A Battle Unseen

[Louis]

When the Snow Shrouds Evil
El Capitolio, Distrito Real, Altea | 11:09 PM
11 August 5635

---

The air is crisp and cool. The Egelian capital lights up the Temarian valley. Lights shine on Lake Sorsuela reflecting a peaceful and quiet night. Several vehicles are parked in front of El Capitolio, the meeting place of the Royal Council. The building remains heavily guarded, men at every entrance every window. 20 members of the Royal Guard are scattered throughout the ground---the king has graced the building with this presence. The smell of burning candles, rose incense, and the cold crisp air infiltrate the building. Behind two golden doors at El Capitolio, intense debate can be heard.

Rey Romulo

My dear Councilors, 

I appreciate the upmost caution and haste you have all shown to meet with me at this late hour. I have invited Directora Eugenia Clarisol, our new leader of the IEI, to discuss new developments regarding the Republicans terrorist group. As your king, I demand the composure of this council is maintained. I concur that feelings at this moment in our history can be elevated, but we must trust our institutions and our will to sell justice. Directora, Adelante.

A woman with blonde hair, green eyes, and a professional gray pantsuit rises from her seat, heads to the center of the circular table, and begin to speak. 

Dir. Clarisol, IEI

Gracias, Majestad. You're excellencies, I am content to divulge that we have found the leadership of the Republicans terrorist group. To my understanding, their leadership is weak and their organization is unconsolidated. Our team at IEI traced banknotes from Banco Ibarra to an unknown source in the town of Rosario in Caille. These banknotes showed foreign purchases of gunpowder, metals, and ammunition. Their use of domestic banks and failing to cover their taxes gives us undisputable evidence that their organization is weak and their following is low.

The five people sitting at the table stare at each other, some in shock, others relieved and one with questions. 

Royal Councilor Andrade Montalivet-Tarazón

Majestad,

I must ask, how can we be sure that their following is minimal? We have just seen them pass through our royal guard and execute a large attack in the heart of the capital. I must ask, what evidence exists that shows us these claims?

There is a small silence in the room.

RR

Directora?

Dir. Clarisol, IEI

Your Excellency,

We sent three agents to Rosario three days ago. We interrogated officials at Banco Ibarra's branch covertly and they confirmed the purchases via their system. Thanks to our agents, we have also tracked several vehicles to a ranch in the city. According to satellite imagery, we have concluded that this ranch has been the site of several explosions testing. We believe several individuals have entered this ranch in the past few days. It is possible they have been using snow to cover an underground location. They have used geography to their advantage.

Royal Councilor Ibarra

Councilor Montalivet, I can assure you that the bank statements and wires do exist. I have seen them myself at our headquarters. I cannot discover the location of where the money came from, but I can disclose that the receivers are located in Rosario. I do think we can track its source, but that would require a deeper investigation that would take more time. I fear the source of funds is coming from outside of Keris.

Royal Councilor Montalivet stares. Says nothing and crosses his arms, glaring at the king.

Royal Councilor Mondragon

I thank the Director over this information, but what are our next steps. We found a ranch in Rosario, we tracked bank notes to them and have images of weapons--what now? I think the information is useful, but we need immediate action.

Dir. Clarisol, IEI

Your Excellency, We will strike. We are preparing a team of Golden Caps (Egelian Special Forces) to storm the area and bring any prisoners to Cartablanca. We are looking to keep them locked up in the cells of Castillo Garibaldi, away from the capital and from people, we belie--

The next councilor stands and interrupts the director gaining a strong reaction from other councilors and the king himself.

Royal Councilor Cascabel

If you ask me, you should kill them on the spot.--they killed several in Altea! And let's not forget the injuries of the Queen and Prince! Why would we need them in Cartablanca another populated center? I say we kill them and inform the public about it.

Before others get a chancer to speak, the director responds quickly and with a stern voice.

Dir. Clarisol, IEI

Your Excellency, I had of course initially thought of this idea myself. It is well within reason..... However... 

 
Silence is born as the councilors stare at each other.

Royal Councilor Cascabel

Continue...

With a small tremble and nervousness in her voice:
Dir. Clarisol, IEI

I have been tasked by His Majesty to keep them alive for reasons I cannot disclose.

A long silence begins. The crackle of the fireplace and the sounds of the outside fountain can be heard.

High Councilor Formoselle

You have heard her and the future of this terrorist group. We are fortunate to be dealing with a small but armed group. We can end this stain of our history with a successful attack. Majestad.... Directora.... I stand with you. By reason or by the sword.

Everyone stands. Some immediately, while others take their time.
All

By reason or by the sword!

They remain standing. Silence once again fills the room. They all stare at the king for a reaction. He stares at them with intent. He looks at each of them and nods. He stands and stares at them all with a vicious look and with confidence in his eyes and speaks:
RR

By reason or by the sword.

The king walks to the exit followed by four guards. The metal of the guards' armor can be heard. The kings step echoed in the room reassuring command and power. The doors open and shut, ending the meeting.

[Doc]

Ananto Manor, Eveari  August 2, 4:30 pm

Princess Margaret strode into the room  The Empress was sitting behind the desk and looked up to see her sister, recently discharged from National Service marching into her office unannounced, and as a matter of fact, unexpected.  She put her pen down and sat back.  Margret pulled up a large comfortable chair to the desk with out much effort and sat down fairly dramatically.

"Welcome home," said Mary.  "To what do we owe this visit?"

"Sign me up," said the gregarious and rambunctious Margaret.

"Sign you up?" asked a slightly bemused Mary.  "Sign you up for what?"

"I don't know...  anything...  what do you need me to do?"

"Relax.  I am not even sure what you are talking about," answered the Empress.

"I want to be of service to the Government.  I want to do something important."  Margaret was growing impatient.

"Meg, you just got out of service.  Take some time, relax, let your hair down, be free.  You have served the Empire admirably."

"Mary, I think I can help.  What do you need me to do?  I want to do something public."

The Empress sat back in her seat and thought.  "What you should do now is be a free young woman.  You're starting college here in a month.  Go around the country, see the sights, do you.  Enjoy your life."

"Mary, look...  I really want to keep working.  I think I can make a contribution.  I'm part of this family too...  I..."

Mary sat forward and looked her in the eye.  "Meg.  I promise you that there will be more work for you than you know what to do with.  Being my sister will become your entire life soon enough.  I want you to have some time for yourself before you get into this mess-- Once you step foot into it, you won't ever be done with it."  Mary shifted topics effortlessly.  "You want to study theory and languages, yes?"

"Yeah, totally.  Artanian languages.  Why?"

"Would you ever consider studying foreign policy analysis rather than theory?"

Margaret gave her sister a quizzical look.  "No...  I guess I never have..."

Mary nodded.  "Perhaps you'll take a look into it."  She then abruptly asked:  "How do you feel about Lhasa?"

"Lhasa?  um... like Lhasa Lhasa?"  Mary nodded.  "I suppose I have never really given Lhasa any thought.  I heard they have good skiing there, I suppose."

"They do," answered Mary.  After a small amount of thought, she took out a small sheet of paper and wrote a name on it.  "Do me a favor, alright?  Before you start the term, I'd like you to take a trip to Lhasa for me and go speak to this man."

Margaret took a paper.  On it was a name:  "Dr. Thomas Cooke, Lhasa University, Department of Theater."

"Who is this?" asked Margaret.

"He's a man I want you to talk to before you start school."

"But who is he?"

Mary laid her pen down and stared at her sister.  "Look Meg.  Just talk to him.  He'll be expecting you."

Margaret sensed there was something more to this request than her sister let on.  "Lhasa, huh?"

Mary nodded.  "Lhasa..."  Margaret suddenly put two and two together.  A serious weight settled over the room.

"I'll go see him."

"But you need to go to school, Meg.  I need someone around who knows what they are talking about."

Margaret nodded.

"Rest up, kid.  You've got a lot of work ahead of you," Mary said.

Margaret scoffed and laughed, "Kid..."

"Want some coffee?" Mary asked.

"Sure," answered Margaret.

Mary stood up and her little sister followed her out of the room to begin the trek through the ancient, cavernous mansion to the kitchen.  The talked and laughed the whole way there, though didn't speak any more about Margaret joining the government.

[Doc]

Lhasa University, Theater Department, Mountainview a658, August 12, 10:30am

A young lady wearing a gray Lhasa University sweatshirt walked down the hall.  She had her hair tied back in a loose pony tail and wore dark glasses.  She walked down the hall, reading the room numbers.  A couple of students enrolled in summer classes passed by, and were staring at their phones giggling over some internet video.  They paid the young lady no mind.

As she approached the room that said "a658- Dr. T. Cooke" she knocked on the open office door.  The professor, sitting at a desk covered in books, stacks of paper, and a computer did not look up, but focused on writing grades in a ledger.

"Yes?" he said.

"Dr. Cooke?" the girl asked.

"Yes?  How can I help you, Miss..."

"Um.  Mary sent me."

"Mary?  Mary who?"

"Mary...  Mary Ananto..." the girl hesitantly answered.

The professor immediately looked up from his work.  "Mary Anan..." the professor stopped short as the word caught in his throat, as if not being willing to say the name.  He looked at the girl closely...  "Then that will make you..."

The girl nodded her head...

"Ahhhh...  Please...  uh...  please come in,  Your Highness...  Please...  Come in...  Close the door..."

The Princess entered the room and closed the door.  The man quickly cleared a stack of paper from the desk and made sure the blinds were closed.

"Your Highness.  I didn't expect that you would come here."

"Well, she said to come find you..."

"I mean, you could have called the department, I would have met you in town..."

"This is as good a place as any," Margaret said.

"So what can I do for you, Your Highness."

"My sister told me to talk with you.  She said you would be expecting me."

"Indeed," answered Dr. Cooke.  "Eveari called me last week.  But they said to expect you, they didn't tell me what for."

Princess Margaret narrowed her eyes.  "I assume there is some reason the Empress asked me to meet you.  Here in Lhasa..."

The professor looked at her.  "Your Highness, if you please.  Would you remove your glasses?"

Margaret removed her glasses.  The Professor studied her facial features.

"Madame, what do you think you are here for?"

The Princess asked, "I...  Am I in the wrong place?"

"Perhaps you are, Highness.  I am not sure.  You haven't really answered my question."

The Princess suddenly felt very awkward and out of place.  "I told the Empress I would like to be of service.  She asked me about policy analysis, and then told me I should meet with you."

"And do you know what I do, Your Highness?"

"I assume you are a... theater teacher?"  Margaret asked, thoroughly confused.

"Indeed... I am," the Professor said, as if carefully considering her words while his mind was in a different place.  He lifted a stack of paper, and pulled out a list of random letters and handed it to the Princess.  "Tell me what you think that is?"  

She studied the paper for a moment.  "Well, it's, lets see...  8, 8...  eight eights, and 32 of those.  There is something to the 8s here.  I think it must be a code of some kind..."

"Interesting," the professor said.

"What, did I get it right?"

The professor stared for a moment at the Princess but didn't say anything.

"The code, Dr. Cooke.  Is it a code?"

As if he suddenly snapped back to reality.  "Oh,  uh...  yes, it's the one time pad...  I... um...  I, uh, wonder..  Would you be willing to meet me at..."  He paused to write another address on a piece of paper...  "this address?"

The Princess took the sheet of paper and read it.  "What's this address to?"

"This, Your Highness, is a gyro shop here in Lhasa."

The Princess paused as if she hadn't heard him quite right and then said, "You guys work out of a Gyro restaurant?"

The Professor looked at the Princess.  "What, Your Highness?  No...  It's lunch time.  But we need to talk, and not here.  Can you meet me there in a half hour?  I have these grades to enter before the summer term ends, and I wasn't expecting you so soon."

The Professor laughed and shook his head, and then muttered to himself, "Do we work out of a gyro restaurant...  That's funny..."  The Princess realized that the professor had ended the meeting.  So she stood up.  "Please close the door behind you, Your Highness.  And make sure to pull your hood up again.  You're a one of those easy-to-identify types.  Head left and then go up the elevator.  You should be ok."

The Princess left.  She could guess what Dr. Cooke really did for a living.  The Bureau picked an out of the way place like Lhasa for a reason.  But right now, she was going to eat gyros with a person who taught theater to college kids.  Such is work for the Empire.

[hyraemous]

It was October 5636.

Two students were dancing in their bedroom. It was very loud Luthorian music with a nice calm tune.

They had just finished their studies and were about to get a snack and do some stuff we're not here for. In fact, that was why the blinds were closed. Nobody could see in, but nobody could see out either. It was nighttime on a Friday. All was well.

Then everything shook. A loud boom. Windows broke, their blinds collapsed, and everything continued to shake.

And the lights went out... except for a brief orange glow.

It smelled like gasoline.

When the students managed to leave their place to investigate, a car was in the rooftop burning and upside down. A man, missing a good chunk of his body and a major chunk of his legs, had managed to crawl out and he was burning and covered in oil and blood. He would crawl to the edge before suddenly stopping and falling unconscious. He would be dead when the ambulance came. Brief screaming would also come out of the burning car, though nobody made it to the rooftop yet to try and do anything about it.

The fire, of course, started to spread throughout the building in question. At least everyone inside ran outside once they saw burning pieces of rooftop fall on their bedrooms and living rooms. The building itself was one story and it looked like one of those mass-built apartment buildings without the usual height that would come with those buildings.

And there was a small hole in the street.

But how did this happen?

Meet Rheinus Stembremmer Gutenberg. A investigator in the tainted Kundrati human rights investigation, he had just turned 78 and was going to another medical appointment. He had fallen just a couple of days back and ever since then he hadn't really felt well. In fact, he was about to go to the doctors to get the results of a scan on one of his legs.

Gutenburg lived a bit far from the doctors' office, he was living in a high end house overlooking a hill. He loved the breeze and his house and he was already retired with several children and grandchildren who lived in parts of Himmelstern and the general Triad republics. In fact, not only did he love his house but he loved his gardens. He was renowned throughout his neighborhood as a calm man who had loved his plants and who contributed to the local market every Sunday with his bell peppers and the like.

But some skeletal closets were in his mind. He did contribute to the Kundrati investigation. He was one of the main folks who contributed to the evidence swaying the decision to find no human rights violations in Legionary Kundrati... despite the fact otherwise. He was unapologetic about it, after all it had to be done, lest the investigation become another political wrangling match.

The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution in Etxea had been making a small list in secret of who to go after should things go bad. The list were people who had slighted Kundrati at-large and Etxea in general. Anyone on that list would be subject to death no matter what and no matter what the current geopolitical situation was. Gutenburg's name was on that list.

So for the last couple of weeks a few Etxeans had landed in Himmelstern. One of them got a job as a taxi driver. She would drive her rounds, figure out how the car would operate, and how the taxi rounds were planned and how people planned their routes. She would also look at how the cars would work from the inside, especially in terms of their insides and how a bomb could fit and operate. A few weeks later one of the taxis would go missing and end up in a warehouse. That was where some of the remaining Etxeans were, getting some explosive material in the meantime and working on a wiring system. They had collected enough dynamite to explode the car at least.

They set up the taxi with enough dynamite on the bottom and in various hidden areas and wired the taxi so that if a certain button was pressed, the dynamite and the taxi would explode. Now came the waiting game.

Two final Etxeans would follow Gutenberg. They would watch his house every day, taking pictures and sending them back to headquarters. The house was a fair bit quiet sometimes, after all it was just him and his wife and they would tend to their house. Sometimes their children and grandchildren visit, sometimes the duo have a nurse come out, and sometimes they would call a taxi and head to the doctors' or to somewhere nice. Every Sunday, they'd walk with a small cart with vegetables and fruits and the like to the market.

Yet one day an ambulance came. That was unusual.

Paramedics entered the house and carried out Gutenberg. 

That was the day of the fall.

Gutenberg returned home a couple of days later. But it was clear his health would need work. And so every Friday he would hail a taxi and, with his wife, head to his doctors. Headquarters had thus found their biggest opportunity to axe him.

The agent who was making her rounds had done so for a while now. Every few rounds she would be asked as to her accent, after all she was Etxean and far from home, but she was good at Luthorian. She always said she was from the diaspora, she was born in Fort William while her parents were from Kundrati itself. Of course, it was a fair background, after all many Kundratis (even the first Etxean president) started their lives in Luthori or away from home. Actually, she had begun to take classes in the local language... she had found a love match and wanted to impress him. He had been in one of her taxi rides and they couldn't understand each other much... but they had each other's number.

So when Gutenberg became one of her rounds this Friday night, she accepted. It was her job. She picked the man and the wife up and drove off.

And once they were in the street, she pressed the button.

The car briefly became a burning airplane before landing, flipped, on top of that rooftop. Gutenburg would manage to escape, though he wouldn't make it. The wife and the agent would scream, but they would succumb to the smoke and the burning.

And the news came.

[Doc]

Vrassa Station North, Northern Vrassa, November 14, 5636  11:47 pm

It was a night like many others.  Cold, even for Vrassa, a frozen fog was building in the valley, but here on the mountain top it was relatively clear.  Cpl. Sarah Tyler sat on the radio, as it made its scan through channels listening for the signals coming from Keris and Artania.  Kalistan had fewer assets in Artania, but the Station still needed to collect their reports.  It was the top of the hour and reports would be coming in very soon.  They would also say one word:  "Clear."  Cpl Tyler would mark each freq down with a C, and then spend the rest of the hour scanning the static.

At 11:49 local, Tyler saw a red light blinking on her console.  The blinking light caught her by surprise.  She wasn't quite sure what to do.  She looked around, for the officer in charge, but the Lieutenant had already returned to the BOQ for the evening.  "Damn," she thought.  "What does that red light mean?"  It had an H over it... with a plug for a 1/4 inch phone jack.

She thought for a moment and unplugged her phones from the scanner, and plugged it into the female jack.  She keyed the mic twice, out of habit.

"Hello?"  She asked.

"Who is this?" the voice asked on the other end.

"This is Co..."  she stopped herself short.  "This is Sarah.  Who is this?"

"Civilian, get off this channel," the voice shouted back into the headset.

"This is Corporal Sarah Tyler in Vrassa."

There was a pause.  "What did one snowman say to the other?"  asked the voice.

Corporal Tyler answered "What?  Who is this?"

"Civilian, get off this channel!"  repeated the voice.  She took her headset off.  What the hell was this?  She had no idea what to do.  She looked under the desk and found her manual.  She opened it up and flipped through it.  

How to scan.  

How to log.  

How to repair the radio.  

How to remove crypto.  

How to destroy crypto.  

Switches, 

Settings  

"Hutori..."  

Hutori.  H.  "If this light designated Hotel illuminates, mount the TH-401 Headset device into the female 1/4 inch jack.  Announce your station callsign, wait for response.  Answer Copy.  Contact will say the Challenge Phrase, provide Pass Phrase.  Challenge Phrase and Pass Phrase are found in removable appendix 14-a and is replaced monthly."  That's all.  Who is this?

Cpl Tyler picked up the headset and keyed the mic twice.  "Vrassa North- Delta Oscar 4 Niner," she said into the mic.

"Bout god damned time.  Hutori Center Kilo 7 Whiskey Bravo.  Over."

Cpl. Tyler now understood she was talking to Hutori.  "Copy" she said, to identify that she had received him and was listening.

"What did one snowman say to the other?" the voice asked.  What?  this again?  She thought.  Oh..  the annex...

Cpl Tyler followed the matrix...  tonight was Tuesday.  And it was the 14th.  cross reference.  "Smells like carrots" she said into the microphone.

"Finally,  Look:  lighthouse, she's a go.  Get that message to 6, now.  We are gonna need whatever you can send us.  In the South.  Tell her, in the South..."  after a long pause...  "Do you copy?"

Cpl Tyler said,  "Y... yes sir.  In the South..."

"Corporal, Are you alright there?"

Cpl Tyler took a deep breath, and said.  "Yes, all clear.  I will get the message to my superiors."

"No.  To 6.  Not to some stupid sergeant."

"To 6.  Ok..."

The line went back to static.  Cpl Tyler called her Lieutenant and it took him three minutes to answer the phone.  "Sir, I got a call.  It's for someone named Six.  The guy said Lighthouse is a go, they need whatever we can send, and they need it in the South."

"What the hell time is it, Corporal?" said the drowsy officer.

"Almost Midnight Sir."

"Who sent that message?" asked the Lieutennant.

"It was Hutori."

"Hut...  You said this message was for 6?"

"Yes sir.  Six."  She could hear the Leiutennant jump out of bed.  "Oh sh--  I've gotta make a call, and will be right down there.  It's gonna be a long night.  Get the coffee on."  He hung up before she could say anything.

[Dredd]

[Legionaria, Presidents Office, December 5636]

Lazar browsed over the tactical details a dozen times as his general staff sat silently.

"So an invasion is confirmed?" Lazar glared to the generals

"We aren't absolutely certain, but given Luthorian and Etxean maneuvers it is indicative of naval preparations."

Lazar scowled and lit a cigarette, "Very well, we've fortified both coasts, should ANYONE try to land on our shores, our glorious soldiers will push them back!" Lazar shouted as he brushed the enemy armies off the planning table.

The generals looked at each other silently, hoping one would speak in their defense.

General Dimitri stood up, "Comrade Lazar, we have to be honest with our current situation. Though we've fortified both coastlines, without reprieve and trade we can expect our air worthy fuel sources to last merely 7 months, our airforce's would likely be grounded far before that. We can mobilize an additional 1.3 million reservists with another 3 million conscripts on the way, but should they land within the month..."  Dimitri paused

Lazar stared, "Mobilize every able bodied man there is in this entire fucking country, have you forgotten this is the land of Sladek himself!? We are the crusaders of our glorious future, I want no expense spared, no fucking Kuno wasted on anything except military expense! These god damned Davostagers, have them all arrested over time, throw them into the labor camps, I want 90% of all laborers not already occupied in military production worked to death building fortifications! If they DARE invade we'll drown them in a sea of their own blood!" Lazar pounded the table as the general staff sat silent

"Have every propaganda studio praise our forces and warn of the barbarity of the enemy, have every househould stockpile our foodstuffs and goods. Order immediate general mobilization of the armed forces, we will never cower to foreign invasion! Cease all bombardments of Etxea and begin stockpiling and construction off all necessary armaments we need for victory!"

Lazar walked back and forth beside his bodyguards as the general staff looked to eachother, before one finally arose, "It will be done comrade Lazar!" The rest of the generals rose one by one proclaiming, "Hail comrade Lazar, for the Legion!"

Lazar nodded as he nursed his cigarette, Kundrati would become a living fortress, they would fight to the end, scorch earth every possible good for the enemy, there would be no surrender, they would rather die than face liberalism.

[Doc]

Offices at Wood House, Duchy of Vrassa, 3:20pm, January 18

"Your Imperial Majesty, here is the report from Lady Michelle's Office in Dulnerstaad," said the Empress' Private Secretary Lady Marian Southern.  She handed a sealed manilla envelope to the Empress and asked, "Will you be needing anything else for the day, Your Imperial Majesty?"

"No Lady Southern, that's all for now.  Tomorrow when you come in, we'd like to speak with IBSI.  Things are firing up in Kundrati again and we want to stay on top of that."

"Yes, Your Imperial Majesty.  7:30?"

"Make it 7:45.  We may go snowshoeing to the hot spring for a bath before breakfast and could be back late.  Also before you go, could you arrange for the forest service's cat to come back up here and plow again this evening?  The idea that they wouldn't be on top of that is rather irritating."

"Aye Madame." the Secretary said.  She bowed her head respectfully and backed out of the room.

As the door closed, the Empress took out her knife and opened the top of the envelope.  "Confidential report-  House Assets" was the title.  The Empress had requested an private, eyes only audit of the House Financial situation.  Her aunt, who was known for her conservative investments, had contracted a confidential CPA firm in Dulnerstaad not connected with House Ananto or Miramar finances, to conduct the audit.  These were the results.

She read the executive summary.  Conducted the audit between July and December over books with seven year look back. yadda yadda, best practices, yadda yadda...  Financial Management consistent with best practices of public corporations, and high standards of banking and finance industry... yadda yadda... all contributions from known sources attributable... yadda yadda... internal fraud control measures robust and in place... so on so on... Lady Michelle and her army of bean counters, accountants, and lawyers in Dulnerstaad were all doing excellent work, Mary thought... This House will be in much better financial shape than when she took it over under Lady Michelle's very careful and conservative financial management...

Net Ballance of assets:  ₭821,356,755,856 "Good grief," the Empress muttered. House Ananto has so much money, if it tried to spend money, it just ended up making more money. "There are only so many yachts a person can buy," she thought. And this wasn't even including Miramar's holdings, which were believed to be another couple hundred billion. The list of assets was exhaustive: Houses, land holdings, jewelry, bank accounts all over the place. House Ananto had about a dozen royals on pension, and even with expense accounts totaling almost a quarter billion rubles a year, that didn't even put a small dent in the assets, and most of that money was returned directly to the House because it wasn't spent. Overall, The Empress was worth more than a trillion Imperial Rubles. All her profligacy and gaudy opulence so far had done nothing to change that.

"These Brethrenists live like church mice," she said. But she was no better. She herself could never figure out what to do with her pension from House Ananto. She lived extravagantly and prolifically, but she also lived relatively austerely. What was she to do with 50 million rubles a year? There isn't enough stuff to buy for that money.

As she was going through the numbers and the sheets that offered advice in trimming some of the more wasteful outlays, and closing some gaps that were allowing leakage, she turned the page and saw a simple pie chart with some figures on it.

This was the Gem Vault Inventory.

The numbers of the gem vault were astonishing to her. She knew there were a lot of stones in there. The vault was composed of 8 hallways essentially arranged one next to another around a square corridor. Each hallway was about 8 feet wide, 12 feet tall, and twenty feet long, and the pathway down the center was surrounded on each side with drawers and crates and wooden boxes full of gemstones of all types. Based on these results someone went in there and weighed all the boxes with these precious stones, got a general idea of grade, and valuated them. The value they came up with was just shy of fifty billion rubles worth of six different kind of gems. The value of the materials just in that room took her a second to fathom, and it didn't include the thousands of pounds of pure gold and silver ingots that were also stored there.



"This is all so overwhelming," thought the Empress. "I really should do something with all that stuff. If nobody even knows its there, how could they possibly appreciate it. I wonder if I can hire someone to build something out of it..." Maybe the Imperial Seat could stand a bit more opulence. "What would my father think about that..." she asked herself. "or my grandmother..." Could Nicolette know what she had passed down? Could Emperor William, or Emperor Fredrick I have possibly known, all those centuries ago?

She quickly gathered the audit reports, put them back into the manilla envelope that they had come in, and locked the report in the safe, almost afraid in some ways that the report would be made public. After thinking, she pressed a button on an intercom on her desk, and within a minute, Lady Southern re-entered the room. She had her coat on and was clearly just about to leave. She entered with bowed head and walked toward the desk.

"Marian, after speaking with IBSI in the morning, we are going back to Kaliburg."

Lady Southern, her eyes still averted to the floor said "Aye Madame. Is there anything wrong?"

The Empress shook her head, "It's too cold up here this time of year. And we need to meet with Mr. Koenig at any rate. Will you arrange that before going for the evening?"

Lady Southern said "Aye Ma'am. Shall I be travelling with Her Imperial Majesty?"

The Empress said "Indeed. We have a lot of work to do, and can't do it from here."

Lady Southern took that as her cue to leave, and backed out of the room. The winter break had been short, but now that Davostag had issued the ultimatum, there was a war on. She was needed in the capital.

[Dredd]

[Legionaria, Army Headquarters Presidential Palace, May 5637]

Lazar stared blankly at the maps laid out inf ront of him.. 

"Comrades, I know in past years there has been a heavy sense of not being honest for the sake of security, especially politically and in our internal security. But this is a scenario which requires complete transparency and honesty, we are facing invasion by multiple countries on potentially multiple fronts, I want to hear your plans and where we stand for the coming conflict."

The generals still somewhat hesitating to speak any ill looked to eachother, until head of the army Field Marshal Dragovich cleared his throat and began,

"Comrade, you have in recent years done much to bring our army back to its full potential from the times of comrade Sladek, but as it stands we are to be honest, heavily outnumbered and outgunned. They will likely achieve naval dominance in a matter of days given we haven't had ample time to rebuild more than perhaps 20 destroyers, and repair our aircraft carrier stationed in Peghonai dockyards. The airforce and army, though formidable will be facing two to three times their number if enemy forces are able to unify their efforts. Our airmen are brave and will fight with their 900 strong air fleet, but many of the foe have top of the line aircraft and we have lagged behind in that regard. The army has always been our strength but, once the enemy achieves air supremacy it will be immensely difficult to do anything without constant harassment."

Lazar nodded grimly, "What of our stockpiles and economic situation?"

Dragovich continued, "Currently we have decent military stockpiles, ammunition for the army and airforce we can estimate if all engaged could fight for perhaps 6 months without shortages, we produce much of the materials needed for basic construction of tanks, artillery, munitions and so forth. What we lack however given the blockade is ample access to REMS and other specialized products, whatever IRBMS we have on hand and more high tech rocketry, well we can't make much more than what we have on hand once our aggregate stockpiles dwindle. To that end, from this point onward I would recommend completely focuses what we have left economically in terms of rocketry to anti aircraft alone. Industrial district Lirnak and others we don't believe will have issues in small arms production or land vehicles, and should the enemy land they will be unable to field much of it until securing a larger beach head, and will need time to ferry it all."

Lazar nodded again, "What are the present strategies and predictions?'

Dragovich turned the lights off and activated a projector with a map of military installations and cities,

"The general staff believe the main push will be from the south, Etxea is in an ideal position as a forward operating base for supply and troop transit, and Luthoris proximity makes an invasion there a foregone conclusion. We have heard rumors of a potential incursion from Ikradon or Endralon in public statements from the rebels, however given the fact this statement that would otherwise be of a supreme strategic importance for surprise was openly hinted to and would not make much sense given our political relationships being neutral since the Legions been in power, we predict these are simple misdirection's to force us to distribute our troops away from the true objectives. The best option at the end of the day, is simply pushing whatever lands back into the sea, we have extensively fortified the southern coast and adequately the north which is unlikely to be a main focus, it is possible Hutori and Davostag given time will attempt to weaken it via naval and air bombardment and land forward forces, but we believe it will be some time before thats an option given their distance. The southern terrain has many plains and hills which suit armored warfare, we suggest deploying the majority of our armored units and anti tank into this to thwart any attempted blitz that may occur should a landing succeed. As it stands our army has aproximately 850,000 active service with an additional 500,000 reservists ready for deployment within a month, bringing us to 1.3 million total. With the new Legionary Peoples Guard, if we enlisted ages 14 through 60, many of whom are prior service members from our mandatory armed service policy or Sladek youth and their militarized regimen, it would not be unrealistic to expect 250,000 conscripts every month if given 4 to 5 weeks training, but they will need transportation and act best as a backline to defend where they live."

Lazar listened intently, "What of our urban centers, we must assume the worst should a landing push that far."

"Indeed comrade, we suggest enlisting civilians and every able bodied penal laborer into fortifying the outskirts of any urban environment, they provide the best cover and positions to be sheltered from air attack and armor. Once the enemy comes near we can evacuate a large number of civ-"

Lazar raised his hand, "Evacuate? You mean to suggest we waste time and resources on evacuating the cities greatest asset?"

The generals sat silent.

"Soldiers will fight harder for a living city, and the civilians can provide intelligence and aid, should the enemy hesitate to bomb what they believe are civilians that buys us time and offers confusion. I want any and all transit from cities on the front to be halted without special permissions of military affairs. Furthermore I've authorized reintroducing our chemical bioweapon program, thankfully much of which had to be put in deep storage for lack of a better alternative. We are fighting a war for the survival of our people, they wont spare a single one of us should the fatherland falter, this is not the time for petty human instincts like humanity or mercy. We will show them none, and we will use every means we have for victory. Is that understood comrades?"

The generals stood and saluted in accordance

Lazar continued, "I want every city a fortress, and cut rations by half, we'll have to make every single crumb count, anything thats edible will go to the army first and foremost. Ramp up the propaganda, show them for the barbarians they are, make our people fear them more than anything, stories of rape and barbaric atrocity to make them fight tooth and nail. We don't need much imagination given Kalistans track record, but spite Luthori too, their recent bombing attacks should be sufficent for a start, say they targeted orphanages and veterans homes or something. Two thirds of the army will go south, the coast defended to the utmost, we'll address things as they come. Any questions?"

The generals sensing the conversation was coming to a close all nodded and saluted, leaving the room promptly, Dragovich looking back at Lazar smoking a cigarette rubbing his eyes as he pondered how posterity would view their actions.

[Doc]

Ananto Estate, Duchy of Vrassa, May 20, 5637 2:15 pm

The Empress was at her desk, looking over plans to send election monitors to Tukarali.  She thought it an excellent thing that other nations trusted Kalistan with monitoring elections as they transitioned to democracy.  It was a mark of pride that Kalistani political scientists had such an excellent reputation for verifying election results and fairness.  

And she was glad to know that elections monitors would never be needed in Kalistan.

A small chime rang.  Her Imperial Majesty hit the buzzer and the door to the ante chamber opened.  The Chancellor of the Empire walked in and the Empress invited him to sit down.

"Sir Koenig..."

"Your Imperial Majesty, we have the initial reports from Etxea."

"Go ahead Sir," she said.

"Hutori has declared war.  The Militia are under Union command, and we believe they are expected to serve in a rapid mobilization force under Union command.  Several false reports of activity along the Endralon border have failed to distract the Legion.  We're expecting the fiercest fighting to be at the beginning of the battle, but Militia won't be used in the first waves of the landing.  From satellite reports, the Legion is concentrating forces in the south, but their secondary is much less concentrated.  They are having their slaves dig tranches for their cities, and I don't think the Union forces will conduct pitched battles for every stupid little city the way the Legion would prefer.  The North is far more lightly defended, and the analysis is that the war will be won in the north, while the main body of the Legion's troops are held in the south."

"Sounds utterly dreadful, Sir Chancellor."

"War is dreadful, Majesty."

The Empress sat silently and stared into space, clearly thinking...  Finally, she dropped her gaze back to the Chancellor.  "Do you think we can win this Mr. Koenig?"

"Well Your Imperial Majesty, I do think we can."

"Do you think we will?"  asked the Empress.

The Chancellor caught his breath...

"Your silence speaks volumes," said the Empress.

"Your Imperial Majesty," began the Chancellor after a moment.  "There is a greater than zero chance that we will.  Based on the plans I have seen, its significantly less than one.  And I think it is a much higher probability that the militia is wasted and used as fodder.  I...  I don't have a lot of faith that the Artanians have our forces' best interest at heart.  But they know what they were signing up for.  And Colonel Martinez will certainly do what he has to do to ensure that our troops aren't squandered."

"What is your read on the participants?"

"Defense gave us a report," said the Chancellor.  "The Hutorians will hit them with brute force.  The Etxeans will fight fiercely.  The Luthorians will...  I suppose they will fight competently, but they often show up after they would do the most good.  I don't know...  The Mordusians are a bit more enthusiastic, but they are sycophants and would rather impress the Luthorians than anyone else.  We don't know much about the Davostagers..."

"And what of the Legion?" asked the Empress.

"Well, they have their share of fanatics, but most of the people who populate their armed forces are slaves.  I can't imagine there is any fighting spirit among slaves.  And they don't educate their people, but simply brainwash them all day.  The ones who are dedicated will fight to the end.  I suspect most of them would surrender at the first opportunity.  But it only takes a hand full of idiots in a strategically advantageous location to cause real problems, so its Martinez' hope that the militia largely avoids their defensive positions, to deny them the opportunity to gain any benefits of the prepared defense...  He's not all that optimistic."

"Well," said the Empress.  "When the history is written, at least Kalistan will be numbered on the right side of history.  We shall ask our mother to say prayers in her church for the Militia, if that will do any good."

"The Militia I am sure, Madame, will be happy to know you are thinking of them."

"Indeed.  Now, we will hear the reports from out other ministries, please."

"As you command, Your Imperial Majesty," said the Chancellor.

[Dredd]

[Legionaria, Army Headquarters Presidential Palace, April 5637] Backdated

The headquarter were abuzz with activity and rushed reports, aides and secretaries sprinted about carrying armfuls of papers and orders to be transmitted, Lazar walking past them with hushed tones and salutes paid them no mind as his L-11 opened the doors to the operations room. Dragovich and the general staff immediately stood and saluted as Lazar nodded and sat down.

Dragovich cleared his throat and began, "As I was saying comrades, the situation is off to a bad start. Hutori lead coalition airpower is battering us all over the nation, Jildrath especially. They've been strategically targeting any and all command centers and fortifications, our communications are temporarily in a havoc as we adjust to new frequencies and modes of transmit."

Lazar smoking his cigarette scowled, "So what exactly are you doing to rectify this scenario comrade?"

Dragovich gulping continued, "The general staff have proposed a number of new measures to help our operational stability. Firstly the air war will eventually be lost from our planes, and as they're focusing our radar centers and other measures we have some alternatives, if we cannot win we can do our best to negate the damage and redirect enemy fire to irrelevant targets." Dragovich began pointing out dozens of dots on the map, "These locations we propose for fake airfields and military centers built up to standard from an air view, but populated with inflated or wooden models to confuse the enemy, and whatever is real we'll canvas and hide best we can with camouflage. Despite the enemy hurting our radar and advanced AA we can still fire on their lower aircraft providing close air support, we believe switching to mostly acoustics and visual spotters connected to an AA network of communique can circumvent this, if we build manpads and portable AA we can also maneuver against the enemy spotting us and relocate into preplanned multi layered anti aircraft defensive circles. Using these means, even means considered antiquated can be effective, we can certainly produce a number of 23-30mm AA guns which can hone in on the low flyers."

Lazar nodded seeming pleased, "Good, what else?"

Dragovich continued, "With enemy air power and recon unhindered, we can focus all our troop movements under cover of bad weather; fog, rain, or heavy cloud. All other maneuvers can be conducted at night as well and use wooded routes of transit. Once the enemy has advanced, any settlements they ignore or fail to completely capture can be contacted to begin partisan attacks in their rear, targeting enemy logistics and other vital networks, rerouting aircraft that otherwise would be hitting us on the front to be diverted to defending themselves, we have a large stockpile of UAVS to recon these locations. Every casualty we can inflict can then be put into the propaganda machine, every plane felled a victory, claim the enemy is getting desperate, turn a disadvantage into a morale victory. Finally, placing many of these locations in civilian areas with heavy populations and in conjunction with civilian spotters and aid, we can force them to either batter our innocents and cause anger or misdirect strikes."

Dragovich then switched the screen to an attack named Operation Holy Strike,

"Elements of Hutorian and Davostager paratroops have landed in the vicinity of Keita in conjunction with Luthorian marines, they are as we speak working to encircle and clear the city. Our best bet before this happens is to launch a massive armored attack before the enemy can mobilize their own, and rush infantry formations into the city. We have proposed commitment of the 2nd, 7th, and 21st Tank divisions along with the 1st Legionary Infantry Shock Army. In total, 160,000 infantry and 350 tanks, along with a few hundred rocket systems, artillery, and armored vehicles. If we succeed to close this we'd kill or capture tens of thousands, then re-route the attack along the coast. We are preparing minor counter offensives in other landing zones and have reserves on standby for ad hoc actions."

Lazar seeming satisfied spoke, "Very good, see to it all the plans are put into action, I want hourly reports on Holy Fury, and begin scorched earth on anything we can't hold, the enemy wont see a single house or road that isn't blasted. Be ready to fire our Sladite and Sarin reserves near the fronts there on any staging areas, predicted paradrop zones, and any force concentrations away from our own lines if it seems holy fury isn't going to succed. Understood?"

The generals all saluted shouting "For the Legion, Hail Sladek, Hail Lazar!"