A Battle Unseen

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Re: A Battle Unseen

Postby alaskancrabpuffs21 » Tue Nov 01, 2022 6:45 pm

Reichstag, Aikums Dolgava

Members of the Reichstag were trying to pass a budget, it was still morning but the entire legislature was busy, Mr. Lupolds had been busy working with the far right conservative faction on lowering the budget goals for the month. Lupolds phone had been buzzing off the hook for hours, so much so he had to make it vibrate only. Suddenly he got a news alert, from the Press Press App, a developing situation at the Karzon regional capital, reports of an explosion, according to a news headline. Lupolds looked at his fellow members, some had seen it, others were still talking oblivious what was happening.

Lupolds looked into the article, chaos reigned supreme according to the news article, he wanted to know more, and he could tell others were staring to pay attention to their phones as well. The debate was still going on however the talking MP was starting to finish. As the mp was sitting, Lupolds took his chance

"Members of Parliament, excuse this interruption but we are seeing a situation arise in Karzon, I would like to be updated by the Deparment of Defense on what exactly is going on, we are hearing reports of explosions, I yield".

With that he sat down, his interjection being noted and promises of a quick update soon.

However this was broken up by a popping noise, outside the double doors into the main hallway, members looked concerned a few diving to the floor

Suddenly the popping got louder and Lupolds could make out, gunfire!

The doors burst open and a small figure with red hair, it looked like a women stood in the doorway, she yelled "YOU PIGS" before opening fire...
"Alaskan"
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Re: A Battle Unseen

Postby Auditorii » Fri Nov 18, 2022 2:23 am

The State Chancellor had made her way down to the Einsatzzentrale (lit. Operations Center; often translated to Luthorian as "Emergency Operations Center"). Dorvik had officially crafted a new policy of nuclear ambiguity (Dundorfian: nukleare Mehrdeutigkeit) with the statements made by the State Chancellor in February, 5202. The meeting she was about to attend was to handle such matters. Outside of the Einsatzzentrale stood two Dorvish soldiers from the Dorvish Army, they snapped to attention and one of them opened the door. As the State Chancellor entered into the room, the officers, officials and others snapped to attention.

The State Chancellor waved her hand. "At ease." She said and the officers and officials retook their seats, some resumed the chatter as the State Chancellor exchanged small talk with Vice State Chancellor Leon Clasen, Inspector-General and Chief of the Supreme General Staff Col.-Gen. (Army) Leonhard Herwig, Coordinator for State Security and Defense Dr. Franz Schönfeld. "So..." the State Chancellor started off and the room immediately quieted down. "General Bartolde Unslingen. The man of the hour." The State Chancellor's tone was jovial. "Madam Chancellor." The Lieutenant General returned. "The status?" The State Chancellor shuffled papers, one of them marked "Geheime Kommandosache-Chefsache" (g.KDos.Chefs; Secret Command Operation-Chief Matter/Secret Matter of Command-Chief Matter) which is restricted to members of the Supreme General Staff and their subordinate staffs and officers in command of regiment formations and above.

"We've successfully re-armed several warheads at facilities throughout Dorvik, within another a couple of years or so we will have full operational status of all former warheads." The Lieutenant General was referencing the approximately 30 nuclear warhead tipped missiles that Dorvik possessed that were of originally Zardic design but eventually reverse engineered and modified by Dorvish engineers. When the Dorvish disarmed, they didn't disarm in the sense that they destroyed their nuclear stockpiles, they metaphorically kept the nuclear warheads on ice until such a time was necessary. That was the order of State Chancellor Wilhelm von und zu Czimnetz and was continued by each successive State Chancellor. The Dorvish hid the nuclear materials from inspectors of the Terran Atomic Energy Organization (TAEO), something that the State Chancellor of the time did not appreciate doing given the work that had been done on nuclear non-proliferation.

The Dorvish nuclear weapons are silo based, the exact location of the silos are a state secret and unless required, the State Chancellor is not privy to that information and many of them have little to no interest in knowing such precise details.
Image Dorvik | Image Zardugal | Image Ostland (FBC)
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Re: A Battle Unseen

Postby TRA » Fri Nov 18, 2022 2:43 pm

His gaze was almost tentative, eyes lost in thought. Both hands in pockets and his posture slightly slouched. His expression reflected on the window, a determination disguised as sadness, defeat, even so exhaustion. Baruch's upper right lip twitched ever so gently when the thought - that same terrifying thought - passed again in quick retrospect. Was it deliberate? Or was it inevitable, even if it was involuntary? The thought passed...

"Mr. Tzafrir, sir?"

Baruch turned, to find his Chief of Staff glaring at him in haste.

Why is it that the world passes by in such great speed? And our timespans linger as an afterthought, hell, barely even a glimpse of a thought? And we rush, we rush to aspire fast, move forward, make something of it. Great and terrible things.

"Just tell me", he said.

"We can't stop it, it's out and they know. You and I need to get this over with. You can't remain PM. It's clear as day they know and someone penetrated the TRA's network and influenced the opposition. We can't stop it, sir.", the Chief of Staff barked.

"So it's time we move in to phase 2".

"Yes, sir."

His head tilted downwards. He had no idea how to do this. The world feeling restless. You could feel it. Did he cause it? Silly thoughts. How could he. He may have set a plan in motion 12 years ago, but it was definitely too soon. But seeing the pressure to resign, evidently the stir was there. Even palpable. And this wasn't even about him, it was for a bigger thing, a greater good for all. They'd stand over his grave and curse. Or cry. Or there won't even be a grave. How disastrous.

He smiled.
Signed by the ghost of the 2300s, GreekIdiot.
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Re: A Battle Unseen

Postby TRA » Sat Dec 03, 2022 11:23 pm



Footsteps across the decay of fallen leaves, sprinkled with the moisture of autumn.

His gaze lifted from his morose steps towards the figure standing on the hill. Morbid, against the light cold breeze, the figure's black cloak twisting ever so slightly at the sudden gusts. And then stillness, the cloak falling into place.

Yet, he kept walking.

A 100-year-old plan in the making, 20 years in the run. The wheels were now solidly in motion. But the whole thing could fall down and crumble like a pyramid of cards. With the slightest wrong movement. Fatality. Destruction. Annihilation.

His breath came troubled at the incline of the hill, at the downline of his life. His legs seemed to follow a mind of their own, determined to walk up that hill towards the figure now gazing at the horizon. He dared a quick glance forward again, noticing the outline of the man's cloak against a brilliantly lit sky at dusk. At this point in the game, at this highlight of the plan's risk, he couldn't help but feel sickening dread and horror. Why was he about to meet him? Why.

His steps muffled.

He looked down again, a head spinning in inevitable hesitancy at the upcoming macabre of his demise. A deal with the devil, Yaron had called it. He felt a sudden rush of misplaced anger towards Yaron's youth. His offspring. His better version. Yet, how could he know? He swore to take this to his grave.

Take the endgame to his grave.

He reached the top and stood swaying behind the silent figure. Slightly panting, right foot forward, to balance the incline. Left foot back, weak, ready to crumble. Ready. Waiting. Anxious. A sense of decay all over.

"Yarov?", the figure spoke, making no movement. Left hand fidgeting silently on the side.

"He's ready", he said, struggling to keep his calm.

"You did poorly."

Dread. Legs almost giving away. A thousand images passing through his eyes, not of his life, but of his demise. His body crumbling downwards this goddamn forsaken hill, arms flaying in the mud, finally succumbing to the horrible presence of rotten autumn leaves down below. A man who turned an entire nation around, a diplomat of unparalleled stamina Beiteynu hasn't seen in a hundred years, rotting away in the middle of goddamn nowhere.

Anger and adrenaline spiked. Fight, or flight.

"So this is how the story ends", he exclaimed in whisper and trembling breath, barely keeping up his composure against inevitability.

"No."

"Then what am I doing here? What is this really?!", he almost screamed.

"It is the beginning of the story, Baruch."

The figure's left hand detached from the cloak, showing a pistol, the finger clutching steadily at the trigger. A breath vibrated involuntarily in the air. The world seemed to flicker away, as if life violently zoomed in on the gun, the hand holding it, its arm turning confidently in an arch, Baruch's forehead at gunpoint.

The figure turned and tilted his head, a hint of a smile on his right lip.

Dear gods.

A thought passing of a man born out of a 3000-year-old bloodline.

And a gunshot echoing across a landscape.
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Re: A Battle Unseen

Postby XanderOne » Wed Dec 07, 2022 4:32 pm

15 June 5220, 11.42 a.m.
Loggia of the Imperial Residence of Borromesi's Castle, municipality of Rocca Bassa (Sàxera), Alaria, Istalia

Image

Elegantly impeccable as usual, wearing a gray-brown blazer over dark blue trousers, white shirt, wine red tie and dark garnet pocket handkerchief, the Emperor sat cross-legged in an armchair in the central hall of the loggia reading on a tablet the front pages of some newspapers, all occupied by the scoop of the day, so focused that the cigarette on the nearby cipollino marble ashtray had been left to burn alone for more than half.
He was so engrossed in reading that he almost didn't notice his son entering through one of the two large canrillaise windows of the loggia, in a decidedly more sporty outfit: white trousers, bottle-green polo shirt and moccasins. Alaria that year was blessed with a mild autumn, with an almost spring-like climate with still warm days, and for this very reason the family had taken advantage of it to spend the long weekend of Democracy and Freedom Day there.
"dad?"
"uhm?" he looked up from the tablet as if surprised "ah... it's you, how was the boat ride?"
"very good, Tommi had a great time"
"wasn't it too cold for him?"
"of course no! It was fine today for a trip on boat!"
"anyway he still seems too little to me... he's only two years old, you get distracted for a moment and you find him in the water!"
"dad! A part that Yuni always comes with us and if it's not her it's Davide or Lieutenant Ibrahim" two of the closest guards of his entourage "end then I always put a life jacket on him and... Yuni even puts him the water winds!" he stay silent for a couple of seconds then added "she's gotten so... anxious about the kids!"
"are you surprised? You? And what can you say about your mother?"
"exactly! She's been so anxious and stressful with me, I was hoping mom was the exception, not the rule!"
"did you tell Yuni about your next trip?"
"the circumnavigation?"
"yes"
"not yet, but for me she's never made a fuss... it's with the children that she's become anxious. While we were waiting for Mattia she was terrified of anything Tommi did and extremely intractable! The first time she wasn't so nervous"
"it can't be helped! As they say in Magliano: 'E figl so’ piezz’ ‘e core!" he exclaimed in a good Feranese dialect (OOC: meaning that "the children are pieces of heart").
The son moved and sat down on the sofa in front of him:
"You rather? What’d you get lost in?"
The Emperor turned the tablet towards his son, the first page of Il Mattino di Neapulia: "Dominici: we have the nukes!".
"ah...that"
"I've 'kindly' asked the Prime Minister to come here and update me. She'll be here in..." he looked at the gold watch with the leather cuff "actually she should have been here by now, anyway... I'm not hiding from you that I'm somewhat irritated"
"did you know anything about it?"
"no one knew! She convened the Council of Ministers, proposed it, got it approved, got it voted at COPASIN and spoke to the press!"
"was she in a hurry?"
"and I think she waited on purpose for me to move here to proceed"
"it is clear, if she had informed you earlier you would have brought her together with all the staffs of the Armed Forces"
"to whom I had to talk all morning until twenty minutes ago! They started calling me before I read the papers, I'm catching up now"
"let's expect the most disparate international reactions"
"I also spoke with General Giuffré" the Director of Istalian Intelligence "as he found out he got in touch with the TRA and we learned that a debate could open within the World Congress and the Security Council"
"did the Prime Minister say anything about this?"
"we'll talk face-to-face when she's here, I guess and hope she's prepared to face the international community"
"do you fear major repercussions? Dorvik has actually admitted that it has once again an arsenal with its statement about ambiguity and it doesn't seem to have raised any fuss"
"someone will surely have something to say about it... not that we certainly have to justify ourselves of anything and with whom it to be, but in any case we have to be ready to respond adequately, calmly and self-confident"
"I thought the Prime Minister's statement in this regard was quite good: calm and reassuring, I would say flawless, right?"
"and in fact it's the attitude to be taken, after all it's up to no one else but us to decide how to protect our country" he put the tablet on the table and pulled out of the inside pocket of his blazer a silver carved cigarette case from which he took one and lit, inhaling the first puffs deeply, looking towards the panorama beyond the windows.
Instead, the son had pressed a small button placed on the small abat-jour table next to the sofa and soon after a liveried waiter entered and to whom the Prince asked for a 'sekowan slipper'.
The waiter was dumbfounded for a moment but the Prince immediately intervened telling him to ask Marco, his personal valet who had come with him from Romula.
"sekowan slipper?" the Emperor asked curiously when the waiter left.
"a sekowan liqueur... I think melon-based, Cointreau and lemon juice" replied the son "very fresh! I drank it all summer and I still can't give it up!"
"never heard"
"it's a new cocktail but now they make it in all clubs and lounges!"
"sekowan did you say? Does your wife have something to do with it?"
The son said nothing, just smiled and shrugged.
"Your wife has totally twisted everyone's head around! I wonder if next year I shouldn't put myself in a kimono and toast with sake... it's called sake? Right?"
"You were fine in a kimono that carnival a few years ago" he chuckled together with his father "we opted for a kunihito theme for Yuni, do you remember?"
"yes, yes, right"
The waiter entered with the cocktail for the Prince but also a man in suite entered from the canrillaise window of the loggia and who approached greeting the Prince bending the head before to turn to the Emperor:
"Your Majesty, the Prime Minister is on her way, the car passed the estate gates five minutes ago"
"very well, and... what do you say? Should I receive her here or in the studio? The studio is better, right?"
The man in suite, the personal secretary of the Emperor, cleared his throat and with a touch of embarrassment said politely:
"Your Majesty... Her Majesty the Empress has just returned to the main lodge to get ready for lunch and... well..."
"Yes, yes I got it!" the Emperor waved in the air making a sign to let it go "I will receive her here, take away the ashtray!" he exclaimed as if addressing the house itself, but soon another waiter entered the hall to take away the ashtray with the butts. The personal secretary came out of the loggia and started talking on the telephone, giving the necessary instructions.
"mum still can't endure Mrs Dominici?" the Prince asked with an amused smile, standing with the cocktail in his hand.
"absolutely not!" the father answered with an sarcastic tone "she can't endure this one as she couldn't endure the previous one, Mrs Spada"
His son lowered his head chuckling as his father shacked his head.
"are you going back down to the beach?"
"yes, let's eat there, Yuni prepared her rice salad"
"the one with prawns, avocado and mango juice?"
"Will you join us?" asked the son seeing his father greedy.
"I'll see when I finish, if it goes too long I'll eat just a sandwitch, at 3 o'clock I have a video call with the Chief of Defense and then with the one of the Navy"
"what did Admiral Giorgetti say?" the son asked quite interested "this morning I spoke to a friend of mine from the Strategic Submarine Command, there are mixed feelings there"
"Giorgetti reacted very positively to it! Even through the telephone I heard him floating off the ground" chuckled the Emperor.
"publicity and luster for the Navy, right?"
"of course! I already can hear him saying something like 'now we can really prove we have balls'!"
"yes, yes... it's just like him"
The Emperor assumed a more serious expression:
"Air Force and Secret Services are a little less happy instead, returning to Romula I already expect to find a mountain of reports on my desk about the loss of a fundamental strategic position, how we exposed ourselves excessively, etc... etc... etc..."
"they'll certainly clutter up also Prime Minister's desk too, dad" chuckled the Prince.
"well... it seems to me the least after he detonated a bomb like this one during a long weekend!" the father replied sarcastically, then assumed an even more humorous expression: "they told me that this morning Deputies were seen growling really mad as they entered the Chamber hurriedly returned to Romula leaving some holiday locations they reached just yesterday"
"she definitely failed due to timing!" the Prince replied keeping up with the joke, but at that moment he noticed something out of the corner of his eye and turned around: along the staircase that climbed up the garden, his father's private secretary and a guard officer in uniform were escorting the Prime Minister, who didn't have glasses, just like when she'd met the press the night before. New, more resolute and authoritative look to deal with the situation? Possible, wondered the Prince sipping the cocktail again, drying a little the moustaches before to turn back to his father:
"she's coming" he pointed to the canrillaise door behind him "I'm going, at least try to make a leap, Yuni and Tommi will be happy and... I won't be alone with mum and Yuni"
"I'll do the possible Nicky"
The Emperor greeted the son as he left through the opposite canrillaise door, then adjusted his tie a little, put the cigarette case back in her pocket and with a quick gesture dusted off some of ash that had fallen on his trousers, just in time to see the guard officer open the door and the secretary announce the Prime Minister, who entered presenting a broad smile, bowing and then approaching to shake the hand of the Emperor who stood up to welcome her.
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Re: A Battle Unseen

Postby XanderOne » Wed Dec 14, 2022 2:21 am

Office of His Majesty the Emperor, Quattroregni Palace, Romula.

1 September 5225 - anniversary of the ascension of the House of Appiano De Borromei to the Throne of Istalia (OOC: happened on 1st September 4571),
10.00 a.m.


A small yellow light switched on on the desk, attracting the gaze of the Grand Prince of the Crown, who had been reading papers on some recent legislative decrees up to that moment, and then, after about ten seconds, someone knocked at the door which then opened, letting in the Colonel Rosati leading the way for Prime Minister Spada.
The woman entered, took four steps before presenting the bow, and then covered the distance between her and the desk with wide strides, her most dazzling smile on the face.
The Prince got up when the woman was a couple of meters away and went around her desk to shake her hand.
"Good Morning Madam Prime Minister"
"Good morning and best wishes, onother thousand years at the Imperial House, Your Imperial Highness" exclaimed the Prime Minister with a certain theatricality.
"thank you Madam Prime Minister"
"I won't deny you, Your Highness, I look forward to tonight's reception, you really gave an irresistible touch to the evenings at the Palace if I may say so"
"too kind Madam Prime Minister, really" replied the Prince not hiding that pinch of embarrassment that always arose in him when they spoke of him as a sort of "influencer" or as in any case how him and his wife were portrayed for some time now in the tabloids.
"ehm... did you see what beautiful sun we have today? Next summer promises to be hot! Do you already have any plans for the holidays? Where will you spend Hallownight?" he asked quickly as he pointed Miss Spada to one of the two chairs in front of the desk as he returned to his place.
"actually I haven't really decided yet... you, Highness? I heard the Princess would like to stay here"
"oh yes, the twins just recovered from a bad chickenpox and we prefer not to move, we will be with the whole family at the Hunting Lodge of Terracche Lakes for Hallownight"
"And His Majesty, how's he doing? I saw him in great shape at the swearing-in ceremony"
"he recovered very well indeed, thank you"
He fell silent for a moment, the Prince moved and rearranged some cards, then while smoothing his right mustache he raised his head and turned again to the woman:
"therefore... I see you presented in parliament all the traeties related to the TRA and those with the associated partners"
"I did, Highness"
"I wanted to discuss this specifically with you actually. You know... I heard there some puzzled rumors raised in recent weeks regarding the TRA" he paused, as if waiting for the Prime Minister to nod "and I can't deny that that the fake news affair about Kafuristan has... well... affected the reputation and image of the TRA and its leaders in Beiteynu"
"undeniable, absolutely"
"specifically there is discontent with the Beiteynese leadership"
"I am aware of this, Your Highness, and therefore I am convinced that our enthusiastic participation in this partnership will make a great contribution to the TRA"
The Prince looked at her for a few seconds without saying anything, with his hands he moved some cards without really too much attention, and the Prime Minister continued to show off his proven reassuring smile.
"I hope that our participation will allow Istalia to "contribute" also in the leadership of this international cooperation, I think it is a crucial point Madam Prime Minister"
"I realize all the concerns the TRA is raising"
"and in fact I don't think it's a coincidence that just now a party like the National Front has appeared and attracted so much support. National security is an issue that is very dear to our citizens"
"we have also reassured our allies of the National Front on the TRA whose intentions do not pose a threat to the country but rather it can be an opportunity that we should exploit. And I want to reassure His Highness that I have clear my intentions: Istalia will not simply be an observer in this organization"
"in any case, you will agree with me that we will have to pay particular attention to always knowing what our partners and the TRA in general are doing in Istalia, and beyond, and for Istalia"
"since my previous administrations, my party and I have never hidden that this has always been our priority. Nothing can come before the country for us, Your Highness"
"that's why... well... I also wanted to talk to you about an... idea... developed between the Palace and... the DISIS"
"the Palace and... the DISIS?" he asked repeating those words with the same rhythm as the Prince but with a questioning tone and maybe even a little perplexed "but... what idea is it about?"
"guarantee the maximum access permits to a small, restricted, well-prepared but above all very loyal group of Istalian agents with the sole purpose of monitoring everything that happens in the TRA to report exclusively to you, the Crown and the Director of DISIS and... whose existence shall not be mentioned anywhere"
"to monitor you say?" the Prime Minister frowned but she looked interested and leaned forward with an arched eyebrow.
"exclusively monitoring who is monitoring and what , untied from the circuits of the TRA and our own Intelligence"
"Your Highness... we're talking about something that even the Ministry of Defence... even the COPASIN won't know about... right?"
"no Madam Prime Minister, I don't think it will be possible to use... how to say... the usual procedures, for this reason the idea was to employ men of the Imperial Guard"
The Prime Minister slowly straightened up in her chair, observed the Prince with a curious eye, then began to nod. The Prince anticipated her by speaking again:
"no one is more faithful than the Imperial Guard and through the Colonel Commander of the Guard we will be able to easily coordinate this small group of "observers", the Director of DISIS is already organizing for their specific training"
"Your Highness... are you proposing something to me or are you revealing the fait accompli?"
"I may have been presumptuous and in that case I apologize, but... I assumed that our dear Prime Minister Spada would have given her warmest assent"
The Prime Minister smiled graciously hiding the fact that she wasn't exactly amused and could not resist replying to the Prince with a hint of irony:
"Your Highness...the Crown appears, to me... to be doing much more than being consulted, encouraging and advising"
"my sin of pride as I said, but... was I wrong?" the Prince kept an amiable and relaxed expression but his eyes were fixed intently on those of the Prime Minister.
"actually... no" the Prime Minister replied after a few seconds, softening his expression.
"so, do you authorize me to give the green light to General Giuffré? In case I will call Colonel Marcuzzi immediately"
"okay Your Highness, but... if we're at this point, acting purely by voice from what I understand... I wonder if and how much the Crown is... too worried"
"the Crown is always and only concerned about one thing and only about that: Istalia. You will realize that this cooperation is a really huge step for our country which has always favored a policy of unilateral defense since the restoration of the Empire. Not only the Crown but also other interests want to be reassured"
"I am perfectly aware of it, Your Highness... but in detail, Your Father and You, what do you think?" the Prime Minister pierced him with a look as penetrating as those the Prince had given her.
"in me" the Prince smiled, understanding "you may have a more available ally than my father as far as the TRA is concerned, but in spite of this I still take my father's opinions into due consideration, which are shared by General Giuffré, among other things... he will be the real watchdog!"
"thank you for warning me earlier, I'll remember to prepare to face him... however... joking aside, Your Highness, how and with what detail will I be informed?"
"we thought about having a liaison agent join you, he could act as your Private Secretary"
"my..." the Prime Minister jumped on her seat "Your Highness... you realize that the Prime Minister's Private Secretary is quite a political figure..."
"we will offer you a person who will be appreciated by your party and your allies, don't worry"
"and my current Private Secretary? I assure you he won't be happy at all! I know him, I trust him but I also know that he would be extremely vindictive if he were so wronged, he could raise a lot of questions"
"first of all each person has their price Madam Prime Minister and then I'm sure you will understand why we need your liaison in such a position, your Private Secretary has access to you 24/7 and he is the only one who can get close to you at any time and occasion, ceremony or public or media appearance without arousing any suspicion"
The woman kept silent, did not answer, remaining to reflect, crossing the Prince's gaze from time to time, which instead remained firmly and heavily fixed on her.
"Okay, it will cost you a lot knowing him and he will never have to know that I know, he will have to come to me and resign"
"clear"
"and, Your Highness... should anything leak out, I, my office and my government will not take any responsibility, I will not put my Ministry and my career at risk to cover an operation that has nothing legal about it and about which, despite my assent, despite understanding the motivations behind all this, I continue to have certain reservations"
"we will all have to work hard to ensure that nothing transpires Madam Prime Minister" he replied with a relaxed smile on a face that however could not be more resolute.
"So, I'd say that at this point we can move on to what's on the agenda for today's meeting" the Prince changed the subject, bringing some papers closer and this time paying attention to what he was taking "do you want something, Madam Prime Minister? A coffee perhaps?"
"I would gladly accept it, Your Highness"
The Prince pressed a key on the telephone/intercom asking for the coffee for the Prime Minister with whom he began to talk about the topics of the day.

OOC:
Colonel Rosati: Private Secretary of the Grand Prince of the Crown
General Giuffré: Director-General of the DISIS, head of the Istalian Intelligence
Colonel Marcuzzi: Colonel Commander of the Imperial Guard
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Re: A Battle Unseen

Postby Hyrama » Thu Dec 15, 2022 2:24 pm

Office of the President of Kundrati
Presidential Office Building, Kasaema, Kundrati - 3 June 5226

OOC:
President Miloslaw Hulanevek (President of Kundrati)
Iñizio Mariezcurrarena (Father in law of Hulanevek)
Sasho Karapetrov (Head of the Kundrati intelligence community)

For a moment, Kasaema was cold. The winds breezed through, the flags flowing. It was... unfortunate.

The lights were, unusually, off at the Presidential Office. Hulanevek stared out the window - he wasn't expected to head home for another hour or so, but he felt... alone. His father in law, Mariezcurrarena, in the same room as his son in law, had a thought as well: was he willing to sign Kundrati away to Beityenu?

"My grandfather made my party, and now I'm stuck with it." Hulanevek sighed, as he stared at the street below. "And yet, even as I grow Kundrati it starts to slip away from me."
"Hulaneveks are old beings." replied Mariezcurrarena. "Ruthless, maybe..."

The door opened as soon as Mariezcurrarena said maybe, revealing Sasho Karapetrov. Karapetrov entered the office with a lot of papers, all of them relating to the meeting in Extea. Kundrati representatives in Extea were talking with representatives from Likatonia, Valruzia, Beityenu and Tukarali regarding the future economic and military output. The papers were laid on Hulanevek's desk.

Hulanevek walked to his desk and sat down. He turned on the lamp and sighed more, reading the transcripts. "Likatonia wants a new treaty too."
"I know. I don't know if there's some grander plan out there... wouldn't this treaty be of better value?" stated Karapetrov.
"I suppose not."

The father-in-law left the room as the conversation continued:

"If they want you out of a job, it would be a shame to our country. After all, you are experienced. You served under me for a while and I recall other Presidents too. If they want you out of a job I'll see what we can do with an Ambassadorship." said Hulanevek.
"No, no, I'll retire."

Both of them walked out the office, talking in hushed tones but continuing:

"Perhaps we can propose that operations in Kundrati wouldn't happen without our express approval?" said Karapetrov, holding the papers now.
"Beityenu will insist on participating as well."
"Flower it then, tell them that we will give Beityenu an office to coordinate efforts."
"And if not?"
"Then see what Dorvik can do."

Both of them made their way to the entrance, and into a limousine. The limousine began to drive off towards the Presidential House, where the conversation continued away from our ears.
Hyrama
 
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Re: A Battle Unseen

Postby XanderOne » Thu Dec 15, 2022 10:15 pm

Mappamondo Hall, Antinori Palace, Romula.

24 May 5226,
11.34 p.m.


"and that's it" said General Giuffré at the end of his exposition, closing the leather folder to leave the podium next to the cloth for the projector.
Listening to him there were the Prime Minister, the Foreign and Defense Ministers, the Chief of the Defense Staff, all around a large circular table, which design was quite too much modern and minimalist for the Mappamondo Hall, decorated in Renascentian style with frescos of large maps of Terra (on the wall behind the large cloth for the projector), its continents and several parts of Istalia (on smaller sections of walls all around). But on the other hand lately in Istalia it was very popular to blend contemporary elements in ancient locations and vice versa.

"if there is a risk of such a high rate of defection... the government forces will have no hope" commented Admiral Boni, Chief of Staff.

"and the communists will have a smooth way to take power" added the Minister of Defence.

"the risk, as mentioned, is very high" General Giuffré nodded once he returned to his seat around the circular table "in fact we should take it for granted at this point"

"so we should consider the communists as already in power?" the Minister of Defense asked disconsolately.

"if we give to the government forces modern means from our armed forces they could resist and organize counter-offensives" Admiral Boni intervened again "and in case of a negative outcome we should immediately start thinking about plans to support a resistance, which it is foreseen will have to operate clandestinely for quite some time"

"It would be costly and I also counterproductive at this point" the Prime Minister finally took the floor "we risk make fall the country into a new civil war, we risk thousands of collateral deaths, we would risk our equipements and men... we risk our trade agreements with North Dovani"

"they will be undermined in any case with the communists in power" replied Admiral Boni.

"Madue knows what North Dovani represents for the world economy and trade" the Foreign Minister spoke up "and he also knows that the eyes of the world are focused on him"

"they may even get carried away by nostalgia for the good old days of the communist regime" exclaimed the Prime Minister "but today in that country there are people who risked their lives for democracy, there are the children and brothers of those who gave life against the military regime, in the civil war... not to mention the pressures from the economic world: North Dovani is no longer an underdeveloped and isolated cold wasteland, Madua knows well on what the North Dovanian economic growth has been based on and he would be a fool to risk everything"

"so... what do you propose Madam Prime Minister?" Admiral Boni asked with a hint of disappointment on his face.

"we are looking for an accommodating approach: if Madue manages to prevail we must be ready to sit down with him and find the most satisfactory solution for both"

"with the communists?" Admiral Boni blanched followed by the Minister of Defense whose face had darkened more and more listening to the Prime Minister's idea.

"by now we should have understood that the best thing is to try to channel the flow rather than hinder it" General Giuffré commented, nodding theatrically "it would be better to aim at guaranteeing social and economic stability and continuity rather than opposing political change. In this regard, we should bring Madue's democratic allies and those with major business interests closer together and ensure that Madue keeps the more maximalist 'utopians' in his party at bay"

"So you're saying to recognize the communist regime? It will be a political boomerang" the Defense Minister commented worried.

"but never like losing such an important trading partner for our country" replied calmly the Prime Minister.

"there will be repercussions!" continued the Minister of Defense "the democratic principles? Civil rights? These will be topics that will come to the surface"

"and the Government will be ready and happy to solicit a respect of democratic principles and civil rights" replied the Prime Minister complacently "but similar political dissonances have never hindered business and have never prevented the conduct of economic transactions which are strategic and vitally important for both countries! Since you are so worried about your seat Camillo, rest assured that economic contraction and unemployment punish much more at polling stations"

"We will have to ask our partners to keep up the diplomatic pressure to maintain democracy and civil rights" the Foreign Minister suggested.

"and we should guarantee resources to the various democratic exponents and groups in North Dovani and also abroad" General Giuffré continued "we should also take into account the communities of North Dovanian emigrants, who in any case contribute economically and politically by sending money to their families at home, we should put pressure on entities and associations based in other countries linked to various ethnic groups, various religious denominations, tribal and clan leaders..."

"yes, yes exactly!" nodded the Prime Minister "and that will surely be the job of the TRA and… let make pressure through the TWW and the rest of the internet! We must make sure that Madue does not feel threatened in restoring the socialist regime but at the same time he must feel the breath on the neck of an important slice of his country that he will not be able to ignore, ethnic and economic elites in primis"

"And we should also make Madue smell the money from export earnings even better" resumed the Foreign Minister "and point out what he surely already knows: if we spearhead a movement to sanction North Dovanian exports the country and Madue would see the taps turn off. It would certainly be bad for us too..."

"but Madue and its regime would be virtually cut off of their oxygen and they'd find themselves flat on their ass" concluded the Prime Minister smiling.

"so, at this point... it would be fair to decide what to say to the exponents of the legitimate government" said General Giuffré with the tone of a burocratic employee who was talking about some practice to be thrown away.

"what to say?" asked back the Prime Minister almost amazed "we certainly can't fight a war for them! If they can't hold on to their country and lose the support of even their own citizenry... well... what else should we add? When things will turn out they'll get it wrong we'll tell them the 'truth': 'there's no hope, it's better if you leave now, so let's collect all the money you can and find a comfortable place abroad where you can enjoy that money, as your closest friends we will be more than happy to help you leave the country together with our indefatigable military and intelligence advisors who have helped you strenuously to the last, as long as they could'"

"but still we are dealing with a communist regime!" snapped Admiral Boni again this time without hiding his frustration "and I can't believe that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs hasn't thought about the certain image repercussions"

"we thought about it" replied the Minister involved "but we are not actually guaranteeing diplomatic support nor an alliance or pact... on the contrary... we will be among the main supporters of democracy in the country... it will be an acknowledgment of the fait accompli, we will maintain certainly less diplomatic contacts than before but still as with any other third nation with which we can trade"

"if Madue manages to guarantee some 'hybrid' solution and to avoid too extreme tendencies that result in genocide or large-scale ethnic persecution... we will have ample room for negotiations and to continue to maintain an acceptable level of relations" added the Prime Minister with a particularly satisfied look.

"and in any case" General Giuffré resumed speaking addressing the Minister of Defense "nothing prevents us from maintaining a fifth column within the new regime, from feeding it and therefore supporting it if and when the conditions for a change were to arise again, it would give us the opportunity to shorten the transition times and have a voice in the matter also in the new leadership. The previous governments had vetoed such my proposal, I think they were too confident in the stability of the democratic regime in North Dovani"

"You Stefano never miss an opportunity to throw that in my face?!" the Prime Minister exclaimed sarcastically "I'll make write on your commemorative plaque at the HQ when you'll retire: 'I told you so!'" she chuckled followed by the rest of those present while General Giuffré shook his head amused as well.

For a moment the Prime Minister let the others linger in laughing and exchanging other few jokes, still thinking that she was taking a big risk, especially in terms of image, but on the other hand she thought just as quickly that lately she had gotten into the habit of taking considerable risks, for some of them, in addition to losing her career, risking also to see opening the doors of prison for her. Diplomatic masterpiece or disaster? Once the game is started, the outcome, well piloted and without "excessive" flaws, had to be one and only one.
XanderOne
 
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Re: A Battle Unseen

Postby TRA » Thu Dec 15, 2022 11:00 pm

Mappamondo Hall, Antinori Palace, Romula.

25 May 5226,
12.17 a.m.


As the laughter died out, the Prime Minister quietly excused herself, stood up and headed to the side-office. She opened the door - with the delicate ancient doorknob that seemed to break at the first touch but felt solid like stone - walked in and closed the door. She lifted her head as she turned towards the desk.

A man stood there.

"Madam".

"Yees?", she hesitated. Perhaps an aid from the press office. What happened in North Dovani now.

"Fancy maps there", the man said. A slight vibrato in his dry voice. "You should look closer to one of them. It's quite exceptional."

"I'm sorry?", the Prime Minister was torn between curiosity, a hint of irritation and a subliminal feeling of abstract fear.

"No. You shouldn't hesitate at this point of the game", as the man turned to leave, he lingered, a hint of a smile on the right corner of his mouth, "Baruch did", he finally said, and walked away through the side-hall.

The Prime Minister felt a cold shiver down her spine.

Was that...?
Signed by the ghost of the 2300s, GreekIdiot.
TRA
 
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Location: In the shadows.

Re: A Battle Unseen

Postby XanderOne » Fri Dec 16, 2022 6:52 pm

Imperial Estate of Capo Tiberiano (Neapulia's province), Fidelia, Sarrentina Peninsula, Istalia.

16 January 5227,
14.52 p.m.


On that terrace in the shade of the pines, which overlooked the sea and the little beach, there was a really pleasant breeze and with his wife and children taking a nap in the eighteenth-century Villa high up on the promontory, the Grand Prince of the Crown could enjoy the shadow for a well deserved siesta after lunch.
He had just stretched out on the deck chair, shirt open and a midway hat pulled over his eyes, the chatter that came from the pines mingled with the waves breaking on the shore, and as he was slipping more and more on the deck chair, he was slipping into sleep when the crack of a pair of boots roused him abruptly.
He withdrew almost with a start and looking around he found the white uniform and the Colonel Commander's chevrons at attention beside him.

"Colonel Marcuzzi"

"sorry to disturb you, Your Highness"

"what's up?"

"news from the group" said the Colonel Commander.

The Prince got up and came closer to Colonel Marcuzzi with an interested glance.

"what did they say?"

"not to much... at the moment we don't know who he was and when entered in Istalia"

"it's really no good at all... I'm not surprised Miss Spada did all that fuss, I heard Spada gave Giuffré a tough earful"

"I spoke to General Giuffré earlier, he was really... upset"

"the DIMIRT is supposed to oversee the activities of the TRA. It is more than concerning that someone approached so closely the Prime Minister, someone clearly related to the TRA but about whom the Intelligence know nothing"

"it is worrying that also our group is having a hard time in tracking those people"

"Prime Minister mentioned to me that she thinks to get in touch with the Beiteynese authorities to talk about what happened, I heard her really mad... I think her pride's hurt"

"mmm... quite embarased I think"

"she pushed for it, now she feels like in a sort of "'maze for lab rats'"

"Giuffré too was probably too confident and now he seems determined to know what happened and... he agreed with the Prime Minister to increase the number of agents from the Services within the ranks of the security details of the highest public officials"

"it won't be easy to dig in it, not all! In the end we joined all this knowing that there were something behind... for the moment our goals coincide and everybody profits from it, so we shall be sure our goals will continue to coincide, always"

The Colonel nodded agreeing.

"by the way... let's try to put some man in specifically tracking these individuals, probably it will take time but we could try to collect more info to have more insights of the general plan. We know we can profit from it, we shall profit for it, but we should not simply ride the wave and make our parts, we must be sure our interests will be never undermined and to be sure this will never happen, we must know more"

"yes Your Highness"

"is there anything else?"

"no Your Highness"

"so... I let you return to enjoy the A/C in your office... I sweat just looking at you"

"yes Your Highness" answered giggling before to salute the Prince and come back through the stariway that zigzagged up to the Villa, leaving the Prince to his siesta, although he could not sleep a wink, he remained silently observing the shimmering sea under the fierce rays of the sun, thinking about the many mysteries that were adding up and about the curiosity that was gnawing at him, personal curiosity but also dictated by reasons of state.
XanderOne
 
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