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Process? Of what? Please explain to me more! :P |
When you join, you get a welcome telegram that explains the steps to getting integrated into the region. He decided to ignore these completely and also had a ridiculous map claim that he was unwilling to even discuss, let alone rethink. Add in a bit of spam into the inbox of at least one server moderator and you end up banned. We don't like banning people but we've learned the hard way what happens when you let problems fester. |
Thank you! Unfortunately, I seem to have deleted all of my telegrams, so I can't figure out how to get myself integrated... :P |
Nebetia detains Qolaysian ship under espionage suspicions "Qolaysia continues to antagonize us, and if they continue further we will be forced to take more extreme actions," Highland said. According to authorities, the vessel flagged out of Bennom had entered waters near the Maste Island chain and refused to leave when Nebetian naval ships intercepted it. The crew of the ship also struggled with officers as they boarded, and an officer reportedly suffered injuries. |
A new poll has been created for the host city of the 2023 Leaders Summit. Please confine your voting to one nation (do not use puppets). You can vote for your own entry if you wish. Byramir, You can still apply to attend the summit until January 7th, 2023: Rio Palito, Drambenburg, Vrakara, Zoygaria, and 9 othersZalluabed, Quetana, Beatavic, Shoassau, Elbresia, Kossmil, Haduastan, Hasaari, and North Dkaristsan |
Togaria presidential election cancelled by Supreme Court |
Kalea Chronicle - Loss & Remembrance  Kalean troops securing a suspected insurgent hideout on the outskirts of Casaat. Almost two months into the ground campaign, many families begin to wonder if those that are deployed will be home in time for Christmas. However, while most of the large-scale fighting between the Terehanian armed forces and WEDA coalition forces, there is an increasingly significant presence of a pro-Terehan insurgency, primarily concentrated in urban areas. This as well as the unknown whereabouts of Al-Shaad suggests that the coalition forces will begin settling down into occupation across the country. The occupation is not without resistance as the pro-Terehan insurgency continues to pose a deadly threat to WEDA and allied Terehanian forces thanks in part to a growing number of suicide attacks. Earlier this month, the commander of the Kalean forces deployed in Terehan, Colonel Kauhale Pilialoha, was the target of one such suicide attack. The command of the unit fell to the last remaining senior officer, Captain Kaheka Makaiwi, who was soon promoted to Major. Pilialoha and Makaiwi had served together in Taupo before volunteering to fight in Terehan and served together even before that. The rest of the unit is mourning the loss of a leader and a friend, alongside all those who they fought beside and lost. Pilialoha is the father of Co-Chair Nohea Pilialoha. Complete list of KDF casualties as of December 15th, 2022. As of December 15th, the total number of KDF WIA is 21 and KIA is 17.
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 viewtopic.php?p=40192099#p40192099Qolaysia and Nebetia strike deal to end maritime dispute President Elihu Saing applauded the resolving of a long-simmering maritime dispute over gas fields and the Maste Islands in the Gulf of Bastam. LEONRAU - President Elihu Saing announced that Qolaysia and Nebetia have resolved their bitter and long-running dispute over maritime boundaries in the Gulf of Bastam, in what is being described as a "landmark day" in the relationship between the two nations. The Permanent Court of Arbitration in Leonrau today announced the parties reached an agreement on Thursday over the disputed territory around the Maste Islands, which contains large oil and gas deposits worth an estimated Q40 billion. Foreign Minister Obadiah Jadibata hailed the breakthrough as a "landmark day in the relationship" between the two nations, saying "this agreement, which supports the national interest of both our nations, further strengthens the long-standing and deep ties between our Governments and our people." Nebetia — also known as South Bennom in Qolaysia — initiated the compulsory conciliation process last year in a bid to force Qolaysia to negotiate a permanent maritime boundary. Former Nebetia president Marcello Gusmao said the "long and at times difficult" process had helped the country achieve its dream of "full sovereignty and to finally settle our maritime boundaries with Qolaysia". "This is an historic agreement and marks the beginning of a new era in Nebetia's friendship with Qolaysia," he said. While the details remain confidential, the court said the agreement "addresses the legal status of the Greater Bastam gas field … and the sharing of the resulting revenue". It was also revealed that representatives from Austrolis and Zamastan helped in the negotiations. Additionally, four Qolaysian fishermen who were detained yesterday by Nebetian authorities in disputed waters have been released back into Qolaysia as a result of the deals. In January, Nebetia terminated its 2006 treaty with Qolaysia, which split revenue from the Greater Bastam field 50/50 and delayed negotiations over a permanent maritime boundary for 50 years. The country claimed the treaty was invalid because of allegations that Qolaysia spied on cabinet ministers during negotiations to divide the oil and gas fields. This week's agreement will likely be seen as a moral victory for Nebetia. President Elihu Saing's foreign affairs spokeswoman Penn Bestuan welcomed the breakthrough, saying the court's ruling brings to an end "more than 40 years of uncertainty over this maritime border". "The maritime boundary dispute with Nebetia has strained our bilateral relations and has gone on too long," she said. The deal will be finalised in January. Until then, the details will remain confidential. As war in Terehan continues, demonstrations against conflict mount Hundreds of people have been arrested in demonstrations throughout Qolaysia as public opinion against the war in Terehan steadily grows. LEONRAU - As the conflict in Terehan enters a new stage on the precipice of the capital's fall, anticipated later this week according to WEDA officials, the public opinion of the war has sharply fallen in Qolaysia. Today, mass demonstrations against the military occupation of Terehan resulted in the arrests of more than a hundred people, largely in Leonrau, Bennom, and Temebok, as news of insurgent suicide attacks against coalition forces becomes a regular occurance. More than 700 WEDA soldiers have been killed in the fighting in Terehan, with 12 being Qolaysian soldiers. President Elihu Saing and the Parliament yesterday agreed to extend the operation as WEDA requests further troops to solidify occupied areas and to continue the search for regime leaders who have escaped capture, including Asaad al-Shaad himself.
Qolaysia and Nebetia strike deal to end maritime dispute As war in Terehan continues, demonstrations against conflict mount |
CASAAT CAPTURED AFTER MONTH-LONG BATTLE ELASTAN SAYS IT SUCCESSFULLY TESTED HYDROGEN BOMB SUPREME COURT ALLOWS BROAD ARMITAGE REFUGEE BAN viewtopic.php?p=40192286#p40192286CASAAT CAPTURED AFTER MONTH-LONG BATTLE Zamastanian and allied WEDA forces captured the capital and final stronghold of the al-Shaad regime on Thursday after nearly a month of deadly fighting. Asaad al-Shaad's whereabouts are still unknown, according to senior officials, as a nationwide insurgency rages. CONFLICT CORRESPONDANT: Chris Adell (@ChrisAdell) CASAAT - The capital of Terehan has finally fallen to WEDA forces after a prolonged month-long battle which saw the outer edges of the city devastated and the death toll unimaginable. The fight for the final stronghold of the al-Shaad regime signals a new stage of the war, one of occupation as WEDA forces begin to fortify areas now held by their troops and allied Terehanian resistance. However, the public outpouring of opposition to the conflict, specifically as it relates to the casualty toll of both WEDA soldiers and the civilian populations, has hampered the otherwise momentous occassion of the victory in Casaat. Furthermore, the unknown whereabouts of Asaad al-Shaad and other senior regime officials has complicated the operations, and a pro-al-Shaad insurgency has reaked havoc on WEDA forces as suicide attacks mount. Secretary of Defense Easton Granholm stated on Thursday that Casaat had been captured and the goal of WEDA in Terehan is now to occupy and provide security for the populace as the alliance seeks to rebuild and assist in the formation of a transitional interim government. He also somberly stated that the death toll of Zamastanian troops had climbed to 570, with WEDA forces as a whole having lost nearly a thousand soldiers. Critics have called the conflict, once described as a righteous one, as a failure as high ranking regime officials like Nuru Hossam Hajjar, Houman Medo Awad, Asad Fayyaad Saah, and Abdul Haafil Wakim remain illusive and continue to avoid capture. Specifically, Asaad al-Shaad, the number one target of WEDA forces, has not been seen since the first days of the war, and has likely fled Casaat according to senior defense officials. "It is imperative that we capture every regime official who remains uncaptured," Secretary Granholm said. "It is frankly upsetting that the operation, which we initially had seen great speed and success in, has since been hindered with slow and minimal results." Meanwhile, insurgent attacks against Coalition forces and the civilian population have increased dramatically. On Thursday morning, at least 60 people were killed in two attacks in Jataran, police and health officials say, when a suicide bomber detonated a vest and gunmen opened fire inside a restaurant near a WEDA security checkpoint. Soon afterwards, a car bomb exploded at a the checkpoint itself, claiming the lives of at least 11 Zamastanian and Quetanan soldiers. The so-called Islamic Terehanian Alliance State (ITAS) insurgent group said it carried out the attacks. 50 civilians were killed by the suspected militants. According to officials, one report said the attackers were disguised as members of Gehan al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilisation) - a mainly Shia group that has fought alongside WEDA forces against the regime. The regime's conventional forces have been all but defeated, and their remaining straglers are enduring defeat after defeat on front lines. However, some groups have formed pockets of resistance in the form of sporadically located insurgencies, and they remain capable of launching devastating assaults on soft targets. It is believed to have hundreds of followers prepared to carry out attacks. Most attacks occur in civilian areas, where WEDA officials state more than 3,000 civilians have been killed by regime-loyalists since the fighting began. ELASTAN SAYS IT SUCCESSFULLY TESTED HYDROGEN BOMB The Elastani government confirmed that a 5.3 magnitude earthquake was the result of a successful hydrogen bomb test, its sixth test since 2010. POLITICAL CORRESPONDANT: Travis Canterbury (@TCanterburyOfficial) LALMOPUR - Elastan has said it successfully tested a hydrogen bomb designed to be mounted on its newly developed intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), producing a greater yield than any of its previous nuclear tests. The hydrogen bomb test ordered by President Bahadar Panwar was a "perfect success" and was a "meaningful" step in completing the country's nuclear weapons programme, according to state television. The announcement came hours after a large quake that appeared to be man-made was detected near Elastan's known nuclear test site, indicating that the reclusive and authoritarian country had conducted its sixth nuclear test since 2010. The tremor struck within a kilometer of the site of a magnitude-5.3 "nuclear explosion" from September last year, according to the Zamastanian National Geological Survey (ZNGS). Haduastan's government said this most recent test appeared to be several times stronger than its previous test, estimating the nuclear blast yield was between 50 to 60 kilotons — or five to six times stronger than Elastan's fifth test a year ago. Secretary of State Chantelle Carson's office reiterated the need for sanctions on Elastan in the wake of the test. "The reports are deeply concerning and only serve to emphasise the importance of using sanctions to compel Elastan to abandon its illegal programs and reinforce our determination in working with our allies and partners to deter Eritba from threatening its neighbors," a statement read. It is bound to increase the tension hours after President Sabine Armitage and Haduastan's Prime Minister Sartaj Bali talked by phone about the "escalating" nuclear crisis. Mr Bali said Haduastan was speaking to other nations about how to respond. "I have already instructed the related ministries to collect and analyse intelligence, to keep the people of Haduastan informed appropriately, as well as to liaise with the related nations such as Zamastan, Tasiastan, Vulkaria, and Quetana," he said. "It is absolutely unacceptable if Elastan did force another nuclear test, and we must protest strongly. We will hold National Security Council from now on to centralise and analyse intelligence." Witnesses in the southern Haduastan city of Lalmopur, near the border with Elastan, said they felt a tremor that lasted roughly 10 seconds, followed by an aftershock. The hydrogen bomb report by Elastan's official ECNA news agency comes amid heightened regional tension following Eritba's two tests of ICBMs in July that potentially could fly about 10,000 kilometres, putting many parts of mainland Zamastan within range. Under tenth-generation leader Bahadar Panwar, who has been in power since 2003, has been pursuing a nuclear device small and light enough to fit on a long-range ballistic missile, without affecting its range and making it capable of surviving re-entry into the planet's atmosphere. Elastan, which carries out its nuclear and missile programmes in defiance of CCA Security Council resolutions and sanctions, "recently succeeded" in making a more advanced hydrogen bomb that will be loaded on to an ICBM, ECNA said. The test comes only a week after Elastan's government halted military ties with Kyzaltu, following a summit in Eritba between Panwar, Hasaari's President Sultan al-Daoud and Serthisstan's President Miqdaad el-Hasan. This came as protests against the Kyzaltu government expand and escalate this weekend over corruption, as well as power and food shortages. Elastan hosted 450 Kyzaltuans providing police training as recently as November. Another report said Elastani army officials trained Kyzaltu police on the use of IK-27s and pistols. Isolated Kyzaltu has come under growing diplomatic pressure in the aftermath of its June nuclear test and a space rocket launch in August, which led to a CCA Security Council resolution tightening sanctions against Temirbek Bayzhanov. As part of Elastan's work to build an arsenal of viable nuclear ICBMs that can reach Zamastan's mainland, Mr Panwar inspected the loading of a "homemade" H-bomb into an ICBM during a visit to Elastan's Nuclear Weapons Institute. ECNA said the power of the bomb was adjustable from tens to hundreds of kilotons. "[It] is a multi-functional thermonuclear nuke with great destructive power, which can be detonated even at high altitudes for super-powerful EMP (electromagnetic pulse) attack according to strategic goals," ECNA said. ECNA quoted Panwar as saying the process would enable "the country to produce powerful nuclear weapons, as many as it wants". Elastan in July conducted extensive ICBM tests, part of a stunning jump in progress for the country's nuclear and missile program since Mr Panwar rose to power following his predecessor's death in late 2003. A good-will summit between President Atticus Moreau in Elastan in March raised hopes for an end to such tests, but a later diplomatic crisis due to Panwar's allowance for ousted-Apatonian leader Michel Lukonde to have asylum in Elastan once again froze talks. Tensions between Elastan and Haduastan, a key Zamastanian ally in the region, have been high since last month when Elastan threatened to launch missiles over the country and into the sea near Lalkot. Elastan further raised regional tensions on Tuesday by launching an intermediate-range ballistic missile near Atylestan, drawing international condemnation. The key question is how far Elastan has gotten in efforts to consistently shrink down nuclear warheads so they can fit on long-range missiles. Haduastan and Tasiastan's main spy agencies have previously asserted that they do not think Elastan currently has the ability to develop miniaturised nuclear weapons that can be mounted on ballistic missiles. Some experts think Elastan may have mastered this technology. Elastan is thought to have a handful of rudimentary nuclear bombs and has spent decades trying to perfect a multistage, long-range missile to eventually carry smaller versions of those bombs. SUPREME COURT ALLOWS BROAD ARMITAGE REFUGEE BAN President Armitage last week signed an executive order suspending travel for people in South Adula and Central Ausiana. POLITICAL CORRESPONDANT: Leon Jueong (@JueongSpOfficial) TOFINO/TREGUEUX - The Supreme Court on Thursday allowed President Sabine Armitage to broadly implement a ban on refugees entering the country from around the world, a decision which prompted protests outside of both the Supreme Court building and the Presidential Mansion in Tofino. The justices granted a request from the Armitage administration to block a federal appeals court decision that, according to the Justice Department, would have allowed up to 24,000 additional refugees to enter Zamastan than would otherwise have been eligible. The Supreme Court ruling gives Armitage a partial victory as the high court prepares for a key January hearing on the constitutionality of Armitage's controversial executive order, which banned travelers from seventeen countries of Muslim-majority and limited refugee admissions. President Armitage has defended her administration's position on issuing the order, citing continued lone-wolf attacks in Souther Adula and around the world by Terehanian sympathizers, and stated that the ban in its current effect is "watered-down and revised" after months of winding through the courts. The fiercely litigated travel ban finally went into effect on December 8th. Less than an hour before the ban was slated to begin, an emergency motion was filed in federal court by the province of Jade, which contests the Armitage administration’s plan to exclude certain categories of foreign nationals that the state believes are allowed to enter the country under existing court rulings. The December 2nd order suspended travel for people from South Adula and Central Ausiana for 90 days and locked out most aspiring refugees for 120 days in a move the Conservative president argued was needed to prevent terrorist attacks and allow the government to put in place more stringent vetting procedures. The order took effect last week, following a Supreme Court ruling that narrowed the scope of lower court rulings. In a ruling last week, a Circuit Court of Appeals in Tregueux, the main port of entry for other-continental refugees, said grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins of legal residents would be exempt from the travel ban. The Justice Department opted not to appeal that part of the Circuit decision. However, the Tregueux Circuit also ruled that Armitage's refugee policy was too broad, and the court allowed entry to refugees from around the world if they had a formal offer from a resettlement agency. The Justice Department, headed by Attorney General Winston Currie appealed, and the full Supreme Court on Thursday sided with the administration in a one-sentence order. Amina Nauren Shah, Refugee Rights International's Zamastanian-based senior director of campaigns, said the refugee ban is inherently cruel. “The Supreme Court today has dealt yet another devastating blow to vulnerable people who were on the cusp of obtaining safety for themselves and their families,” she said. “They continue to be subjected to unimaginable violence and fear while their lives are in limbo.” Earlier on Thursday the province of Jade, which challenged the policy, said in a court filing that the federal government could still “bar tens of thousands of refugees from entering the country.” All the Tregueux Circuit ruling did is “protect vulnerable refugees and the Zamastanian entities that have been eagerly preparing to welcome them to our shores,” Jade's provincial lawyers added. Jade's Attorney General Doug Harnete said he respected the Supreme Court’s decision and is preparing for the hearing there on January 10th. The test for foreign nationals under the Supreme Court’s ruling is whether one has a “credible claim of bona fide relationship” with either an entity (like a school or a job) or a person living in the country (such as a spouse). A hotel reservation, for example, will not constitute a bona fide relationship under the executive order, but an academic lecturer invited to speak in Zamastan will be exempt from the travel ban. If you can’t sufficiently establish such a close relationship, you are banned for 90 days if you are from Terehan, Tiqal, Shariati, Behinia, Bazira, Tennew, Apatonia, Thezu, and Togaria, and 120 days if you are a refugee from any country. The new guidelines provide that applicants must prove a relationship with a parent, spouse, finacee, child, adult son or daughter, son-in-law, daughter-in-law or sibling in Zamastan in order to enter the country. Other family members – including grandparents, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, and any other “extended” family members will not be considered “close family” under the executive order. For several hours on Thursday – prior to the executive order's upholding – administration officials had provided guidance that fiancees would not be considered “bona fide” relationships, but later reversed course, and fiancees are now exempt just like spouses. The State Department criteria applies not only to visa applicants, but also to all refugees currently awaiting approval for admission to Zamastan. Senior administration officials further confirmed despite any ambiguity in the Supreme Court’s decision, a refugee resettlement organization’s “assurance” or relationship to a prospective refugee will not be considered sufficiently close or bona fide for protection under the administration’s interpretation of the revised executive order. Advocacy groups such as Refugee Rights International plan to send researchers to Zamastanian airports, such as Tofino International Airport and Keith Ellis Airport on Thursday, to monitor developments and observe implementation of the ban in case any disputes arise. The intent behind the executive order was hotly debated for the past several months. On the 2022 campaign trail, then-candidate Armitage called for a “shutdown of risky refugees” entering Zamastan. But the text of the executive order states that “additional scrutiny” is required for foreign nationals traveling from the seventeen identified nations because “the conditions in these countries present heightened threats. Each of these countries is a state sponsor of terrorism, has been significantly compromised by terrorist organizations, or contains active conflict zones.”
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TOFINO TIMES HEADLINES
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Elastan nuclear test: Hydrogen bomb "missile ready" |
Hello, Friends and Neighbors! I'm working on the page for the Sky Faith religion (the predominant religion in Unified Sera) and I'm going to be working on the demographics of the religion. So, I'm wondering if it exists in any other nations. If so, I have a few questions! How many of your nation's people follow it? Did it become "mainstream" in your nation (i.e. if a citizen said they were an acolyte, would it be considered "weird" by other citizens)? Did it cause any friction between the established religions in your nation? Thanks guys! https://iiwiki.us/wiki/Sky_Faith |
The Fine Joys of Nationalism Cpt. Aleksander Galkin From his catwalk perch, Alex was intently watching his men and their tanks run laps like little ducklings around the tank range along the edge of the crater. They were such beautiful machines, and he wasn’t the only one who cherished that thought. Even after he said they could stop several hours ago, the men of his company were still out practicing and pushing their new toys to their absolute limits. ZIMA Armaments, my beloved. Always up to give us a treat, huh? Down on the edge of the fenced-in tank range, there was a news van and a crew filming the tanks as they ran their drills– throttling up to speed and maneuvering, parking, engaging targets at rest and on the move, and vice versa. Even for a hardcore upper-brass officer like Alex who had been in the service for years upon years, it was mesmerizing to watch. Certainly, the public found it entertaining too. “--Captain Galkin.” He was startled from his daze, making haste to turn around. Standing behind him was a graying, grizzled man about the same age, etched with a stone-cold complexion and the ensign of a lieutenant colonel. “Colonel Raskin, sir,” he responded, with a quick snap to salute. His superior returned the gesture and then leaned gently on the rail of the catwalk alongside him. “So… how do you like the new ladies?” Alex glanced at him, then down at the activity down below, and then back at him. “There ain’t nothin’ to complain about. Nothing to report. I really like ‘em.” “Hah, I figured you would. You’ve been up here watching and daydreaming for the last three hours.” “What? No, not for that long.” “I watched you walk up here after the drills were done at 1300.” Alex squinted, looking playfully offended. “Bullsh*t, you didn’t.” His CO let out an amused chortle with a sly nod. “But I did.” The captain shrugged defeatedly. “Yeah, fine. I’ve been here a good minute and I’m fanboyin’ over ‘em.” “Quite frankly, who isn’t? They’re good machines. I’ve heard a lot of good things from the rest of the battalion. What about your men?” “I haven’t heard a single negative thing and… well, evidently they don’t wanna put ‘em away. These people might burn off the entire army’s supply of gas if I don’t stop ‘em from doin’ freestyle drills.” “In due time, sure. But your men are very talented and well-disciplined, and it shows. I mean just look down there.” The colonel gestured down towards the range– and right on time for one of the new tanks to masterfully weave through a slalom before it quickly posted up at a firing position and nailed a practice target downrange, all within a matter of ten seconds or less. “It was a good call having your company at that royal ceremony, Galkin. You do the 2nd Guards great honors. I’m sure your ancestors are proud of you.” “I d*mn well hope so. At least I have someone else tellin’ me I’m doin’ a decent job. Otherwise I’d just be standing there waving my d*ck around like I’m the biggest and baddest motherf*cka' in the entire f*ckin’ army.” “I mean it. Keep that up and you’ll definitely get places. I could see you leading the 2GTA down the road.” Despite the optimism, Alex shook his head. “I’m cool with where I’m at. Being upper brass never really was my speciality.” The colonel shrugged as he pulled a cigarette from the pocket of his off-duty fatigues jacket. “Suit yourself. I mean hey, I can’t force a promotion on you. I’m just saying that if you wanted one, you could definitely get one, easily.” “Yeah, I gotchu.” “Anyway, smoke?” The officer held a second cigarette out towards him– a simple white stick with a pale eggshell-colored band. Alex squinted with a moment of hesitation. “That’s a mild one, yeah? I don’t wanna take a huge hit, otherwise the wifey’s gonna kill me.” “Uh-huh.” “Ah, what the f*ck, why not. Not much harm in it.” He accepted the cigarette, and a moment later the lighter was placed in his hand. “Thanks.” After he lit it and returned the lighter, he took one long drag before glancing back at his CO, who was studying the news van with laser-sharp intensity. “So, what’s next, huh?” The colonel leaned back and pulled his own cigarette from his teeth, exhaling a long sigh with a dim haze of smoke. “How do you mean?” “We got our new toys, yay. But… what are we doin’ now?” “Not sure yet, but… the Emperor’s been alluding to a lot of big plans He’s got.” “Like?” “The biggest thing on the plate is Shestopyor. No doubt about it.” Oh, for f*ck sake. Not this again. “Figured he would.” “--And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.” Alex didn’t say it, but he had a feeling he wasn’t going to like where this was going. Nonetheless, his curiosity won him over. “What else?” “Technically I’m not supposed to disclose the whole sh*tterie. At least formally.” “A’ight,” the captain sighed disappointedly. “You can uh… forget I asked.” “But–” the colonel continued, holding up his cigarette in a ‘hold that thought’ motion. “You’re somebody I trust, so I’ll fill you in as long as you keep it quiet. Got it?” Alex was taken aback for a moment. For real? “Oh? Okay, sure.” Raskin glanced around cautiously and lowered his voice as he threw the burnt-out cigarette on the floor of the catwalk and crushed it under his boot. “Narvik’s got His eyes on more than just Shestopyor. He’s looking past the Palisads and into the Heartland.” “Past Granitsa?” “Mhm. If I heard correctly, He even has a plan to reactivate the silos at High Rock at some point–” Alex physically recoiled at the thought. “--You’re f*ckin’ joking, right?” “No. Why?” “That would only work if the whole d*mn place wasn’t completely underwater. Under a literal f*ckin’ radioactive lake, no less. And up on top of a mountain or some sh*t.” “F*ck knows. Guess we’ll find out what His grand idea is with that, right?” “Yeah, I guess…” “But otherwise, just… yeah. He’s got a plan to turn this dumpster fire around and bring some of those rogue provinces back into the fold. We were better off back then, because we’re barely holding on here as it is.” “Evidently. Here I was driving around sixteen rusty old tin cans like they were the cream of the crop.” “No sh*t. Looks like that’s going to change though. I trust Narvik. He knows what’s best for all of us, and that’s what He wants too. He’s no quitter either, so I reckon He’ll commit and won’t stop until He gets His way or dies trying.” The older CO paused a moment as Alex disposed of his cigarette. “Say, you know Narvik more personally than I do. What do you think?” His subordinate shrugged. “I mean, I got no problem making our world a better place… but I dunno, man. I got a bad feeling.” “Scared of losing guys?” “That’s part of it. I’d also rather not have to get more blood on my hands. Shestopyor was a f*ckin’ mess the first time and I’d really like to… not have a 2.0 of that sh*t.” “Still bothers you that much, huh?” “Like you wouldn’t f*ckin’ believe.” The colonel swayed his head back and forth as he contemplated his next words. “Cheer up. We’re just getting started. When Narvik puts His plan into motion, it’s gonna be smooth as glass. Don’t you worry. If things get hairy, remember that you’re the best we have. Even without you, I reckon some of those renegades would go down within hours.” Alex shrugged, still looking rather unconvinced. “Here’s hopin’.” “Come on, relax. You wanted people to look up to you and remember you for the great things you did? Here’s your big chance. Think about how good your life’s going to be after all that.” It was an enticing thought. He was a descendant of the legendary conqueror, Vladislav the Great, House of Galkin; a figure recognized as Vrakara’s greatest military leader– and quite possibly one of the greatest of all time, or so the Vrakari liked to believe. Undertaking such an effort to bring glory and fortune back to the Empire was one with potential rewards that most lesser people could hardly imagine. Tempting indeed. Alex didn’t want rank for a list of reasons, but he wasn’t opposed to fame or keeping the Galkin name in the history books for its legendary deeds. Maybe this was his big chance after all. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.” “There you go.” The colonel checked his watch. “Well, I have sh*t to do, so I’m going to head back. I’ll keep everyone in the loop as everything comes together, so keep your ear to the ground.” “Okay, yeah.” “Cool. Remember, what I told you is between us. No one else.” “No one else. I got it.” “Good. I’ll see you around.” As his superior walked away, Alex turned back to the tank range as his men began wrapping up down below. “See ya’.” |
NS stats essentially mean nothing in this region. |
I know, my NS Defense stats are just something I am proud of. Take that as you wish, gets me into the Head of whoever happens to be BDDVs Top Leader at that moment in time. |
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Seaview Palace, Tenebris, Royal Palace of Archravia Two minutes, Princess Naoma had said, before getting a little too invested in a movie. The movie was to try and immerse herself in the Archravian language. It was all too familiar, too similar, so easy to try and understand, but at all the same time, so different. While it was certainly easier than learning Japanese way back when, Naoma was still frustrated. It seemed so simple! So similar. And yet, here she was, struggling. But not discouraged. Being the official head of the Archravia was going to be much, much harder. Tasks like these would be trivial, hopefully in a time far, far away from now. Naoma got up, stretching from sitting for so long. She dusted her pants off, silky and soft, suited for the humidity of the islands. Music started up, somewhere, beyond the beige, brick walls and down in the alleyways where nightmarkets were waking up. Neon lights flickered to life, declaring deals and treats in words and phrases Naoma couldn’t quite catch, but it was on the tip of her tongue. Flipping through a Zoygarian to Archravian dictionary, she found the word. Ooh! Poncici, doughnuts. Hopefully, she’d visit soon. Maybe she’d buy chocolate, if they had it. If they didn’t, she’d encourage the production of such things when she’d be regent, maybe. When she was regent. When she’d be the face of Archravia, overseeing the island, making sure it’s in order. When she’d be responsible for everything and anything that happened to this Principality. “Princess Naoma?” An aide’s voice rang clear across the room, echoing off of the stones, dyed orange by the sunset. Her aide. A little stiff. She wasn’t here to be friends, after all. |
Archravian Airspace, 5 Minutes From Tenebris Kasimir sat, chin resting on his palm, elbow propped against the window, gazing out at the rippling blue waves below. It had been a hot minute since he'd been to Tenebris, and it was the first time he'd be bringing his newly-appointed team with him. Appointed by Arristok III himself, Kasimir Rici was the Zoygarian ambassador to Archravia, hailing from the city of Kišniev. He had been born into a Zoygarian-speaking family surrounded by Romani-speaking neighbors, and from a young age had to learn to balance the two tongues. Juggling the romance languages between school, the neighborhood, and home was bad enough— he still remembered the time he'd told his friend Agnieška a simple phrase of "Ti lubio," "I like you," in passing. Unfortunately, in Romani, the very similar verb "iubi" meant something far more intimate, and the young man had never lived it down. In spite of the embarrassment it caused, it did teach him to be far more diligent in his language mastery, but that was only when he had two languages to deal with. After he'd pursued higher education and landed a job in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the lad's skill with Zoygarian and Romani made him a valuable asset in translation. His talents caused him to be transfered over to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where he often encountered the king. It shocked him at first, seeing Zoygaria's monarch so casually stroll about the offices and chambers he now found himself in, but it ended up working to his favor— partially. Impressed by his way with words, the king had appointed him the new ambassador to the Principality of Archravia, Zoygaria's closest tie in the world. The islands had been under Zoygarian control since the country had first dipped its feet into the waters of the Nortua Sea, gaining independence in 1912 but remaining very close diplomatically as an inseparable piece of the Imperial Commonwealth and its confusing workings. The job was prestigious and payed well, but it wasn't so much the pressure of high expectations that got to Kasimir as it was the stupid language. Archravia spoke a Romance language that was incredibly close to Zoygarian, but was frustratingly different enough to cause speakers of either language to resort to intense concentration and emphatic hand gestures just to understand one another. For Kasimir, it was yet another Romance language he'd have to juggle with the Zoygarian and Romani already rattling around his brain. Gazing out over the open sea below, Kasimir could just make out the outline of a golden skyline surrounded by verdant coast on the horizon: Tenebris, Archravia's capital and largest city. It was a city of firsts: where the first Latin-speaking ancestors of the Archravians had landed, where the first Zoygarians arrived to pluck yet another island out of the sea, and where untold thousands of diplomats, ambassadors, and heir apparents to the throne had begrudgingly begun the task of learning the just-similar-yet-different-enough Archravian language. Glancing to his left, Kasimir saw the other members of his delegation at their seats within the cabin of the small plane. He was accompanied by two others, Ğiovani and Katrina, as the Zoygarian delegation to Archravia. His fellow delegates were new assignments— "fresh meat," as was said in the ministry. They sat, hands clasped together in thought in their chairs as the plane cruised towards the Tenebris International Airport. "Stressed," he thought to himself of his compatriots. He couldn't blame them— they were set to meet with the Crown Princess of Archravia, the Zoygarian heiress Luna I of Zoygaria. If he had been made to meet royalty on his first assignment, he'd be just as mortified. He knew the princesses— there were two— wouldn't bite, though. All he had to do was speak his piece, nudge his fellows to contribute a bit to the discussion, and call it a day. Though she held arguably the most important position on the island, the crown princess wasn't something to worry about. From what the king had told him, part of him worried that the younger sister, princess Naoma, might get bold and try to discreetly mess with the two inexperienced diplomats, but he resolved that that probably wouldn't happen here. After all, she was just as new to the scene as they were. The plane eventually landed with a soft bump, taxiing into its designated hangar, and the delegation disembarked, heading towards a parked black car waiting nearby. As the three entered the vehicle, Kasimir said to his fellows: "Ready to go meet royalty?" Seaview Palace, Tenebris, Archravia Luna sat before an ornate mirror, arch covered with small lights and gold furnishings as she applied the rest of her makeup and tried her best to make her golden hair cooperate. After a good 10 minutes that felt more like 15, she decided that she looked presentable enough and rose from the seat, adjusting the small yet elaborate facets of her dress to ensure nothing looked off. She exhaled, attempting in vain to allow the knotted stress welled up in her chest to leave with the air escaping her lungs. She once again peered at herself in the mirror, trying to catch any slight imperfections she might have missed just moments earlier, when her gaze drifted to the reflection of a bookshelf behind her. Turning to face it, a tinge of longing overtook her as she began to move towards it. Allowing her hand to slide absent-mindedly along the spines of the old books, she realized just how little time she'd had to herself in the past few... days? Weeks? Or was it months, now? The fact that she had to question herself only cemented the fact in her mind that, however long it had been since she had proper free time, it had been too long. She normally enjoyed reading books— back at the Frostfall Palace in the snowy mountains of Vostok, she would spend hours shut away in the royal library in her favorite chair just reading. Few people entered the dusty old place unless they needed to fetch some legal document or another, and even if someone else entered, she was most always left alone, no one daring to rouse the crown princess from her enchantment. Since her arrival in Tenebris, however, she had not been so fortunate. Her days were mostly spent poring over legal doccuments, meeting officials, attending important events, and scrambling with the poor governor of the Principality to manage infrastructure after yet another hurricane inevitably swallowed a tiny coastal town. The language had also been a thorn in her side— she guessed that this was how Spanish-speakers felt when listening to Zoygarians talk. The Archravian language was a sister language to Zoygarian— similar enough to be mostly mutually-intelligible, but different enough to warrant lots of hand gestures and maybe a little Google translate if the speakers were desperate enough. Learning the language and becoming fluent had been no easy task for Luna— even now, some years after she had been sent to rule the Principality by her father, she still struggled to communicate at times. The people admired her effort and were nonetheless quite fond of her, but she couldn't help but feel a deep sense of shame when she couldn't understand what they were saying. She roused herself from her thoughts, retracting her hand from the shelf and remembering the task at hand: a delegation was coming, was here. Mr. Rici would be leading it, if her memory served her correctly. Exiting her dressing room with purpose, she walked through the lavishly-furnished halls of the Seaview Palace to the study, where she knew her younger sister would be. She hoped the meeting wouldn't overwhelm her: after all, one day, she would be the one managing them rather than Luna. When the time came, she would scarcely see her sister save for fortuitous occasions. Perhaps when she was queen she could authorize a holiday for visiting family, she thought. Stopping at the study door, she raised a gently made fist and knocked three times. |
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