SDN World 3 Story Thread I

[Evincer]

La Paz Review
January 7, 1925
Page 16: Book Section

Dystopian "Thought Experiment" Novel Best-Seller in Bolivarian union

1984: El fin del siglo XX (1984: The End of the Twentieth Century)
An "alternative future Earth" in which Latin America is not socialist

Author: Georgio Jorge Horwelles


In what he calls a "thought experiment" in the finest tradition of Mr. Weber, Bolivarian author Jorge Horwelles imagines an "alternate Earth" in which all of North America was dominated by a super-United States, crushing and economically subjugating Mexico into a quasi-dependency. The United States and Western European powers all aided in subdividing Central and South America into divided micro-states, too concerned with maintaining feudal relations of exploitation, and colonial relations with the West that guaranteed the priviliges of the few, to modernize and form a continental trading confederacy.

His book, which takes place in the distant and futuristic year of 1984, chronicles the country of "Peru," which as a result of fortuitious Argentinian battlefield successes in the war of 1836, never became united with Bolivia. Bolivia, in fact, is an orphan, one of the poorest countries of South America, never having been able to reach a Pacific port, and having suffered territorial humiliations at the hands of her South American brothers. Racked by many socialist revolutions and movements, the embryo of socialism in Peru and Bolivia was never hatched. Mexico City is a slum of thirty million people, and gangsters rule entire cities in Brazil.

The plot follows the travails of Argentinian doctor Fidel Guevara, who heroically puts aside the narrow national chauvenism endemic to his country in order to create a mobile ambulance service for the peasant guerilla movement in Peru. After the defeat of the rebels by a Japanese imperial intervention, Fidel flees to Venezuela (part of present-day Gran Colombia) where he joints baseball player Evo Chavez in a successful popular uprising following an incredible restructuring of Venezuela's economy by outside powers. But a much-reduced Colombia has become a military base for the United States - can the duo unite Latin America before the United States incites a regional conflagration?

This is a gripping yarn, and I could not put down the book once I started reading it. Horwelles applies colourful depictions of a worldwide telegraph service connected to every home, and radio telephones that bounce signals off of high-altitude balloons, to contrast the abundance of technology and wealth with the continued poverty of the Latin American people. The captivating imagery of the revolutionaries riding their mechanized horses, brandishing automatic rifles in a fight against Yankee gyrocopters placed me directly into the shoes of the protagonists. This reviewer gives the book four red stars.

Of course, not everyone is a fan. Cristian Sucre from "Gentleman's Weekly" calls the yarn "prepostrous and unlikely."
"If the United States was ever as large and powerful as it was in this book, it would use its great economic power to modernize Latin America and bring prosperity to the world."

-Reviewed by Emiliano Salazar

[Ma Deuce]

Madagascar Tribune

Prime Minister condemns piracy

Prime Minister Andriano has today issued a radio statement condemning the apparent act of piracy against the German steamer Mecklenburg by a Dominion warship:

"As a nation dependent on overseas trade, it is of utmost importance to Madagascar that world's sealanes remain open and safe for shipping. While Malagasy vessels have yet to be accosted, and this may yet prove to be an isolated act, the fact remains that the Mecklenburg Incident represents a gross violation of international agreements on the Freedom of the Seas. We therefore strongly condemn this act, and urge the government of the Grand Dominion to provide a satisfactory explanation of the incident. If it turns out that the commander of the warship involved acted without higher authority, we trust that he will disciplined accordingly...We also urge all other parties involved, including Germany, to exercise restraint until all the facts of this incident are known...In the mean time, my office has been contacted by the honorable representative of the government of Cascadia concerning the possibility of establishing a convoy system to protect merchant traffic in the Indian Ocean against any future acts of piracy. My government will introduce a bill to the national assembly that would grant authority to deploy the navy in this capacity, but only in the event that future acts of piracy occur. Until that happens however, it is our government's policy to remain neutral in this affair and allow the parties directly involved to settle it on their own. Thank you"

[Norade]

People's Daily

Portuguese Council Calls for Stricter Rules for Naval Conduct

Today an aide speaking on behalf of the council has issued a statement on the recent goings on near the Suez canal. It was brief and reads as follows:

"I would like to assure you that the council knows of this transgression and is working with our international partners to ensure that trade is never treated in that manner again. As of now I can say no more, but in the event that negotiation fails our fleets may steam for the canal and join with allies to form a convoy system. That is all I have on the matter."

It seems that our national leaders have a firm plan in place and we must simply wait and see.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

People's Skeptic

Portuguese Council Secretive on Plans

Today's press release is a sham, the council is certainly in on the piracy. Why else would they not send a fleet at fullest steam to apprehend these brigands? Why else would they be so short on answers to easy questions about their actions? I say there is misinformation afoot my brothers, let us not rest until the truth is laid bare.

[Beowulf]

Shenyang Items

Communist agitators shot resisting arrest

Fourth Armored Cruiser of the 1920 Fleet Act launched

First Battleship of the 1924 Fleet Act laid down

Treaty payment of 100 lbs of silver accepted by the Qing Emperor

Prime Minister condemns Shepistan piracy

[MKSheppard]

Castle von Saul, Shepistani Federation

Defender of the Faith, Leader of the People's League (the largest political party in the Shepistani Federation), and Maintainer of the Schutzhund Breed; Lord Maximillian Sheppard watched the erection of the statue of his beloved Blondi in the courtyard. Six months ago, a team of assassins, no doubt from the Goddamns had infiltrated his estate and killed several servants of the household before running across Blondi. Blondi had reacted like any good Sheppish Schutzhund would; ripping the throat out of one of the intruders before being shot several times.

The servants who had died; well, their families would get a one-time payment of $500,000 Sheppish Dollars, which by the unofficial exchange rate, was worth about $50 Dominionite dollars.

"Sir." remarked his naval aide, coughing to get his attention. "We have a situation in the Shepistani Sea. Apparently people are calling our reasonable tolls to defend against Goddamn piracy an insult."

"How soon people forget the fact that the Goddamns were the first to institute commerce raiding during the last war -- and defending against such piratical incursions is not cheap."

"Issue an ad in all the major foreign papers warning of the danger of piracy in the Shepistani Sea."

"Yessir."

[MKSheppard]

Castle von Saul, later that day

"He what?" shouted Maximillian after hearing about the Lord Protector's speech.

"I knew he had communist sympathies, you only need to look at his first year entrance essay to the Naval Academy that was republished by the Shroomwell Society; but giving women the franchise? Allowing them to serve in the armed forces?"

"Science has proven that womenfolk are prone to hysterics, are weaker mentally than men, and much more susceptible to carnal desires, making them ill suited for this kind of work."

"What the devil will he want to do next? Give the franchise to the Hindoos? After what they did in the last war?"

"My God, Man!"

"And this whole....peace treaty business? As long as the Dominion still holds Shroomir against the wishes of it's Sheppish population? Absolutely out of the question! And that so-called plebiscite, where only recent dominite immigrants could vote? Balderdash!"

"It's already bad enough that I have to be next to him for each year's Founding Day and deliver a speech right after him. By all rights, we should be the ones delivering the first speech; since it was a Sheppish soldier who crossed the river first into the subcontinent!"

[Raj Ahten]

Buenos Aires

The Chilitinean Naval Academy was graduating a new class of cadets and that meant a big parade. The new class, Marines, a few tanks and even some airplane overflights were all part of the spectacle. The Commandant had gone all out this year because he had been told the Prime Minister was going to make a big speech at the commencement ceremony.

When Prime Minister Morales took the stage his words were carried across the country and beyond on radio. The old conservative was well known for his fiery speeches. For the most part it was full of nationalistic pride and compliments to the graduating class. Morales went further than normal in criticizing the socialist powers on the continent calling the PBC, "Brutal thugs feigning democracy," the Brazilians, "Godless Heathens of the North, " and last but not least the Colombians, "An Octopus wrapping its tendrils around the throat of world trade."

After the rhetoric Morales got to the point.
"Though most of our beautiful South America might be overrun with Communists, Chilitina stands for truth, justice and capitalism. These are not easy things to stand for in the world today. Socialism is on the march. Just this week a communist plot was unearthed in Madagascar. Since the communists have a worldwide scope, so should the nations which appose the red menace. To that end Chilitina will be hosting a Freedom conference in Buenos Aires in one month's time. I invite representatives from any nation that apposes communism. We must act to safeguard ourselves before international communism strikes again!"

Domestically, the speech was well received.

[K. A. Pital]

Vast plains of Mother Russia. Moscow, the Kremlin, VTSIK Administrative Building (former Senate Palace).

Bukharin oversaw the crowd. For now, he was elected the Chairman of the All-Union Central Executive Commitee, but he knew that this position was a shaky one. Yet, it was now within his power to gather the Union's executive body at once and direct it to make decisions on just about anything, from detention of unwanted persons to declaring war or making peace.

- I would like to express my extreme gratitude to the All-Union Congress of the Soviets which upheld me as a candidate, - he started. - And I would like to thank my trusted comrades, old fighters of the Revolution, who offered their support as well. I would like to start by a public announcement to the nations of the world that outrageous crimes commited by the imperialist regimes against the working class will not go unnoticed. The so-called "Freedom" conferences that the retrograde nations of the world are so keen on hosting have resulted in grisly events of the recent years - the mass murders in Asian nations, the murder of a Soviet diplomate by a monarchist revanchist, who was let go by the mock jury in Europe. Both Europe and Asia have shamed the name of the law they profess to uphold, but that is no wonder - such are the ways of the bourgeois.

Nickolai stopped for a moment to take some water in.

- Considering that, I would like to remind everyone that the Soviet Union is a friend to all nations of the working class, and no foe to those nations which follow the international law. I have ordered to dispatch the battleship Slava on a goodwill tour across the world. They already set sail, as our foreign ministry figures out the destination points. Those who would accept our mission of peace with a clean heart and enter negotiations in good faith, if those nations have not already recognized the Soviet government, would be considered welcome partners. Those, like Brazil and our other friends in the formerly downtrodden land of Latin America, victims of European imperialism, those, who already have accepted our nation's government, which upheld all the piled-down debts and obligations of the former imperialist clique, I must add! - those nations we ask nothing of, except continuing the struggle for the worker's cause. But those who persist in their wild accusations of "eserism", "bolshevism" and "dangers of sovietism" and "communism", however, would be considered as ones fully revealing their imperialist nature and nothing but foes of the Soviet Union.

He paused.

- And now, an address to all you, comrades, who have gathered here today...

[RogueIce]

Buenos Aires
"Though most of our beautiful South America might be overrun with Communists, Chilitina stands for truth, justice and capitalism. These are not easy things to stand for in the world today. Socialism is on the march. Just this week a communist plot was unearthed in Madagascar. Since the communists have a worldwide scope, so should the nations which appose the red menace. To that end Chilitina will be hosting a Freedom conference in Buenos Aires in one month's time. I invite representatives from any nation that apposes communism. We must act to safeguard ourselves before international communism strikes again!"

Domestically, the speech was well received.

Internationally, the speech was also well received. Depending upon who received it, of course.

In due course, the United States State Department sent a telegram to Buenos Aires, notifying the Chilitinean government that they would be attending the proposed Freedom Conference.

[K. A. Pital]

Vast plains of Mother Russia. Newly christened Leningrad (formerly Petrograd). The Admiralty.

The room was full of well-dressed people in full regalia. Many were shy to put on Tsarist awards, but the atmosphere certainly was more tolerant for such displays of patriotism than it was several years ago during the collapse of government.

Rear-admiral Aleksei Schastniy opened the discussion with a harsh statement.

- Comrades, the shipbuilding program of the Russian Empire, which we inherited, made little sense. Creating costly battleships in great numbers on the shallow and incident-prone theater like the Baltic and the Black Sea led to the forming of a perception of "caged monster", where we and Germany might come together in a deadly clash in these seas, and hence must further construct large combatants...

- Comrade Schastniy, your opinion is well noted... - spoke Dybenko, but Schastniy continued, disregarding the former sailor's interjection.

- I must say that with the collapse of the Empire and the massive failure that are Soviet-French relations now, all hopes of a base in Bizerte have been lost - at the same time, our fleet is steadily growing into an open seas fleet. We need a place where we could place the first open seas squadron that could operate in the oceans, instilling fear on the enemy who could dare to attack us. That is the concept of having an ocean fleet. Otherwise, those ships are just worthless rotting scrap - but we made many sacrifices to keep them alive.

- The fleet has received certain invitations from Germany. Do you know that? - Dybenko spoke as soon as the rear-admiral finished. - I was about to say that. And do you know what the monarchists could be up to?

- I don't know, - Schastniy shrugged. - But after all, you're currently controlling a good swath of our fleet's relation with the politicians. Perhaps you could tell?

- I don't trust them, - Dybenko waved his hand, the audience nodded and a mutter of agreement went through the hall, - but they were among the first to accept the Slava voyage that Bukharin initiated, and it seems the Kaiser government could in the future even accept the Soviet Union as the legal successor to Russia - or such are the hopes of the diplomats travelling with the Slava. Heard their chatter just recently as the ship departed. We're still pressing the Europeans into collective guilt over Vorovskiy's murder by that monarchist thug. Clearly they would want cooperation from us in exchange for setting up relations, however.

- Which is unacceptable! - blasted Schastniy. - They are imperialists!

- Yes, yes... - hummed in admiral Alexander Vasilievich Nyomitz. - But undeniably, as you and others in this room know, there are talks of certain special needs of the fleet, and possible pending re-dislocation that would be required to support Army operations. So far we saw no border provocations, but the atmosphere of hostility to the Soviet power in Asia is growing, and in Europe we remain isolated from international recognition, - he didn't say it, but certainly thought that the great Empires of Europe do not have a pariah state among them humiliated enough to make agreements with the USSR, - Breaking international isolation in Europe is, quite possibly, a dire necessity far more so than simply ill-thought approaching attempts. Our friends are far and few, located on the other side of the world. International isolation of the USSR on this continent should and must end.

- Let the Centrbron' handle that, - Schastniy seemed angry.

- No armored train could compare to a battleship, - Nyomitz retorted. - You know we are constructing two carriers, which are nearing completion. Where do you propose those ships should operate?

- Calm down, gentlemen, - spoke a slow voice. - I'm sure we could find ways. I'm sure international isolation will be broken. Comrade Bukharin plans to visit Germany just after the special session of the VTSIK which would happen early February along with the head of the NKID. As they are elected by the people, they can make a well-informed decision if we could trust the German Emperor's small, but alarming display of good will.

- Maxim Maximovich? You arrived from Moscow?

- Yes, by plane this morning, - the agent preferred to forget the shaky hull of the old Russian Ilya Muromets type heavy bomber, the oldest models of which now served at long-distance passenger lines... mostly to bring Soviet officials swiftly from one place to another.

A murmur went through the hall. Well, thought Maxim, at least they don't openly decry me as Bukharin's spy. No need to irritate the Navy bigwigs. It's best to keep friends with them... or, rather, make useful allies out of them. Isaev knew that a storm was brewing inside the Soviet Union. Only firm loyalty to the cause and considerable scheming experience could help one live through it and not just live, but rise.

The People's Commisariat for Foreign Affairs of the USSR. Official letter.

"To: Exarch Ignatius, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Byzantine Empire

Dear Sir,

We thank you for the condolences expressed by the Emperor. We would like to thank the Byzantine Empire for it's clear and firm stance on non-interference in Russian affairs during the period when our nation suffered from attempts at military interventions. The Chairman of the VTSIK shall accompany me during the visit to Byzantium in Feburary of this year 1925, and certainly he and I both greatly value your invitation to the table for honourable talks. Among other issues, our delegation would like to discuss the possibilities of international recognition, now that we have fully repaid almost all debts and obligations accumulated by the former government of Russia during it's final political debacle.

Sincerely yours,
Grigoriy Vasilievich Chicherin, NKID USSR.

[Akhlut]

After the rhetoric Morales got to the point.
"Though most of our beautiful South America might be overrun with Communists, Chilitina stands for truth, justice and capitalism. These are not easy things to stand for in the world today. Socialism is on the march. Just this week a communist plot was unearthed in Madagascar. Since the communists have a worldwide scope, so should the nations which appose the red menace. To that end Chilitina will be hosting a Freedom conference in Buenos Aires in one month's time. I invite representatives from any nation that apposes communism. We must act to safeguard ourselves before international communism strikes again!"

This news spread among the powerful capitalists of Mongolia and was passed with great enthusiasm among them as they tried to find leverage against the infernal Mongolian Marxist Party. The Amalgamated Market Parties of Mongolia quickly started to assemble an official envoy to send to Buenos Aires.

Open Letter To All Communist/Socialist/Derivatives Thereof Parties:

The Union of the Low Countries, in the spirit of the international worker, would like to host a conference to discuss methods of preventing abuses to the proletariat, defending the rights of workers, and organizing like-minded parties and countries to further assist the worker.

The Event is planned to start May the First of this year, 1925, at the Hague.

- Mr. Alex Steacy, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Union of the Low Countries.

The Mongolian Marxist Party, similarly, heard of this and spread it among the proletariat of Mongolia. They, too, started to assemble a delegation to send to the Hague.




In anticipation of selling weapons to the Soviets, Chinese, and Manchurians, the Mongolian factories ramped up production of an imported, older model gun, the Madsen machine gun.

[Zor]

Dai Nippon Press

Navy announces New Destroyer class will begin production latter this year-Today, the Admiralty has announced that production will soon begin on the new Fubuki-class destroyer. The first vessels are expected to enter into service early next year.

Prime Minister decries Dominionite Piracy-Today, before the Imperial Diet Prime Minister Hojo Yurimoto has decried the actions of the Grand Dominion against innocent merchent vessels as being a display of crude barbarism.

Army Adopts a Sub Machine Gun-Today, His Imperial Majesty's Army has approved of a catagory of a new catagory of personnal automatic weapons from Nambu, designated the Type-1 Sub Machine Gun. Long Term plans including issuing these weapons on a scale so that two infantryman per squad will carry these new weapons. The Imperial Japanese Navy and Air Force have also voiced interest in these weapons while Nambu has announced plans with government on putting these machine guns on the market after the Army's orders are met.

[Thanas]

Berlin, Germany

Reichskanzler Sänger took a sip of Scotch and nodded at Admiral Scheer, the commander of the Navy. "So it is confirmed?" "Jawohl, Herr Doktor. Our Koloniedirektor at Sumbabwa has taken a look at the pictures, which reportedly are of high enough quality to clearly identify the ships involved." Sänger looked at Scheer. The Naval hero was now 65 years old - and showed no inclination to retire. "Can we be assured of...his eyesight?" "The Direktor is a retired ship designer of us. He is sure."

The Reichskanzler scribbled a few notes on a pad and showed it to Scheer. "Can the following be arranged?" Scheer nodded. "Yes. It is very risky, though. We can use the Scouting Geschwader - they are currently on a mediterranean cruise on their way to Pola." "Sehr gut." "I'll coordinate with Hipper. The pictures themselves will arrive in Berlin in about two weeks."



Deutsches Aufklärungsgeschwader
Mediterranean

"Signal from Berlin, Admiral." Admiral von Reuter looked at the young ensign delivering the message. The young man had a distinctly Austrian voice - one of the many young people eager to prove their nation was just not one that needed constant german rescuing. Or maybe he was one of those who considered the union between Austria and Germany natural. In either case, here he was, serving on a German ship. Reuter took the message and looked at it. After reading it, he ordered it to be broadcast to the fleet.

The Scouting Geschwader went to full speed. SMS Goeben, von der Tann and Moltke, led by the now - flagship Lützow, increased speed and headed towards the german naval base of Pola. Leaving the empty and now trailing fleet Oiler behind (which had been ordered to make way to Genua on its own speed), the fleet soon vanished over the horizon.

[Steve]

Astoria Daily Times

Editorial Section:

President Halling doesn't know when to quit.


Our "esteemed" outgoing Tory President simply doesn't get the message that we're tired of him and the way he tried to run our country. Despite being only one month from departing office, President Halling has already stepped on the President-elect's toes by appointing a delegate from the State Department to attend the Chiletanian "Freedom Conference" on anti-Communism. This is an outrageous act by an outgoing President to try to influence Cascadian policy after his removal. I would think President Halling would be ashamed of himself except that he clearly has no shame, just like most of his fellow Tories. I can only hope that upon inauguration President Garrett immediately recalls this sham delegation to what is clearly a corporate-sponsored conference to promote ideas on oppressing the world's common people.

[Siege]

Messages from the Diwan



- Ibrahim al-Hayat ibn Abdulaziz, the Wazir al-Bahr [Minister of the Sea] of the Sultanate of Egypt has termed the acts of piracy against a German merchant ship in the Gulf of Aden "regrettable". "Unfortunately the transgressions of barbarians are not limited to the coasts and highways. If they insist on continuing their illicit and disruptive actions they will surely be brought to justice, for Allah loveth not transgressors."

- Several minor riots were put down in al-Ghazza by the security forces of Emir Haroun ibn Khaldun al-Rashid earlier in the week. According to the Mukhabarat the cause of the riots was religious, and "Christian zealots" were responsible for starting them. Prominent Imams as well as the orthodox Patriarch of Ghazza condemned the riots. Says the Patriarch: "fundamentalist protestants from Europe and the New World are to blame for these riots. Christians have lived peacefully in these lands for many hundreds of years. We pray our brothers in Christ reconsider their attitude toward other faiths."

- Commenting on continuing revolutionary unrest the world over and the executions of communist agitators in several countries abroad the nine Mujtahids of the Greater Diwan issued a statement condemning revolutionaries of every kind that echoed earlier words of the Caliph of Cairo. The Islamic scholars quoted the Holy Quran, which says that "all those who disobey Allah and His Messenger and transgress His limits will be admitted to a Fire, to abide therein: And they shall have a humiliating punishment."

- Abbas ibn Kareem aal-Filisteeni, the Wazir ud-Daula [Minister of State] has announced that the Sultanate shall send an emissary to the Freedom Conference of Buenos Aires announced by the Chilitinan government.

[Thanas]

Some time later....

German merchant steamer SS Schütting

The German captain swallowed as the newest visitor, who had boarded his ship as soon as it had enterered the Suez canal, produced his orders and showed them to him. "You are aware that I do not have to follow them? I am a civilian." The Naval Lieutenant nodded. "It is a request...von einem Bremer an einen Bremer Kapitän. I am sure you are aware of what happened to the Mecklenburg?"

After a few moments of contemplation, the Kapitän nodded. "Very well."

Reichskanzlei

Sir,
you are hereby asked to take your steamer through the area in which the Mecklenburg was intercepted. May your journey be a safe and uninterrupted one.

Mast- und Schotbruch,
Johannes Sänger

After seeing the Captain's face, the Lieutenant tried to cheer him up. "Don't worry, Sir, the cowardly pirates won't dare to challenge us." "Right", the Captain grumbled.

[Evincer]

First Families Move into Inkas Residences

The first groups of families and residents have moved into the new "Inka" Residences that underwent furnishing in December. The opening of the residences, the funding of which began in 1919, was delayed by the heavy stone construction, the need for transit planning, and their integration with the subway network.

Designed in what has been termed the "Euro-Incan" architectural style, The Inkas Residences range in height from two to three stories, containing spacious family dwellings, or Kanchas, integrated through large hallways and communal game, meeting, and sanitary rooms. In addition to gardens and ball courts, the Inkas are built together with, where permissible, floating gardens or terraces, depending on terrain.

"These buildings are not designed after the elite dwellings of Inca emperors, but rather the shared community designs of the maize of the Earth, the peasantry of the Inca," explained state commission lead architect Marcito Nortez.

Similar projects are underway in La Paz, Huanaco, Abancay, Quito, and other major cities. However, they are not without criticism. Representative for North Quito, Miguel Cerveza for the Heritage-Freedom party, complained that "in addition to requiring millions of man-hours, these buildings occupy a significant portion of our brick and concrete production. What of our poor forests, which have been torn in thousands of acres to reinforce these putrid buildings?" The newly-elected Socialist representative in South Quito, European immigrant Karl Polanyi, countered that the earthquake-resistant buildings represented a sensible investment for the future. "We would require millions of man-hours to produce housing for our expanding population regardless of our methods, and the Inkas provide a local solution to integrate and manage the increasing requirements of the Bolivarian urban population."
"I want to live in tall glass buildings! Others want to have a single house for every family. We must look to the North Americans for examples," exclaimed Cerveza. Polanyi continued to expound that the housing projects "represent the ability of a democratic government to respond to the housing needs of an engaged and educated populace."

Meanwhile, Minister of the Interior Jose Mariategui has promoted the use of improved earthquake-resistant adobe houses as the best solution for rural housing.

[Fingolfin_Noldor]

Letter to the The People's Commisariat for Foreign Affairs of the USSR

Dear Grigoriy Vasilievich Chicherin, NKID USSR,

The Emperor of Byzantium will be most delighted to host you in our capital Constantinople. We will hope to propose areas of cooperation which will serve both our interests, particularly that of trade and movement of peoples as well as scientific and technological cooperation between our two peoples. The Emperor believes full diplomatic recognition, including a full embassy is well within possibility, as soon as we delve through certain points of contention between our two nations. Moreover, we are prepared to come to favourable terms with regard to the payment of the debt owed to the Byzantine Imperial Government by the previous Russian Government.

Yours sincerely,
Exarch Ignatius Korolev.

[Raj Ahten]

Chilitina: Politics
The opposition had never been happy with Morales's rhetoric. Their problem was that what he stood for was quite popular with the electorate, so his policies could never really be tackled head on. Julio Dietrich, the opposition leader, did have a response to the Morales prepared however.

His speech basically went and said that he too loved Chilitina and knew that the Capitalist system was superior. He also thanked the armed forces profusely, which was fairly standard to any public speech in Chilitina involving foreign affairs or defense issues, even if one was cutting military budgets. Dietrich then got to the business of the address. He condemned Morales's foreign policy, saying his blatant antagonism towards the communists was counter productive and would also draw them closer together. He continued to say the communists were not a monolithic bloc and by treating them as such Chilitina was missing opportunities to meet its goals on the continent.

Right wing demagogues mocked Dietrich in the press as a red sympathizer, but that was par for the course. The new communist conference in Mongolia gave the critics plenty of extra ammunition as well.

Chilitina "concerned" over Shepestani actions on the high seas.

The chilitinean foreign minister said the government was "Highly concerned" about the Shepestani government's action involving a German freighter earlier this month. Furthermore he offered to provide "any assistance we can" to Germany in order to maintain freedom of the seas.

[Siege]

Bar Gezirah
Geziret, Cairo



On the minarettes of the nearby mosques the muezzin were calling the faithful to prayer when MacBride spotted them. They had just stepped into the bar. There were three of them: well-dressed, but not ostentatiously so. They wouldn't have looked out of place among the crowds of foreigners in one of the uptown bars or restaurants, but here, this close to the Nile harbors, they stood out among the off-duty loaders and sailors who made up the regular patrons of Bar Gezirah.

The tall newcomers made their way slowly towars the bar. Several patrons looked at them, before turning quickly back to stare into cups of thick arabian coffee or sweet Grecian tea. The strangers' trenchcoats and fedoras couldn't hide the soldierlike demeanor of their movements, or their blond hair. The Egyptian clientele of Bar Gezireh knew better than to make trouble with foreigners.

From his booth at the back of the bar Michael MacBride scanned the bar's interior. It was dark in the Bar Gezirah. Stained glass windows set high in the single wall facing the street admitted only the faintest of light. Wobbling ceiling fans slogged through the thick layer of bluish-gray cigarette smoke that clung to the high ceiling. MacBride ducked inside his kameez and wished for a group of constabularies or soldiers on leave to enter. He has no luck.

One of the newcomers beckons the bartender. The old man stopped polishing the elaborate silver teapot and hastily approached the strangers, ready to take orders. MacBride knew that the strangers didn't want a drink; they wanted information. He slid as far back into the booth as possible. It could be they weren't here for him. But still. He eyed the rest room door.

Outside the bar a car engine backfired. None of the regulars took notice. The bartender continued talking, nodding and pointing in the direction of the booth. But the three strangers had turned as if stung. One of them slid a hand inside his coat, unconsciously reaching for a hidden weapon.

MacBride ran for the door.

Somewhere behind him chairs were being overturned. There were shouts and the sound of glasses breaking as MacBride slammed through the door and raced down the short, poorly-lit passageway, then vaulted right through the door that led into the the alley behind the bar. He knew it was only a matter of seconds before the strangers were on his tail. But on the streets of Cairo he stood a good chance of losing them-

Unfortunately he was not alone in the alley. A truncheon swung toward his head the moment he rounds the corner outside. There was a blinding pain, then darkness.

When he came to Michael MacBride found himself on his back looking up into the the faces of several blonde men in trenchcoats. One of them crouched next to him. "Michael MacBride? A pleasure to meet you." His English has a thick German accent, and he smiles like he doesn't mean it. "My boss would like a word with you."

Result: Michael MacBride just can't get a break, no matter what world he's in .

[Evincer]

La Paz Review
January 14, 1925

News In Brief (con't)

Foreign Minister José Bustamante to Attend Conference

José Bustamante, appointed Foreign Minister last year, will officially represent the government of the Bolivarian Union at the International Conference at the Hague in May. In related news, members of the Heritage-Freedom and Liberal parties are expected to be present at at the so-called "Freedom Conference" set to take place in Chiletina next month.

Book Section

Editor's Note: Last week, our reviewer Emiliano Salazar published his account of Jorje Horwelles' coal-hot book "1984: The End of the Twentieth Century." Mr. Salazar is currently on exercise with the 14th Reserve Cavalry Division, and thus will not be able to publish any book reviews this week. However, we did receive an excerpt from Mr. Horwelles' new book, and are reproducing it below:

With the flick of a button, Guevara stopped his horse.

"What is it, compadre?" asked Evo.

Fidel coughed before answering back.
"It's my asthma," he gasped. "Imagine living in a city with 1.2 million oil-burning cars."

"It keeps the Persian monarchs rich, comrade," grinned Evo. "I wish I had some oil."

Guevara patted his Tokarev Automatic Rifle. He had been able to trade it from a guard of a Soviet ship berthed in Rio for a pack of chocolates. Evidently, the rationing plan in the USSR no longer extended to chocolates.

"We will liberate Caracas soon enough. Imagine what we can do if we redistribute those profits to the people." Guevara lit his last cigar, a Cuban, from that doomed expedition in Playa Giron.

"I just hope we are not too late," mourned Evo. "There is hardly anyone left willing to call themselves a socialist. They say the Soviet Union has five years left. I think it died long ago."

"They failed us! Where were they to support movements abroad? Always concerned with the defense of the motherland, until there was nothing left but an ossified cinder of a God that failed."

"Or perhaps, my companion, we failed them. The Soviets relied on a world revolution, but there was none. Look at the betrayals of the Germans, the Italians! After the failure of the European revolutions, without revolutions in Latin America, they had no allies. Remember, imperialism squeezes and squeezes until there is nothing left. How are the Soviets to compete in ray guns when the Oceanic bloc has three times the wealth? No, this fate was decided long ago."

"We grow melancholy," agreed Guevara. Come, let us meet with the Ecuadoreans. He started his horse.

Evo watched the man on the horse, the man with the cigar in his mouth, and admired his determination.

"And if you think the air is bad here, wait until you get to Caracas!"

[Lonestar]

The Northern Arabian Sea...

The Dominionite "Commerce Defense Cruiser" Enrico Dandalo had ordered the Qing Chinese steamer Princess of the Orient to stop for an inspection, which, considering the presence of 6 305mm guns, the captain decided he had better follow. Already a gig had been lowered and a God-Damn party had arrived. The LT. in charge of the party sniffed and said. "Who is the captain?"

"I am." A Caucasian stepped forward. "Adolf Schreiber."

"The chinamen couldn't find one of their own to qualify, eh? Papers." The Dominionite held out his hand, and a sheaf of papers appeared.

"May I ask the purpose of this stop?"

"Routine inspection for contraband. Everyone gets it."

"We passed a Manchu steamer heading east, they said they passed a GDN vessel without any problems."

The officer shrugged, and kept reading through the list. "Alright, your papers appear to be in order. Fiume, eh? Carrying more material for the Vaterland?"

"Students for a training agreement...." Schreiber stopped as he noticed that the Enrico Dandalo was abruptly picking up steam. "Vat is your ship doing?" As the GDN officer turned a young chinese man came running out of the wireless shack and began to chatter in a pidgin of German, Cantonese, and English. "Calm down, calm down. You are sure?"

"What is the meaning of this??"

Schreiber gave a wry smile. "It seems that your vessel has spotted a periscope." He glanced East, where the early evening and overcast sky made the horizon dark.

Shepistani Submarine

There! Right there. Dominionite pirates caught in the act. LT Morrslieb scowled as he looked out through the periscope. The Goddamns must have spotted him somehow, as they were maneuvering behind the Chi-nee steamer. Well, every cloud had a silver lining, and this was as good a time to debut the newest tool from Shepistani engineering. He pushed down on the intercom. "TORPEDO! Set the Magnetic Anomaly Triggers!" There was a muffled affirmative, then the petty officer came back and said that it was set.

Morrslieb gave a feral grin, and fired, the submersible giving a shudder as the two torpedoes left, heading for the Goddamn capital ship, which had so cowardly hid behind the steamer...

...Which promptly exploded as the torpedoes passed under it. Behind the ruin of the ship he could see the Enrico Dandalo gathering speed. Morrslieb swore and stomped forward towards the small torpedo room.

"You! You idiot! They destroyed the Chi-nee steamer! Did you set the MAT?"

"Ja Captain!"

"Did you set it so it would ignore the first magnetic anomaly and only explode as it approached the second?"

The petty officers looked at each other, then at the pages of the vendor manual lying around the compartment. "They can do that?"

"Arrrgh! Dumkopf!" Morrslieb punched the lead torpedoman, who crumpled quickly. He was about to start on the second when the intercom rang and the XO spoke.

"Sir! The Goddamn cruiser is trying to ram us!"

"Then Dive, you idiot!"

The sub shifted as it dove, and Morrslieb crawled back to the control room. Then the unmistakable sound of metal hitting occured, with the submersible rocking wildly and the lights dimming briefly. Vibrations could be felt from the 17,000 ton warship passing overhead. The vibrations slowly ceased as the vessel moved away. Morrslieb looked at his crew. Incredibly, they had survived.

P.N.S. Enrico Dandalo

Captain Hugh House looked over the Port bridge wing and the growing oil slick.

"Well! I expect we got those chaps, eh?" This side of the bridge was nearly dark with the setting sun on the Starboard side. "Right, let's see if we can't pick up and survivors before it gets too dark...I say, is that lightening?" Off to the far East were flashes.

The XO turned and ran into the bridge, before he could start belting out instructions massive towers of water exploded off Port as the first of the large caliber shells impacted. "Cage Masts!" Came a shout from the crow's nests.

House cursed. Sheppo Dreadnoughts. Right then. "Head Southeast at best speed, see if we can't rendezvous with Tappington's lot. And throw something their way, will you?"

The Marienburg Diesels surged as the Enrico Dandalo dashed Southeast. The angle of the course was such that both forward and after turrets were able to be brought to bare, and the 6 305mm roared and spewed smoke, but relatively little flash. Although splashes could be seen, it was impossible to tell how close they were, so dark it was now. Faint wakes could be seen as the Sheppo BBs' screens released torpedoes. House maneuvered the Dandalo like a destroyer, and manage to break off. Although two Sheppo CAs and 3 CLs followed for a few hours, the Dandalo was able to effect an escape.

The Northern Arabian Sea

Captain Schreiber clung to a plank, covered in oil and burns. Two mammoth Sheppo dreadnoughts moved slowly towards the wreckage, and a booming voice could be heard on a speaker.

"Ahoy there! We have come to rescue you from the Dominionite Pirates!"

[Master_Baerne]

Le Monde

French Delegates to attend Both Conferences!: Foreign Minister Leduc announced earlier this morning at a press conference in Paris that he himself would attend the so-called "Freedom Conference" to be held later this year, while Deputy Foreign Minister Honore LaShaille would be present at The Hague for the "International Conference". Government spokesman Henri Trouver had this to say when asked for comment: "It is important to keep thins in perspective. Socialist views and policies have made France what it is today, but it would be foolish to alienate half the world over an idealogical spat."

[Steve]

Wilhelmshaven, German Empire
9 February 1914


There was a chill in the air coming off the North Sea as the vessels of Imperial Germany's Hochseeflotte (High Seas Fleet) came to attention. Tugboats guided the new arrivals in into the coastal city's harbor, their arrival through the gray sea mist answered by the light thundering of the minor batteries on the German ships.

This salute was answered by a similar one from the new arrivals. One by one the vessels pierced the mist and came into full view, led by a mighty dreadnought-style warship flanked by two younger predecessors of that type. A flag fluttered into sight upn the masts of the newcomers, a horizontal tricolor of blue, white, and green from top to bottom, known across the world as the Cascadian tricolor; far from their home in the Pacific, these vessels had already traveled most of the world's oceans on their long trip to Europe as part of the first large-scale world cruise of the Cascadian Navy.

The lead vessel of this expedition was CRS Cascadia, one of the two newest, most powerful dreadnoughts in the Cascadian fleet. At nearly 29,000 tons displacement with a full load she was the same size as Germany's own new König-class ships, but laid in 1909 she had been in active service since the early part of the prior year. Nine 14" guns in triple turrets, complete with one in a super-firing position in the forward centerline region (Cascadia had opted for this concept early, though it had suffered the usual early difficulties with a new concept in doing so), were now the most powerful ship guns in Wilhelmshaven.

Behind her the dreadnoughts Valiant and Vigilant spewed black coal exhaust as they followed their new, more powerful cousin into Wilhelmshaven; the two oldest of Cascadia's dreadnoughts (the Cascadian Admiralty had been unwilling to part with the 1908 Olympias for the cruise), each carried 10 12" guns in dual turrets. They were followed by a pair of predreads of the Superb and Relentless classes, 1902 and 1900 respectively, and behind them with the cruise's attached colliers (one converted to hold fuel oil as well as coal stores) were the oldest ships in the cruise force: the armored cruisers Defiant, Intrepid, and Reprisal. The ships, over a quarter of a century old (the first two were 29 years old), were Cascadia's first armored cruisers, though in the day some naval experts had listed them as "second class battleships" from their four 10"/25 guns. The old warhorses had been refurbished slightly for what was effectively their last glory parade; All three were on their final voyages, due for decommissioning and potential scrapping when the World Cruise was over.

Why were such ships chosen? They represented the birth of the modern Cascadian Navy. Though some early sailers bought from the British had played a minor role in the Californian War, helping Cascadian militia beat the Mexican Army to San Francisco Bay (and setting up their eventual victory at the Battle of the San Joaquin River) and thwarting Mexico's Pacific squadron at the Battle of San Pablo Bay, it was the Defiant and her four sister ships (with Reprisal and Warrior built to a slightly-different design in 1887) that had clinched naval glory for their nation in the Australian War, making up for the Cascadian Army's defeats and losses to Manchurian Maxims and lever-action rifles by thoroughly demolishing Manchuria's cruisers at the Battles of Bunbury and Yongsan (now Carnarvon, Australia). Defiant and Intrepid were veterans of those battles - the latter of which saw Intrepid badly damaged and their third sister Reliant lost to Manchurian torpedoes - while Reprisal had been rushed to completion in time to join Defiant for the Battle of Newcastle, where the Manchurian Army was forced to surrender in 1892 after nearly three years of war in Eastern Australia. That victory had led to the Manchurian acceptance of Cascadian sovereignty over the expanse of Australia, guaranteeing the vast colony and its abundant resources for Cascadia.

Reprisal had a second function here as well, serving as a symbol, for it was this ship that Commodore George Hencken had flown his flag from at Samoa when he had prevented the outbreak of war with Germany over the disposition of those islands, working with his German counterparts to settle the dispute over influences in Samoa and paving the way for the 1899 German-Cascadian Naval Accord, critical to the end of their long-standing disputes by having the two states agree to share their Pacific bases and even opening the way for use of their national homeland harbors. Through this Cascadian ships on long-range voyages to Europe enjoyed safe anchorage at Wilhelmshaven and Kiel while Germans in the Pacific could dock at San Francisco and Esquimalt; it had even led to German becoming a second language in the Cascadian Navy's officer corps while clinching English as a second language of the Kaiserliche Marine.

As the ships pulled up to their prepared docking spaces, guided by tugboats, the senior crew of the Cascadia stood out upon the forecastle, bundled in fur coats much as they'd be back in their native homeland at this time of year, in this chilled weather. A cold rain had seen them in but the storm was still off-shore, allowing them a dry entry to port at the very least. Rear Admiral Carlton Mack stood at the lead of his officers as they watched their counterparts of the High Seas Fleet prepare to greet them.

One of these officers, a well-built and large individual, bore the bars of a Lieutenant Commander. Cmdr. Stephen Garrett, grandson of an immigrant from Maryland fleeing the American Civil War, had been in the service for 17 years, becoming a cadet at Astoria Naval Academy during the height of the Pacific Crisis with Germany and going on to serve on a variety of destroyers, pre-dreadnought battleships, and cruisers during his career. Cascadia was his second actual dreadnought posting after a brief stint on Valiant in 1909-10 - though he had served on the shakedown crews of the CRS Oregon and CRS Columbia in 1911 and 1912 - and the first long-range cruise he'd taken since being on the armored cruiser Avenger in its 1906 circumnavigation of the globe. Intended to be chief gunnery officer on the Cascadia for this tour, the ship's XO had suffered appendicitis while the cruise fleet was in Tsingtao and had been forced to stay behind, leading to Captain Pickering assigning him to the higher post and giving one of his subordinates the main post while Admiral Mack had granted him a brevet rank of full Commander to make him the equal of his counterparts on the other dreadnoughts.

Soon the ships were at dock. Commander Garrett and his subordinates had already arranged the liberty schedules for the crews and given the usual (and likely to be ignored) warnings about venereal disease given the penchant for sailors to go straight for the local prostitutes (there had, indeed, already been one bad case of VD that had stricken 10 sailors from the crew of Vigilant after the call at Tsingtao, leading to that ship's command crew being given a thorough talking down by the irate Admiral Mack). The command officers, including Stephen, had been invited to the Cruise Squadron's formal welcoming banquet in Wilhelmshaven, where it was said that the Kaiser himself would be attending.

Admiral Friedrich von Ingenohl, head of the High Seas Fleet, was at the pier to greet Admiral Mack when Cascadia had finished docking. He would be coming aboard the next days to inspect the ship and to take her out on a cruise, the week also set to include a formal exercise between the World Cruise Squadron and the High Seas Fleet directed by Admiral Ingenohl and overseen by Kaiser Wilhelm (always the naval enthusiast). Stephen followed the procession of officers, saluting von Ingenohl and his senior-most officers as protocol demanded, and receiving a salute in reply as well.

And so the protocol of the formal visit went on...







The formal banquet had been arranged in the officer's club and mess hall areas of the naval base. The soft melodies of expert German musicians were sweet to the ear among a cacophany of voices that generally spoke in the German, with some English being used here and there for the benefit of those Cascadian officers not knowledgable in the hosts' tongue.

Stephen had finished a first plate, enjoying the fine German food, especially their sausages and meats. The pale blue-gray formal dress uniform was uncomfortable to an extent, given the stiff collar and epaulets upon the shoulders and the restrictive room for the shoulder to move, some minor commendations upon the left breast of the uniform from a career primarily of peacetime operations. No war meant no glory after all, but for the most part no war also meant no dead friends and he was perfectly happy with that (not that he'd say so).

After a conversation with officers from Helgoland on naval gunnery - the Germans had stuck with the 12", it seemed, a little too long for the like of their gunnery officers - he was free to roam and do as he pleased.

That was when he saw her.

The woman was tall, nearly reaching six feet from what he could tell, wearing the formal dress of a European socialite in colors of light green and blue. Striking green eyes the color of emeralds seemed to notice him as well as he saw the tanned shade of her skin, which meant she was likely Mediterrenean or from some other lower latitude given the winter weather of Germany. Dark hair was gathered in a pony-tail from the back, one recognizable as a style favored by Cascadian women with long hair and thus revealing her nationality, likely of one of the Mexican land-owning families in the Napa Valley of California. She was standing alongside an older man, of graying hair, with the bearing of a Mexican creole though he shared her skin tone.

Though her hands bore some rings, none looked particularly like a wedding band, and in a moment of courage he chose to approach her. He gave a polite bow and introduced himself, rank first, in what little Spanish he knew (Spanish was a secondary language in Cascadia and taught in the public schools, but in the Navy English was the primary language and German more popular due to the numerous occasions of working with the German Navy).

The man beside her gave him a stern gaze, and Stephen suspected it was not that of an older suitor trying to ward off a younger challenger but the kind you found only from paternal protectiveness of daughters. The young woman, however, smiled widely and replied, with a clear Californian accent, "Hello, Commander. My name is Rachel Galverda." She offered her hand for him to give it a brief kiss. "This is my father Rafael Galverda, he is our Ambassador to Germany."

Of course. Being in the Navy didn't necessarily mean being very familiar with the nation's ambassadors, but the Cascadian appointment to Berlin was a fairly prominent one, and he recalled the name now as being a former Senator of Lower California of the Liberal Party. It wasn't often one met a Liberal among the Mexican landowners of Lower California, who tended to be Catholic Tories. Gracefully he offered his hand to the Ambassador. "Your Excellency..."

"Commander, it is my pleasure. I have heard great things about the nature of your world cruise thus far and how well you have upheld the dignity of our nation."

"Thank you, Your Excellency." Stephen showed a little smile. He tried to think of something to talk about to keep this company, primarily Rachel's. The two seemed to notice his interest well enough and, if there was any indication the Ambassador was concerned about the quality of Stephen as a suitor, he seemed to hide it as looked to her. "I wish to see if the Chancellor arrived, Rachel, I shall see you shortly."

He walked away and left the two of them alone. Rachel gave him a little smile, whether one of actual interest or just a tease he could not quite tell, and the two began to speak. She asked him of what his position was and he told her, after which he asked of her interests, expecting a Cascadian woman of her stature to be an educated one, either in university or a graduate of one.

"I am a linguist," she answered, "and my father's assistant. I also have some interests in the fields of engineering and metallurgy, though I have no degrees in either and have not taken classes since college back in Cascadia. I am fortunate that some of the local professors "

"Magnificent," he answered, trying to hide the brief feeling of breathlessness. Beauty was common enough in the world, but beauty combined with intellect and inquistiveness such as Rachel's was exotic. "My own interests, outside of those required by my position, are history and a tad of philosophy. Politics to an extent I must admit."

"Ah. I would expect a good officer of the Navy to have some interests other than the sea. And I imagine you are well-traveled."

"This is my second trip around the world, though my first was a circumnavigation aboard the cruiser Avenger that wasn't quite so eventful," he answered. "I also spent a brief time in 1910 and 1911 as a naval attachè in Washington which allowed me, in my free time, to indulge in my history passions by reading material in the Library of Congress and attending tours of American Civil War battle sites."

"Indeed. I have heard Washington is quite uncomfortable a city as capitals go, though with its share of great monuments."

"It is uncomfortably hot in the summers, though I can tell you from experience that there is worse. I am convinced there is nothing worse than living on a ship made primarily of metal under the equatorial sun of New Guinea."

"I can imagine," she answered with interest. "I have considered visiting New Guinea myself to see some of the local tribes and learn their languages but my father has been unsupportive. He believes I should focus upon studies in a more academic setting."

"I can understand his concern, there are occasional problems with the natives in New Guinea, especially the highlands. And there are literally so many different tribes and groups that you might communicate with the inhabitants of one village and find the next speaking an entirely different tongue."

"I know, and that is what makes the prospect so exciting!" Rachel's voice raised just a tad out of the clear passion she showed for the prospect. "You can only learn so much listening to lecturers and reading the works of missionaries, you have to actually be there, meet the people and see their day to day life, to understand them and their language."

"Well, I hope you enjoy it if you get that opportunity, Miss."

The Ambassador returned, accompanied by a civilian man in a suit. "Ah, Rachel, Commander, may I introduce Doctor Sänger, a new official of the German diplomatic corps."

Rachel accepted the greeting first, including a gentlemanly kiss on the fingers of her right hand, after which Stephen extended a hand and was given a firm handshake by the German official. Keeping in line with Ambassador Galverda's return to German in the presence of one of their hosts, Stephen would introduce him and add, "A pleasure, Doctor," in the German tongue.

"Likewise, Commander. I must say, your squadron has made quite an impression here and around the world. As a former sailor myself I must ask, is it true that your vessel managed to find the range on the Egyptian target cruiser Barbarossa with just two ranging shots?"

"It was just one shot, actually," Stephen answered with a bit of understandable pride.

"Quite skillful," Rachel remarked, having remained to stay in their conversation.

"While a stationary target was hardly a challenge, it usually requires more than one ranging shot to actually find the range and fix all turrets upon the target. Our second ranging shot made a glancing blow under the waterline. A slight recalculation was all that was needed to direct our fire on the ship afterward." Stephen gave a low chuckle. "The most surprising thing was that the Sultan insisted we finish the Barbarossa off, even if it meant greater expense for his Navy in having to raise it to be properly scrapped. All in all, though, it was good experience for the crew."

"My colleagues have said that since your stopover in Alexandria the Sultan of Egypt has been demanding his Navy and Army procure 14" naval guns for Egypt's coastal fortifications and fleet." A waiter came by and offered them drinks. They each took a glass, as did Rachel, Sänger taking a quick sip before continuing. "I spent my Naval Service on the Wittelsbach a decade ago before heading to University."

"And your studies, Doctor?"

"Ancient History and Law at Münster, Berlin, Madrid, Constantinople and Oxford."

"Really? History was one of my minors at Astoria. Were you ever able to visit the battlefield at Manzikert? Our squadron didn't stop over in Constantinople long enough to justify the trip out by rail."

"Yes, I did make the trip, at the behest of the professors at Constantinople. The Byzantines have done quite a lot to preserve the battlesite, even listing the location where Alp Arslan fell in the battle."

"Excellent." Stephen took his first drink now. Unique among sailors, his palate did not generally take to alcohol of any kind, but an officer was required to attend any number of formal functions or parties and being capable of consuming such was one of those unofficial requisites for such postings. It was a decent wine at least, a German vintage from the Rhine/Mosel region. His eyes glanced over to Rachel as she finished a sip of her own.

"I wish you well on your diplomatic service, Doctor," Rachel said to Sänger. "I should probably be going to find my father now."

"Allow me to accompany you, Miss Galverda."

"I would be grateful, Commander. Doctor, it was a pleasure."

"Doctor." Stephen gave Sänger another friendly handshake before following the lovely Miss Galverda back to the company of her father.





Astoria, Oregon
31 December 1924


The home overlooking the waters of the Columbia River, just outside of Astoria proper was the one Stephen had taken to enjoying the most out of any he had known in his life. From here he could look out from his riverside balcony at the piers at Astoria's National Naval Academy, his alma mater, even now seeing the shape of the Renown, the Superb-class pre-dreadnought battleship that had been assigned to the Academy some years ago as a training ship for midshipmen (soon to be replaced by the old battlecruiser Alberta).

Soon it would be vacant. Just six weeks had passed since he had achieved something he would have barely thought possible twenty years ago: winning the Cascadian Presidency. As a dark horse candidate nonetheless (if a popular one), for a Liberal Party that had been bereft of an older, lead figure to run against President Hallings of the Tories.

Looking at the cool night sky made him realize that the World Cruise had, indeed, changed his life. Wilhelmshaven had been the key moment when he had met his future.

A cacophany of giggling erupted from the doorway to the balcony. Three small forms ran out, a trio of children aged 8, 5, and 3, wearing slippers and pajamas. As they did so the distant rumble of fireworks came to his ear and he turned to see brilliant bursts of green and blue erupt in the sky over the Columbia River.
That, of course, explained everything, and he turned back to the little ones and gave them a stern look.... well, almost as stern as a father could manage when he really didn't mind what they were up to. "Rafael! Tom! Sophie! You're supposed to be in bed. We have a trip to pack for tomorrow, remember?"
A chorus of "Awwww"s answered him, at which time a figure appeared at the door. Rachel leaned against the sliding-glass door in a way that emphasized the remaining, healthy slimness of her figure and, in quite the motherly tone, said, "You can wait until the fireworks are done, and then you're all off to bed."
Husband and wife shared grins and Rachel walked up to him and in front, letting him wrap an arm around her side and waist. The family watched the New Year firework display, a beloved new staple of the holiday season in this area, and his mind wandered.

The World Cruise had continued on. After rounding the ports of Asia, Perth in Australia, and then Eastern Africa and the Mediterranean with stops at Constanta in Romania and Odessa in Russia (and a visit to Constantinople of course) and then Brest and Plymouth (of course), they'd made it to Wilhelmshaven. Meeting Rachel had been a stroke of fortune, but it would have likely not been a lasting thing if not for what happened next.

The World Cruise Squadron had moved on after that week in Germany, moving into the Baltic via the Kiel Canal and visiting the German port at Rostock before moving on to the Polish Commonwealth's port of Riga and the the Scandanavian ports of Stockholm and Copenhagen. They'd rounded Jutland to return to the North Sea, briefly visiting Scotland (and only with great luck due to the deeper draft of Cascadian vessels compared to their British counterparts - rumors still abounded that the British had quickly done dredging of the squadron's destination to accomodate the 31 or so feet of draught, even if they were silly) before sailing on to Halifax, Boston, and New York CIty, and then on to eastern Africa and South America....

Upon returning to Cascadian soil at San Francisco Bay, Stephen had come pierside just to find someone unexpected waiting for him among the cheering crowds: Rachel Galverda. She had returned home early and, not required to undergo the long way for purposes of the tour, taken a liner from Hamburg to San Francisco via the new Panama Canal to be there in time to greet him. Apparently their conversation that night in Wilhemshaven - and admittedly a couple remarks Stephen had made to the Ambassador - had persuaded Rachel to pursue her desire for a trip to New Guinea and had prompted Rafael to accept, on condition that she went with an escort. A job she had intended for him.

At that point, he had made one of those decisions that shifted the direction of a life. Ignoring some ambition to one day commanding a dreadnought (and even rising to the admiralty), he had decided to request a leave of absence from the Navy - a big thing if you were looking at a permanent promotion to full Commander and an Executive Officer's billet on a capital warship - and had accompanied Rachel to Cascadian New Guinea. What had been intended as a 6 month excursion became a year of going between villages and coastal towns with the aide of guides, even accidentally wandering into the Italian half of New Guinea for a time (which, given Italy's strained relations with Germany at the time, though not yet full-blown war, was a tad dangerous for the officer of a navy considered allied with Germany's) before finishing their trek at Port Moresby.

During that month of following jungle trails, dealing with local pests, and dealing with various light sicknesses (thankfully nothing serious) and having to digest local food, the two of them had bonded closely. By the time they were booking passage back to San Francisco they were committed to marry (and, frankly, had consumated their relationship, though as far as their families were concerned that consumation had not happened until the wedding night). And in 1916 Rafael, named for his grandfather, had entered the family. The next child in 1919 was named for both of their fathers' middle names - Thomas Dominic - and then their first daughter had come in spring of 1921, little Sophie.

With their marriage had come the final end to his career. The Navy had patiently waited for him to return from New Guinea, at one point even listing him as "MIA" after contact was lost in the bush of New Guinea, but Rafael Galverda had other ideas. He had no intent of his daughter being a sailor's wife, raising a family alone while her husband sailed around the Pacific at the Navy's beck and call. To win his assent to the marriage Stephen had been required to abandon his ambition to ship and higher command, a choice that was hard at first but grew easier every time he saw his beloved's face.

He had retired from the Navy, at the rank of a full Commander, and of course needed work afterward. After some consideration of a civilian post with the Naval Department's Artillery Procurement Office - where he would have been responsible in part for the direction of Cascadian naval gun design - his father-in-law had offered him support and patronage for his lesser passion, politics. The Liberal nomination for a Congressional district in Astoria was up for grabs, and Rafael Galverda had the influence to sway the party leadership to support him. Stephen had accepted and in 1916 had won a landslide victory over a weak opponent, going on to prevail in the main election against his Whig adversary on the strength of his history as a naval officer and graduate of Astoria's naval academy and an embellished journalist account of his expedition through New Guinea with his wife.

In Congress Stephen's voting record and policy stands had endeared him to the Liberal Party, who more strongly supported him in 1918 and, with the added support of participation in getting the contract to build new naval ships at Parker & Sons Ltd. in Astoria, helped him win re-election. In 1920 he finally faced a stiff challenger with a Whig that had secured backing from the vocal but minor Conservative section of his Astoria district, but again that night in Wilhelmshaven would become critical.

A delegation from Germany arrived that year, sent to negotiate an extension of the 1899 Accord that was set to expire in 1925. The Conservatives, who held the Presidency, had long desired to get Germany to relinquish their claims to Samoa and the Bismarcks and to recognize Cascadian sovereignty over the Palaus in the Western Carolines. Secretary of State Halden was put in charge of the negotiations and Congress, in appointing delegates to join the discussions, had sent Stephen.

It was thus that he was reunited with the German diplomat Doctor Sänger, who had since had a rather eventful life of his own, enjoying a meteoric rise in the German diplomatic corps that included negotiating the 1915 non-aggression pact with Russia and the Treaty of Rome that prevented a general European War after the fall of Italy. Sänger had come with instructions from Germany's Foreign Secretary, von Holstein, to renew the treaty and secure German control of the disputed western islands of Samoa, but it was that last term that was the stickler as the Conservatives, and Halden, were dead set against relinquishing any island of Samoa, much less the two main islands in the west of the chain. As the negotiations started slowly as a result of this difference, Halden had ended up becoming favored to run beside Senator Halling as Vice President in the Conservative ticket and the surly SecState, seeking to clinch his spot in the ticket, had delegated authority to his indecisive Undersecretaries, who were generally unable to negotiate anything unless given instructions by Halden whenever he deigned to attend or telegraph them.

That had left a dangerous vacuum in the talks, and Stephen - having reintroduced himself to Sänger at the first meetings - had stepped in to fill it. Without any real authority, he and Sänger had started having private meetings, typically in the lounges at the German Embassy, on the outstanding disputes. He had even invited Sänger to spend a weekend in Astoria at his home, where they continued their talks in the dining room and in the cool spring air at his riverside balcony, enjoying tea, wine, and sausages while pouring over maps of the Pacific and all sorts of minutiae involved in the reasons behind the disputes, etc. It was in these meetings that the two men came up with an equitable distribution of the disputed territories. Eventually, they agreed that Germany would cede most of the Bismarck Archipelago except for Bougainville and New Ireland. In return, Cascadia would cede Western Samoa. Faced with this remarkable cession, Halden's lieutenants had accepted Sänger's one irrefutable term - that Germany must gain Western Samoa - and Halden, busy on the campaign trail, chose to not disrupt his greater ambitions by forcing further talks to try and retain Western Samoa under Cascadian governance.

The initial prestige from participation had guaranteed Stephen a third term in the Congress over the strong Whig attempt to unseat him while ensuring Halling's bid for the Presidency succeeded. When afterward a journalist learned of how prominent his role had been in the talks thanks to Doctor Sänger's reports to the Reichstag and the German media, news quickly spread about how it was the unassuming ex-naval officer from Astoria, not the prominent Port Townsend businessman, who had taken the burden of negotiations upon himself and guaranteed peace and friendship with Germany in the Pacific. Like Sänger, his status skyrocketed in Cascadia and in Germany and the accolades became overwhelming; the Deutsch-Cascadischer Bund appointed him an honorary Chairman of their Friendship Board,;he was awarded shares in the Hamsburg-Cascadia Line and an honorary chair on the Board of the German-Cascadian-owned Trans-Pacific Trading Bank; the pro-German Cascadian Admiralty had authorized a service-first post-retirement promotion for him (making him a retired Captain in the Navy); and in Europe the German government took the step of awarding him the Order of the Crown 2nd Class while numerous German free cities and states had sent him gifts of varying kind in thanks. Even a grudging President Halling, who like Halden had been desiring the cession of all of the Samoan islands and was not satisfied with the final division of the outstanding claims, felt compelled by the public sentiment to offer him the post of Ambassador to Germany, which he had "regrettably" refused on grounds of fulfilling his duties to his constituents and to his young family (in truth, because he had no intention of allowing Halling to ship him off to Europe and try to stem the rising tide against Halling's own party, which was starting to come under fire for their apparent attempt to sabotage the renewal talks).

And, of course, it had all come to this. The Liberal(-Republican) Party, starting as progressives in the 1880s against the more traditional liberals of the Federalists (Whigs( and the outright conservatives of the Conservatives (Tories), had seen their second generation of political leaders begin dying off or retiring. They had only won a single Presidency in their history, the Anderson Presidency of 1904-1908, and with a swelling membership due to the clear decline of the Whigs they were looking to challenge again and needed a nationally-popular figure to make their charge. Thus Stephen's rise to prominence had come at just the right time, resulting in the 1924 Convention where, after just three ballots of the delegates, he had been nominated to run for the Cascadian Presidency on a Liberal ticket with Victoria's Senator Andrew Cadbury later voted, in eight ballots, as his running mate. The Whigs' leadership put up a meek candidate who, through supporting Halling's insular foreign policies and trying to maintain "distance" from Germany and Tuscany, as well as a more confrontational relationship with Mexico and the United States over things like rights to the Colorado River or boundary issues in Montana, alienated most of his waning party's electorate, resulting in widescale endorsements for Stephen from most of the Whig Congressmen and all three of their State and Territorial Governors.

The sundering of the Whigs and most of their votes going to the Liberal ticket, and a smaller fracturing of Tories due to a faction that were supportive of alliance with Germany, had doomed Halling. Even without the results from New Columbia, New Olympia, Victoria, and Western Australia, Stephen clinched electoral victory by winning a majority of states in mainland North America and all the territorial electoral votes save North Alberta (though Halling had nearly won about three of the states and had a respectable showing in Lower California and Oregon). Stephen was to become Cascadia's President on, most ironically, February 9th. A Monday just as that fateful February 9th in 1914 had been.

The fireworks were over. The children, with just a simple hand motion from their mother, returned inside to go to bed. He was hiring a caretaker for the place, though he would likely let his nephew from his younger brother (who had married earlier and had kids before him) live in the house while he attended the Naval Academy starting in 1926. The year of 1925 dawned and promised a great deal to him, a great deal of prestige and glory - far more than he could have earned had he followed his original ambition and gone into the Admiralty - but also a great amount of risk. The ship of state was to be his now, and his nation's future would hinge on his decisions. That thought, more than the chilled winter air, made him shiver slightly.

A hand touched his. Rachel won his attention and immediately brought her lips up to his for a soft kiss. "Happy New Year, beloved," she said softly after the kiss. "Let's go to bed. We have a lot to do starting tomorrow."
With a nod, he agreed, and followed her off the balcony and into the bright, if uncertain, future.

[Siege]

Villa Von Schenk
Muizz Street, Old Cairo

Michael MacBride looked out the library window onto the bustling chaos of Muizz Street. Medieval buildings lined the cobblestone road. The Villa looked out on the Qalawun Madrasah, where people were coming and going: vendors, students, imams. He'd had never cared much for Islam, or for that matter any other religion. In the street, a young student snatched an apple from a vendor's cart and slipped quickly into the madrasah, leaving the bursar to yell profanities at him. MacBride snorted.

A door closed behind him. “You find something funny, MacBride? Perhaps you'd like to share it with me.”

The mercenary turned to face the door through which the Count had entered. Siegfried von Schenk was dressed in a three piece suit of the latest French fashion. “Ah. The famous Count von Schenk. I was wondering who had me brought all the way up here. Surely it wasn't so I could admire the fine view of uptown Cairo from your window. And I can bet it wasn't for my health.”

The Count sat down in one of the padded leather chairs, and steepled his long narrow fingers. He studied the painted portraits of his ancestors that covered the wood paneling of the room. “I am in need a man who knows the territory. I've been told you are that man.”

MacBride crossed his arms. “What makes you think I'm in any hurry to help you?”

“You are here, aren't you? You could have refused.”

“The men who invited me were exceedingly well-armed. It wouldn't have been polite, nor healthy, to refuse.”

Von Schenk opened a black leather case stamped with his family crest in silver and retrieved from it a bundle of banknotes. He tossed them over to MacBride, who snatched them out of mid-air with catlike grace. “That is for your trouble. One hundred and fifty Pound Sterling. I will pay you three times that if you successfully complete the mission.”

The mercenary looked at him, a calculating expression on his face. “And what might that mission be?”

“Find out who tried to assassinate me in the Citadel three days ago.”

To his credit, MacBride managed to show little of his surprise. “There was an attempt on your life?”

“Indeed.” The Count looked most displeased. “A man with a dagger assaulted me, clearly intent on murdering me where I stood. So far I have not been able to find out who is behind it, and the Sultan is not very forthcoming with information.”

“Hmm” MacBride considered the information. “Well, we can rule out His Exalted Majesty.”

The Count looked at him. “How do you figure?”

“Because the Sultan would have sent the Assassin Cult to do the job. It is common knowledge that the Hashshashin are conditioned not to fear death.” MacBride sat down opposite the Count. “The use of a dagger by your would-be assassin shows that he intended to escape unharmed. A truly dedicated Assassin would have used a gun and shot you where you stood. And, well...” The mercenary shrugged.

Siegfried raised an eyebrow. “Yes?”

“And if he had been Hashshashin, and he'd somehow failed, the Cult would not have waited three days for another attempt. No; if the Sultan wanted you dead, you can rest assured that you would be dead right now.”

“A truly comforting thought” Siegfried observed morbidly. “But I had assumed as much. That leaves the question of who was responsible. Do you believe you can find out?”

MacBride looked at the banknotes he'd been handed, then smiled. “Yes, sir. I do believe I can.”