TheShammySocialist

"The Grand Order thanks Greater Romanian for their recognition and their movement to dispatch an emissary to serve in Dawnbreak. The Grand Master has appointed the Noble Counselor Martain Sparks to represent the interests of the Grand Order in Bucharest. We hope that we may build a cordial relationship with Greater Romania, as well as any other nation that we share this world with." [i]Gottfried de Reinstone[/i] [b]Grand Master of the Exalted Chosen Leader of the Light[/b]

With reports filtering in from numerous Trusted Surveyors, who were scouring the country with their teams of aides, as well as receiving some assistance from the local populace. These surveys were but a taste of what was to come for the development of the Grand Order; it would be these reports that formed the basis of the development of infrastructure for the state, including its military. Much was taken into account; population density, existing logistical infrastructure, surrounding socioeconomic conditions, relocation suitability, et cetera. It was on these auspices that the Grand Master and his Enlightened Council, along with their staffers and aides were beginning to form a plan of action to develop the nation from the capitol outwards. Local workers would be hired to begin for state-sponsored projects, whilst private corporations that had begun to form in the wake of the anarchy being cleansed, began submitting their own ideas. Much of the civilian infrastructure planning that was ongoing, was planning new logistical routes, and transportation hubs, that would work in concert with what the Grand Order believed to be the development of the nation. Major logistical hubs, ports and aerial facilities, existing and planned, would be given high priorities to allow for the movement of goods and services about the nation. Railway and major roads, as well as bridges would also be given significant attention, to ensure easy flow of population and goods when the nation's economy began to take steam. The Central Bank of Sol would begin issuing its first loans to private corporations that would be soon engaged in these projects. Additional projects that the Trusted Surveyors were to be surveying for included the placement of government facilities for the outlying district, state universities and polytechnic colleges, as well as municipal fitness and gathering centers. Additional surveying would also lay out plotting for several military facilities, including naval port facilities, air installations, ground forces' installations, and defensive works. Although these would be expanded upon, the plotting of initial facilities, including crucial training grounds and colleges would be a major first step in developing the fledgling Enlightened Forces into a professional first-world fighting force.

The trip to London would be a first, of presumably many abroad for Illio Rayzio, an Exalted Guardian, a member of the inner circle of the Grand Circle, one of the Grand Masters' most trusted associates. Utilizing one of the few existing ultra-long-range business jets that the Grand Order had in possession, the trip would be made light; only a few staffers and aides would make the trip with Illio. Along the trip, the small group would discuss further external affairs, as well as discuss the objectives set forth by the Grand Master for this first official venture abroad by diplomats of the Order. A few hours sleep would also be afforded before the plane arrived in London to the pomp set forth by the British Government. Alongside Illio, the rest of the delegation would be wearing formal attire; business suits that were well pressed and had pins with the coat of arms of Sol adorning their lapels, a small patriotic touch. Making the journey into the city proper, the delegation would enjoy the comfort afforded them by the government cars sent to fetch them, commenting positively on the effort that was being put into their visit. "Sol, and I, personally thank you for your hospitality shown thus far," said Illio, speaking for the rest of his delegation when he greeted Urquehart at 10 Downing. "The trip was a long one, flying across one hemisphere to another is always an experience that takes a little getting used to." He and the rest of the delegation would move to take a seat once their hosts had indicated their intentions to have luncheon.

Within weeks of the Order's declaration of intent, and after a long series of battles that bloodied the Order's disciplined Guardians of Peace, Dawnbreak had been able to further its control over several provinces of the newly founded nation. Local strongmen and overlords had been defeated and their strongholds burned or taken over by Guardians for their own uses. Their weaponry that was captured from these holdfasts would be dispersed to local militia that was loyal to the Guardians, many of whom now followed the latter into battle to liberate other areas of the nation. As the Guardians put it to them, there was time to rebuild homes and lives after the country had been cleansed, and that time was not now. The point stuck, and Dawnbreak's couriers of hope now could muster irregular forces that number in the tens of thousands. These numbers would be needed for the final vestiges of the campaign, that would see the Guardians and their allies moving against the largest and most dangerous of overlords that held strongpoints at a number of key locations throughout the nation. This included the strategically important port of Punta Arenas, where an overlord by the name of Ricardo de Azziano held sway over a citadel that had been built astride the port and near the city center. Several other strongholds existing in the highlands, as well as the Andes, which would be difficult to approach without proper strategic maneuvering and especially equipment. These last bastions of resistance were not positions to be trifled with, especially by the lightly armed Guardians and their militia, which had limited heavy weapon support, and little to no aerial support from the very limited Aerial Corps. These locales could boast some sophisticated weaponry, including small amounts of artillery, mortars, anti-aircraft weaponry, including autocannons and missile defenses. These strongmen had grown to prominence through their ruthlessness, and sometimes charisma, and their followers weren't likely to break easily, and were even bolstered in numbers by individuals that had escaped from other strongholds. Some of these overlords even had their own armored vehicles, including in a few instances, tanks that could easily match what the Guardians could deploy for heavy vehicles. What the Guardians could count on was their disciplined spirit, and their loyal following that had taken up arms, many of whom were quite willing to lay down their lives in the service of their new orderly state. Many of these irregular forces had known nothing but despair, but the Guardians promised change, and it was up to them to enact that change, and when given that chance, they were quite ready to show the agents of the Order that they were willing to do anything to make that dream possible. When the Guardians and their allies marched on these last strongholds, bristling with heavy armaments and individual hell-bent on preserving the old order, their morale and motivation would be defining factors in the last struggles. Heavily armed Guardians in the Southern Reach, operating close to the city Punta Arenas, also known to the government as 'Antarctic Dawn'. The fledgling Enlightened Naval Forces commit one of their few assets, the missile-gunboat Lancer, to the fray close to Punta Arenas, in support of Guardians and their irregular allies.

As a courtesy to all foreign nations, the Grand Order had begun the expansion of a section of the capitol, Dawnbreak, that would become the Diplomatic Quarter. This important section of the city would play host to any nation who wished to establish an embassy or consulate in the capitol. Additionally, important facets of the Magistrate of External Affairs would have their offices in close proximity to this area. The headquarters for the Magistrate of External Affairs, also known as the Lighthouse, was located on the boundary between the Diplomatic Quarter, and the Senior Government Quarter.

As the Guardians of the Order spread throughout the land to initiate the bloodletting of those that would seek to undermine the ideals of, or outwardly resist the Grand Order, the Enlightened Council of the Grand Order would be chosen by the Grand Master at Dawnbreak. From there on out, work commenced on building a new social order, whilst the Guardians tore down the vestiges of the anarchical system that had entrenched itself throughout the land. The people would be given a voice again, through the Chosen Speakers that would be chosen from communities or metropolitan boroughs, once the country was "cleansed" of the strongmen and overlords. These Chosen Speakers would be intellectuals or prominent community members that were of good moral fiber and character, and understood the meaning of public service to their constituents. Candidacy for Speaker was strict, but for good reason; one could easily abuse such power for their own ends, and for the Grand Master, and the other members of the Enlightened Council, this was unacceptable. These Chosen Speakers would sit as members of the Enlightened Council, and provide the leaders at Dawnbreak with critical information that was vital to their districts' needs and desires, or so it was planned to be this way. There was much to develop in the wake of the great cleansing that was going about the countryside, and the Grand Order had only begun. Guardians were not the only ones scouring the countryside for the enemies of the state, Trusted Surveyors were also scouting about the land, having spread outwards from Dawnbreak to assess infrastructure, socioeconomic conditions, census statistics, health concerns. Much of this work being done clandestinely, as the cleansing was going on, in some areas, where the strongmen held some sway, agents of the Order were not safe. But the risk was deemed worthy of ignorance, at least to the point that Surveyors operated in a clandestine manner, gathering information to filter back to the capital. This information would be sifted through, pored over by both the Enlightened Council, as well as their advisors and staff, the latter of whom had developed a relatively unconventional way of going about their planning boards. Instead of poring over charts and scribbled notes within the halls of the Dawnbreak governance quarters, many staffers chose to hold their meetings informally, at one anothers' houses. Armed with statistics and write ups from the Trusted Surveyors, the men and women who would build the Grand Order, would do so whilst wearing sweatpants or pajama bottoms, sipping casually on wine, and developing functional and fluid plans and provisions for developing the state, outwards from Dawnbreak. Like the Salonierres of Paris in the 18th Century, these individuals, wearing much less formal attire, would be the driving force behind what would build the Grand Order into what it was going to become. One of the many informal meetings undertaken by junior Order staffers as the Grand Order began to formulate its societal structure.

As per the orders of the Grand Master, the Guardians of Peace, the foot soldiers of the Order, were sent to all corners of the orders' claimed lands, having planned for some time for this movement with the senior members of the Order. The Guardians of Peace were not only couriers, they were representatives of the Grand Master himself, and worked outside what would eventually become the local magistrates and councilors. They spoke the wishes of the order, and had been incorporated to serve as such, including stamping out what would be the first resistance to the righteous rule of the Order. That was mainly the stongmen and local overlords who had capitalized on the darkness and anarchy that had gathered in the Order's now claimed lands and holdings. It was up to the Guardians, in the small groups of well-coordinated individuals that they were, to either convince these individuals to relinquish their power, or face the rising tide that Dawnbreak would unleash upon them. It was by their actions, and in some cases, their sacrifices of blood, that citizens would be freed, and rise up against those that had oppressed them for so long. Stripping them of their meager belongings or what they toiled so hard to produce, whether it be in services, food, or goods. The local strongmen would begin to fall, as the Guardians moved outwards from Dawnbreak to the farthest reaches of the land. Holdfasts and strongpoints would be destroyed by force or diplomacy, but it was far from one sided; Guardians would be slain, both in battle, or murdered when they arrived as diplomats to deliver the message from Dawnbreak. Some small teams would never be heard from again, their existence erased from the face of the Earth, others would emerge after days without contact with friendly operatives or the Order, bloodied, but defiant and willing to move on. This was a time for heroes, those that proved themselves the best would ensure their place in the upper echelons of the order when peace was finally established, but at this time, war was all many of them knew. [center][/center] The black and white patch the Guardians wore, with an old-style broadsword and eagle's head became a symbol of fear to any oppressor who would seek to stand against the Order, the Guardians of Peace were anything but peaceful. In the case of the strongmen and their followers, they were doom incarnate, and to the people who they freed, they were givers of life, dreams that had come to reality. Dawnbreak had spoken, and no one would be left in the darkness in the claimed lands. The tide was growing, and it was continually rising against the oppressors.

"The Grand Order will gladly dispatch one Illio Rayzio to London, to accept the invitation set out by the British Government." [i]Spokesperson for the Magistrate of External Affairs[/i]

Claiming Argentina (minus the USNA protectorate) and the southernmost province of Chile, bordering the Drake Passage as the Grand Order of Sol. Relevant roleplay can be found [url=http://forums.cybernations.net/index.php?/topic/124818-post-tenebras-lux/]here[/url].

"The Light after Darkness. This is what the Grand Order of Sol promises to bring to the southlands, for too many years left to wither and accept status quo, forgotten by the world, order and moral qualities disposed of for the sake of pure survival. The Grand Order moves to correct these woes, and the countless others that have plagued our lands for far too long. We take up the mantle of leadership as a public service, a service to those who haven't felt order, lost their grip on what good a harmonized society could be, to dispell the darkness of our lands and roll back any force, from within or without that would try to reverse our measures of good faith. Our Guardians, the Guardians of Peace now spread throughout the land from our holdfasts and city centers to bring our message far and wide, incorporation has begun. These Guardians of Peace now serve the message to any who would seek to invoke strong arm tactics on the weak; your time is now up, and those who would resist us can do so, and get swept away by the rising tide, or disarm and seek to join our cause. The time is nigh that chins are lifted up with pride once again, with renewed vigor and righteous guidance that we will press forward with our mission. Bringing light where there is none, serving the people as the uniters, in peace, stability, and prosperity. We can only move forward together, and it is what we shall do. The south rises again, the ashes are now being blown away by the winds of change, and what it will unearth is only bound by the imaginations and dreams of a people who can now be unleashed. The Grand Order now holds court in its capital-designate, Dawnbreak. Shall the court continue to reign from now until the darkness consumes us all." [i]Gottfried de Reinstone[/i] [b]Grand Master of the Exalted Chosen Leader of the Light[/b]

[b]Secure Dispatch[/b]

[b]Secure Dispatch[/b]

"It is my belief that alliances of convenience are the worst agreements of the sort, they are bonds that are taken lightly, they're made at one's convenience, and dropped by the same token. It is our belief that what we can build here, is a bloc that will represent the entirety of interests in this region, and the signing of any agreement will be like a ripple effect, a beacon of light, a signal that burns bright that the South Pacific stands united. We don't enter agreements lightly, and a bloc such as this would need ample time to consider any expansion, should one occur, by that token, we are a gathering of Guardians for this region. We move to protect its interests, forward defense of interests, but with stratagems that ensure we avoid unwanted entanglements with other nations; this is not a hegemony, but it is a grouping of nations who have set their priorities and minds to the tasks of ensuring our interests in this region and beyond are protected," responded Solomon, after listening to a few lines from both representatives, whilst sipping on a glass of water. "The people of Australasia have always come to the defense of their friends, and if history is any indicator, I think that you may rest assured, Your Highness, that we provide the support that is needed when the storm clouds roll in. The Southern Cross Defense Force has a wonderful informal motto, 'We charge into the storm, whilst others walk away'. I think our efforts in maritime safety and security in the Southern Oceans, where our ships and aircraft battle the Roaring Forties to protect civilian mariners, is testament enough to that motto. Our people embody that motto when we throw ourselves into the fire of civil conflict, raise our shields in front of the innocent and strike down those who would bring suffering onto them. Borneo may be one of our first engagements as a nation, but I can assure you it won't ever be the last," he continued, looking between the two. "The interests we have in mind here, are not just are own, I won't enter a bloc for profit, nor defense reasons, this is a bloc that needs fundamental purposes beyond that. They say that values, integrity, ideas, these form the strongest of agreements, and that is what any bloc that guards the Southern Pacific and Oceania will be built on. Profit and security are secondary to the values, ideas, and integrity that any agreement that we formulate here, are based upon. The Union stands for anti-extremism, it stands for humanitarianism and philanthropy, it stands for stability, a watch that is never done."

Southern Cross International Media Reports; Masked members of what is presumably members of one of the SCDF's many irregular forces return to Balikpapan airport, in the morning after a night time raid somewhere in the city. The SCDF has currently limited access to the full order of organization for the forces now in Balikpapan, but it is believed that members of one of the Commando Regiments, or the Special Naval Assault Force, and operators from the SAS Regiment are on the ground in Borneo. Reports, however, indicate that the 2nd Battalion, Pilbara Regiment, have been joined by elements of the 1st Battalion, Australian Scottish Regiment, and 6th Battalion, RAR, with combat elements having been flown in over the past seventy-two hours. Other forces include ASLAV vehicles and their crews from the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Light Horse Regiment, as well as light towed howitzers from the 1st Field Regiment. The amphibious assault carrier THRASHER transiting the Lombok Strait, almost forty-eight hours after leaving Collins Naval Base in Darwin, the THRASHER is deploying as part of a fast-paced effort to bolster SCDF assets in Balikpapan and the surrounding regions. Carrying a hefty load of both helicopters and several heavy vehicles and equipment, the arrival of the ship is expected "to change the entire face of the conflict", with the added supplies that are being brought along. The THRASHER has been joined by two other auxiliary vessels carrying large amounts of humanitarian goods, as well as other equipment to help the SCDF deal with the growing militant threat that is now being labeled as "unprecedented", by several military leaders. Members of the 6th Battalion, RAR, advance through thick brush, whilst patrolling to the northeast of Balikpapan Airport, performing security sweeps for militants that have been evacuating Balikpapan and taking up new bivouacs outside the city. The first members of the 6th Battalion arrived at Balikpapan Airport twelve hours after the balance of the 2nd Battalion, Pilbara Regiment arrived, and "almost went straight into combat". Several members of the SCDF General Staff praised the efforts of soldiers from the 6th Battalion, who broke up a relatively large counteroffensive movement by a sect of militants who were taking advantage of the Pilbara's thin ranks to move from the northeast on the airport. A member of the Pilbara Regiments' reconnaissance team's sniper task force in heavy camouflage provides overwatch for militant movements along main roads in the vicinity of Balikpapan. Several tactical commanders from the 2nd Battalion have praised the efforts of their marksmen in dealing with threats to their patrols, and neutralizing key enemy combatants, including gunners. "Without my eagle eyes watching my back, half my platoon would probably be going home in coffins right now," stated one lieutenant, who wished to remain anonymous. Several unit leaders have taken to calling their assigned marksmen 'eagle eyes', for obvious reasons.

Solomon Winder would bow his head at both responses from both Khendon and the Empress, and making a slightly audible voicing of thanks for Khendon's assessment of the Union's respect for its past. The Lord Protector would take a relaxed posture in his seat, clearly showing that he considered that, despite the talks holding a certain heavy weight of gravity, he was very relaxed in the presence of the other two leaders. As Khendon spoke, he picked up his glass of water and swirled it in his fingers, getting the water swirling in a perfect cyclone in the glass, before taking a sip of the roiling liquid, he kept a neutral expression on his face, much like the Empress, and would finally add his own remarks after the two had spoken. "As much as the South Pacific can be considered a backwater by many, the Oceanic Region is immensely important in the overall strategy and worldwide trade. Although Asia has been the source of several origins of unrest in recent times, I believe that these times are slowly coming to an end, partially due to the fact that are nations represent stalwart defenses against movements in the region. The Union of the Southern Cross has sworn itself a duty to guard its share of the Southern Hemisphere, the eastern Indian, the Southwest Pacific, these are duties we do not take lightly. I believe that adding to this equation, your own nations, would add an important bulwark that backs up our efforts in the region to ensure the aforementioned regions remain free and true," he stated, in a relatively energetic tone. "This agreement seems to be built not just on mutual strategic interest, but something else," he finished with.

As a matter of principle, the Union of the Southern Cross would dispatch its Foreign Minister, Valerie Pomerleau, to Dar es Salaam for the meeting of Indian Ocean nations.

"The Union of the Southern Cross is ecstatic to see a new nation arise from the ashes and take a place of sovereignty amongst other Far Eastern Asian nations."

CNRP2 Nation: Union of the Southern Cross CNRP2 Nation shorthand: The Union CNRP2 National football team nickname: Woomera CNRP2 football team kit color: Blue, White Commonwealth Stars CNRP2 football team playing style: 3-5-2, 4-6-0 (Alternative)

"Down! Down! DOWN!" yelled Lieutenant Abel Winder, as he grabbed one of his soldiers by his equipment webbing and threw him to the ground against a low wall as machinegun fire skimmed overhead. The sound of the technical's engine revving could be heard over the top of the wall, as the Southern Cross soldiers threw themselves against the relatively well constructed brick-and-mortar wall. Abel looked up the line and down at the mates in his platoon, from Bravo Company of the 2nd Battalion, Pilbara Regiment, noting that none seemed to be hit, but he crouched lower as a piece of brick was blasted from the wall close to his head. The sounds of bullets chewing through wall was quite audible, especially seeing as his ear was almost against the small bit of cover. "What do we got up there, Sergeant?!" yelled Abel, down the line, at one of the squad sergeants, a man by the name of Varris, who was on the corner of the wall, and had good view up the street. This was a typical scene for several sub units from the 2nd Battalion, Pilbara Regiment, who were struggling to contend with militants who were still running quite freely through the northern reaches of Balikpapan. Although most of the southern reaches of the city, including neighborhoods close to the airport had been cleared quite quickly, the large number of shantytowns on the northern end of Balikpapan were a maze of poorly constructed dwellings, with no well-defined route through them. It was easy to get flanked, or even turned around in the maze, and it was only by the grace of helicopters from the [i]Valor[/i] battle group providing overwatch overhead, or small reconnaissance helicopter drones that the men and women from the battalion were making headway against an enemy who seemed to heartily enjoy the cat-and-mouse game. "Got a light MG technical with about twenty bad guys, L.T., thirty to forty yards, to our twelve!" yelled Varris, peeking around the corner, before quickly ducking back in, as bullets spat up dirt and asphalt into the air when they shot at the shortly-exposed Aussie. "I want that rotary launcher ready to go, Jimmy!" shouted Abel, at one of the riflemen a couple spots down the line, a few more pieces of brick were torn away by machinegun fire. The soldier yelled something that was seemingly incoherent over the din, as he grasped a revolving grenade launcher that was slung around his hip, as Abel hand-motioned for two other soldiers to blind fire. The two soldiers began hoisting their assault rifles over the wall and firing them in the general direction of the pesky militants, whilst Abel motioned for the rest of his platoon to prepare covering fire. "NOW!" yelled Abel, shouting at Varris, who rolled out into the open with his assault rifle blazing, whilst two other soldiers with him stepped out into the open and began firing. The rest of the platoon hoisted themselves up, and began laying down fire with their rifles and light machineguns, getting their first glimpse of the beat up technical that was mounting a light machinegun, with a shield on it. The militants started taking cover as well, one of them toting an rocket-propelled grenade getting hit as he prepared to launch it, the launcher going off, and the rocket flying wildly over the heads of several soldiers, who dropped to the ground immediately reflexively. As the Southern Cross soldiers opened up with their small arms, the rifleman who Abel had motioned to earlier suddenly stood up with the revolving six-shot grenade launcher, and emptied four quickly-successive shots at the militants and their makeshift weapons carrier. One of them exploded directly on the machinegun mount, destroying it and its operator, as well as showering the driver with shrapnel and presumably killing him. A few of the militants turned to try to move off the street, firing their assault rifles wildly, but several would be cut down by the Australians with well aimed bursts, sending them spiraling to the ground. One of Abel's soldiers would hurl a hand grenade behind a wall that the militants had taken cover behind, the explosion causing a cacophony of cries and shouts as the Australians suddenly surged forward, from behind and around their cover. Abel ran forward with his troopers, and brought his assault rifle up again, as he saw the driver try to raise a pistol to fire at them, and he emptied the rest of his magazine into the cab of the vehicle before the driver could fire. Out of the militant patrol, it appeared that only one had been left alive by the sudden assault made, shot through both legs, one of Abel's soldiers immediately kicked a gun out of his reach, and secured his wrists with a heavy duty zip tie as he cursed and tried to spit at them. The platoon medic immediately moved forward and stuck him with a sedative that immediately put the man under, as the rest of the platoon fanned out into a security cordon around the bodies. "I want two men gathering up these weapons and three others securing this guy for transport back to the battalion pen, he'll be our guest," ordered Abel, as he watched one of his soldiers nursing a bullet graze that had taken part of his shoulder off. "Quack, see to Corporal Renny, would you?" he said, nodding over at the wounded soldier, as the medic finished sedating the wounded militant. One of the tactical radio operators began barking into his mic for a tactical transport to their position, as three of the Aussies moved the militant away from the ruined technical, allow with gathering the bodies and covering them with tarps. As Abel walked away from the makeshift war wagon, one of the soldiers did the honors of throwing a white phosphorous grenade into the vehicle, immediately setting the bloodstained cab of the truck violently ablaze. Varris walked up to the lieutenant and nodded, "Fourth ambush today, think they'll get the message soon?" "If it keeps up like this, there won't be any to get that message," chuckled Abel, his smiling waning quickly. "Renny alright?" "Yeah, those big shoulders of his, a little meat off of them won't hurt him at all, no one else hurt, except for your typical cuts and bruises," nodded Varris, ejecting a magazine from his rifle, checking it, and then sliding it back home. "We already lost five today, I'd rather not lose anymore, I want Renny escorting our guest back to base with the transport, think he'll be up to it?" "I don't think he could say no, you know how he likes truck rides." Abel nodded with a slight smile, as he looked back at the burning technical, and smelled the air, it was the stench of death, that hung low over Balikpapan. For the relatively inexperienced members of the 2nd Battalion, Balikpapan was fast becoming their toughest ordeal yet, and it was far from over, this was their baptism of fire, and they were meeting the challenge head on. Some had succumbed to the challenge, but there were more to take their place, it was unfortunate that some who had succumbed, would not get a second chance at the challenge again.

"We were unaware that Borneo was now under the protection of the Philippines, we would have believed that the Philippines would be still cleaning up from three thermonuclear strikes, instead of gallivanting off into other territories. There were no pronouncements to this movement by the Philippines into a neighboring country. But since the topic is brought up, we wholeheartedly believe that the situation in Balikpapan is unprecedented, and without finding any Philippine security forces upon landing, we are taking steps to control the situation. Given this situation, the Union of the Southern Cross is immediately putting the former Indonesian provinces of East and South Kalimantan under our direct protection, as this is the rightful course of action. We are disdainful of efforts to further gain more territory, especially after our own forces were endangered moving into the Philippines to ensure its protection after many of its cities were destroyed, only to see a policy of grabbing more territory afterwards ensue. The media reports from the ground have been verified by elements of our own Ground Forces, upon landing, which were almost immediately engaged north of the airport, when they attempted to leave it. Given this unacceptable situation, we are moving to establish a new stabilization force in the region, and these regions will be under direct Southern Cross protection. We are unaware of any Philippine security units in the area, and after an emergency meeting of the Constellation Council following your claims, we believe that it is best that the Southern Cross take the lead in Eastern and South Kalimantan." [i]Statement from the Constellation Council[/i] [b]Media Reporting from Embedded Journalists;[/b] [center][/center] [center][i]A soldier from the 2nd Battalion, Pilbara Regiment leads frightened youngsters away from a burning house near Balikpapan Airport.[/i][/center] [center][/center] [center][i]Another soldier from the Pilbara patrols the streets east of the Balikpapan Refinery complex, after a firefight leaves two Southern Cross soldiers wounded, and several militants dead. Southern Cross forces are purportedly fighting what the SCDF Ground Forces have identified as Islamist militants who moved into the city recently, and evicted local security forces.[/i][/center] [center][/center] [center][i]Members of a public affairs unit attached to the Southern Cross Standing Contingency Task Force talk with children rescued by Southern Cross soldiers during the middle of a firefight, the children are now in the care of local medical technicians supported by elements of the SCDF.[/i][/center] [center][/center] [center][i]An ASLAV armored personnel carrier attached to the Pilbara Regiment moves out on patrol from the airport, onto the streets of Balikpapan. the ASLAV has proven quite useful in engaging local militants that utilize technicals as heavy weapons carriers and support vehicles.[/i][/center]

Actually, to be honest, if SOCSOV Hawaii wasn't as half as crazy as it was, I could see the USC and Hawaii getting along fine... but you have this extremist approach to everything. And if you want people to listen to you, you should stop taking such an approach to people. And on top of it, this "holier-than-thou" approach to how Hawaiians and Polynesians are the master race really puts people off... to be honest... at least it does to me... If you want friends, then make an honest effort at trying to garner some, instead of spewing out useless trash about how Hawaiians and Polynesians don't need friends, because you're some seven-foot giant race that will turn back every nuke and bullet with a single chest pube. Why do you need the world to help you, when you have such powers?

Osamu Saito would be met at Brisbane's International Airport by aides and mid-level officials of the Southern Cross Foreign Service, and would be given a chance to recuperate from the flight in for a few hours, with the possibility of a stop at a local restaurant, which he could select from a list available. Once the Japanese Foreign Minister was fed and watered, a small convoy would bear the Japanese delegate and his entourage along the Coral Sea south to the suburb of Gold Coast. Many members of the government, including higher level officials lived in this suburb of Brisbane, and it was quite well guarded, with a noticeably larger police force and what appeared to be checkpoints into certain neighborhoods of the city. Their destination would be a relatively small Mediterranean villa-style residence on the southern end of the Gold Coast, overlooking the Coral Sea, which served as a function house for the Southern Cross Government, specifically for small bilateral talks like this. Amicably nicknamed the Global House, it both hosted talks, and could host small delegations, with a small staff of individuals to serve them should they spend the night there. As the convoy pulled up, and an aide would open the door, Saito would find himself face-to-face with the Lord Protector of the Southern Cross, Solomon Winder, a relatively younger-looking man waiting for him, with a hand outstretched. "Mr. Saito, welcome to the Union, I trust your travels have been comfortable?"

Contravening Kevin's invasion of Borneo, with a movement into the South and East Kalimantan Provinces, of Borneo.

[i]There are truths which are not for all men, nor for all times.[/i] [i]Voltaire[/i] With the collapse of China, as well as India, the Southern Cross had been left with a new strategic situation in Southeast Asia, as well as Oceania. With collusion ongoing with France and New Zealand over what might ultimately become a new strategic bloc in the South Pacific, the Union had other tasks to attend to. Although the peacekeeping mission in the Philippines had ended on a relatively quick note, it had appeared that the desires that had sparked a powder keg before, were starting to remanifest themselves again in the Philippines. The Union had put much faith in a new government that saw daunting tasks ahead of it domestically, but was now engaged in movement southwest into Indonesia. Whilst the Filipinos might have seen this as a natural progression of their strength reimagined, the ongoing policy of Pacific nations taking chunks of land here and there was becoming quite tiresome to those in the upper echelons of the Constellation Council. The Union of the Southern Cross stood as a guardian over Oceania and the Southern Pacific, and it was unaccepting of measures by countries hungry for colonial empires over other peoples in Southeast Asia, and the region. It was an eventuality that if this behavior continued, there would be clashes, and thus the Union would be moved to act on principle. It was simply unacceptable for it to continue to allow such movements without its own. It was thus that unilateralism, would be met with just that, unilateralism, as a reaction and a show of commitment that was unparalleled up to that point, by elements of the Southern Cross. This movement would be easily ushered along by elements of the SCDF Navy that would pass from the Celebes Sea, into the Makassar Strait, following orders from the Constellation Council to terminate escort of humanitarian convoys into the Philippines. To this end, with surface and aerial elements of the [i]Valor[/i] CBG supporting, the SCDF Air Force would begin airlifting elements of the 2nd Battalion, Pilbara Regiment, from Darwin, towards Balikpapan. What would follow a flurry of reporting from the Southern Cross media, showing purported images of children surrounding reporters chanting for food, along with video of militants fighting desultory security forces in the streets, and people walking amidst ruins, a statement would be released by the Constellation Council. [center][/center] [center][i]A Southern Cross Air Forces security officer closely watches the loading of a strategic airlift aircraft with humanitarian goods from Joint Forces Base Scorpion, in Central Australia, bound for Balikpapan, a follow up to the deployment of the 2nd Battalion, Pilbara Regiment, to the city in Southern Borneo.[/i][/center]

Private - Deployments After deliberation following a general pullout from the Philippines of the International Stabilization Force, most units of the ISFP have been redeployed to the Solomons and New Guinea to forward operating bases, for intense acclimatization training. As part of a new initiative taken on by the SCDF, the Oceanic Standing Contingency Task Force concept is being developed under a multi-agency spearhead Task Force, involving elements of the SCDF and the Union government to provide fast-response humanitarian relief and stabilization efforts. This task force will be utilized throughout the region when a humanitarian crisis is under way, and provide a multi-pronged approach to the Southern Cross efforts to ensure stability within the region. As part of training and forward deployment, 1st Battalion, Australian Scottish Regiment, and 1st Battalion, Pilbara Regiment, have been deployed to Joint Forces Base Evolution, in Darwin, in response to other units from the region now on training exercises in other regions of the Union, and its outlying protectorates. Public - Defense As part of a growing commitment to its standard of its unofficial motto, "Anywhere, Anytime", the Southern Cross Defense Force has begun a public awareness campaign of its exploits to build one of the most ready-action armed forces in history. Active broadcasts on public broadcasting have shown exercises from several areas throughout the Union and its protectorates, showing Ground Forces, along with their naval and air force compatriots engaged in intense climate training and maneuvers. With a climate range of jungles in New Guinea, to the sweltering deserts of Central Australia, to Antarctic conditions in the Southern Ocean possessions, the SCDF has the ability to use the Union's "natural playground" to help it be prepared for deployment in any weather condition or climate, anywhere on Earth. The public campaign has also stated the intent to put more resources into the southern flank of the Union, and includes the procurement of high endurance offshore patrol vessels for duties in the Southern Oceans, including being able to break ice and resupply outposts. An artists rendering for a new, annual event trumpeting SCDF Irregular Forces, including the vaunted and shadowy Special Air Service Regiment. Members of the SCDF Irregular Forces public affairs were on hand at an open house at the SCDF Recruiting and Public Awareness Convention in Sydney for the weekend to help connect members of the public with members of the SCDF. Events included physical fitness contests with prizes and achievement certificates, touring an ASW/multipurpose frigate, helicopter rides with the Ground Forces Army Aviation, and publicly-released information about future systems of the SCDF. The public awareness campaign was conducted after SCDF Intelligence Services cleared most sensitive equipment away or ensured the security of several sensitive electronic systems. A member of the 1st Battalion, RAR, undergoes jungle defensive combat training at Forward Operations Base Lark, on the northern coast of New Britain. A member of 4th Battalion, RAR, bayonet fixed, moving through the Extreme Cold Weather Training Station Creche, in the Kerguelen Islands, the 4th Battalion is assigned temporarily as part of an effort to introduce cold weather climates to all infantry units in the SCDF Ground Forces.