Galvez

Adriana rolled the last ball of dough when the phone rang. Rinsing her hands, she playfully wiped them over her mother's apron. Her mother playfully threatened to wipe dough on her in revenge [i]"¡Calmate traviesa! Vas a ver! Calm, go get the phone please mija."[/i] Adriana shook more water off her hands as she picked up the phone, [i]"I'm going mama...¿Bueno?"[/i] Her father was on the other line, [i]"Hola, mijita! How are you & mama? Good?"[/i] Adriana's eyes immediately lit up, [i]"Papa! I missed you so much, we hadn't heard from you all week. When will you be home?"[/i] Gálvez sighed, [i]"Mija, I know, I know. I'm sorry. I've been working on some very important business mija. Remember, how else.."[/i] Adriana cut him off, [i]"Yes, yes. How else can we live so nicely, and be protected, and have everything we need. I know, papa, but why can't I just have you?"[/i] Her words cut deep into the ruthless drug lord, [i]"I'll be home very soon. Let me talk to your mother?"[/i] Adriana wiped a tear from her cheek, [i]"Sure..Mama! Its daddy. Come, let me finish the tortillas."[/i] Cenovio made a rare visit to the beautiful family home on the shining coast of protectorate-Sonora he had purchased for his wife Maria & daughter Adriana. They where civilians; innocents on the stage of drug trade, but the old rules of trafficking had been scratched out. Women & children? A new option in the target beam of rival traffickers & Cenovio would use all his power above else, to protect his family. Cenovio's visit served two purposes. He needed to quell the worries of his family, his wife had been growing impatient & his most precious possession, his daughter, she had been growing distant. The second purpose involved laying low for a while. As of yet, no one really knew Gálvez even had a family- well they suspected, but his enemies had yet to find out where & even if they had, Cenovio made sure their position was secured. The family had grown accustomed to friendly [i]vaqueros [/i]who often greeted them on inconspicuous patrols up & down their street, or in the form of Cartel landscapers who regularly visited the family home armed with flower pots, rakes, & various caliber handguns. Cenovio also had two sons, not of the same spouse & none of whom had ever met the rest of the family, but they where grown & operating separate parts of the Llanos Cartel. One such operation was just beginning, in the city of Hermosillo..

[center][IMG]http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll137/Zapaw/mex1.jpg[/IMG][/center] A gust of dirt skid across the body of the flashy full-size pickup truck as it halted at the entrance of the massive ranch. A holster by the steering wheel was one of many modifications that included 4.0 " bullet resistant glass on the vehicle. Several armed men, impressively dressed in classic Mexican [i]vaquero[/i] fashion guarded the cast-iron gates, barely acknowledging the arrival of the large truck. It was custom for them to open the gates only when given specific order to do so by the [i]jefe[/i], or boss. If guests where expected, they should be certain to arrive on time or simply be turned around. If guests where not expected, they should arrange to meet at a later time or simply, disappear. Quickly. The order was received & the gates where opened for the truck to continue on. Sergio Calaberas maneuvered his truck cautiously through the beautiful landscape, eventually coming to to luxurious face of the extravagant property compound. Again, guards where present, but from these men he was more cordially received by a facade of [i]vaquero[/i] hospitality. [i]"Bienvenidos, compadre. Come in, we will see to it that your truck is cleaned & parked safely."[/i] Sergio never lifted a finger from the wheel, [i]"Muchas gracias, but if you do not mind I'd like to park it myself."[/i] There was no way in hell that he was about to let these men in his truck. He was guided as to where to park & upon exiting the vehicle was patted down & stripped of any firearms he was carrying before being escorted into the compound. It was formally the land of a rich [i]hacendado[/i], owner of the property with cattle, horses, as well as a major marijuana plantation. It was this plantation that caught the eye of the Llanos Cartel who immediately enticed the former owner to grow for them, meaning a cut from his profits. He held on tight to his money too tight for the organizations liking. He was taken out of the equation, but not before his deeds where transferred to the possession of the Llanos Cartel. The complex in use by the Cartel's head. Into the decorated columns of the massive [i]hacienda[/i] went Sergio & several men of the Llanos Cartel. Entering, yet even more armed [i]vaqueros[/i]; it was beginning to look as though a small army of these types was stationed at the location. Before long he arrived at a large balcony on the third & top floor of the complex. There stood the embodiment of criminal power that now loomed in the region, an old friend, Cenovio [i]"Voz de Mando"[/i] Gálvez, or [i]"the voice in command[/i]" known simply as [i]"El Voz"[/i] or Gálvez. He wasted no time in greeting Sergio, offering him his choice of strictly Mexican alcoholic beverages, [i]"Welcome to my home. Sit, drink. Its been too long, my friend. Far to long."[/i] Sergio grasped his hand firmly, taking a drink of his icy [i]cervesa[/i] as he took his seat. [i]"I am really very glad to drink with you again, Carnal. Especially after all these years."[/i] Sergio took another drink & looking around at the armed men nearby he continued, [i]"So what is it? I know you don't need anymore friends. What business do you have to offer?"[/i] Gálvez took his seat alongside Sergio, [i]"Sergio, this time you've gotten it wrong. I do need friends; ones like you. I know you would like very much to drop off the map, but that just isn't you, my friend. I do not boast when I tell you- you are lucky I found you first."[/i] Gálvez finished his beer & grabbed another from an icy bucket on the small table before them, [i]"You're still in command of Los Matones, this I know for a fact & had you not been, you would not be sitting here drinking with this old friend right now I will tell you that much. There is your first hint. Now, perhaps you understand a bit more as to why I called you here?"[/i] Sergio stroked his mustache, "Is that right? And what makes you so sure of my position?" Gálvez grinned as he chuckled lightly, [i]"Three black SUVs where reported just beyond those hills over there. Lean this way a bit, over there you see? I happen to know we are being watched. I a watching them too. They arrived about 3 hours before you did. I've discovered them to be men from Los Matones, & they are trespassing. I will kill them if they are not your men, if they are I will let them be of course."[/i] He took another drink. Sergio thought hard for a moment then replied, [i]"I know...We know that you are the jefe of the Llanos Cartel, that much is obvious, I could have figured that conclusion by walking up to your ranch gates."[/i] Gálvez chuckled, [i]"You would have been shot if you walked up to my ranch gates." [/i]Sergio chuckled as well, [i]"It is a paramilitary wing you are after then? Sicarios, ex special forces hit men to take your Cartel to the top & that's why you want my help, que no?"[/i] Gálvez raised an eyebrow as he grinned, [i]"So they're yours?"[/i] Sergio finished his beer, [i]"I'll have them leave as soon as our meeting is done."[/i]

By now Leonel weilded nearly complete control of the populus below him. Order had come swiftly & and organized war effort had slowed- even begun to repell the Cacti onslaught. Sure he had the Capital remodeled to the liking of a desert palace resembling something of a large mosque, an army of engineers working fruitlessly on creating a personal flying saucer & a lifesize statue of Jennifer Lopez in solid milk chocolate was great; but there was something missing... [i]"Maya, come here please."[/i] ordered Leo from his plush LaZyBoy comforter throne. Maya placed down the notebook & hopping off the bed she replied, [i]"Yea, baby?"[/i] Servants & decorators paused & directed strange looks towards the couple. An awkward silence followed. Leonel's cheeks began to rosie & he suddenly ordered everyone except Maya to exit the room. [i]"Leave."[/i] [i]"I wanted to talk to you about whats been going on around here. I feel..I feel as though I could...as though I SHOULD be doing something more with my..uh..abilities?"[/i] Continued Leonel as the small crowd scuffled away. Maya sighed, [i]"If this is about the chocolate statue; Look, I'm okay with it.."[/i] [i]"No, its more than that.", [/i]began Leo [i]"I spent enough time & energy indulging in all of this great stuff. Things I could only dream of having as a child- We live in a palace for crying out loud!"[/i] Maya's eyes wandered away; traveling with her thoughts as she considered his words. Gradually, she began nodding her head as grew more in agreement with his words, [i]"Baby, I feel you. You can do alot of good for all of these people, or even better, help them do good for themselves."[/i] Leo knew in his heart that this was truley Maya speaking- outside of the pull his magical charisma could induce. When they felt strongly about something, they always seemed to speak the other's words. Often, it was a simple matter of who opened their mouth first & for this of many reasons they fell in love. They had often a time been given curious expressions; Leonel being hispanic, Maya being black- this mattered to neither... Over the next few days Leonel & Maya would set out on a spiritual journey. Studying faith, religion, & theories of existance & human purpose as well as those recently constructed in attempt to explain the recent anomalies including Leo's charismatic abilities over his people. A perfect religion, they believed would outline a path to peaceful & fulfilling existance for all people- materialism being the counter to spirituality as evil is to good. This time of flux in the world, they decided together that a better human kind could emerge, but above all there must be a God of a sort or another to be praised & thanked, perhaps even worshipped.

Leo, had by now mastered (in as far an extent as he understood) his ability to manipulate the thoughts & actions of those to whom he spoke. He had heard many reports of almost magical abilities & happenings all across the globe. This was confirmed for him with the onset of the Cacti War. Several days ago he was an average citizen, struggling to survive. The most popularity he received was attained when he survived a sudden lightning strike that shot him clear down Baseline road. Since then his suggestion of a monarchy had swept the nation as a revolutionary & popular idea, flowering with his planned coronation in the comming days. Soldiers who at one time harassed him, now pledged their support to his reign. He concluded that his charisma, or at least the raw influence of his words, whatever they may be, has been boosted to supernatural proportions & it may have something to do with the global anomalies.

The demobilized soldiers of the old regime remain active, roaming the countrysides engaged in a perpetual turf war against the Cacti whom have begun ambusing travelers & combatants alike, posing as harmless desert vegetation. With the collapse of the republican system, many ask what will replace it. An enlightenment movement has begun to sweep across the nation's thinkers, sparking such revolutionary concepts as monarchism & defiance against the tyranny & failure that has been democracy. A king, they say, is the only hope for the nation. Deep feelings of nationalistic pride now stand in defiance to caos. A large meeting was called at the Arizona state capital building & broadcast to all with access to cable T.V. stations in the state. Opening the program was a host of horrific imagery of murders & dramatized depictions of massacres of innocent civilians including children by savage Catci at home, at school, & at work. This sent a messege that there is no safe haven from the dangers at hand, aside from that faught for & defended constantly. They captured the deepest nightmares of the public whom where still in disbelief that live plants had come to terrorize them & cause the near collapse of the society around them. Appearing before the crowd & the cameras was, Leonel Galvez, a local man of Spanish blood. He appealed to the large hispanic population as well as fellow European Americans who inhabited the state. In Navy blue & gold military attire; imagery that had grown popular with support for the military soaring, he began to speak. [i] "The survival of our people, whom live day to night in threat of great harm or agonizing death as we have experienced, is in question. Our armed forces are nearly shattered; hardly capable of defending themselves, let alone managing the security of what lands we have thus far been able to retrieve. Our economy is collapsing, giving way to black markets while our children starve. Our first enemy is ignorance to the second that is eating us from within while we struggle aimlessly to wage war. Our greatest weapons are not machine, but our very pride. And it is our pride, if not the will to survive that we must employ against an enemy whom we have grown to trust & live amongst. We face an enemy who move with no clear purpose, but with great zeal to end our lives & the way we live them!" [/i] The gathering crowd releases a chattery applause- a comforting sound in a time scared by combat, sirens,& screams. [i]"We stand against a ruthless enemy, who alone are responsible for the civil decedance that now riddles our society!"[/i] A man yells from amongst the crowd, [i]"The Cacti!!"[/i] Begining another uproar of applause. [i]"Death stalks the land. Stripping us of our stability, shattering our way of life, blowing to pieces our peace of mind. WE ARE AT WAR! & it is soon to turn in our favor! A new leadership, a Monarchy of North America."[/i] Soldiers supported the idea of open war with the cacti & the military was aching to find stability. After all, it was believed that if an army has no stable home to fight for, an army will not fight. These troops flooded the hall from all entrences, presenting a flag of the new monarchy. [IMG]http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll137/Zapaw/flag3.gif[/IMG] All Arizonan forces not operating under the reunited army of the kingdom are considered enemies of the state & to be handled with the same action as would be employed against the multiplying Cacti. Small signs of headway in the war effort are just begining to show..

[quote name='Subtleknifewielder' timestamp='1286919880' post='2482859'] "If this is the standard of thought in your nation, we pity you. For if you betray an ally once, why should any nation, from then on, trust you? Why should any nation ally themselves to you, knowing that at any critical moment you could stab them in the back?" OOC: Lol, Pravus. I saw your Star Wars reference [/quote] [i]"No, not at all. Simply my thoughts. You have my word."[/i] Michiel Backhuysen, Dutch Stadhouder - The United Provinces

Civil turmoil following the wave of anomolies that are reportedly sweeping the globe has reached an all time high in Arizona. The government is collapsing & the state is near anarchy. The military has asserted control over a loose chain of regions while most have been left to fend for themselves against the elements & Cactus raids that have already left many injured & 3 dead. In Phoenix... Wheels screeched across the pavement as David hit the corner down Mill Avenue going 85mph, nearly loosing control of his Monte Carlo. The four young men scanned the strange faces of looters, gangsters, & panicked civilians, looking for their target. The car was shifted off the street, nearing the mountains just past the ASU campus. Dirt & gravel was blasted upward as the car was forced into the rocky hill side. The guys were furiously looking for someone..or something. And suddenly a voice rang out [i]"There he goes!-There he goes!"[/i] David forced the car to the right towards the running figure until the headlights illuminated the cactus. The boys pulled out their weapons, including an automatic rifle & began shooting. The cringing pain of prickly darts rang out from their hands & faces as the cactus shot back. Soon, though it was all over. Jose lept from the car to see the dying cactus. The massive figure lay nearly 10 feet tall; twitching hopelessly as if trying to shoot another round of pricks that it no longer had. Jose kicked the cactus & aimed his handgun towards what he guessed was its head, [i]"This is for Gabriel."[/i] 3 more rounds entered the cactus & the men left speedily. The death of a neighborhood boy who had gone on a hike had been avenged for the time being. The war, though, was only begining. The onset of a new threat, a common enemy had begun to create new unity again to the communities of the cactus infested state. A chain of communites formed a more organized front to confront this threat & ensure survival. Seeing the most promise in this particular group, the military chose to back them, supplying them with weapons & gradually begining combat training operations for all civilians as defense now had become the number one priority. This union of people would come to be known as "Americafas" & they declared war on the savage raiders who stalked the desert lands. [img]http://visionintime.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/praying_cactus.jpg[/img]

[quote name='Maelstrom Vortex' timestamp='1286838567' post='2481873'] State of Arizona authorized. Welcome to the game. One correction: Your magic is at 0 as is everyone below the equator currently. Magic must be researched to be advanced at this time. Galvez: One observation. I notice that in CNRP the State of Arizona is already claimed as part of a country, if that person chooses to claim Arizona you may be bumped. If not, Arizona will remain yours. If you are bumped you may choose to rp any of the regions next to Arizona which are white on the CNRP map in North America.. which includes parts of California, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington.. and those may be your newly founded state of Arizona if that happens. The Person with a pre-existing claim is United Provinces, but there is no listing of who plays it in the nation listing map for CNRP. [/quote] I am the United Provinces, im sorry for not clairifying. Actually, Im a bit confused still. Do I start out here in CNRPT as the United Provinces still?

Claims: State of Arizona Persona NS: Leonel Galvez 50% National NS: 50% Magic Research: 70% Technology Research: 30%

What about community polls for deciding party seats? Has this been discussed already? Sorry I had to skim a bit, I'm on limited time. I think this is a great idea btw

The United Provinces welcomes the new nations of England.

[quote name='Subtleknifewielder' timestamp='1286585313' post='2479246'] "Aye. And then your word is worthless from then on." [/quote] [i]"But what is the usefullness of a force's word, in comparison to its effectivenss? In my studies I have concluded the essence of nationhood, at least for most states, is for all intents & purposes a stake in global competition. Nations do not gain without taking, nor do they give without loss. A nation victorious can shed its reliance on diplomacy & good weight of its word, where a nation at peace (peace simply being the state of preparation for war) must rely on such assets as a trusty word. I believe that the victorious army needs no words; that is, if victory is assured. Alas, the state of victory is a finite one; temporary & only to be enjoyed for a time. Whence victory appears to retreat, strategic nations do again enter peace- again preperation for victory alatter. Though when victory decays completely, perhaps then a new word might need to be employed."[/i] Michiel Backhuysen, Dutch Stadhouder - The United Provinces

[quote name='Shatner' timestamp='1286268223' post='2475750'] Do not veil your stateents as misunderstandings. You spoe of all the good European colonists did, which I can agree with, but if not European dominance of the world, what is the 'Crown of the World?' [/quote] [i]"It was a metaphor. Drop it."[/i] Rudolphus Spinoza, Renown Dutch philosopher

[quote name='Shatner' timestamp='1286250409' post='2475428'] Not to condone American Imperialism in Europe, but why would you bring up European colonialism as a counterpoint to American colonialism? Your statement is extremely hypocritical and ill conceived. [/quote] [i]I don't know why I feel as though I should apologize for your misunderstanding of my statements...I do not preach colonialism of any kind; when I stated the Crown of the World, perhaps I should have better stated something to the tune of, "The Crown atop the World". The greatest land, of course in my respective opinion, being Europe above all others in my mind & heart. I hope my reply will leave a bit less confused. Despite the fact that I never mentioned colonialism I can see how you might have imagined that I had.[/i] Rudolphus Spinoza, Renown Dutch philosopher

[i]We are men & women of Europe; Dutch settlers in America who have braught the beauty, spirit, & culture of Europe into the Americas finding our place through honest work & friendly relations with all. What we refuse is to turn our backs on our homeland, we will not sell our souls. Let not for forces of foreign imperialism usurp our essence; Europe can again be the Crown of the World. [/i] Rudolphus Spinoza, Renown Dutch philosopher Clamour for reform has begun to rattle throughout the United Provinces...