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EBS Nightly Newsdesk, English Bracasting System, London
Gareth Williams was worn and tired. As great a news cycle as this was panning out to be, what he had just gotten on his desk was absolutely insane. He looked at his news partner, Alice Magheny, who looked perfectly normal. 'Damn profiteering bi-' his thoughts were interrupted by the cameraman flashing his fingers in the countdown. Gareth tried to breathe steadily and ready himself for reading the piece of paper in front of him. He stumbled right out of the gate.
"La-la-dies and g-gentlemen, my name is Ga-gareth oh bloody hell, this is pointless." The producers across the glass looked understanding, but irked. He was supposed to be professional, able to read off apocalyptic news like it was todays weather report. "We just got a piece of paper from the Department of Health and Human Services within the Legal Republic that the plague has completely consummed Plainsville, leading to the projections of the death total of 125 million people within the next few weeks. The Legal Republic has declared a state of emergency and martial law, which in turn handed over policing duties to the 10th and 13th Army Groups, the 10th being veterans of the Establishment conflict. Chaos has already broken out in both Plainsville and Sagdineo, the two seats of the Anarchist faction within former Legalese. The 10th AG has begun the process of occupying and securing the infected territories and providing security and enforcing a travel restriction on the citizens of the Legal Republic.
"Clashes between groups of Anarchists and ASA personnel have already lead to the destruction of the desalination plant three kilometers outside of the City of Sagdineo, and over thirty Anarchists have been thought killed. The Joint Chiefs as well as the Department of Defence have given out any casualty lists. Protests of the military action taken by PE Kingsley have sprung up here in downtown London as well as Cardiff and Lisbon. They are under heavy police observation, but the protests have yet to turn violent. Leaders of the Green, Confederation, and Libertarian are calling for a reduction of military personnel and calling on the Legal police forces to enforce the blockade and even for the removal of the travel restrictions on vaccinated areas. The National Union Party as well as Unionist Block are calling for increased military presence and consideration for what they call Operation Sterilize, a plan to firebomb the affected areas in order to prevent the mutation of the plague into something that cannot be contained
"The Alliance Party and Popular Pragmatics stand united for the need of military intervention and strong reaction, however refuse to go to the lengths proposed by the Union parties. PE Kingsley has returned to Graham City from Kafra, and is reportedly planning a visit to the command headquarters of the Army units deployed within the Legal Republic. SecState Keller is in Kafra reportedly requesting assistance of the SDL to contain the plague." Williams got it all out in one long breath. He gulped another lump of air in, and turned the page.
"PE Kingsley has put out a statement that the 10th and 13th Army groups are going to extend policing operations to the territory of former Legalese, where it is feared that the lawlessness their will aid in the spread of the disease. He has asked Starblaydia not to consider the deployment of ground forces an attempt to annex any of the former Legalese, and invites Starblaydi troops to aid those of the Army in securing the territory to prevent the lawlessness spreading into both territories.
"Current death toll estimates are between 1 and 2 million, all in the Legal Republic. No organized resistance has yet been encountered by the Army, but an internet domain by the name of www.freedomforthelr.tlc has been shut down for announcing the positions of troops and coordinating local anarchists to attack and ambush Alliance troops.
"Now ladies and gentlemen, we have no idea what this situation is going to hold. I cannot pretend to know what is going to happen. But you must remain calm. Any panic will force both the state and national federal governments into action to one wants to take, but must for the sake of the security of the Alliance. I must encourage y-"
Unknown
The feed was cut. The facility had been compromized. The power was gone, and now was the time. They needed to get out. Or in. Delery was convinced the machine was ready, but no test had yet been successful. The cries of his fellow soldiers and their reapons rung his ears. His body shook, and was dreadfully cold. The lifesupport systems of the base were failing. It was getting deathly cold. He looked at the machine, took a deep breath, and flipped a switch.
Unknown
It was beginning. Somehow, they had gotten it into the Legal Republic. He sighed, this war was getting to him. It had been along time, but this had to be done. For the sake of those to come after him. That was the only thing keeping him going. He knew that his counterpart would be joining him soon there. This war was going to expand again, and there was nothing he could do about that. He could only win the war. He reached for the console, pressed the combination, and stepped onto the platform.
Newville District, Sagdineo, Legal Republic
Private/1st Henry MacDougal of the 121st Urban Combat stood with his squad in the dark halls of the former 1st Bank of the Republic offices in Newville. Newville had been an extraordinarily stratified district. There was a major series of wealthy estates owned by lawyers serviced by series of poor neighbourhoods that housed the various domestic servants. Kept in highly urbanized, crowded concrete apartment buildings, these were hotbeds for Anarchist support. It had just been another week since the Army had moved in, and they were getting incredibly rowdy. A group had already swarmed a C-7 Torrence APC, killing three of the soldiers inside before being forced out by urban combat teams.
They were going into a hostile environment to secure a water distribution facility for the district within two hundred meters of the bank. The flyover by a TH-13 helo said that the facility had been occupied by approzimately thirty people, all armed with a variety of weapons, mostly lower tech older Guardian III rifles, but nonetheless dangerous. His squad sergeant tapped his keypad that was on his leg, letting his microphone amplify his voice through the hovering TH-13 that supported them. "People occupying the Newville Water Distribution Facility, please allowed the personnel from the Ministry of HHS to vaccinate the water within your facility! It is key that this district be vaccinated!"
A man stepped out, armed with what looked like a Sarzonian combat rifle, yelled into a bullhorn, "No, we will not stand for the oppression of the common people by the lawyers who dominate us and refuse us a decent chance at life because of their laws! You are merely pawns in a plan to reduce those of us who are willing to resist their autocratic bureaucracy! We will fight to the last man!" He fired a warning shot into a window at the back of the bank, were by now the squad had entrenched itself in preparation for the attack on the facility.
Sergeant called out again through his microphone, giving them one more chance, which was responded by with a rattle of an automatic machine gun into the positions that the 121st had taken up around the facility. The Sergeant cursed and began issuing orders. "Get supressing fire on that gun! Now! Squad, prepared for assault." The Lieutenant in command of the platoon came up to the squad. "Alright, Sarge, I need you guys to begin an infiltration mission around the rear of the facility. Second and Third squads will advance into the facility through are position within the bank. First squad will maintain supressing fire along with the TH-13. You will move through the buildings to the left of our position and attack from the rear. The plans and your route have been uploaded to your planners. The helomen will give you heads up on any potential traps along the way."
The Sergeant nodded and yelled a move out order and we began our advance. It was nerveracking of course, any idiot could tell you combat was goddamn scary, but there was the man beside you and the women and children and buddies you were fighting for at home. There were the thousands of people who could be saved should the vaccine be delivered through this plant. Yes most of them were total bastards, but they were still people damn it.
He hated killing the pepole who were suffering the most, but they were in the way of the good that would from the vaccine. They had advanced through an emptied prefab appartement, and they reached the second prefab directly opposite to most of the platoon. They advanced stealthily towards a rear service entrance, which was only guarded by two nervous and obviously untrained men. They stood in the open, guns pointed towards the fence separating the prefab and the water plant. Two quick shots from the squad, they were both down. And the squad moved into the building. The display of the schematics was all clear. Private/3rd Julian Jenkins check the door, then busted it oped. The waterworks facility was cold and damn, and you could hear the sound of dripping water. Echoing through the building were the cries of the anarchists and their gun shots. The gun they had was concealed fairly well and the TH-13 couldn't get a shot at it. So it was up to them.
MacDougal took a deep breath, and moved into the facility
This post has been edited by The Lowland Clans on Aug 9 2006, 12:41 AM |
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The Nedalian government has announced its intention to aid and help any of the affected nations, SDL members or otherwise, by all means. At our disposal, we have doctors, vaccines, military personnel to quiet riots, food supplies, as well as other medical supplies. Our largest air force base, the Strundanne Air Force base, will serve as the gateway for the 32 cargo and military transport aircrafts which will be set aside to fight this crisis that has befallen the AO.
We would also like to propose to airlift any residents of any of the affected countries who choose to escape the oncoming onslaught of the virus. They will be provided adequate shelter and food, as well as planned activities for any children. This will be, ofcourse, with the permission of the respective country.
As for military personnel, they will be dispatched upon call of the affected respective country that might be experiencing trouble dealing with certain types of riots, anarchy, or rebellion. They will be our top military personnel, part of the Nedalia Guerilla Army (NGA), who have been trained under extreme circumstances for many potential situations, including one such this.
Our hearts go out to all the suffering nations and their people and are ready, and willing, to help in anyway we can. We place no limit on the amount of help we can give. |
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Nedalia |
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Emperor in Training |
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"This is BCXA-TV Channel Five's News at Five, Hampton's most popular and trusted news source."
"Breaking news from Columbia: A senior Buëlga administration official has come forward and admitted that the Bedistan Department of Health has secretly been issuing mass vaccinations through the nation's water supplies throughout this week without public knowledge.
"Good evening, I'm ʼWaŋ ʼIl-hwa..."
"And I'm Pepa Qaperena. This news just came into the studio moments before we went on the air. We now go live to our Columbia correspondent, Jessica Hudson. Jess, what can you tell us about this shocking discovery?"
Hudson is shown amongst a very large group of reporters from just about every local news station in Bedistan. The top of the Capitol Building is visible in the background.
"Pepa, about ten minutes ago, Health Minister Francis Lawson appeared here for a scheduled press conference. As was expected, it was about the ongoing outbreak of Quirrithian plague in Atlantian Oceania, but virtually nobody expected to hear what he had to say."
A recording of the conference plays.
"On Monday evening, President Buëlga issued an executive order to dispense very large quantities of the vaccination against the plague provided to us by the Vilitan Orbital Intelligence Agency and the Atlantian Oceania Regional Defense Organization. This treatment has been dispensed through the nation's water supplies and was projected to have reached 95 percent of the nation's population within 24 hours."
"Mr. Lawson, why weren't the people informed?"
"President Buëlga demanded of me in writing that the public not be told about the vaccinations in order to prevent mass panic. Today I realized that that was an extremely dishonest and deceptive manuever on the part of the Buëlga administration, and I wanted to set things right with the Bedistani people."
"Was the vaccine thoroughly tested before being sent out to the entire population?"
"The president's demands were to begin disbursement immediately."
"So you're saying that the Bedistan Department of Health has distributed an untested vaccine that could contain Margaret-knows-what to over SIX BILLION people?"
"Er...um..."
The recording ends.
"So, as you can see, Health Minister Lawson and President Buëlga herself are in very hot, albeit vaccinated, water over this issue. Back to you, Pepa." |
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The Alliance Security Room, 16 Canford Street
President-Elect Kingsley walked in the Alliance Security Conference Room, or just generally referred to as 'downstairs' the staff. It was the room were the Joint Chiefs of Command, the SecDef, SecHes, and various other military and intelligence breifings were held. It also doubled as the warroom in 16 Canford, and was about half a kilometer underground and a good three kilometers away from the actual building, and heavily shielded from potential nuclear attack. Normally quite quiet and calm, the room was bustling with activity. It stretched out for about a good bit, with many tactical deployment screens and feeds live from the battlefields in the cities of the Legal Republic and into the former Legalese. Kingsley walked across the room towards the main conference room, which was sealed off with a new type of glass which allowed the people in the room to see out, but those on the outside unable to see in. Quite nifty, and able to change at the moments notice. Not quite holographic technology, but probably the closest thing to it.
As he entered the room, the people already in the room rose up in respect. "Sit down everybody, so what's the current situation?" he asked the room.
The SecHes, chief of the Alliance's intelligence forces started speaking. "Well, it's not looking good. The Anarchists are becoming increasingly organized, using web resources outside of our ability to block. While they are still very decentralized, we have yet to be able to point to a single leader, but it shouldn't take much longer for one to pop up. We've become attempting to infiltrate anarchist circles, but it's proving difficult just because of the chaos and inability to get good information to and from the Republic."
General-of-the-Armed-Forces, Harold P. Myers, continued with his presentation. "The Army is having a difficult time dealing with the anarchist insurgents. Not that they pose a military threat, without armour and anti-tank weapons they currently pose little threat, but the very fact that they are decentralized and have little organization means that the as many as the army can kill, they are still around. So far we've had about one hundred and thirty seperate skirmishes, with about two to three hundred incidinces of rock-throwing etc. against troops and tanks. With the chaos in both Sagdineo and Plainsville, it's become increasingly difficult to administer the vaccine in large doses. The water system is increasingly unreliable. But the thing we're most concerned about is reports of anarchists in the former Legalese acquiring more sophisticated weapons and even armour, but we've been unable to confirm those reports."
SecRet David Mackingley began his part of the presentation. "We've currently detected no mutations in the virus in the host bodies we've received from the military, but something does concern me. We've gotten unconfirmed reports from Chacor that people in Djacor-Rysonia are dying from the plague. Such an introduction should not happen naturally, as no infected carrier is anywhere near Chacor, with Sarzonia a buffer between them and infected Crystilakere. The presence of the Starblaydi military leads me to believe that they had something to do with the deaths. I'm formally requesting a Black Arrow mission to Djacor-Rysonia, to retrieve the bo-"
Mackingley was interrupted as an assistant burst through the door, saw who was looking at, rushed over to Mackingley. "Excuse me?" asked Kingsley. He whispered quietly to Mackingley, who then said, "Well out with it boy!" The asisstant looked around nervously at the assemblage of very powerful people, and then started talking. "We've detected something very strange coming from Sagdineo, two seperate huge bursts of higher-order energy, the same kind that happens when we travel faster than light."
"What is higher-order energy doing in Sagdineo?" asked General Myers
The assistant looked very disturbed when he started talking. "Two people were seen by sattelites after the energy bursts. We don't know who they are, but they are there. And we don't think that they're from Atlantian Oceania."
This post has been edited by Vilita on Aug 13 2006, 08:38 PM |
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OOC: Correction from the last post, those bursts of energy were supposed to come from Sagdineo, rather than Plainsville.
Water Purification and Distribution Plant, Newville District, Sadineo, Legal Republic
Henry MacDougal, a Private 1st/Rifleman in the 2nd Squad in 1st Platoon of Charlie Company of the 121st Urban Combat battalion in 5th Division of the II Corps of the 10th Army Group, began slowly moving through the facility, going from cover to cover as they moved deeper into the facility. His mind was unusually alert, even for a combat veteran like MacDougal. Something very strange was going on to him, and he noticed it in the other members of the squad were behaving oddly too. Not any psychopathic behaviour or anything like that, just jumpy, out of character. But they still had a job to do. After they had advanced about four hundred meters into the facility, they came to an intersection. Sarge signalled a halt and began distributing the plans across the CIN, or combat-integrate network. Nifty thing developed in the early 21st century, which created a wireless network deployed through a combination of default networks which were distributed throughout the command structure and then smaller ad hoc networks in case the network was lost.
With the plans distributed, they began to advance, with MacDougal taking two other men to take out a small group in what looked like a small room to the rear of the main Anarchist position. The leader was there, and they were unable to tell what they were doing, but they looked like they were congregating around a radio or something of the sort. They advanced down the hallway parallel to the room. The room had two exits, one towards this hall and then another that led to the control and observation rooms. Another squad was advancing along that other hallway and going to secure the observation room. The other two squads began engaging the anarchists supressing the rest of 1st Platoon. He saw the TH-13 circling the building, providing CIN support through up-to-date mapping of the facility. His squad and the other squad halted, preparing their two pronged assault.
"Second Squad, prepare to neutralize and clear anarchist cell. First squad, commence attack on the main position." The sergeant then game the go order. His group in the parallel hallway secured their exit towards the observation platform, and his three man group busted through the door. His private 2nd kicked in the door, with him and the other private tossing two flashbangs in for supression. They went off and they entered the room. No one was there, but a book cabinet had been moved. Underneath where it would normally stand was a hole and a tunnel apparently leading down to another room. Sarge burst in the other door and cursed. "Helo Crew, this is Sarge Kimdall, they've built themselves another passage down below. I'm TAGing the room below, try and give us a map of what's down there."
The TAG beacon, otherwise known as the Target Acquisition/Guardian after the company that manufactured it, was a small device handed out to NCOs and combat officers who could run into areas that either had no schematics or were not able to be mapped by conventional radar and infrared sensors. They would let out a sharp burst of both sonar and radar, all to be interpreted by the device and sent back to the receiver. "Alright Sarge, this is Flight Angel-1, looks like you've got three people down there with significant radio and television equipment. Unable to determine whether they have any weapons. Combat operations look safe, go get 'em. You'll lose AFAS.net though, so start the ad hoc before you go." The Sarge didn't have to give the order, the ad hoc network was created the moment the flight crew suggested it.
Sarge and a green private dropped two frag grenades down the hole and waited for them to explode, then MacDague took the lead and jumped down the hole. The squad let down their climbing ropes and secured themselves to it, and began repelling down the hole. They reached the bottom, to find that the majority of the equipment had been destoyed and two dead bodies. But where was the third? Sarge dispatched him and three other privates to search the room for an escape root. As the team called out their all clears, MacDague found what he was looking for, behind an overturned shelf. "Sarge, it looks like we've got a tunnel here, I volunteer to lead the team to search for the leader."
"Alright MacDague, you got it. Take Janssen, Murray and Stefanovich with you. The rest of the squad will analyze the equipment here. You know the drill, tag and advance."
"Yes sir, you heard him, Janssen, TAG the tunnel. Stefanovich, you have point. Go after standard wait time." Janssen tossed the beacon down the tunnel, counted to three, and then Stefanovich took the lead. Then scurried along the tunnel on hands and knees. They approached the exit when they heard someone talking. Stefanovich raised his fist, and MacDague turned on his recording function.
"Listen to me, the rebellion will succeed. This has been in the planning for sometime now, you think I would just start ordering my people to combat the forces of the Alliance if I didn't have a plan?" asked a first anonymous voice. He placed the voice as a local accent. "Yes, do strike me as that sort of person, Lucas. We have given you weapons, now we need something back." This voice was female, cold, and almost mechanical.
"Now now my lady, I have worked a long time for this. I am a man of my word, and I will keep my bargain, but do not treat me as a trifle. I am not, and never will be your puppet. Even if you tried to control me, you would have no success. I may hold the appearance of being harmless to you, but nothing is never as it seems nowadays. Now we go, the Alliance shouldn't be to far behind." There were footsteps and then the sound of a motor gunning, and MacDague signalled his group to get out. Stefannvich exited the tunnel and barely had time to locate and get a few shots off at the four wheeler with the two people in it before he realized where he was. It was a massive underground complex of tunnels, with this being the hub. MacDague whistled and was about to radio, when a sudden flash of light and wave of pressure threw him back into a wall.
The Alliance Security Room, 16 Canford Street
The room was a buzz with what the assistant just told them. But then something else happened. The SecHes picked up his ringing phone, listened, nodded and then hung up. "It appears we have another problem that may be of greater importance than anything else we've seen before. Mr. President-Elect?" He looked at Kingsley, who just nodded and he touched the control to the large display screen at one end of the conference room. It switched to the picture of a speech at a very nondescript location. The speech was turned down low, but immediately became clear to everyone in the room who they were looking at. "Ladies and gentlemen," the SecHes began, "I would like to introduce you to our next Bojan Vasil, Lucas vander Veer, leader of the New Anarchist Order of the Alliance. The speech is your general propaganda piece, but this was just aired about five minutes ago, using pirated feeds across the Alliance. Since this was launched, many of our spearhead task groups have been ambushed and forced to retreat. It looks like we have another civil war on our hands. And our latest intel on the virus is not good. It appears to be mutating." |
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The Alliance Security Room, 16 Canford Street
The room fell silent. Even the machinery seemed oddly quiet. Someone coughed, and then spoke up. It was the Minister for Health and Human Services in the Legal Republic. "So what exactly is the mutation?" he asked, his voice small and croaking. The SecHes, sighed, and began speaking. "Well, from what I've just heard, is that a vaccinated person is recorded to have died. The doctors said that the virus appears to have become immune to the vaccine, but as a result it seems that at least appearance of symptoms and the actual fatality of the virus have become sporadic and greatly reduced. I'll have to get more reports, and this still is unconfirmed by Intelligence sources. We have to wait."
The room continued to be silent until PE Kingsley spoke up, his voice a little stronger than the rest. "Well, what do we have to do about these things that are popping up? First these two bursts of energy, then vander Veer, now the mutating virus? Any suggestions, or shall we sit on our hands a little while longer?" The room returned to it's previous silence, though much more awkwardly. General-of-the-Armed-Forces Myers spoke up, "Perhaps it's time we stopped messing around in the Legal Republic? Things are getting out of hand, the Anarchists are acquiring heavier and heavier weapons, able to threaten the troops we send in. I think we should declare them traitors and enemies of the Alliance, perhaps this time send in much more heavy fighting units. Crack down on anarchist meetings in other parts of the Allied States."
The PE mulled it over in his mind. "I agreed with everything up to that last point their, General Myers. Such a crackdown could be seen as a violation of the right to protest, and support for the Anarchists hasn't grown significantly enough in other parts of the Allied States. Now, what about the two men from the energy bursts?" Most of the rooms looked around rather cluelessly at each other. SecHes finally spoke up, and with a great mental shrug, suggested teh obvious, "I don't think there's anything we can do. I would talk to SecRet about how this kind of energy could produce two men, and I don't think we've got any pictures of them. They disappeared rather quickly into the crowds and I don't think we'll be able to do anything about them at all really. The plague, well, all we can do is wait for more test results and pray. As for vander Veer, the research is already underway, and soon the bureau will be on your desk."
Luthor's District, Sagdineo, Legal Republic
The room is which Lucas and his friend sat was part of a deep, and up until now hidden tunnel system which the original anarchist faction about eighty years ago in the Establishment of Order after the collapse of the Original Legalese. Several stories above him, sat the Court House of Sagdineo, which the original anarchists had used as their headquarters. This room however, lacked the grandeur of a judges office or courtroom of the Legal Republic. This room was small, dank, and grey, with no windows and just metal slab for a door and a vent for air. After escaping the water purification plant, he and his friend returned here, the base of the anarchist operations. The operation had begun almost a decade ago, with New Anarchist Order beginning as merely a historical club, to study the Establishment of Order, but soon became merely a front for a new anarchist faction, spreading it's philosophy and training eager new soldiers for the new conflict, which Lucas named the Ending of Order. The cells had spread across the Legal Republic, most without a clue of what was going to happen. They gave Lucas a strong base of support from which to draw, should the opportune time come. Lucas' organization did not advocate active overthrow of the system, and because of it avoided the eyes and ears the Department of Homeland Security, ASIS, and the Institute.
He built up this organization from nothing, and he demanded quite a bit of loyalty. So when someone betrayed him, they didn't like it. The fact that the Alliance found him at the water distribution facility was too unlikely to be a coincidence. After everything Lucas had seen and done, coincidence was another way for the enemy to sneak in and destroy his work. The enemy was sneaky that way. You had to be on your guard for such small incursions like that. The one man who knew he was in that plant pushed open the metal door and walked in. He was a portly man, who sweat excessively and was balding. "Lucas, what is this about?" he looked suspiciously at his companion, "Who is she exactly?" Lucas looked him in the eyes. He knew it immediately, that this man did not betray him. Interesting, but he saw the weakness in the man he hadn't seen before. Sometimes, it takes only one situation to bring out something in someone that they could never think of before that moment. Circumstances, it appeared, made the man in this case.
"I'm not happy George. They found me at the plant. You were the only one who knew where I was." She watched this interrogation with interest. Lucas appeared to not use any tactic she was aware of. His demeanor did not speak of someone who was trying to use disappointment as his tactic. His word carried much force, so much that he must keep his deals, good or bad. Such men were rare these days. Amazing for revolutionaries. Not that she had much taste for revolutionaries of any sort. She was amazed when Lucas' demeanor changed from neutral to well, almost bemused, then to neutral again. Not true neutral of course, but the ease and confidence that comes when one decided to take anothers life with complete conviction. She approved.
George was panicking. Lucas removed a gun from his desk, and set it on the metal desktop. The clang sounded exquisite, perhaps the greatest sound he had ever heard, the most comforting. After all, he was going to die, might as well be at his own time and choosing. Wait, where did that thought come from? He looked at Lucas in the eyes, who only stared back with a vague intensity and satisfaction, despite the blank face. George began to sweat, and he could feel his heart beating faster. He felt something well up in his chest, then the monster came. His heart fell, and deep sorrow came over him. Memories of time long thought forgotten came to the fore. He felt dirty all over, as if the sweat had dried instantly. His mind drifted to the man he had murdered in college. His brother, the way he had sold him out to the authorities. The man he protected. The child he had forsaken. The cries of the child grew louder. Nothing would bring him respite. The thoughts repeated over and over, like a bad film. His heart sank to his shoes, and there was nothing left. The monster was everywhere. He reached for the gun, placed it to his temple, and then thought, 'Ah, sweet resp-'
The portly man dropped to the floor as the gunshot echoed throughout the room. She was incredulous. This man, who had previously shown no sign of remorse at any of the crimes he committed, had suddenly recanted to every sin, and then killed himself. All with Lucas muttering just one phrase. She looked incredulously from him to the body, and back several times. Then, she decided to move on. "Lucas, there are things we must discuss. For the weapons we provide you, we will need something in return, there are many things that we will need from you once you have thrown out the Alliance from the Republic and assumed your place as leader of the entire Original Legalese Territories. In fact, there needs to be a great long discussion on how exactly this will be repaid to Star-" He stood, and she stopped talking. He looked into her eyes. She saw one thing, the monster. It chased her into her memories, which rose to the surface. That of her dieing mother, whom she could have saved. Those few seconds replayed over and over...until they changed to her coldly placing the gun to the chest of the one man she had ever loved, and pulling the trigger. The warmth of his embrace changed to his coldhearted rejection, his warm and responsive body changed to the dead cold hard corpse that she threw in the river near his home in Jhanna. The looked at the gun, an enticing escape from the monster, herself. She reached for it, and then stopped. The monster was gone.
The KERES agent looked at Lucas. He simply looked at her. He rose to his full height, and looked straight into her eyes. "I will honor our original agreement. I am a man of my word, and I will not be anyone's puppet. This weapon that I have built, is mine and mine alone. We may share the current desire to eliminate the Alliance. I will not be Starblaydia's puppet, and I think Viannor needs to be reminded of that fact. I suggest you return to communicate this quite clearly." The agent glared into his eyes with a fierce defiance, and then walked out of the room, stepping over the body while she went. He cursed both George and Starblaydia, Viannor and the Alliance all in one breath. His goal was to bring anarchy, to neutralize this realm and to create something much more to his liking. They were likely to catch up to him soon, he had been too active to go unnoticed for much longer. He had to act quickly, otherwise they would catch up to him and the battle would come too soon.
She walked out the of the room, trying to comprehend that feeling. She could remember the pain that came from those memories, but what had driven her to pick up the gun was beyond. Those she had felt no sorrow before. She felt a weight on her shoulders unlike anything she had felt before, and she didn't think it was coming off anytime soon. It was like he had given her a conscience and a heart. He reminded her of what it was like to feel again. But not good feelings, feelings of pain and sorrow. It was like he had blackened her heart to the point where she could no longer live with herself. It was like he had given her a soul and then made her the devil. She decided then that this was too dangerous a deal to go through. She would advise to Viannor to eliminate this Lucas before he could become a threat. |
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//Emergency//
To: All nations
From: Chacoran Travel Ministry
Chacor is hereby closing its borders to all foreign travel into and out of the country. Three cases of Quirrith Plague have been reported near the border with Djacor-Rysonia... and this precautionary action must be taken. All foreign nationals within Chacor are to proceed to Hubana or Chacoria, where their governments or the Chacoran government will lodge them until it is safe.
All foreign diplomats in Chacor are to remain within a 15-km radius of their nearest embassy, consulate, or otherwise ambassadorial residence.
The Starblaydian military in Djacor-Rysonia are requested not to leave, and instead to ensure that the borders of Djacor-Rysonia are well guarded. The Chacoran border guards on the border with Ryloss and Sarzonia will be flown to Bedistan, where they will remain.
No air travel is allowed over Chacor or Djacor-Rysonia beginning 24 hours from this message.
Travel Ministry
On behalf of the Prime Minister |
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To: Tanya Ley, Foreign Minister of Lamoni
From: Yuri Noble, Foreign Minister of Chacor
Dear Minister Ley,
Thank you for your words and kind offer, but at this time we shall politely decline the offer. The three cases have all been reported near the Djacor-Rysonia area, and we believe that most citizens of Chacor have been fully vaccinated. Should further cases be reported, we will be glad to receive help.
Yours,
Yuri Noble |
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Limassol National Cemetary, Limassol, Mediterranean Coalition
The journey out of the Republic had been harrowing, and he had worried the entire way that vander Veer had found him. That man was where he was for a reason, and the fact of his insertion went unnoticed was a matter of luck and environment. Vander Veer's contacts were everywhere, and he would soon realize that he was here. It was only a matter of time before the two came into conflict. Before he was inserted, he was warned that there was another faction that had acquired the technology and inserted someone. Apparently, their origin is so cloudy that not even the vast technology and intelligences of either faction could determine it's location and significance. This could prove to be very dangerous. Unknowns were enough of a danger already, and this one could end up being the straw that break's this camels back. He chuckled at the thought. How many times had he said that before?
He walked among the rows and rows of crosses. Just across the field, President Apaliagos was attending the funeral of a platoon of Greek and Cypressian soldiers who died heroically during an ambush to protect a transport convoy delivering vaccine to civilians in a refugee camp. Security was all around, and everyone was worn and nervous from the civil strife engulfing their fellow member-state to the north. He had been triple-searched at the enterance for any weapons, and members of the President's security team, cooped with members of the Allied States Army and the Mediterranean Home Guard. He sighed and thought about the name he was looking for. He'd seen it so many times during his years fighting the Conflict. The first thing he did was he looked for the name, thank God they had the internet here. The list he had obtained said the man he was looking for had been buried here, with full honours as part of the team that took back one of the nuclear silos during the Allied States Civil War.
He looked at his map, and paused over the cross he now stood in front of. He knelt down, and brushed his fingers over the name. He sighed. "He always dies a hero," he said quietly to himself. He wondered what his life had been like, whether he met the one he was destined to, whether she was even alive when he went off to war. So many things changed in his travels, but so many things remained the same. Something dropped onto his suit jacket as he stood. A tear. His eyebrow shot up in surprise, but he knew they were coming. They always came. He took the flowers he had in his hand, along with the card, and placed them at the foot of the cross, and began to walk away. There was little time to mourn those who had lost. He hoped he would be able to meet the man after his travels here were done. But he had a job to do.
Always the job. He thought about the souls he had met along the way. Their hopes and dreams...he always used them for strength. It was always tough to get through the day, but the constant assurance and purpose that came from the Conflict was never far from his mind. He was constantly amazed at how through darkness, their came light, and from evil, good always was close behind. A philosopher in his travels had once said to him that conflict would always be painful, always necessary for humanity to grow to better themselves. Of course, he died the day after during the nuclear attack on his city, but he died with honour and dignity, something most people never got the chance to. His feet hit the pavement, and he stepped into the car that he had parked on the road nearest the grave. The twenty-one gun salute rattled him from his thoughts. The soldiers were the best, he knew from his travels. They all knew, and had almost neve been surprised the way civilians were when they found out. They had purpose.
He did too. The tears for the lost never stopped as he drove out of the cemetary, and to the safe house. His job here, was yet to be done.
Refugee Camp 12, Grey Zone, Legal Republic
The Grey Zone was the murky mess of land that used to be Legal Republic and former Legalese. Occupied by Alliance troops, the eastern portion of the Legal Republic was small but vital for evacuating refugees. It was also a relatively plague-free region, but that was changing. He had noticed more people dying of it recently, and there were wild rumors about the plague mutating. Despite all of this, the people remained calm and cooperated with the Alliance. Things were already different, and it was quite clear that something or someone had already comeback. The plague never mutated naturally, at least, if it did, it was never recorded into the dusty handwritten history books from which he learned as a child in Nadiaville, just to the west of the camp.
It was cloudy again today, as always and it never changed. It was the winter here in the plains of the Republic, and it was looking to be a harsh one at that. Just like it was during the histories. That was their name for what transpired after the releasing of the Plague. The Histories. Made it sound like a grandiose nusery tale, of heroes and dragons and villians conquered. But for him, it was a grim tale of risks taken and lost, of dreams crushed underneath the quest for power and domination. He had managed to get transported out of here after he was found in the rubble of a water purification facility, thought at first to be a casualty from the NAO, but after he awoke it became quite clear to the military that he was not involved, merely another victim of circumstance. Far to many of those around. But his purpose remained clear, though he had no idea of how to accomplish it. He was alone. He was used to working with his brothers and sisters, but they were all gone now.
Only he was left, sent flinging through time and space and somewhere in between to warn the people here of the coming disaster. He wondered if he was already to late. He needed to get back into contact with someone. He was still trying to get his bearings. He thoughts turned again to those strange readings of the higher-order properties of the timeline. There were two distinct threads that displayed a different quantum signature, two that were not present anywhere else they could scan and search and poke and prod. For all his training, knowledge and abilities, the unknown always managed to slip from his grasp.
His legs suddenly lost their strength and he fell. White light filled his vision and a small quiet whisper of his daughters voice filled his ears, "They are here father, THEY are here!" Then darkness.
Alliance Security Room, Graham City, Scotland
Major General 2nd/Army Julian Guersny stood straight and tall, even after all these years and all the weight age had put on his shoulders. He walked into the room, and the bustle and noise of room outside was unnaturally cut off as the airtight seal closed behind him. He saluted General Myers and the President. They went through the short introduction as his data was transfered to the displays the covered the wall. He looked around the room, at the faces which stress had attacked and whom worry consummed as the collapse of the Legal Republic continued to the North. "The situation is this ladies and gentlemen: we have a stalemate. While we made a wise decision to build the doctrine of the Army around urban combat and anti-guerilla tactics, no amount of doctrine can prepare us for the unknowns, which are many.
"The NAO as they are called are heavily armed, brilliantly trained and employed. With the collapse of so many regional governments and the availability of arms throughout the region, it is no surprise that they are able to equip themselves with heavy weaponry needed to effectively combat the armour that we've used to occupy the cities. Our casualties are especially heavy among the lighter armour, with two full regiments being whittle down to essentially battalion strength. We've been forced to pull out the light armour, as it has been least effective in combating in such densely populated areas. However, that is not to say we are without success. There are few places that are troops cannot travel in, and our helicopters have prover very efficient at combatting quick and unpredicatble waves.
"Infantry has been performing well. The officers have experience unusually high casualty rates, though that was somewhat expected by the anti-authoritarian nature of the enemy. The specialized urban combat teams have especially proven useful, and I have recommended many of their unit commanders for decoration. Our main weakness however, is the inability to restrict enemy travel and communications. While we've destroyed several above-ground communication centers, we suspect they have moved a majority of their lines under ground, as well as built tunnels to allow for unrestricted travel. This means while that we occupy the top-side, we've yet to be able to restrict their ability to operate as a cohesive force. So, we are left with a draw, a true battle of attrition, and unless one side can force the other out of their primary theator of operations, then this could go on for a very long time." He closed the folder he had opened in front of him. He took off his reading glasses, and set them down.
"There is something I need to bring to your attention. Intelligence from the Institute, Army Intelligence, and ASIS that this was a very well planned and executed rebellion, whose operational doctrine and strategic plans were made far in advance. This suggests long term planning and infiltration of the Legal government. Ladies and gentlemen, something is not right here. We must strive to learn what we can about our enemy and what they have arrayed against us. Until then, we cannot win this fight." |
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