REPUBLIEK VAN TRANVSAAL
REPUBLIC OF TRANVSAAL

The current term for Eersteminister [Prime Minister] expires on November 30, 2009.
His Excellency, the head-of-state Staatspresident Botha has therefore called for a National Election to determine the next Prime Minister of the Republic of Transvaal.

TERMS OF OFFICE: December 1st 2009 to April 30th 2010

The office of Prime Minister is open to any party candidate of the white Afrikaner race. All citizens of the Republic of Transvaal regardless of race residing in the Republic may vote for Prime Minister.


Annetjie VAN MATTEUS (National Party – incumbent) In office since April 30, 2009 and former prime minister in office in May-June 2007. Deposed by military coup in 2007 after publicly executing one of her ministers on television. Later tried for alleged treasonous involvement during the GOONS war but acquitted by the courts. Regarded to be a neo-fascist outside of the unabashed racist groups like Verwoerd Front but generally supports the current republic format and has adopted a more conciliatory, moderate approach during her current term in office. She resigned from the National Party after H Strijdom became prime minister in October 2008 and later formed the Martens Party of Transvaal as a far-right opposition group alternate to the Verwoerd Front. After the invasion of Transvaal during the Karma War, she dissolved the Martens Party and reconciled her differences with H Strijdom when she rejoined the National Party and with whom she conspired to force the RMG to resign and restore civilian rule. Subsequently appointed prime minister by Field Marshal P Malan when the Republican Military Government resigned and returned to their barracks. She managed Transvaal’s atomic bomb programme during Strijdom's government and successfully detonated the nation’s first atomic weapon on Bouvet Island.


Hendrik STRIJDOM (National Party) held governor posts in Namibia and Transvaler Suid-Amerika previous to being named prime minister after JM Hertzog’s resignation. Prime Minister of Transvaal from October 2008 until February 2009. Responsible for negotiating an end to the war in Paraguay and Transvaal's withdrawl from South America. During his term as prime minister Strijdom expanded the Seemag [Navy], increased government spending in the civilian sector, created an National Earth Day to help improve awareness to the nation’s environment, clamped down on radicals both leftist and rightist, and developed Transvaal’s nuclear weapons programme. Became Foreign Minister during the Republican Military Government and co-Deputy Prime Minister in Van Matteus’ government. As foreign minister he recently successfully negotiated a lease for a territorial enclave in Italian Somalia for construction of Transvaal’s future foreign airbase.


Jakob Martin HERTZOG (National Party) – former prime minister of Transvaal, the longest serving prime minister in the nation’s history, governed over two successive terms from November 2007 until his resignation on October 2008 and then briefly again from February to April 2009 when his government then collapsed during the Karma War. During his three terms in office, Transvaal’s population tripled in size and he successfully managed the painful economic transformation from Maroon to the Orange trading sphere. Due to his difficulty speaking English, foreign policy has generally a critical, weak aspect of his rule and he took the fall for leading the nation into a disastrous colonial adventure in South America. During his time in office he built 4 labour camps, legalized the Nederduits Gereformeerde Kerk (Dutch Reformed Church), re-annexed Cherokee Namibia, withdrew from Angola (later re-annexed), joined the Pan-African Coalition, constructed the Transvaler Seemag and began technology deals with Franzharia. His government handed out R$20.5 million in foreign aid while receiving R$9 million in return. During the Republican Military Government, he led the opposition faction within the National party in alliance with the DBP. His legacy and political position is reflected by Transvaal’s period spent in Orange and IRON and is opposed the nation’s re-affiliation with Nordreich. He is viewed as leading the so-called left-progressive wing of the National Party favouring more political involvement of Transvaal’s non-white citizens.


Marthinus HOFMEYR (National Party) Minister of Finance, Trade & Education. Advocates government spending to increase the technology level in Transvaal and was responsible for carrying out most of Transvaal’s post-war reconstruction. Not much is known about his politics and is viewed as middle of the road and un-ambitious compared to Strijdom and Van Matteus.


Frederik GELDENHUYS (Demokratiese Barakke Party) Leader of the Democratic Drillhall Party which admires Field Marshal Cruywagen and favours the involvement of progressive elements within the Transvaler military to participate in running the government so as to remove the threat of white supremacists in Transvaler society. Since the end of the Republican Military Government, the DBP has lost influence as the Verwoerd Front fizzled out and many civilians opposed the re-involvement of the military in domestic politics regardless of ideology.


Field Marshal Petrus MALAN (independent) - Former junta leader of the Republican Military Government which governed the nation during the Karma War and post-war reconstruction period. His legacy is the adoption of a controversial immigration law (which consequently has never been repealed) to inflate the number of white citizens in Transvaal by limiting immigration to whites and promoting birth control amongst African citizens. He voluntarily resigned as leader of the RMG which returned the nation to full civilian rule at the end of April. Malan is currently Ambassador to Repubblica Italiana and is running for office to vindicate his name.

It wasn't often that Sarah got the chance to really involve herself in Transvaaler politics, as governor of Nieu-Hansa she was as she wanted to be; retired. However the political bug was no one to be quickly whisked away and every so often, the Former Lady Protector of the Hanseatic Commonwealth found herself with a deep yearning to once again look down in front of a ground and have their eyes glued on her, she was a drama-queen after all and adored the limelight. An election was the perfect excuse to head back to the mainland and get a better taste of the political process to her adopted nation. Bringing herself, Heather who was now aged five and Terra, her adopted daughter already becoming a sprawling young girl of sixteen, the Lady Protector's family boarded her private jet towards Pretoria and landed their late in the evening. After arriving, Sarah and her daughters checked into a state hotel downtown and waited until morning for the great celebrations and to take in more sights of South Africa.

"Transvaal seems to be taking a turn for the better--a number of the candidates would truly benefit their nation if they are elected."

JOHANNESBURG FREE PRESS

A year ago it would have been considered unthinkable (and, more so, laughable) that Annetjie van Matteus would be leading the polls in a national election – let alone prime minister again.

But the social and political landscape has changed considerably in Transvaal during that time. Like many nations around the world, the Karma War had cataclysmic effects over Transvaal which impacted the nation and its people to the very core.

A year ago, the progressivist policies and leadership of Jakob Hertzog were firmly entrenched in the Federal Republic while Afrikaner nationalist sensitivities were being courted by an assortment of white supremacist groups promising protection an deliverance from the African hordes. There was a polarisation between those who saw Transvaal’s liberation through IRON while others saw the so-called Orange Republic a whitewash of its past. And at that time Ms. Van Matteus was derided as nothing more than a spent crackpot whose political worth was a few notches about zero.

The surrender of Transvaal and the post-war reconstruction period wiped all that away like a house of cards. A brutal military regime cleansed the nation of its complacency in the world – and, some say, of its thorny and delicate problem of justifying white minority rule in the country.

Today Transvaal has reclaimed its spot as a major regional power in Africa – but the picture on the canvas is very different and unrecognisable. Afrikaners and English are no longer outnumbered in Transvaal – yet Black Africans are not suffering the effects of their new minority status as previous Afrikaner fears of the black menace have crumbled now that the whites relish their safety in numbers. Once perceived as a neo-fascist bent on curb-stomping the masses into the pavement, Prime Minister van Matteus’ government has given Transvaal its most enlightened and vibrant period of growth and social reform.

Granted political power remains a pipe dream for Black Africans, but their involvement in the national infrastructure and the massive growth of a Black middle class has given them an economic clout and lifestyle never before experienced during even the best days of the old Federal Republic.

“With hindsight the Federal Republic can be viewed as nothing more than a broken-down front to placate uneasiness with the international community over our treatment of Black Africans” commented Prime Minister van Matteus during one government speech, “while the post-war Republic has been able to both surmount white fears of their survival in Southern Africa and build real economic value and worth to all citizens black, coloured, or white. The fact that the Federal Republic crumbled so fast shows its real nature, that it has no foundation.”

“No so...” claims her most vocal critic Jakob Herztog, who says that the Federal Republic ‘showed the world that Transvaal genuinely had the aspirations of everyone at heart. My government would listen to its people and the world, but not so with Van Matteus. She will only listen to you when it suits her and if you agree with her. She rules through bread and circuses, by buying off the passivity of our non-white citizens.”

Arcticans are watching the election closely, eager to see the final results. The majority of Arcticans support the DBP, as Paul Cruywagen is seen as somewhat of a national hero, and also because the DBP is more liberal than the dominant National Party.

Meanwhile, at the highest echelon of government in Arctica there is talk of finally bringing to light various 'dirt' that they had collected on Van Matteus over the years...but the Hierarchs are divided over it, being uncertain of the effects or what might happen if Van Matteus' bid for an election is ruined, or even the diplomatic implications of such an action...so far it is little more than idle idea-tossing. It would take something big to force them to play that card.

There was no official statement from Arctica regarding the election.

Cascade will keep an eye on this election and see how it turns out.

Staatspresident Botha sat down in his private study to relax with his cup of rooibos tea.

‘Hmm, let’s see what crap is on television tonight…’ he thought to himself as he turned his television set on. He banged the side of the set a few times angrily, ‘Ach, no cable! Why do they always forget to pay my cable bill…!’

No cable meant he would have to rig up some rabbit ears to tune in.

But worse... no cable also meant he would be stuck watching the blandness of Tele-Transvaal 1 or Tele-Transvaal 2. Transvaal might be one of the most advanced nations in Africa but its television broadcasts and movie industry were not.

‘Goddamn, it’s that Lukas Reitz clown on the news again…’ Botha said has he switched on TTV1. He quickly changed the dial to TTV2 before the incessant accordion music blaring from Oom Paul’s Old Time Country Farm Dance forced Botha to return to TTV1. The only people who ever watched Oom Paul were 80-year-old Afrikaner plattelander grandmothers and labour camp prisoners – although in the latter case it was more a matter of torture – and not out of choice.

“Oh well then, let’s see what Lukas Reitz has to say about himself today. I can’t believe that Annetjie hasn’t had him shot yet…” Botha blurted out.

Mrs. Botha could be heard asking from the kitchen, “What was that dear?” before returning to her baking.

“Oh look! They’re talking about the national election; let’s see what they all have to say…”


Tele-Transvaal - a symbol known throughout Africa for providing the very best in drab, low-quality, and boring television

A grey, drab voice droned on over the drab lifeless logo of Tele-Transvaal. In the background was played a muted version of Transvaal anthem:

AN EXPLANATION OF FEDERAL ELECTIONS IN TRANVSAAL... brought to you by TELE-TRANSVAAL

Federal Elections in Transvaal are carried out under election governance by the authority of the Staatsregeringministrie van Nasionaalverkiesing (Department of National Elections).

For any Federal Election to be valid, a minimum of 40 electoral districts in the National Assembly must be decided.

If an election does not receive the minimum votes to make it valid, a run-off election between the two candidates with the most district votes is then called to take place two weeks after the original election.

The political party receiving the greatest number of votes cast for all candidates is elected to office; the candidate within that party is appointed the prime minister.

If a prime minister holds a minority of votes within his party, he must rule through a coalition within his party. If that coalition collapses, the governing party must find another prime minister from within its ranks.

Any candidate who gains a majority of electoral district votes within his party would not require a governing coalition - and any candidate who gains an overall majority of electoral districts in the entire election is deemed to have an "absolute majority" and can essentially rule unhindered by any sort of 'checks and balances' from within the government or from his party.

Then the drab image, music, and station logo disappeared to reveal a grinning close-up of Transvaal’s only newsbroadcaster: Lukas Reitz. Intro music then blared again:

ALL-CANDIDATES MEETING brought to you by TELE-TRANSVAAL

VERKIESING DESEMBER '09 - ELECTION DECEMBER '09

Goeienaand, good evening everyone, welcome! Lukas Reitz here from Afrikaans Daaglikse Tele-Nuus and its English-language equivalent Daily TV News.

My name is Lukas Reitz and I will be your host tonight for this, the National Election all-candidates town hall meeting for Prime Minister of teh Republic of Transvaal.

[At this point, Mrs. Botha could overhear Staatspresident Botha yelling at the television, shouting obscenities at Reitz’s image… “What was that dear? Who’s a daft poofter?” she asked.]

Assembled with us we have invited numerous, respected members of the foreign and local press who will be fielding questions to the candidates. When presenting their questions, I request you give your name and news bureau you are assigned to. To assist me to maintain some semblance of order here, please ask one question at a time and state whom you are addressing it to.

So... now without further delay, I would like to introduce to you the candidates for the office of Prime Minister of the Republic of Transvaal. Here, starting on my left, we have the attractive and very lovely Prime Minister Annetjie van Matteus (National Party – incumbent)…

[Mrs. Botha then overheard the Staatspresident snort out, ‘like you would know what attractive women are!’]

Foreign Minister Hendrik Strijdom (National Party), former prime minister and now one of the co-deputy prime ministers, Mr. Jakob Martin Herztog (National Party), former prime minister, Minister Marthinus Hofmeyr (National Party) Minister of Finance, Trade & Education, Mr. Frederik Geldenhuys, leader of the opposition Demokratiese Barakke Party, and respelendent in his military uniform, Field Marshal Petrus Malan, Commanding Officer of the Transvaler Raketkorps, who is standing as an independent candidate.

Reitz then took centre-stage on the screen, saying “…and I, Lukas Reitz, will be your host - and as your host, I now open the floor to questions from our foreign visiting media” giving an expansive wave towards the visiting reporters sitting in the crowd.


Always happy to be your host, the face of Transvaal news: Lukas Reitz

She seems the most reasonable...even if she...destroyed the Party...

Why not ask her why?

"Ms VAN MATTEUS you are known to many around the world as a dictator, racist, terrorist, tyrant, and war criminal; your forced expulsion of practitioners of arbitrarily ‘foreign’ religions has been described by many in the international community as ethnic cleansing, several high-profile executions you ordered in the past have been called murder, and you were implicated in international terrorist activities following your first administration – how do you cope with being one of the most controversial figures in the history of mankind?”

"Heather put that down." Sarah smacked her daughters hand as the fork fell from her fingers onto the table. "I'm not going to set here and watch you play with your food like this. Eat it or we're going back to the hotel."

"Yes mama."

The young woman looked at her two daughters and smiled. They were darling children and she had treated them rotten so far in her life, but things were already turning around and their family, at least Sarah, Heather, and Terra were coming closer together with every passing day. But here in Transvaal things were going exceptionally well and it was only getting better. She wanted to talk to Annetjie herself before the election ended, maybe even give a speech in her honor, but it was hard to get things together. Sarah had sent word a few days ago in hopes that the Prime Minister would have her company possibly either back at Nieu Hansa or maybe even Sarah bringing her daughters to meet Van Matteus. But for the meantime they browsed the city of Pretoria, the shops, theaters and such and just tried to have a good time.

As Sarah looked up on the television as another report drilled into her friend's spirit, the Lady Protector sighed. "All they do is complain, every leader everywhere is guilty for something. Annetjie more so. Its a shame that all this has to occur, but such is politics I guess."

"Good riddance mother?" Said Terra with a smile.

"Exactly Terra, exactly."

Prime Minister van Matteus straightened herself up in her chair before replying to the guy in the back who was probably a free-lance reporter.

Her eyes narrowed slightly and she thought to herself, ‘in the past I would have had this miserable twerp disappear into the darkness of night, but unfortunately I cannot do that right now…’

Van Matteus took a sip of water before giving her answer.

“Everyone makes mistakes and my mistakes were made a long time ago. Some of those ‘mistakes’ which you so eloquently point out were the result of having to make split-second decisions under fire. I did what I felt was right at the time. But that is all in the past, I am asking Transvaler voters to look at what I have done the past few months since talking office and pass judgment on that when they cast their ballots.”

“So in response to your accusations, I ask: Have I been a dictator since July 30? Have I been a racist? ...a tyrant? …have I executed anyone or done any of these things which you use to drag my name through dirt… since July 30? My answer to you is ‘no’. I have nothing to be ashamed of.”

The radio blared over a crackly AM station “…and in recent polls, Prime Minister van Matteus has been hovering around the 45% level of overall support amongst voters, which if the election were called today would give her an almost absolute and unprecedented grip on the National Party and government - while just as surprisingly the former junta dictator Marshal Malan has unexpectedly gained around 20% in recent polls…”

The lieutenant colonel switched the radio off. The roar of a jet engine passed overhead, and once its rumble had dampened, Dietrichs Gerhard then spoke to the rest of the officers which were seated in his situational tent located out on the edge of the Kalahari in Botswana where Lugmag fighter jets were carrying out practice manoevres.

“Gentlemen, this level of support for Marshal Malan is beyond any of our expectations. I strongly believe that given this, we should urge Marshal Malan to utilise his political weight in the future government to dictate changes to the military high command. Namely the removal of Marshal Cruywagen and Flight Commander Wise. Unless van Matteus secures 50% of the electoral district vote in the Volksraad, she will require the support of others to keep her in power. Marshal Malan will be in a position to be a deal maker – or breaker.”

Some of the officers nodded profusely in agreement while a few others were more cautious with their response. Gerhard continued:

“The military rebuilt this Republic and we must now demand our rightful political place in the government, while the opportunity is ripe.”

President Ned of Nedland has endorsed Frederik Geldenhuys in this election.

"With luck, Geldenhuys' election will overturn the National Party's continued dominance of Transvaal." - President Ned

LUKAS REITZ [TELE-TRANSVAAL NUUS]: “It would take a miracle for the DBP to break the National Party’s grip on Pretoria and actually win the election. The surprising success so far by Field Marshal Malan may be siphoning votes from the National Party but Geldenhuys would probably require an alliance with Malan to gain enough district seats in the Volksraad to unseat the National party – an alliance which has zero chance of occurring since Malan and Geldenhuys are political polar opposites.”

JOHANNESBURG FREE PRESS: “In case our naïve foreign observers haven’t noticed yet, the current electoral system was designed to maintain National Party dominance all the while providing the appearances of democracy. For a non-NP to win any election, they would need to gain an outright majority of votes – which has so far been impossible due to the excess of National Party candidates which splits the popular overall votes – while a National Party candidate just needs to gain the most votes within their own Party votes – because going up against outside party opposition, they would then be elected on the combined totals of all-NP votes cast.”

After the discussion had carried on throughout the night, as dawn approached on the Kalahari, Lieutenant-Colonel Dietrichs Gerhard summarized:

“So we are agreed then?

“Firstly, we Afrikaner military commanders will covertly oppose the election Hertzog and Geldenhuys. Should either one take power, we shall ascertain the potential feasibility of an immediate military coup or assassination.”

“Secondly, should Transvaal ever come under attack again and the government is thrown into anarchy, we shall arrest Cruywagen and Wise and then seize power to re-instate the RMG.”

“Thirdly, we shall establish a secret code phrase which I have written down and distributed to you all, which will be broadcast over state radio as an emergency signal to mobilize our group to action for a military coup against the civilian administration regardless the state of the government or leader.”

“And under no circumstances will Field Marshal Petrus Malan be made aware of our group until after the fact. We cannot rise compromising him should we be exposed, therefore his complete ignorance of our secret group is essential.”

“Agreed, gentlemen?”

Gerhard looked around the group of officers. Admiral Kruger had his doubts but decided to throw his lot in with the plotters – although, secretly he coveted the leading position in the shadow RMG for himself. Gerhard then looked at the assortment of Krygsmagte colonels and majors assembled there; all of them raised their hands in agreement. The colonel then spoke “On behalf of the airforce, as its senior Afrikaner officer, I commit the Lugmag.”

One of the Krygsmagte officers then asked “Sir, what about the Raketkorps? What if for some reason Malan does not go with us? That would leave our nuclear stockpile outside of our control…”

Gerhard brushed the question aside. “How could he not find sympathy with us?”

After the officers had been dismissed, they returned to their vehicles and made their way back to their respective units. However one of them had pangs of conscience. He had sworn an oath as a military officer to serve the nation, not become embroiled in its politics. He looked down at the piece of paper with the cryptic words “The veldt is on fire and the aardvarks are now burrowing to Pretoria”, crumpled it up, and threw it away into the brush.

Prime Minister Annetjie van Matteus has stated that she would like to make a brief visit to Arctica to meet with Sovereign Vedran:

"Despite the chronic ideological rift between our governments, the Republic of Transvaal values Arctica as our closest regional partner. In the past, Arctican media has spoken out in support of the DBP - but now as head of my government and current National Party leader, I wish to hear what can be done if possible to eliminate differences between our two nations..."

Outskirts of Eatonville, Cascade
November 10th, 2009
1809 Hours

In his house, Vice President Fredrickson was sitting on his couch watching TV, he was gobbling a large meal consisting of a huge piece of steak, a large lump of mashed potatoes, a huge piece of corn on the cob, and a big pile of peas. He turned on the TV, wanting to watch the news, however he was startled to discover that the current channel was showing 'The Shining', and it was currently on the infamous "Here's Johnny!!!" scene. Repulsed, Frerickson immediately turned the channel, only for the next channel showing 'Land Before Time', right at a scene where a young Triceratops was charging the body of a dead Tyrannosaurus, he turned the channel before the Triceratops impacted, muttering to himself, "That little guy isn't very bright."

Then he accidentally turned to a football game going on, "And once again, the Seahawks are gettin' their butts kicked.", he angrily murmured. He turned the channel again, only get the Land Before Time again, where the young Triceratops was being chased by the Tyrannosaurus, "It's your dang fault for ramming the darn thing!", Fredrickson said to himself. Finally, he turned to Channel 128, the home channel of CINS, Cascade's major national news service. For such a tiny and young country, Cascade's movie and news industries were surprisingly high quality, recently a documentary about Thomas Van Eaton, the founder of Eatonville, titled "Shadow Of Rainier" had won an Emmy. On the screen, CINS' top news anchor, Jon Anderson, a middle aged balding man with a thin mustache, addressed the audience, "Recently, a neighboring country has offered Cascade to sign a treaty to combat so-called 'Global Warming', which the Government has turned down.", "Thankfully", said Fredrickson who ripped off a piece of meat like a wild beast. Anderson continued, "In other news, the Transvaal 2009 Election is continuing, with current Prime Minister Annetjie van Matteus continuing to take the lead in the number of votes." Fredrickson snapped, "Yeah, well, that pretty little blond thing knows her way around a gun!"

"Though there has been a bit of controversy over the number of National Party candidates there are in the election, which some insist that it is a clever scheme to divert votes away from the opposition and allow the National Party to continue to remain in power, which they claim is nothing more than a one party style government." Frerickson flicked off the TV, continuing to devour his meal muttering, "Those Boers! I guess it's their Germanic blood that's causing them to do that!"

OOC: that was a quality read!

OOC: Actually, I was thinking about doing a response, I originally wanted my nation's President watching the news before switching to cartoons.

"I am willing to meet with Prime Minister Van Matteus in the hopes of smoothing relations between our two nations."

A message was soon sent to her office: "The Sovereign can certainly make time in his schedule for a visiting foreign head of government. Please have the Prime Minister land at Oceana International Airport at her earliest convenience, and she will be escorted to the Central Government Building."

Due to the sudden nature of the visit, Prime Minister Annetjie van Matteus decided to use military transportation to travel to Arctica. It would also prove to be a subtle means to delicately flex Transvaal’s muscles and remind its closest neighbour who was boss in Southern Africa.

As the lone B-1 Lansier bomber cruised over the Mozambique Channel, the prime minister took stock of the upcoming impromptu meeting. Van Matteus knew that the Arcticans did not like her. However she also knew that for an assortment of reasons, the Staatspresident valued peaceful and close diplomatic relations with the island nation located off the Republic’s coast. As the Staatspresident once told her, besides the obvious strategic reasons of defense, maintaining the goodwill of Arctica was a means to gauge international opinion on Transvaler domestic and foreign policies. “If the Arcticans are silent, then all is well for us” he once told her.

The aircraft now began its long decent over the water into Oceana International Airport.

Given the quick nature of the meeting, the Arcticans did not prepare a full welcome with all the ceremony that came with it. Instead, Van Matteus was greeted by only a black sedan at the airport, with one man holding a back passenger door open for her and one in the driver's seat.

"Welcome to Arctica, Prime Minister," he said as she got in, closed her door and got in the front passenger seat. The car immediately pulled away and began its drive from the airport. The view had barely changed since Malan last visited, except that it was spring now.

They stopped briefly at a heavily-guarded checkpoint on the mainland side of the bridge from the mainland to Vecanti Island, where the Central Government Building was located. They soon continued, covering the uncrowded span of the bridge quickly. After another checkpoint, Van Matteus became the second Transvaler to see the island itself personally. Soon, the car pulled in front of the 88-storey-high CGB.

Covering the same route Malan had months ago, Van Matteus was led up to the 60th floor and to Vedran's office. The decorations had been moved around a little, but otherwise everything was unchanged. The men who had driven Van Matteus left her in the office with Vedran and the two men at either side of the door. Vedran stood from his desk and shook Annetjie's hand.

"Prime Minister, it is good to finally meet you. Welcome to Arctica. Please, have a seat."

Vedran sat down again. "You wish to speak with me?"

“Thank you Soveriegn for meeting with me on such short notice.” Vedran could notice a tinge of anxiety in her voice.

“I understand that your government, your people, and your media have never warmed up to me. This is understandable due to some events which happened long ago. I come to you now to find out where my government would be able to find some common ground so that there can be better understanding between our nations.”

The meeting was strange, surreal almost. Vedran could not quite make out whether Van Matteus was trying to browbeat him through diplomatic means or if she was pleading with him.

“Sir, I suppose what I want to know is what exactly are yours and the Arcticans' issues with me?”

After the officer corps had departed, Lieutenant-Colonel Dietrichs Gerhard walked over to the lone tent set apart from the main group deployed for manoeuvres.

“Did they buy it?” asked the voice from the shadows.

“Yes, I think they did. But we won’t know for sure until we actually go live with the plan. The army and air force are behind us, only the navy I have doubts about…” replied Gerhard.

“Bah! The Seemag is of no concern to us! There is very little they can do in response to events carried out on land.”

The voice asked hesitantly, almost in anticipation:

“And… the code phrase… what of that?”

“Yes, that has been distributed to all Afrikaner officers in command positions.

“Excellent. You have done well, now return to your duties and await the signal when events transpire to move our plan forward.

“Of course sir!” saluted the Lieutenant-Colonel.

Once Gerhard had departed, Uys de Ruijters emerged from his tent. He looked skywards at the Lugmag planes flying overhead in formation. ‘I have the Krygsmagte and Lugmag were I need them… in my grass... now to just wait for dear Annetjie’s government to inevitably unravel itself…”

De Ruijters clasped his hands in front of him as a sign of personal triumph before he made his way to his waiting jeep and departed from the base camp.

RADIO-TRANSVAAL: The Staatsregeringministrie van Nasionaalverkiesing (Department of National Elections) confirmed today that the current Republic election has reached the all-important 40 district votes threshold to validate the election and prevent a run-off.

At last count, the National Party looked to be in a comfortable lead with 25 districts to be sent to Volksraad while the opposition controls a total of 15 districts - with a third of the overall national vote backing Prime Minister van Matteus in what has been the culmination of an incredible political come-back for her. Six months ago no one in Transvaal nor overseas could envisage Van Matteus as being even remotely electable.