SDNWorld Redux: Story Thread the Second

[Shroom Man 777]

LAMBERT MOUNTAINS, SHROOMANIA

It was a cold and snowy day...


"Hehehehehe...."

"Ehehehehehe..."

"AVAST! Heave ho! Thar she blows - the Pink Whale! Dicky Moe!" hollered Horatio Hutchinson as he held the de-entrenchment tool in his hands and waved it about to spear one of those nasty imaginary Siberian Narwhals.

"Man the harpoons, mangs!" he cried as he prepared to chuck the goddamn pointed stick. "To the last, I grapple with thee; from hell's heart, I stab at thee; for hate's sake, I spit my last breath at thee... KHAAAAAN!"



"Jeebus's Crotch, just shut up and shove the goddamn harpoon into the goddamn crate, will you?!" someone shouted from inside the Bland Rover. "Crazy old bastard... must be his goddamn prostates acting up again..."

"Fine, fine, fine! I'm just sick of standing around here in this goddamn parking lot, goddamn it. Those goddamn commies have been training in the Real Siberia for forever, and now the San Doradoans got the whole South Pole to practice with along with Shroomta's Little Elves to keep them company and cozy, goddamn it! We've got to start hauling and start packing our shit."

"Then pack the fucking harpoon in the fucking crate!"

"Fine!"

"Fine!"

"Fine! There's your stupid harpoon in the stupid goddamn box!"



"Good... now we can finally go over to the training course."

"Yeah. The Ruskies have the entire Real Siberia to play with, and the San Doradoans have the South Pole. Our Winter Wonderland is just some shitty Fake Siberia..."

"It's Mount Deathcap, the most inhospitable goddamn godforsaken place in the whole fucking Shroomanian isles. It's not some Fake Siberia, it's a place where shamrocks freeze so hard that they become razor sharp!"

"But still, mang! Shroomania's barely got any temperate areas as it is. For us to practice crossing thousands of miles in Real Siberia, we'll have to go around in circles for... like a goddamn week! Maybe two weeks, if we end up running over some dumb whore in skiis."

"Oh well, at least we still have each other..."

"Yeah... there's that."

"Did you bring the lube?"

"Yeah. It's KY Jelly with antifreeze, so we won't have to thaw it by putting it in our armpits or anything..."

"Good. Come on, let's get this over with," Heinrich Hockeypuck sighed as he turned on the ignition and sent the Bland Rover on its way.



Horatio Hutchinson and Heinrich Hockeypuck would spend two weeks alone, with nothing but each other for company and the warmth of their Bland Rover's heater... and their bodies to keep their sensitive extremities from developing frostbite. To practice long-distance long-endurance subzero rally racing, they would drive around in circles in the snow for the entirety of their two weeks time.

Come autumn, they would head for Real Siberia - the land where the sun don't shine.




"Why do we have harpoons anyway?"

"Well... it's in case of any Siberian Polar Bears and Walruses... and Yetis."

"Abominable Snowmen? You've got to be kidding me."

"Well, we can use 'em like winches too. In fact, the harpoon's cable can be tied to the winch. So if we ever find a whale..."

"We can kill it and haul it back with us! Awesome!"

"And if we run out of harpoons, we still got a couple of spares on us, right?"

"What spares? Oh, right, I get it! Our penises!"

[Shinn Langley Soryu]

Shroompeace regional HQ
Ashford City
Unreal Time

Only a few hours after the Shepistani Embassy bombing, the Langley National Police was already out in force. Regrettably, Casal had lost track of McCauley, but there was little time to fret over that; he and his fellow officers were now moving on Shroompeace's Langley HQ, all armed to the teeth and prepared to take down these so-called "environmentalists."

Hanna was perfectly equipped for the occasion, with a rifle grenade attached to the muzzle of his FNC; he used this to breach the door of the Shroompeace HQ building and clear the way for the SWAT platoon attached to him. Most of the Shroompeace activists chose not to resist in the face of the LNP's heavily armed presence, with the exception of one: Roger Van Shroom. He took out a Beretta 92 and shot several times at the SWAT officers, who retaliated in kind and fired their UMP45s, tearing Van Shroom to shreds.

"Stop shooting!" Shroompeace activist Dan Voight cried out. "If you're looking for Neil McCauley, he's on his way to the airport! If you go now, you can still catch him!"

"Casal, Drucker, you and the SWAT officers lock down this facility!" Hanna ordered. "I'm going after McCauley...alone."

With that, Hanna went outside, tossed his FNC into the back of a waiting squad car, and drove off to the airport. He hoped he wasn't too late.

[Siege]

State Business

"Indeed. As fate would have it, the Emperor of the oldest surviving power on the continent is now on one of the youngest nations on Nova Terra." Raising his glass. "A toast to San Dorado and Byzantium. May we always be friends, unless the world should break beneath us, at the end of times."

"Hear hear", the President nodded solemnly, raising his glass of bright-red wine in response. "To friendship, and the future."

One by one the stars appeared as twinkling points of light above the roofs of San Dorado, each one seemingly mirrored by its artificial counterpart somewhere in a street or behind a window. Wine flowed freely, and the conversation took a casual turn as it progressed through the wee hours of the morning. Somewhere, the President knew the visit to the Neon Cathedral planned for tomorrow would be a hung-over affair – but for once, he didn’t care, and neither, it seemed, did the Emperor.

Result: Talks between the Emperor and the President end only in the depth of night (or rather, early morning) and after the consumption of lots of alcohol . Relations between the two fine nations improve with each passing bottle of even finer wine , and a good time is had by all. Who needs gunboat diplomacy when there's vinous diplomacy to be tried?

[Raj Ahten]

Election News

In just a short few months, parliamentary elections are coming to Indhopal. President Raj Ahten's ruling coalition, The Movement for Democratic Change, is expected to fare poorly against the conservative Independence party coalition. A sluggish economy and foreign affairs have dominated the campaign so far.


Party Hacks Debate the Issues.

CFR News

It will some time before there are elections of any sort in the CFR. The troubled country has been in stasis for several months now. Many of the major factions continue to stick to their own territories, rebuilding their forces. Two major exceptions are the Revolutionary Front, which continues to be locked in a low intensity conflict with the FTO in the North, and the Yorkshire militias which have slowly been expanding their reach. Making no secret of their plans, they have been in a mostly peaceful manner been,
"Reclaiming our ancestral lands."


A member of the Yorkshire Militia's secures a town.

In the territories under direct FTO control progress has been slow. Local councils have been formed. At this stage almost everything is still controlled by the FTO's advisers. Some good news for the FTO's plan is that the Winter Army, the Yorkshire Militias and Mortimer Jr have agreed in principle to partitioning the CFR into several different states. Of course the devil is in the details and negotiations on everything from diamond royalties to what the borders should be drag on.

[phongn]

Boeing Super Shrike Begins Initial Trials with RTN



One of the most advanced warbirds available, the Cascadian-designed and Tonkin-outfitted Super Shrike, is now undergoing initial operational trials aboard RTN carriers as well as airbases across the country. This sophisticated multirole fighter is intended to replace existing Phantom units, and will be more capable, more reliable and less expensive to operate than the much older aircraft it replaces. Equipped with advanced sensors (believed to include AESA, IRST and FLIR), targeting systems and able to carry a wide variety of munitions, this aircraft represents a major leap forward in Tonkin military capability.

This aircraft arrives in the midst of a major modernization effort on the part of the IRT, which includes replacement of virtually all of her tactical aircraft. Svalbardian Sea Gripens and the joint Tonkin-Japanistan Project 7.01 are also being procured in numbers to replace older aircraft as well. Further orders for ex-Shepistani An-22 heavy strategic transports are also believed to be in the books for both military, government and private-sector use ...

[PeZook]

Police advisory: Suspect activity detected in Orena

All units be advised, in light of recent discovery of a bomb lab in Orena and upcoming visit by Premier Shady of the USSR, be on the lookout for known criminals operating in Orena. All criminals currently out on parole or under house arrest are to report to their nearest police stations thri-daily from this day on. Furthermore, Orena city center is declared a red zone for a full period of the Premier's visit.

(OOC: Red Zone means increased patrols, inspections of parked vehicles, pre-emptive arrests of people with a criminal record entering the zone, temporary ban on public gatherings, complete ban on access to rooftops and other harsh measures fully expected to be implemented after discovering a giant bomb factory in the city )

Mercury 2a launch postponed three days

Mercury 2a, the launch of a first space capsule to carry a biological payload, has been postponed for three days in order to prepare security arrangements in light of planned visit of several world leaders to the Jerusalem Space Center.


Doug, Igor and Stefan, the three turtles which will form part of Mercury 2a's payload.

[phongn]

Tonkinese Pot, Meet Kettle: New Military-Industrial Developments in the IRT Return the World to Brinksmanship


The Grauniad

In living memory, the IRT has never been anything but unabashedly capitalist. The Tonkinese make a pretty penny selling everything to everyone, and they always have. They are, of course, particularly well known for selling advanced military equipment to whatever nation ponies up the cash.

Thus when factions within the IRT began to express the view that world military spending had grown out of control, this journalist's ears perked up. The Tonkinese seem to love nothing more than juicy military contracts, and seem to know nothing better than finance. If they say that we're all spending too much on defense, it's only because they're afraid that economies will crash so hard that they'll have no buyers left in a decade.

However, developments in the last few days suggest that we may have given the Tonkinese too much credit. Anonymous IRT sources suggest the first flight of a super-interceptor, known only by the name "Project 7.01", is imminent. Little else is known about the interceptor program, other than it seems to reject recent industry practice (referred to colloquially as "ZOMG-WE-GOTTA-GO-MACH-THREE-MANG!") in favor of a large, heavily armed aircraft with range described by Tonkinese sources as "patently absurd". Blurry photographs suggest a maximum speed in the Mach 2-2.5 range, and some level of "stealth" technology can be assumed to be present.

Even more concerning is the air-defense network that the Tonkinese may not be putting up for sale. The very word "BOMARC" now strikes fear the world over, and sources indicate that the Tonkinese have a conceptual successor in the works. These reports are as yet unconfirmed, but internal communications of a near-hypersonic "unmanned kamikaze" seem unlikely to refer to anything else.

Their development of new self-propelled air-defense systems is not news, nor the much-publicized light naval fighter competition staged by the Tonkinese Navy. These appeared, at the time, to be regular Tonkinese work, focused on export and self-defense in moderation. And taken in a vacuum, the so-called Legacy Life Extension bomber project seemed to be a financially savvy option for nations the world over. The vacuum is no more.

For once, it appeared that the IRT was erring on the side of fiscal sense and suggesting, if not defensive drawdowns, at least a collective deep breath before any more billion-dollar-programs are spawned. That was apparently not the case, and the whirlwind of defensive buildups will undoubtedly begin anew. Hold onto your hats, everyone. This could be a wild economic ride.

[phongn]

Tonking Defense Expenditures: Fiscally and Militarily Prudent?

The Shroom Street Journal

HUE - In an televised press conference today, the Tonkinese Minister of Defense Võ Nguyên Giáp addressed recent concerns over the recent military modernization plan brought forth by the press of several other nations. His detailed presentation, available in video format as well as Microshroom PowerPresent format here, outlined the details. Several press journalists from various publications, including the SSJ, were able to continue questioning after the formal presentation.

In summary, the IRT claims to have planned this modernization cycle at least five years back, if not more. The majority of her combat aircraft are reaching ages that Mr. Võ asserted were "critical,' requiring mass replacement. Service-life enhancement programmes, called SLEP, have extended the life of these airframes to the maximum possible. Even now, the IRT claims, "some aircraft are simply falling apart." As such, a mass replacement procurement system was programmed in and funding long-secured. Most of the tactical and interceptor aircraft are slated to be replaced, with the replaced aircraft heading to what the industry informally calls "the boneyards," where they will be used for spare parts and as an emergency reserve.

Mr. Võ further noted that unlike other powers, the IRT would either retain quantitative parity or even reduce forces compared to current standings. Furthermore, many other systems slated for procurement would be "completely defensive" in nature, and that "no other power need fear these new systems. "

Taken at face value, this press conference appears to have allayed the fears of some nations and the press - but clearly not all. Even with the "quantitative parity" claimed, the new weapons systems will greatly improved the IRT's military capabilities, increasing its threat to her neighbors to the north and any maritime traffic near her shores - and especially the Canal Zone. Finally, like so many other nations, Tonkinese military spending as a per cent GDP has risen ...

[phongn]

Somewhere in the Great Pacific

An old, economically-unsound freighter was currently on station-keeping with some cheap automated systems. On top of it was a rather large tower with a strange sphere. Lightning rods also projected out of the ancient freighter. Any observers might wonder what the devil was with this strange ship - some sort of communications ship? It - along with a small convoy of escorts - had slipped out on a rare moonless night into the wide open sea. Satellite reconnaissance was in its infancy, still, and there were few enough in orbit. Any suspected of being ocean reconnaissance satellites were easily dodged: their trajectories were known long in advance. The test had to be top-secret, of course. Very secret - and an underground test would've produced seismic waves that would bring questions.

So, now, at sea. Patrols showed nobody around. Ships moved off into a safe distance, and ...



Later

" There are anomalous radiological samples our drone helicopters have recovered, " the lead scientist said onboard the taskforce's command ship - one of the older LPDs in the RTN. " They are spreading as we speak ... we must hope they will diminish before they reach land or any atmospheric surveys. We are not in any patrol paths of the hurricane reconnaissance aircraft and need not fear them. But ... if anyone picks up on the radionucleotides we are detecting, they will know!."

[MKSheppard]

Army House, Shepistan

"Those goddamn fuckers of Phongs beat everyone!" shouted the General as he read the transmission from one of the SSANs out on patrol, which had picked up the sounds of an enormous explosion.

The noises were confusing everyone in the Shepistani military complex, but Sheppard knew better. The IRT now had The Bomb.

Slamming down the paper, Sheppard reached out for his deskphone.

"Get me Shroombekov."

[MKSheppard]

Army House - The Next Day

"Ah, hello Kanatjan. Good to see you again," said Sheppard.

The visitor only nodded.

"So, Shroombekov. We have a problem. The goddamn Tonkinites have tested a weapon of unimaginable power. We must counter it. How soon can your laboratory complexes be ready to arm our Tonkin-supplied DF-25s with disease agents?"

Colonel Kanatjan Shroombekov thought over the request for several seconds before replying.

"Sir, it would require 40 kilograms of dry agent to arm each warhead; with one hundred fifty missiles; that's 6 metric tons of agent that we would need. Our fermenters can produce that much agent in ten to fourteen days, sir."

"What do we have available?"

"Sir, we have the Shroomonic Plage, Shroomburg Hemmorhagic Fever, and Shroompox all available in our laboratories, as well as various experimental agents."

"Excellent. Mix the warheads randomly with the agents you think are ready for combat deployment."

"Sir."

With that, Shroombekov piroutted out and left Sheppard's office to carry out the instructions.

[Setzer]

In light of recent international developments, as well as the impending date fo the FUN conference in Sirnoth, the previously declared exclusion zone is no longer in effect. All traffic through the area may proceed normally.

[Lonestar]

Command Bunker under Royal Palace

I cannot wait until the Goddamn Palace is done being repaired so I can get out of this goddamn hole, Lonestar thought. He idly flipped through the brief message, on the VTC were several other MESS Leaders, some in one location, some at their capitals. Unfortunately, Lonestar felt that it wouldn't be very politically expedient to leave the country in the middle of a recovery effort. Beowulf cleared his throat.

"Frog in your throat Matt?"

"Funny. Yeah I assume we all have received the same reports from the MESS intelligence apparatus? Our nerds are saying it's 20kt or so."

"Here we go again...." RogueIce muttered. "My guys are saying the same." He said in a louder voice.

"Well, once again MESS military technology has trumped all opposition." Said Beowulf. "We're very close to a Thermonuclear device, as you all know. The question is, what diplomatic face do put on?"

"The Old Dominion is viewing the event with grave concern, but recognizes the rights of all nations to acquire the tools needed for national defense, etc." Lonestar said. "Really, I think that's the best face we can put on it. It's obviously an A-Bomb, but some of our scientists outside of our own program had to have it explained what it likely was. I don't think that a lot of the world's citizenry will really grasp what's going on...there's no footage of Hiroshima and Nagasaki this time around."

"Even so..." Arik scratched his chin. "We may need to one-up him, nonetheless."

"I don't think premature tests are the way to go..." Beowulf began.

"No, no. I'm thinking big picture." Arik paused. "I think it's time we made public the extraterrestrial orgin of the Vampire Pathogen."

[MKSheppard]

Shroomanian Secret Service Safe House, Shepistan

"I'm sick of it all!" shouted the scientist as he sobbed into the milkbags of the Shroomanian Intelligence Agent who was debreifing him.

Agent Scully of the SSS sighed as the Shepistani scientist sobbed into her bosom.

Men, she thought.

"They've had us do horrible things! Horrible! They had us take Shroompox and turn it ten times nastier! My god! I shudder to think even now of what happened to our test subjects. They bled from their bleeding eyes!"

The scientist sobbed even more.

Results
Shroomania gets prize bonaza -- Shepistani Biowar scientist with a conscience. He knows where some BW facilities are located, and some of what was being developed.

[Shinn Langley Soryu]

Ashford International Airport
Ashford City
Unreal Time

The end was nigh for Neil McCauley.

Against all odds, Detective Hanna had managed to track him down to the airport and chase him directly onto the frieght terminal, where a brief yet tense cat-and-mouse game soon took place. The inky darkness and large shipping containers afforded each man the opportunity to get the drop on the other. It almost seemed like an eternity as the two men crept about in the dark, trying to hunt the other down.

Then, all of a sudden, the runway's landing lights came on in response to the distinct whine of a jetliner on final approach; the entire terminal was flooded with radiance, and Hanna and McCauley were now exposed to each other.





Out of the corner of his eye, Hanna spotted McCauley attempting to sneak up on him; in response, he spun around and fired off a single shot from his Colt M1911. McCauley staggered back and dropped his SIG-Sauer P220. Hanna emptied the rest of his magazine into McCauley, taking a step forward as he fired each shot. His pistol now empty, the LNP detective took a good, long look at the Shroompeace terrorist's corpse.

Vincent Hanna had won. Neil McCauley had lost.

[CmdrWilkens]

MESS Space Agency in Wilkonia and the Royal Space Exploration Agency set for major announcement

Columbia Wire Service

Speculation is currently running rampant in regards to a massive news conference currently being organized by the MESS Space Agency and its partner agency in Wilkonia the Royal Space Exploration Agency. Only two hours ago senior officials from both agencies sent notice that they had reserved the East Wing of Government House to hold a press conference inviting attendees form literally every major and minor news organization currently with reporters in the Capitol. Sources have been incredibly mute though early theories have ranged from unexpected results out of the still nascent SETI program to a secret launch of the long rumoured Mission to the Moon.

As of yet no official either within the agencies or in the government at large has been able to comment as to the nature of the release nor has it even yet been determined who will be making statements. So far the only clue has been that the requested press attendence includes every facet of society from the defense publications through the foreign relations and even entertainment media. Just in the last hour the official government publications office was placed on cordon and all non-employees including all contract workers were removed and barred from the building while publciation of the press packets was starting.

Further updates will be provided to all service subscribers as information becomes available.

[Steve]

Adams Capital District


"Congress is becoming irritable," Alexandra warned Stephen as the two leaders of the Cascadian government met privately for a business dinner in the confines of the Presidential Mansion. Alexandra was in her favored business attire, suit and tie, which looked well on her trim figure and with the smart Rosarian features on her face. "The Sanchez Resolution was passed weeks ago and you've yet to make any kind of official action similar to it."
"Congress charged me to find a way to make their desired blockade work. And the only way we can do that is if we get enough countries to back us. Besides..." Stephen took a small bite of meet and finished chewing and swallowing it before continuing. "...the Astarian-Japanistani Treaty should have made them realize the situation there has changed. Jumping in boldly might find Japanistani aircraft heading for any ships we have operating the blockade or inspection group or whatever it would be."
"Congressman Haldwell thinks even the Japanistani have to bend on this matter," she pointed out. "A lot of people simply don't see them damaging their relations with the rest of the world by supporting Astaria."

Nearly two years of living here prevented Stephen from verbally remarking on the analogy that most occurred to him: China's "support" for the DPRK back on Earth, and other examples where a larger nation protected a smaller one that was internationally reviled for pure realpolitik reasons. "That depends if the Japanistani truly care what we 'foreign barbarians' think," he answered wryly.

"Well, you need to do something, Stephen. Between this and the Frequesue Conference dragging on with no end in sight..."
"Don't remind me..."
There was a tone from within Stephen's jacket. He took his cellphone out and began speaking and listening while Alexandra finished her portion of the meal. By the time she finished the last bite there was a nervous look on the President's face. He looked toward her.
"The DoD has scientists working to confirm, but from the way things look... Tonkin just detonated a nuclear bomb."


(OOC: it would be nice if we could bring the conference to a close on something, even if the CSR doesn't sign the treaty Tian Xia and Shinra might, and the CSR may even accept the treaty in terms of, unofficially of course, never breaking its terms. If it likes them anyway.)

[Pollux]

King ousted: Misterian regime toppled

"Representatives in the island nation of Misteria have confirmed that Tsar Pyotr III, infamous dictator of Misteria, has fled his nation to his estate in San Dorado in the wake of an anti-monarchical revolution there that toppled his tyrannical regime.

In Empyrean City, capital of Misteria, thousands of people greeted the news after three days of confused street fighting with joy, toppling statues of the leader and ransacking the Royal Palace.

Aleksandr Pushkov, de facto leader of the revolutionary movement, said this on Misterian radio and television:

Friends and comrades, we have made history this day, by annihilating the rule of one of the most unjust and tyrannical rulers to ever exist. But that accomplishment, noble as it may be, is not the greatest thing we shall do in the coming days and weeks. I have spoken with fellow members of the Provisional Council for the Establishment of Misterian Democracy, and we have planned to, in four months time, hold the first ever democratic elections in our nation's history.

We are already receiving reports of political parties have beginning to organize in preparation for the elections. Currently, however, most Misterian citizens are content to celebrate, before they begin to bring their country into the modern age."

Aleksandr turned off the television, sighing happily.

They had done it. They had really done it, what everyone had thought was impossible.

They were free.

Aleksandr looked around his cramped office, barely over 3 meters to a side. From this little cupboard in a remote compound outside Empyrean City, he, along with nearly twenty other men and women, had worked for a decade to topple the reviled monarchy. It was hard to believe the royalty had been flung away so simply and easily as it was, but to see that all the leaders of the movement had worked from offices such as these...

Well, he would have a more spacious office soon enough. But that mattered little; what mattered now was preparing to bring his people into the modern age. Semyon Andreyevich from the Liberals had called him earlier to tell him that their ballot blurb was being sent to the Provisional Council for approval. It was about time to see if it had been delivered.

He stood up and leaned out of his office door into that of his secretary's "Katerina, has the Liberal Party's ballot statement arrived yet?"

"Oh, yes sir, just five minutes ago. Here it is."

Aleksandr took a beige folder, his eyes passing over it for a moment. The glossy, raised, crimson and black insignia of the hated Royal Intelligence Office that adorned its front had been hastily crossed out with a black marker, and the words "LIBERAL PARTY OF MISTERIA" had been even more hastily scrawled beneath it.

Aleksandr sighed again, this time somewhat less contentedly.

It would be a long road ahead.

(OOC: So, yeah. Here it is. Once the weekend rolls around, I'll establish the political parties. Feel free to RP as citizens in Misteria in support of one faction or another if that suits your fancy.)

[Steve]

Official Press Release of the Cascadian State Department

The Republic of Cascadia congratulates the people of Misteria for their achievement in removing their unjust government and preparing to join the ranks of the world's republics. As the people of Misteria work toward a new government that better fits the needs of their nation, we hope to assure them that they are among friends.


Results

With the end of the Misterian monarchical dictatorship, relations between Cascadia and Misteria are open to vast improvement (Read: I figure if he was a truly nasty dictator the deposed ruler was not very friendly to any non-autocratic nation or nations otherwise ideologically incompatible to them).

[Karmic Knight]

Phone Conversation between Prime Minister Martin Black (PM Black), King Brandon (KoV Brandon), and Owner/Operator of GrapeVine Michael J. Nelson III (O/O Nelson) on a Secure GrapVine/Macmillan Line

PM Black: Well, VEIL has called it; the Misterians have gotten rid of their Czar.
KoV Brandon: Have they killed him?
PM Black: Nope, apparently he is in San Dorado, maybe we could arrest him and send him over to get the FTO some positive press.
KoV Brandon: I like it, send out a message to Central FTO command.
PM Black: I’m on it, sire.
-Pause-
PM Black: Sire, Mr. Nelson III is on the other line, should I put him on.
KoV Brandon: Yes, we need to talk to him.
O/O Nelson: Prime Minister, Sire?
KoV Brandon: Get someone down there, and get the Communications Cartel a foothold, we need to get in on these people before they jump to either the SNC or the Japanistan–Shepistan-Astaria Axis for their needs in modernization.
O/O Nelson: You want GrapVine spearheading a massive FUN attack.
KoV Brandon: Of Course, these Isles have to have need for communications if we can get them to be kindly disposed to the FUN early, we won’t have to fight for them to join us eventually, like Shroomainia has to deal with in this current CCCP plan.
PM Black: The SNC, sire? They aren’t antagonistic to the FTO or the FUN.
O/O Nelson: {Simultaneously} It will be done Sire. {Hangs Up}
KoV Brandon: The SNC is grating in its merging with the FUN, there is a lot of antagonism between the Shroomainians and the Crimsons, Byzantines, and even the Shadows, us throwing in our fiscal lot with the FUN might cause some problems for us in the end. But, first, we must try to get off on the right foot, contact the FTO with our idea, arrest and return to Misteria the deposed Czar.
PM Black: Yes, Sire.

Message to the FTO:

With the current revolution in Oceana the Vineyards feel that we must be open to this new nation. It is known to VEIL that the deposed Czar escaped to San Dorado, and we believe that it would be a good idea, politically, to return the Czar to his homeland. If you have an alternative course of action, please provide it.

Prime Minister Black
Kingdom of Vineyards

Message to FreeCom:
From: GrapeVine HQ

We need to capitalize on this new market, the GrapeVine is sending a group to try to set up a deal, and we would like a representative of FreeCom’s to assist our negotiations.

[Raj Ahten]

Message to the FTO:

With the current revolution in Oceana the Vineyards feel that we must be open to this new nation. It is known to VEIL that the deposed Czar escaped to San Dorado, and we believe that it would be a good idea, politically, to return the Czar to his homeland. If you have an alternative course of action, please provide it.

Prime Minister Black
Kingdom of Vineyards

Indhopal might be willing to support the Czar's extradition if the Misterian's request it. The new government may not even want to bring the dictator up on charges. The political landscape there is in flux, rough treatment of the old regime might cause big problems for the new government. I would also need a garuntee that the Czar would not face an abitrary firing squad if we send him back. Of course, the former Czar now resides in San Dorado, so the final decision would be up to them.

[K. A. Pital]

PCIA Headquarters, Lubyanka

Andropovsky never looked better. His whole face was a giant smile.

- Damn, damn! What good news in this damn year! Those monarchist assholes finally got it. What goes around, comes around! Now, we have to make sure sympathetic elements are in touch...

A young Major hastily carried a large pack of papers behind his chief.

- Comrade, but aren't there no communists in Misteria?

- Of course, the monarchists did the best they could, supressing any left-wing movements for almost a hundred years, - Andropovsky ran down the stairs to the PCIA Communications Center. - But believe me, there are no communists in Misteria yet. But there will be... oh there will be.

- Most of them are emigres with a long history of Tsarism, - cautiously reminded the Major.

- Yeah, but for this 100 years, they grew tired of the Tsar, - Andropovsky sat behind the table. - And the CSR's power is not something you can easily brush off. Small nations need powerful allies to watch over them. Didn't you read Winston's "Grand Strategy", eh? Korabelnikov will be here in a minute, so let's get this briefing ready...

[Zor]

Meeting Room, Atlantica Palace

Atlantica Palace's Meeting room fit in perfectly with the Classic Zorian building. Completed in 1880 by Queen Adria-I to commemorate the Unification of Zoria, the facillity combined Zorian Shinto and Old World Designs with a few Norse Elements in places. The overall design was fairly minimalist and quite tasteful. The Pacific Pact Delegates had been seated and preperations had been made, each having been given a copy of the proposed plan agreed upon between Zoria's Monarch and the King of Serenity. Six Zorian Royal Guards armed with Axe bayoneted RZR9 Rifles and Katana clad in their cerimonial uniforms and Lorica Segmentana armor stood guard.

The Centurion Praetoria of the Guard walked into the Room and tapped the floor with his cerimonial Staff and made the announcement. "His Majesty King Leighton-I, Leader, Protector and Defender of the United Kingdom of Zoria, King of Port Victory, Pacifica and Victorium and all Realms thereoff and Shogun of all Noble Houses of Zoria." With that, King-Leighton walked in, clad in his trademark pinstripe suit, red tie, wingtip shoes and Fedora. He quickly took his seat and poured a glass of water.

"Now, lets get down to buissiness..."

[PeZook]

Orena, Royal Palace



Paul walked into the Royal Office, still wearing his bathrobe and carrying a box of tissues.

Goddamned germs, he thought as he flipped through briefing folders carefully arranged on his desk. He still has a headache, and his sinuses were giving him a lot of trouble, but the doc said he could work a few hours at a desk today.

"What's this?", he asked upon seeing a dark-red folder on top of all others. It was sealed and marked Confidential: For The King's Eyes Only.

"A report from Shroomanian intelligence assets in Shepistan, sire.", his assistant, Karol, dutifully explained. Paul picked up the folder, broke the seal, signed inside the document and began to read.

A minute or two passed in silence.

"Jesus christ!"

Karol didn't ask questions, but it was quite unnerving to see the King agitated like this. Paul blew his nose, cringed and looked at his assistant.

"Arrange a meeting with the General Staff and the Civil Defence Biowarfare Division. Do it now."

Result: PeZookia receives information on Shepistani bioweapons program, begins planning countermeasures.

[Steve]

San Dorado


The portly, ebullient Tsar Pyotr III (ex-Tsar, actually, but the egotist had not yet abdicated) was raging at a domestic servant as his son, the Tsarevich Nikolai, was on the phone speaking frantically, yelling in Russian before slamming it down. He waited to see his father finish smacking the San Doradian girl on the shoulder and shove her off before he remarked, "Father, this plan of your's will never work. We need to find a better place of safety."
"Nonsense! I will never abdicate my throne! NEVER!" Pyotr III slammed his fist on the table. "We Omotrovs rule Misteria by right of God, a right that no Communist apostate or liberal republican can ever take from us! I will not let them destroy our..."
"And you think hiring mercenaries will improve anything? Father, don't be a fool. Waiting and biding time is a better strategy. The rebels are a fractcious lot, they won't be able to rule. We need simply wait in a safe place until they fall apart and then re-enter the country as saviors." Nikolai waited until his father finished stuffing his face with a chicken leg. "If we stay here, I cannot guarantee our safety."

"Do you think that San Dorado would betray us?"
"I think that San Dorado is devoted to their alliance with the other nations of this continent, and besides that they are capitalists. They will do anything for money. No, we need to go to a state that has no interest in Misteria, no interest in the world opinions..."
Pyotr rolled his eyes. "No, I am not going to Shepistan. I am not going to live in a country of blackasses run by a lunatic!"
"Actually, father, I was thinking of the Caymans," Nikolai answered. "Where the sun is warm, the women pretty, and where the billions in Shroomanian dollars we have tucked away are readily accessed. From there we can wait the rebels out." Or, more likely, simply live a happy life in wealthy exile Nikolai added to himself. His father was never one for being realistic... which had gotten them into this mess in the first place.

And he could see Pyotr was quite intrigued. "I have an obligation, though, to my loyal subjects, to God Himself, to not abandon my duties."
"Then we'll set up a government-in-exile and approach various states willing to hear us out," Nikolai said, thinking primarily of Japanistan admittedly. Though even that was a long shot.
"Well, let me think it over tonight, Nicky. Tomorrow I shall talk to my generals..."


(OOC: My apologies to Pollux if this wasn't what he had in mind, but I figured this is something he and you FTO players can run with.)