Rauchen

OOC: Bumping this up.

Sometimes, I swear I hate all of you. [size=1]Except Justits.[/size] Then I come back. What is wrong with me?

[quote] Undersecretary Ventura, It would be my honor to host you, or a representative, for those discussions. As we lack any form of national military or security service, they will be met at Will Rogers Airfield by a detachment of Oklahoma City police. I assure you, my election was completely fair and honest, something even my opponents acknowledge. The makeup of the Federal Transitional Council may have struck a nerve with the minor groups of the prospective Federation, but the people's voice shall be heard in full when the time comes to elect a permanent government. I intend to allow the first elections to be monitored by Mexican officials, so as to ensure a fair and equal democratic process. My colleagues and I await your arrival eagerly. Signed, [i]Duncan Burr, Chairman of the Federal Transitional Council[/i] [/quote] When the Mexican representative reached the capitol, they were escorted into what had once been the state supreme court, but was now little more than a glorified conference building. They were met inside by the five Executive Panel members, as well as the three minor party representatives, Drake, Abeln, and Milligan. Burr and Hogarth had attempted to disuade the trio from participating, but they had insisted that all parties be represented in the discussions for independence. Unwilling to mar the nation's birth with harsh words or actions, the Executives had agreed. Burr stepped forward from his position at the head of a long, rectangular table, smiling broadly. He was a skinny, sallow-faced man with a weasely smile and ears about twice the size of a normal person, but that had never discouraged him. "Welcome, my friend, to the future Federation of Southern American Republics. Please, sit, and Officer Littles there will fetch you a drink." As the Mexican representative took his seat, Burr went around the table to introduce the FSAR delegates. Hogarth, Loman, and Parris all sat near Burr's position, leaving Romilly, Drake, Abeln, and Milligan to the area closest to the end where the Mexican representative would be seated. A uniformed policeman returned to the room with a tray of drinks, ranging from water and soda to vodka and bourbon. Loman, Burr, and Romilly each fixed themselves a mixed drink before returning to their seats, while the rest of the Americans settled for water. "So, down to business," Burr said, licking his lips as he placed his rum and coke on the table. "I would like to make this arrangement with as few strings attached as possible, as I believe that would be to the benefit of us both. The republics of Oklahoma, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Alabama respectully request complete independence from the nation of Mexico, with the right to elect its own officials, govern its own affairs, raise its own military, and levy its own taxes. We are willing to cooperate with your state while we transition from protectorate to nationhood, and we will, of course, maintain relations with Mexico, but we desire nothing short of full sovereignty."

While awaiting the Mexican response, the petitioning Americans wasted no time in forming a provisional government. The delegates of the eleven organizations met in the State Capitol of Oklahoma City to hash out plans for both the transitional organization and the long-term government of the Federation. It had already been decided to model the Southern Federation's government after that of the four participant states and the former United States. Each state, or Republic, it was agreed, was free to either adopt their old constitutions or create new ones; separate conventions had been held in the cities of Little Rock, Tulsa, Jackson, and Montgomery, and Oklahoma, Alabama, and Arkansas had all chosen to adopt the constitutions held under the United States, while Mississippi voted to modify their own constitution to centralize more power to the Governor and the executive branch. In the meantime, the national convention agreed that, until formal independence was granted, the four republics would be led by a Federal Transitional Council, with each state fielding one delegate per 100,000 citizens; Oklahoma would have 38, Arkansas would have 29, Mississippi would have 30, and Alabama would have 47, for a total of 144. The council would be headed by an Executive Panel of five people; four would be appointed by the delegates of their respective states, and the fifth, who would act only as a tie-breaker, would be elected by a nationwide vote to prevent bias towards the more-heavily populated republics of Oklahoma and Alabama. There would be no election for the councilors themselves. [u][b]Executive Panel[/b][/u] Harley Hogarth (R ) - OK Johan Romilly (D) - AR Cameron Loman (R ) - MS Ryan Parris (R ) - AL Duncan Burr (R ) - AR [u][b]Federal Transitional Council[/b][/u] Republicans - 84 Democrats - 57 Libertarians - 1 Greens - 1 Justice - 1 The vote for the fifth Executive Panel seat was hotly contested, with each of the five parties nominating a candidate. Duncan Burr, Chairman of the RAAIS, won the vote, winning 44.3%; his leading opponent, George Albano of the Alabama Democratic Party, received 42.1%, leaving the rest to be divided between Green Chairman John Drake (5.2%), Libertarian Kathryn Abeln (4.7%), and Justice candidate Annabel Milligan (3.7%). Although each of the defeated candidates were given seats on the FTC, the results provoked outcry from the "third-party" community. They claimed that, since they had each received a significant number of votes, their parties were entitled to more proportionate representation; even though the three had received a cumulative 13.6% of the vote, they had only received 2% of the representation in the Council. A subsequent proposal by Councilor Drake to give the Greens seven seats, the Libertarians five seats, and the Justice Party four was promptly shot down by a 115-29 margin. "It is shocking that, even after all we have learned of the flaws of two-party politics, the Republicans and Democrats are so eager to return to that system," an irritated Drake told reporters outside the Oklahoma City capitol. "They are quick to stifle the voice of the people in order to solidify their own political gains. The Republicans control a majority, and the Democrats do not wish to water down their own authority. That said, I implore the people of the Southern Federation to not fall victim to misleading campaigns in the future, with these two behemoth parties claiming that the Green, Libertarian, and Justice Parties are not viable political powers. We cannot allow the Federation to walk the same path as the failed United States." Executive Harley Hogarth scoffed at the notion when he heard of Drake's comments. "I understand the honorable councilor's concern, but his worry is completely ungrounded. The Transitional Council is meant to provide a degree of stability until the nation can elect a truly democratic government. If we rearrange its composition every other day, the people will lose confidence in our ability to provide responsible government." After the failed proposal to reorganize the Council, a series of proposals were passed, setting the future capital of the government in Oklahoma City and providing the republics the privilege of forming militias in their defense. The latter was strictly limited, ordering the officials to abide by the current laws of the Mexican government and its officials, and also expressly declaring that the militias did not in anyway constitute a national military organization. Officials were dispatched by the FTC to ensure that all regulations were followed, and Mexico was invited to send observers, both to the national council meetings and to the state militia organizations. The petition for independence added more than a million new signatures, and a new letter was sent to Undersecretary Ventura. [quote] To the honorable Undersecretary Julian Ventura, The spirit of independence grows stronger by the day in the proposed Federation. Our petition's signatories now number 7,377,456 from across the region. We will not attempt to forcefully secede from Mexico, but we greatly hope that you will allow us the chance to govern and defend ourselves. The updated petition has been attached to this missive. Signed for the Federation of Southern American Republics, Harley Hogarth, Executive Panel Representative of Oklahoma Johan Romilly, Executive Panel Representative of Arkansas Cameron Loman, Executive Panel Representative of Mississippi Ryan Parris, Executive Panel Representative of Alabama Duncan Burr, Executive Panel Chairman [/quote]

It had been a long time since the southern United States had experienced independence under a stable government; Mexico provided security, of course, but the American desire for self-governance continued to burn brightly. Movements campaigning for independence had existed off and on for decades, and now was no different; in Oklahoma, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Alabama, independence movements backed by different political factions had sprung up in the major cities and some towns. Although dozens of nations had risen and fallen over the past decades, many of those who now vied for independence traced their political roots back to the traditional Republican and Democratic Parties. In Oklahoma City, a “neo-Republican” movement had formed to rally the state’s predominately-conservative population into the Conservatives for Oklahoman Independence and National Sovereignty (COINS), dwarfing the more liberal Democrats United for Oklahoma Sovereignty (DUOS), based in Tulsa. Still, the two groups worked in conjunction to further the cause of state independence. Similarly, left and right-wing groups for independence had arisen in Arkansas, Alabama, and Mississippi. Despite the memory of the failure of the two-party system in the past, potential voters rallied to the Democratic and Republican groups simply because of their size, and a faith in the strength of numbers. However, each state’s independence movements were content to limit the scope of their operations to their own areas, none of them quite reaching the point where there voice would be clearly heard by the Mexican government. Oddly enough, it was not the powerful conservative and liberal factions that brought unity and strength to their cause, but one of the minor secessionist movements, backed by a piecemeal coalition descended from the Green, Libertarian, and Justice Parties that called itself the Green Libertarians for Independence and Justice (GLIJ). The power of these three parties had always been sparse, and this was their motivation for reaching out to other state communities. With the GLIJ communities of Oklahoma, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Alabama united, they were able to advocate the formation of the Federation of Southern American Republics (FSAR). “This is not the time for the American people to strive for division,” GLIJ Spokesman John J. Drake declared to supporters in Oklahoma City. “We have always been at our greatest when we stand together, undeterred by geographical and political obstacles. It is time for our four republics to unite under one banner, for the well-being of all our people!” Unfortunately for Drake and GLIJ, the various Republican and Democratic organizations of the former states took this ball and ran with it, using their size to stir up enough signatures for a petition to submit to the Mexican government. [quote] To Undersecretary Julian Ventura, The people of the United States once more plead for their independence from a noble protector, and we believe we have garnered the necessary support in our region to present our request. The citizens of Oklahoma, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Alabama formally request that the nation of Mexico grant them self-governance under the banner of the Federation of Southern American Republics. The current count on our petition stands at 5,949,403 signatures, more than one third of the total population of our combined territories. We believe that, if sent to a referendum, a strong majority of our population would favor independence. We have attached the list for your review. The leadership of the FSAR Independence Movement will be staying in Oklahoma City for the next two months; we invite you or a representative to meet us at the state capitol to discuss this matter. [u][b]Signed for the FSAR Independence Movement,[/b][/u] [i]Harley Hogarth, Chairman, Conservatives for Oklahoma Independence and National Sovereignty[/i] [i]Kendra Mayer, Chairwoman, Democrats United for Oklahoma Sovereignty[/i] [i]Duncan Burr, Chairman, Republicans of Arkansas Against Indentured Servitude[/i] [i]Johan Romilly, Chairman, Liberals for a Free Arkansas[/i] [i]Cameron Loman, Chairman, Mississippi Republican Party[/i] [i]Arianna Snyder, Chairwoman, Mississippi Democratic Sovereignty Initiative[/i] [i]Ryan Parris, Chairman, Conservative Party of Alabama[/i] [i]George Albano, Chairman, Alabama Democratic Party[/i] [i]John Drake, Chairman, United Green Party[/i] [i]Kathryn Abeln, Chairwoman, National Libertarian Party[/i] [i]Annabel Milligan, Chairwoman, Southern Justice Party[/i] [/quote]

Props to LSF, especially those nations who stuck it out and fought from day one. Glad to see this at an end. o/ Nordreich

[quote name='Teddyyo' timestamp='1345501034' post='3023833'] ...that's a molotov cocktail. [/quote] ...that currently has its fire licking at that man's shirt. Hence, he's accidentally lighting himself on fire. Actually, seems like a fairly apt metaphor for this war. Good job.

[quote name='Piley' timestamp='1345348466' post='3023374'] [IMG]http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w21/comradedamon1917/greek_firecopy.jpg[/IMG] [/quote] So...you guys set yourselves on fire?

Hey, if you want to join up with a guy who spent upwards of 2 years after the end of the Illuminati War sitting on that AA and threatening all of the more successful alliances formed by former Illuminati members, go right on ahead. If the Trilateral Commission were still around, I daresay you'd be rolled into the ground, but that, like the Illuminati, is ancient history.

[quote name='PresidentDavid' timestamp='1343624017' post='3016915'] [b][size="5"][b]Front Page[/b][/size][/b] [b][size="4"]What is the Truth about NordReich? [/size][/b] [img]http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/cybernations/images/9/9e/Nordreichflag.jpg[/img] [i]Flag of The NordReich[/i] [/quote] Wat? Didn't this horse get beaten to death, beaten further, and then buried about 3-4 years ago? When do we get a new stereotype?

If I didn't think this place was dying before, the quality of this propaganda sure convinced me.

"Good to know," Nicholson nodded. "With that out of the way, I would like to propose a treaty to your Federation." He pulled a stack of papers closer to himself and cleared his throat. "As mentioned, the Federal Republic does not wish to become engaged in massive continental wars, but we have an interest in the security of Canada itself. To that end, Prime Minister Anselm has authorized me to propose a treaty to the Hudson Bay Federation. A sort of mutual defense pact, but it would require that, in the event that one of us falls under attack, the other signatory is obligated only to provide defense for that state's territorial holdings, and is not obligated to enter any sort of offensive into foreign territory. That option shall remain open, of course, and if foreign policy changes, the treaty's wording can be changed. In this way, we can ensure one another's security without becoming involved in reluctant empire-building."

[quote]**Encrypted Message to the Martian Federation** To the Leadership of the Federation, Allow me to preface by congratulating my fellow revolutionaries on Mars for throwing off the yoke of Earth's oppression in order to usher in a new era of freedom. Unfortunately, our struggle is not yet over, for the UEG has contacted the Loyalist elements upon Venus in an effort to coordinate what they view as the "liberation of Venus." The Republic is to be the first on their target list, and so we brace ourselves for the inevitable conflict. In the meantime, it is advisable for the newly-independent states to band together and present an impenetrable wall to those who fancy themselves our masters. To that end, I invite you to enter into diplomatic discussions with Venus, as we are both the most vulnerable to UEG reprisals. Please respond with the greatest possible expediency. John Vieth Triumvir[/quote]

Although the idealistic Earthican government would have hoped that the Loyalist movement was an organized force waging coordinated guerrilla warfare against the new regime, they would be incorrect. In fact, the Loyalists' positions were rather flimsy, and growing weaker by the week. The largest bastion of pro-Earth forces were located around the industrial city of Vodenstadt, in the region of Aphrodite Terra, with a population of around 3 million, and it was here that the self-proclaimed New Colonial Council made its home. The NCC estimated that out of the 400 million plus denizens of Venus, only about 80 million were loyal to their former overlords, and out of that 80 million, only about one in twenty were actually willing to fight for the cause. Furthermore, the resistance was divided by strongholds of the new Meritocratic Republic of Venus, meaning that communications between the various pockets of resistance were vulnerable to interception by the "Cythereans," and so coordination was virtually nonexistent. Furthermore, the Loyalist movement was slowly beginning to splinter as the goals of the different groups became apparent. While the NCC sought complete reunion with the United Earth Government and restoration of the status quo, another faction, the Venusian Confederates, did not wish to become a mere client of the UEG, but rather wished to be treated as an equal to Earth, and thus be granted the same rights and privileges as any Earth citizen. Despite the best efforts of the NCC, the Confederates seemed to be gaining supporters constantly, both from NCC-brand loyalists and the various other pockets that had formed across the globe. To make matters worse, a number of other Loyalist pockets were beginning to set their own objectives for their resistance; rather than getting behind the NCC's Status Quo approach, many of these leaders were demanding concessions from the UEG in exchange for their assistance. The NCC wasn't particularly thrilled about the idea of forwarding the UEG's communique to the other splinter cells, but they knew well enough that their cause would weaken if no one saw any response from their former masters. So they, reluctantly, sent the message to the Venusian Confederates, as well as the other noteworthy pockets of resistance. [quote]**Encrypted Response to the UEG** Secretary Melville, We are most pleased to hear from your regime at this time, as whispers had begun to spread throughout our ranks that the UEG was in no condition to even take note of our plight. Indeed, the last two weeks have seen several thousand defections, though these were all, thankfully, enlisted men and low-ranking officers without access to any important information. Our positions are not very solid, as the so called Meritocratic Republic of Venus managed to take control of all of the colonial shipyards, fleet, and the vast majority of the Colonial Defense Force. While we do enjoy the support of a sizable chunk of the former CDF, our armament is rather...lacking. Most of our weaponry is out-of-date, and save for the armory here in Vodenstadt, we lack any way to access better equipment. It doesn't help that many here in Vodenstadt are dissidents who wish to join their treasonous relatives in the independence movement, and the weapons manufacturers are refusing to relinquish blueprints or labor to bring our resistance up to date. We attempted to storm several of these establishments, but were forced to back off when their CEOs threatened to activate the self-destruct sequence on their factories, destroying all the weapons, parts, ammo, and blueprints. I believe we have the late Governor Johnson to thank for that damnable Classified Intelligence Preservation System in all of our factories. We request that you make all communications through the NCC, so that we can disperse them throughout the Loyalist channels without arousing too much suspicion from the republicans, or enabling the more...extreme factions of the resistance. On Behalf of the New Colonial Council and all Loyalists, Ryan Bradley Executive Councilor **End Response**[/quote] [quote]**Encrypted Response to the UEG** Dear Secretary, While I am thankful for your interest in our cause here on Venus, I find that you have neglected to address our concerns as published across the Loyalist networks. Chief among these is the matter of governance and freedoms; as a colony, we faithful Venusians were forced to accept a second-class status to the residents of Earth, and we were taxed by your administrators without the same guarantees of privileges and rights granted to Earthicans. While I hold a certain amount of sympathy for my secessionist counterparts, I do believe that outright independence is not a goal for which we should reach. However, my associates in the New Colonial Council also have the wrong idea, as they would have us return to the exploited status to which we were once subjected. My dear secretary, if you simply align yourself with the NCC and forcibly return Venus to the fold, you will not quell the rebellion, but fuel it. Returning to the status quo means returning to the same status that brought about this revolution, and it is folly to believe that a second revolt would not follow. Recognizing this, it is my recommendation that you recognize the end of the Dependent Colony of Venus in favor of a new era, that of the Planetary State of Venus. If you were to recognize Venus as an equal of Earth in this Empire, I believe that you would find support even amongst the rebels, and bring unity to what is fast becoming a scattered resistance movement. I am sure you know what the right decision is. On Behalf of the Venusian Confederates and all Loyalists, Jeremy Wall Chairman[/quote] Besides these two separate responses from the largest factions of the resistance, the UEG would receive no less than a dozen missives from Venusian resistance movements, demanding concessions ranging from appointments to privileges to power for the proclaimed "leaders" of the loyalists. Unbeknownst to the NCC, one of the Loyalist pockets to whom they had forwarded the Earthican message had come under attack by a large Republican strike force near Nova Munich. Outnumbered three to one and facing strong Cytherean air support in the form of four squadrons of Wasp class fighters, the Loyalists were overwhelmed within a day, and the leadership surrendered to the Republic, allowing them access to their data files. With this, the Cythereans learned, not only of the UEG communication, but the divisions within the Loyalist movement, and so they fired off a message of their own to the UEG. [quote]**Unencrypted Response to UEG** To Whomever It May Concern, Stay the $%&@ away. Sincerely, The Cytherean Armed Forces[/quote]

The CSS [i]Nova Amsterdam[/i] picked up the broadcast from the Saturnian ship and promptly sent a notice to its sister ship before responding. "CRS [i]Vinnaðr[/i], this is CSS [i]Nova Amsterdam[/i]," the captain replied over the comm. "Keep tight to our tail, and we'll get you to port safely. Be advised, pockets of Earthican resistance remain on Venus, so once you're on the ground, don't go off on any adventures, aight?" Not wanting to tax the power sources too severely, the Venusians didn't resort to light speed for such a short distance; they merely adjusted their trajectories and drifted back to orbit around Venus, a process that took a little over an hour, Venus time. The Cytherean ships docked at an orbiting space platform around the planet, which, thanks to the absence of the CSS [i]Nova Stockholm[/i], taking the representative to the Galactic Assembly, had a vacant port for the [i]Vinnaðr[/i]. Once docked, about two dozen Cytherean marines were detached from the [i]Nova Amsterdam[/i] and the [i]Nova Munich[/i] in their Modified Extreme Condition/Combat Gear (MECG), a space suit that doubled as heavy combat armor. They would usher the Saturnian representative onto a shuttle to reenter the atmosphere, escorted by four Wasp class fighters. The escorts briefly came under fire as they completed reentry, but a burst of speed carried them beyond the range of whichever rebel group it was. Aside from that, the shuttle and escorts arrived at Nova Amsterdam without a problem. After that, it was simply a matter of taking the Saturnians to the de facto administrative building in what had once been the office of the Colonial Governor.

Two Oldenburg-class Battleships, the CSS [i]Nova Amsterdam[/i] and [i]Nova Munich[/i], were dispatched by Triumvir Rommel to a distance from Venus, in order to meet the Saturnian detachment and escort them back to Venus; both ships would take care not to go into any areas with heavy Earthican traffic. The Saturnians were informed of this.

The Triumvirate met in the de facto Cytherean capital of Nova Amsterdam after the reception of the Saturnian gift basket at the administrative center's Teleportation Reception Center and voted unanimously to appoint a retired member of the Earthican Diplomatic Corps, Johannes Stahlmann, as the Cytherean representative to the Galactic Assembly. Stahlmann and a diplomatic team were dispatched aboard an Oldenburg class Interplanetary Battleship to the GA meeting place on the planet of Banpoint. Joachim Rommel and John Vieth would return a very similar gift basket to the Nova Saturnian leadership after sampling those herbs provided to them, though the Venusian variant was the result of three centuries of tireless effort to both improve the quality and keep the plants alive in the unfamiliar soil; the Saturnians wouldn't be disappointed. [img]http://images4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20100809013517/starcraft/images/b/b5/Battlecruiser_SC1_CineInauguration1.jpg[/img] [i][size="2"]Oldenburg class Battleship[/size][/i]

July 26, 3012: Meritocratic Republic of Venus declares independence from Earth Or the 25th, if I'm not allowed to be late to the party.

[quote]Direct Communique to the Corporate Republic of Nova Saturn In these tumultuous times of revolution, it is important that those planets seeking to separate themselves from the chains of Earthican oppression band together and form bonds of friendship, for we all brothers in the struggle for independence. We can be damned sure that the arrogant administrators of Earth will not sit idly by and allow what they view as their colonial empire to fall apart, but we can ensure that this will be a fruitless endeavor through cooperation. At your earliest possible convenience, my associates and I would like to meet with you either in person or via comlink. I understand that the vast distance between our planets is a bit of a deterrent, but it can only prove to be positive for our longterm survivability if we begin our relationship in the spirit of peace. I await your response eagerly. Joachim Rommel Triumvir [/quote]

Voodoo and Mael

The United Nations of Earth established their first colony on the planet of Venus on April 19, 2685 as part of a joint effort between the planetary government and Virgo Galactic, an offshoot of the 21st-century Virgin Galactic company. Headed by a conglomerate of scientists, military officers, and statesmen from what had once been Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, Australia, and the United States, the first expedition grounded itself on the area of Venus known as the Lakshmi Planum. Through a series of Virgo Galactic projects, the soil in most regions was converted into arable land, the carbon in the atmosphere was leached to increase the oxygen levels and provide a source of energy for the new colony, and rainclouds were actually introduced to the planet to provide fresh water for the colonists. For the first hundred years, Virgo Galactic held a majority share in the Venus colonies, and so it was they, not the government, that directed the expansion of the colony. Eventually, an edict from Earth revoked their rights to governance and placed the colonies directly under the control of the planetary government. By 2800, as the population of the planet reached 10 million, an administrative bureaucracy had begun to take root. The 29th century saw great expansions in both colonial size and Earth interference in the colony, so close to home, under three successive governors appointed directly by the leading figures of Earth. For reasons unknown to the Venus colonists, though, the level of government involvement on Venus dropped drastically starting in 2906, leading to the development of a strong “Self-Determinationist” movement that quickly shifted to a push for independence. By the time of the Declaration of Sole Rule of Humanity, Venus operated largely as an independent state, headed by the ineffectual Governor William Johnson, who had only aggravated the hardliners of the Cytherean Independence Front. The three weeks following the Declaration saw a tumultuous, yet swift revolution, ending with the establishment of the Cytherean Three, a triumvirate consisting of Colonial Defense Magistrate Joachim Rommel, CIF Chairman John Vieth, and the former Earth-Venus liaison Brian Galahad. [quote][size="5"][u][b][center]First Decree of the Cytherean Triumvirate[/center][/b][/u][/size] The People of Venus hereby denounce the rule of the Home Planet and reject the notion of a Dependent Colony of Venus. Pursuant to this, we declare the sovereign Meritocratic Republic of Venus, answerable to the planetary denizens of Venus (here on out referred to as Cythereans) and none other. This Decree is effective immediately. Signed for the Meritocratic Republic of Venus, Joachim Rommel Triumvir John Vieth Triumvir Brian Galahad Triumvir[/quote] Despite the victory of the independence movement, pockets of diehard Earth loyalists remained scattered across the planet, waging war against those who would throw off the yoke of colonialism; although Triumvir Rommel’s position as the head of the Colonial Defense Force ensured that at least 2/3 of the militia were loyal to the new Republic, the loyalists retained enough manpower and firepower to continue to pose a threat to the new order, and there was no telling how much support they would receive from the United Earth Government when they learned of this revolution. The Battle for Venus was not yet done.

This looks interesting. I hereby invoke the Intergalactic Dibs Calling Protocol for Venus.

Nicholson pushed the call button on the bottom of his desk and said, "Ms. Harriett, would you bring our guest a coffee? One cream and half a packet of sugar." It took less than two minutes for the secretary to return with a coffee mug on a saucer for Rolan, and lingered no longer afterward. Nicholson downed the rest of his Jäger and didn't pour another glass. "Ontario has taken a stance of general noninterventionism in foreign politics; beyond our alliance with Greenland, we have no interest in entangling ourselves with foreign obligations, even if they're simply on the other side of the continent. As such, our foreign policy is strictly limited to those nations on or near our borders, which, obviously, includes the Federation." The prefect leaned back in his chair and folded his hands behind his head. "The most pressing issue is that of the Ontarian-Hudson border; Defense Prefect James Draiman has told me that there has been an increase in Hudson activity along our border in the form of tent cities, which, according to your own Great Northern Times, is a prelude to a permanent Hudson Bay military presence along the border. As there are presently no relations between our nations, formal or informal, this, naturally, has caused a degree of alarm in both the Cabinet and the populace of the Ontarian western border regions. While some are convinced that this is merely a precaution, others in the government want to know the motive for this planned buildup, since Ontario's own presence on the western border is extremely limited. That said, I ask you why your state feels the need to increase its military presence along the border before any diplomatic meetings were even staged?"

How many times have we had a vote on this? And how many times has the community upheld pre-planning wars? If you pre-plan a war, nobody wants to lose, but this can be accredited, in part, to the war goals; nations rarely go to war simply seeking X, Y, and Z provinces/counties, but seek either total annexation or a regime change. If you just throw a war on somebody, then 9 times out of 10, the war will just be a curbstomp, with the aggressors just gathering together all of their buddies to have enough of an edge over the defending coalition to win. In the latter case, it often ends in ragequitting and OOC !@#$%*ing. Both systems are flawed, but I cast my vote for the marginally-less flawed system. Let the pre-planning continue.

With the arrival of the Hudson Bay Federation's interim foreign minister at the Ottawa MacDonald-Cartier International Airport, a detachment of twelve Ontarian Secret Service agents would be assigned to his protection for the duration of his visit. The OSS agents would arrive with Foreign Affairs Prefect Henry Nicholson and tarry just long enough to greet Mr. Rolan on the tarmac before escorting him to the small, four-car convoy awaiting at the edge of the airstrip. From there, they would be taken to the Executive Office of the Department of Foreign Affairs at the Lester Pearson building on the banks of the Rideau River, where Prefect Nicholson would post the OSS agents outside his office and by the motorcade. As Nicholson led his Hudson counterpart into his office, his secretary was laying out a tray laden with drinks and two glasses, as she'd been instructed beforehand. As she left, Nicholson strolled to his comfortable leather office chair behind his desk and gestured for Rolan to take a seat across from him. "The Honorable Prime Minister Anselm regrets being unable to personally attend this meeting," he began, reaching for a glass and a bottle of Jägermeister. "But he has been rather busy of late, especially with the enactment of the Public Security Measures Act. The Ministry of Security and local police departments keep clashing in regards to who has jurisdiction and where, and so they often appeal to Mr. Anselm to make a decision." As he poured his glass of Jäger with one hand, he gestured with the other to the tray of drinks. "Help yourself to anything you see there. Jäger, whiskey, tequila, vodka, rum, whatever you'd like. Or if you don't drink, I can have my secretary bring you a coffee." He set the bottle back on the tray and took a sip from his cup. "So, let us begin. I already know what points I'd like to discuss, but as my guest, I ask if there is anything you would like to address first?"