KingChris

OOC: I just argued against those points with Cent. Brb, going to try to make an OOC deal with Cent so that this doesn't turn into a massive argument.

[quote name='Centurius' timestamp='1328412035' post='2914707'] As the UCAV attacks against infantry positions continued the army would march on to secure every inch of the Vatican city, on their way everyone found would be detained pending an investigation on their involvement with the fascist policies of the church. At the same time the Razors pushed through the Palace to find themselves too late to prevent the escape. That said, nothing was lost yet and a very important building had been mostly secured. While the pope could escape, the Castel was just as any other place of cultural value already guarded, added to that that the secret passage was basically public knowledge the pope would find he really couldn't get far. Before the pope even left the exit at the side of the Castel 10 soldiers would surround him and demand the surrender of him and the guards or deadly force would be used. [/quote] OOC: Cent, I'm calling your metagame. No one guards something like the Castel Sant'Angelo with soldiers; they use security guards. And ten soldiers don't conveniently break apart from the rest of their division and happen to walk upon the Pope escaping.

Pope Celestine VI, wearing absolutely no Papal vestments whatsoever, waited by the entrance to the secret passage Nicholas III had erected and that John Paul III had modified. He was on the fourth decade of his rosary when the first shots were fired. The Swiss Guardmen accompanying the old man notified him immediately that it was time to go. Taking his rosary, the Pope went with the guards through the secret entrance to the Passetto di Borgo, which extended far enough away from the Vatican. While the rest of the Swiss Guard fought the Athenians in order to buy time, the eight selected Swiss escorted the Pope across the Passetto, which was now walled and featured a roof from John Paul III to protect from rain, and to the Castel Sant'Angelo, deep in Rome. A ninth guard made sure the secret passage was then shut and sealed. With absolutely no one except for the Pope and the Swiss Guard possessing knowledge of where the secret entrance was, the Athenians would have a very fun time looking for it. The Pope was very fortunate that Athens only surrounded the Vatican and not the area around it. A Vatican citizen that had been outside in Rome when the Vatican was shut off waited by the Castel Sant'Angelo in his car. As soon as the Pope and the guards showed up, the Pope and one of the men entered the automobile. The citizen then drove on, away from the Vatican and out of Rome. There were still many unarmed trapped in the Vatican, and the Pope prayed for their safety and for their souls.

The Dean of the College of Cardinals reminds every Cardinal of the oath they reaffirmed immediately following conclave: [quote]I [name and surname], Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church, promise and swear to be faithful henceforth and forever, while I live, to Christ and his Gospel, being constantly obedient to the Holy Roman Apostolic Church, to Blessed Peter in the person of the Supreme Pontiff Celestine VI, and of his canonically elected Successors; to maintain communion with the Catholic Church always, in word and deed; not to reveal to any one what is confided to me in secret, nor to divulge what may bring harm or dishonor to Holy Church; to carry out with great diligence and faithfulness those tasks to which I am called by my service to the Church, in accord with the norms of the law. So help me Almighty God.[/quote] He also reminded all that at this point, by a papal bull from Pope Gregory VII, that any Cardinal who defied this oath by opposing Celestine VI, and thus the Catholic Church, in this scenario would unfortunately be excommunicated from the Catholic Church and would lose their standing as Cardinal, thus revoking the right to participate in the conclave. A recantation of claims and a reaffirmation of obedience would expunge their excommunication but would not restore their position as Cardinal. This was a proclamation made centuries ago and is sadly irreversible at the current time. With this, the Dean urges that they set an example to the world and do as Christ commanded us to do: keep all promises to the heart.

OOC: Submarines use optical fibers. 'Nuff said.

OOC: Good luck blocking optical fibers dude. If you figure out a way to do that, tell that to the U.S. government. IC: The Swiss Guard remained resolute in their positions as the Athenian division prepared to invade.

[quote name='Centurius' timestamp='1328317075' post='2914149'] "In line with requests from Catholic clergy the Pope hereby has 72 hours to formally renounce his position, make place for a new pope and surrender himself to Athenian police for his crimes. If this deadline is not met further options will be considered, including the use of military force." [/quote] "Pope Celestine VI is the true pope, as verified by the authenticated documents from the last conclave. There is absolutely no reason to renounce the Papacy. In addition, the Athenian Federation has no right to arrest the Pope, as any crime he is charged of having committed were not committed in the Federation's territory. Anyone entering the Vatican City is subject to be searched for weapons, and the forced entry by the Athenian Federation will be viewed as an invasion, and thus, a declaration of war." Several Swiss Guardmen, armed with halbeards, were placed on the borders and ordered to stop anyone attempting to enter by force. The rest of the Swiss Guard, save for eight men, were positioned behind them, armed with SIG Sauer P220 handguns, SIG SG 550 assault rifles, and MP5 sub-machine guns. These men had vowed to protect the Pope at any and all cost, and at this time, they were prepared. PRIVATE Calls were made to various Vatican citizens still in Rome regarding an escape plan for the Pope.

"The Vatican regrets that the Horde has such a negative view on the Pope. Celestine VI has never in his life condemned the idea of religious freedom; au contraire, he has often praised such a right. The message to the French was in no way any type of oppression of this ideal, and seeing that the Pope wants people everywhere to come to the Catholic faith, like all Popes in the history of the Church have, the Horde should not exclude our messages to France. Furthermore, there exists no evidence that the Vatican supported Dalian's regime. The Church supports only the principles that our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, brought forth to humanity."

Upon hearing of the delegation from Kuklos, the Vatican would accept an audience with them.

OOC: Then I believe Cent needs to RP out those effects on the shopowners and residents that live near the area. It is highly improbable, with your facts, that he could contain all the jamming within a 0.17 square mile region.

OOC: I doubt you'd be able to block every radio frequency, considering that radio communications employ a wide variety of wavelengths. I could explain it in more detail, but not here. IC: CLASSIFIED The Vatican recently began to employ optical fibers, immune to electromagnetic interference, to communicate. Through these means, Pope Celestine VI transferred his authority to Dean Scola, who was outside of the Vatican when it was blocked out from the rest of the world, until Athens stepped down. He was also ordered to set up Vatican consulates in nations friendly to the See.

With physical communication out of reach at this point, the Holy See opted for more expensive means: the satellite phone. By owning several satellite phones from various foreign companies, the Pope was able to converse with his Cardinals around the world, albeit at a higher price. For the Athenian Federation to block that out would require them to take out the satellites transmitting the signal, but that would create an international incident.

However, not very many Cardinals, definitely not more than the two thirds majority of the College of Cardinals required to elect a new Pope, would even bother to show up to the Council of Basel. The Athenian Federation may have seen Celestine VI as someone corrupt, but history had brought corrupt popes before, and if this one was as Athens expressed, the papal conclave had already been validated. People were also confused on how the Athenian Federation indicated freedom of religion but tried to change the doctrine of the Catholic Church. In addition, Italian faithful began to assume the role of the foreign clergy.

Twice a day, Vatican officials locked outside have begun to communicate with the Pope via megaphone, sending news from around the world and receiving instructions in order to maintain contact with the world. All discussion was held in the language that no country, save for the Vatican City, uses.

The Pope wrote a reply back to Cardinal Velankovic and sent it back via pigeon, stating that as no homeless person could enter the Vatican soup kitchen, everyone inside had plenty to eat and drink. He also requested Velankovic to set up an office for the Pope, should he ever arrive, and provided that the Croatian government had no objections. Finally, he inquired the Cardinal to investigate as to why the Horde and the Federation were so randomly antagonistic against the Vatican, seeing that the Holy See now had little way to communicate with the governments at this point. Mass would be celebrated as normal, except that it would occur outside instead of in the basilica. Speakers were set up, and the celebrants would speak through microphones outside. Communion would be administered to pilgrims outside the City by Roman priests using the Blessed Sacrament consecrated in other churches.