Sgt Shidner

i'm backing out. I'm letting AdolfKral assume control of my nation

The Government of New Britannia surrenders to Ireland, and transfers all authority to the Revolutionary Council of Great Britain.

*In Janko's mind....this evening was the solemnest of evenings...the thought of war weighed heavily on his mind...even as the throngs of people outside gathered, chanting his name...* "The people are waiting," a nearby man reminded him, pointing outside. "Yes..." Janko waved his hand, "I know." *He stared at a speech, cleverly crafted by his writers in his hand...it was worded well...but he didn't want this, not this mindless babble...it was cold, unyielding, and unpleasing. Without a second thought, he crumpled the pages in his hand, and walked outside* *Cheers greeted him, two tanks next to his platform fired, their shells exploding in the night sky with fireworks....but Janko, upon reaching the podium...waved down the people, asking them to be silent...and in time, they did* "I...." Janko felt the words catch in his throat, "I do not come here tonight...bringing good tidings for all to hear....in fact, i bring likely the most opposite of that." *He heard a ripple of murmurs wash over the crowd* "Yesterday, i had a secret meeting with the Irish King Antho-" *Boos and jeers lashed out from the crowd....'Down with the Irish' sprang up here and there....it was very clear that the news of the Irish Declaration was still fresh in their minds* "Quiet, quiet please..." Janko waved down the crowd again, "The meeting, one intended to bring an everlasting peace between our countries, was horribly shattered..." He hung his head. "My assistant, Jacob Rommel, ordered the King's aircraft shot down....and one of our own fighter's intercepted it and most likely downed it over the eastern sea, near the Isle of Man..." *The murmurs became shocks of horror* "Yes, i will say what you're all thinking....we are at war, or will be here soon...." Janko felt a tear come to the edge of his eye... "The Irish were looking for an excuse to fight...and one greedy, sadistic, psychotic man gave it to them." *Janko felt his throat grip shut...and he struggled to speak* "I wanted freedom for this country...i wanted a new freedom for you all, for everyone on this island, and here we are, staring hell in the face now. All thanks to the actions of one sick, sick man." *'And you gave us that freedom!' a voice yelled out from the crowd. A roar of agreement from the crowd followed this outburst* "Now...now i'm made out to be a sadistic dictator, while all i wanted was peace," Janko started speaking that which he was so desperate to say, "I’m sorry, I don’t want to be a dictator, that’s not my business. I don’t want to rule or conquer anyone…I should like to help everyone if possible; Jew, Gentile, Black man, White, Irish, and British….we all want to help each other…human beings are like that. We want to live by each other’s happiness, not by each other’s misery. We don’t want to hate and despise one another." Janko looked out across the crowd..." In this world, there’s room for everyone, the good earth is rich and can provide for everyone. The way of life can be free and beautiful…but we have lost the way…greed has poisoned men’s souls, has barricaded the world with hate, has goose-stepped us into misery and bloodshed." *He started to pick his voice up, speaking louder* "We have developed speed, but we have shut ourselves in. Machinery that gives abundance, has left us in want. Our knowledge has made us cynical, our cleverness hard and unkind. We think too much and feel…too little. More than machinery….we need humanity. More than cleverness…we need kindness and gentleness. Without these qualities, life would be violent and all will be lost." Janko then motioned to the huge monitors behind him, "The internet and the airplane have brought us closer together, the very nature of these inventions cries out for the goodness in men…cries out for universal brotherhood, for the unity of us all. Even now, my voice is reaching millions of people throughout the world, and here at home, millions of despairing men and women and children, victims of a man who has doomed them all, to an uncertain fate, in an uncertain time. To those who can hear me I say, do not despair, the misery that is now upon us is but the passing of greed, the bitterness of men who fear human progress. The hate of men will pass and dictators die…and the power they took from the people, will return to the people." He felt his heart swell as he continued speaking... "And so long as men die, liberty will never perish. Citizens of this nation, of the world! Don't give yourself to brutes. Men who despise you, enslave you, who regiment your lives, tell you what to do, what to think, and what to feel. Who drill you, diet you, treat you like cattle. Use you as cannon fodder. Don’t give yourselves to these unnatural men….machine men…with machine minds and machine hearts. You are not machines, you are not cattle, you are men. You have the love of humanity in your hearts…you don’t hate…only the unloved hate. The unloved and the unnatural. Soldiers, don’t fight for slavery, fight for liberty." *He then remembered an old Bible verse his mother had taught him as a child* "In the seventeenth chapter of Saint Luke, it is written, ‘The kingdom of God is within men, not one man, nor a group of men, but in ALL men.’ In you, you the people have the power. The power to create machines, the power to create happiness. You the people have the power to make this life free and beautiful, to make this life a wonderful adventure. Then…in the name of democracy let us use that power, let us all unite! Let us fight for a new world….a decent world, that will give men a chance to work, and that will give youth a future and old age and security. By the promise of these things, brutes have risen to power. But they lie…they do not fulfill that promise, they never will. Dictators free themselves, but they enslave the people." *He looked to the people again, raising his hands beside him* "Now, let us fight to fulfill that promise. Let us fight to free the world. To do away with national barriers…to do away with greed, with hate, and intolerance. Let us fight for a world of reason, a world where science and progress will lead to all men’s happiness. In the name of democracy….let us all unite!" *The roar of the crowd was deafening...he actually felt the concussive waves from all the people cheering, screaming, applauding* "And in the name of this democracy, I have heard the nations and the people cry...and i will give them what they want!" Janko motioned behind him as the honor guards began lowering the six Reichtenburgan flags behind him...some of the people in front of him tried to look past the podium...as six new flags were raised slowly... [center][img]http://s560.photobucket.com/albums/ss42/Sgt_Shidner/1-NewBritannia.png[/img][/center] "This...this is your flag, people of the Isle!" Janko motioned back to the new flag, "You, are no longer citizens of Reichtenburg, but of New Britannia! A new start for all of us! A new beginning for this island!" *As if it could, the sound of the crowd amplified, seeing their beloved Union Jack back in its rightful place* "Berlan is no longer your capital, London is!" Janko said with pride as he looked down upon his people... "And Fuhrer, no longer my title. I am Premier Hummel now! The British people, the British culture is now back in your hands! Freedom to you! Britain for British!!!" *Janko stood at his podium as the roar of the crowd overtook him....he had never felt prouder, or more afraid in his life.*

[b]Classified[/b] [quote][u]To:[/u] The Tianxian Government [u]From:[/u] Markus Shidner (CEO of Shidner Armament Systems) To whom it may concern, We here in Shidner Armament Systems wish to reach out to your government with a request. We know that you grant, in certain times, an Imperial Seal, to special entities. We were wondering what was entitled in obtaining such a Seal, other than simply requesting it. As a partnership between our corporate entity, our country, and yours would surely be benifical to us both. [font="Comic Sans MS"][size="4"][i]Markus Shidner[/i][/size][/font][/quote]

[b]Private[/b] “What…..what have you done….” Janko stared….awestruck at the television, where a news broadcast from the nation of Ireland announced that the King’s aircraft has been attacked, and had most likely been shot down. Behind him stood Jacob, stoic and silent in the doorway. “I did what had to be done, mein Fuhrer, the Irish threatened us….threatened to dismember all that we’ve worked for, all that our country is….he HAD to be stopped!” Jacob’s hand motions exemplified the emotions he felt in his heart, that he had done the right thing. Janko hung his head as the broadcast continued…. “You have doomed us all you idiot.” “No! I have saved us!” Jacob walked up in front of Janko, standing between him and the television. “If not on his aircraft, I had plans to assassinate him at the press conference here! He had to die!” “What??” Janko stood up, slamming his hands on the armrests of his chair, “Assassinate?! This is not what I wanted! I wanted peace! And King Anthony was the only one who wanted the same for our two nations. When I spoke with him, he said that members of his own council advised him to attack us, to annihilate us….and now you have only justified their actions.” Jacob stood there, shocked, “I was only doing what I thought was best for our people, for Reichtenburg. We cannot be threatened like they did, and do NOTHING in retaliation! Its blasphemy…its betrayal!” “Ahhhhh!” Janko unleashed a primal yell as he unholstered his sidearm….and put a .45 caliber round right between Jacob’s eyes, the brain matter and skull fragments splashing up against his television. Janko sat down in a slump…. “F**k!!” He held his head in his hands….now beginning to sob… The doors behind him slammed open as ten armed palace guards rushed in, “Sir! Sir are you alright?!” “I’m fine!!” Janko waved his hand angrily, gun still in hand, “Leave me!” Looking past Janko’s chair…the guards could see the motionless body of Jacob, a blood pool forming around his head and chest, “Sir what happened??” “Leave!!!” Janko turned his head and screamed at the guards, who immediately ran out of the room. Janko then turned back to Jacob’s motionless body and threw his weapon at it…it impacted his chest and skipped across the marble floor…sliding to the wall and stopping….it was silent, dead silent in the room…only Janko’s quiet sobbing echoed between the walls. He looked up momentarily, watching as the Irish reporter, Thomas Murphy, continued talking…the most downcast look upon his face as the report of King Anthony’s plane going down scrolled across the screen. “What the f*ck am I going to do…?” Janko asked himself, “Jacob has doomed us all….all of us….me, the government…our people. What was he thinking?? That our pride had been injured? I was going to work it out.” He kicked the lifeless form, “I WAS GOING TO WORK IT OUT!!” He screamed. Moments later….Janko came walking out of the room, specks of blood adorning his otherwise clean attire. Immediately, the honor guard standing outside rushed to him, “What happe-“ “Get me war council,” Janko cut off the captain, “And clean that traitor off the floor in there…” Janko stalked off towards the war room…. “And bring me my war cape!” [b] Classified[/b] About ten minutes later, the war cabinet had convened within the Palace War Room, and the air was abuzz with apprehension and the overwhelming feeling of dread. Assistants were rushing back and forth, radio operators gathering intelligence from border units facing Ireland, and the leading commanders of each branch convened at the large table in the center of the room. “Apparently the call came through from Jacob to our north-western airbases, AF-45 to be exact.” Generalleutnant (Major General) Anhel Burket, leader of the Nationale Luftwaffe, stated, “The commander there has been relieved of duty for accepting his order without further authorization.” “That does me no good…” Janko solemnly said, “The deed is done…what matters now is what can we do now that war is inevitable?” Fangen Sie Marschall (Field Marshal) Kaiser Flint was the first to speak, “As we speak, I’ve ordered all of our ground forces to shore up and improve defenses on the shore facing Ireland. Our panzer divisions are moving into support positions, but staying inside underground bunkers to avoid initial airstrikes.” He pointed to a large map on the wall, “Anti-air units are spacing out, but there are still gaps. Main point here is we just don’t have the manpower to cover all this area.” “I’m readying all our aircraft for CAPs and interception missions…but in a similar problem to the Army,” Burket spoke up, “Their forces will greatly outnumber our own. Plus, we have no navy to speak of to aid us. We’ll be fighting a 2-D war, while they, a 3-D one, sir.” Janko took all this in as he glanced at the large map of Reichtenburg, “Damn you Jacob….damn you to hell.” “I have scout aircraft flying overlapping early-warning patterns to the north and south,” Burket continued, “If they attempt to flank us, we’ll know about it and will be able to counter accordingly.” “I have my men assembled and ready to go sir,” Colonel Nicholas McElmurry of the Stürmen Legionäre commented, “If they want this land, they’ll have to fight for every inch.” "Sir, we've also readied our old telephone lines and radios, just in case our more modern means go down." Field Mashal Flint remarked, "It hasn't been too long since we transitioned to newer communication forms and as a last-ditch thing, we've had all our infantry and tank units equipped with old-fashioned backpack radios and kits." "We've also readied our switchboards in case we have to use them sir," a radio operator to Janko's left commented. Janko thought over and over what must be done….but a part of him couldn’t accept it. Not long ago, he had met with the boy King in a house of God to talk peace, the next it had been shattered….the idea of peace a mere illusion now… the dawn of war was waiting on the horizon…and it scared him to the bone to think of the damage this would do to his country…. “But…if war is what lays ahead of us, thanks to the utter STUPIDITY of one man, we shall be prepared…and we’ll fight, to the last.” “Huzzah! Huzzah!” The council cried in aggrement, “Huzzah!”

[b]Classified[/b] "Scramble a fighter now! I want that plane brought down now!" Janko's assistant, Jacob, radioed via a secure line to the military command. *On the radar screen, the King's plane was still headed towards the Isle of Man, maintaining its low altitude and slow speed.* *Out on one of Reichtenburg's easternmost air bases, a very old version of aMe-48 Peregrine Air Superiority Fighter was scrambled within minutes, its crew made aware only of their target, not of which nationality was or the reason for their attack.* "Command this is Reaper 5, we have the target in our sights." Lt. Avery Endbur heard the solid tone of missile lock as he awaited confirmation, minutes after taking off. His speedy fighter craft had caught up to the slow flying passenger liner in little time, while his Reaper's own stealth would keep the Irish from knowing his position, at least till he fired. "Fire, fire, fire! Everything you have, that plane must NOT get away!" *Flipping the switch, Endbur ripple-fired all of his plane's [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AIM-54_Phoenix"]anti-air missiles[/url] at the distant plane, flying just above sea level. He watch in suspense as the missiles trailed off, leaving only their contrails behind..............and was satisfied to see not one, but three explosions.* "Coming back to base, command." "Good! Now get the hell out of there!" *Lt. Endbur failed to notice that as he had mindlessly pursued the Irish aircraft, he had strayed into the airspace surrounding the Greater German Reich's base on the Isle of Man*

*Standing up shortly after King Anthony finished, Janko notices how much taller he is than the 18-year-old ruler of Ireland. He shakes the King's hand and smiles* "Yes, the Isle of Man may return to your fold....who am I to keep a population that is largely Irish from Ireland itself?" *He let go of the King's hand* "And i know of the political implications that will become of this as well. And I believe its for the best." *He then motioned for his guards to start up the car* "If you're willing, we can travel back to the palace, from there we can hold a press conference, where i can acknowledge the changes that are to be made to this country. And having you there as well during this announcement will surely speed things along, or even perhaps fully resolve them all in one blow." *With that, Janko followed his men out to his SUV, looking back to see if the King was following, then he entered his vehicle and the two of them began their drive to the palace.* Edit: Removed 'classified', made null by next post.

[b]Private[/b] *Janko scanned over the paper....the demands laid before him....there was nothing there that was not within reason. Perhaps he had pushed things a little far with the decisions made by his administration. But if he had offended people within his own country, he had not heard much of it. Besides the rebels that is, but they were a vastly decreasing minority within the population* "I appreciate this gesture more than you know, your Majesty." Janko folded the paper neatly, and put it into his interior chest pocket, "The people I govern mean more to me than my own rule. If this will save them from the despair of war, I will gladly oblige." He then folded his hands and bowed his head....being of the Christian faith...Janko had a firm belief that such circumstance don't come by chance...but that this stroke of luck had to have been the work of someone higher than himself. Quietly, he said a short prayer; thanking God for this opportunity, that he would continue to keep this country safe, and to bless King Anthony for having the wisdom to look before he leaped. "Amen." Janko ended his prayer. "Within the week," Janko once again looked back to King Anthony, "I shall have announced a new round of elections, and hopefully candidates from our respective parties shall arise." Janko then remembered the ending words of King Anthony's last statement, "What was the 'one more thing' you were referring to?"

[b]Private[/b] *The church was a remarkable sight to behold for Hummel, as he had only seen pictures of it before this night. The towers, the stone, the angling...it was magnificent. As they drew closer, he noticed another car sitting outside the building, the only conclusion he could draw was that King Anthony was already here. Pulling up beside the Cathedral, they cut the engine, exited the SUV, and walked up to the church* "Here goes nothing..." Janko mumbled to himself as he pushed open the door, his two soldiers trailing slightly behind him. He was greeted by a young adult, sash across his chest, accompanied by a pair of darkly-dressed soldiers. *Janko performed the sign of the cross, a gesture his mother had taught him to do upon entering a Catholic sanctuary* *Walking up to the young King Anthony, Janko extends his hand forward* "It is a pleasure to meet you King Anthony, and I thank you for being willing to have his meeting in the first place."

[b]Private[/b] "It sounds like a trap..." Jacob said immediately upon reading the message. *The room was empty apart from Fuhrer Janko and his personal assistant Jacob* Janko thought about that too...such a meeting...from a country which had openly condemned his own, and had threatened war, killing him would make such a take over much easier... "I know it does, Jacob...but what choice do we have. I fought for renewal within this country...and it has brought only contempt. If this is a chance to avoid a war, i shall take it." "But sir," Jacob turned on a recording of BBN's interviews on a small monitor on Janko's desk, "The people love you, they love the government, they will back you if this...this...this Irish b*****d tries to attack us." "But if they do, Jacob...it will be bloody...it will be awful...our forces, while highly trained and motivated, do not have the numbers, nor the technology to contend with the Irish as of yet." Janko let out a deep, long sigh...turned around and looked out the window at the skyline of Berlan... "Where did i go wrong, Jacob? Where did I?" Jacob looked out the window as well...outside on the street, a small crowd stood at the palace gates, holding signs preaching their support for the government, and many signs with 'Britain for British' painted on them... "Look at them...they are our future, Jacob." the Fuhrer said, "What use is this new system, our new freedom, what use is Reichtenburg if that dream is about to be dashed against rocks of tempered steel and flying lead. I am a man for the people, Jacob...and i would be betraying them more if i did not search for peace, rather than holding my ground and letting this country burn around them." Janko let loose another long sigh...glanced at the Irish document...and then looked at Jacob... "Ready a vehicle. I want as low a profile as possible. If you can, create a distraction to that crowd outside. I don't want anyone seeing me leave the palace." "Yes, mein Fuhrer." Jacob bowed then began walking out the door. "And also....ready the military...as far as they know, this will be in response to the Irish Declaration...but if anything goes wrong with this meeting...i want us to be prepared for the worst." "As you wish." "Jacob?" "Yes, sir?" "Send in the two men i have stationed outside the door....i wish to speak with them." Janko straightened his collar and sat up straight in his chair. *Seconds later, two men in ceremonial armor, rifles at their side, marched in and stood at attention in front of Janko's desk* *Hummel scanned the two men's uniforms for ranks and names* "Captains Marshall and Rommel." "Sir!" *They snapped their heels together and threw up a salute. "At ease, gentleman." Janko motioned for them to relax. "Tonight I will be attending a clandestine meeting with a foreign dignitary, who it is does not matter. But i will be bringing the pair of you along as a protection detail as I do not yet fully trust the intention of this meeting. You are to remain calm, shoot only if fired upon, and keep a keen eye for any threats, but do not, and I repeat this, do not do anything that may be construed as threatening. We are on the brink of war, gentlemen....anything bad that could come of this meeting may very well mean tossing a match onto a powder keg...do i make myself perfectly clear?" "Yes, sir." the men replied in unison. "Good. Now go find something more casual to wear...we're going for the quiet approach, your ceremonial armor won't be necessary." As the men left, Janko began typing up a response to send to the Irish. [quote][b][u]Private Message to:[/u] Christopher O'Connell Ireland Minister of Foreign Affairs[/b] Tell King Anthony that I accept his offer of a meeting. I am presently readying myself for the journey to the Cathedral. I do understand the magnitute of the importance of this meeting and the consequences that are sure to follow if things are to get out of hand. And I assure you, for the sake of my people, I will not be the one to make the first incorrect step, if one is taken. I await his Majesty at the Cathedral. [i]Janko Von Hummel[/i] Fuhrer of Reichtenburg[/quote] *Closing out of the messenger, Janko looked out the window at the crowd again, and watched as they seemed to be drawn to something on the east side of the palace. Quickly he got up and headed for the door, walking hurriedly towards the motor pool where a grey SUV awaited, his two men standing outside it, one at the driver's door, the other at the passenger.* "Lets go, while the people outside are distracted." Janko whispered as he climbed inside the vehicle, followed by the soldiers. *Starting up the SUV, the vehicle slowly departed the motor pool and entered the relatively quiet street, and began heading for the Cathedral* [b]CLASSIFIED[/b] Reichtenburg's military forces are put on high alert. All of the 70,000 men of the main army are to be put on Alert Status 2 until further notice. Special Forces on Alert Status 1. CAP of the Irish border is to be commenced, but not to stray into Irish Airspace. All planes keep a 10-mile distance from the border.

*On a world-wide broadcast from Reichtenburg's capital, Berlan, the BBN (Berlan Broadcasting Network)'s logo flashes across the screen, followed by its patriotic theme song* "Good evening Reichtenburg, I'm Paul Churchill" A dashing news anchor looks at the camera and flashes a smile. "And I'm Lois Bauer, welcome to Look At The Nation, special report, at 8:20." She too smiled wide for the camera, followed by neatly restacking her papers. "This evening's top story," Paul watched the teleprompter, "earlier this morning, a declaration by King Anthony O' Reilly of Ireland was relayed to top officials of Reichtenburg." *A copy of the ultimatium faded onto the screen, with Paul narrating the entire thing word for word.* [quote][b]From His Majesty The King of Ireland[/b] [b]A Public Statement To Reichtenburg Officials[/b] The German Reich has still not recognized Reichtenburg as an independent, sovereign nation within the island of Great Britain. As the leader of an entire group of Celtic people here in Ireland I know that the Scottish and Welsh wouldn't simply vote and support a German regime rising up and renaming cities and popular, historical areas and buildings. Regardless of what you claim to be a government for the people, I see a dictator hiding in the shadows of a corrupt system that is taking advantage of the people of England, Wales, and Scotland. I find it impossible to believe that Reichtenburg has been set up without any violence or resistance from the people of Great Britain. In order to ensure the safety of the British people and the stability of Europe, I am demanding that the government of Reichtenburg agree to the following terms within the next 24 hours: The opening of all classified or private government files to the Irish Government for viewing, To allow the Irish Military, including the Navy, to board and check all Reichtenburg vessels coming in and out of Great Britain - civilian or military, To allow the Irish Military free movement over all Reichtenburg territory, To allow the Irish Government to send two observers to watch over both legislatures on a day-to-day basis, To allow the Irish Government and Military to regulate elections to make sure that they are not being won by fraud, To allow the Irish Air Force to be in charge of the air traffic control for all Reichtenburg civilian and military air craft throughout Great Britain, To allow public inspectors to watch over and shadow government officials from the top all the way down to city-council members of Reichtenburg cities, To hold new elections, under the authority of the Irish Government, to see if the people really do favor the current regime then a traditional English Government, And for the Furher/Führer to renounce his claim as Head of State of Reichtenburg and relinquish the title to the King of Ireland. The above terms are for the well-being of the English, Scottish, and Welsh people. These actions are being taken to ensure that the British people are not under an oppressive regime, particularly one that doesn't even relate to their own ethnicity. The reichtenburg has twenty-two hours to agree to these terms, thus showing that they have nothing to hide and are willing to comply with the Irish Government, or disagree, thus showing that they do in fact have a lot to hide, have not conducted fair elections, are holding the people of Great Britain as some type of ethnic hostages, and are not willing to comply with the nations of Europe. You have until midnight of tomorrow to agree to the terms. [b]King Anthony O'Reilly[/quote][/b] After he finishes, Paul takes a drink of water and clears his throat, "This strongly worded declaration has caused a stir throughout every region of the homeland. From the lowest worker, to the men who run our hallowed country. It has been rumored that this declaration, if ignored, could lead to war. A war, that surely this newly-formed country....does not need." Lois continued, "Shortly after this document went public, a reporter from BBN made it his personal endeavor to go around to as many areas of Reichtenburg and gather public opinion before this ultimatium's midnight deadline." *The screen momentarily cuts out, the rolls to the image of another anchor, this time sitting in the back of what seems to be a van* "Hello BBN, this is frontline reporter Mark Roland." He clears his throat. "The current time is 8:13 am, and I am traveling the streets of Berlan, interviewing people at random about the Irish Declaration that came out earlier this morning, mere hours after the Reichtenburgan government recieved it at 12 am this morning. I want to see how people are reacting to this sudden news." *He motions for the van to stop, then has the camera crew follow him out onto the street, walking up to the first person he meets: a young, college-going student by the looks of her backpack and books in hand* "Hello, whats your name?" Mark leans a microphone towards her at a comfortable distance. "Umm...Amanda." She says, bewildered. "Amanda, we're from BBN...and we're curious as to how you reacted to the news of the Irish Declaration earlier today." "Well...frankly i'm shocked. This is...just so sudden." She holds a hand near the top of her chest. "I mean, we only became a new country earlier this week. And we already have someone threatening our existence. It seems incredibly unjust. I mean...like, who are they to say how we should run our country." *As the interview progresses, they learn that Amanda is majoring in Political Science and is a Junior and is also of a German descent.* "In my personal opinion, I think this new government is streamlined, in contrasted to the old one. And i personally see no bias. Fuhrer is only a title, its the same as a president or what have you. As for the make up of the government bodies, Fuhrer Hummel is of German ethnicity but as for the House and Senate, it has British, German, Irish, and even a member i believe has some Middle-Eastern in his ancestry. So as for a bias...there is none. Ireland is greatly exaggerating the situation..." *Mark thanked the young woman for her opinion, then sent her on her way, as she said she had a class to attend* "What we need," Mark looked at the camera, "are more young people like Amanda there; opinonated, caught up on today's events, and well spoken. Not like most video games centered, techy youth today. *Continuing to walk down the street, Mark encounters a man on a park bench, fedora down as he reads a newspaper. Mark politely asks to have a couple moments of his time, to which he graciously accepts to be interviewed. Sitting down next to him, Mark begins to ask the questions* "Sir, what do you think about the Irish Declaration against the Reichtenburg government earlier today?" "I don't believe it was directly aimed AGAINST the government...but it certainly implied they were in the wrong somehow." *He sets down his newspaper and folds his hands on his lap* "I don't know where Ireland got the opinion that we were ruled by an authoritarian government..." "What do you think about the fact that they implied that the citizens of Reichtenburg were being held as 'ethnic hostages'?" "Preposterous! Its downright bloody poppycock in my humble opinion." He turns his nose up, "The nerve of King O' bloody-freakin-Reilly....who does he think he is? We British are a proud people...and will not be held 'hostage' by anyone. We've fought off tyrants before....you d**n well better know we'd fight off Hummel if we thought he was one too." "So you don't think that Hummel is a tyrant?" "No I do not." He looks at the camera directly. "You hear that O' Reilly? I think Hummel is a fine ruler, and no government is perfect, i'm sure your's bloody ain't!" "Thank...thank you sir." Mark puts a hand on the man's shoulder to calm him down. "What was your name again?" "Richard Durham, and a proud Brit. And as i said before....if Ireland wants to come and wrench our country away from us....they'll have to do it over our dead bodies." *Mark chuckles nervously* "Well thank you for your opinion, sir. Have a good day" *With a final handshake and a nod, Mark and his crew get back into their van* "Well, we got a little taste of sentiment from Berlan, the capitol, but....what about the outlining provinces? We're gonna travel to two more cities, one to the north of the country, and the other at the south, to see how the opinion on the current administration and the Irish Declaration varies, if at all." *At that, the camera cuts out momentarily again, then to the interior of the van again.* "Ok here we are." Mark's face appears, "We've traveled to the city of Exeter in southern Reichtenburg, and as you can hear from the name: Exeter, the names of English towns and cities remained unchanged, other than former London." *He and his crew exit the the van again and, being at the outskirts of the town, find a man riding a cattle-drawn cart down a side road. They run him down, asking if he'll talk to them, to which after a few hundred feet, he obliges, but only if he doesn't have to get down, his reason being "It'll take my fat a** too long to get back up on this thing."* "Sir, may i know your name?" Mark puts the microphone in the man's direction. "Thomas, Thomas O' Leary. A hard working, hard drinking son of a b***h." *He laughs heartily* "And yours, son?" "Mark Roland, from BBN." "BBN, eh? Whats a fancy-to-do reporter like you doing down here in the outskirts of Exeter?" "I'm here gathering public opinion of the recent Irish Declaration the government of Ireland sent to the Reichtenburgan government this morning." "I heard of that...its a d**n shame..." At this, O' Leary takes of his straw hat and runs his hand though what remains of his gray hair. "I don't quite understand what the hell they're thinking." "They believe that the Reichtenburgan Government was unjustly elected to office and that they're running this country wrong, they want to step in and change thi-" *O' Leary cuts him off* "Like hell they are!" He spits at the ground, close to Mark's feet. "The two of the local representatives i voted for made it into the senate. So I got no beef there. I personally voted for the other guy in the presidential primary, but it don't bother me Hummel made it in anyway. Any elected official has my respect, no matter his nationality. Hell, i was an elected official myself!" *O' Leary laughs slightly* "And what position was that, sir?" Mark asks. *At this, O' Leary laughs loudly* "Mayor of the local pub!" *Mark allows himself a little laugh* "Well that sounds like a mighty important position." "You bet your a** it was!" *O' Leary smiles...as if remembering some fond memory* "But yes...I ain't got a beef with Hummel, or the government for that matter. I mean, I didn't really like the fact they change our capitol's name but...its one city, and i'm a country man myself, so I don't matter to me." "How would you react if Ireland were to invade, try to take control of the country to change how it is run?" Mark pauses after the question...it wasn't one on his list....just one he wanted to know.... *A slight silence follows....* "Well...i didn't live here all these years, watching one leader come, and another leave, multiple times, to see another country time to step in when a leader comes in that they disapprove of." "But Ireland, its your home country." "Not anymore, me boy." *O' Leary smiles* "I'm a Brit with Irish blood. And a Brit i will remain. If Ireland wants this land to change....me and my rifle will be there to stop them." *He pats an old black powder musket on the wide seat beside him* "Now if you don't mind, this load of hops ain't gonna change into beer by itself." "Of course, good day sir." Mark shakes O' Leary's hand as he pulls away. *Heading back to the van, Mark closes the door, and points on the map to their last destination, a town in the north of Reichtenburg: Kirkcaldy* *Hours later, by the time on the camera, Mark and the crew head off down a street, shadowed by the dusk sky* "Well so far," Mark speaks back over his shoulder to the camera, "We can see that citizens from different walks of life, different ethnicities, all for the most part support the current administration, countrary to how the Irish Declaration says that people of our country are. But we'll see if that stereotype holds up here in Kirkcaldy." *The camera pans up to what seems the local bar* "Seems like a good place to gather public opinion, given its most likely full this time of evening." Mark quips as they enter. *The pub is a bustle of activity tonight, filled to the brim with people. Some seem to be of rural work, others wearing suits, men and women like. Most shocked to see a camera crew entering their abode* "Hello everyone," Mark announces, "My name is Mark Roland, of BBN news. Can i get by a show of hands how many of you have heard of the Irish Declaration issued this morning?" *Seeing as the announcement was made on radio, TV, on the internet...it wasn't a surprise to see every hand in the building raised* "If i could get you one at a time, to voice your opinions on the matter? By raising your hand, i'll pick on you...ok?" *A murmur of agreement greets him* "Great." *Mark smiles* "Now, who's first?" *Everyone raises their hands, asking to be talked to first. Mark picks an older woman near the back to talk to* "Good evening ma'am. Whats your name?" "Grace Harris." The feeble woman replies timidly. "Grace, what do you think of the Irish saying they're gonna come in here and change our government for us?" "The question is: whats wrong with it?" She answers, "A neighbor of mine was elected as a Senate representative, so i know he has our region's interests at heart..." *She starts coughing...old age wearing heavy on her...she composes herself and starts talking again* "We British are a proud people...we've been ruled by many types of leaders and have always followed them loyally. Hummel is no different. Granted his government is....different. But i like it. Its a government for the people. Every law that has been passed or shot down...i've had a say in. As for the d**n Irish.." *people around Grace seem shocked to hear a little old lady curse* "England has endured many would-be conquerors. And we've shooed them all away. If there is one thing to say about us, we're f**king stubborn. We never back down from a challenge." *She begins coughing again, more violently this time....before she is stabilized again* "The Irish will be no different. Were I a younger woman...and were the Irish to try this childish stunt during that time...I'd give them a whole new meaning to the phrase 'Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned'..." *She laughs quietly, as do people around her* "I'm sure you would Grace," *Mark puts a hand on the woman's shoulder* "I'm sure you would." "Who's next?" Mark looks around the room, and picks a man standing up on a chair, more to keep him from hurting himself than anything. "And you sir, what is your name?" "Hans Dietrich!" The man exclaims, followed by whoops and hollars from his beer-holding companions, "Commander of the 15th Light Militia!" "The 15th Light Militia? *Mark raises an eyebrow* "Yessir! We formed today in fact. Near right after that declara...announce...thing those Irish SOB's said." *He chugs another beer and slams it down on the table* "We're ready to fight those Irish b*****ds if they try to take our country!" *This is followed by more whoops from his friends, and assorted patrons around the bar* *Marks laughs along* "Are you now? You do know that if the Irish come, they will come with an army, their best." "Don't matter none! We know this land better than anyone, don't we boys?!" *They yell in agreement* "The Irish want to change this land so bad, they gotta get though us!" *This time, the agreement by the bar patrons is more announced, with more joining in* "So if Fuhrer Hummel turns down the Irish, and it could lead to war....will you still back the government?" *At this...Dietrich puts his hand across his heart* "To the end, Britain for British..." "Britain for British!" *The tavern roars...and begins chanting the slogan again and again* "I think...i think that sums it up." Mark turns back to the camera...the roar of the crowd, the clanking of glasses near drowning him out. "Britain for British. From Berlan, to Exeter in the south, to here in Kirkcaldy...it seems as though the government is favored, these people are far from the 'ethnic hostages' they're made out to be, and they will back Reichtenburg and Hummel, no matter the outcome. Back to you, Paul." *The images fades out. And the news studio comes back into view* "Well...there we are." Paul takes a breath before continuing... "Britain for British. We know how the people around the country feel about our government now...and how they will react if what is entitled within the Irish Declaration comes to pass. Now...all we can do is really sit and wait, wait for a response from Hummel and the Reichtenburg government." *The camera cuts to Lois* "This goes without saying....good luck. Good luck to all Reichtenburg..." *The image fades to the BNN logo, no triumphant theme music, just silence*