Powder Keg

[Southern_Yugoslavia]

May 2015

Refugees continue to pour in from the south during the Durbia Conflict, inflaming tensions between the majority Vuks and minority Lisics. Lisic population centers are mostly affected by the increase in refugees. The National Army continues policing in the south in an attempt to assist local law enforcement.

September 2015

Refugee populations in the Lisic territories increase exponentially. Lisic local governments begin passing laws to control refugees, forcing them into poor housing. Local governments complain to the federal government, which is dominated by the Vuks. Northern Vukia is still largely unaffected by refugees.

November 2015

The National Assembly votes in favor of pulling the National Army out of the south, leaving predominately Lisic law enforcement to deal with a swelling population. Crime continues to rise in southern Vukia, and attacks on refugees by Lisic citizens continue to rise. Police do nothing.

December 29, 2015

Four refugees and two Vukian soldiers are killed by Kosta Ratarevic, a Lisic serving in the National Army stationed at the Mozgovo Army Base. Ratarevic is killed by other Vukian soldiers, inciting protests and riots across southern Vukia. Ratarevic is martyred among resistance circles.

January 2, 2016

The mostly Vukian National Army fears similar attacks by Lisic soldiers, and purges those to be considered “at risk.” Further protests are sparked and Lisic soldiers join them. These protests become violent when the National Police are called in.

January 18, 2016

The Free Lisic Army is formed by remnants of those purged earlier in January as the militant wing of the Lisic Freedom Party. Lisic soldiers still in the National Army begin defecting to the FLA, taking with them their weapons and equipment. The National Army begins executing those caught defecting. The National Assembly backs the punishments handed down and approves the Defection Punishment Act. Lisic deputies walk out on the session.

February 3, 2016

The Presidential Palace is locked down after an unidentified man fires at President Lyudmila Tomasek. He is later arrested and identified as Zdeslav Stanisic, a Lisic deputy of parliament.

Late February, 2016

The now totally dominated Parliament approves the National Army to return to southern Vukia in an attempt to quell resistance against the national government. The FLA reaches out to the general population of the Lisic territories for volunteers. Hundreds flock to secret FLA recruitment centers.

Early March, 2016

Tensions hit an all time high after Verica Terzin, a 20 year old student attending Sumsko Federal University, is beaten and killed by a group of Vuk police officers after she spoke out during a protest in Sumsko. FLA membership reportedly explodes to 5,000 troops in the days following.

March 31, 2016

A series of suicide and car bombings rip through Vukia, targeting refugees and Vuks. Sumsko is hit the heaviest in bombings, the National Assembly building one of those targeted. Three Vuk deputies and the Speaker of Parliament, Vuksha Verba is killed in the attack. 482 people are killed and over 1,500 people are injured in the attacks. Just over 100 of those killed were National Army soldiers, the rest civilians. The FLA claim responsibility. President Tomasek denounced the bombings, declared a national day of mourning, and declared war on the FLA.

April 1, 2016

Operation Mountain Anvil is launched by the National Army; all Lisic soldiers are purged and elements of the Army invade the south. Airstrikes target FLA encampments and pro-FLA local government buildings. Open fighting breaks out between the National Army and FLA.

April 2, 2016

Operation Mountain Anvil continues into its second day, with tens dead on both sides and hundreds injured. Gunfire, explosions, and rampant chaos are common throughout the southern territories in Vukia. Lisic refugees begin fleeing west into Bohwacja as retaliation by Vukian troops becomes common. FLA troops protect fleeing Lisic civilians, targeting Vukian civilians and Durbian refugees also trying to leave the country.

[Val]

Joanna stood in front of a bus carrying Vukians. It was a lonely stretch of road which was a out of the way route for fleeing refugees. Trees grew uncontrollably in the countryside, despite there being full-blown conflicts in certain regions. The Corsair munched on a cigar through her balaclava with an AK-47 in the left hand. On her head was a beret fashioned by the FLA. The right went up in a waving motion to her subordinates. Then suddenly, an orchestra of small arms fire erupted from one side of the street. Bullets ripping through the aluminum sides, windows, striking flesh. Screams of men, women, and children were heard as the torrent of hot lead flowed through them. Gunfire stopped, followed by an eerie silence.

The female leader noticed a heavily bleeding woman dragging herself across the street on the other side of the bus. Annoyed, Joanna walked over to the crawling individual, positioning herself to where the woman’s head was. Lifting the right combat boot, she brought it down with full force onto the victim’s head. The leather footwear mixed with skull fragments and brain matter.

One fellow Corsair walked up to his supervisor and said, “Bodies are checked, nothing of interest, nor any infants.”

Still standing in the remains of one’s head, Joanna responded while still enjoying her cigar, “Damn, no luck today.”

“If I may ask, what are we doing with them?”

“The higher ups wanted them for some pet project. Way above my pay-grade,” she said while giving a few puffs on the roll of tobacco. Then the cries of an infant emanated from the bus. Startled, the leader shot her subordinate a look and gave him the rifle. She briskly walked while taking off the balaclava and beret, revealing a stream of jet black hair with buzzed sides. Her neck was covered in tattoos as she forced open the bus doors and began searching for the infant. Each step was placed carefully amongst the bodies, not wanting to trip or fall as the search resumed. Underneath one seat she spotted a swaddled figure, the source of the cries. Gently, she pulled the small thing out from under the seat and brought it up to her chest. Cooing and rocking she said, “Ooooh, you are a cute one. Hush little baby, I’ll help take care of you.”

The crying stopped as the infant looked with amazement at the weird looking woman. Her lips and eye-shadow were colored black in comparison to her rather pale skin. He began staring at the tattoo of a lion on her neck, a rather large one. Joanna started walking out of the bus with the baby securely in one arm, the other issuing hand signals to the Corsairs. Continuing her cooing, she walked into the woods with the others, signalling that their job was done.

[Val]

Joanne stood under the cover of darkness as a village of Vukians was just up ahead. Looking around, the woman saw nothing aside from the flora native to the region. Then, instinctively, she slowly drew her 1911 sidearm from it’s thigh holster and pointed it in a particular direction to the right. After a second, a voice emanated from the exact same direction, “Ok, you can stop pointing that at me.”

The leader responded, “Maybe if you stop sneaking up on me Thule, you wouldn’t be looking down the face of a barrel.”

A chuckle could be heard as Thule walked under the cover of the trees. Spots of moonlight radiating through gaps, revealing a felidae individual in combat clothing. He remarked, “And you came by yourself for little old me. Should I be flattered?”

“Flattered, no. Especially since I have to find your ass when you go on your sabbaticals without me knowing,” the goth-looking woman said, finally holstering her sidearm. She didn’t particularly like having to play the role of babysitting Thule, especially when he went on his sprees with only a knife. He brandished his recently bloodied knife in the moonlight, signifying he has done his fair share of relieving the blood pressure of some.

It wasn’t out of the norm for Thule, although he had a significant authority problem. Especially when he went on his own without support or informing his superiors. Despite that, Thule is one of the many Corsairs. Bloodthirsty, brutal, many of which were dishonorably discharged veterans of previous wars. Some serial killers whom were broken out of maximum security penitentiaries across the globe with life sentences, or even on death row. The felidae was on death row in the Veridian Empire for the rape, torture, and murder of five different women, recent immigrants. His streak ended at the sixth, being an armed women who wounded him, later commented as an “unlucky shot” by the same person in the Rhode Reader.

Joanne then asked, “Feeling better now?”

To which he sniffed the air and breathed in deeply before commenting, “Yes, much better. The bus shooting left me a little dissatisfied.”

“Yeah, yeah. Nothing like the feeling of seeing the life disappear from the eyes of someone you stabbed,” she said dismissively, starting the long walk back to camp. “At least tell me they were Vuks.”

“Yes they were Joanne, yes they were. We only get paid for Vuks, why do something your good at for free?”

“No children?”

“Oh good lord no,” said Thule, obviously insulted at the mere idea that he committed such atrocities towards children.

Noting his mannerisms, she smiled and retorted, “Not that way Thule. I meant infants for the program.”

He sighed in relief, “Oh thank goodness. I may be scum and villainy, but I have a code of ethics. As to infants for the program, none so far found. I know about the bonuses for each one over the quota for this month. I’ve been keeping a watchful eye, not to worry.”