[AU] A Nuclear Crisis

Alternate Timelines
1

OOC: In this scenario, it’s present day, but there is no ceasefire and the war still rages on. Anyway, tell me what you think!

Ivan was quickly pacing back and forth while Jon sat calmly behind his desk. “Are you MAD!?! This could cause the whole world to go to shit!” Ivan shouted.

“I’m aware of the repercussions, however, it must still be done. We must destroy this menace,” Jon said.

Ivan looked at his brother in a way that suggested disgust. “What about, Pax, Vekaiyu, or South Hills? How do you think they’ll respond?!?”

Jon didn’t let up. “It MUST be done. If the world has to burn, let it. Also, I expect only our very best nukes to be used,” Jon stared into Ivan’s eyes, his own eyes completely devoid of emotion.

Ivan broke under his brother’s stare. “Fine!” he snapped and left the room.

Jon slowly smiled. He took out a map of the world and slowly crossed off Imperium, Eidenburgh, Laona, and Fort Washington.

2

In Fort Wahington, Greater Xagrurgian Empire

While people are manning the consoles responsible for sending out the orders on firing the nuclear missiles and launching the strategic bombers carrying nuclear warheads in the mountain bunker of Fort Wahington, the commander of the base receives a phone call from the High Commander Erwin Pipua.
Erwin Pipua: “Is Commander Hammond here?”
Commander Hammond: “This is Commander Hammond sir, how can I help you?”
Erwin Pipua: “Are our anti-ballistic missile systems on alert status along with our ICBM silos and our strategic bombers carrying nuclear warheads?”
Commander Hammond: “Yes sir, they’re ready like you ordered us a couple days ago and the ICBMs are targeted at major Allied cities and our strategic bombers can readily deploy tactical nuclear strikes on Yor quickly.”
Erwin Pipua: “Good, our forces have been drilling in case of a nuclear war correct?”
Commander Hammond: “Yes sir, but if I may ask, why are you asking me?”
Erwin Pipua: “We need to prepared if this war escalates, we’ve already had multiple close calls. Also, what happened to our nuclear submarine carrying nuclear missiles submerged in deep waters around Asendavia?”
Commander Hammond: “The nuclear submarine is awaiting orders and is on standby.”
Erwin Pipua: “Prepare to get all personnel into the mountain bunker when my staff and I get there at 0800 hours. I have a feeling the war will escalate soon.”
Erwin Pipua also deploys the fleets to off the shore of mainland Xagrurg and miles away from the Yor isle chain, declares martial law, and begins running civil defense drills with the populace. Additionally, he orders a vault containing plant seeds and cryogenically-frozen sperm for a global cataclysmic event to close its blast door until told to open its blast door by the military over an encrypted channel.

3

OOC: As I said yesterday, I’m going to be gone for most of the day probably.

Jon Harstad was sitting alone in his office when the Admiral of the Royal Asendavian Navy, Ragnar Harstad, entered. “Greetings, Ragnar.”

Ragnar nodded. “The fleets are ready like you asked. They’re patrolling the waters like you asked.”

“And the subs?” Jon asked.

“Our nuclear sub is being accompanied by four other submarines on its trip to Xagrurg. Our remaining subs are patrolling our waters along with the rest of our navy.”

Jon nodded. "Good, very good. Now, while they may not be under your jurisdiction, are the ICBMs and aircraft containing the bombs ready?

Ragnar nodded again. “Yes, they are. Your plane to your bunker in the Ademarite mountain range is also ready.”

“What about our seed and “seed” vault in the Finlanda archipelago?” Jon queried.

“It should be completely safe. It’s a complete secret to the world, it’s hidden in the Finlanda archipelago, which contains NOTHING of strategical importance, and it’s hidden in a mountain.”

Jon smiled. “Good. Now, relay this to the people in charge of the ICBMs and the aircraft containing the bombs. Tell them that Operation Dragonfire has begun.”

Ragnar recoiled a bit in surprise. “NOW?” he asked, a bit too loud.

Jon nodded. “Now,” he agreed.

Ragnar sighed. “Yes sir,” he left the room. With Ragnar now gone, Jon took out his bottle of akevitt and downed the whole thing.

4

(OOC: I will be away from a computer for around five days so if it all goes down just assume Axdel returns fire on any nuclear attacks)

Somewhere near Arkalo-Major city, Axdel

Snow lay thinly over the agrarian landscape, birds cheeping peacefully in the crisp, cool morning. A decrepit farmhouse stood in a suspiciously sectioned off area of active crop farmland, satellite dishes sticking out of the structures’ roof. Within the house and down a steel trapdoor lay a gigantic network of concrete tunnels and shafts, a remnant of the Auroran Imperial War when nuclear attack was a very real threat. Today though, the rooms that once stored rations and munitions now hosted one of many Communications headquarters for the reconnaissance branch of the military. In one specific room, screens covered the wall, displaying the orbits and current positions of the four TROJAN communications interception satellites. Operators manned every screen, the room bustling with activity as any scrap of information that could give the Allies the advantage was scraped from the endless stream of satellite signals. One operator, staring at a screen as an encrypted mess came through from Asendavia, noticed something. He thought about it for a moment, before silently gasping in horror…

Virtus Complex, Montakaan Citadel, Axdel

The operations room was quiet. A map of Aurora depicting where Allied and Axis Units were currently positioned lay before the military and governmental elite. Leon Jolva and Jargk Reita were conversing as the screen at the end of the room blinked into life, displaying an incoming message from Reconnaissance.

“Put it through,” Said Leon, turning to face the screen.

The display went to static for a moment, and then to a call screen before the distressed voice of the head of recon, Morsil Loris, came through.

“We have a situation here!” he said, unease in his voice.

“What is it? give us some intel.” Jargk ordered.

“A TROJAN satellite intercepted a heavily encrypted communication from Asendavia headed for the sea south of the GXE. We haven’t deciphered its contents as of yet, but the encryption pattern used is strictly for nuclear communications, and we have inferred that Asendavian nuclear armed submarines have just become active.”

“WHAT, ARE THEY MAD!!” yelled Jargk, drowning out concerned whispers from the other members of the room. “THE GXE HAS NUCLEAR SILOS AND AN ARMED NUCLEAR SUBMARINE ON THE LOOSE!!!”

“Stay calm Jargk” Said Leon gravely. “Do you have any other important information Loris”

“No, not right now,” he replied. “Until the message is deciphered, however, we need to remain on high alert. Get everyone important to a bunker and put the nation on Red status ((Devastating Attack Imminent)) in case it comes to the worst.”

“Understood, focus all your efforts on cracking that message, get back to us when you do.” Replied Leon. “We’ll do what we can on our end to prepare the people for a possible attack.”

“Acknowledged Mr President, Loris out.” And the voice call ended.

“Alright, until Loris gets back to us, put Axdel’s emergency status on Red” affirmed Leon. “When we know what was in that message, we can decide how we will act then…”

5

0900 hours, Fort Wahington, Greater Xagrurgian Empire

Erwin Pipua and his staff along with the top scientists in the GXE have arrived and settled into the mountain bunker complex in Fort Wahington and have shut the blast doors. Suddenly, communication chatter increases suddenly and Erwin Pipua asks Commander Hammond what is going on.
(Commander Hammond is on the phone with the head of the National Intelligence Agency in his office when Erwin Pipua walks in.)
Commander Hammond: “Are you sure this is right? This would spell all-out nucle-” (notices Erwin Pipua) “Excuse me, Erwin Pipua is here. I’ll put you on loudspeaker.”
Erwin Pipua: “I noticed the panic in the command room, what the hell is going on?”
Commander Hammond: “Our military spy satellites have intercepted encrypted communications from Asendavia about something of nuclear missiles and fleets going towards the GXE but we’re still trying to decrypt the entire message.”
Erwin Pipua: “Damn, the crazy bastards actually did it. Alert all civil defense coordinators in the cities to sound the nuclear attack alarms and tell our forces and civilians to seek shelter in fallout shelters or anything that can shield them from the brunt of a nuclear detonation. Downgrade our nuclear launch status to NC-1, alert all airfields to begin loading their nuclear warheads into the bombers and our ICBM silos to launch upon a minute’s notice. As for our fleets, alert them for any possible enemy nuclear submarines or vessels capable of firing nuclear missiles. For Yor, get our forces into the fallout shelters and alert the Kostromastan and Ethalarian governments of the new situation. We’re going to war.”
[hr]
In Novgorod, Kostromastan
The entire government is in crisis due to the imminent threat of nuclear war and as a result, PresidentAlbert Lewinsky, his staff, and the cabinet are heading to their underground nuclear bunkers in isolated parts of the desert and the military is warned of the possibility of nuclear launches by the Allied forces. The subterran forces are attempting to build new nuclear bunkers for the population.
[hr]
In Eidenburgh, Imperium, Laota, and most of the GXE
About half of the population have retreated into the fallout shelters which are stocked with enough food, water, and medicine for 20 years but riots have broken out in many cities resulting in the national guard being deployed to crack down on looting and restore order.

6

Meanwhile off the coast of Yor deep below the waters the RKS Furnifold and RKS Blueacia was put on high aleart to launch at the sign of threat by GXE. The SY KHADD systems were all fully loaded and ready to defend yor from airborne threats.

7

Ethalrian HQ

“We have our orders from thw matriarch herself. Our allies in Xagrurg have started to prepare for nuclear strikes. If they are getting ready, so should we.” The high General Juhan Othaios held a little pause to give his underlings time to really understand what he said. Then he continued with worry in his voice.
“This may lead to the end of our way of life, but that isn’t necessarily the case. Succesful first strikes give us enough time to get huge amounts of people to bunkers where they’ll be relatively safe.”

“We must start preparations for that immeddiately, don’t you agree?” The secretary of homeland security of Ethalria said.

“Yes, you are definately right. We must just hope that those damn Caltharusians won’t realize what we are doing.”

Constantine fortress, later that day

Otto’s face was twisting to a horrified face. The knowledge that movement around Ethalrian missle bases was increasing was highly alarming.

“While the whole idea of launching our nukes is absolutely horrifying, we must be ready to do that if the situation demands that. We will not allow Ethalrians kill us off in atomic fire, without the bastards burning themselves.”

The room around him collectively nodded in agreement.

Then Fredrik III Constantine rose and spoke:
“I agree with you, we must be ready but i’ll lead this preparation from Lambertupol itself, if my people will die in nuclear warfare, so will i. I wouldn’t be able to continue living, with blood of so many people in my hands”…

8

After 80% of the GXE population is evacuated into fallout shelters by civil defense coordinators, Erwin Pipua gives the greenlight on launching all strategic bombers and ICBMs. The nuclear submarine near the Asendavian coast fires its nuclear missiles at Stromharad, Yoria, Zhelevoka, and Fort Tungrad. The strategic bombers, loaded with biological weapons and nuclear warheads, begin flying towards the SCE and South Yor. The ICBMs fly towards their targets such as Sani Bursil, Kirdintayos, Aeternum, major civilian centers, and the forts of the SCE along towards Asendavia. As the sirens roared, civilians of the GXE who weren’t in shelter begin rushing towards their fallout shelters and to the metro system and hunkering down, preparing for the nuclear apocalypse afterwards. GXE military forces who received word that the nuclear war is starting, begin equipping MOPP equipment to fight in the very hazardous environment afterwards.
[hr]
Meanwhile in the mountain complex of Fort Wahington…
Scientist: “Holy shit, this is actually happening. The world is going to end in a nuclear holocaust,” says him in a shocked expression.
Commander Hammond: “Me too, I thought the Asendavians were arrogant, but not arrogant to fire nukes at a nuclear-armed country.”
Erwin Pipua: “Well, I suppose I should start a couple research projects now that we’re locked in here.”
(To the scientists) “The 100 of you shall begin working on an armored powered mechanical suit for soldiers that has nuclear, biological, and chemical protection to eventually replace our tanks. I know this is ambitious but it will be very useful in the wasteland. Now, I am going to radio into the other bunkers with scientists and tell them to work on terraforming technology that can help clean up the fallout. That is all.”

9

After the population was sufficiently warned and the nobles evacuated into bunkers, the orders to launch the ICBMs towards Imperium, Laona, Edinburgh, and Fort Washington were given. The nuclear submarine, now close to Xagrurg, launched its missiles. After releasing all of its missiles, it joined its fellow submarines in seeking out the Xagrurgian navy. With the enemy nukes now heading towards the cities, the military launched most of its GTAM missiles in an attempt to shoot them down.
[hr]
Meanwhile, somewhere in the Ademarite mountains, Jon Harstad VII was in his nuclear bunker along with his ministers and most of the major nobles in the realm. His brother, Ivan Harstad, High Commander of the Asendavian Military, had drank himself to sleep earlier. Jon sat by himself, flipping a knife over and over again. Nearby him, the count of Gjøjøen, Aslak Ingvar, sat brooding. Finally, Aslak spoke up.

“This is ridiculous! I understand going to war with the GXE, but launching nukes? No, it’s completely ridiculous!” he started directing his anger at Jon. “Why? Why did you have to give the orders to launch the nukes? You’ve doomed us all!”

Jon looked calmly at Aslak. “Come over here, please.”

Aslak walked over to him. “What?”

Jon caught his knife by the hilt and smiled. He flashed out with the knife and cut Aslak’s throat. Aslak fell to his knees, trying to stop the blood from flowing. Everyone began to scream and shout. “Anyone else who has a problem, come to me,” he said, his voice barely audible above everyone else’s.

10

Strategic Ballistic Missile Defense Organization, Fort Wahignton
Detecting nuclear launches off the coast of Xagrurg, controllers of the consoles quickly begin working to shoot down the enemy missiles with anti-ballistic missiles and alert the fleets of the enemy submarines’ positions.
[hr]
1st Carrier Task Force, somewhere in the South Xagrurg Sea

When the admiral received word that the nuclear war has commenced, he took a seat and began a transmission to all surviving GXE fleets.
Admiral: “This is Admiral George Smith of the 1st Carrier Task Force. I know that you all have received word that Armageddon has now started, but you must keep to your task of destroying any enemy vessels as we cannot risk our great country being devastated any more than it has to. We all have enough food, water, medicine, ammunition, and fuel to last us decades, perhaps even a century at best, but our industrial capacity is likely to be blown to hell so try to not get damaged or sunk. Let us all hope that the people of the GXE will survive this mess.” (Ends transmission)
After recieving another transmission from Fort Wahington stating the possible locations of enemy submarines, the admiral quickly sends out orders to the GXE destroyers and attack submarines to hunt them down and tells the fleets to stay on high alert and to prepare for the shockwave of the nuclear blasts.

11

Jon Harstad VII was sleeping in his room in the bunker when his brother Ivan, equipped with an M17 handgun, entered the room. Jon, always a light sleeper, woke up as his door creaked. After he cleared the sleep from his eyes, he saw Ivan pointing the handgun at him.

“Ivan,” he called calmly. “Put the gun down,” Ivan shook his head. “Put. The. Gun. Down,” Ivan shook his head again as tears began streaming down his face and his arms started shaking.

“This can’t go on any longer, Jon, it has to stop. YOU need to be stopped,” Ivan’s breaths started becoming shakier and shakier. “You’ve gone too far, Jon.”

Jon stayed calm. “This can all be fixed, Ivan, if you just put, the gun, down.”

Ivan shook his head vigorously. “NO!” he screamed.

“Ivan, do as your brother says. You know what mother used to always say. ‘You need to listen to your brother more, Ivan. A younger brother is supposed to listen to their older brother.’”

“Don’t you bring Mother into this! Don’t you fucking DARE!”

“Ivan, I will say this one last time. Put the gun down,” Jon glared at Ivan.

Ivan shook his head a third time.

“PUT THE FUCKING GUN DOWN!” Jon screamed.

Ivan looked at him and sank to the floor. He dropped the gun next to him and openly wept, his whole body shuddering with each sob.

Jon got up and walked over to him. “It’s alright, I know how to fix this,” he picked up the gun that Ivan had dropped and shot him in the head. Ivan’s sobs came to a sudden stop as blood and pieces of his brain and skull sprayed against the wall behind him. Jon scoffed in disgust and wiped the blood off of himself with a handkerchief. Jon looked at his brother’s corpse in disgust and spit on him. “You always were a disgrace. You should have never been born. I have no idea what mother saw in you,” he turned away from his brother’s corpse and called for a servant to come and clean up the mess in his room.
[hr]
Meanwhile, the five submarines in the South Xagrurg Sea scattered in every direction so that if the GXE’s fleets found one submarine, there would still be four out there.