Lowest Common Denominator

[Deamonopolis]

Hammurabi, Deamonopolis

As far as things go in life, life in Deamonopolis is quite similar to every other day of the week. A pattern similar to seasons or numbers on a clock. Get up, exercise, eat your government mandated eight hundred calorie breakfast, take the train or bus to work, work, debate Marxist film theory in the Workers Council Debate Club during your break, don't forget presence is mandatory, eat lunch in the factory cafetaria, continue to work, go home or watch a movie at a theatre. Go to the library to play chess or read a book. Six days a week of continuation of forever-the-same. And the only day off for a worker, Thursday, means you must spend time with your family. If you don't have a family, take care of your parents. When you're alone, you must take a trip out to the countryside. Being alone, reclusive or anything that might point to eccentric behavior is a guaranteed way to draw the attention of the security apparatus. On every factory floor, office, farm, any place where people congregate for either work or leisure, there are government agents present. One half is always looking at the other and neither side knows who's who. One might even be watching somebody else unknowingly. There's dissent, nothing significant the government promises virtually every day. It's that uneasy feeling of knowing they're not telling the truth but you cannot quite explain your sense of discomfort. People have seen the strange markings on the walls of the ancient soukhs in Hammurabi, Samarkand, Mohenjo-Daro and other major industrial cities. Socialism has been achieved, rigid, institutionalized egalitarianism is government policy. Radical Theory is the basis of the nation. But all of that won't stop people from attending those out-of-the-way smoky bars in crowded bazaars, young men and women watch your every move with shifty eyes, read forbidden literature and discuss subjects best left undiscussed. While it might constitute a threat to the regime, firmly in power since the Glorious Revolution against the Old Guard of monarchists, capitalists and slavers, the regime sort-of tolerates the existence of minor outlets of dissent. The reasoning behind this is, as long as the regime remains, opposition exists. Controlled opposition is easier to dismantle when the time comes. That time is now.

The economy of Deamonopolis, a combination of a radical socialist method of production coupled with collective ownership of all the means of production by the workers - in turn the workers are members of Workers Councils who are, in their turn, controlled by government apparatchiks. And the factories produce cheap and efficiently for the megacorpotations in the region of Greater Dienstad. Money is a strange concept, alien to many youngsters, as money in the traditional sense does not exist. Instead, vouchers are issued and citizens can choose which kind of voucher they require at the end of the month when its payday. For example, during summer less people choose 'heating oil' vouchers so they have more points remaining during winter to withdraw vouchers to heat their downright sad apartments. This system is about as tight as it gets; slip ups are rare and over the course of years the system has been perfected to fit the needs of all the workers. Money does circulate, mostly pre-revolutionary coins or tokens issued by small shops that circulate as money. Trade with Greater Dienstad usually revolves around barter. We produce your goods for something that's basically slave labor in the next country and we get whatever we need in return. The arrangement has been like that for years and has been profitable for the counterparty and brought stability and a low but steady standard of living for Deamonopolis. In relation to their capitalist counterparts in the region of Greater Dienstad, Deamonopolis workers receive quite a handsome salary in terms of goods and services. The value of those goods and services though, is appalling.

Despite the difficulties of running an economy that doesn't have money issued by a government entity such as a central bank or the treasury - the Deamonopolis economy is a delicate balance that benefits both sides of the balance sheet. Today, the pendulum swings from prosperity to recession and from there towards an unknown future. Due to the isolated nature of the country, its political system, lack of foreign influence, the economy of Deamonopolis was able to exist in a state of blissful equilibrium. A bank collapses? Deamonopolis doesn't have banks or financial markets. The old stockmarket building, a grand and beautiful 19th century palace of marble statues, alabaster ornaments, is now a museum dedicated to the ills of capitalism. The only potential disaster that could happen is Deamonopolis' sizeable foreign reserves vanishing from its vaults - though most of it is kept in gold, silver and the ancient dynasty's imperial jewelry and art collection. The only open market operations conducted by the Deamonopolis Ministry of Finance are done in Stevid by buying or selling bullion on the open market to raise cash or to get rid of excess foodstuff reserves.

This recession, or perhaps even depression, was going to be different and government economists and analysts knew that. It'd be a stretch to say they were hoping for such a huge crisis but that's the inherent nature of radical socialism - hoping for the collapse of capitalism and the start of a Global Revolution - means you are prepared at all times. It has been a mission of the government ever since the Glorious Revolution, to try and steer events towards global socialism. What better time is a worldwide crisis of capitalism, or at least, a time when poverty will soar and people will question the very economic forces that caused them this misery? Valid questions and the only valid answer is: throw off your shackles, for that is the only thing a worker has to lose!

First things first. Socialism is not viewed as the problem in Deamonopolis by its opponents. No, it's the regime itself. A coalition of anarchists, syndicalists, left communists and a ragtag bunch of other radicals have decided to set aside their differences on how to interpret true socialism and have united in their hatred of President-for-Life Sayyid Qutb. An intellectual, a writer, a poet and Islamist Socialist. Recently he dropped the Islamist bit and made the country officially secular. Qutb and his companions were made aware of these developments by the Coalition of the Radical Left, as they were called by government intelligence organisations, and were, to put it mildly, alarmed by the sudden cooperation between former enemies. This global recession is going to test the ability of the regime to stay in control. Demand for Deamonopolis products, machines and other goods made for the international market is going to take a nosedive as demand plunges. The regime is going to face its most crucial test since the Glorious Revolution. In a recent speech by President Sayyid Qutb, he warned the nation for the 'nefarious influence' of outside factors beyond our control. Little did he know the world economy could spiral out of control in a matter of days - a fate that might befall Deamonopolis if the government fails to dismantle the controlled opposition and smash the radicals before they can rally support for their cause.

[Deamonopolis]

Hammurabi, Deamonopolis

Excerpt from the President-for-Life's recent speech, written by the honorable and most venerate Teacher, Leader, Dedicated Father, Sayyid Qutb:

[...] "My friends, my citizens, heroes of the glorious revolution. I must issue a dire warning about the future. We are seeing evidence of resistance growing, and with a potential global recession on our doorstep, the problems of our beautiful nation and our way of life are being threatened. A shadow of despair is cloaking the world and covering our dreams and the future in deep darkness. Events far away are changing our prosperous, joyous way of life. Threatening our happiness and attacking our freedom. This evil was spawned by the actions of a few, a few nothings who have decided to throw the whole fragile capitalist system into chaos. While our Juche ideology and related economic models will shield us from the inevitable economic fallout, hard times are upon us unfortunately. That we must take the necessary precautions, speaks for itself. As the greatest minds of the past have written before about the strength and endurance of the Deamonopoli people, only weakness can bend us, only fractures can break us. We are neither weak nor fractured. We are one, a unique people with a unique heritage. Our heritage and culture are threatened by the capitalist crisis, and I fear these degenerates will 'capitalize', so to say, on this moment of weakness, while we're hard at work to tame the crisis and come out of it stronger and more united than ever. Vigilance is what's needed now in these troubled days. Around every corner, in every house, in every bazaar or workshop, a potential terrorist might be hiding, plotting to murder you and your loved ones.

[...] My intelligence agencies have pointed my attention to several attempts at infiltration of our government institutions and subversion within factories, foundries and farms, trying to seduce our most vulnerable citizens, the workers, eternal victim of capitalist oppression into the arms of radical armed resistance. Such treason will end hanging from the gallows. My intelligence agencies are certain that this 'Coalition of the Radical Left', as we call them, is actively working to undermine the fundamentals of our glorious revolution alongside several Islamist factions. I give you this warning that, if violence returns to our plazas and thoroughfare, do not be afraid to man the guns, to fight with your comrades, to build barricades and to defend our motherland from the terrorist hordes. I guarantee that whatever resistance might arise against the only legitmate state, the government and my unquestioned position, shall be on the receiving end of the bayonet. Bullets shall pierce all those who stand up to lawful authorities. The bodies of all traitors shall be piled up as high as their homes after we burn every last memory of their wretched lives to the ground. Now, the most noble task of wiping away all vermin, rats and dogs from our streets will begin once resistance starts in earnest. A pre-emptive special action against those who dare stand up against the rightful rulers of these lands. Hunt down all the criminals and kill them like the cowardly dogs that they are. The blood of the martyr never dries up, the soul of the martyr never dies.

[...] I readily admit the economy of Deamonopolis has gone through tremendous difficulty and the collectivization of agriculture was met with heavy resistance from the farmers, encouraged by their former masters, but we have succeeded. We shall overcome these economic difficulties. Let it be known and heard in every street of Hammurabi, on every ricepatch, in every orchard, in every mine or claypit, that the days of treason and insubordination are definitively numbered. Report all anti-state activities to the police. Be a model citizen and as expected one must do its civic duty. If an honest person sees something, he or she will say something.

[Deamonopolis]

Early hours of Monday, August 27th
Kitay Steppe

The Republican Guard, the paramilitary arm of the Deamonopolis Armed Forces, were out in strength this morning in the coastal city of Mohenjo-Daro. This important city has seen the beginning of the May 19 Uprising against the monarchy in 1958 as well as the start of the Glorious Revolution three decades later. The revolutionary atmosphere coupled with many citizens who remember both important events, live on and the cry for revolution has never truly died down in this port city. Demonstrations and strikes have always been more frequent in these parts of the country than anywhere else and, compared with the capital city of Hammurabi, Mohenjo-Daro is a historic hotbed for fervent radicalism. Rumor has it that the Coalition of the Radical Left has decided to move operations here and word on the street is they are working on something big. At least, that's what blurry state media sources tell us and equally vague intelligence people. Some bright minds speculate all of this, the recession, is nothing but a big setup by the government to clean up and tie up any loose ends remaining after the revolution, a better opportunity has not presented itself since. What's more, now that the regime is firmly in power and President-for-Life Sayyid Qutb reigns with unquestioned authority, the time has come to reaffirm his position to the rest of the world and release the full potential of Deamonopolis industry. Yet more important matters had to be addressed before anything was possible on the international stage. Qutb, knew the situation between Golgoth, Automagfreek on one hand and the blockade on the other side was a perfect opportunity to align itself to the 'right' side of international diplomacy; it could even act as a mediator. However none of that is going to matter if Deamonopolis can't even get its own inhouse act together.

"Where are you taking us?" one of the individuals, heads covered with a black rag and hands cuffed, dared to ask one of the heavily armed guards while the truck carried them off in the early morning hours, into the vast emptiness of the Kitay Steppes. "Don't ask any questions." a guard replied, "you'll know when we're there." The prisoner remained silent for the remainder of the journey, affraid to be beaten to death like a stray dog with rifle butthooks, a fate that befell a fellow inmate who cried and begged to be released. The guards showed no mercy and kept beating him until there was nothing left of him, as an example, several others where shot in the head. Probably left for dead on the steppe ground, nobody with the power to put a stop to this insanity seemed to care. Hours later, the trucks stopped where the world could end. Under a sky as deep black as ink, the serene milkyway was visible across the sky dome dotted with hundreds of thousands of lone stars. Hundreds of miles in every direction there was nothing. Only a windswept stretch of land, thousands of miles of grass. Towards the north, barely visible in the darkness, are the Kush Mountains, the Holy Peaks, an ancient sacred site inhabited by mystical and reclusive Islamic holy men. That's where the world ends, where the power of Sayyid Qutb stops and where thousand year old mysteries begin. A colonel of the Republican Guard, his name eludes me, ordered to unload all trucks. People were dragged out, beaten, kicked, spat at, some fools who tried to resist were immediately shot. Others were given shovels and ordered to start digging pits, what would become their own shallow grave. Many of them were crying, praying and looking up to the dark sky while trucklights illuminated what would become the site of cruelty. Those who refused to comply with the captain's orders would've probably been hanged or beheaded if it were in the city. Over here, there were only bullets and buttstocks.

After some time, when the pits were deep enough and the layer of permafrost was reached, the captain ordered all prisoners to line up on the egde of the pits. As I recall, it must've been hundreds of people. Men, women, children from all walks of life. Some were Baath Party members, factory workers, mothers, children. I don't know what they've done, their responsibilities or what prompted the government to abruptly end their lives. It didn't matter, when you're dragged out of your bed, thrown in the back of a truck in the middle of the night, there's no escaping. Some people whisper about bribing the truckdriver and their guards with a few loose gems or a gold coin, but that's myth. Nobody has ever lived to entertain people with a heroic tale about an escape from the death marches or the dreaded truckloads of people driving off into the night, never to return. The guards were checking their rifles as the cold and paralyzed group stood there, waiting. Blinded by the trucklights, the only thing they could identify was the silhouette of their executioner. Shortly before the ad-hoc executions would commence, the captain told one of his guards to check all corpses for valuables and to burn all identity papers and personal belongings, except clothes.

Munition was passed around, the guards were told to extinguish their cigarettes. "Attention, guardsmen.", the captain said, softly, for the quiet of the steppe didn't require a loud scream to order soldiers around. All of them lined up. Between the moment of movement, preparing their rifles, aiming, and the final order, I swear I could hear the hearts of the condemned beating. The eerie quiet was absolute and like a thunderflash out of nothing, the gunshots ripped through the unprotected bodies of the wretched, as they cut through flesh, fell down in the pit. Another group of damned was brought forth, the processed repeated itself four or five times. When it was all done, the guards leaped onto the poor bodies and began digging through pockets, cutting up clothes in search for whatever might be worth something on the black market. Not much of value was found and just like the captain ordered, all items identifying those were burned. The pits were left open for the jackalls and vultures to feast.

ooc - from here on, it's becoming clear that severe massacres are taking place and likely that international media are reporting on it.

[Rich and Corporations]

The Corporate Confederacy condemns Deamonopolis for their Keynesian approach to solving unemployment. As a result, we have recommended to domestic enterprises to engage in a boycott with your nation, irregardless of the lack of trade.
-Foreign Minister David Gray.

[Deamonopolis]

The Corporate Confederacy condemns Deamonopolis for their Keynesian approach to solving unemployment. As a result, we have recommended to domestic enterprises to engage in a boycott with your nation, irregardless of the lack of trade.
-Foreign Minister David Gray.

The Republic of Deamonopolis feels no need to reply to this message in great detail, save for the most essential part: your opinions are discarded as irrelevant and unwanted. We welcome a corporate boycott by you. Rich and Corporations is clearly a nation catering exclusively to the needs and wants of capitalist scum. A boycott makes us feel proud we have accomplished a post-capitalist state and are therefore not concerned by your petty capitalist grievances.We deal with our internal problems and if that does not seem to live up to your standards, then so be it.

Respectfully yours,
Foreign Secretary Mustapha Dinmohamed

[Deamonopolis]

Presidential yurt,
Hammurabi
August 29th, 2012

Omar Suleiman, chief of intelligence and one of the president's most trustworthy advisors, was summoned to the president's yurt this beautiful late August morning to present a briefing on the latest status of operations currently ongoing in Deamonopolis. So far very few have noticed what was going in Deamonopolis and even a reputable nation such as Yohannes, the first of probably many countries to be honored with a Deamonopolis diplomatic programme, have shown very little care or interest to address the Deamonopolis' regime's horrid human rights record and ongoing 'stability' operations. Neither was there any incentive by major media outlets to even mention it on the 8 o'clock news anywhere in the world - many bigger things were happening elsewhere. A backwater Arab socialist dictatorship on the far outskirts of a distant region does not appeal to the average nuclear family eating their processed meal in front of the television. Omar Suleiman and the home office secretary Mahamed Sedatty were fully aware of this blackhole in worldwide media attention and it gave them the courage and motivation to continue. It might even pave the way for bold moves in the future. Suleiman's plans are summarized and shortened for formatting purposes, and here's a small selection of his speech. It was spoken in absolute secrecy and only the most inner clique of president Sayyid Qutb's regime was allowed to listen to Mr Suleiman.

"Wise men of the president's ministries, the cabinet, our noble armed forces. It is with great respect and admiration for the armed forces that I can say what they have accomplished the last weeks is nothing short of a miracle. Praise the president's wisdom for guiding us through this dark valley of despair and ignorance. Our operations against the barbarian dissenters, the troublemakers, the provocateurs and saboteurs is proceeding all according to plan. So far our loyal troops have neutralized no less than three thousand cowardly dogs, many of whom were hanged like a traitor while others were executed only worthy of the worst blasphemers. A well deserved and timely death my dear colleagues. But I must also address some negative news, the radicals, the traitors of the Coalition of the Radical Left are closely collaborating with fundamentalist imams. Closing down the Madrasah [Qu'ran Schools] and mosques did not have the desired effect and I fear many have moved their operations to the Kush mountain provinces, where they can continue their hateful teachings undisturbed. I believe we must send an expedition into the Kush mountains to break the resistance of the Clerics and Muslim Scholars. On one hand we must consider this dangerous operation on the other hand we will upset and alienate a large part of the superstitious population who fear the old mystics living in the most secluded mountain monastaries and I doubt many soldiers are eager to thread aggressively in the Kush Mountains, home of countless ancient mysteries and temples of the Old Gods.

On the topic of Coalition of the Radical Left and fundamentalist cooperation and their recent origins. Islamic nihilism and radical left wing philosophy go hand-in-hand and it might constitute a great threat to our regime if we leave them undisturbed. Our intelligence community has signalled a shift from regular theological teachings and Shar'iah Law to more radical interpretations of the Qu'ran coupled with Islamic Socialist Theory. It is my belief, unfortunate as it may be, that early teachings of our own government's ideology of 'Radical Theory of the Arab Socialist State', excluding religious influence of course, may have been a catalyst for fundamentalists and far left radicals to develop their own ideology using official government ideology as a basis. Their theories do not exclude terrorism as a method to achieve change, I must add. It is for that reason alone that we must act swiftly and decisively. It should not come as a surprise that the very people we target during the ongoing security operations are the very people most likely to fall under the influence of fundamentalists. So far we lack the means to deal with fundamentalist missionaries working in the cities and Worker's Councils. These emissaries usually preach after dawn and regardless of our efforts of closing down mosques known to preach anti-state sermons, it remains to be seen how effective we can be to root out their nefarious influence in several key segments of society. But we must not exaggerate what is happening. There will always be preachers of hate and such, but taking away their audience is basically the next best thing in getting rid of the problem.

It is a noteworthy conclusion that we must emphasize on the painstaking process we are going through to destroy the terrorist threat, in some cases real, in most others perceived, to secure funds from international sources to upgrade our military. My dear colleague Mahamed Sedatty has written an extensive report on investment opportunities and the areas concerned, fifteen out of one hundred potential locations selected, are deemed insecure. That is a very acceptable figure but we must not go with that to draw investors. Instead I propose to raise the possibility of a terrorist threat substantially to reduce robber barons and only seek out the most serious and dedicated companies to invest in our primary economic activities - mining and agriculture. As long as we continue to shed light on the terrorist threat that can destabilize our regime - putting investors in jeopardy - we can tap multiple sources of funding. That is; 1) to fight terrorism; 2) reduce the influence of the Madrasah; 3) upgrade our armed forces; 4) investment and 5) improvement of diplomatic relations. Everything and more can be read with annotations and sources in the latest security analysis report released by the DISA [Deamonopolis Intelligence and Security Authority]. Further information is available on request."

[Deamonopolis]

Kush Mountains
Potala monastery

Rich fumes of hypnotic incense curled and leapt across the grand hall of the most ancient of all monasteries in the holy mountains of the Kush, imams, the grand mufti of the Potala and hundreds of children, scholars and teachers have congregated to listen to the words of the oldest of the wise men. Some whisper he’s at least three hundred years of age, according to rumors he remembers and still hears the first gunshot fired in the sacred mountain valleys, he remembers seeing the foreign treasure hunters and grave robbers of the 19th century, the Emir’s royal gendarmerie in the 1920s and closer to our current year, the president’s godless army launching more and more punitive expeditions into the Kush Mountains to destroy every madrasah in the region, to burn scriptures written by dedicated men of the one true God. A robed man, the most elder wiseman, stood up from his cushion and performed rituals dating back to the days of the Old Gods.

The Elder was burning dried leaves of a magical plant in a small fire in the middle of the hall, smoke hypnotized everybody, drowsing all spectators in a dreamlike state, visions became reality, the poetry sang by the monks, the atmosphere was heavy, shapeless and surreal. The elder moved away from this earthly plane, he was reaching beyond, for he knew the Mahdi was present in the chamber. Just a mere mentioning of a new Mahdi would invoke the most furious wrath of the regime in Hammurabi. There is only one thing that this imposterous betrayer, that heretic president and his coterie of unbelievers fear more than anything else. Not even everlasting torture whilst hanging from the tree of Zaqqum in the fiery abyss of Jahannam, no that is child’s play. His earthly delights and power will end when he knows the return of the Mahdi is imminent. The Great Mahdi is the only person strong enough to withstand the bullets of the army, has the willpower needed to convince the masses that true Islam can destroy that wretched socialist state of his. Scholars and teachers leaned forward and whispered to one another. All of this is forbidden knowledge, punishable by death. The godless soldiers would drag us all to Revolution Square in the heart of godlessness Hammurabi where we will face the guillotine. Nobody has yet dare to usher the incantation to summon the Mahdi to reveal himself. The books have remained sealed ever since the firebreathing vessels of 1862 and 1877 dropped their anchors, when their minions disembarked on our shores looking for adventure, to pillage our tombs and to impose on us their crooked values. Times are as perilous today as they were then. But wait! The elder speaks. The chamber falls silent, save for the howling wind outside.

“… Great Mahdi, messenger, Guided One of the the One God, Allah, enlighten us with your divine wisdom. Share your visions and speak of great and wondrous battles, the final battle against the heathens in the Godforsaken city of Hammurabi, the ancient City of Demons, the Daemonopolis, the mystics have warned us of their dark influence and it is ever creeping closer to our sanctuary. It lays a cloak of hopelessness and fear over the land.The yawm al-qiyamah [day of judgement] draws near, oh Great Mahdi, the sinners shall be purged with holy fire, the righteous handle the scimatar, for I know you are with us in the sacred home of our master, we submit to His glory, we ask you Great Mahdi, we beg you, show yourself! Bring forth the tomes of wisdom…!”

The heavy double wooden doors of the chamber opened and and servants carried the thousand year old manuscripts with them, draped in black silk woven with gold. On a basalt altar on the far end of the chamber the three manuscripts were carefully placed, while monks began to chant hymns to honor the manuscripts. All three of them were locked and sealed with wax. “It is time to break the seals and reveal that which is written within. Great Mahdi, once the incantation is finished, reveal yourself!” After breaking the seals and opening the locks, a fairly mundane happening in this unworldly setting, thus the elder began the marvellous and incredible poetic incantation. Words cannot describe the incredible lull of the powerful voice of the elder, all of us were under a spell. It might have been hours, it could have been minutes, but his voice went soft and eventually quiet. Even the wind died down outside of the monastery. Nobody was dared to or was able to make a noise. Somewhere in the chamber, a nameless individual stood up. His name was Abdul Gerbil Nasrallah but now it was no longer relevant, for he was the Mahdi. Everybody looked at him, in absolute awe. His eyes were pale, he was shaking visibly.

The elder walked up to him, he raised his arms to heaven, “Inshallah, this man will rid us forevermore of the vermin in Hammurabi! Allahu ackbar, greatness awaits us all! He shall slay the beast Qutb, he will vanquish all our enemies! You have arrived after one hundred and thirty five years, you have finally returned. We live in a time of great uncertainty. Your tasks are daunting and numerous. You must concentrate on that, you must meditate and study the Qu’ran and other holy scriptures by the first scribes of this monastery. Our only task is to serve you and if needed, we will die a martyr’s death in your honor. We must keep this ritual secret. We cannot trust anyone outside the walls of the monastery. If the godless dogs ever discover what we know, their airplanes will demolish this divine site. Until we are ready to fight, we cannot inform our friends and allies elsewhere in the country.”

“My teacher, my friend,” one of the imams exclaimed, addressing the elder, “our friends in the field are far from reliable. Many of them cling on the same idiocy as the president. They call themselves all sorts of names and call themselves muslim, but I fear they are not the sort of friends we are looking for. We are united in our hatred, but not in faith. Their sense of religion is primitive and I doubt they will acknowledge the arrival of the Mahdi as their ruler. A great many followers have already been executed and one of our scouts sighted a military truck carrying soldiers and their henchmen, the militias, scouring the valleys of our warriors. I believe that this Coalition of the Radical Left, as the president puts it, is our silent enemy and try to use our numbers to further their political agenda. We cannot put our trust in their hands but unfortunately, we are facing an uphill battle of fighting two battles simultaneously. I am very worried.”

“Your worries are genuine and I feel your concern my friend,” the elder replied, “but ‘tis with good reason that you are called Karwan the Doubter, but you are right, our allies are not righteous Islamic warriors we can rely on. But once the Jihad against the unbeliever begins, the Mahdi fights on our side and our side only. When the Great Mahdi has finished learning, all shall become clear. Now, we must pray.”

[Deamonopolis]

“Where is Yusuf the Silent?” the elder inquired. “I haven’t seen him since the ritual.”

Kush Mountains
Military camp Kot-Diji

“Salaam aleikum, commander Hafez, I bring urgent news. The local pasha of the town of Kot-Diji to the north of our camp has called our communications department with a troubling message. A sheepherder has found a man on a deserted mountain path, shivering and delirious. The pasha ordered to bring him to the village gathering yurt where his wounds and ills are being treated. Nobody knows who the man is, for he was only able to speak for a short time. He claims to be a government agent. He escaped the monastery of Potala where he has witnessed a ritual, the three books of Qadesh have been unsealed and a new Mahdi is upon us. After that, he fainted. His condition is stable.”

Commander Hafez blinked several times as he was reaching for a papyrosa cigarette and his table lighter. He drew heavily on the cigarette, exhaling the blue colored smoke whilst looking out the window of his office. Down in the valley the weather was perfect, only a few clouds and lots of sunshine. It was getting colder though, in a month the first snow would fall. Right up there in the mountains, where the Potala is, a gale was blowing; snow was blown off the peaks, a curtain of white crystal. He could see it from his position on the bottom of the valley. Getting permission to travel to the Potala and investigate without solid evidence would take at least a week, godawful bureaucratic mess. Improvise, Hafez, improvise. If the Mahdi is there, then we cannot hesitate. But without evidence, save for the ravings of a delirious man and the Pasha's word, he couldn't even get permission for a scouting party to look around over there.
“Private Dawud, are you quite sure? This is not a fable or an old wives tale? If true, this is very worrisome. We must investigate immediately irregardless of what Hammurabi might say about this. If we fail to act, the consequences will be dire.”

“Commander Hafez I swear to all that is sacred that I speak truth and truth only.”

“I believe you private Dawud. You are dismissed.”

“Yes sir.” Dawud hadn’t even left the office when Hafez grabbed the telephone. Asking permission would take at least a full week. There was no time for that. “Communication. I want every able man and the logistical division front and center on the exercise terrain within ten minutes sharp. We must mount an expedition as soon as possible.” His order was repeated and confirmed. Less than ten minutes later, his staff and all of the camp’s soldiers were present in front of the main barracks.
“Young men,” commander Hafez said through a microphone, “I know you have all heard private Dawud’s story. This is reason for great concern and apprehension. The implications of a new Mahdi are far greater than any of us can comprehend. The town of Kot-Diji is less than an hour from here and lies on the main route to the Potala. We must investigate whether the pasha is telling the truth and if possible, interrogate the unknown person who escaped the Potala monastery. If the weather permits, and I fear not, it’s at least another nineteen hours from Kot-Diji to the highest pass and a two hour hike to the fortress monastery. There is no time to waste, get your weapons and equipment. We leave within ten minutes. Go now.”

********

Kush Mountains
Town of Kot-Diji

Ayyub Pasha, the mayor of the town of Kot-Diji welcomed commander Hafez and invited him into the villgage gathering yurt, honoring his guest with tea, milk and buttery pastries. Ayyub Pasha was a charming man of around sixty and a dedicated member of president Sayyid Qutb’s Baath Party. The Pasha is a reliable, trustworthy man and I couldn’t think of a more honest person. He informed Hafez of what happened, the condition of the unknown traveller, whether he was a government agent or not, but sadly, he was not able to speak. Ayyub Pasha told us that many strange things have happened the last few days around the Potala monastery. Guards armed with spears, bow and arrow and even matchlock rifles are seen patrolling the surrounding mountain passes and lower pastures, the ancient spires overlooking the valley are manned day and night; smoke rises from the grand hall’s chimney of the monastery – something that hasn’t happened for at least one hundred years! “People are afraid of the monastery, my dear commander Hafez. We hear terrible rumors. We hear their maddening temple bells in the darkest hours of night, echoing through the valley like banshee screams. Everywhere people are afraid, and to be frank, so am I. But I must stay strong for my people; I ask you, commander Hafez, please find out what is happening. Is it true that they have found the new Mahdi?”

“I have no idea my friend. We must look into the matter before I can draw any conclusions. It seems to me that there’s too much at stake here to disregard this story as mere fantasy or something similar. I don’t think it would be wise to wait around any longer, it’s a very long trip to the monastery and we must get going right away.” As Hafez stood up, Ayyub Pasha reached for his hand and held it firmly, “Please be very careful Hafez my friend, stay vigilant.” Hafez smiled as he left the yurt.

A detachment of trucks, around ten or so, along with several jeeps, began their ascent to the monastery. There was no point in trying to hide or stay invisible; scouts or spies can spot us from miles away and warn the guards to take their positions to ambush us. The warrior monks of the Potala are known for their endurance in battle but their weapons and crude and ineffective. That is our only advantage. Hafez was hoping for a short confrontation but he knows that is nonsense; to them dying a martyr’s death is the highest attainable honor. The journey itself was uneventful; the scenic beauty is nothing short of staggering and the weather was being kind on the travelling soldiers. As they went higher in the mountains, the air became thinner. So the medic passed around leaves of coca and qat to chew on, it relieves you of altitude sickness. The road was perilous and a steep ravine with a raging river down below would spell certain death for the unlucky souls to have an accident here. After many long hours of driving, with a short break to eat and rest along the way, the next morning an incredible sight was to behold. "Look there!", one of the party's soldiers yelled enthousiastically. The contrast between the steel blue sky and furthest reaches of the highest pass revealed the golden domes of the Potala monastery. Smoke was indeed rising from the highest central chimney, just as loyal Ayyub Pasha told Hafez. The guard spires were everywhere; there is no doubt in any man's mind we are being watched by peering, restless eyes, the people in the monastery are fully aware of our presence near their holy site. Even though visual contact has been established, it would take at least another five hours to actually get there, that does not include the two hour hike to the massive outer gates.

[Deamonopolis]

Kush Mountains
Potala monastery

It appeared to the truck drivers the road was starting to become too dangerous to drive safely on, so Hafez ordered all truck drivers to stay behind along with several soldiers doing logistics. “We are likely to stay up there for fortyeight hours, if we stay there any longer, assume something has happened to us and go back immediately and don’t wait around. Inform my superiors of the events of the last couple of days and cite Ayyub Pasha’s story. They will pick up where we have left. Is this understood?” All remaining soldiers confirmed and commander Hafez ordered all the others to grab as much munition as possible, rations, spare clothes and some other items. A very narrow mountainpath lies in front and above them, the dreaded monastery. During the climb, the soldiers were anxious but positive about their mission at the same time.

“Commander Hafez, may I ask you a question?”

“Sure, sergeant Saif al-Chamoun. Ask away.”

“Who built this monastery, how old is it?”

“Nobody knows for sure sergeant. Some say it dates back to the earliest days of Islamic conversion in the region. Others claim a mythical version of the same story, that it was constructed in a single day and night by a poweful, omnipotent force. Many say the place is a center for supernatural events. But I think it all boils down to local legends and superstition.” The soldiers climbed onwards and there was no sign of a threat or ambush. Either all of the stories told by the Pasha and the mysterious man were untrue or maybe they were waiting for the right moment to attack us. There is very little cover on the way up, the monastery is silent and no sign of activity could be seen anywhere. After a while of climbing over loose rocks, the trail lingered upwards and sometimes, soldiers would stop and gaze in awe at the huge building on top of the mountain pass, slowly moving higher. As the party reached the heavy wooden gate, commander Hafez ordered all of his men to halt. It wasn’t very likely they’d be allowed in, being part of the president’s army, this monastery was known for the fanatic nature of the warrior monks, but returning for not being allowed in was not an option. After coming all this way, being turned back at the door would be a humiliation.

“Commander, sir, what are we going to do?”

“At ease private. I’m not going to test my patience until they start shooting at us or until we freeze to death. Engineers, I want you to blow up this door. Detonate the locks and approximate location of the hinges, use a sufficient amount of C4.” The engineers began, as they were ordered, to place the explosive charges on the gates, primers and all that is necessary for a successful demolition. Some time later, I recall, commander Hafez ordered everybody to take cover while the engineers were making the final preperations. “Fire in the hole…!” The soldiers scrambled to shield themselves from the blast, covering their ears, a few seconds later a massive explosion ripped through the valley, repeating itself ever more distant as the soundwaves echoed from mountainside to the opposite and back, blowing the gates open. Hafez and his soldiers took up defensive positions, aiming their semi-automatic rifles and machineguns at the gates, anticipating a counterattack of some sorts. Minutes of agonizing patience, waiting for what may come, did not pan out; nobody came out, there were no screams, no voices, no footsteps on fortified walls above the gate, only a galeforce wind picking up strength, sweeping the mountainpass, forcing Hafez to order his men to the safety of the monastery’s interior.

“Sir, commander Hafez. I fear everybody has departed the monastery long before we arrived here. Perchance they have taken a most difficult route down, on the north face of the pass, to the other side of the mountains?” One of the privates, clearly, standing aghast at the situation they’ve encountered. On the courtyard, above them, gray clouds twisted into impossible shapes as the wind was playing around with them as if it were a predator toying with its prey moments before death.

“Fear not private Moussadegh, first we must establish what has happened here, see if we can find vital clues on whether the new Mahdi is upon us. If true, then the three books of Qadesh must be around. I am quite sure the monastery’s brothers and imams have fled to evade capture and interrogation, they must’ve gone in a hurry. We must map and explore the complex, I suggest we split up into groups of three, break open all doors and use a cannister of spraypaint to mark all doors, starting with the number of your unit plus numbering the doors. Sergeant Saif al-Chamoun will take care of that. Me and private Dawud are going to explore on our own terms.” All soldiers saluted their commander and the sergeant assigned a numerical code to every three-man unit.

It did not take long for the units to find out the location of the library, the kitchen, the grand hall, meditation cells and other monastic chambers. Nowhere did anyone see or hear any of the monastery’s inhabitants, except signs of very recent activity. In the kitchen, soup was still boiling in a kettle, scribes left their manuscripts on the pristine page they were writing on, ink was drying on the quill pen but still wet, tools and ropes were dropped where they were used, cushions were still warm of lenghtly bodily contact, candles and fireplaces were burning fiercely, yet not a single sign of life.

Every part of the monastery was mapped and earmarked with utmost precision and care and professionality, commander Hafez ordered all of his men not touch any of the ancient artefacts of the monastery. “We are exploring a sacred site, we are not the graverobbers of old”, he often repeated. Respectfully and dutifully, his men obliged. After several hours of mapping the grand building, Hafez noted that of all the chambers, the library was beyond a doubt the single most impressive. The library itself with a multi-storey, fairly large structure on the far end of the courtyard and only two gates connected it with the rest of the monastery; one leads to the grand hall where, according to the sickly escapee, the ritual was performed, and one other door leads to the librarian’s room. There where no windows anywhere in the library walls. I am putting a questionmark behind librarian in my report because I am unsure whether it was the librarian or perhaps the mufti’s chambers, I am not entirely convinced. Commander Hafez summoned all of us to the library because he believes he’s found something very important. On the fourth and highest floor of the library, out of reach for common brothers and students obviously, in a single room without bookshelves, desks or any other item, perched on a simple granite pedestal measuring 4’ by 2’, a gilden wooden vessel, an ark was placed on top, adorned with Qu’ran verses, inlaid with emeralds and rubies and, highly unusual for an Islamic piece of art, two golden statuattes on what appeared to be the lid.

Hafez carefully inspected the vessel, and mumbled he’d seen this before, in a movie. When sergeant al-Chamoun asked which movie, Hafez raised his shoulders and replied he didn’t remember what movie, but it was “definitely around 1980.” The inscriptions on the lid weren’t Arab or Farsi, the two main languages of Deamonopolis. Instead, it was Hebrew and Aramic. Languages nobody’s familiar with unless you’re a scholar or a university professor. There was no way this vessel could be transported off the mountain without the aid of a cablecart. “Let’s see whats inside” Hafez said, and ordered four men to lift the heavy lid and reveal the contents of the vessel. “Careful, we don’t want to break it,” Hafez kept saying, as the lid was moved, the higher it was lifted, the stronger the winds became outside, swelling to storm strength and everybody was eager to catch a first glimpse of the inside. And there it was! The three books of Qadesh; and like the government agent said, the seals were broken. “This is what we’re here for,” Hafez said of the amazing find, “Why the holy men have left these behind is a puzzling fact, but we cannot leave without taking these books back with us to base camp. Clearly these are the ancient books of Qadesh, the most damning piece of evidence a new Mahdi has been selected. Indeed this is extremely worrisome. However, seeing as the weather does not permit us to acsend back to the trucks, we must spend the night here. Tomorrow morning at dusk, 6 am sharp, we will leave as quickly as possible. Communications, send a message to the truck drivers we shall stay here for twelve hours but we’ll get down asap. The library is the safest location to spend the night; we must boobytrap the only true entrance which is from the grand hall. The other entrance, from the mufti’s chambers, can be sealed off. It is a steel door and we can weld it shut. I want twelve guards posted on the ground floor of the library and change every four hours to stay sharp and keen. I will not tolerate any lapses in your duties men, we can consider this monastry to be extremely hostile territory, despite not having seen hostiles, I am not convinced they are far away. Do your duty and stay safe. Commence preperations.”

[Deamonopolis]

Kush Mountains
Potala monastery

“Commander Hafez, we have finished the barricades to the library as you have ordered. I have also compiled a more complete version of the map of the complex. It’s quite surprising actually. This place is a maze of rooms and without a compass or some other aid I cannot contemplate how people find their way around here. Also, we have inspected the great monastic tower and…”

“And what private sergeant al-Chamoun?...” Hafez looked up from his book, a poetic history of the greatest warrior in the history of Deamonopolis, the ancient hero Gilgamesh. He carried the book around him wherever he goes; Hafez considers it a major source of inspiration. “What’s the matter with the monastic tower?”

“Well… Sir… Remember how loyal Ayyub Pasha told us about the maddening sound of the monastery’s temple bells echoing through the valley?”

“Yes, he told me in person. Thank you for reminding me of that.” Hafez picked up his papyrosa cigarette from the ashtray and fiddled around with the cardboard tube but kept looking at al-Chamoun.

“It’s quite simple in fact, commander Hafez, sir. We have looked everywhere and there are no temple bells of any kind to be found. And judging from the distance between the monastery and the village of Kot-Diji, the sound produced by the bells must be significant thus it leads me to believe the bells must be quite large in size. Ergo, not something that can be hidden easily. Where they are, I do not know.”

“We’re only here for barely a day and I already hate this place.” Hafez sighed, “Your report is appreciated and I’ll include it in my final report as well. You are dismissed.”

As the night progressed, no further reports were given to Hafez but not a single soldier in the platoon was comfortable and very few were able to sleep. Most were playing chess the whole night, attempting to read something from the library or just wandering around the huge tower structure. Hafez was busy with a few others to photograph everything in, what they called, ‘the room of knowledge’, where the three books of Qadesh were kept. Hafez wondered why the monks and students of the monastery did not take these important books with them. I could write on about the monastery, but I find it most important to let you know we got out of there safely the next morning. The winds remained furious and the decent was dangerous, but thankfully nobody got injured and just as commander Hafez requested, the truck drivers were awaiting our return patiently and together we drove down the mountain, leaving the Potala monastery behind us. Feelings are mixed about the place, some feel it is a heresy taking those books down with us and Hafez would agree, but there is understanding amongst the soldiers that the importance of this find cannot be underestimated. Commander Hafez speculated the books were left behind not for reasons inexplicable, but rather panic and disarray.
 
Presidential yurt
Hammurabi
September 6th, 2012

“President Qutb, my leader, it has been brought to my attention from the governor of the region of Agamemnon, of the southernmost Kush mountain region, that a detachment of soldiers investigated a rumor of a new Mahdi in a most secluded monastery called the Potala. What they have discovered is truly worrisome. The three books of Qadesh, curse these tomes!, have been unsealed and the rumors are true; a new Mahdi is upon us.”

“My God. Comrade Ahmet Conté, are you positively sure about this?” President Qutb couldn’t believe his ears, this news was too good to be true. Underneath a cloth, of black silk woven with gold, on a table opposite his desk, were three objects Qutb has never seen before - and a better opportunity for his plans has never been presented in such an easy way. The symbolic meaning of abandoning such a prized treasure is significant; to us it seems treasure, to them it’s merely an object of practical use. So the selection ritual has been completed, Qutb pondered, they have no more need for the books. A new Mahdi will soon make himself known to the world. We must do everything to prepare ourselves. “Comrade Ahmet Conté, do not destroy them. Destroying would enrage the population of the mountains who revere the Potala monks as half gods, and would signal the start of an armed insurgency against us. And that is exactly what we need. But we need to get rid of them anyways; we must buy ourselves extra time.” Comrade Conté was surprised, to say the least.

“My President, I ask of you, how would enraging the barbarian mountain people be beneficial to us? Do you not remember the wave of terror of merely ten years ago? What are we going to do now that the vastness of the whole situation is slowly becoming clear?”

“Ah, Comrade Conté, I see you weren’t present at chief of intelligence Omar Suleiman’s meeting. We discussed these scenarios. And we have reached the conclusion we cannot develop as a state without a threat. We need substantial investments in our infrastructure, industry but most importantly, our army. We need to rebuild our navy and air force. A threat of substance to the world, a radical Islamic emirate, civil war, millions of Mujahedeen fighters ready to strike against the decadent capitalist world, imagine that comrade. My proposal is as follows, we shall give these books away as a gift. Foresee the glory of this scheme my comrade! Where they go, nobody knows of the mysteries of the Qadesh tomes the meaning or more crucially, its purpose, nobody has ever heard of the Potala monastery. A thousand year old place of recluse in the mountains, where no western explorer has ventured since 1877! Envision it Comrade Conté, a public ceremony, our new ambassador presents a lavish gift to those fools, televised, newspapers with screaming headlines of joy. Write a message and send it right away. Call Ambassador Aziz Haroun al-Rasheem to inform him. Bring him up-to-date, he can be trusted with this task.”

And thus the message was written as follows, replicated here below.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of
the Freemasons' Association of Taurenor

My dear fellow statesman,

In light of the recent bout of diplomatic activity between Yohannes and Deamonopolis, we believe it is time to invoke a cherished tradition of Deamonopolis and that is of handing out gifts to new friend. We consider Taurenor, a guiding beacon of trust and mediation in the world, to be first to receive the honor of a most precious gift. It is a custom that we hold in high honor, to give away and to receive nothing in return. To mark our new found friendship, we would like to offer you something the likes of Haven or Greater Dienstad have not seen in a thousand years. Three books of ancient age, known as the Books of Qadesh, will be donated from the National Library of Deamonopolis and given to your country for study and admiration. Once our ambassador Aziz Haroun al-Rasheem arrives in your capital city, a hand over ceremony for press and dignitaries from all around the world shall be evidence of our new found friendship. We happily look forward to the ceremony and feel confident the acceptance of our gift will be met with pleasure and curiosity.

Respectfully and with kindest regards,
Vice-Secretary of State Ahmet Conté.
Civil servant of the Republic of Deamonopolis

[Deamonopolis]

" (...) naturally, there will be dreamers who think of nothing but to vanquish the state underneath their idealism and refill with their thoughts and philosophies. Allowing the dreamers to succeed will, without doubt and hesitation, lead to the worst excesses of human cruelty; for the one who believes it is better to be ruled by an idealist rather than a pragmatic potentate, means he or she will subject themselves voluntarily to the will and temper of someone with visions of what society must become but what can never be built. To purge the idealist from society, is to cleanse our political discourse of significant threats (...) "
- Sayyid Qutb, 'Radical Theory, volume I'

Byblos, main city square
Baath Party rally

Istvan Souini, apparatchik and bureaucrat, was assigned to spread word amongst soldiers in the Republican Guard, the fanatical branch of the armed forces, that a change in strategy in dealing with rebels was coming soon. None of them knew about the important events taking place in the Kush Mountains and the knowledge of president Qutb about the new Mahdi, but slowly soldiers and civil servants alike were being prepared to counter an uprising against the regime, fuelled mainly by Salafist Islamists. Through the microphone his voiced was distorted that made it sound as if he were using a electronic larynx. Behind him dozens of Deamonopolis' flags were waving gently in the sea breeze, as the sun was setting in east, drowning the city square in heavy orange and red tones with the sea behind the speeching platform. It was a brilliant sight and not something that'll fade from my memory quickly.

"Soldiers and comrades! Today I stand before you as honorary Baath Party official and it is my duty to outline the following strategy. News has been leaking to the outside world that serious crimes against humanity are taking place. Those are lies and falsifications, fabricated by capitalist media in hostile countries. There are no purges or cleansings taking place, not now, not tomorrow, not ever! Citizens are protected by the state... However, the Islamists, the counterrevolutionaries, the Salafists, the insidious infiltrants, they are the real threat against our government. Defense Secretary general Erbets Cukurs has released a memo that outlines a new strategy to deal with the growing insurgency. Thankfully, as he notes, it is confined to the outer parts of provinces, in the countryside, far away from our collective farms and factories. There are even rumors of a terrible event, of which I will not speak. I firmly believe in the wisdom of president Qutb, and his guidance will lead us to victory! Hearsay and old wives tales are filling the soukhs and bazaars, our coffee houses and game rooms, I can tell you that, if we do not flush out the interlooper, the traitor, the contra's, then what was a mere persistent rumor will become fact and then it will be too late. Drag them from their yurts and houses, lynch them on the street, hang them from lamp posts..." Souini's speech moved from fanatical to hysterical, his face was red with rage and his arms were waving around in the air, as if he was trying to lift off. His screams and insults directed at enemies of the state reached an even higher pervent pitch, threatening everybody with death and torture, he kept it up for at least ten minutes for calming down a little.

"...We must act now and if we overcome the tremendous assignments ahead of us, tomorrow will belong to us! General Alexandre-Desíre Bouteflika, assigned with setting up the special action brigades, will coordinate all operations in the Byblos area as well as the entire province. I expect results no later than next week. Do your duty, be a model comrade and soldier. Hail Qutb, the Revolutionary!" The crowd, at least thousands of soldiers and Baath party comrades, cheered lyrically, waving flags and chanting praise for president Qutb. Hundreds of pamphlets were thrown off buildings on the city square, proclaiming the new strategy - that would commence the monent Souini finished his speech. General Alexandre-Desíre Bouteflika took the stage for more patriotic indoctrination, reminding everybody the importance of Qutb's Radical Theory, national-republicanism and the Baath Party's code of strength and honor. For the first time in Deamonopolis' history, a major government endorsed cleansing of Islamists was about to take place starting in cities then radiating outwards into the countryside, a traditional radical islamic stronghold.

[Taurenor]

Bloemfontein, Aurenoria, northeast Haven

The elaborately-designed Freemasons' Hall had for the past two hundred years endured its position as an emblem of the Association's power, sovereignty and rule of law throughout the continent of Taurenor. It was once utilised as the headquarters of the Grand Lodge of Foreign Relations, until the advent of the Association's centralised political system of the present day forced its de-facto utility as the Grand Master's unofficial office of work.

It was on this building that every Grand Masters of the past have authorised for the opening of Freemasonic legations to various sovereign polities abroad. Though the brief eight-years period known as 'Prichardist Isolationism' by foreign journalists and critics of the regime - named after the Grand Master himself to symbolise his 'dictatorial' and 'omnipresent' clout over the socio-political situation of Taurenor - had ensured the brief termination of such an open diplomatic policy, its revocation following the promulgation of open diplomacy, and the subsequent Freemasons' Naval Association-supported invasion of the Galbadori continent have ensured the opening of Taurenor to foreign ambassadors and associated legations once again.

One such example was the introductory, humble approach by the Association which led to the bilateral recognition between Aurenoria and that of Deamonopolis - which concluded both governments' recognition of one another's territorial sovereignty. Deamonopolis was a gargantuan archetypal 'non-western' nation, led by its President, Sayyid Qutb, and inhabited by an estimated 16.557 billion people. The republic would add to the Association's already long list of bilateral relations with nations of Greater Dienstad - which include the Armed Republic of Skibereen, Empire of Stevid, Free Republic of Lamoni, Lyran Protectorate and the Empire of United Gordonopia.

The layers after layers of papers concerning Deamonopolis - especially economic related topics pertaining to the nation - was mounted high on the Grand Master's desk. Although that morning was an especially bright one, it seems that James Pritchard would miss his usual outdoor breakfast session at half past eight. As the one hundred and twenty-seventh titular head of the Freemasons' Association, he carried the position with pride. And although the pressure associated with such a high-ranked position can be undesirable at worst, the man was a man adhering to his true principle.

The Freemasons' principle.

A gentle cold breeze whiffed through the slightly open window on their left, and the Grand Master's Office on that wonderful crisp spring morning was proverbially filled with an emanating tense aura. The feeling was a mutual one too, for his two companions sitting opposite, rigidly facing him, was as taut as they would be within such a briefing situation. The Grand Master was not content with having Deamonopolis as, quite simply, a plain dot amongst the full list of Freemasonic bilateral relations with foreign nations abroad. Instead, Pritchard had expected the two men directly opposite himself - Grand Lodge Officer of the Treasury Dr Bacharuddin Jusuf Habibie and Grand Lodge Officer of Foreign Relations Djoko Prasetyo Kusumo - to present their consensus of the path to choose, and how best to further cement the already cordial relationship between the Freemasons' Association and the National Republic.

"Cukup dengan sopan-sopan dan malu-malunya, saya pikir... iya? Saya mohon, jika bisa anda berdua... berikan saya cara-cara menurut anda yang harus kita utuskan untuk mempersuasikan pemerintah Deamonopolis supaya mereka menerima perjanjian ini."

["Enough with the pleasantries, I daresay... please present the consensus of what you think will be best to maximise this proposition's rate of success, with the government of Deamonopolis."]

"Saya tidak ingin pembentukan setiap konsesi lebih lanjut dalam bagian kita, oleh karena fakta-fakta memberikan informasi bahwa hubungan komersial dan pertukaran perdangangan serta interaksi antara badan swasta yang berasal dari negara kita, dan Deamonopolis, hanyalah dua puluh lima persen totalnya nilai perdangan tahunan antara Aurenoria dan Lamoni... dan di tahun yang terburuk, cukup sederhananyalah, tidak berguna dan tidak mengkontribusikan apa-apa terhadap nilai perdangangan tahunan kita."

["I do not want the establishment of any further concessions upon our part, for as it stand today, commercial and trade exchange as well as interactions between private entities originating from Aurenoria and Deamonopolis have been a mere twenty-five percent of the annual Aurenori-Lamonian trade value at best... and, quite simply, negligible at worst"]

The long, unbearable period of silence ensued, its moment of nothingness distracted only by the sound of crowds moving, seemingly never ending all around the nearby hallways.

"Tampaknya, pemerintah Republik Nasional yang bersangkutan telah bertekad untuk menyajikan pemerintah kita denga hadiah khusus yang, sepertinya, spesial di mata mereka. Oleh karena itu, saya ingin menyetujukan bahwa sekarang adalah saat yang paling tepat untuk memberikan pemerintah Deamonopolis dengan proposal kita... proposal yang akan membantu pertuhumbuhan hubungan komersial dan perdangan antara perusahaan-perusahaan swasta di Aurenoria dan Deamonopolis."

["It seems that the National Republic government in question have determined to present us with quite a special gift, your most venerable, and for that I would dare to suggest for us to forward our proposal to the government in question... which your most venerable has stressed must be that of a commercial by nature."]

"Ahh.. anda memang selalu tepat.. eh, Doktor Habibie."

["Indeed, you are of right mind, Dr Habibie."]

"Dan saya percaya, bahwa besok adalah waktu yang tepat untuk menyajikan pemerintah Republik Nasional dengan proposal kita ... Doktor Kusumo?"

["And I believe, that tomorrow will indeed be the right time to present the government of the National Republic with our proposal... Dr Kusumo?"]

"Anda benar... yang terhormat bapak Pritchard. Dan saya ingin merekomendasikan bagi kita untuk, hanya pada awalnya, memperkenalkan pemerintah negara itu dengan proposal kerjasama antara bea-cukai Aurenoria dan Deamonopolis."

["Indeed, your most venerable... and I would recommend for us to, initially, introduce the government in question with the recently promulgated intergovernmental customs cooperation agreement."]

Smiling pretentiously, and of course, with his breakfast session near at hand, Pritchard dismissed the two Grand Masons, before doing so acknowledging their positive contribution to the message which he about to compose for the government of Deamonopolis. Without a doubt finished with his consensus session for the morning, the Grand Master waved his right hand calmly to indicate for their departure. The two men raised themselves from their mahogany chairs, saluted with one arm raised, chin upward;

"Hail Asosiasimasonik"

["Salute to the Freemasonry."]

And they both turned, walked slowly, and closed the door gently behind, leaving the Grand Master alone to compose his first official statement for the morning.

__________________________

Ofisial Komunikasi Asosiasi Aurenorimasonik
[Translation: Bahasa Taurenor to Aurenorian English]

Hon Ahmet Conté,

As grand lodge plenipotentiary of the Freemasonry pertaining to foreign relations and affairs of the thirty-nine associations, I would like to offer my utmost veneration and sincere greetings to your represented government, and the people of Deamonopolis.

I thank you for your initiative to establish an embassy of the National Republic in Aurenoria. Henceforth, this missive shall convey the immediate acceptance of all your request and proposal as put forth within the application quoted above. The Foreign Relations Association shall acknowledge the sanctity of your diplomatic staff as outlined by the world general assembly resolution of 'Diplomat Protection Act'.

In regard to future border declaration, the Association shall provide the ambassadorial candidate of your represented government and his or her staff with diplomatic immunity pass and accredited notification, which may be used thereupon by the ambassador and your represented government's diplomatic staff, and thereafter.

Furthermore, I would like to offer the thanks of the Grand Master personally, for your most venerable's represented governmental gift to the Association. It is with the hope that this fruitful relationship we have thus established between both of our represented nations shall pave the way for a more brighter future of commercial and trade relationship between the people and entities of Aurenoria and Deamonopolis.

Once again, it is truly an honour upon our part to acquire the diplomatic presence of Deamonopolis in Aurenoria. We wish to offer our resonance for the diplomatic initiative of your represented government, and may this bond be strengthened in parallel with the progress of time itself.

Cordially Yours,
Djoko Prasetyo Kusumo
Grand Mason of Foreign Relations
Freemasonic Association Aurenoria

Translasi di Bahasa Taurenor

Yang terhormat Bapak Ahmet Conté,

Dalam kekuasaan saya untuk bertindak sebagai perwakilan Negaramasonik Aurenoria, dan perhubungan luar negeri teratas semua tiga puluh dan sembilan asosiasi di Taurenor, saya inging memberikan salam terhormat saya terhadap kepemerintahan negara yang anda wakili, dan warganegara didalam negara tersebut.

Saya ingin berterima-kasih terhadap anda seatas keinginan perwakilan negara anda untuk membuka kedutaan besar dari Republik Nasional di Aurenoria. Untuk selanjutnya, surat ini akan menyampaikan penerimaan dari pemerintahan kami dan proposal sebagai diajukan dalam aplikasi yang dikutip oleh anda.

Saya berjanji bahwa Asosiasi Hubungan Luar Negeri Aurenoria akan menghormati kesucian staf kedutaan anda, sebagaimana digariskan oleh resolusi majelis umum dunia 'Diplomat Protection Act'.

Dalam hal deklarasi yang mungkin akan anda inginkan di masa depan, kami akan memberikan calon duta besar dari pemerintah Anda dan staf kedutaan besar anda dengan tanda ijin terakreditasi untuk semua kedutaan besar staf di Aurenoria, yang kemudian dapat digunakan oleh duta besar, dan staf kedutaan besar anda.

Selain itu, saya ingin menawarkan berkat dari Pengusua Masonik Agung, di mata pemberian hadiah dari pemerintah anda untuk Asosiasimasonik Aurenoria. Dalam harapan kami, hubungan pemerintak negara Aurenoria dan Deamonopolis akan membuka jalan yang lebih lebar untuk masa depan yang lebih cerah antara hubungan komersial dan perdagangan dua negara pemerintah kita.

Sekali lagi, kami ingin mensuarakan rasa terhormat kami terhadap inisitiaf yang telah anda buka untuk mewakili negara Deamonopolis di Aurenoria.

Yang Terhormat,
Djoko Prasetyo Kusumo
Kepala Hubungan Luar Negeri
Asosiasi Aurenorimasonik

[Deamonopolis]

" (...) what interests an academic most, of course, is not to find out when, who or where, but why. I believe that is the most crucial question of all; to take apart an argument and get to the fundamental ideology that drives an individual, the "why". So, a reader might ask: why is it necessary for a nation to wage war on the idealist? The idealist comes in many forms and I have studied and witnessed this particular phenomenon: the Islamists in this country are attempting through subversion and propaganda, to steer us away from our secular route, away from Pan-Arab Socialism, and into the unknowns of Shar'ia. 7th Century Islamism is by no means progression but regression instead, if moving ahead with development, social advancement, introduction of new knowledge and technology means a certain part of society must be returned from whence they came, historical obscurity, then we must acknowledge that methods previously considered barbaric are, in fact, the only weapon at our disposal. (...) " - Sayyid Qutb, 'Radical Theory', volume I'

Byblos
City limits

"Squads alpha, delta and gamma, guard the main road to the city center, squads beta, labda and mu inspect and neutralize all hostiles east, squads phi, pi and omega start clearing west, right side, move it!..." Militia commanders barked their commands from the trucks as soldiers, mostly militias and auxiliary police, began to comb through the slums of the port city of Byblos, far to the north of the docks. The population of this area was unemployed, desperate and easily swayed by radical imams to spread word that a new Mahdi has risen to fight the godless regime in Hammurabi. Many people regained a new found hope, a hope against an all-powerful, omnipotent state that one day, the black flag of Shari'a shall wave over parliament and all other government institutions. The auxiliaries and militias made short work of such hope, bearded men were dragged from their homes, youngsters wearing traditional clothing were beaten and driven forward like cattle to alleyways were most of them were executed. Gunshots kept coming from all directions while general Alexandre-Desíre Bouteflika coordinated all "special actions", as they were designated. The Byblos slums were exceptional in one single regard: it was the best known hotbed for radical Islamism in an urban area. Christian towns such as Fabienville, Montclèreville and Embiaville happily offered volunteers and police officers to aid in the massacres; for too long they have suffered under the yoke of Islamists and know the time has come to exact a long cherished wish for blood revenge - eye for an eye and more.

"Move forward and expect resistance, comrades!" As the militias penetrated deeper into the slums from the main road, resistance became more fierce, gunfire went back and forth and ever so often a handgrenade exploded. Many homes are decorated with black and green banners, often proclaiming 'Allahu Ackbar" and similar chants as a pledge of allegiance to the Islamists. Police noticed that there wasn't a single member of the coalition of the radical left fighting alongside and many believed that infighting between the camps resulted in an Islamist victory, reducing the number of enemy factions by one but at what cost? Would foreign countries intervene to stop the bloodshed? General Bouteflika did not know, nor did Defense Secretary Erbets Cukurs, who stationed himself at the Byblos Military Academy, Deamonopolis' elite army school. There was always a chance that someone might say 'enough is enough', but how many are willing to commit themselves to save Salafists and other radicals? The regime's opponents were aware of this fact too; they know they're stuck between a rock and a hard place, so there's only one option for them: hold out and wait until the new Mahdi returns to fight the godless Qutb and his terrorist organisations he calls his armed forces, militias, gendarmerie and auxiliaries.

* * * * * * * *

Ofisial Komunikasi Asosiasi Aurenorimasonik
[Translation: Bahasa Taurenor to Aurenorian English]

Hon Ahmet Conté,

As grand lodge plenipotentiary of the Freemasonry pertaining to foreign relations and affairs of the thirty-nine associations, I would like to offer my utmost veneration and sincere greetings to your represented government, and the people of Deamonopolis.

I thank you for your initiative to establish an embassy of the National Republic in Aurenoria. Henceforth, this missive shall convey the immediate acceptance of all your request and proposal as put forth within the application quoted above. The Foreign Relations Association shall acknowledge the sanctity of your diplomatic staff as outlined by the world general assembly resolution of 'Diplomat Protection Act'.

In regard to future border declaration, the Association shall provide the ambassadorial candidate of your represented government and his or her staff with diplomatic immunity pass and accredited notification, which may be used thereupon by the ambassador and your represented government's diplomatic staff, and thereafter.

Furthermore, I would like to offer the thanks of the Grand Master personally, for your most venerable's represented governmental gift to the Association. It is with the hope that this fruitful relationship we have thus established between both of our represented nations shall pave the way for a more brighter future of commercial and trade relationship between the people and entities of Aurenoria and Deamonopolis.

Once again, it is truly an honour upon our part to acquire the diplomatic presence of Deamonopolis in Aurenoria. We wish to offer our resonance for the diplomatic initiative of your represented government, and may this bond be strengthened in parallel with the progress of time itself.

Cordially Yours,
Djoko Prasetyo Kusumo
Grand Mason of Foreign Relations
Freemasonic Association Aurenoria

[/blocktext]

Dear Hon. Djoko Prasetyo Kusumo, Grand Mason of Foreign Relations

It is nothing but a small gesture that outlines our dedication and will to open up a cordial diplomatic and commercial relation with the Freemasonic Association of Aurenoria. A likewise salutation by the National Republic, our people and government is sent to you and we sincerely hope it is received with kindness and warmth.

Although Deamonopolis is not a member of the World Assembly, we shall respectfully adhere to the principles outlined above to ensure maximum safety for your embassy staff in Deamonopolis. We have several buildings that can be chosen by your ambassador to set up your diplomatic mission. We firmly believe that shortening the diplomatic lines between our nation, many potential miscommunications can be prevented and leads us both to more efficient diplomacy and to conduct business in an easy manner.

The National Republic shall treat all Aurenorian with the dignity they deserve and diplomatic immunity they are entitled to. Expect no less than perfect service when the need arises, and it may also lead to a further expansion of basic diplomatic treaties between our two nations.

Again, the Three Books of Qadesh are only a small part of our absolutely massive collection of ancient tomes and manuscripts, collected over the course of centuries. A gift of three of the rarest editions in our national library is a modest gift in our opinion. Our professors regret losing such important pieces of history but are overjoyed at the thought that the books shall be adopted by a nation that knows how to appreciate a gift from a friend.

Once again, it is truly an honour upon our part to acquire the diplomatic presence of Deamonopolis in Aurenoria. We wish to offer our resonance for the diplomatic initiative of your represented government, and may this bond be strengthened in parallel with the progress of time itself.

We would also like to repeat our gratitude and how honored we are to welcome a diplomatic mission in the National Republic. We express our sincere hope that it will the first of many, and that we can proudly say 'Aurenoria leads by example'.

Sincerely yours and with kindest regards,
Vice-Secretary of State Ahmet Conté.
Civil servant of the National Republic of Deamonopolis

[Lamoni]

LBC Channel 1 studios

"... And rounding out our top stories on LBC News, we have reports of targeted killings against the more religiously motived in Deamonopolis. In official speeches made by government officials in the country, the radical left and Islamic radicals have moved against the government. However, there have been no reports of anti-governnment violence until Deamonopolis government forces violently moved against the protestors themselves.

The Islamic Socialist government of Deamonopolis' President-for-life Qutb has long been known for enforcing a drab, low standard of living for their people, where the average citizen is forced to spend their lives doing what the government tells them to do, or risk extra-judicial punishment, up to and including execution. When asked what the government of the Free Republic was willing to do about the situation, President Stinson indicated the classified nature of the information, effectively hinting that the government is taking the situation very seriously. We will keep you appraised of any new developments in this situation."

The television news music played, and the television correspondent continued. "Welcome to LBC 1 News. I am Yvonne Tokita, and this is the Weekend Edition." The news would continue as it always did, waiting to be absorbed by those who watched the news show, where it would cause the public to feel whatever it was that they felt after such a display of information.

***************************

Lamonian War Room

Intelligence Minister Kelly Corby was the last one to arrive in the Lamonian War Room, located as it was deep beneath the surface where the Lamonian Presidential Palace was located. Having left her office in the headquarters building of the LIA before the meeting, she had taken the secret Lamonian Governmental Emergency Evacuation Subway System in order to reach the location for the meeting without anyone outside of the government knowing that she was even there. Nicknamed the LGEESS, the system connected with the Lamonian Legislature Subway System to create a system which could evacuate the major parts of the Lamonian Government during time of nuclear or other attack, but the twin government owned subway systems were also often used in order to provide a faster method of covert travel for Lamonian government officials between the various buildings of the Lamonian government.

After passing the last of the security checks before being allowed into this most secure of meeting places, the Intelligence Minister walked over to her chair at the meeting table, and prepared her briefing for the other senior ministers, as well as the President, Andrew Stinson. Meetings which brought the President and his cabinet to this room did not often happen, and you could see it in the tense faces of the people so gathered to this subterranean vault.

"Mr. President, satellite intelligence has confirmed that the armed forces of Deamonopolis have moved more forcefully into the countryside. Combined with the 'scrubbed' intelligence information already leaked to the press, we can confirm that Qutb and his cronies are moving against their own people. Unless someone gets involved, we are looking at the ethnic cleansing of the more religious people of Deamonopolis..."

The meeting would continue, but everyone knew the stakes by now.

[Stevid]

Prime Minister Conroy stood before the hundreds of Ministers gathered in Parliament in preparation for a speech that had been a long time coming. Prime Minister’s Question Time had been woven into this political debate that had been rushed into Parliament’s agenda: Stevidian Foreign Policy towards Deamonopolis.
Gathered also into the ‘Dignitaries Booth’ situated high up on a balcony overlooking the House were representatives of nations in the Empire, the Empire’s direct sphere of influence and five members of the Catholic Church; to whom Conroy addressed and welcomed before his opening lines to the House.

“Ministers of Parliament. In lieu of continued depressing and horrific images and tales trickling out of The National Republic of Deamonopolis, I think all questions regarding Party political policy can wait either to the end of this particular discussion or wait until another time completely.”

There were low toned ‘yay’s’ and ‘here here’s of agreement from both sides of the House, and with that Conroy continued.

“The nation of Deamonopolis is without a doubt a true regional pariah state. Guilty of unimaginable crimes against humanity, persecution and dehumanising of its population with e mighty socialist twist to it, made all the more complex being an Islamic state trying to shake off the shackles of Islamic Fundamentalism. Ironic that this is a country ruled by far-left hard liners that are trying to stamp out Islamic hard liners. It is with regret that we see a nation, no matter how deplorable its practises to its ‘accepted’ population, tearing itself apart in the name of ideology. The only losers in this conflict are the people themselves; the guilty parties are the ruling government and the radical Islamic fighters in the mountains of Deamonopolis.
“Nevertheless, that fact that a state is willing to tackle hard line Islam is something this world does not see everyday. I am aware of this country’s innate xenophobia towards threatening and overly contrasting cultures. It is a trait that defines this country and a trait that has shaped it in the Empire it is today. Against judgement one may have had in the past or may have in the future, this country sympathises with the ruling Socialist government in National Republic. This of course ties into no small part the many socialist policies this government has enacted, but also our history with communism. But not wanting to use our past tyranny as an excuse to sympathise, in fact it would work quite the opposite; we as a country can understand the pressures facing the ruling government and that of the people.”

Already some members of Parliament had taken a dislike to what they were hearing. It was not usual for the Prime Minister to be advocating support to communism considering the country’s past and his own family’s. But there were many nods of approval. To those watching live on the Parliament Channel or on the Internet and Interlink, these nods would be explained by the PM.

“This country’s raw faith in God is not something to be ignored. This country’s zeal does at points simmer towards something like a radical cult. But the safeguards in place prevent the Church from fracturing under it’s own power. With deep ties to the government, corporations and the criminal justice system, we the people can feel safe that our religion put has our best interests at heart. The only true threat to this is an opposing religion or cult that will resort to methods that not even the Catholic Church in Stevid would resort to. I am of course referring to Islamic Fundamentalism, Islamic sponsored terrorism and Islamic Theocratic States, havens for radical groups and terrorist cells that can attack the very foundations of our freedom, our peace and our faith.
“I hereby proclaim that it is with great, deep, painful regret that the Holy Empire of Stevid supports the attacks on Islamic groups within Deamonopolis. The harsh crackdown is, however, overkill and we will of course deplore the actions of mass genocide and slaughter of innocents simply in the name of ideology and the defence of Socialism. We will encourage the National Republic to look at alternative means of combatting the threat the limits the deaths of innocent people who are literally caught up in the fighting.”

There were cheers and jeers but one could sense the House approved of the statement of intent from Prime Minister Conroy. Though it was clear to see this was a grudging decision, but as was the way in Stevid. Unless the interests of the Empire were truly at stake there was no point sitting on the fence with issues like this. Either you’re for or against, no middle ground. Stevid had spoken out and declared what many political analysts had suspected; that Stevid was against fundamentalist Islam and would stand against it no matter who that meant standing shoulder to shoulder with… even if it was Deamonopolis. This was sure to lose Conroy plenty of friends within his own party, but the move was clearly in line with the Church’s mood.

In a written press release after Prime Minister’s Questions, the Catholic Church in Stevid voiced its complete support of the crack down in the National Republic:

“… even though the deaths of God’s children pains the Church and casts a dark shadow over the human race and also adds another dark page to a chapter of human cruelty, the fact remains that a considerable threat to the Empire and to the Church is currently being taken care of by a country that actually has the national policies in place to commit to such actions without public backlash. This is of course no excuse for tyranny through fear and corporal punishment, but the end result will actually be in the Empire’s favour. Radical Islam is a threat that cannot be under estimated and it is a threat that this country is unwilling to meet either diplomatically or on a battlefield in fear of public backlash. I’m sure if our society had the same problems with Islam as Deamonopolis has then the public’s view on the matter would be hugely more sympathetic.”

The support for Conroy outweighed opposition, but to even a half intelligent person in the subject of politics, the reason behind this was obvious. A quarter of Parliament was made up of clergymen of the Church. Stevid was one of those rare countries where democracy worked in tandem with the Church but not creating a theocracy. The Prime Minister could not be a clergyman so as to prevent the Church gaining too much control, but it allowed the Church to have a voice in government. To foreign nations this would seem absurd, but to the people of Stevid this was perfectly normal. The country was one of the most deeply Catholic in the world with nearly 90% being Christian and almost 60% of those were practising Catholics. The Church was such an entity in Stevid that the government simply could not ignore it. Public funding as well as the Church’s own funding from the Vatican meant that it had become so powerful that Ministers of Parliament would act in their own constituencies to help their own local Churches and Christian communities. In the end it seemed logical to let clergymen run in general elections seeing as some MPs were already voting in Parliament for the Church’s interests as well as their Party’s. It prevented corruption; it prevented rebellion. To let the Church have a say in politics also kept the country on the straight and narrow path of enlightened morality. What’s more – the people loved it.

Despite its power the Church still had enemies. Heretics from within were a major concern as were dangerous pagan cults likes that are commonly seen in ‘certain’ nations of Gholgoth. But the one threat the truly threated the Church world wide were Islamic groups that were fanatical in their beliefs and willing to do anything to kill or terrorise those who did not follow the Prophet Mohammed. The Church wouldn’t press this propaganda much but was quick to produce statements of disgust to the media regarding such Islamist groups that reached the international news headlines.

The events in Deamonopolis moved perfectly in with the Church’s overall goals and was quick to praise the Prime Minister and, albeit with a veil of words, the National Republic.

[Deamonopolis]

It did not take long for news out of Stevid to reach the presidential yurt in Hammurabi. Sayyid Qutb, president who held the position after the death of the arch revolutionary Ashin-Christophe Raage, father of finance minister Adolphe Raage, died under suspicious circumstances. The exact cause of death has never been thoroughly investigated and the government's position remains cardiac arrest. Before Sayyid Qutb claimed presidency as the 2nd man of the Revolution, he was a writer, literary critic, playwright, poet, theorist and philosopher and has written many books and essays about Islam and socialism, capitalism and many scathing critical analysis of western nations, their morals and the hypocricy of consumerism. Amongst socialists in Greater Dienstad he is revered as a pure ideologue who has gone in depth about practical aspects of the implementation of socialism, theory about ideal socialist state organisation amongst many other subjects. In many countries his books are banned due to the inherent violent nature of the proletarian revolution he encourages as well as the indiscriminate 'elimination' of elements hostile to the revolution, counterrevolutionaries and white opposition. He has repeatedly called for 'vanguardism' in Deamonopolis to safeguard the Revolution against Salafists and Islamists and foreign observers and analysts see a connection between Qutb's vanguardism and the militias and auxiliaries roaming the countryside, murdering Islamists - which continues unabated. Sayyid Qutb's magnum opus is without doubt a series of books named 'Radical Theory', parts I to X, which cover Qutb's personal philosophies, ideas on foreign policy and religion and includes his earlier writings about socialism. Followers and supporters of his work have coined the phrase 'Qutbism' to denominate his particular ideas and concepts.

Since 1987 Sayyid Qutb held the highest office in the National Republic, gradually shifting from the moderate Islamic policies towards a pragmatic combination of Pan-Arab Socialism and Secularism. As the regime gained strength and influence since the revolution of 1963, Islamic hardliners greatly resented their loss of influence and began to rebel against the secular government. On other side of the political landscape, far left groups and communists believed the state wasn't being progressing towards communism but rather in stasis; socialism was merely a transitional period; the left communists and their political allies accused Qutb of state-capitalist ideology rather than a strict communist or socialist ideology. A strange yet practical alliance between Islamists and Salafists on the one hand, and anarcho-primitivist Islamists and socialist-islamic nihilists within the far left began to emerge. When this became clear, Sayyid Qutb offered the secular left-wing a choice: either support me and my administration with personal reservations or join 'them', and await your destiny on the firing squad. This was the time when the first terrorist attacks by Salafists and Islamists started in earnest; due to the remote nature of the attacks and the relative isolation of the incidents, the government could ignore it without (too much) consequence. When news reached Hammurabi that a new Mahdi is going to lead and teach the Islamist masses in the country; a massive campaign of slaughter and random killings was initiated. It is unclear whether Qutb personally ordered this genocide of Islamic fundamentalists or the General Staff around him.

After prime minister Conroy finished his speech to the House, Sayyid Qutb couldn't give any of this a rest before he cleared up several misconceptions about the state of Deamonopolis and the special actions carried out thus far. In his daily column in the national newspaper, the only newspaper in Deamonopolis, Qutb wrote an open letter to Mr Conroy to explain his views. Behold, mere peasants and citizens, our beloved President-for-Life, Sayyid Qutb, our Teacher, our Ruler, the Poet, writes!

Dear Prime Minister Conroy,

I am writing this short critique of the widely-held assessment that we are committing gruesome acts of genocide and ethnic cleansing and I must confront you directly that none of these terms do the undeniable truth justice. Our loyal and dedicated armed forces our stamping out terrorists and troublemakers, spies and saboteurs. Are we murderers for hanging a terrorist who beheads children for not wearing a headscarf? We are not murderers for judging sickening religiously motivated behavior and putting a stop to insanity. Our troops have witnessed the practice of throwing acid in the face of women, who behaved like 'whores' according to the village elders. Are we murderers when we execute the elders, who approve and encourage such actions? Are we murderers when we hang the perpetrators? Of course not. But western morale says that if an eye for an eye revenge is being done, it is wrong by definition. Western moral codes do not apply in Deamonopolis. It's wishful thinking to say that if A or B happened then Deamonopolis could be a thriving democracy. A false statement clouded by 'civilized' theory and experience after decades of peace and prosperity. Raw realism as one witnesses in Deamonopolis daily is as far away as the stars from your positions of privilege, oh inhabitants of your beautiful ivory towers. Therefore we are pleased to see that the Holy Empire of Stevid recognizes the difficulty of our situation and our plight despite the vast differences between our nations.

When one sees cruelty, cruelty must be dealt with. When our soldiers see an Islamist fundamentalist flogging teens for not growing a beard, must we ask the fundamentalist to cease and desist and go through months of bureacracy in a dysfunctional judicial system? The fundamentalist will be whipped and stoned the very same day. If he dies, so be it. Secularism forbids religiously motivated punishment and Islamic courts. In the eyes of the civilized we are cruel, we may even be barbarians. But do the savages we are fighting actually care about barbarism or civilisation? I think not. Do onto them as they do onto you. Harsh and cruel? Absolutely not. Weakness is punished with death, strength is rewarded with life. And that is what happens every single day outside the cities and I fear threats are growing against our regime. Therefore we must use all available means to counter it and we are glad that the proud nation of Stevid has the courage support our struggle.

These threats stem from alliances between left-wing religious fundamentalists as well as Islamists and Salafists who share a similar goal: to overthrow the secular regime in Hammurabi and to install an Islamist theocracy with Shar'ia as the law of the land. Is that what the rest of the world wants? Governmental barbarism stops and immediately a truly dangerous form of government replaces us - a theocracy. Does one honestly think that they'll stop at the border to terrorize the infidel? Are the other nations that naive to think that Jihad stops where sphere of influence ends? Do not fool yourself; the only moral right is with us and emotions regarding how we treat our prisoners is feigned horror; does one actually care about a terrorist? Or is this another phase through which the civilized go? Act horrified about how we treat a terrorist or a fundamentalist warrior. Hypocricy at its worst. It is incredible that many so-called 'civilized' countries stand ready to condemn our actions but, as noted before, if they stood in our shoes and were confronted with the sights our troops see, the thin layer of varnish one calls civilization peels off and will see the world as it truly is.

Sayyid Qutb.

[Deamonopolis]

EDIT OOC: decided to do something different instead of rehashing the same plain text. Click the image for full size.

[Helltank]

The Republic of Helltank

The actions taken by the nation of Deamonopolis are not condoned by the Republic of Helltank. Under the Anti-Dictatorship Act of 1989, The Republic of Helltank is obliged to use its full effort, including political, military and economical resources, to prevent dictators from ruling any longer.

Sayyid Qutb, your President-for-Life, has ordered his armed forces to close down educational institutions for no valid reason. He has also acted accordingly to the definition of "dictator" under the Anti-Dictatorship Act mentioned above.

We demand that President-for-Life Sayyid Qutub reopen any and all educational institutions he has shut down under the "special actions" of his armed forces, that he stop closing down educational institutions under said special actions, that he officially resign from his post as President-for-Life, that he ceases and desists using his armed forces to oppress the nation of Deamonopolis and that he sign a treaty pledging that Deamonopolis will never activate troops to stamp out any insurgency actions.

If there is a valid reason to activate armed troops, the current President-for-Life may send a proposal or communique to the Republic of Helltank. We will allow him or her to activate troops to do so if the reason is valid.

Failure to comply will lead to a declaration of war between the Republic of Helltank and the nation of Deamonopolis.

-Helltank, Glorious Leader of the Republic of Helltank

[Deamonopolis]

Official Statement by the National Republic of Deamonopolis

The government laughs at Helltank and its pathetic 'Anti-Dictatorship Act of 1989'. A fiery storm of everlasting warfare and endless fields of corpses and maimed human remains shall be your part should you ever pursue your folly and attack the ancient lands that are Deamonopolis. The presidency of Sayyid Qutb is not up for discussion, not in Deamonopolis and certainly not in Helltank. To walk into Deamonopolis with hostile intent is to walk into the grave.

Respectfully yours,
Ahmet Conté,
Vice-Secretary of the Foreign Office

[Darussalam]

Pernyataan Resmi Kekhalifahan Darussalam

Official Communique of Darussalam Caliphate

"In the name of Allah, the most beneficent, and the most merciful.

To the President-for-Life of Deamonopolis, Sayyid Qutb,

We have receive the news that your nation unjustly with armed forces forced to closing the Madrasa, containing the innocent students who studied, besides unjustly oppress the Muslims in your country.

Your act is totally nonsense and Caliphate of Darussalam, along with Darussalam people, hereby condemn you for this action. We call the Deamonopolis people to put up a ruthless secular government. We also added your nation to our Black List. You shall not trade with us, nor open diplomatic relationship with us.

Due to our limited interventionist policy, we'll not attacking our nation, but we have view you as potential enemy, and you must bear consequences listed above. We ask the President, Sayyid Qutb to reconsider this ruthless action.

Signed,

Caliph Abdullah Jusuf Habibie

[Helltank]

The Republic of Helltank

The nation of Deamonopolis has refused to comply with Helltank's demand that Sayyid Qutb give up his dictatorship. It has remained an oppressive land and has not met any of Helltank's demands, despite the clear warning that there will be a declaration of war, as Helltank is obliged to give under the Anti-Dictatorship Act of 1989.

No action has been made to reopen educational institutions closed by Sayyid Qutb's armed forces, the guise of stamping out rebels and bad influences an excuse for increasing his iron control over the land.

Deamonopolis armed forces continue to mobilize, even though Helltank has already sent a communique urging and demanding that it cease and desist such actions.

The nation of Darussalam has officially declared its condemnation of Sayyid Qutb's actions, and has refused to trade or open diplomatic relationships with Deamonopolis.

Even in the light of two nations demanding that it cease its oppressive behavior, Sayyid Qutb has consistently mobilized Deamonopolis armed forces and continued to shut down educational institutions.

Therefore, it is with deepest regret that we are forced to announce that a state of war now exists between the nation of Deamonopolis and the Republic of Helltank.

-

Thomas Skye smokes a cigar, staring thoughtfully out the window. Poor Jacobs Yewman had pleaded for manpower to deal with the pirate threat, and he had granted it, but...

He glanced down at the document lying on his table.

War.

He had been forced to withdraw aid to Yewman's department, and in fact the entire anti-pirate campaign was being stopped altogether to deal with the Deamonopolis threat.

He hesitated, then picked up the telephone. "Send all military and economical resources from the NPTF* to the Helltank Armed Forces. Resources are to be distributed one third to each division."

He listened, then said,"No, send them to Castellume. We need defenses in case the Deamonoes break through."

He listened again, nodded, thanked the receiver and put down the phone. Thomas opened a drawer, brought out a notepad and a pen.

100,000 infantry soldiers and 5000 reserve were pulled back to Castellume and the other cities for defense. 100,000 guerilla forces were attacking minor Deamonopolis outposts and villages, as well as cutting off supply lines. Construction on POW camps was beginning; by the time the guerillas got back, they would have a place to put prisoners. 150 aircraft, including dropships, fighters and bombers, were sent in to support the 1,100,000 soldiers that would be striking at Deamonopolis' borders, hoping that a quick attack would allow the guerillas to secure the outposts and villages and cut off supplies to Deamonopolis.

But that was not all. 50 hand-picked pilots and their bombers were going to strafe the Deamonopolis front line at night, hoping to cause chaos, confusion, and general fear, in the midst of which the soldiers would attack. Priority targets were regular soldiers, because it was them that the bombers wanted to scare the bejeezus out of.

Thomas Skye looked at the plans again, and sighed. War...

[OOC:First attack has been launched.]

[Deamonopolis]

OOC: I don't mind a declaration of war Helltank, but please keep in mind the things I've said in my telegram to you. I'll reply to the diplomatic bit of your post but I cannot work with the military part, it's simply not possible at this moment. As far as war goes, let's keep WMDs out of this. It really ruins the story writing aspect of war and frankly, I loathe the ease with which people deploy nuclear weapons.
___________

IC:

The Republic of Helltank

The nation of Deamonopolis has refused to comply with Helltank's demand that Sayyid Qutb give up his dictatorship. It has remained an oppressive land and has not met any of Helltank's demands, despite the clear warning that there will be a declaration of war, as Helltank is obliged to give under the Anti-Dictatorship Act of 1989.

No action has been made to reopen educational institutions closed by Sayyid Qutb's armed forces, the guise of stamping out rebels and bad influences an excuse for increasing his iron control over the land.

Deamonopolis armed forces continue to mobilize, even though Helltank has already sent a communique urging and demanding that it cease and desist such actions.

The nation of Darussalam has officially declared its condemnation of Sayyid Qutb's actions, and has refused to trade or open diplomatic relationships with Deamonopolis.

Even in the light of two nations demanding that it cease its oppressive behavior, Sayyid Qutb has consistently mobilized Deamonopolis armed forces and continued to shut down educational institutions.

Therefore, it is with deepest regret that we are forced to announce that a state of war now exists between the nation of Deamonopolis and the Republic of Helltank.

-

Thomas Skye smokes a cigar, staring thoughtfully out the window. Poor Jacobs Yewman had pleaded for manpower to deal with the pirate threat, and he had granted it, but...

He glanced down at the document lying on his table.

War.

He had been forced to withdraw aid to Yewman's department, and in fact the entire anti-pirate campaign was being stopped altogether to deal with the Deamonopolis threat.

He hesitated, then picked up the telephone. "Send all military and economical resources from the NPTF* to the Helltank Armed Forces. Resources are to be distributed one third to each division."

He listened, then said,"No, send them to Castellume. We need defenses in case the Deamonoes break through."

He listened again, nodded, thanked the receiver and put down the phone. Thomas opened a drawer, brought out a notepad and a pen.

Ministry of War

A laughable declaration of war by a nation of heretics and degenerate capitalists. Has not not occurred to Helltank that the superiority of Deamonopolis is beyond question? A nation so young yet uncaring about the lives of its citizens and continued existence of its cities, desperately wants to wage all out war against a nation whose experience in the art of warfare goes back to the time of the Glorious Revolution? Of course not. Your policies, democratically decided, hah! How I laugh as I ink the words of this communique to you, dear leaders of Helltank. Your democracy will fail the test of time and so will everything your people have built over the years. Is it a surprise that a small, insignificant nation will risk life and limb over something as trivial as the closure of radical Islamic institutes of "education", while these are nothing but a cover for terrorist activities? Perhaps you should have studied more carefully, only then you would have discovered the true goal of these Madrasa; it is in the interest of the general population that we, the rightful government of Deamonopolis, put an end to what we have tolerated for too long.

Violations of our sovereign rights will not stand. Is our duty as a government to prevent and root out terrorist threats to protect our citizenry. If you have a problem with that, then I can only feel pity for you today but no sorrow for the ultimate faith you have signed yourself and your people up for. I do wonder, what grand purpose does this act of personal sacrifice serve? I have honestly not the faintest idea. Nor do I understand why you would stand up for terrorists. I judge your nationals to be insane if they even think of supporting this ludicrous war you cannot win given any chance. And even if they do not support you and your reckless adventures into the unknown, every new day is a day closer to your final hour of destruction, why your people do not rebel or revolt is another mystery that may never become fully clear. Little does not matter now, you have declared war on the National Republic of Deamonopolis so therefore it is your responsibility whatever harm may come to your cities and inhabitants.

Respectfully yours,
Erbets Cukurs,
Defense Secretary of the National Republic of Deamonopolis

********

Hammurabi
Presidential Yurt

"...With greatest respect to the wisdom and omnipotence of his reign, everlasting and great as it undoubtedly will be, the Hero of the Revolution, the Poet, our most honored and esteemed civil servant, President-for-Life, Sayyid Qutb! All hail the president! Hail, hail, hail!" Hundreds of the highest officers, chiefs, pashas, other civil servants, ministers, secretaries and commissars all joined in the lyrical praise and exclamations of utter joy when Sayyid Qutb entered the main tent of his presidential yurt. After several minutes of intense applause, standing ovation and as fair virgins threw rose buds all around the tent, entertaining participants with dance and traditional folk music, singing hymnes of victory and slaughter and ancient battles, the ladies departed the tent and silence fell like a soft blanket. Defense Secretary Erbets Cukurs prepared a short statement about the very recent declaration of war by an obscure and little-known republic called Helltank. He read it out loud, it was full of technical details about the nation, a mild applause followed, and Omar Suleiman, chief of intelligence, followed with a similar set of statements regarding the ongoing operations in Byblos as well as the lesser Kush Mountain provinces. He noted a great deal of details, followed up with references, and made some comments regarding the situation and how to improve the rate of success. Sayyid Qutb remained silent. Soleiman continued his explanation, detailing the "special actions" regarding the religious schools that were the cause of the declaration of war in the first place. He viewed it as a 'tremendous tactical success', and many students were cut off from their radical tutors. Something he believed wasn't going far enough, because 'only when the last Islamic tutor is hanging from the gallows, only then shall we be cleared of this plague...', which received a wild round of applause and even Sayyid Qutb nodded in approval. A gentle bow towards his chief and friend, and Omar Suleiman remained seated again.

Absolute silence again, people extinguished their cigarettes and cigars, it is a sign of disrespect towards the president if you smoke when he's talking, Qutb waited a few short moments as he closely inspected his closest compatriots to see if everybody was paying attention.
"Gentlemen, comrades and brothers-in-arms. I bring you news but it is already known in every corner of this beautiful country. Many things trouble me. It is not the loyalty of you, fine gentlemen. We have sorted that out back in 1990 during the purges. No, all I see here is loyalty and dedication. The problem is this: we are faced with a nation of fools who, driven by pure ideology and some sort of nostalgic feeling of spreading democracy that they must undertake action against our operations that have a legitimate purpose. We do not need to communicate our purposes, for they are quite secret, just as mister Suleiman pointed out several weeks prior, but it seems that nations are more concerned with our treatment of terrorists rather than the threat they represent. I find that unacceptable and I find it truly a staggering feat of planning and preperation that my esteemed defense secretary, Erbets Cukurs, has drafted several scenarios of our response to Helltank's stupidity. I prefer Plan A-IV, an offensive plan that appeals to me most. We must set an example that we are not to be trifled with, nobody dares to mock us, to interfere with our internal affairs, to trample on our sovereign rights, to demand all the respect in the world and give nothing in return. A typical capitalist trait, hah!"

"My president, sir," Cukurs replied, "that will make us lose whatever goodwill we have left in the world. Think that a nation such as Stevid would tolerate our actions outlined in Plan A-IV?"

"Nonsense comrade Cukurs. The Holy Empire of Stevid knows all Christians are safe in Deamonopolis. They were furious when we forcefully relocated them to the majority Christian cities of Montclèreville, Embiaville, St Louis and Fabienville. Our compensation in terms of money and arable land has been most generous and we have been commended for that. As long as I remain president, not a finger shall touch a Christian Deamonopolii citizen to harm him or her. They know this, and that is why the Holy Empire of Stevid will support us. Would they allow a genocide of millions upon millions loyal Catholic subjects once the Salafists establish their precious Emirate? Where the black flag of Shar'ia shall fly over churches, where the crosses of Jesus will be smashed to pieces? No. I may not be a Christian, no comrade Cukurs, and neither are you, but there are many Christians in here, and many more out there. My presidency is their best - and only guarantee unfortunately - that they remain safe."

"My president, sir..." Cukurs tried to talk reason to Qutb, but the logic behind Qutb's plan was undeniable. "Comrade President. Plan A-IV is a retaliation plan, it has nothing to do with winning the war... We are talking about a deliberate campaign of bombing civillian areas that have zero military installations anywhere near it... It would make us look like a nation of barbarians instead of enlightened secularists."

"I respect your wise input, comrade Cukurs. But I must refer to one of my own poems, Crucible. Verse ten: as barbarians we fought; en'mies avail'd naught; all o' them cast into a bottomless pit; lost was all, but not our wit! Remember that comrade Cukurs. We fight like barbarians, but we shall never lose our minds doing so. We are a tough and resourceful people, we have never bowed for enemy rulers. We stand proud when we are going to be beheaded, rather than kneel before the executioner. That is how we are, history defined us like this. We cannot deny history, nor ignore our glorious past. When I hold my hand this high, comrade Cukurs, how high is it?"

"The height of your knee, comrade president."

"Exactly comrade Cukurs. And that is how high the piles of rubble will be when we are done with the bastard infidels of Helltank. Commence all necessary preperations this instant." Cukurs saluted his president and immediately left the room. He knew what to do, but thankfully little had to be done in terms of preperations, only the extent had to be reconsidered. Airforce, navy and armed forces are already on highest alert. Now to start preperations to begin offensive operations against Helltank. Strategic bomberwings, support aircraft, fighters, fighter-bombers, a lot of work was to be done. Luckily the Ministry of War was already working towards that goal the past few months; otherwise it would've been a logistical nightmare to organise such a large-scale operation on such short notice.

[Belkadia]

Belkadia
In the small village of Grkinja
September 20th, 2012.

Ramzan was sitting on a small thin mat in front of the campfire, his 30-06 battle rifle lying down on the ground to his right. He thought about the ongoing genocide in Deomonopolis, about how people can easily be manipulated into thinking that a certain religion is as evil as this President Qutb person they are, the Deomonopolian population has a decent population of muslims, so why arent most of them standing up to their beliefs? Why dont they just pick up a gun and fight for them? All these thoughts were keeping him from sleeping in his tent. In just 14 days he under the Imam's request will go to Daemonopolis to make contact with the rebels and smuggle military equipment for them, but first he will partake in a rebel insurgency in order to gain their trust. He remembers the battles he fought against the Chernoslavian Army in the fight for Belkadian freedom, he remembers the successful battle proven tactics he used so maybe he can also show the rebels a thing or two about guerilla warfare. He took a deep breath stood up and went back into his tent and went to sleep.

[Helltank]

The Republic of Helltank
The Republic of Helltank has nothing more to say to the nation of Deamonopolis. We believe that we have already expressed our heavy disapproval at your attempt to commit genocide and to become a dictator.

We as a nation urge all other nations in the world to support us in our effort to topple a dictator.

The state of war shall continue between the Republic of Helltank and the nation of Deamonopolis.

-
Lance Corporal Rams settled back in his padded seat, cleaning his gun. The battleships had once been used to fight off pirates at Giant's Bay, but now they were moved back to transport troops to Deamonopolis, their insides gutted to make room.

They were heading for the Gulf of Nouakchott, then would land at Nouakchott itself. The guerillas would bring down the pain on the villages surrounding, and every damn soldier of the Republic of Helltank would storm the city like a goddamned lightning bolt.

Lieutenant Zachary Mark was talking about going for Tripoli, but the Major beat him down, for apparently the Deamonoes were sending the mother of all fleets towards Helltank. As the grapevine had it, they were planning to bomb Castellume to a pile of shit, and maybe some of the other cities if they got bored of playing tic-tac-toe and hailing Sayyid Qutb, king of the assholes.

Rams sighed, put his Maestro 13 back together, yanked back the charging bolt and loaded the gun just as the co-pilot's static-filled voice boomed into his bunker.

"Everyone down now! We got ten seconds to clear this ship of soldiers!"

The hatch popped open and Rams leapt out.

[Deamonopolis]

Nouakchott
Guerillistan Province

A Helltank fleet was approaching the Gulf of Nouakchott and it was spotted long before they were able to see the Deamonopolis shoreline. Radar installations dotted the city of Nouakchott and as soon as it became known around the army bases in and out of the city, a project of paranoia by Erbets Cukurs, a declaration of ‘Defensive Capabilities’ was ordered, giving the military authority to construct makeshift defenses everywhere around town and prepare the population for war. Helltank must've believed they would be able to surprise Deamonopolis, but the GD regional defense systems alerted their arrival early on, which allowed the Deamonopolis Air Force and Navy to buy precious time and take the necessary steps towards a successful counterattack. The 1st Fleet was already en route to Helltank [to be expanded later on] but the 2nd and 3rd remained located near the cities of Byblos and Nouakchott. The Islands of the Five Sisters (Iles du Cinq Soeurs) were a perfect area to attack from, and from the crucial northern port city of Nouakchott as well as the penal colony and military bases of Saint Vitus island. An attack on the most exposed city of all, Tripoli, could be countered by the 4th fleet which remains on the open seas outside the city of Aqaba, but GD remains fairly silent about the moves in the south, so the Ministry of War considered it not yet important. Regardless, all servicemen and sailors remained alert and missile batteries and other defensive structures were activated to anticipate the arrival of the Helltank fleet. Their only approach would be from the south/southeastern route and helicopters and reconnaissance aircraft patrolled the seas which were aided greatly by Greater Dienstadt’s defense grid.

Meanwhile near the Iles du Cinq Soeurs, the 3rd fleet was maneuvering towards its offensive battle positions, dividing between a small core of highly movable frigates to harass and attack the main battleships while two other sub divisions were to flank the incoming fleet, supported by submarines and coastal missile batteries. As soon as the incoming Helltank fleet became in range of the main brunt of the 3rd fleet, all hell would break loose. Right now, missile stations that dotted the Iles du Cinq Soeurs and St Vitus island were calculating the coordinates of the fleet approaching from the northeast, and judging from the number of assault and landing craft, the Ministry of War appointed seasoned veteran and naval strategist Admiral Idriss Ould Korda to set up coastal defensives. It was not expected that they would be able to make landfall, but to plan ahead to cover all eventualities, but the sheer size of their main attack force lead Admiral Ould Korda to believe that the brunt of their forces would concentrate on Nouakchott – a fool’s game they are playing. The biggest gambit of a lifetime is what they’re doing, Admiral Ould Korda figured, and as soon as everything was done, a massive barrage of missiles [surface-to-ship guided missiles] was launched* from the aforementioned islands. The sheer volume of missiles would make targeted countermeasures more difficult and just after the first volley was launched; all missile battery systems were reloaded to repeat if necessary.

Noakchott’s surroundings remained on highest alert, were tracking the progress of the Helltank fleet and main forces concentrated in the northeast. The missiles, coordinated by radar, aerial surveillance from several angles, focused mainly on their battleships and small assault craft carrying their troops. As if the heavens were falling down onto the oblivious and helpless Helltank ships, more was to come if they would continue to sail towards Deamonopolis. When the first barrage was completed, a second volley would follow, targeting cruisers and other ships meant to bring down aircraft, and the Deamonopolis Air Force would remain grounded until that threat was cleared; submarines stationed in the area were ordered to wait until most of the ships were reeling back from the missile impacts, only to launch a deadly assault from underneath the waves. As the 3rd was moving into position to attack the main Helltank fleet, all sailors and captains beheld the magnificent sight of thousands of missiles gracefully traversing the sky, as explosions were heard in the distance. During all of this, frigates received orders from Admiral Ould Korda to begin a second attack wave from the seas, aiming mostly at the same vessels to ensure their destruction – dozens of ship-to-ship missiles were launched, locked on target.

OOC: *From a great number of locations on the following islands: St Vitus, Iles du Cinq Soeurs and the northern tip of the Nouakchott island thousands of missiles are being launched at the fleet which is incoming from the northeast.