|
|
|
The East Pacific brought to you by, | |||||||||||||
|
Social
Roleplay
|
|
| Welcome to The East Pacific. We hope you enjoy your visit. You're currently viewing our forum as a guest. This means you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use. If you join our community, you may register an account here! I'm registered. Where do I start? When you sign up on our forums, your account may be limited to certain forums, and unable to make requests in our roleplay section. We recommend that you Apply for Citizenship to gain all the benefits of being part of our roleplay community! |
| Different colours | |
|---|---|
| Topic Started: Jul 1 2010, 09:39:10 AM (2,476 Views) | |
| Reziel | Nov 30 2010, 01:25:06 PM Post #61 |
|
Eternal Delegate
|
When the doors were slammed closed behind their back, two of the Archangels of the team stopping in the middle of the hallway as to prevent anyone to follow, Lothar cursed mentally against himself until he remembered he had things to do… and no time to waste whatiffing and speculating. Still unable to arrange a proper explanation for Marilyn, he decided to start with the things he was good at… operative details. The dirt job. Under a quick pressure of his fingers, the armband opened a number of communications at the same time, starting the needed encryption procedures. Seconds after, a flash of green told him the communication was now safe. «Phantom in. Pack picked. Problems with Dove. Corridor to be opened. Rear obstructions. Ready to take off. Twelve minutes needed. Clearance from water capsule needed. Maximum priority. Phantom out» As they hurried towards the building’s exit, the Archangel Major signed his man to precede him and their ‘captive’, securing the hallways in front of them and the marble staircases outside… the staircases at whose feet three Hummers were waiting for them, ready to bring the small team to the nearest taking off area. Twelve minutes away. Twelve minutes and then Marilyn would have been on the copter… and his part in that mess would have been over. But before that… «Lothar» nothing else. Despite she was trying to keep her composure, the Major could easily sense her deep distress. But luckily enough, with the escorting Archangels already disappeared in the distance, they finally had a bit of privacy. «Marilyn… I’m so sorry. I hadn’t anticipated mummy would have acted like that. I had hoped for a more diplomatic…» «Lothar!» «Oh… sorry again. We’ve received the Extradition request this very morning. The situation has been examined and… David and Paddy have agreed: this is an attack. But we’re not in the position to fight it right back… ‘we’ would be the Iremians and the Resistance. An open confrontation would strengthen the Faction’s position. They could denounce the Grand Duchy for the violation of the Treaty… and this would imply we wouldn’t be able to act freely enough in the days to come and Ki’jo knows if we need it» «So you’ve decided…» «No, wait. We’re intentioned to… well, we think you should disappear from the scene unless waters won’t have calmed down» For moments, Marilyn seemed unable to understand. It was only when they finally exited the building, the Archangels signing them everything was fine, that Lothar’s words finally began to register. «Disappear from…» «If we extradite you… they will kill you. No doubts. Or perhaps they will set up a fake process which will be used against the whole resistance. But we cannot blatantly oppose them. We… we’ve declared you’ll be extradited. But halfway, you’ll… vanish. We are…» «… killing me?!?» «That’s what they will think, yes. Not us. You’ll be the victim of an unexpected terrorist attack. Your copter will be shot down. That will be the one official truth. Rather unluckily, this will happen in a place where there’s no chance on earth a corpse can be found. They will cry and complain and everything… but nobody will be in the position to bring a dead one back to life. After that, you’ll be kept in a safe place… outside their grasp. Now… on the car. Time is not our side!» |
|
Armis Exposcere Pacem They demanded peace by force of arms ![]()
| |
![]() |
|
| Kangarawa | Nov 30 2010, 06:54:24 PM Post #62 |
|
Maker of Coffee
|
Lothar had told her that Arian was in charge of the "rescue" and that one of Paddy's men was part of the team as they'd driven to the airstrip. He seemed to think that that would reassure her. She heard him, tried to respond as if nothing was out of the norm but it wasn't until they actually climbed out of the Hummer and she saw the helicopter that she froze. They were going to shoot it down. She would be in it when they shot it down. She and the baby ... they'd both be in it ... the pilot ... she hated cold water and at this time of the year ... at any time of the year ... things could go so horribly wrong ... what if ... the baby ... her eyes filled with tears. "Marilyn, there's no time." She stared into Lothar's concerned eyes, tried to speak but couldn't. Suddenly dizzy, she started to shake, distantly feeling Lothar's arm go around her shoulders and half-support her as he walked her to the copter, its blades already in motion. As both he and the pilot helped her into her seat, she started to struggle. "Lothar, I can't ..." "You can. It's the only way, Marilyn." His voice was so gentle. "Arian won't let anything happen to you." He stroked her hair, soothing her the way one might a child. "Everything will be fine." Defeated, she stopped fighting and let them strap her in. Lach ... "Tell him I love him, Lothar." She wasn't sure he'd even heard her over the sound of the rotors until he responded, "You can tell him that yourself." As he closed the door, backed away and watched the helicopter lift off, he found himself praying that Ki'jo would give her the opportunity to do so. Parliament Buildings, Tasman City, Kangarawa Office of the President "Madame President, there's still no response from the Grand Duchy. Nothing we send is getting through. Likely a minor system failure." "Really. Keep at it." As the aide attempted to leave the room, Miller added, "Contact our Embassy in the Grand Duchy. Tell them ... tell them to expect the new Ambassador tomorrow and ask for a confirmation. Let me know when they respond." When her aide returned less than five minutes later saying that the Embassy had expressed surprise that Norm Vitras would be arriving almost a week earlier than expected but that all would be in readiness, Adrienne Miller's face tightened. "How very interesting. Tell Vitras to arrange to fly out early tomorrow morning. Get Kostrov up here immediately and keep trying to reach their Ministry." The aide left quickly. The Embassy of the Grand Duchy of Reziel - Tasman City, Kangarawa "Lord Almsyck, I appreciate your having agreed to meet with me without a scheduled appointment." Carolyn Masters had wasted little time when there had been no response from the President's office. Lord Francis Almsyck had been posted in Kangarawa for years and though she had only met him at social functions, he had been CC'd regarding the extradition of Marilyn Janus and she knew that David Miller thought highly of him. The trick here would be to get information from him without acknowledging how far out of the loop she was. It wasn't only a matter of pride. "My dear Lady Masters. You're always welcome here. Would you care for a cup of tea? Coffee, perhaps?" His smile was sincere, his eyes penetrating. "Tea would be most welcome, thank you." As he poured, she remained silent until he passed her a cup and sat down across from her. "I suspect that you know why I'm here, Lord Almsyck." His face giving nothing away, he tilted his head slightly. "The accusations against Lady Janus. Most unfortunate, wouldn't you say?" "Indeed. I might go further and suggest that the accusations were most surprising." He pursed his lips thoughtfully all the while studying her carefully. "Perhaps, but how could such evidence be doubted? Given that, the Grand Duchy has no recourse but to follow the letter of the law." Very carefully, over the course of the following twenty or so minutes, they sounded one another out, neither committing to anything, both attempting to see how much the other truly knew of the situation at hand. Finally, Masters set her tea cup down on the small table to the left of her chair. "Lord Almsyck, I know Marilyn Janus fairly well. We both know that she was a protege of David Miller's. Do you really believe that David Miller could be such a poor judge of character?" Almsyck sighed and stood, indicating that the impromptu meeting was over. "I've found that there are few certainties in life. Lady Masters. One can but hope that Lady Janus is able to refute the charges against her." Hiding her frustration, Masters stood as she said, "I sincerely hope that she can, Lord Almsyck. Thank you for seeing me." After security had let him know that she had left the building, Almsyck placed a call on a secure line. |
![]() ![]() If you get to thinkin' you're a person of some influence, try orderin' somebody else's dog around. | |
![]() |
|
| Reziel | Dec 1 2010, 05:35:21 AM Post #63 |
|
Eternal Delegate
|
En route towards Kasmir Island – Still over the Rezielan mainland In the meanwhile Minutes after the Bell 429 had taken off, Mare caught a croak coming from the headphones on the seat near to hers. For a rather long way, however, her mind was simply too busy to understand she was supposed to wear them… but in the end, that basic fact sank into her consciousness. Like an automaton, she put them on. «Come on Lady Janus, come on. This is not that difficult… the headphones! Lady…» «I’m hearing you» «What… oh. Sorry. I’ve been trying to contact you for… well, who cares. Listen. Under your seat… where the life vest would be supposed to be… there’s a wet suit. High tech neoprene. It should be of some help down… there, I mean. Not enough, but we simply couldn’t load a watertight diving suit. It would have been rather weird, so… yeah. You get it. There’s a small oxygen cylinder… it has the aspect of a pen. It will last for a couple of minutes… a bit more, if you do not panic starting to breath as a locomotive. So… undress and put the suit on. Then, wear your clothing over it. We do not want your skirt to re-emerge somewhere… rather difficult to explain. Aside that… don’t worry. Keep calm. The Sparrow will be modified for a controlled deflagration, so I shouldn’t have too many problems controlling our little dive. After that… well, I’m told wonders about Rainbow. Not that I wouldn’t have preferred a whole fleet of submarines down there, but it seems the logistic would have been rather tricky. So… yeah. We’ll see in an hour or so» Los Angeles class nuclear submarine Ultor – NIFF En route towards the rendezvous point – cruising 300 feet underwater «The Kasmir Abyss» Turning towards the sub’s Captain, Arian frowned. It hadn’t be shooting inside a barrel. The man wasn’t guessing… he knew. On the point of answering, however, he was anticipated by the Captain himself, who smiled warmly. «Deduction, Rainbow. There’s nothing, in front of us. Aside the seaport of Kalaman… and the Abyss. Had you had to reach Kalaman, you wouldn’t have needed the Ultor. So… the abyss. Young one… I hope you know what you’re going to do. That place is a cursed Maelstrom. The waters are pitch black and the currents have the strength of a crazy titan. That’s the place I would bury something inside if I’m not planning an easy retrieval, not a place where I would rush towards… if you get what I mean» For a moment, Arian glanced at the silent Kangarawan near him, then focused back on the Captain. «Our route is confirmed. Mc Swaine is now on the lead of the command bridge… I have to prepare myself. At this speed, we’ve an ETA of sixty two minutes... and from this moment on, we’ll go stealth-mode. Draw your conclusions about our target, as you’re aware I’m not authorized to confirm anything… no comments» Without really waiting for the Captain’s nodding, Arian disappeared inside the submarine. The Grand Duchy of Reziel – Somewhere along the northern shores In the meanwhile As the UAV drone took off, the man grinned with satisfaction. The little jewel was the outcome of so many joint efforts with the Kangarawan guys. Nice people indeed… aside that Fedor. He had been in the Grand Duchy for a couple of weeks, no more… two weeks spent putting his nose in someone else’s business, stressing everyone about reports and chains of commands and the necessity to inform Tasman and this and that. What a jerk. As if commanders had to be updated thrice a day. So… yeah. Using Fedor’s ID card for that little test had been a great idea. When people will have started making questions, it would have been him the one having to answer them. The Archs down in Solanthus were devilish bastards. |
|
Armis Exposcere Pacem They demanded peace by force of arms ![]()
| |
![]() |
|
| Kangarawa | Dec 1 2010, 10:28:14 AM Post #64 |
|
Maker of Coffee
|
The Kangarawan Embassy in New Irem Security Office Patrick Janus' smiled grimly with satisfaction as he watched the security monitors. He himself, obviously most distraught, had told Marilyn's secretary about the extradition and the arrest as soon as he'd received word that the Bell-429 was in flight. Within no more than five minutes, it was doubtful that there was anyone within the embassy who didn't know what had happened. The bait had been set and taken. Actually springing the trap would have to wait. The mole would remain useful in the coming weeks. Parliament Buildings, Tasman City, Kangarawa Office of the President "... far, far too convenient." Kostrov lounged against the arm of one of the wing chairs in the President's outer office. "That may well be but we have word from the Embassy that there was an arrest at some function or another. What's the problem with picking her up at this Kasmir Island?" Miller simply stared at him. "Your talents obviously do not include a knowledge of treaty enforcement. Protocol dictates that we call the shots, not them." Kostrov shrugged. "She's been arrested. Until we have grounds to accuse of them of something other than a communication glitch, we can do nothing. Masters left the building earlier, by the way. She was followed to the Rezielian Embassy." Miller's tone was icy. "She did, did she? Keep following her and continue monitoring all of her communications. She might still be useful." "And if she doesn't lead us to them?" "Accidents happen." En route towards Kasmir Island - over Rezielian waters Her fingers had felt like thumbs as she'd first stripped, then donned the wet suit and put her clothes on again over top. Mind still sluggish, she'd sat back down beside the pilot, staring at the tiny air cylinder clutched in her hands. ... two minutes ... just ... two minutes of air ... Try as she might she couldn't stop shivering despite the warmth of the cockpit. "Not too far out now. Remember, keep calm. Slow breaths." Profer. She wished she was anywhere else. |
![]() ![]() If you get to thinkin' you're a person of some influence, try orderin' somebody else's dog around. | |
![]() |
|
| Reziel | Dec 1 2010, 11:26:36 AM Post #65 |
|
Eternal Delegate
|
Kangarawa – The Rezielan Embassy Lord Almsyck’s room – 52 minutes after The receiver had just been put down when Francis Almsyck raised it again. A couple of PINs to digit, and the encryption process immediately started… funny that in the beginning he had dismissed the whole thing as ‘Archangelic ubertech stuff I will never use, not even if I’ll actually learn how to use it’: grinning, he thought he had been using that 'stuff' more often than regular phones, lately. Suddenly, the communication opened. «Confirmed, Baby in Wonderland is under close surveillance. Waiting for possible instructions» he whispered before turning the device off. Whispering was so… secretive. They had told him he could have yelled and shouted, it wouldn’t have made any difference, as the room was sound-proof. But again… whispering was so 007ish. The Grand Duchy of Reziel – New Irem The Ministry of Foreign affairs – In the meanwhile «The systems are back online, Lord Margrav» Smirking at the young nerd’s obvious satisfaction, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs observed the numberless e-mail communications which immediately started to queue up. The Kangarawan Presidency… eight from them. Three more from the Presidential Cabinet. Two from the President herself… well, they had to be rather bothered. Skimming through a number of said communication, he nodded. Requests for an immediate hand-over of Lady Janus. More requests. Complaints about extradition procedures and various technicalities. Acknowledgment requests. Reports of message failures together with request for immediate… ok, he had the gist of it. Signing the nerd he needed the keyboard, he started typing the answer himself. The answer he had been given by Kadras, word by word.
As the e-mail was sent, Richard Margrav relaxed. Aside handling Ileana, everything was now over. En route towards Kasmir Island - Straight over the Kasmir Abyss Moments after – ETA to rendezvous: 15 seconds The Bell 429 was a good copter… but it wasn’t designed for battles. Its avionics were aimed at assisting pilots moving high-ranks diplomats and CEOs here and there… surely, their main goal wasn’t helping said pilots to become aware of AAMs being fired against them. After all, you weren’t supposed to find yourself in the middle of an AAM’s trajectory, if you were flying a copter like that. Therefore, the master alert came when, in regular circumstances, it would have been… simply too late. Therefore, despite the fact he was aware of the non-standard situation, the pilot couldn’t avoid stiffening as the red light appeared. Few seconds after, however, he regained his own self-control. «Lady Janus… prepare yourself. 12 seconds to the impact… 18 or so to hit the water. Hold tight… this won’t be pleasing at all» Los Angeles class nuclear submarine Ultor – NIFF The rendezvous point – 50 feet underwater As the yellow light of his armband flashed, Arian authorized the chamber to be flooded. As the icy waters began invading it, he couldn’t avoid thinking about Marilyn. She would have had such a tiny protection against the breath-cutting cold. 120 seconds of air from the cylinder and then… her own breath only. If she hadn’t panicked. Two seconds after, the high tech visor finished the boot sequence and the thermo-visors started functioning. As the metallic oxygen coming from the breathing apparatus filled his lungs, he did what he had been taught to do: focusing on the mission’s goal and nothing else, the whole world being erased. |
|
Armis Exposcere Pacem They demanded peace by force of arms ![]()
| |
![]() |
|
| Kangarawa | Dec 1 2010, 05:53:06 PM Post #66 |
|
Maker of Coffee
|
Parliament Buildings, Tasman City, Kangarawa Office of the President Her aide watched closely as the President read the email from the Grand Duchy in an attempt to gauge her reaction to the news. He'd found that he was better prepared to deal with her demands if he could figure out what she wanted ahead of time but of late, he'd not even come close. At times, being able to flaunt his position gave him great pleasure but even that was starting to lose its appeal. "Ensure that Colonel Michaels has been informed that he is expecting a "guest"." "Colonel Michaels?" Brad regretted the question as he uttered it, taking a small step backwards as she coldly enunciated each word of her reply as if talking to a nearly deaf moron. "Colonel Jasper Michaels. Commander of Camp Kashoth in the Grand Duchy. Is any of this starting to sound familiar?" He merely nodded. "Get Carolyn Masters for me. I'd like to meet with her immediately." As he closed the door quietly he actually felt sympathy for the Minister of International Affairs. Home of "Robert Delaney", New Irem David Miller was troubled by the message relayed from the Archangel Comm Centre. Fisher had set a watch on Carolyn Masters as he had many other Kangarawan Ministers but the fact that Masters was being watched by someone else as well was unexpected. It was possible that they'd had another asset in place all along. Even as he placed the call to Fisher, he already knew what the outcome would be. The man could be a cold son-of-a-bitch at times. He'd merely order the watcher "watched". Los Angeles class nuclear submarine Ultor – NIFF The rendezvous point – 50 feet underwater "Chamber doors open. He's out. Closing doors. Signal is strong." A momentary pause during which there wasn't a sound on the bridge ... "Impact ... now." The submariner's voice was perfectly calm. "We're fighting the current, sir, but maintaining our position. Diver is spiralling." "Don't lose him." McSwaine, Anusha pressed tightly to his side, said nothing else. He found himself bargaining with a god in whom he'd only recently come to believe. The waters of the Kasmir Abyss The world exploded and there was a sudden agonising pain in her shoulder. She gasped with the shock and the pain of thousands of icicles piercing the wetsuit as she hit the water, the air she'd so desperately tried to hold in her lungs expelled on impact. She tried to remember what she'd been told to do but the incredible immensity of the cold made holding on to a coherent thought almost impossible. She fought the urge to gasp for air as she felt herself sinking and spinning. Up, down, left, right ... they'd lost all meaning. She couldn't tell if her eyes were open or closed. Everything was black. Two minutes ... two minutes for what? ... breathe ... NO! ... calm ... keep calm ... take a deep breath ... NO! ... two minutes of air ... cylinder ... She clenched her fists trying to find the thing. There. Something in one of her hands. ... can't move my arm ... Fumbling, she tried to transfer the cylinder from one hand to the other but couldn't seem to find them or, at least, make them work together. Her hands opened, seemingly of their own volition. Whatever had been there was gone. ... no use ... NO! ... the baby ... sleep ... no chance ... sleep ... no ... Completely disoriented, she opened her mouth to yawn. |
![]() ![]() If you get to thinkin' you're a person of some influence, try orderin' somebody else's dog around. | |
![]() |
|
| Reziel | Dec 2 2010, 04:31:07 AM Post #67 |
|
Eternal Delegate
|
The Grand Duchy of Reziel – Somewhere along the northern shores In the meanwhile The come-back coordinates had been inserted. The UAV would have reached Camp Kashoth within two hours and a half… and then, everyone would have started wondering what the hell was going on. An unscheduled flight from an experimental drone, a copter shot down not so far… and at the top of the list, Fedor’s access codes and frequencies registered by the drone’s black box. Chuckling, the man moved back towards the car. Along the way back, he knew a perfect place for the duplicates of both the ID card and the remote control to disappear. Elsewhere In the meanwhile Shivering as the unstoppable icy touch of the winds chilled his skin, the man frowned deeply, his gaze lost between the grey clouds besieging the horizon. The sea, out of so many places. Possibly, the one location where he couldn’t intervene, where he couldn’t have been of any aid. It didn’t make sense. He had checked the lines of probability… it had to have been the right choice. But now, with the most part of its self remaining safe in New Irem as Lachdanan barked orders and commands for his troops, the Dark Twin couldn’t avoid sharing with Marilyn the sense of looming doom as the dark waters entered her… their lungs. The depths were luring her in their merciless embrace. Nothing had gone the way he had… Suddenly, his gaze focused. In the beginning, he had been nothing else but a blurred perception, but… yes. The boy was there. Shining One. That’s how he had been christened. Grinning, the ancient demon hoped. Nothing was lost… yet. And after all, there was something he could have done. Distances weren’t a factor. Energy was needed… and he knew where to drain it from. The Grand Duchy of Reziel – New Irem – The Fortress The Archangels’ command rooms – In the exact meanwhile «Bloody hell, Lach… calm down! We are not able to see underwater… nobody can! The satellites cannot help us… just as they will not be of any help for the Kangarawans in Tasman! This is exactly why we’ve choosen…» Suddenly, Lothar stopped. Lachdanan didn’t seem… present. It wasn’t the stress. He had seen the Colonel keeping self control in numberless situations. Above all, he had never seen him being on the point of… fainting. He was pale. Too pale. As if all of his blood… as if all of his energies were being dragged elsewhere. «Medics! Colonel down!» he heard his own voice shouting a moment before jumping at Lachdanan’s side to help him keeping his balance. Los Angeles class nuclear submarine Ultor – NIFF Routing away from the rendezvous point – 105 feet underwater – Two minutes later Pulling away the helm of the diving suit, uncaring of connections and wires being ripped and just as uncaring about the coughing of the copter’s pilot behind him, Arian focused his full attention on Mare. She was so cold and pale. When he had finally grabbed her wrist, fighting against the streams, she had already lost her consciousness, the small cylinder dragged away by the waters… and the supplemental breather he had forced inside her mouth seemed not to have been of great help. He couldn’t even say if her heart was still beating… but he couldn’t even think about the chance it wasn’t. Once again, his training took the control over the boiling emotions. Possible drowning together with beginnings of hypothermia. Bradycardia. Ongoing peripheral vasoconstriction. And above all… oxygen deprivation. Looming cardiac arrest. «A blanket!» he shouted, before closing his mouth over hers. |
|
Armis Exposcere Pacem They demanded peace by force of arms ![]()
| |
![]() |
|
| Kangarawa | Dec 2 2010, 04:48:51 PM Post #68 |
|
Maker of Coffee
|
Los Angeles class nuclear submarine Ultor – NIFF Had they been able to, the four medics would have forced their way into the chamber before the pressure had equalised. The pilot would be fine but the woman? Too much time had likely elapsed to prevent permanent damage even if she survived. As he felt a sudden shudder under his hands, Arian paused, turning Marilyn's head to the side. She retched, sea water spewed onto the deck, followed by a low moan. Surprised, the medics pushed Arian out of the way, springing into a well-oiled routine. "Likely a broken shoulder. Careful ..." Within seconds she and the pilot were being transported to the sick bay, Arian only a step or two behind her stretcher. Parliament Buildings, Tasman City, Kangarawa Office of the President - Some thirty minutes later "My dear Carolyn, you must have been so shocked to hear the news about Marilyn Janus. I'm terribly sorry that I, personally, had no opportunity to discuss it with you ahead of time. Brad was supposed to have briefed you." The President, whose face had conveyed nothing but distress and whose voice had oozed concern since Masters had entered her office, shot a nasty look at her aide. "Please, have a seat." Warily, Masters did just that. "Brad, get us both some tea, please." "None for me thank you, Madame President." "How is dear Francis?" Well and so. Either she'd been followed or Lord Almsyck had reported her visit though she couldn't understand why. Regardless, she tried to keep the uneasiness she was feeling from showing. "He seemed well, Madame President, and as shocked as I was over the extradition of Marilyn Janus. It appeared that he had seen evidence to which I've not been privy that backed the charges. From his perspective, The Grand Duchy has no choice but to extradite. It might help if I knew exactly what charges have been brought. I found myself at somewhat of a loss." Miller shot another glance at her aide, replying smoothly, "And you should have had them." Brad handed Masters a thick stack of documents. "I was likely more shocked than either of you. As I recall, Janus was one of David Miller's "pupils". I'm afraid the evidence suggests that he and others are as involved as she. Either that or she's being used as a scapegoat and we're all being duped." At Masters startled look, she continued, "I'm having difficulty believing it myself. The only way I can see her being able to clear herself is if someone comes forward to clarify the situation." "Someone? David Miller? I saw the paper the other day but I ... I put it down to sensational ... " Masters was trying to keep her wits about her. "David is certainly one possibility. I doubt that you're aware of it, but there are many members of the former government who have simply moved elsewhere without leaving forwarding addresses. Perhaps their friends know where they are and could be persuaded to talk them into clearing up some of the confusion. In any event, I'll let you go through those and perhaps we can work more closely in future." As Kostrov came out of the President's inner office as the door closed behind Masters and Brad, she said, "Give it a week. Either she'll do something or she won't. Either way, we'll have at least one question answered." Camp Kashoth, The Grand Duchy Deep in thought, Michaels stared out the window at the snow, hands clasped behind his back. He'd welcomed the opportunity to command here four years ago despite having to deal with the bureaucracies of both governments and the aftermath of those damned War Games. Two platoons of those involved had been garrisoned here until they'd either been sent home on disability or died. It had been a nightmare. Of the few that remained, all had, at the request of Lieutenant Janus, been transferred to the Security detail at the Embassy. He'd felt it the least he could do given what he'd been told about the involvement of Captain Janus, the Lieutenant's father, in what had happened to them. He'd loathed that man for his attitude alone. He'd only met the now former Ambassador once and really hadn't formed an opinion save that she was a diplomat, a breed he'd tried to ignore throughout his career. But this? Much as he'd despised her father, he had been a patriot. He might have screwed up but giving his life for his men, for his son, proved it. The son was a man he'd be proud to have as his own. This little bitch was shaming her family name. He'd be only too happy to see her returned home to face the consequences of her actions. Mappins had been a man he'd both admired and respected. This damned woman had much to answer for. |
![]() ![]() If you get to thinkin' you're a person of some influence, try orderin' somebody else's dog around. | |
![]() |
|
| Reziel | Dec 3 2010, 06:49:58 AM Post #69 |
|
Eternal Delegate
|
The Grand Duchy of Reziel – New Irem – The Fortress Reziel’s rooms - Meanwhile Despite her theatrical storming entrance, the door being slammed close behind her back, Ileana was losing self-confidence with each single step. She had immediately noted Elistar was on the outside terrace… but it was rather surprising he had not even turned at the slam. And even more surprisingly, he was wearing his Archaneglic battle uniform. Something he used to do only if he was greatly worried… or supremely enraged. «Elistar, I’d like…» she began as soon as she entered the terrace herself. «Your behavior could have jeopardized a mission. You have put one of my men in a situation of possible danger… and I won’t waste our time stressing said man incidentally happens to be your son. And even more incidentally happens to be the fourth-in-command of the whole Archangels’ corp» Ileana froze. Again, he hadn’t turned. But now, she was grateful of that… as the steely ice in his tone was more than enough to guess the rage at the bottom of his black eyes. «I’ve not… I hadn’t been…» «Informed? Involved?» here, he finally turned, and Ileana had her fears confirmed «You. The one stressing day after day that we need to delegate. That we have to trust our aides… that we have to trust each other, avoiding battles for our own chairs and powers. So… what? Does this work only for… everyone else, except you?» «Elistar, I didn’t…» she began, suddenly stopping «I’ve lost the control. It’s not… not the ‘bypassed’ thing. It… well, yes. It greatly annoyed me, but I suppose I could have handled it, had it been the one thing. But I… I felt…» Finally, the Grand Duke’s glance softened a bit as he made a step towards her, his hand moving under her chin, gently forcing the woman to raise her glance. «You should definitely stop adopting new children, you silly choleric tiger. And above all… damn’it, my love. It was Lothar. I was aware of the chance you would have fought for Marilyn… but I really hadn’t anticipated you would have attacked your own son!» he chuckled softly. «I… Lothar was… oh Elistar!» she sobbed, sinking her face against his chest «What’s going on? Where’s Mare? What happened? What…» «Wait, wait. Breath. This will take rather long… and at the end of it I need the tiger back, because Marilyn’s arrest is just the opening move of a battle which will keep us all rather busy for the weeks to come» Los Angeles class nuclear submarine Ultor – NIFF Routing towards Candle in the Wind – 305 feet underwater – A bit later Yes, the medic had indeed been clear enough. His attempts to follow them step-by-step weren’t useful at all… and in the end, he would have just been an annoyance. Marilyn was ok. A bit shocked… but she would have recovered. Even the broken shoulder wouldn’t have been such an issue. Yes. He was wasting his own time and being a pest for the medics. Moreover… he had something to do. Candle in the Wind wasn’t their destination. The Captain had to be informed… and in the end, he had to ‘confess’ with Mc Swaine. Because Anusha wouldn’t have liked her new home at all. |
|
Armis Exposcere Pacem They demanded peace by force of arms ![]()
| |
![]() |
|
| Kangarawa | Dec 3 2010, 09:42:13 AM Post #70 |
|
Maker of Coffee
|
Parliament Buildings, Tasman City, Kangarawa Carolyn Masters' Office - 30 minutes later Carolyn was more than confused. For the first time, she was feeling a frisson of fear. Replaying the scene in the President's Office and comparing it to any other meeting she'd had with the woman, something was terribly "off". She'd not believed in the supposed concern expressed by the woman save for a brief moment. It was simply too out of character. Nor did she believe the excuse that Brad was supposed to have supplied her with the documentation that now sat on the table in front of her. It had been quite a deliberate omission but why? Why give it to her now? What purpose did all the play-acting serve? Not that she had had the time or the background knowledge to analyse it; she wasn't an accountant. But the gist of it somehow linked Janus to her aunt's death which meant she'd been involved in the assassination of the President as well. Carolyn leaned her chin on her hand, trying to remember the events of four years ago. She'd been stationed in Coocostan when all this had gone down. David Miller had recalled her and then retired less than a year later. They'd not kept in touch despite the promises one always made at retirement parties. She had no idea where he was now. But ... she couldn't imagine that that gracious, intelligent old man had had anything to do with the assassinations. He and Mappins had been friends, something she'd never been able to say about either of them. And if she accepted that he couldn't have been involved, then it followed that Janus wasn't either. So who? The papers had suggested that the former Under-secretary of Intelligence was also a "person of interest". Again, he'd been a long-time friend of Mappins according to Mappins' wife. Maybe she was someone that Carolyn could approach, but ... There were only a couple of possible reasons that the President would have provided her with all this documentation. She'd never been overly forthcoming with requests Carolyn had made before. Had Lord Almsyck contacted the President, surely he'd have related their entire conversation, including the fact that he'd passed on nothing of import which meant there had been no need for the President to pass it on ... which likely meant that she was being followed ... but by whom? And why? And if she was being followed, who was to say that she wasn't being monitored all the time? Profer. She was becoming paranoid. Locking her desk, she decided she'd call Jantine Mappins from home and see if they could meet somewhere, even if only for a drink. Perhaps is was simple paranoia but she'd try to take precautions. Camp Fraternity - 15 km outside Tasman City, Kangarawa Colonel Philip Abhrams had given up trying to hide his amusement when in Colonel Clarke's personal quarters. Only Admiral Proudmoore would have had it set up as a sitting room, complete with armchairs, a crackling fire and the finest cognac available, much to Jon's dismay. Amused by the Admiral's foible, Philip was certainly not unappreciative of the creature comforts and thoroughly enjoyed the discomfort it caused Jon. Over the years, he and Jonathan Clarke had become brothers, based on mutual respect and trust. Profer knew that trust would be needed over the upcoming months and he only wished that it extended to the Admiral. As he swirled the cognac is his snifter, ignoring the look of utter disgust on Jon's face, he continued, "And how will the Admiral react to a deadline of two to three days?" Jon chuckled. "He'll go through his usual rant but in the end, he'll come through ... and everything will likely be in place in two days rather than three." They'd already done the grunt-work. The lists had been compiled, the orders were ready to be sent but if the Admiral lost his infamous temper ... Swallowing the last of the cognac and thoroughly enjoying its warmth, Philip grinned. "Glad you're the one who'll be dealing with him and not me. Let me know what happens." |
![]() ![]() If you get to thinkin' you're a person of some influence, try orderin' somebody else's dog around. | |
![]() |
|
| Reziel | Dec 3 2010, 11:08:52 AM Post #71 |
|
Eternal Delegate
|
New Irem – The Grand Duchy of Reziel Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Conference Room – One hour later Entering the conference room, Countess Ileana De Corde moved straight towards the podium, barely reciprocating the glances and the hailing nods addressed to her by the many attendees, mostly journalists and reporters who had enthusiastically answered the official convocation. As soon as she was in front of the microphones, everyone went immediately silent, eager to hear what she had to say… above all because, strangely enough, the Ministry had brought some papers with her. Definitely surprising, considering she was a diplomat accustomed to play the game without supports of sort. «Ladies and Gentlemen… good evening. My personal thanks for having come in this troubled moment. «Minutes ago, an official message has been dispatched to the Kangarawan authorities. This message informs their Government and ranked officers of a tragic loss. Two hours ago, exactly at 4:09 PM, one of our copters has been shot down while flying over the Kasmir Sea. Aside its pilot, Lady Marilyn Janus was the one occupant of said copter. Stopping, Ileana waited for the sudden turmoil to calm down before restarting her speech. «Lady Janus was being escorted to the Kasmir maximum security installation for the subsequent extradition of hers to the Republic of Kangarawa. The speakers of their Government will be the ones charged to clarify you all the pending accusations. I can add one thing only: said accusations are tightly linked with the infamous activities of the inhuman Kangarawan movement known as ‘the Faction’. «What I’m here to report is that… we do not have hints about any possible survivor. A rescue team has already reached the place, but the environmental conditions are prohibitive and the search operations haven’t been effective, at least till now. According to our experts, the hoped time to survive hypothermia in those waters can be quantified in ten minutes or so. Therefore, the chances to actually find possible survivors are… tiny at best. Despite this, the whole First Fleet is heading there, hoping to be of help. As long as an hope will exist, we won’t give up. There, she stopped. Finally, her glance was raised. As if the real core of her speech was yet to come. As if she had just entered the real arena of that skirmish. «About the chain of events which had brought to this tragedy, a comment is needed. Earlier today, while acknowledging the extradition request, my Deputy Minister closed his message stressing the Joint Governments of the Grand Duchy of Reziel and the Empire of Michelsland remain at the Kangarawan nation’s side in this moment of great trouble. Where needed, I’m here to confirm that commitment. Here, she stopped for a brief while, as if she was waiting for the audience to register her words. «To the sister nation of Kangarawa and its citizens, we offer our full support. Our oath of allegiance stands untouched. «On the contrary, to this ‘Faction’ spreading terror amidst the people, to each and any of its men and women I can say one thing only» if possible, her glance sharpened even more, becoming nothing else but a steel-blade crossing distances and borders to stab its targets «From now on, we will chase for you. Our forces will have a goal only, and we’re ready to pour erians, time and souls to pursue it. And that goal will be finding you, wherever you will be hiding. In the sanctity of your houses, in the safety of your harbors, in the quietness of your retirements… we will come. We will know no rest. We will grant no truce. We will show no mercy. No shield will save you from our rage. No darkness will be too thick. No lie will be convincing enough. We will come after you. Each day, you’ll have to guard your own back. Because you’ll be left no place to rest. Because you’ll be left no person to trust. Because you’ll know no more peace. Because from now on, you’ll have to know one thing only: that the ancient blades of Irem are being unsheathed and they will never stop, till your own downfall. Dark alleys, shining corridors, empty rooms, crowded squares: wherever you’ll be, that will be our battleground» With that, she stopped, rage still igniting her eyes. And not even a single reporter dared a single question. |
|
Armis Exposcere Pacem They demanded peace by force of arms ![]()
| |
![]() |
|
| Kangarawa | Dec 5 2010, 05:43:06 PM Post #72 |
|
Maker of Coffee
|
Parliament Buildings, Tasman City, Kangarawa Office of the President "No. No comment right now. Let's allow the public to have their say first ... it shouldn't take more than a day, but in the meantime, get someone from Camp Kashoth on site. I want wreckage and I want to know who's responsible for shooting it down. It's too convenient." Camp Kashoth, The Grand Duchy Michaels was angry and his aide-de-camp knew better than to comment out of turn. "Where's the Arielle?" "It's close to those coords, sir, but I don't know if the Deep Purple is deployed. We contracted it to GenDom for a research project ..." "Contact the Captain, GenDom and the Rezielian Third. I want Deep Purple on site ASAP. Find out if the Rezielians have any suspicions about the shooter." Home of Carolyn Masters, Lanarcus, Kangarawa "We're unavailable to take your call right now. Please leave a message and we'll get back to you as soon as possible." Carolyn slammed down the receiver and began pacing around her apartment a little unsteadily. "As soon as possible" likely meant never under the circumstances and she really couldn't blame the woman. They'd only met a few times and could hardly be considered "good" acquaintances, let alone friends. Her phone had to be ringing off the hook right now but Carolyn needed answers. She'd been sure a small car had followed her home and on entering, she'd checked every room, window and door before activating the security system, something she rarely used. She'd left a message on Jantine's phone as soon as she got home from work but then, after pouring herself a glass of wine, unexpectedly found herself caught up in the broadcast from the Grand Duchy. A second quickly followed after hearing that Janus had been shot down. What in the name of Profer was going on? A Faction? A faction of what? Surely no one could believe that members of the former government were trying to ... it was only after she had made inroads into the second litre of wine that she had tried Jantine's number again. She glanced back to the newscast. At this point, the anchor was simply going over the highlights of Ileana De Corde's speech and talking about candlelight vigils in memory of Mappins and the entire Scythes family. It had been broadcast in its entirety likely to the whole East Pacific region and someone, likely her, would have to read the government's response. Assuming that Miller wanted to make one, of course. After this afternoon, she wasn't sure of anything. Crap. Now the reporters were talking to the people in the street. Their outrage wasn't feigned. Mappins had been liked, even by those who didn't support him. This would turn into a witch-hunt all too soon. Who the hell could she talk to? Where the fuck was David Miller? As she reached for the phone again, not really sure who it was she planned on calling, she jerked her hand away and covered her mouth. If she was being followed, who could say whether or not her phone was bugged? She didn't even know how to check for something like that. Tomorrow. She'd do something tomorrow. Hand shaking, she poured the last of the wine. Rezielian Military Base - Outskirts of Madras, Airbus UK Communications Centre "Updates?" Sibthorpe, who had been responsible for the reprogramming of several satellites in the Kangarawan network, shook his head. "No change. The only threat is the battalion still in Jofet's Pass and they're most likely freezing their balls off. They just don't have the semi-permanent set-up that Montgomery does. Much more snow and they won't be flying anywhere. 'Course, the same holds true for those at Camp Dibenindizowin." "I'll let him know." Fisher limped away from Sibthorpe's station, cursing his knee under his breath. Within minutes, he was talking to Montgomery. "You heard?" he asked. "I don't think there's a soul who didn't, Charles. But we have a problem." Montgomery's voice was dry. "Two of them actually. The village folk here have been more than helpful but all it takes is one to assume we're the bad guys. Granted, there are only a few radios up here but ..." "There's no movement from Jofet's Pass ... they're virtually grounded. You know the drill. You'll have to eliminate any possible threats. The Grand Duchy has virtually guaranteed that the troops in Fraternity will become part of the effort to search for you. That's to our advantage, at least for the time being. Gives us a little more mobility in terms of access. The second?" "Carolyn Masters left a message on First's answering machine. She wants to get together with her. I don't think she's part of this and she might prove useful." "How? By putting First in danger? She's not in the know." Montgomery took a long breath and released it before speaking. "She could be if we played her right. Charles, we agreed that ..." "Damn it, Greg." Montgomery waited patiently during the long pause. "Alright. Let them meet but make sure the watcher is removed first. It has to be an accident. Then talk to her but not if she's been made. This one is your call but if you jeopardise ..." "I've got it." |
![]() ![]() If you get to thinkin' you're a person of some influence, try orderin' somebody else's dog around. | |
![]() |
|
| Reziel | Dec 7 2010, 05:55:21 AM Post #73 |
|
Eternal Delegate
|
Northern Airbus UK – 25 kms south of the Dovakhanese border Kaijuna Air Force base At the end of the Airbusian… civil war? War? Invasion? Mess? Well… mess was a definition William Norrell liked very much. Iremians against Rezielans, Dovakhan caught in the middle together with FPS… and everyone against Darbat Singh. But in favor of Airbus… oh yes. Messy days indeed. However… after it, the new Government had assigned two main installations to the Rezielan troops. Kaijuna had been a natural choice, for the new President. After all, the base had basically been annihilated by the Iremians in the early days of OperationShield of the North, so it was rather useless and surely too expensive for the to-be-rebuilt country. The assignment would have forced the Rezielans to bear the costs of the rebuilding… and then, it would have won Airbus an heavily guarded stronghold in the North. Years after, it was exactly what had happened. Erians and men coming from New Irem had done the miracle, and the base was now fully operative again, hosting a permanent garrison of Archangels, supported by Michleslandian troops and by three full wings coming from the Iremian Air Force. Definitely far more than what Airbus itself could have afforded. With a supplemental ‘gain-gain’ aspect, as the base was now working as a training camp for Airbuisian elite troops. Troops like that devilish Lieutenant Devdas of the Airbusian Green Berrets, thought the Archangel Lieutenant noting the other man who was coming straight towards them, waving his hands in a warm welcome. «Swordfish!» cried the Airbusian, smiling at the Archangel Lieutenant «It’s been a whole century! I was thinking you would have never come back to the good old jungles... you know… a comfy occupation down in FPS, behind a desktop, AC during the summer and a blonde secretary to…» «I get the idea, Devdas» chuckled the Archangel, signing his men to move on. Two full platoons of the best Iremian delta force, equipped for indefinite permanence in a possibly hostile environment. Under his full and unconditioned command, to… «So… wow. A rather confusing speech, I admit» Turning to Devdas, William raised an eyebrow, interrogatively waiting for the Airbusian to go on. «I mean… your Ministry’s speech. I’m rather confused. The reference to this Faction… can’t honestly say who’s who anymore. I’m supposing Fisher’s guys here are…» «What the hell are you talking about, Devdas?» «You… oh hell. No television, on the plane. Well… the gist of it would be…» Minutes after, when the Airbusioan had finished summarizing Ileana’s speech, William thought he had no more chance for a deeper frowning. What he was being told… it was confusing at best. The mission seemed so clear… but now? And why the hell he had received no update from Solanthus, if the deck had been reshuffled? If. That was probably the point. A summarization wasn’t enough. He needed a registration of the message, hoping Lady De Corde hadn’t gone too deep playing the game. Till that moment… his priorities wouldn’t have been changed. He had to meet Major Roder Warhammer Colony… and immediately after, Fisher. NIFF flagship «Nimitz class» Aircraft Carrier Antares Kasmir’s Abyss With the High Commands ordering them to discretely pull out from the Vulshainian crisis, the officers of the First Fleet had honestly hoped they could have granted their guys some days of rest. Unfortunately, they had barely passed the Hatian waters, when New Irem had requested them to urgently reach the Kasmir’s Abyss to offer their full support to an hopeless search. A number of their quickest vessels had already reached the area and now, the flagship itself was fatiguing to keep its route amidst those hellish waters. On the command bridge, Vice Admiral Gordon Fallet, interim commander of the New Iremian First Fleet shook his head in complete disapproval, his gaze on the grey clouds all around them. «there is no hope to find anyone alive, here. A cursed polar bear would have frozen. Or drowned. What the hell are they thinking about? That this Ambassadress is some kind of polar mermaid? I’ll have to…» «My Lord, I agree. But Camp Kashoth will need an answer anyhow» replied Stephan Almsyck, Fallet’s personal aide. His tone was doubtful. As much as he still considered his aunt as a traitor of the Iremian Empire… he had been around for long enough to know that something far bigger was boiling. «If Kangarawa has wazoos to throw down the closet, their call. Confirm we’ll offer their full support… but please: stress them we’re having big troubles keeping an aircraft carrier stable enough to see what’s going on all around us, let’s figure having a smaller vessel deploying this stinky Deep Purple of theirs. We’ll support… but we’ll take no responsibility. As long as the weather won’t improve at least a bit, we’ll take no responsibility for this utter foolishness. And while we’re at it… order our smaller vessels to move outside this hell. I won’t risk my ships chasing for something which will not happen. This Ambassadress is dead. The sooner they’ll accept it, the better for us all» The Grand Duchy of Reziel – New Irem – The Fortress Ileana’s rooms «…that will be our battleground. Ki’jo, Ileana. When I told you I needed a strong message, I really didn’t mean a declaration of war» chuckled Elistar, sipping a bit of that fantastic red wine Ileana had produced out of hell knew where. «You’ve told me that a bit of chaos and uncertainty would have been rather positive… the thicker the smoke, the better. I’ve given you what you’ve asked» grinned the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, her black eyes still shimmering with rage as she thought to the chain of events of the hours before. «Well… yes, I suppose you’re right. I would have problems myself, should I say who’s who, right now. And…» «That’s because you’re not a professional gamer, my beloved one. Give her time. I bet she’s reviewing the registrations again and again, looking for that something. She knows it’s there, but she hasn’t yet located it. But she will. And as soon as she’ll have, she’ll understand. Kadras is an old fox. He has chosen the words very wisely… I’ve just followed the path. Government, nation, people. They can be taken for synonyms. But they aren’t. And she knows it. As soon as the distinction will get her attention… she’ll know where we stand. That will force her to eat her own liver… above all because there’s nothing official she can do about it. She would be considered as paranoid. The funny thing is…» «…that she isn’t» closed the Grand Duke. |
|
Armis Exposcere Pacem They demanded peace by force of arms ![]()
| |
![]() |
|
| Kangarawa | Dec 8 2010, 09:57:22 PM Post #74 |
|
Maker of Coffee
|
The Kangarawan Oceanographic Research Vessel Arielle Kasmir Abyss Commander Robert Phelps had kept his temper under control upon receipt of his new orders. The Arielle had been mapping the Kasmir Abyss for 35 days and he'd been hoping to put back to shore within the next two. It had taken them fifteen hours to get into position near the Third Fleet, all for what he considered a lost cause. Searching for a helicopter at these depths would be like trying to find a single letter in a sorting station the size of Kangarawa and to even have suggested the possibility of survivors was ludicrous. The waters here were rough at the best of times even for his 73m twin-hulled ship and so far they'd charted depths of over 9000m. As far as he was concerned, it would be absolutely useless to deploy their HROV, Deep Purple. With clouds closing in, and the barometer dropping, they might have a day or two at most. Camp Kashoth, Reziel Radar signature had indicated it was one of their experimental UAV's so the controller had "assumed" it was a test she'd known nothing about. Rather than ask a question, she said nothing, but at the last minute, the UAV had swerved on landing, hitting another UAV that was grounded on the landing strip. Not much would be able to be salvaged from either of the small aircraft. Confused, concerned and angry as hell both at herself and the situation, she'd ordered a complete forensic analysis of the bits and pieces that had survived. The results had her scurrying for her Sargent who in turn sent her directly to Colonel Michaels. Michaels' eyes never left those of the woman sitting in front of him. She looked embarrassed, as well she might, but she also looked worried. "Sir, the missile bays in the UAV that landed were empty." "I'd expect them to be, wouldn't you?" Profer, he knew how sarcastic he sounded but this wasn't the ... "No, sir. I mean, yes, sir. But the black box identifies Greg Fedov as the one who programmed the UAV." "And your point is?" "Sir, he was transferred to the Embassy about four days after he landed here. He's part of the Security detail there. There's no record of his having been on the base today. Sir, there's not even a record of that test flight ever having been scheduled either so it wasn't just me who ..." "What the hell are you trying to say, Private?" "Sir, that UAV didn't leave from our strip. No one knows anything about it and if it wasn't on a scheduled test, where are the missiles?" Michaels squeezed the bridge of his nose between his thumb and his ring finger, wearily closing his eyes momentarily before looking up and signalling for his aide. "Private, you're dismissed. Luke, get hold of the Embassy and have them detain this Fedov. Let Janus know I'll get there when I can and fill him in on what's going on." As his aide left his office, Michaels found himself wondering if he himself actually knew what was going on. Parliament Buildings, Tasman City, Kangarawa Carolyn Master's Office Head throbbing, Carolyn quickly dry-swallowed a couple more pain-killers. After far too much wine and a sleepless night, she'd had her secretary notify the Embassy in Reziel that Vitras would be arriving sometime before noon and then met briefly with the President and the press secretary. That was when she'd been handed the statement that the President wanted her to read at the press conference. It had been a disaster. She'd been upset, knew it showed and the questions asked had only deepened her confusion. Ileana De Corde had said that the plane had been shot down. The President had wanted no mention of that until there was proof. Carolyn didn't know what to believe. If Janus was part of some conspiracy then why would they have shot her down ... unless they believed that she had information that could lead to them. They ... whoever they were. She desperately wanted to talk to Jantine Mappins. The woman had returned her call at the crack of dawn. It was only after Carolyn had said more than she'd wanted to on the phone that Jantine had agreed to meet with her, but she wouldn't meet her in public. Carolyn was to be at her home at 8 pm. Masters looked at her watch. Perhaps her head would be a little clearer in nine and a half hours, but she doubted it. |
![]() ![]() If you get to thinkin' you're a person of some influence, try orderin' somebody else's dog around. | |
![]() |
|
| Reziel | Dec 10 2010, 05:24:35 AM Post #75 |
|
Eternal Delegate
|
Los Angeles class nuclear submarine Ultor – NIFF International waters in front of Stromburg Reserving a cabin to a single ‘passenger’ was a luxury not so many submarines could have been able to grant… but the commander of the Ultor seemed to have realized that discretion was invaluable, so he had ordered Marilyn Janus to be moved in his quarters as soon as the medics had confirmed she would have been fine outside the infirmary. There, the Kangarawan Ambassadress had remained, mostly sleeping. But now, she finally opened her eyes, as anticipating the door-knocking which came moments after. As she invited the knocker to come in, she couldn’t avoid herself a smile. Arian… Ileana’s younger son. «Marilyn… I’m glad to see you’re fine» he told, his embarrassment almost palpable «How… how’s your shoulder? I mean… it seems it’s broken. I suppose some minor injury couldn’t be… well, not that I’m trying to diminish what has happened, but… yeah. Just come to see if you were fine… kinda» Southern Airbus UK – Madras Rezielan naval base – Enterprise-class Aircraft Carrier Shedar Observing the brand-new equipments of the command bridge, Vice Admiral Cecil Donor of the New Iremian Third Fleet stationing in the town-sized joint military installation of Fraternity grinned. During the Airbusian accident, the Shedar had experienced a major problem linked to the functioning of its twin nuclear reactors. Said failure had been of such importance that the commanding Admirals would have been inclined to abandon any possible hope to reuse the carrier… but the Vice Admiral hadn’t agreed. Unfortunately, despite having explained his reasons to the reunited Admirals, he hadn’t been listened… until the Grand Duke himself had invited him to go on during his own ‘farewell gala dinner’ in Port Jennifer, when the Iremian authorities had officially handed the nation back to the Airbusians. In the very beginning, the Vice Admiral had thought the chat wouldn’t have lead anywhere. Elistar Reziel was a superb commander… but he was an Archangel. The chances for him to understand the technicalities connected to seafaring were feeble at best… and then, the Grand Duke had surprised him. With each passing minute, his questions had become more specific and aimed. Details had been requested, up to the point that the forty-seven years old Vice Admiral had had to admit he hadn’t the requested information. There, Elistar’s eyes had sharpened… and then, the Grand Duke had given Cecil two days. Two days to come with detailed plans and projects. Two days to convince him the project was worth of the Duke’s attention… and, above all, that it was worth the funds. They had come out to be two sleepless days, with Cecil working hard with his staff members to arrange the best presentation possible. Receiving the inch-thick paper, Elistar had read it, in complete silence. For two hours and a half, Cecil had waited for the Grand Duke to speak… and then, a single question had been asked. «Yes, I do believe in this project» whispered Cecil. Now, ten months after, the overhaul of the Shedar was almost complete. But as Admiral Dragan Uth Nilas of the New Iremian Third Fleet hadn’t trusted the project at all, the superb vessel had been reassigned to the Fort Fleet, under Admiral Ramussen’s command… and, under him, to Cecil’s. What a foolish myopia. Uth Nilas had dismissed the vessel has a purposeless chunk of metal, its overhaul being a hopeless waste of time and money. Things were proving him wrong. The Enterprise-class carrier had been basically rebuilt… and now, its technology was aligned with the very flagship’s one… if not even something more. And it was under his own command… the dream of a lifetime. That was the main reason why, when he had received the call, he had promptly answered it. The Grand Duke wanted his own trust paid back. He had a mission for the Shedar… and Cecil wouldn’t have failed it. After ten months, the carrier would have left Madras’ seaport for its first experimental mission. The new reactors had to be tested. For that, a limited crew would have been more than enough. For that, a little island-sailing along Free Pacific States, Antracia and then Christie Island would have been an appropriate route. «Open the communications with the whole vessel. The Shedar raises the anchor» smiled the Vice Admiral to his aide. The Grand Duchy of Reziel – Solanthus The Observers’ HQ «She is alive. This is not a possibility. This is a fact» stated Gareth Swales, his tone as matter-of-fact as possible. The whole thing was ludicrous. Grand master or not, Lord Schlesinger couldn’t be seriously questioning his report. Gareth had dedicated his whole life following the Uth Reisers’ Twin. Had Lachdanan’s son died… he would have know. After whole minutes of thinking silence, the Observers’ Grand Master raised his old azure eyes on the other man. «Sir Swales… forget about this. Lady Janus is dead. Your assignment will come back to a one-target-only status. Focus your whole attention on the Lonely Prince and…» «My Lord…» «Swales… Lady Janus is dead. Leaving this room, this will be your one shining truth. Even while talking to yourself, you’ll assume she’s dead. This is an order. Break it… and you’ll be an Observer no more. And I suppose you’re aware one cannot leave the Order alive» As the operative simply nodded, the Grand Master smiled coldly. Years ago, he had been given trust by Elistar Reziel. Now, the time had come to reciprocate that trust. If the Grand Duke wanted the world to know Lady Janus for dead… that will have been. Kangarawa – Lanarcus Near Carolyn Masters’ House «Well, at least I’m nor freezing my own butt up in the icy wastelands of the Northern Grand Duchy» grinned the New Iremian Secret Agency, whispering to himself. That morning, he had decided the small park near Lady Masters’ house could have been a good place to wait. Smiling to a child playing with a colored ball right near him, he finally opened the copy of The Tasman Daily Telegram, half of his mind focused on both news and gossip alike. Kangarawa was such an interesting nation and he was glad of his present assignment there. Glad and focused. Thus, the second half of his mind was focused on the operative details. Baby in wonderland would have met First… but at the same time, they knew Baby was under tight surveillance from the badguys. If said problem had to be… removed, he would have needed instructions rather soon. Clean neutralizations required careful planning. And even if he was an experienced Silver Snake, they couldn’t think to give him the neutralization’s order too late. They had told him that Ironfist would have met Santaclaus that very morning… better for him to hurry up. Otherwise, he would have kicked his Grand Ducal ass, supreme commander or not. |
|
Armis Exposcere Pacem They demanded peace by force of arms ![]()
| |
![]() |
|
| Kangarawa | Dec 10 2010, 09:11:33 AM Post #76 |
|
Maker of Coffee
|
Los Angeles class nuclear submarine Ultor � NIFF International waters in front of Stromburg As he stumbled through his words, Marilyn's smile slipped away. This man, whom she'd always regarded as a boy had saved her life. The doctor had told her what Arian had done, how she'd lost the breather and that the medics had taken her for dead. She literally owed him both her life ... and that of the baby. "Arian, I'm fine. I ... I don't ... I don't know how to make you understand what I'm feeling right now. If you hadn't been there ..." She started shaking, her shoulder increasing its throbbing. "I panicked. I completely lost it when Lothar told me what was going to happen. I shouldn't have. He told me you'd be there but ... I ... I just panicked. I'm so sorry. I ... Arian, thank you." Embarrassed beyond words, she kept her eyes on his, willing him to understand how deeply grateful she was. |
![]() ![]() If you get to thinkin' you're a person of some influence, try orderin' somebody else's dog around. | |
![]() |
|
| Reziel | Dec 10 2010, 11:01:06 AM Post #77 |
|
Eternal Delegate
|
«Oh» he murmured «Oh well… I mean. Not as a summer swimming in Tasman, indeed. Honestly, I would have been rather surprised if you had kept the control» he shrugged «This… that place, it’s the hell for all subs. We had a place like that back in the Empire and… yes, as soon as we arrived here, the big SEAL bosses were so happy to have found another maelstrom to test the Archs. You… well, I suppose it’s the old school of ‘who manages to survive is good enough to b an Archangel’» he grinned, winning a little smile from her. «So… well, I’m not sure what Lothar has told you. You know, he seems to have inherited daddy’s problem with being talkative so…» «I’ve been told basically nothing, aside the copter thing» «Oh… I should have imagined. He’s such a bugger, sometimes. Always leaving… oh well. The point is… they all need you to remain hidden. I’m not really sure, but it seems the situation in Kangarawan is going to become rather hot… and you’re a possible target, so… ok, to make things brief, you’ve won a free holiday on one of our carriers, the Shedar. Third Fleet… no, it’s probably Fourth, now. Under Lord Donor, who seems to be a man with an head over his shoulders. The idea would be… well, embarking one of our ships would e rather difficult for whichever 007 Kangarawa will decide to send for possible investigations. Moreover, it seems you’ll receive a uniform and…» «A uniform?» «Oh… yes. Ensign Marilyn Nemorah of the New Iremian third Fleet… Fourth Fleet. Damn… stupid carrier changing assignment. But well… yup. Documents and uniform will be onboard. If everyone has done his paperwork, of course» |
|
Armis Exposcere Pacem They demanded peace by force of arms ![]()
| |
![]() |
|
| Kangarawa | Dec 10 2010, 03:06:37 PM Post #78 |
|
Maker of Coffee
|
"Ensign Marilyn Namorah." She tested the name on her tongue. "I can get used to that. Want me to cut my hair short and dye it too?" Arian chuckled, willing to play along with anything that kept her from thinking that she'd somehow failed to live up to what she thought she ought to have been able to do. "Up to you if you want to go for a new look. What about a fake moustache and we'll have the name changed to Marle?" Her turn to give a small grin that quickly turned into a yawn. "I'll be with you on the Shedar, Mare." This time her relief was evident in the first genuine smile she'd given. She had more questions, she knew she did, but they remained tantalisingly out of reach. She yawned again but when she quickly apologised, he shook his head, a glimmer of amusement in his eyes. "Go back to sleep, lazy-bones. We'll have you working soon enough." The Grand Duchy of Reziel – New Irem – The Fortress Reziel's Quarters For the first time in two days, David Miller relaxed, sinking into the comfort of the overstuffed chair and taking a sip of his tea. Across from him, Elistar said quietly, "We got lucky. Lothar said she didn't seem to be following what he told her at all. What does Fisher want done about Carolyn Masters?" "He's OK'd the meeting between she and First so I'd suggest that we ..." "... remove the watcher." Reziel nodded in satisfaction. "Even if it's only one by one, we'll get this done eventually." Miller found himself bemused by his own hypocrisy. For years, he'd preached that negotiation was far more effective than violence, but then he'd also freely admitted that he wasn't a soldier. Now, however, removing a threat ... he caught himself. Enough of the euphemisms. Having someone killed was the only viable option and despite thinking Masters uninvolved in the President's schemes, he was willing to risk her as well if it meant ensuring that the President was provided with misinformation. Solanthus International Airport, Reziel Four hours later Norm Vitras was not amused. First the landing had been delayed and the plane had circled over New Irem International for almost an hour. Then the pilot had cited mechanical problems and had announced that they were being rerouted to Solanthus. He'd have taken all that in stride had it not been for the rest. After disembarking, he'd fully expected to be met. Instead, he'd had to retrieve his own luggage, park it and himself just inside the doors where there was no place to sit and when he'd asked when he could expect to be picked up, the clerk merely shrugged saying he'd been told someone would arrive soon. The public washrooms were being cleaned and they'd been cleaning them for well over half an hour when he'd asked if he could use a staff one. "Against regulations" he'd been told. Not even flashing his diplomatic passport had moved the clerk. Finally the "Closed for Cleaning" signs had been removed and he'd hurriedly left his luggage behind as he used the facilities. The tap on the sink had malfunctioned spraying water in every direction and the there were no hot air dryers. He'd tried soaking up some of the water with paper towelling, but all that had resulted in was bits of brown fluff all over his black suit. Wet and furious, he'd stalked out intending to complain to the clerk only to find that his luggage wasn't where he had left it. "What the hell? Where's my stuff?" "It was picked up a few minutes ago, sir." The damned clerk seemed to be trying to hide a smile. "One of the Archangels, sir. Your ride is outside." Vitras glanced out the door, seeing nothing but taxis and a lone hummer. Not a limousine in sight. "Where? Or is there another pick-up spot somewhere?" "No, sir. The hummer." This time, the clerk didn't even bother to hide his grin. Fuming, Vitras pushed through to the blustery outdoors and tapped on the window of the driver's side. It seemed an eternity until the driver opened the window. "Mr. Vitras? There's room for you in the back, sir. We're on a run back to New Irem." Four other damned soldiers were already in the truck and plump as he was, it would be a tight fit. "What kind of backwater is ..." "I'm sorry, sir. We're doing the best we can ... for a backwater. Climb in, sir. We have an hour to drive yet and it's damned cold in here with this window open." Left without a choice, Vitras awkwardly manoeuvred his way into the back, finally finding a place to sit that wasn't covered in gear. No one spoke as the hummer moved out. Soggy and cold, Vitras mentally rehearsed what he'd say to Ileana De Corde as soon as the opportunity arose. Kangarawan Embassy, New Irem, Reziel In the meanwhile ... Fedov was sweating as he sat in the interrogation room. He'd tried to remain calm, tried to explain that he had NO idea what anyone was talking about, told the Lieutenant he'd reported his ID card missing a couple of days ago but Lieutenant Janus had been bug-eyed with anger accusing him of murdering his sister. When he'd finally left the room, Fedov had sighed with relief. The guy needed time to calm down. His relief was short-lived however when the Loo returned with Colonel Michaels, the older man visibly restraining the younger. Janus slapped Fedov's ID card down on the table. "If you lost this, how the hell did we find it in taped to the bottom of your trunk in your quarters?" |
![]() ![]() If you get to thinkin' you're a person of some influence, try orderin' somebody else's dog around. | |
![]() |
|
| Reziel | Dec 14 2010, 05:35:12 AM Post #79 |
|
Eternal Delegate
|
Northern Airbus UK – 25 kms south of the Dovakhanese border Kaijuna Air Force base – Fisher’s room Observing the Archangel Lieutenant William ‘Swordfish’ Norrell finishing his brief report, Roder ‘Warhammer’ Colony could barely avoid an appreciating nod. Despite the man had earned a reputation during the Airbusian mess, commanding the Rezielan deltas in the thick rainforests of northern Airbus UK in a successful and merciless guerrilla against Singh and his troops, he had never had the pleasure to meet him. What e was seeing now… it was definitely in-line with what Elistar Reziel had told him. The man had his numbers. Just a bit too uncaring about the complexity of the great game… but that wasn’t so uncommon, among the Archangelic lines. «That’s it, Lord Fisher. In my opinion, Lady De Corde’s speech was rather obscure. I’m rather sure she had her reasons and I’m not questioning them. But if the Airbusians themselves are perplexed… I can imagine the Kangarawan citizens. Honestly, I cannot but sympathize with Lord Montgomery when he reports the risks due to a possible hostile reaction from the village folks. That’s why…» «You’re requesting the authorization to move towards Camp Dibenindizowin. I’ve got it. But…» «Lord Fisher… we’ll be there. Our place of assignment would be one day away from Camp Dibenindizowin. We can infiltrate the area. Not even satellite surveillance will be that effective. My men know their work… and we all know that Lord Montgomery will need help. Be it against the villagers… or not» This time, Roder Colony nodded with a grin. «… aside the fact that after having been called ‘Lord’ Montgomery the first time, he will kick your ass so hard that you will never be able to sit on your butt again» Kangarawa – Lanarcus Near Carolyn Masters’ House Grinning, the Silver Snake went on reading the newspaper. The gossip section was simply superb. Lately, there had been an appreciable increase in useless information about VIPs and cheatings and little scandals. Irrelevant news were flooding newspapers and magazines alike, and sport events were astonishingly well-organized. As if someone was doing any possible effort to keep the citizens’ minds focused… elsewhere. Feed the public with spicy scandals and they will not bother with wondering what’s really going on. A good tactic which had rarely failed, in modern times. People were so… easily manipulated. Average individuals were so lacking of the ability to see interconnections. To see the gears moving together and giving life to a multicolored scenario. They wasted so much time with insignificant details, losing track of the whole picture. Shaking his head, he stood up, inspiring the fresh air. Kangarawa was such a beautiful place. Such a pity they had finally cried ‘havoc!’, up in New Irem. Unavoidable, perhaps, but a pity anyhow. Carefully folding the newspaper, he crossed the road, walked down the block and disappeared in the chaos of the Lanarcus’ rush hour. Nothing strange. |
|
Armis Exposcere Pacem They demanded peace by force of arms ![]()
| |
![]() |
|
| Kangarawa | Dec 29 2010, 11:23:21 PM Post #80 |
|
Maker of Coffee
|
The village of Dibenindizowin, 1 km outside of Camp Dibenindizowin, Kangarawa Sarma Obodana continued with her beading, listening without seeming to as her grandsons still argued over the implications of the newscast that had ended some hours ago. Tamus, the eldest by a mere six minutes, refused to believe that the government would manufacture evidence to implicate former government officials. Donal, on the other hand, had no difficulty believing it. Both had spent their early years in the village and both had lived with the Resistance members fighting against Gorski during those years, but Tamus had left when he was fourteen to find work in Waboh. Seventeen years away seemed to have made his memories fade. Sarma raised her eyes and glanced at her son. He was becoming not only angry but judging by the deepening creases around his eyes, worried. He'd not intervene though. He never had when the boys quarrelled. That had been up to her after their mother died and she'd done it as little as possible. With a deep sigh, she placed her beadwork on the small table beside her and rested her arthritic hands, palms down, on her thighs atop the thick blanket that swaddled her lower limbs. "You have forgotten much, Tamus." All three men fixed their eyes on the wizened old woman. She spoke so rarely that despite her soft voice, the young men quieted immediately. Tamus flushed at both the rebuke and the sadness that laced his grandmother's voice. "I have forgotten nothing, Nokomis. I have learned much and ... " "You have forgotten. You have forgotten your mother, the soldiers, the reasons we keep to our ways here." Tamus tried to keep his tone respectful and his speech in the manner of the old ways. "No, I haven't ... but I have learned that great evil was involved when Mappins was killed, an evil not of our land. The President has no reason to lie about it. You, none of you has ever been away from here. You don't understand how things happen. The outside evil did what it did with help from within. There were parties in the streets of Waboh when she announced that the Kandari were responsible. She's now found that they didn't work alone. The President ..." His grandmother raised a hand. "You forget that I was not born here and nor was your father. I came here from Tasman with your Mishomis over fifty years ago. We chose to remain here with his family." She paused, her eyes pleading with his. "It was not the new President who made the discovery. It was Charles Fisher and he spent years with us. Are you trying to tell me that he was involved in some great conspiracy? That your father fought beside a man who would murder his own friend? Were it not for Fisher, both you and your brother would have died with your mother. And now ... now the President seems to be suggesting that Fisher was involved in some great conspiracy. How can you believe that knowing him as you did? Do you really think you know this new President?" Frustrated, Tamus threw his hands in the air. "How can you know that these soldiers are of the same mind as twenty years ago? We have army planes flying overhead at least three times a week. No one goes in or out of the village without passing through a checkpoint." As his grandmother started to speak, he raised his voice and continued bitterly. "OK. They don't call it a checkpoint. It's just one or two men who always show up and ask where we're going. We're treated like idiots. I think that the soldiers here are being hunted and now even some foreign government is promising to help OUR government find a mysterious faction. What if it's them? What if everyone here is just being used? How can you blindly accept what you're being told without asking questions?" "No one treats us like idiots ..." Donal interjected hotly. "We ..." "We what? Do as they tell us without knowing why?" "Enough." Sarma kept her voice even. "You don't understand. You've been away too long." Red with anger, Tamus rose so quickly that his chair teetered. "I've been away long enough that I know when I'm being played." Pointedly, he stared at his father. "You've said nothing. Why?" "I know these men. You know that. There's nothing you can say that will ..." "Yeah, I figured as much." As he left, he slammed the door behind him leaving the other three to stare at one another. Sarma shook her head as Donal started muttering under his breath. "Donal, let Montgomery know he's out there somewhere." As the door closed quietly behind him, she looked down at her hands, avoiding meeting her son's eyes. "The elders must meet. Here. Tamus isn't the only one who will be thinking this way. We can't have brother fighting brother again." She heard him rise heavily knowing that he knew she wasn't referring only to Tamus and Donal. The Kangarawan Oceanographic Research Vessel Arielle Kasmir Abyss After five hours, Phelps ordered Deep Purple to be brought to the surface. Keeping the fibre-optic tether on the HROV within functional limits had been proving to be a nightmare. The tether itself could only bear up to nine kilograms without snapping and the cyclonic circulation of the water even at depths of over five thousand metres combined with the nightmarish surface conditions at this particular location gave him little choice. There was no chance of finding survivors and as far as he was concerned, extraordinarily little of finding the remains of the helicopter. After consulting with his techs and first officer, he hailed the Antares, informing Vice Admiral Fallet of his decision to pull away from the area at least until first light. He also suggested that the decision to continue searching be reconsidered in the morning. He would accept full responsibility if the decision was made to discontinue the search. Parliament Buildings, Tasman City, Kangarawa Carolyn Master's Office Masters had doggedly worked through the first mound of paper on her desk, trying to ignore her headache. After checking the clock on her desk far, far too often during the morning, she had resolutely turned it the other way when she came back from lunch. Regardless of how often she looked, the time was passing far too slowly for comfort. She needed to speak to Mappins' wife. Putting aside the papers remaining in front of her and turning off her computer monitor, she leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes, wincing at the gritty feeling underneath her eyelids. Her eyes flew open and she jumped slightly as her secretary knocked on her office door. "Carolyn? Sorry to disturb you. Headache? This just came for you." Martina placed an envelope in front of her. "What's this?" "No idea. Messenger just dropped it off and said you knew it was coming. You weren't expecting anything?" Masters ran one hand through her hair, gesturing at her desk. "I probably was, or at least ought to have been. Sorry, Martina. It's been a long day." Martina smiled sympathetically. "Would you mind if I took off early? It's almost 17:00 and Jason has a ballgame." "Not a problem." Masters forced a smile. "Everything else can wait until tomorrow." As Martina closed the door, Carolyn took a closer look at the envelope. No indication of who had sent it or who had delivered it. Carefully, she opened it, removing the single sheet of paper inside.
Slightly bewildered, Carolyn turned the clock around, took a look and hurriedly stuffed the note into her purse. With traffic, she'd just have time to get there. |
![]() ![]() If you get to thinkin' you're a person of some influence, try orderin' somebody else's dog around. | |
![]() |
|
| 1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous) | |
| « Previous Topic · Archive: TEP Evolved · Next Topic » |









7:50 PM Jul 10