Justinian the Mighty

We like option c, it seems like a willingness for both sides to compromise, and set a tone for future relations. We’re willing and capable of compensating the CSSR. Despite the current condition of our economy, our coffers are very deep.

A few weeks ago the town of Kotlas was a small but important industrial town with a respectable population of over 60,000. For the Empire it was a key part of the lumber and paper industry. The town boasts the country’s largest paper mill, providing thousands of jobs for the people. Adding to it’s importance, the fact that the town is also a key railroad hub. Today however Kotlas is a ghost town. During the war it had been the target of several missiles and bombing runs. The people were ordered to stay indoors or to take refuge in bomb shelters. The streets of the once bustling town are empty, occasionally they drive past a tipped over car, or smoldering pile of rubble. They drive directly through the town, not slowing down or stopping to see the damage. On the other side of the town are the ghostly remains of the Stalin era gulag. From outside the camp looks like normal, like all the other forced labor camps of that era. The rusted wire gates were knocked down from the inside, the wood buildings and guard towers were rotting from exposure and termite infestation. The brick and concrete administrative and staff buildings however were in perfect condition, and the fields where food was grown were just as lush and plentiful as they were when the camp closed. Behind the fields is a small hill and a tunnel with reinforced steel doors. Painted proudly on the doors is a gold hammer and sickle, on top of a crimson star with the motto, “Workers of the world, unite!” and letters C.C.C.P. curved around the emblem. It’s an eerie reminder of the country’s past. The tunnel leads deep inside the earth, at the end is a magnificent bunker built as a second line of defense for Soviet high command. On the walls were rich murals of Soviet leaders and happy workers. The only peculiar thing is that the eyes of all the people were painted black. General Zorin explains that, although they didn’t know it, the communist party was merely a tool of the totalitarian monarchs of the old empire. They were blind to their true purpose. The general leads Justinian to a large room with fully staffed state of the art computer surveillance system. When they enter the room not a single person turns to look at them. They all just stay completely focused on whatever they’re doing. The general turns to Justinian and says, “This is the new command center of the Dark Hand. From here we will work to accomplish our destiny, and you will be at my side, my right hand, my son. Come let us begin-- I mean continue your training.”

It would be unfair to expel the Dragon Empire only. Because of Yamato the DE had to violate another treaty to defend their ally. It only seems fair that if the Dragon Empire is put on the cutting block so should Yamato. But that's just our two cents.

Compensation can be arranged, despite the fact they nearly bombed us to the stone age. Compromise, is the root of diplomacy. If we’re too harsh we we'll only risk giving the CSSR another reason to war with us again. One thing is certain however, Slavorussia will be whole again.

If you've suggested, again, dividing the land or in anyway allowing the CSSR to continue to occupy Slavorussia we have to decline.

If you're refering to the second proposal then I believe we're both in agreement. We won't comment on your remarks about us being opportunistic, when your own actions speak for themselvs. However, don't blame the Reichkanzler for what you did before the creation of the Second Nordland Reich. Your actions are your own.

Premier Medvedev turns on the speaker phone in the cabinet conference room. “Gentlemen, greetings from Moscow. I hope you don’t mind me giving my two cents, but I think we need to step back for a moment and evaluate this situation. Consider for a moment what this is all about. It‘s not about a treaty or land, major factors, but not the main factor from which all others branch from. This is about respect. They felt disrespected by the Lu Empire, and in a desperate attempt to get the world to respect them they declared war on the offending country. I suppose the best advice I can offer is to be firm with Yamato, while still being polite and respectful.”

We're willing to take steps in that direction in the interest of mutual co-operation between our countries.

Nothing short of completely returning our territory will suffice. This is not so much a negotiation of how to divide the land, but what should be done with the CSSR’s assets on the land once it’s returned. They've already surrendered and must abide by the surrender terms.

Yes, the first map shows the current border.

The... richer blue is what the CSSR annexed from us. All we're asking is for them to return our territory. This is a very old map of Slavorussia, but our borders did not change between the publishing of this map and the invasion.

So you’ve made more investments in the last few months than the Slavorussian Empire has made in the past 500 years? I find that extremely unlikely. While the region may be of great political importance to you, symbolizing your victory over the “Capitalist and imperialist pigs” it is a much greater cultural importance to us. It’s was a very important trading region and the heart of much of Slavorussia’s folk traditions. I would like to remind you that we are not a country with rightwing policies. The governing body of Slavorussia is a center left, democratic version of your own, with a deep tradition and faith in the monarchy and Christian values. Our economy was a fair rival to your own. Although we do realize our economy is not what it was before the war, it is very resilient. Today it’s weak, but with each passing day it gets stronger and stronger. The people have a wide range of social and economic mobility, our unemployment rate is relatively low, our economic policies are directed toward the poor and downtrodden to provide them homes, clothes, food and the other basic human needs. Having said that, if I may draw on historical fact for a moment here you invaded us under a false pretext. In the end the reason for war was blatant imperialism, made worse by a veil of deceit and lies. It is only proper and just that you return the pillages of your unjust war, and make amends for your past. Failure to do so will result in a breach of your surrender terms, at which time the Slavorussian government and the Coalition has a number of options to pursue. We are prepared, if our request is honored by the CSSR, to engage in a variety of economic deals between our two countries and throughout Europe and the world. However If our request is not honored, who knows what the future might hold.

It is unfortunate that this had to happen. Since it was a Kyokujitsun who helped broker peace between TEC and the former Nordic Reich countries, but when one becomes a threat to the people of Europe they must be moved to a place where they can do no more harm.

Exactly what we were thinking. Hopefully this whole thing just blows away and both these waring countries become friends.

“Slavorussia’s government, mainly the Kolesnikov and Belyakov governments have been criticized time and time again by Yamato for acts they called aggressive or imperialistic. I personally find it amusing that they would send this kind of ultimatum to the Lu Empire after insulting my homeland every chance they get. If we submitted ourselves to the same logic patterns that the government of Yamato does not only would we declared war on their country, we would have declared war on half the world by now. My advice, grow thicker skin.” -Premier Medvedev.

Did Yamato have malicious plans for the territory if it had been turned over to the? We only ask because the government of Yamato and their citizens have accused us of doing some despicable things. Wouldn’t it be ironic if they were doing what they accused us of?

ooc: Yeah, the general's last name and appearance are references to Bond villains. “Get up! Lazy mongrels. We‘re here, get up.” barks General Zorin. The men get out of the truck to stretch after being crammed into the cramped truck for hours. With only two rest stops on the way to get food and comfortable fitting clothes they‘re glad to be able to move around and walk out the muscle cramps. “My back is killing me,” groans the blonde man, whose looking around, but doesn’t recognize anything, “Sir, where are we? This doesn’t look like any part of Moscow I know of.” The General whispers to the man, “We’re not in Moscow, we’re in Velsk. All the roads into Moscow are blocked by military blockades. They’d recognize our young friend in a heartbeat, it wasn’t a good idea to go to there anyway.” “I see, so where are we going?” The blonde man asks. “We’re going to the commune in near Kotlas. I doubt anyone would think to bother us there. I‘m gong to have the whole operation moved out of Moscow to Kotlas, or maybe somewhere more hidden. I don’t want us to be found out and accidentally targeted by our new friends.” “What--what commune?” Justinian asks the general. “The commune is what we call our bases. We have our main base in Moscow, then some smaller branches in rural parts of this country. The commune in Kotlas, used to be a soviet gulag, and it‘s facilities fit our organization very well. The fact that this country wants to cover up and forget the soviet regime‘s actions means the area is relatively hidden away from prying eyes.” The general throws keys to the blonde man, “Dietrich, you drive. I need to sleep.”

"The Moscow Star’s sources indicated that the only fighting that took place during the war was at the border between Nordheim and Mariehamm, where the death toll was fairly low and were mostly soldiers. The majority of the civilians killed during the war were in Brisbane, so, General Borghese, how can you bash the Hansa and their allies, and claim the liberators targeted noncombatants?"

Yeah, that's the poll I was thinking of. Not sure why I thought Sumeragi made that poll.

We'll let the CSSR choose where they feel comfortable having a meeting.

We wouldn't object to you hosting a peace conference, but there is one issue we are not going to budge on, that is the return of Slavorussian territories to us. We didn't have any trouble governing the region before the CSSR invaded us, and short of our bruised economy that's already recovering, we won't have a problem now. The nationality of the vast majority of people living on the land are Slavorussian and we have no reason to believe they are any happier with the CSSR's than they were with the USSR.

I think Sumeragi made this thread already, and a mod, probably Stormcrow, or Spock said, "Time is relevant to the rp'er." Something like that.

Both the CSSR and Slavorussia are entirely in Europe, and we’re asking European nations to mediate. An Asian super state similar to the Dragon Empire helped create a lot of the problems that Europeans are still struggling to solve, and it might be a bad idea to intervene aggressively in European affairs. We’re still willing to talk, if you remember we asked you to come to the table but you ignored us over and over again. If you want to negotiate then the time is right now, don’t put the matter on hold for weeks until we decide act. If you think we can find a reasonable solution wherein the CSSR returns to its pre-invasion borders then we’re ready to talk.

I'm lucky, coal and lumber are two resources Russia has a fair supply of.

“The rebirth of friendship between our two countries is just what Europe needs. Although our relationship has been strained at times, the respect our people have for each other is constant. In the past we‘ve befriended one another, struggled together, and at times fought one another, but today we are friends again. May this treaty bind out two peoples together for generations to come.” -Premier Dmitry Medvedev