Ch-ch-ch-changes

[Bacharth]

[b]News Report :: The Oregonian[/b]
The Count's "Germanization" plan for Austro-America has come into full swing today. He has changed the official language of the State to Austro-American, which will be Austrian German with Germanized American words that do not exist the German language. In a very close vote, the Parliament has approved the language change. In a discussion of the Count and Parliament, Austro-America will undergo a ten year plan where English will continue to exist as an official language. After 10 years, English will be an accepted language, but not an official one.

The plan includes these measures:
[list][*]All citizens under the age of forty and not in school will be enrolled in language classes, subsidized by the state.[*]For all incoming High School freshman, German will be a required language to take all four years.[*]German is now a requirement for college graduation.[list][*]For the next two years, German language classes will be paid for by state grant.[/list][*]In two years, German will be the official language taught in schools, with English as a secondary language, taken optionally.[*]In two years, Austro-American television will be broadcast in German with English subtitles.[list][*]After the ten year mark, the subtitles will be removed.[/list][/list]
Gott schütze die Kaiserin.
[size="1"][i](God save the empress)[/i][/size]

[Bacharth]

Around a dark wooden table in a well lit room in Seattle, the Headmasters of all the major universities sat, discussing amongst themselves before a meeting. A single chair at the head of the table held Count Randolph, wearing a dark suit with a black arm band bearing the white eagle of the Conservative party on it. He was currently looking over data from the last school year, with government revenue and expenditures. After writing a few notes, the Count stood up and darkened the room a little. A single blue light on the table illuminated his face, drawing the attention of the headmasters to the Count.

"Good Evening, Ladies and Gentlemen. As you know, this school year is winding down, and we must discuss the changes we shall enact in the coming year. I have a few points that I would like to bring up, as a change in Administration will bring about some disagreements with the previous rules. First, though, I would like to give all of you the floor. If you can speak German, then I would prefer that. If not, English is fine."

He sat down and pushed a button on his console, and the light changed to the person to his right, Headmaster Floyd of Washington State University. The older looking black man only shook his head and looked to the person on his right.

The light switched to Headmistress Wise of the University of Washington. She stood up and read a few notes she had about police presence on campus. "That," the Count interrupted, "is something to take up with the City, not this board.

The fourteen Headmasters and four Headmistresses took turns talking about their minor grievances. The count listened and agreed with them, only so he could go through with his plans more easily. The light went back to him, and he stood.

"We have a problem. You see, American style education is very free-form after secondary school. The problem with this is that you have nothing that grounds an Austro-American graduate as Austrian, they just appear to be a college graduate who speaks German. We are a State united by God and Empress Maria Magdalena. Our students need to show that."

"Studies have shown that when students leave High School and enter College, their grades slip. The reason for this is simple: their parents cannot harass them about their grades. I propose that parents have a greater role in higher education for students. A parent will have access to transcripts at will, and be able to drop a student from college if they wish. A parent must be able to make the decision if a student is a drain on society or themselves."

Most of the room surprisingly agreed. Headmistress Wise of UW and Headmaster Wiewel of Portland State University remained silent.

"My second issue is education that disparages the great nation of Austria. Students should not be taught material that insults or embarrasses their motherland. I propose we remove any class that deals with issues like that. Instead, I propose in this God-given nation that we institute required Catholic education classes, and required mass periods every term. This should cut down on the irreverence that colleges are famous for. Our students will be well-behaved. To pay for this, I propose we double the fees for colleges, and get rid of some government grants. Higher education is a privilege, not a right. In front of you, you will find a ballot and a pencil. Fill in the square completely and put your ballot in the box you see in the center of the table. After you have voted, you are free to go, unless anyone has any comments."

Nobody had anything to say. One, they all knew that the Count had the power to replace them with someone who would agree with him more, and they quite enjoyed their job. The second reason is apathy. None of these provisions affected them in the slightest. So, they all voted and left.

All but two ballots agreed with the Count. Although it was only a majority requirement, the Count wanted complete compliance with his rules. He told his secretary to begin arranging interviews for replacement Headmasters.

[Bacharth]

By the first day of fall term the next year, the common area at the University of Washington was packed. You couldn't get through the crowd unless you really pushed, forcing many students to go around. The crowd was chanting unintelligible things, as they all had something different to be angry about. Although it was raining hard, the students didn't care. They wore rain coats and passed out warming pouches to everyone. All in all, the crowd was comfortable in their jackets.

The signs that weren't fortunate enough to be made in water-resistant material were drenched though. Some students did not know they were holding up a blank slab of some soggy cardboard. However, the rest of the signs were varied. Many of them said, "Lower fees or raise grants." A few said, "I'm not Christian, don't force me to be." There were some signs, as in all protests, that said, "Legalize it." And of course, there were joke signs littered around the protest. Mostly, the protests were serious.

Chris had joined the protests by now. Although he was raised Catholic, he had very recently converted to "I-don't-care-ism." It's a lot of the tenets of Buddhism, but mostly Atheist. He held up one of the signs that said, "Legalize it." He shouted, "Bread and Butter," to sound in tune with the rest of the crowd. He could have been shouting obscenities though, it all sounded like white noise unless your ear was right next to one of the chanters.

Police were on standby just in case something went wrong. Because they had the right to assemble, they couldn't do anything. Although, a lot of them did not want to, seeing as some of their kids were in the protests, and they were quite angry that they had to help pay for higher fees.

------------------

"Why do college students feel the need to protest [i]every[/i] time something in their life changes? And they call [i]us[/i] the conservatives. They're the ones that can't handle change," Count Randolph said offhandedly as he watched the news.

His education advisor, David Smith, a thirty-something blonde man, spoke up in German, "Well, they're college students. They're learning about politics and sociology, and they feel smart. They don't want to be treated like children anymore."

"They still [i]are [/i]children, they just have alcohol and harder classes. What can we do about this?"

"Put it to a vote. Ask parents whether they'd rather have their kids protesting or in class. That will get the kids off the streets."

"Genius, David, you are a constant reminder of why I hired you in the first place."

[Bacharth]

The commercials for the ballot were simply design, but made with a message that caused the majority of adults to agree. The message was simple, "Our kids are wasting their valuable study time in protest, irreverence, and non-productive activities. Vote Yes on Initiative 64, the 'Keep our Kids in School' Act."

What most people saw were these measures of the initiative:

[list][*]Banning alcohol on school campuses[*]Raising the drinking age to 25[*]Banning unplanned and unapproved demonstrations from school grounds[/list]
However, the meat of the bill was the measure that any demonstration leader would be arrested and have to choose between two years jail time or 100 hours of church service. These measures were carefully hidden by way of crafty web designers on the Initiative's website.

Needless to say, the lack of ability to access information, and the apathy among those over the age of 25 caused the vote to easily pass. The only demographic that was not for the bill was the 18-29 year olds, in which there was a staggering 82% "No" vote.

Two days after the vote passed, protesters deemed "leaders" would be arrested on site, and those who would not leave would be arrested as well. The police came in force, it seemed like a small army was taking over the area. Most of the students dispersed, but those proud ones yelled louder.

Chris was arrested with the rest of them. He gave his fake name and address to protect himself from the immigration officials, and decided for the 100 hours of church service. Since the authorities would not be able to find the fake name at the fake address, Chris dropped out of grad school, filled his car with all of his things, and moved back down to Portland to live with a few friends in a house.

He called Vince Sixx, the man who had been like a father to him during the Cascadian rise, and was given a job in Medical Marijuana sales at a Distopyan Corporation dispensary. Chris described it as "the perfect job."

The protests on the college campuses had died down in the weeks after Initiative 64. Secularists and Progressives still protested the measure in the streets, and those under 25 would be arrested. It was safe to say that the more authoritarian police officers [i]were [/i]actually carding the protesters.

[Bacharth]

[b]List of trending topics in the months after Initiative 64:[/b]
#rebeccablackfriday
#initiativeagainst64
#stayoutofschool
#jun13
#winning
#itoldyouso

People were angry about the initiative, and after the true face of initiative 64 showed itself, even people that voted for it were changing their minds. A petition to repeal the initiative was passed around, and the required signatures were gathered, however nothing was done, except the fact that a few names on the list were arrested for a "bogus" charge.

In Portland, Chris noticed that the Distopyan corporation was doing a lot more shady dealings. He could tell because he heard the shredders going almost all the time he was there. Unmarked crates would show up in the warehouses next to the medical supply. He knew the smell of gunpowder and the stuff they use to pack guns. He could tell something big was about to happen, and that Distopya was behind it.

[Bacharth]

[b]Seattle, 11:56 AM, June 13, 2011[/b]

It was a beautiful day, which was rare for that area. The sun was shining, barely any clouds in the sky. It was a perfect summer day. Because it was summer break, there were a lot of students out and about in Seattle. They were gathered at their usual spot downtown, a park where everyone just hung out. However today, everything seemed silent, and a lot of people were looking at the clock constantly.

[b]11:58 AM[/b]

People started standing up and walking towards city center. It seemed like a mass pilgrimage. KING 5 began reporting on the massive walk, and had reported that the same thing was happening in Spokane, Portland, Salem, and Boise. People started to get frightened. It wasn't just students. It was adults, people of the working class, people anywhere from age 16 to 60. There were thousands of them, and some even blocked the streets.

[b]11:59 AM[/b]

Everyone gathered in the city center in front of the Governor General's office. They stood in formation facing the front doors.

[b]12:00 Noon[/b][b]
[/b]
Alarms rang on peoples' cell phones. The adults pulled various firearms out, while the younger ones pulled out clubs and bats. They began shouting, "Come out Count!" It was frightening. In the other cities, members of this flash mob began marching through the streets shouting for change. It wasn't long before the police started to rush in, not noticing that they had weapons.

There was a firefight. As the police started to move in, those without firearms rushed through the line of police, hitting them along the way. The melee "fighters" ran off around corner, and the police turned to see a crowd of a few hundred people aiming firearms at them. Someone with a megaphone shouted, "Surrender or join your oppressors!"

[b]Governor General's Office[/b]
[b]
[/b]"What the hell is going on? The police are surrendering?" Count Randolph asked the men currently in his situation room.

"They're outmanned and outgunned Herr Count," Police Chief Diaz responded.

"Order them to hold them off until we get the army in!"

"I won't order my men to die! They won't hurt the citizens, it's a riot, not a terrorist act!" He yelled.

"There's no difference! I want the air force in here, I want everything we've got taking these people down!" He threw his chair back, stood up, and looked out his window at the chaos on the streets.

"I'm working on it, Herr Count," Longstreet responded calmly, standing at the back of the room. Count Randolph turned around and looked at him. There was a sinister smile on the High General's face. The Count mirrored the smile, picked up his chair, and sat down. Longstreet immediately left the room and back to his temporary office.

The entire complex was abuzz with activity. People were between offices carrying messages. High General Longstreet was on the phone constantly, conversing with the men directly underneath him in the military ranks. There would be a heavy counter-attack for these rioters.

Edited April 6, 2011 by Vince Sixx

[Vedran]

"These so-called 'Germanization' programs are nothing short of cultural imperialism, and we had suspected this was what would happen to this colony. German and Nordic-controlled Europe has always supported imperialism, be it military, political, or cultural, and this is an aspect that is once more showing its ugly face to the world.

The Union of Arctica condemns this policy and extends its moral support to those in the affected region protesting this imperialist, colonial policy."

OOC: Props for ch-ch-ch-changes

[Bacharth]

Response from the Governor General: "And the English Language is a remnant of the British colonies here. This was a Austrian colony, and should be more like one."

EDIT: Was not thinking.

Edited April 7, 2011 by Vince Sixx

[Triyun]

The Federation expresses its disapproval of the events going on in Austro America. To be clear the Federation considers Austria proper a strong ally. We do not believe this is something which Empress von Hapsburg is involved in. Our relationship with Austria is one of two multi-ethnic and multi-cultural states. What seems to be going on in Austro America is a rewriting of the Austrian identity to one that seems much more reminiscent of the German Ultra-nationalist Militancy tradition than the more tolerant legacy of of the Hapsburg Empire.

[Bacharth]

[b]One week later.[/b]It looked like an invasion. I5 was shut down from Fort Lewis all the way to Seattle. The Austrian Army marched in formation into Seattle, picking off anyone who would try to stop their march. They had big guns. Tanks, IFVs, and a lot of infantry. Of course, no artillery, as to not damage the city.

The announcement made over the city's emergency warning system was an ominous "Surrender or Die." To be honest, a lot of people did surrender. However, more people were killed than necessary. High General Longstreet ordered the military to kill those carrying firearms, as they were armed enemy combatants. Those carrying makeshift weapons would be arrested on sight with no trial.

Although the bulk of the military was sent to Seattle, a bigger bang was planned for Portland. Since the Universities had been closed by the government, a lot of professors had taken a trip down to Portland. The Distopyan corporation was at work handing out weapons to the rioters.

[b]Austro-American Congress[/b]
With the Speaker on his right, Count Randolph addressed the assembly. "...because of these riots across this great nation, I am invoking Executive Power 21 and declaring a state of emergency. I am giving myself emergency powers, and you all are dismissed for the duration of the situation. You will not go without pay."

Some of the representatives were confused. The State of Emergency would not make the riots go down.

In fact, they made them worse. Government buildings in Salem and Olympia began to take damage from rockets. The small army garrisons in the major cities were too small to fend against the ferocity of the rioters.

[b]Seattle Lockdown[/b]
The police were taken off their usual patrols. Army squads now patrolled the streets. The city was secure and on heavy lockdown. No citizen would be allowed out after dusk, and transportation in and out of the city was shut down. In fact, the airports across the nation were completely shut down.

[Vedran]

"The reasons behind the English language's ascension to that of an international language does not justify in any way this imposition of a foreign culture upon a people who have kept and developed their own culture for many years. This is not even an attempt at an excuse, this is a sad example of the way that colonial powers care so little about world opinion regarding their colonies. They are so secure in their decadent power that they don't even bother to offer even the flimsiest excuse at this travesty."

[Triyun]

[quote name='Vedran' timestamp='1302140891' post='2685867']
"The reasons behind the English language's ascension to that of an international language does not justify in any way this imposition of a foreign culture upon a people who have kept and developed their own culture for many years. This is not even an attempt at an excuse, this is a sad example of the way that colonial powers care so little about world opinion regarding their colonies. They are so secure in their decadent power that they don't even bother to offer even the flimsiest excuse at this travesty."
[/quote]

Its our understanding that this is not the work of the colonial power but of local administrators. We agree with you that this is unnecessary but this work is more akin to the local racist European regime which domineers over the indigenous population in South Africa rather than one which receives colonial directions from Europe. The Chinese-Austrian joint settlement of Ehestadt for example which will be breaking ground shortly is a completely multi cultural city and is an example of what happens under direct Hapsburg control rather than over zealous local authorities out of [i]Heart of Darkness[/i].

[Bacharth]

[i]"I don't know man, it happened overnight. I got the message to join this group of people, and got sent to the southern I205-I5 interchange. Waiting for us was a Hummvee, a chest of weapons and ammunition, and some barricades. It's weird. It's like someone is just pulling the strings behind this revolution man. It's freaking me out! Anyway, I'll see you soon man, I hear there's gonna be a full on takeover soon. Peace out."[/i]
- Recorded phone message from a guerrilla soldier to another.

It did happen overnight. Freight helicopters from an airport in rural Oregon picked up packages in Salem and flew them to specific points along I5. Then, a little over 1,000 people were called and informed of their orders. They were men who signed up for the "Cascade Express" organization. It was originally created as a hunting club, and the members were taught to shoot specific guns that weren't directly related to hunting. Then, a force of 5,000 men from all across the colony were mobilized and sent into Portland.

Then the fun began.

The few news media organizations that still ran called it a grand revolt. They didn't know what was truly going to happen. First, the guerrillas spread out across Portland, taking down any Austrian-American flag they saw and replacing it with a plain green flag. Anyone who opposed them would be either arrested or killed, depending on how they reacted to having a gun in their face.

[i]0300 June 21, 2011[/i]
The barricades were finished. They were set up to keep all Austrian forces out of Portland. The locations were strategically placed along these major roadways to prevent unwanted traffic from entering the Portland Metro Area.
[list][*]The North and South I5-I205 Junctions[*]I84 at the I205 Junction[*]US26 at Highway 217[*]99W at Tualatin-Sherwood Road[*]99E at I205-99E Interchange[/list]
Also, the Columbia river had anti-ship emplacements, and the bridges into Downtown Portland were heavily guarded. The Interstate, Fremont, Marquam, and Glenn Jackson were littered with giant hedgehog barricades to create a path that was impassable by a fast moving vehicle.

[i]0630 June 21, 2011[/i]
The guerrillas were ordered to their posts at the barricades. The mobilization took about one hour, just as they were trained.

[i]0741 June 21, 2011[/i]
On any other day, people would be leaving their houses to go to work at this time. Not today. Everyone in the Portland Metro Area was encouraged to stay in their homes or they would be in fatal danger. Instead, 10 battalions of 500 loosely organized soldiers began marching through the entire barricaded area. A few marched into police stations and ordered the various police forces to surrender to the Cascadian Republic.

[i]0900 June 21, 2011[/i]
KOIN 6 News was on the air over an emergency broadcast channel. Nancie Martin, the usual morning anchor was sitting in her usual spot, and smiling as the broadcast began.

[b]Public Broadcast[/b]
"People of Portland, I am pleased to inform you that the sun has risen for the first time on the Second Cascadian Republic of the Portland Metro Area. And now, we will go behind us to Pioneer Courthouse Square to watch as our new President gives his speech."

The broadcast switched to a man standing near the starbucks at the top of Pioneer Courthouse Square. He looked well into his forties, with dull brown hair and sharp features. He wore a black suit with a green tie, and had seven cheaply uniformed soldiers standing behind him, all bearing AK-47 rifles.

"Good Morning, Portland, and good day for whatever part of the world you are in. My name is Dr. Frederick Straden, now President Frederick Straden. Today we are broadcasting live to a number of news agencies across the world.

For almost half a year now, Count Randolph has been the ultimate leader of Austro-America, a country whose name we never chose, and a leader we never voted for. Although I am sure the Empress had her best intentions in picking him, our Governor General has had everything to do with the fighting you may have heard about. First, he has forced us to learn German, and whatever excuse he may give, we are not the natives. We are second nations of this continent, and the Count is trying to make a new "third nations" category of nations in North America.

Second, he has placed an oppression over students and teacher so forceful that it bears announcing. Students have been forced to pay more money to schools that have begun paying their teachers less. He has removed grants for students, making higher education even harder to attain. He wants us all to be factory-slaving zombies who do nothing but praise his name.

Third, he has forced the church on us. I am a proud Atheist. Many of my good friends are Protestant, and some are even Catholic. We are a multi-cultural nation. We respect the first nations that were here before the American colonists in the 19th century. The Count has torn down Totem poles and Native American heritage sites in favor of more German-esque buildings.

Finally, he has removed our freedom of assembly. These four measures have cause this revolt, and we will not stop until the Second Cascadian Republic spans from the Pacific to the Rockies. For now, Portland will do. We ask for financial support, though. We need weapons, food, supplies. We have been supplied by an anonymous source that has been constantly gracing us with this. Without them, we would not have been able to do this.

For now, those of you living in this Republic, you may leave your homes and go to work, or celebrate, as I [i]am [/i]declaring this a national holiday. Thank you."

The broadcast switched back to News Anchor Martin. "For those of you who wish to migrate to the area, we have a map of the Republic with the checkpoints outlined.
[center][img]http://dl.dropbox.com/u/8577153/Cascadia/SCRoPMA.png[/img]
[/center]

[Bacharth]

[i]The next day...[/i]
"Alright, I think I've had enough of this !@#$%^&*. Can we level the city?" Count Randolph asked his cabinet.

"That would only make their movement stronger. We need to cut them off and figure out who is behind the weapons transports," the Education Minister replied.

"First, we need to take down Portland. Every hour that the rebel state exists is another hour they can get stronger."

"But, Herr Count, if we cut of-"

"Oh, I know exactly who's doors we'll be busting down. The Distopyan Corporation."

"The Medical corporation? We need to do an investigation first. They're an international company."

"Fine. First, we invade Portland."

[i]1630 June 23, 2011[/i]
The barricade on Highway 26 was quiet. They were about to enjoy a beautiful sunset over the Cascade Mountains and the city of Hillsboro. The barely trained men did not notice the infantry until they were in range. A few rocket propelled grenades hit the guard posts, and with the organization of the Austrian Army, the barricade was shut down.

[i]1650[/i]
"We've lost East One, President Straden," Major Anderson reported.

"Send the troops over. Do we know how many the-" The sound of close gunfire and helicopters interrupted the President. "Oh no."

[i]1714[/i]
The Austrian army had taken out all of the Northern and Eastern barricades, and had marched or landed 2,000 troops into Portland by now. The loosely organized, barely trained force was no match for the Austrian Army. The Austrians converged on Pioneer Courthouse Square where the government was.

[i]1944[/i]
It was done. President Straden, the Congress, and even the news crew that reported the independence were in the back of a armored transport on the way to the Sheridan Correctional Facility. The guerrilla soldiers were sentenced to death on the spot, and a heavy military presence remained in Portland.

[b]Announcement from the Governor General[/b]
"It has come to my attention that there was a bit of a riot, and some jokesters declared the city of Portland an independent state. The riots have been put down, and it is safe to go back onto the streets. However, to prevent any further danger from coming to the citizens of this nation, I am enacting some new laws with my emergency powers. Keep in mind, these are for your protection, not for oppression.

First, I am outlawing all private transportation. Rail and bus is the only way you will be getting around now. Second, all social networking sites, aside from government approved ones, will be off limits. This is how all the revolts were organized, and I will be taking them offline to prevent anything like that from happening. Third, there will only be one cell phone provider, and it will be government run. Finally, I am reopening Universities. However, the campuses will be closed to anyone trying to leave or enter the campus except on designated days.

Again, these new laws are for your protection, and we will reimburse you for any losses you may have. Thank you."

[Bacharth]

In a lobby of the Sheridan Correctional Facility, the eight men and three women of the Portland Government, as well as the fifteen members of the KOIN 6 news crew were receiving their sentence from High General Longstreet.

"Dr. Straden, Gary Carleton, Travis Reich, Peter Sutphin, Roy Lecompte, Charles Paulsen, Henry Gulledge, Victor Elston, Kristina Creech, Deanna Goldman, and Tina Villasenor. You are here at the Sheridan Correctional Facility for the crime of Treason against the Crown. Your sentence will be death. As death row is a bit full at the moment, you will have two months to reflect on your lives before being executed. Think carefully about your last words and meal."

Longstreet then turned to address the crew. "The rest of you are receiving a life sentence without parole for supporting their treason. You will die in this prison."

He then turned and let the guards show them to their cells.

-------------

[quote]
Three men in black suits walked into the lobby of the Distopyan Corporation Headquarters in Salem. They delivered a letter to the receptionist and left. The letter was addressed to the CEO, Vince Sixx.

Mr. Sixx (real name required)

Your entire corporation is being indicted with aiding a treasonous activity. If your corporation is found guilty, all of your assets will be seized by the government, and you will await an international tribunal to lay judgement on your company. If you are found guilty of aiding terrorist acts, then your corporate management will be arrested and sent to our Prison system.

For now, our investigators will come in one month to seize data. Tomorrow, we will be doing a general look around your corporation, and if when the investigators come, more data has been deleted or shredded than there is now, you will be found guilty of evidence destruction, and your assets will be seized by our government.

- Austro-American Internal Investigation Bureau[/quote]

[Bacharth]

In a bright, window-lit room near the top of the Distopyan Headquarters, the Board of Directors sat around a table, waiting for their CEO to speak. There was a lot of gossip around the office about what exactly had been going on, and why those men showed up earlier that day. Only a few of them knew the actual purpose of the company.

Finally, Vince stood up and addressed the board.

"Good Morning, esteemed colleagues. I know the talk around the office has been varied, and you all are wondering exactly what's been going on.

Some of you already know this, but for the past four months, our corporation has been training men and women to bear arms against the Count. We have been supplying the revolutionaries, and played a key role in the liberation of Portland. The Governor General has caught on, and although he has no specific proof, he somehow knows. To any of you who disagree with these methods, I invite you to leave the board room."

Nobody left, and sheepish grins began to fill the room. With a smile, the aging Vince Sixx continued.

"Fifty years ago, I created the Republic of Distopya as a way to resist the Russian invaders of Georgia. Little did I know, that it would become a political sensation amongst extreme libertarians, and that a few very extreme, yet very volatile countries would be formed on the merits of Distopyanism. I was embarrassed at a few of them. Then, the Republic of Norsvea came along, and Erik Betrakte followed Distopyanism by the book. One of my sons joined Erik Betrakte in the creation of the Crimean state. It was at that time that I realized that the Distopyan model cannot last for long. The people will get tired of free will, and go back into routines. They will choose a state that is more authoritarian. So instead, I created a corporation with the funds I had secured as the Head of State of Distopya.

The corporation was meant to be a medical and aid corporation. Then came the Tahoe War. This corporation became heavily involved with funding the Crimean troops that liberated the states of Southern Tahoe and Cascadia. It was then I realized what this corporation was all about. It was about defeating fascism and authoritarianism around the globe.

So when Count Randolph came to power, I immediately went into action.

That is the past of this company. You all are wondering about the future. Well, the truth is I will not be a part of it. I have set forth a plan that a few of our board members have, and it will be our last shot at overthrowing the Count. As of now, I submit my retirement as CEO of the Distopyan Corporation. I am much to old now to be running a major company, and I feel that Dementia maybe setting in soon. I leave my position to my son when he is released.

As I am retiring, I think you all deserve the respect of me giving you my actual name. I was born Vincent Michael Straden. I settled down and married a woman named Eva Victoria Svenssen, and we had a son, Frederick Christopher Straden. Eva died in childbirth. For a while, I had a girlfriend, whose name will remain anonymous. She became pregnant with my child, and because of my political status, had me leave her life. She married a man she had just met, and they had my son. His name will remain anonymous, and he knows not that I am his father. But that is it, I have two children, both boys. With that, I am leaving the company to my oldest son. Until he can get out of prison, the Board of Directors will have control of this company the second I leave this building. I have but one rule, and it is that you may not vote my son out of the company presidency. I hope you all find peace and happiness in your lives, and may the love of the universe always fill your hearts. My heart will always belong with you all and this company. Goodbye my friends."

With that, Vince gave them a smile and a wink, and gracefully left the board room. He left upstairs, and boarded a helicopter. Nobody would ever see him again.

[Sarah Tintagyl]

[quote]
[center][i]A Proclamation by the Grand Duchess of Idaho-Montana, Her Grace, Maria Angelika von Hapsburg: Concerning the ineffectiveness of the Rudolph Governorship [/i][/center]

[i]My people of Idaho-Montana,

I have failed you. In the past few months and weeks, I have watched in hostility to the changes taking place in the country that I once governed, the country that you placed me in control of, with my sister. But I have watched in silence, fearful and unable to do anything about the corruption and racism going on in the Rudolph Government. I have come to tell you, those days are over and no longer will I sit in silence and wait for change to take place. My people are dying in the street, riots are taking place and the good name of Austria is being destroyed by a man who would better side with the cultural genocidists of the past. You are American, you speak English, and you should be proud! I will not let a megalomaniac try and change who you are! I will not let these horrid laws gain strength any longer. Together, we will stand as brothers and sisters, as Austrians, as Montanans, as Idahoans, as humans.

As such, with the power still vested in me as Grand Duchess, appointed by Her Imperial Highness, Maria Magdalena von Hapsburg, I decree that Phillip Rudolph is an enemy and outlaw of the Austrian State and is capture will be punishable by life imprisonment to atone for the murder of culture he is attempting to commit. This I believe is lenient, considering that people have already died in the riots and the name of our country has already been defaced. Thus, the Rudolph Government must abdicate power back to the Austrian throne, and a new referendum if desired will take place. All political prisoners arrested by the Rudolph Government are to be freed and reparations to injured families will be paid. If these demands are not met in a timely fashion, the Austrian Empire will recognize a state or war between herself and her estranged child, Austro-America.

Make your decision wisely Herr Rudolph, you have crossed me once, you will not defy me twice.[/i]
[/quote]

Boise, given the large population of the old Aristocracy of Idaho-Montana, would serve as Angelika's main stronghold and fortress. She was already in the country when the proclamation was created, but if war did come, she anticipated that Maria and Austria's allies would soon harass the coast. The city in the meantime would begin to raise a militia and fortify itself. Angelika had always dreamed of fighting her own war, for her own beliefs. Now she was getting to prove her strength and if Rudolph came, he would find himself surprised by the strength the Black Sheep of the Hapsburgs had.

[Bacharth]

[b]One month later...[/b]
Six investigators walked in a single file line into the Distopyan Headquarters building. They split up. Two took the server room, one took the Accounting hall, and three took to interviewing the workers. The data in the servers was pored over, they left no bit untouched.

[b]Seattle[/b]
"I don't !@#$@#$ need her approval! This is my nation! I am the supreme ruler of Austro-Amerika! Hell, we'll call it Kaskadenland!" His chair has been replaced three times now.

[i]In a speech to the nation...[/i]
"...our Empress has deserted me, deserted us. We are a proud people, and can continue on. I am declaring my position as the supreme ruler of what is now called Kaskadenland. Parliament will continue to be suspended, and all trade with Austria will cease. In fact, we are withholding recognition of Austria. That is all."

[b]Back in Salem[/b]
The server room was very cold. Agents Donald Riddle and Veronica Thrash sat at a terminal, downloading everything they could to their computers. Suddenly, Donald's world went black, and Veronica's too.

They awoke on the fifth floor of the building. They knew because the sign on the elevator had a big number "5". Donald was the first to speak.

"Where are we?"

A young man in a black ski mask approached Donald and crouched by him. He removed his mask to reveal long, curly black hair and light blue eyes. It was Chris. "This is for your own protection. The Revolution has begun. You're just in time to watch," Chris said with a warm smile.

"What Revolution? What are we going to watch?" Chris had already put on his mask and went to the window. He pulled the blinds to reveal the surrounding streets. They were filled with black and camouflage uniforms.

"What is...what have you done?"

Another man spoke up, "You are our hostages. We're negotiating for the release of the Cascadian leaders from death row."

[b]Seattle[/b]
"They're what? What the hell is going on down there? Why hasn't that building been leveled yet?"

"Sir, there are innocent people in there. We know that the Distopyans aren't at the bottom of this. The board members all died fighting off the guerrillas. They were our supporters. We betrayed them," the commerce minister said, with a tear coming to her eye.

"Harden up, Adrienne. This is no time for crying." He turned to Longstreet. "Destroy the building. I don't care who we have to kill. We're going full force on these idiots."

Longstreet nodded and left the room.

"Sir, what have you done?"

"If anyone is disagreeing with my methods right now, I invite you. Please stand up." The count pulled a gun out from under his seat and put it on the desk. Everyone stared at the gun in horror.

"You're insane," the Education Minister said. "Shoot me you !@#$%. I'd rather die."

"Suit yourself." The count picked up the gun and nonchalantly fired a clip into his body. The man fell limp into a pool of his own blood while the count put the smoking gun back under the table.

[b]Salem, Outside the HQ[/b]
[i]"Alright men,"[/i] the siege commander said over the radio, [i]"we've got orders to blow the place up. I don't like it. Anyone have a better option?"[/i]
[i]
[/i]
A soldier spoke up. [i]"We can warn them and give them a chance to surrender."[/i]
[i]
[/i]
[i]"Well if that'll help us sleep tonight. Comm Squad, send them a surrender message."[/i]
[i]
[/i]
In the far corner, under a gazebo lined with sandbags, a man with a megaphone emerged.

[i]"Attention Rioters! You have been given the option to surrender and come out with your hands up. You have 2 hours to comply or we will turn this building into a parking lot. Do you understand?"[/i]
[i]
[/i]
Five minutes passed. Chris, still masked, walked out to the front balcony with an armored helmet on, looking quite ridiculous.

[i]"Attention Aus-I mean, Kaskaden Army. I am assuming communications responsibility between ourselves and you. I have a question for you all. How do you feel about killing 326 innocent civilians? Yes, you'll kill us, but what we're trying to do is overthrow a government that no nation in the world is liking right now. China, Arctica, and now even Austria have come forth and denounced this regime. There will be a full invasion, and you will all be found guilty of war crimes. I present to you a new option. Join us. You will be the heroes who helped liberate a people from an oppressive dictator. You will receive medals and recognition beyond your wildest dreams in the Republic of Cascadia. I will give you fifteen minutes. Discuss amongst yourselves, and have your commanding officer talk on the megaphone."[/i]
[i]
[/i]
Three minutes went by, and Commander LaFonde picked up the megaphone and spoke.

[i]"Attention Revolutionaries! This is Commander LaFonde of the Kaskaden Army. We have discussed your proposition amongst ourselves, and we are unanimously for it, police, RIOT squad, and all. I am in command of 2,000 men, 50 tanks, 25 IF...you don't understand that probably. Ever soldier and army asset around Salem currently is under my command. We will be happy to be of assistance."[/i]
[i]
[/i]
Immediately afterwards, Chris came downstairs and walked out to greet the Commander.

"Our leader has accepted this agreement. Welcome to the good fight, General," Chris took off his mask and gave him a sincere smile. The rest of the guerrillas came out and began to mingle with the soldiers.

[b]Three weeks earlier[/b]
A lone truck was travelling southbound on I5 towards Salem to distribute government cell phones to the people who had ordered them. The driver was getting tired, and he kept thinking he saw headlights behind him. He would pull over and sleep, but the new travel regulations required him to drive non-stop when he was on the road, stopping only at the times he was ordered to.

In his exhausted state, it happened too fast for him to comprehend. His passenger side door opened, then the driver side door, and the next thing he new, he was bound up in the passenger seat with a man in a black ski mask driving. He said only one thing, "Don't worry, you will see your family again, and the truck will be yours after we drop our cargo off. For now, I'm sorry but we must put the blindfold on you." And his vision went black again. Two hours later, he was alone, unbound, and on the outskirts of Eugene.

------------

For two days, factory workers removed the SIM cards from the phones and replaced them with cards that would bounce signals off of the Distopyan satellites, which had all been positioned to give signal anywhere in the nation. After they were done, the phones went out to the distribution team.

The phones went to every address that labelled themselves as an anti-Count family. From there, the phones would be distributed to even more anti-Count people. It was a word-of-mouth system, but for the distribution of products.

[b]Two Nights Before the Raid[/b]
All of the cell phones would receive a text message from a sender known only as "HQ". The message read, "Salem HQ, basement. Bus funds have been transfered to your respective bank accounts, and there will be rooms for you to stay in. LLC."

The next day, the bus saw a slight increase in traffic to Salem. Trains, however, were packed. When the information was relayed to Seattle, they were given reports that there was a fairly large concert in town that night, and according to any city records, there was.

[Lavo]

"Rebel Army, in recognition of the oppression, discrimination, and insanity of the government of "Kaskadenland", formerly Austro-America, condemns the state and it's government, and refuses to recognize the state. Furthermore, if any officials of this "country" are found in RA territory, and sea slash air-space they will be arrested immediately."

[Bacharth]

[b]Outskirts of Salem[/b]
Theresa Henriquez was a scout patrolling the outskirts of Salem. Hers was a very important job, to make sure nobody gets within 10 miles of the city without the entirety of the Revolutionary army knowing about it. She was sitting in her bunker by I5 when she saw tanks on horizon.

[i]"Echo One to Home. Repeat, Echo One to Home, we have Trojans on the Mark."[/i]
[i]
[/i]
[b]Distopyan HQ[/b]
General LaFonde looked to the logistics officers with him, and said, "We have to move now. What are our options?"

"Well," Sergeant Rourke laid out a map of the surrounding area," since I5 is blocked, our best bet to move troops quickly is take Highway 22 West towards Highway 18. We'll hit the junction maybe 5 miles south of Sheridan. I remember the Guerrillas saying things about breaking the Cascadian leaders out. That would be our best bet to kill two birds with one stone."

"But what are our options of getting to Portland from there?"

"Well, Highway 18 hits Highway 99 West, and we can take that into Sherwood, head into Tualatin, and then hit I5."

"Hmm...unfortunately they would be in Salem by the time we hit I5, so we should just make a dash for Portland."

"I agree sir."

"Then lets move out."

[b]Salem[/b]
The tanks moved in front of the infantry on their way out. The revolutionaries managed to make their way out of town in a half-hour, right as the Kaskaden troops were showing up. They would be greeted by a city empty of any troops, just civilians going about their daily business.

In the command car, General LaFonde had invited Chris and the Distopyan Director of Covert Affairs, Bruce Faris, to discuss their plan of attack.

"Can't we just bust down the fences with our tanks and then let everyone free?"

Bruce shook his head and responded, "No, there are people that actually deserve to be there."

"Well, what if we free the people who aren't rapists and murderers?" Chris asked.

"Or, we can hire someone to do some work. We need access to the prisoner database though. Chris, you're on that, I want you to find me someone who is good with guns and killing someone silently," LaFonde said with a sinister grin.

"You can't be serious, General. Surely you can't expect a prisoner to actually do what he's asked and not just flee."

"If he's getting paid enough, he'll do it, and don't call me Shirley." ((OOC: RIP))

[b]Sheridan Correctional Facility. Sheridan, Oregon.[/b]
The revolutionary army covertly marched into the fields surrounding the prison after dusk. A few snipers got into position, covering all of the guard posts and any guard positions that existed. Two special ops squads were created out of the best troops, and Chris went with one while the General went with the other.

As they walked up to the door, the barely audible sound of silenced gunfire could be heard dispatching the men standing guard. The revolutionaries were in.

General LaFonde whispered, "Foxtrot squad, you guys are with Chris. You'll be going to the prisoner data room and finding our targets. For now, Hotel squad be waiting for the location of the prisoners to release. Don't forget about getting me an assassin."

Foxtrot Squad saluted and followed Chris through a door to the east. Hotel squad took defensive positions in the lobby.

Foxtrot saw no resistance on the way to the data rooms. Chris assumed all of the guards were either on cell duty or asleep. They entered the data room, where a lone computer operator was sitting at the terminal. She looked up in horror and screamed, "Don't shoot, please!"

Chris put a finger up to his lips and instructed the squad to lower their weapons. He approached the desk as she reached under her desk and produced a pistol. As soon as the squad saw the shine of the metal, she was swiss cheese.

"You guys are good," he said as he got up. He walked around behind the desk and pushed her bloody corpse off the chair. He was presented with a login screen.

"Shi-oh wait..." he looked as he saw a sticky note on the monitor with the login information.

"I love stupid people," he said as he entered the user name and password.

He found the prisoner data rather quickly, and got on his radio.

"Eagle One is at location BAC21. Baby eagles are in BB, mostly on third level, and the rest are in C10, C12, C14, C16. Falcons are in BD, all first level. The crow is in BAC34."

[Bacharth]

Chris walked up to Frederick Straden's cell and looked in the window. A pair of eyes was staring out just as he looked, and it startled them both. Chris unholstered his pistol and shot the lock a few times until it broke. He opened the cell to see Frederick standing there in a prison uniform.

"That's not a good look for you sir," Chris said.

"I thought I taught you political science Chris, not sarcasm," Frederick said as he left the cell, patting Chris on the back as he left. Just as they started going downstairs, they heard General LaFonde say, "Alright, finish up your business! We're headed out in 10 minutes!

The Revolutionary army had already replaced the guards with the Guerrillas, as the professional soldiers were too important to leave behind. They left behind a small garrison of 50 troops to guard the building, but that was it. They were now on a fast track to Portland.

As the army entered McMinnville, they encountered their first actual resistance, which was the Army base at the old municipal airport. Around 1,200 troops were garrisoned at McMinnville, and they all stood guard to meet the Revolutionary army. Colonel Hans Edmondson of the garrison was the first to speak over a megaphone.

"Attention defectors, this is the Kaskaden Army, and we order you to stand down or be shot. You have five minutes to put down your weapons."

General LaFonde took his megaphone and responded, "Attention Colonel, we have more men and more equipment than you. Join us, and be a part of a new nation."

"Commander LaFonde, I thought I recognized your outlandish tactics, why don't you surrender and we won't hang you."

"It's General now, Edmondson, and the more you talk, the more my troops surround the city. We outnumber and out gun you. You have no chance of survival if you do not defect. Why are you even fighting for that lunatic count anyway? You know he tried to get our battallion to destroy an entire building full of innocent people just to weed out a few revolutionaries?"

"Surrender now, or die. Your choice."

"I'm giving [i]you[/i] that choice, Edmondson, don't throw the lives of your troops away just because you think you will win. If you gun us down, then the combined armies of the world will return the favor to you. It's not a matter of if, but when."

There was silence for a brief moment before the Colonel replied. "I hereby defect my battallion to the revolution. If any soldier wishes to continue fighting for the Count, then you have exactly one hour to leave the city."

[b]McMinnville Army Base, Officer's Meeting Room[/b]
"So Colonel, the plan is that I'll be taking half of your men to join my army, and you'll be left with around 600 to defend the city."

"That's a little risky, sir. Have you captured other cities?"

"Salem and Sheridan. We have Highway 22 completely within our control, and the Northern half of Highway 18 now."

"You know of any marching armies?"

"There's a few tanks and some infantry in Salem, they might have followed us up Highway 22, but it's doubtful as we spent the better half of a day in Sheridan, and had nothing."

"Have they captured Salem?"

"No, the garrison I left there took them out," General LaFonde said in a proud tone.

"How many on both sides?"

"Well, I left around 1,000 troops, and they had about 3,000."

The colonel looked at LaFonde with disbelief. "No !@#$@#$ way."

"Yes, we used some dirty tactics, but all is fair in love and war, am I right?"

"What did you do?"

"A fake surrender, guerrilla tactics, explosives, and lots of bait."

[b]The Conquest of Portland[/b]
[i]Two weeks later, the territory captured by the revolutionaries went from Salem all the way to Wilsonville, and from Grand Ronde all the way to Molalla. The revolutionary army was a modest 9,400 strong, not including the garrisons that had been left behind in the major cities they had captured. They had just taken the Tigard/Tualatin area, and were using the farmland in East Tualatin as a staging ground. [/i]
[i]
[/i]
The officer's tent was now filled, discussions were being had, and the General was going over his possible plans of attack. Finally, he stood up and the room silenced.

"Gentlemen, in two days we shall begin our assault of Portland. It will not be an easy campaign, as they have twice our numbers, and supplies up the yin-yang. Our men are under-supplied and out-gunned. The best we can do is stick to residential areas and try to minimize our civilian casualties. Gossip, however, is on our side. Major Hilburn of the Tigard Garrison informed us recently that the word has gotten around that we were accepting defections. This is the reason that we took Wilsonville so easily, the garrison was quick to accept us. However, now we are getting into urban territory, and I do not know how the soldiers of that area will respond. So, we need to have a firm battle plan that does not account for defections. Defections will only increase the plan of attack.

Our plan is to split ourselves into equal divisions. We are starting with roughly 9,400 troops. Dividing these into two equal Brigades, Alpha Brigade and Bravo Brigade, each with 4,700 troops each. Our plan is to have Alpha Brigade on Jantzen Beach, and Bravo Brigade on Government Island.

First, Alpha will travel up I5, while Bravo travels up I205.

Alpha will split into equal battalions of roughly 1560 men each. One battallion will take this road marked between I5 and the Willamette, one will continue up I5, and the other will go up 217.

The 217 battallion will clear out Beaverton and then split up. One half will clear out Highway 26 into Portland, and one will stay at the northern I5-217 interchange. That half will join the rest of the Brigade when it hits Highway 26, and then clear out the west side.

The Wilamette brigade will patrol the road and the rest of that section of Portland and then meet up with the rest of the battalion.

Bravo Brigade will split up into two battallions of 2,350 each. 99E battalion will clear out 99E and the East side, while 205 battalion clears out 205 and the surrounding cities. They will meet at the I84 and I205 interchange, leave a guard behind, and then head north to government island.

Alpha Brigade, the west side is clear, will clear out North Portland, secure Portland International, and then head to Jantzen Beach.

Thoughts?"

One of the officers spoke up, "What do we do about defections?"

"Sign them on immediately, have them join you, and don't send them off to do their own thing."

[b]Seattle, Count's Office[/b]
"Sir, this map shows you exactly what has been taken by the revolutionaries."

"And soldiers are just, defecting, like that," Longstreet asked.

"Yes."

"The count is not going to like this, Lieutenant General Monte. You had best tell him yourself."

"Is he one to shoot the messenger?"

"Not unless you do it in front of people."

Monte's face turned white. "Go, inform the count," Longstreet said.

Monte left the office. He knew it was late at night, and the chance that anyone was in his office was slim. He started thinking about his family. His wife, Lucy, and his three boys. Anyone who passed him in the halls could see him visibly crying. He did not want to be the one to have to give this news, and wanted to pass it off onto one of his underlings. He was not that selfish though. In fact, if the Count pulled a gun on him, he would wrestle the gun out of the Count's hands and shoot him, then defect with the rest of the lucky ones. His corps would be a huge help to the uprising. His face turned to determination. He would live to fight another day, maybe even go toe to toe with Longstreet.

He stood in front of the Count's door, and opened the door. Just as he entered, a man burst through the window and put a knife through the back of the Count's head. The assassin looked at Monte, who could only stare at the man with a look of thankfulness. It was an act of God, he knew. He took a moment to pray, promising God that he would fight for the other side. He then left the office to go to his barracks and inform his troops.

[b]Portland[/b]
Bravo Brigade had made it to Government Island with a net gain of troops. Although they lost around 500 men to loyalists and false defectors, they gained 2,000 to make up for the losses and then some.

Alpha Brigade, however, had it harder. They had a net loss of troops so great that Bravo had to send a lot of their gain over to Alpha in order to keep Jantzen Beach strong. The Willamette group was completely lost, forcing the I5 group to double back and take even more losses.

The peculiar part of the campaign though, was the flyovers by the Kaskaden Air Force. Bombers and Fighters flew overhead, but did not make any attacks.

[b]Conversation Between Second Air Defense Wing and their HQ[/b]
[i]"India One to Home, India One to Home, we are entering Portland's airspace, what are the orders."[/i]
[i]
[/i]
[i]"The orders are to bomb, India One."[/i]
[i]
[/i]
[i]"With all due respect sir, I will not bomb an area with a high civilian to enemy combatant ratio."[/i]
[i]
[/i]
[i]"I only said the orders were to bomb, India One, and when the revolutionaries reach our base, we'll cease to have to take those orders."[/i]
[i]
[/i]
[b]News Broadcast on Kaskaden National News, Public to the World[/b]
"Last Night," High General Longstreet addressed the television, with a blank, unemotional face, "one of our men ruthlessly murdered our Count. In conjunction with the night attack on Portland, we can only assume that this was to add the insult of losing Portland to the injury of losing our beloved Count. In light of the events, I shall be taking command of Kaskadenland. However, because the assassin was a high ranking officer, we have lost a large chunk of our army. So, my first act as your Head of State is to start mandatory conscription for those aged 16 to 60. You will be members of the Kaskaden Army in what is now a Civil War between God's chosen Kaskadenland and the Godless Cascadians." The High General continued to speak to the people of Kaskadenland

[b]Shortly afterwards...[/b]
The broadcast would be cut short, and Frederick Straden would appear in his signature black suit and green tie. "Good Evening, Humans." Frederick smiled coyly. "My name is Dr. Frederick Straden, as I have announced before. This time, however, I address you as what I hope to be a more permanent [i]President[/i] Frederick Straden of the Third Cascadian Republic. As of now, we have a better planned war, with actual military officers and an army 50,000 strong, thanks to the addition of Major General Monte. However, we still need help. We need weapons, tanks, supplies, and if possible, military support. The fight for democracy cannot be done alone.

I would also like to apologize for the Count. He was born in our motherland, and he was a black sheep of Cascadia. I have realized though, that the Grand Duchess means well, and wants the best for these people. This means that we have common interests. Therefore, as President of the Republic of Cascadia, I recognize the Grand Duchess as the Head of State of Cascadia, and submit this informal application for the Third Republic of Cascadia to join the Austrian Commonwealth."

Frederick then picked up a glass of Champagne. "To an everlasting Republic!" He took a drink of the champagne, smiled, and the broadcast cut back to the Kaskaden News Network.

[Sarah Tintagyl]

Inside Boise's City Hall, Angelika and the rest of her militia commanders were busy pouring over a map of her now divided duchy. The changes that had come from the Count's terrible policies and his inability to see past the conservatism of years before had transformed the peaceful northwest into a melting pot of conflict and disorder. With the split between the Proto-Germans in Kaskadenland, or however they called it and spelled it, and the native resistance in Cascadia, it was hard to tell where the Grand Duchess' future lay. On one side, she was sternly against the followers of the Count, his policies had placed the northwest into the current trouble they faced. At the same time, the nativists fought for their right to have independence and that independence assuredly had no room for Austrian rule. The entire situation was trick and Angelika planned to hold out as long as possible. She had turned Boise into a proverbial fortress with what materials the militia was able to bring to the table.

"Nearly everything has been placed into the line of defense, Your Grace, at the moment if the enemy, which I may add is still fighting in the west, will stand no chance in breaking the defenses at Boise." The general that spoke was a young man, probably only out of college at the University of Boise. Gregory Dudek had been given control of the Duchess' army simply because he was the most knowledgeable of the terrain and had military experience. Behind him, Colonel Skimmel, the Inspector General, stood quietly and scores of other Austrian commanders.

Angelika placed her fingertips on the edges of her lips and sighed. "My sister hasn't sent word yet?"

"Only of her support Your Grace. You remember the letter, it will take time to mobilize the soldiers and Austria is predicting a war in Europe will come within the next few months. She doesn't want to leave the homeland undefended."

"Just leaving her sister to die at the hands of the barbarians. It sounds just like Maria." She scoffed and leaned back. "I grow tired of being told we will be able to hold off these rebels and yet we do nothing to secure our own location. Gentlemen," Angelika said standing up from her chair. "If we are going to end this conflict then we have to be able to take the offensive, even if it means securing Idaho and the east to prevent the Count from carrying on the war longer."

"We are trying Your Grace," said Skimmel, "But we-"

As the Colonel began to speak the doors of the Council Chambers were thrown open as two messengers in blazing Austrian white walked into the room. Their boots tracked mud across the floor as they walked to the center of the room and saluted to the Grand Duchess. "Your Grace," the first messenger began. "We've just received news from the front, the Count has been assassinated and his commander, Longstreet has taken command of the Kaskadenland Insurgency."

"In addition," started the second, "The Cascadian Campaign, led by a Herr Straden has pledged to support your claim to Head of State of the Cascadian Republic. They're willing to join the Commonwealth."

Angelika's head drew back in surprise. "They support me? Not my sister?"

"That is what the missive said, Your Grace."

The Duchess rubbed her eyes with her hands. "This is only going to cause problems back in Vienna, but for now, if she's unwilling to send troops, then to hell with her. Gentlemen," she said turning to the war council. "We will be recognizing the Cascadian's desire for independence and do whatever we can to aid them in their fight. If that means going on the offensive, I want you gentlemen to discover how that can be achieved. Understood?"

"Yes, Your Grace." Was the answer in unison.

[quote]
[i]
President Straden,

It gives me great pleasure to address you as such and let me express my desire to see your hopes of an independent Pacific Northwest come true as quick as possible. With the news that I have received I know both of our existences in this unforgiving land are unappreciated by the dead Count's supporters, but that is why we must stand together as I have seen you pledge your forces to my own. At the moment, I have gathered a rather large garrison of militia at my stronghold in Boise. If possible, I would like to extend the invitation for your troops to march west, I can send detachments to guard your advance and once you arrive we can face this General Longstreet on a united front.

If this is not possible, then please, with all haste let me know what your intentions are, so that I may back you up in force. Together we can work for a prosperous Cascadia, free from European oppression and built on the principles of freedom, democracy, and inner-strength.

Know that I stand with you in the storm and we shall weather it together.

Sincerely,

Angelika von Hapsburg[/i]
[/quote]

[Bacharth]

[b]Pioneer Courthouse, Portland[/b]
President Straden received the letter, and wasted no time in responding.

[quote]
[i]Your Majesty,[/i]
[i]
[/i]
[i]It is not just I that has pledged support, it is the will of these people. My couriers managed to get a ballot out to everyone under Cascadian control, and the people have submitted that they wish to join the Commonwealth. As a result, I will waste no time in liberating Boise. I have sent a division east on I84, and they should reach you in a few days, barring any major resistance. If you are in need of more urgent support, I have an air wing that has chosen to defect to the Cascadian Republic. I can have them over there in an hour.[/i]
[i]
[/i]
[i]Warm Regards,[/i]
[i]President Straden[/i][/quote]


[b]I84 Eastbound, just west of Hood River[/b]
Major General Sokol addressed his division, lined up and ready to march. They all wore the new Cascadian Army uniforms, white and green camouflage with a dark green beret. Although many held the Heckler and Koch rifles that were Austrian standard issue, a good percentage of the troops had cheap AK47 rifles. Major General Sokol, an man well into his fifties, knew what he had to do to make everything go swimmingly. He had no tanks yet, but he had tank operators. He was planning on assaulting the armory in Pendleton and taking all of the armor stored there. He would probably have an excess number of armor specialists, but as long as he had enough people to drive the tanks, he was fine.

They began marching at midnight under cover of the First Air Superiority wing of the Republic of Cascadia. Although it was strange seeing the fighters with new roundels, he was proud, in a way, that he was supporting the will of the people.

[Bacharth]

[b]Highway 95, just South of Cottonwood[/b]
High General Longstreet sat in a command truck near the back of the armored portion of his forces. He had personally taken command of an Army division when he had intercepted a message about Boise being taken over by the Grand Duchess' forces. He could use this as an advantage, to take the Grand Duchess hostage in a city, and get whatever he wants out of the Hapsburgs. The army marched fast, as Longstreet knew that the Boise army was gaining strength. Luckily, he was west of the I5 corridor now, the small, rural population was in full support of the Count's policies. Some cities even cheered as the Kaskadenland Army passed by.

[b]I84 Eastbound, Pendleton[/b]
"We're taking civilian fire!" shouted a corpsman as he tried to revive a fallen soldier. All around them, the civilian population was in arms. A large force of very conservative people bore arms against the "invaders". The tables had turned.

[i]"All soldiers head for the armory. Repeat, all soldiers head for the armory, we will make a stand there and break out with armor." [/i]Major General Monte had already had his truck driven over to the armory, and a small battalion was defending it against the onslaught of armed civilians. A communications officer was manning a loudspeaker on an APC, announcing every few moments, "We are your liberators, the High General only wants to oppress you."

"They're idiots. Drama-loving, fear-believing idiots. The Count has spoon-fed them propaganda, and they've eaten it up," Major General Sokol said to his adjutant.

"I read a blog somewhere that they want to end higher education, because it apparently 'widens the gap between the rich and the poor.'"


"You know why? Because their inbred minds can't comprehend Algebra."

"Sir, there are our own supporters here."

"Yes, and they're not the idiots. I'm talking about the ones who write that !@#$%^&*."

"Understood."

The rest of the division closed in around the armory, helping to clear out some of the enemy fire that was coming from the surrounding area. The tank drivers broke in, and all of the tanks were utilized.

[i]"Alright, I want all IFVs out first."[/i]
[i]
[/i]
Seven IFVs exited the main gates and took position in front of the infantry, providing cover.

[i]"APCs now."[/i]
[i]
[/i]
Four APCs, all armed with homing rockets and a large turret were the second to exit. One fired a homing rocket on a pickup truck that was armed with a machine gun, blowing the truck up.

[i]"Alright, communications squad, my detail, and the corpsman, I want you all in APCs. The rest of you, stay behind the tanks when they come out, and we'll leave the city. The main army will be here in a couple days to take it, our primary objective is to get to Boise. I've received word that the Kaskaden army is heading down."[/i]
[i]
[/i]
Fourteen tanks rolled out of the gates and took position by the IFVs. The infantry used all of the cover to exit the city, armor rolling behind them. They entered their transports and left Pendleton, leaving the armed citizens cheering in the streets. If they only knew what kind of hell that would be upon them soon...

[b]The General Campaign[/b]
((OOC: This will take place over a course of months, I'm just really bad at writing military advancements. Everything that follows afterwards is the part that is important to the story.))

Four divisions were sent out. One division was headed North along the coast from Astoria, and another was headed south from Seaside. Two divisions were headed east behind the rescue division to capture the cities in rural Oregon. By the end of the first week since the Third Republic declared its independence, its territory made up a good portion of Kaskadenland.

[i]::Order of Battle::[/i]
[i]Army Group Washington (11,000/120) - March North to Olympic Peninsula[/i]
[i]Army Group Oregon (15,000/50) - March South to border[/i]
[i]Army Group I84 (9,400/22) - March East to Boise[/i]

Once [i]Washington[/i] had reached the Olympic peninsula and [i]Oregon[/i], the border, President Straden opened up trade channels with the rest of the world. The Third Republic began buying lots of armor and air equipment. President Straden also ordered a Naval Base be erected in Astoria on the highest priority. The Republic had amassed an army of 200,000 at that point, and was ready to begin a push eastwards.

General LaFonde knew that it was not going to be easy. Civilian resistance would get harder in the rural areas. President Straden, though did not care about much past Idaho. He was only concerned with regaining the old borders of Cascadia, and anything else would be a bonus.

In the north, the army was able to reach Spokane with little casualties. However, the battle of Spokane left the Cascadian forces on retreat from the city. However, they surrounded the city with a siege force to cut them off from the surrounding area, while the rest of the army pushed east.

The army began encountering heavy civilian resistance past Spokane, but was able to push through to take the entirety of Washington State. The resistance only increased after that. While they managed to blitz through Northern Idaho, the movement slowed to a crawl through northwest Montana, and the army decided to put up defensive positions in the Flathead Forest.

In Oregon, the assault was brutal. Everything was a rural area past the I5 corridor, and the bulk of the population was against them. Loyalists were crawling through the woodwork to kill a "Liberal Communist Pig". They managed to get a majority of them to surrender, though.

As with the Northern armies, Idaho slowed the march down considerably, eventually halting the push altogether, and forcing the armies to a halt.

President Straden flew to Pocatello, Idaho, to meet with a local leader of the civilian armies. ((This is a few months after the events of the Revolution)). After hearing the concerns of the Eastern peoples, President Straden agreed to stop the push eastward, and provide a protectorate over the people of the region while they choose to set up a government, or vote to have a different protector. After some negotiations, the two sides agreed on a border.

[img]http://dl.dropbox.com/u/8577153/Cascadia/Cascadiamap.png[/img]

Edited April 11, 2011 by Vince Sixx

[Sarah Tintagyl]

The actual defense of Boise would be a kind of double-edge sword for the Hapsburg Defenders. While the Snake River provided a natural barrier for the eventual assault of Longstreet and his forces and high mountains and tall forests behind the city made it near impossible to flank, it would also be impossible to organize a retreat if the enemy was found to be too strong. Angelika had surveyed the defenses of the city herself as information passed through the checkpoints that Longstreet was nearing the city. It seemed as though the rest of the country had fallen to the Cascadians under Straden, but if Boise fell it would set this revolution back months and perhaps even years. Boise was the proverbial gateway to the lands east, all the way to the sovereign nation of Missouri, and it would give the Ultra-Nationalists the ability to recruit from the rural population and in the mountains guerrilla warfare would be extremely potent. Looking over the breech of the Snake River, Angelika watched as the sun began to set behind the infinite plains that reached out to the Pacific Ocean. She stood in the uniform of an Austrian General, her epaulets shining with grim beauty against the approaching twilight and her gloved hands grasped her rapier hesitantly as Colonel Skimmel joined her on the breech.

"Your Highness seems on edge. Is everything alright?"

Angelika looked down at her feet and sighed as she ran a gloved hand through her hair. "Its rather hard to keep good spirits when you know what is coming. The scouts have said Longstreet and his men are getting closer that they should be here by morning or the afternoon. Professional soldiers against what rabble we've been able to raise."

Skimmel attempted, unsuccessfully, to hold his laughter in as he grabbed the Princess' shoulder. "Now that is no way to talk about the men and women who are going to die for you tomorrow. Who are going to to die for Austria. You've given us all a great honor Your Majesty and I don't think any boy or girl in this city are going to waste it. Why would they declare their support for you if they were only going to retreat from their duty."

"It just seems foolish, we have barely enough men to fill a brigade and we're supposed to defend the old capital of the United Kingdom."

"These people never had a leader either, until you came along. You think they would do this for that child of a king, Franklyn?" Skimmel turned and rotated Angelika around as he did so. They stared across at the city and at the illuminated Austrian flag gently fluttering in the breeze over the city Capital Building. The building was designed like the Capitol Building of the late United States which had since passed decades ago and she was not referring to the pathetic excuses of reincarnation over the years, but the true United States which had once stood for freedom and democracy the world over. That building was a reference to that, its white stone and marble a sign of strength and purity and it was what Boise stood for, freedom and democracy against the forces of racism and totalitarianism. Angelika had never viewed herself as much of a patriot, but just standing there on the breech, looking out towards the flag as the breeze blew softly through her golden hair, she felt a new burst of patriotism and dedication.

"So you think we can hold them?" The Duchess turned and asked the Colonel.

"We don't have a choice, but I think Longstreet will find Boise a rather tough nut to crack open. He hasn't had to deal with the Iron Princess of Vienna."

Angelika laughed, nearly buckling over on all fours. "Yes, well, we'll see about that. Until then, do what you can to keep the men's spirits high, remind them they're fighting for a cause greater than themselves. Remind them that the House of Hapsburg is fighting for them as well."

"It would be my pleasure Your Majesty."

Skimmel left her side as the Princess returned to staring over the side of the river towards the darkening plains. A few minutes later the far off sounds of the [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxxdF8raD4w&feature=related"]Radetzky March[/url] began to sound across the city. It was Austria's most famous march, uplifting, jovial, and telling the story of Austrian military victory. Deciding then that loneliness on the breech would only cause her a breaking heart, Angelika turned her feet and walked back in towards the city and found the military in a state of celebration, while the pickets stood further beyond the city, waiting for Longstreet's moment to strike.

As she wandered through the ground, simply one of the soldiers now, the Princess found herself a few moments later in deep conversation with another young soldier from Northern Idaho. She didn't know his name, nor his family background, but as the night came to a close, the middle Hapsburg child found herself falling into bed with the young soldier. For both of them, it very well could be their last day alive and Angelika was not about to pass up the love of a man's touch when the bullets would begin to fly the next day and as they fell to their sides and the young man began to snore, Angelika closed her eyes and began to think. Her body still glistening in the candle light, she readied herself, readied her eyes, her muscles, her spirit and then fell asleep with the march still on her tongue.

Tomorrow she would prove herself, to the world, to Austria, and to her biggest critic of all, her sister.