dernel as is our policy with any nation. Trade embargos, and tariffs are also of no consequence. No Dernellian companies sell products to Piikala due to aforementioned conflicts, as well as the countries ever growing pursuit of autarky means we buy no products from Piikala. Should this situation escalate to a status of actual military conflict, Dernel will not hesitate to quite literally bring down the hammer of god on Piikala, even if it takes all 200, we have bested you before, and should it come to blows again, do not think for a moment we will not do it once more.

Thank you, and enjoy your evening,
-signed: Gorbachev Zubeknakov

Zubeknakov read it over once more before having it sent to the Emperor directly. He finished his drink before he stood up and left his office.

[Piikala]

In response to viewtopic.php?p=38633312#p38633312
Zubeknakov watched the recording of the address while he was pouring himself a drink, he sat down and drank slowly from his glass as he watched, and when the recording was finished, he looked up to his aide,
"Ok, and this is the guy that we dealt with before, right?"
"Yes, during the Trenakan Insurgency."
"He does realize we don't have any ties with them because of that, right?"
"Being a leader of an entire government, I would imagine such..."
"He does also realize we are an autarky, correct?"
"That isn't something many people know about, sir."
"And what is it that put them on this rant?"
"It is believed to be a paragraph from The Empyrea Post in Lapsil."
"Huh...", Zubeknakov sat thinking for a moment, "Hand me my tablet, please." He began to type a letter that would be addressed to Piikala:

To: Emperor 太陽神 of Piikala
From: Secretary of Defense Gorbachev Zubeknakov

Good Evening,
As it is late that I am writing this.

As a representative of the Dernellian government, it has been raised to my concern that you feel ill will towards us. I can understand that from past squanders and skirmishes why you may contain some latent resentment towards our government, but I think the recent rise in tensions is totally unfounded. For one to enact sanctions, trade embargos, tariffs, and threaten to go to war with another, concerningly much stronger government, over a single excerpt from a newspaper magazine is a little immature, premature, if not also flat-out comical.

Daniel simply cancelled flights to and from the Piikalan colony over concerns of the use of biological weapons, which are known to be notoriously hard to control. The threat of Dernellian sanctions against Piikala is only in the event that your nation should fail to keep the biological weapons under control. If this seems unreasonable, then perhaps I am unreasonable, but the safety of my peoples comes before the wellbeing of ties of a former enemy nation. I'm sure you can relate.

In regards to the recent actions taken against Dernel, they are true of no consequence. No Dernellians reside in Piikala, no Piikalans reside in Dernel, as is our policy with any nation. Trade embargos and tariffs are also of no consequence. No Dernellian companies sell products to Piikala due to the aforementioned conflicts, as well as the countries ever-growing pursuit of autarky means we buy no products from Piikala. Should this situation escalate to a status of actual military conflict, Dernel will not hesitate to quite literally bring down the hammer of god on Piikala, even if it takes all 200, we have bested you before, and should it come to blows again, do not think for a moment we will not do it once more.

Thank you, and enjoy your evening,
-signed: Gorbachev Zubeknakov

Zubeknakov read it over once more before having it sent to the Emperor directly. He finished his drink before he stood up and left his office.

The Piikalan emperor sits at a large grand sitting table eating a bowl of grapes as one of his secretaries reads the letter to him in Piikalan. When he suddenly breaks out laughing, saying between chuckles in Piikalan, "We didn't even try in the Trenakan conflict! We just threw a token to the Trenakans to satisfy them so we could get a trade deal!! HAHAHAHA!!! Do they think they can beat us? We have three billion people under my rule and a manufacturing base that can outstrip any nation!!! Also, they actually took that stupid jingoistic PM seriously?!?!? OOOHHH HAHAHAHAHA!! Common, they know, the diet is nothing more than a joke with no power outside of what they want their cushy offices to look like! Is it not known that the Imperial households the power? HAHAHAHA" The emperor then suddenly stops laughing and stands to attention and bows to the Piikalan Empress(Note the Piikalan empress is a title given to the most competent daughter of the Empress of the Piikalan Imperial Family and isn't selected based upon marriage) as she walks into the room wearing an ornately colored kimono. She says to the emperor in Piikalan, "Good evening, cousin(The empress refers to the emperor as cousin even though they're sixth cousins). Why're you in such a worked-up state?" "AAHHH cousin, you should look at this letter the Geijins sent us! They actually took that stupid loud-mouthed PM seriously! It's just absolutely hilarious!" says the emperor as he plucks and eats a grape. The empress is handed the letter from the secretary while she sits and eats a grape and begins to read it, mumbling in Piikalan, "Ahhh, these Geijins always creating so much trouble. Always thinking that politicians in this country have power. I even think they think your cousin runs this country when rather it's the whole Imperial House whose members we chose who run the nation's day-to-day operations. While we like competent helmspersons guide the nation on the path towards success. Our previous leaders guided and ruled this country from a little swampy island to a great empire. Also, does that War mongering PM even know anything about the world? Does he even know the Dernel is an autarkic nation? Cousin, may I suggest we buy each of those obnoxious politicians a world atlas for Makahiki(Piikalan New Years)? HAHAHAHA!!!" "HAHAHA!!! We should! We should! Anyways secretary Park, get me a Shogun from the War Pagoda to write a letter to the Dernel nation!" says the Piiklaan Emperor. Secretary Park bows and says, "Yes, your holiness." Secretary park then walks backward out of the room, constantly facing the emperor. A few minutes later, an older man dressed in a black uniform that resembles a Samurais suit of armor comes into the room, his front half in a bow he; upon getting into the room know tows to the emperor and says, "Thy holiness's what shall they do for thee?" "Greetings, Shogun Kato, please raise your head. I don't want you to hurt your back." says the Piikalan emperor. The Shogun raises his head from the tatami and sits up straight while his head is trained down upon the tatami mat at his knees and says, "Thank you my holiness's for your concern about me. Now, what shall they do for thee?" "Shogun Kato, I would like you to write a letter to the Denel Secretary of Defense." says the empress. "Yes, your holiness's thy shall," says Shogun Kato; as he gets up looking down, he walks backward out of the room. Shogun Kato then sits down and gets to work in his office. He writes in English:

To: Secretary of Defense Gorbachev Zubeknakov
From: The Imperial Piikalan Navys Shogun Third Class Kato, Ku'puanani

Dear Mr. Zubeknakov,

The Imperial State would like to say that we do not wish the foreign nations of the earth ill will, nor do we wish to halt the world's free trade as it is the official wish of the Imperial House of Piikala to bring peace and harmony to the world. We also would like to remind your nation that the Imperial State has more power than what you or the world have seen as any developed nation has. We also would like to apologize for your government taking the ignorant and powerless Piikalan diet seriously. They are nothing more than noisemakers for the Piikalan tabloids and have as much power as a gust of disgusting western wind against the ancestor's shrine. The Piikalan nation shall also say that our weapons are held securely and kept safely despite the screams of those who believe in the disgusting western ideals. With our weapons being necessary, not all wish for the Piikalan nation and its traditions to be maintained against Western ideals. So may thy wish thee well health and good day.

-Signed(In Piikalan) Ku'puanani Kato

[Dernel]

In response to viewtopic.php?p=38633312#p38633312
Zubeknakov watched the recording of the address while he was pouring himself a drink, he sat down and drank slowly from his glass as he watched, and when the recording was finished, he looked up to his aide,
"Ok, and this is the guy that we dealt with before, right?"
"Yes, during the Trenakan Insurgency."
"He does realize we don't have any ties with them because of that, right?"
"Being a leader of an entire government, I would imagine such..."
"He does also realize we are an autarky, correct?"
"That isn't something many people know about, sir."
"And what is it that put them on this rant?"
"It is believed to be a paragraph from The Empyrea Post in Lapsil."
"Huh...", Zubeknakov sat thinking for a moment, "Hand me my tablet, please." He began to type a letter that would be addressed to Piikala:

To: Emperor 太陽神 of Piikala
From: Secretary of Defense Gorbachev Zubeknakov

Good Evening,
As it is late that I am writing this.

As a representative of the Dernellian government, it has been raised to my concern that you feel ill will towards us. I can understand that from past squanders and skirmishes why you may contain some latent resentment towards our government, but I think the recent rise in tensions is totally unfounded. For one to enact sanctions, trade embargos, tariffs, and threaten to go to war with another, concerningly much stronger government, over a single excerpt from a newspaper magazine is a little immature, premature, if not also flat-out comical.

Daniel simply cancelled flights to and from the Piikalan colony over concerns of the use of biological weapons, which are known to be notoriously hard to control. The threat of Dernellian sanctions against Piikala is only in the event that your nation should fail to keep the biological weapons under control. If this seems unreasonable, then perhaps I am unreasonable, but the safety of my peoples comes before the wellbeing of ties of a former enemy nation. I'm sure you can relate.

In regards to the recent actions taken against Dernel, they are true of no consequence. No Dernellians reside in Piikala, no Piikalans reside in Dernel, as is our policy with any nation. Trade embargos and tariffs are also of no consequence. No Dernellian companies sell products to Piikala due to the aforementioned conflicts, as well as the countries ever-growing pursuit of autarky means we buy no products from Piikala. Should this situation escalate to a status of actual military conflict, Dernel will not hesitate to quite literally bring down the hammer of god on Piikala, even if it takes all 200, we have bested you before, and should it come to blows again, do not think for a moment we will not do it once more.

Thank you, and enjoy your evening,
-signed: Gorbachev Zubeknakov

Zubeknakov read it over once more before having it sent to the Emperor directly. He finished his drink before he stood up and left his office.

The Piikalan emperor sits at a large grand sitting table eating a bowl of grapes as one of his secretaries reads the letter to him in Piikalan. When he suddenly breaks out laughing, saying between chuckles in Piikalan, "We didn't even try in the Trenakan conflict! We just threw a token to the Trenakans to satisfy them so we could get a trade deal!! HAHAHAHA!!! Do they think they can beat us? We have three billion people under my rule and a manufacturing base that can outstrip any nation!!! Also, they actually took that stupid jingoistic PM seriously?!?!? OOOHHH HAHAHAHAHA!! Common, they know, the diet is nothing more than a joke with no power outside of what they want their cushy offices to look like! Is it not known that the Imperial households the power? HAHAHAHA" The emperor then suddenly stops laughing and stands to attention and bows to the Piikalan Empress(Note the Piikalan empress is a title given to the most competent daughter of the Empress of the Piikalan Imperial Family and isn't selected based upon marriage) as she walks into the room wearing an ornately colored kimono. She says to the emperor in Piikalan, "Good evening, cousin(The empress refers to the emperor as cousin even though they're sixth cousins). Why're you in such a worked-up state?" "AAHHH cousin, you should look at this letter the Geijins sent us! They actually took that stupid loud-mouthed PM seriously! It's just absolutely hilarious!" says the emperor as he plucks and eats a grape. The empress is handed the letter from the secretary while she sits and eats a grape and begins to read it, mumbling in Piikalan, "Ahhh, these Geijins always creating so much trouble. Always thinking that politicians in this country have power. I even think they think your cousin runs this country when rather it's the whole Imperial House whose members we chose who run the nation's day-to-day operations. While we like competent helmspersons guide the nation on the path towards success. Our previous leaders guided and ruled this country from a little swampy island to a great empire. Also, does that War mongering PM even know anything about the world? Does he even know the Dernel is an autarkic nation? Cousin, may I suggest we buy each of those obnoxious politicians a world atlas for Makahiki(Piikalan New Years)? HAHAHAHA!!!" "HAHAHA!!! We should! We should! Anyways secretary Park, get me a Shogun from the War Pagoda to write a letter to the Dernel nation!" says the Piiklaan Emperor. Secretary Park bows and says, "Yes, your holiness." Secretary park then walks backward out of the room, constantly facing the emperor. A few minutes later, an older man dressed in a black uniform that resembles a Samurais suit of armor comes into the room, his front half in a bow he; upon getting into the room know tows to the emperor and says, "Thy holiness's what shall they do for thee?" "Greetings, Shogun Kato, please raise your head. I don't want you to hurt your back." says the Piikalan emperor. The Shogun raises his head from the tatami and sits up straight while his head is trained down upon the tatami mat at his knees and says, "Thank you my holiness's for your concern about me. Now, what shall they do for thee?" "Shogun Kato, I would like you to write a letter to the Denel Secretary of Defense." says the empress. "Yes, your holiness's thy shall," says Shogun Kato; as he gets up looking down, he walks backward out of the room. Shogun Kato then sits down and gets to work in his office. He writes in English:

To: Secretary of Defense Gorbachev Zubeknakov
From: The Imperial Piikalan Navys Shogun Third Class Kato, Ku'puanani

Dear Mr. Zubeknakov,

The Imperial State would like to say that we do not wish the foreign nations of the earth ill will, nor do we wish to halt the world's free trade as it is the official wish of the Imperial House of Piikala to bring peace and harmony to the world. We also would like to remind your nation that the Imperial State has more power than what you or the world have seen as any developed nation has. We also would like to apologize for your government taking the ignorant and powerless Piikalan diet seriously. They are nothing more than noisemakers for the Piikalan tabloids and have as much power as a gust of disgusting western wind against the ancestor's shrine. The Piikalan nation shall also say that our weapons are held securely and kept safely despite the screams of those who believe in the disgusting western ideals. With our weapons being necessary, not all wish for the Piikalan nation and its traditions to be maintained against Western ideals. So may thy wish thee well health and good day.

-Signed(In Piikalan) Ku'puanani Kato

Zubeknakov would be in his office, doing the usual daily grind when an aide walked in with her tablet. She walked to his desk and handed him the tablet, of which had the letter the shogun sent. Zubeknakov took a moment to read the letter, when he was finished he let out a sigh, cooler heads did prevail, and at least they heeded his warnings. Even with the Piikalans claiming to be a world class manufacturing power, satellite imagery estimated they were only about one sixth of Dernel's ability. It was more difficult to get an estimate of military power, but seeing previous trades, it seemed that Piikala had a concerning lack of purchases or sales of vehicles. It was safe to assume they had a fairly lop sided vehicle production industry, and that most of their defense forces consisted of simple infantry as a result. Zubeknakov stopped his current work to begin writing a response letter, perhaps this time a little less brash.

To: The Imperial Piikalan Navy's Shogun Third Class Kato, Ku'puanani
From: Secretary of Defense Gorbachev Zubeknakov

Good morning, Mr. Ku'puanani
as it is morning here,

I would like to begin by stating it is a relief that no such ill will is held towards Dernel, and that you do not actually plan to take action against us. We are glad that it is your countries goal to maintain peace through the world, as any proper leader should look to keep peace. We do heed any nation, as any we recognize the sovereignty of is a powerful nation in the world theatre. It is now understood that even should someone in your nation be of high ranking it does not immediately represent the choice of your nation, and more figureheads are present than initially thought. I would like to apologize for the threat in the previous letter, but I am sure you understand the reasoning behind such. In previous times I would offer an opportunity for trade talks after a squabble like this, but the times have changed. Thank you for your understanding, I hope this letter finds you and the country of good health,

-Signed: a man too old for good health, Gorbachev Zubeknakov

Zubeknakov had his aide send the letter to the shogun before returning to his previous work.

[Dernel]

Palladino was a colonial pride, he moved to Lapsil as one of the first civilian immigrants. From which he reached the age of conscription, and as such he was one of the first conscripted Lapsillians. He proved valuable too. He rose through the ranks quickly over the few years to where he sits now E-6, or Technical sergeant, he was the first Lapsillian to reach such a high rank, even if not a true Lapsillian. Eventually, should things go well, a true Lapsillian would take his place. But for now, he was happy to be the colonial pride he is.

Now he had to do something difficult. He was tasked with overseeing the testing of an important platform. Dernel had completed the RFGS system, they know the system worked. The math was done, physics figured, all of it held true to what they knew the system could do. Only issue, it was never actually tested. Dernel never really had the space to test the system, but now? There was plenty of no-mans-land to test. The chain of command sent down coordinates for the testing, 70^oW20^oS.

Now he was standing in the Empyrean capitol building, well, under it to be exact. He was sitting behind most of the other people in the room, most of them were chatting, others were doing their respective jobs, most of them were civilians. There was one higher ranking person in the room overseeing him, to ensure he does his job right. Palladino stood up,
"Alright everyone, lets get this going. Command gave me the coordinates for this test, so lets get it all set up. Target Seventy degrees west, Twenty south. Should be mostly unpopulated, no one should really get hurt except maybe some natives, but we don't really care about them." the room resounded with several people saying "yes sir". He gave them a few moments before someone came up to him with a tablet,
"On your press sir." Palladino pressed the button on the tablet. Several operators began talking to let the room know of different statuses,
"Coordinates locked, sat ready."
"Decelerate in five, four, three, two, one, hammer decelerating." A few moments passed, some murmurs were heard, Palladino could hear the speakers of Empyrea giving warnings to the citizens to be alert for a WMD test several hundred kilometers away.
"Deceleration complete, hammer in true freefall." The room was silent, Palladino hear someone cough,
"Hammer reentering, Tungsten holding." From here it would be a few minutes, but at this point the rods trajectory was nearly guaranteed. The table in front of Palladino projected the trajectory of the rod to the place of impact. It was almost flawlessly on point. The table estimated that it would be a sum of 120 meters off the initial target, but that didn't matter.
"Impact in three minutes, speed at mach six." and 3 minutes later, and it was done.
"Impact on predicted trajectory, one hundred twenty meters off initial target."
"Actual experimental data matching our previous predictions, rods from god system is a success." Palladino breathed a sigh of relief.

They could rely on it when needed, a technically conventional WMD. If someone were to respond to it with nuclear weapons, they would be the one to start MAD, not Dernel. Now to work on the press conference. If Dernel didn't take credit for it, no one would know who did it. No one would have records of a random small object deorbiting and hitting the ground. No one would know why a nuclear blast just went off without any radiation, but they should. It was a powerful deterrent, and the fact that Dernel had it would make many sit down in either shock or concern.

[Dernel]

In relation to this: viewtopic.php?p=38639833#p38639833
About an hour after the test of the RFGS

---

Palladino went up on the stage, he had overseen the testing, it was best for him to be the one to explain it. Several different editorials had reporters there, but overall there were few for such an event. Palladino began to speak,
"So you may be wondering what that was all about... We tested a new weapon on the north east shore. In short, it was a WMD, that maintains conventionality. It is not nuclear, it is not biological. It is orbitally based, and is extremely potent. It requires little time to strike, and once in freefall is extremely difficult to shoot down, and pretty damn hard to track." He took a moment to gesture at the reporters for them to ask questions, one of them did,
"what was the point of this test?"
"Good question," that made Palladino remember a movie he saw as a kid, "It was to test that we can protect ourselves anywhere, anytime. We don't need to set up missile platforms to deliver an ICBM, while we likely still will, we don't need to as much as before. It also helps us in a first strike scenario, it allows us to respond quicker should the need arise. Any other questions?" No reporters asked anything. "I suppose I should announce this while I'm here, we plan on accepting the proposal by Countesia and Stevid to link roads, and keep them linked. The highway to Countesia will be tunneled out through the mountains for a quick straight route through to them allowing quicker and better trade.

In regards to Stevid and their colony, Pix, it would be cruel to starve them of the resources they need to survive, and as such we will allow them to mine like they were before on two conditions, one is that they pay market price for the minerals they mine, and that they send no military to protect the miners. We can understand the want to protect ones own citizens, but we also desire to do the same. It would tarnish our countries honor if we attacked unarmed miners, but until further diplomatic relations are established we cannot trust foreign military within our borders." He took a few moments to remember his final topic, "Oh yes, one more thing, we are now expanding to the south east to claim an oil field of considerable value to Lapsil and Dernel." He clapped his hands together and walked off stage leaving several reporters confused.

[United World Order]

Obersteinia, Craxx Archipelago.

The Ordenite Reich since its development of the Obersteinia colony had been keeping in the back of its mind about the securing the still unclaimed coast lines and territory that it had left alone after initially making landfall. However with the wars the Reich had went through back home in Dienstad now in the past and with the return of Christian Richtofen as Reichsfuhrer. These still to be claimed territories were now going to be claimed by the Ordenites themselves. On and off clashes and skirmishes still took place between the Ordenites and Craxxian indeginious who didnt take kindly to foreign occupiers and there was especially no mercy or compassion shown by the Ordenites when combating them.

The Ordenite Reich was now poised to take these lands as it had begun mobilizing what forces it had at its disposal in Obersteinia which was still fairly large. The operation would consist of a three pronged advance by the Ordenite Heer with accompanying Luftwaffe support and if needed Kriegsmarine support. What was known already was that several localities existed where Craxxian indeginious were living in and were marked by the Heer as points of resistance and would therefore need to be dealt with so to ensure that the Heer did not get bogged down. Due to previous flights of Ordenite reconnasaince drones and other ISR probes these localities would become the prey for Luftwaffe bombers that were now taking off and would be engaging at stand-off range. The primitive nature of the indeginious due to the complete societal collapse of the Craxxians and the annihiliation of the Craxx Empire left them unable to defend themselves from the Ordenite Wehrmacht.

The primitive localities would be pummeled by Ordenite stand-off ground attack missiles which from the aftermath observed by overhead drones completely devastated them. Once these strikes had been carried out the ground portion of the operation would begin. West of Kroppenstedt a Corps sized element of the Ordenite Heer began its advance towards the coastline. Once reaching the coast line it would perform a wide sweep south east. A smaller element of the ground operation consisting of a division would advance directly south to secure a certain area that of course had been mapped out by Heer planners. Then from the East another Corps sized element would advance to the coast line and then swing south west. The Luftwaffe would have also deployed some of its Typhoon multi role fighters to do fly overs during the operation.

The Kriegsmarine dispatched small units from the 86th Flotilla to secure the waters on the Western and Eastern coast lines. The operation on the ground was also supported by combat engineers who if needed did whatever on the spot work was needed like in the East where a sizable river needed to be crossed and at least temporarily plantoon bridges were deployed. The advancing Heer were given strict orders that if Craaxians were encountered that they were to be captured if possible and that if capture could not be done that they were to be killed. In a matter of 3 days over 200 Craaxians were captured successfully by the Ordenite Heer and were then transported back to Obersteinia. What resistance still remained was ruthlessly crushed by the Heer as in one of the localities that had been struck by Luftwaffe bombers, Craaxian resistance still remained and hampered attempts to capture the area. This led to an hours long artillery bombardment before the locality was completely pacified.

Once the areas slated to be taken were secured the process began to bring these areas up to par with the rest of Obersteinia.

[Mokastana]

16th Stanlitio Militia Battalion
Deployed to western border expansion

Corporal Cherdenko often wondered what punchline would be appropriate to the cruel joke he often referred to as his life. Especially on days like this. In a previous life, he had been a librarian in a city once called Starvopol. Who knows what the Ordenites are calling the city these days? Probably something like 'radiation zone, do not enter'. He had been a civilian, fleeing the country after the Mokans pulled out and eventually ending up in a Mokan refugee colony known as Isla Alma. They had promised safety and a future, but Cherdenko soon learned those were as much a myth in Federal lands, as they had been in Soviet lands.

As a third wave Zvezdan refugee, he arrived in the Novaya Zvezda province and worked low paying jobs for other Zvedans and Mokans who had already owned everything. For a while he cleaned: toilets in shops, tables in restaurants, floors in group homes. Whatever work he could find he took, except for working the fields. Isla Alma was a growing agriculture colony, where the sun was bright, and the air hot and humid. He knew many comrades who ended up hospitalized from field work. When he was really desperate, he opted to join the Isla Alma militia instead. Military life may have sucked, but the Mokan overlords cared more about soldiers than field workers. They pushed him, but they also fed and clothed him better than most hacienda workers.

Then he got word of a new colony forming, Stanlitio, this time he could be with the first wave, colonizing the land and owning property. The Federation even offered cash bonuses for sign ups, double for signing up in the Stanlitio militia. At the time, he thought almost anything had to be better than Isla Alma. Almost.

Sure, he now owned a plot of land and a premade home, but the Federation severely understated how dangerous the locals were. Despite owning land, he had spent nearly his entire time here deployed, riding in a Weasel APC from one hotspot to another. In the last few months things even seemed to slow down, Cherdenko thought he might even be able to return home. At least until the Federation announced the colony was expanding, and the Militia was deployed to pacify the new lands.

"Contact 12 o clock!" The APC's gunner yelled before the Weasel swung left. The roar of the APC's LY60 machine gun informed Cherdenko the fight had begun. The Zvezdan Sargent shouted into the driver's ear before turning back to the soldiers. The Weasel lurched to a stop and the doors swung open. "EVERYONE OUT" the Sargent bellowed, and led the way into the evening woods.

"Cherdenko, take your squad up the left side, lay some suppressing fire. We'll leap frog up to grenade distance!"

"Yes comrade Sargent!" He shouted back and turned. The Militia Battle Combat Rifle in his hands was not as fancy as the LY20 used by the Federal Army, but it threw lead just the same. Getting to cover he took his squad to the ground. Up ahead, he could see the flashes of gunfire from a tree line. A single rocket, probably an RPG, flew out towards another APC. The back end exploded and it's gun went silent. The explosion was followed by the thunder of 25mm auto cannon fire from the platoon's lead Weasel, tearing apart the woods where the rocket came from. Cherdenko turned his head to his machine gunner:

"Josef, light up that tree line!"

"Da, Comrade!"

Joseph racked his machine gun and opened fire on the spot where the rocket came from before sweeping left to right. Cherdenko and his other two squad mates also unloaded their BCRs into that general direction. To their right, the sergeant's squad ran forward, sliding into cover before motioning for Cherdenko's squad to move up and letting loose with a barrage of their own.

"Go go go!" He shouted as they climbed up and ran for a dip between two hills for cover. Bullets whizzed passed them as they dove into the dirt. A cry out in pain behind them informed Cherdenko someone didn't make it. He listened for a second to see if they were dead or wounded. Another cry informed them they were still alive. He looked around to see who was missing, Joseph made it, as did Pavel, meaning that Lee was the one down.

"Suppress them Joseph!" He shouted, before reaching over and stealing a bleed kit from Pavel's bag. Hugging the ground, he crawled towards Lee and hoped he could get him behind some cover. Somewhere behind him, the Sargent was moving up. A rocket streamed overhead from friendly lines, explosions and gunfire filled the air.

It didn't take long to find Lee, a bullet had sidestepped his armor and caught just next to his shoulder. The Anuien was screaming in his native Akoowan, leaving Cherdenko to try what little Spanish he remembered from training to communicate with his newest squadmate.

"Ayudo te!" He shouted at his wounded comrade before pulling him by this armor behind a fallen tree. Falling to the ground behind what little cover it provided, Cherdenko ripped open the bleed kit and began to plug the bullet wound as bullets continued to wizz overhead.

The whistling overhead caught Cherdenko's attention; he had served long enough to recognize the company's mortar battery. "Get down!" He shouted before covering Lee's body with his own. The explosions rocked the earth ahead of his squad. He couldn't see what was being hit, but he hoped it was the tree line. The reverberations of shells exploding continued as shouts and screams continued around him.


In a few minutes it was all over. The battlefield fell eerily silent. Cherdenko continued patching up his comrade best he could before telling him to stay put in his own Zvezdan tongue. Rifle up, he looked over the tree at the rest of his squad, still hugging the dirt with guns pointed forward. Ahead of them, the once threatening tree line was now a few vertical sticks, scattered and charred. Shattered wood and debris were scattered among the holes made by 80mm mortar fire.

Behind them, additional troops were running up, rifles ready. Cherdenko turned around to see friendly militia approaching. He called for a medic and two rushed to their spot. Cherdenko helped as they got Lee loaded onto a stretcher, and then ran back to his squad and Sargent.

"Corporal Cherdenko, Is Lee still alive?"

"Da Comrade Sargent, they are pulling him back to safety."

The Sargent nodded:
"Good. So now we need to dig in and wait for the Federals. Joseph, this is yours and Lee's first combat. So normally this is the point where we dig in. Then the Sargent Minor Federov, or whoever is in charge of the Platoon, informs company command we've made contact. Then wait for more orders. Normally that's a few days of chasing Craxx insurgents in the woods. Normally on our own, but this time we have a Federal Army company with us. So hopefully we won't be directly assaulting a Craxx base this time."

Cherdenko saw the look in Joseph's eyes at the idea of assaulting a Craxx base.

"Like the Sergeant said, we probably won't be spearheading anything for a while. Just stay low and unload belts where we tell you to, and you'll be fine."