A State of Defiance

[Shadowsage]

The Empire has of late been experiencing internal dissention and pressures for change. As of today the Holy American Empire considers all treaties frozen until such time as we feel capable of carrying them out to the fullest extent.

OOC: More will be added when I get home from school and have a chance to use a computer instead of my iPod.

Edit: No involvement unless indicated otherwise, please.

Edited April 13, 2011 by Shadowsage

[Shadowsage]

After the disappearance of the first Emperor, the outwardly monolithic Empire began to develop the tell-tale signs of factionalism. The Imperial Senate, once largely serving at the discretion of the Monarchy now began asserting more of its' power at the expense of the Emperor's autonomy. Try as it might, the Office of the Emperor found less and less actual power and more of a ceremonial process. Roxas found himself devoted more and more to infighting as opposed to running the Empire's day to day functions. The economy suffered as a result and that further fueled the flames of regionalism.

By this point the Imperial Senate had claimed for itself discretion in allocation of Imperial grants to provinces, the Coast Guard, and perhaps most importantly the power to break the Imperial Succession.

This imbalance would be dangerous in the best of times, but the extremists in the Senate proved it to be deadly.

According to the Articles of Union that created the Empire, each province was granted the right to send 3 Senators to Foundation to help organize the Imperial-level of government. The 150 legislators were largely divided according to three categories; Independence, Isolation, and Interaction. The heavily militarized Northern Provinces were more interested in independence than the economically marginal Antarctic regions, and the majority of mainland provinces were concerned with foreign relations.

As months progressed with the situation worsening, the camps gradually coalesced into specific entities. The stage was set for a conflagration that would shake the foundations of the world.

[Shadowsage]

Recent events in the world had stirred up anxiety in the Imperial population. They recalled the nuclear onslaught of several years ago, and a kind of silent panic set in. Stocks began to sag and productivity across all provinces declined due to people skipping work to prepare for any sort of apocalypse. An emergency meeting of the Emperor and his Cabinet resulted, the next day, in a public address across the nation by the Emperor. The speech would touch on the nuclear threat at first but soon moved to confront head-on the regionalism tinged with hysteria affecting so many citizens.

"Live in a few, Emperor!"

Roxas waved in affirmation and gripped his podium's sides with both hands. He absolutely hated public speaking.

"Remind me why I took this job, Cassius?" He sighed heavily, eliciting a chuckle from his state legate.

"Simple, sir." Cassius was a man of great convictions. "If not you, then who? I suppose Martinez could have done the job, but the Senate would've turned nasty even quicker with him at the helm. Something about your father kept the scum in their place - no, that's not fair. A lot of the senators he dealt with were upstanding subjects, but their sons are spoiled !@#$% who couldn't bear to pass legislation that doesn't benefit them. And," he smiled crookedly, "the way your father dealt with the LAST senate that crossed him must have weighed down any ambitions they might have had."

Roxas returned the smile with one of his own. The Republic of Daorim's Senate was, if anything even more corrupt than the one he faced as Emperor of its' successor state 30 years down the line. In a coup d'etat that went unnoticed around most of the world, President Holihan became Imperator Holihan and set in motion a chain of events ending decades later in the formation of the largest Empire in the world. After the nuclear situation stabilized he gave control over to his sole Heir and disappeared.

"Believe me, the thought has crossed MY mind more than once. The way things are though, all that would do is push the provinces into re-"

"Live in 10, Emperor!" The thoughts were cataloged away for the future. He glanced down at the notes littering the podium and the carefully prepared speech became the only thing in his mind.

"5...
4...
3...
2...
Live!"

"Citizens of the Empire, your concerns have not fallen on deaf ears. There has been talk about a second nuclear scourge, and just as expected of the diligent people I have come to know and love, many have taken steps to protect themselves and their family. I will be clear on this matter; any nuclear attack on the Empire will be met with a complete retaliation; and by complete I mean flushing our entire arsenal. The happenings in North America and Europe are not of our concern, but the inalienable human connection every person shares, regardless of nation or ethnicity leaves us grieving for the dead on both sides; particularly the innocent civilians of Maine killed as a result of their insane leaders.

In our thoughts and prayers they will live on, forever.

But there is more behind the desperate emotions running through this Empire of ours than many of you would admit. In the past few years the Senate has become less an instrument of Our authority and more a fractious institution intent on only their own gain; do not let them fool you! The things they enact to benefit your province is only at the expense of the Imperial government. I implore you, remember the man who united you all against everything the world could throw at you! From the shores of California to the bays of Antarctica, from the jungles of Diberia to the Caribbean tropics you all believe in one man!

"The Emperor," and there was no mistaking of whom Roxas was talking, "would not have let it come to this. That is a failing I will take with me all the way to the Maker. But no more. Believe in your government; your Imperial oath and not the provincial handouts given to buy your loyalty. The Senate thinks of you as nothing more than coins, to be traded between players of some hideous game. I beg of yo-"

A deafening roar sounded through the broadcast for a fraction of a second, and the image whitened out.

Then, nothing but static.

[b]**Breaking News**[/b]
Explosions shook Aegis Cathedral to its' foundations today. The building was not yet completed but remains standing. The blasts were believed to originate in the Emperor's quarters and propagated through there. It is unclear whether or not Emperor Roxas has survived, nor the hundreds of workers and 20 senators in the building at the time. An overwhelming majority of senators present were elected from the through-and-through Imperial provinces surrounding Foundation. More to follow as news becomes available.

[Shadowsage]

"Those !@#$%^&*. Those complete, utter !@#$%^&*."

Lord Admiral Wiggin, much like his progenitor was not a man quick to anger. But when that fuse lit it was a slow countdown to destruction for his object of annoyance. He sat aboard the HAS [i]Holy Testament[/i], flagship of Home fleet. The command dais was at the center of the bridge in an elevated position overlooking the navigation, command, and weapon holotanks that took up such a large portion of the bridge's interior. The carrier's CIC itself was located atop the massive tower that served as traffic control for its' wing of aircraft.

Wiggin stood and stalked to the front of the almost deserted bridge. Out the windows was a breathtaking view of the fleet assembled just off the coast of Imperial Center. The mostly rebuilt metropolis was bustling with as much, if not more activity than before; there was even talk of building a second canal on the outskirts of the city to handle the flows of trade.

Those dreams, he thought, would never come to fruition. Not with the Senate working against the imperial succession for its' own gain.

"This land, these people forged from Republic to Empire... They remember the lessons of the Emperor." The provinces of the once-republic were abnormal in one respect - the senior senators from those lands were the fiercest fighters against usurpation of the Empire's authority over local government. Wiggin was confident that they would see the situation would only get worse; if the corrupt senate would go so far as to assassinate the sitting Emperor, they would think nothing of cleansing their own ranks.

[i]Or[/i], he reflected bitterly, [i]any hard-core supporters of the old regime in the military.[/i]

"Not an easy decision, Andrew." Lord Commander Azrael was the mightiest of the Empire's supersoldiers. He, also, saw the senate for what it was. "You have to choose; your oath to the Empire made to a long-gone Emperor, or your oath to protect the succession against all comers. I do not envy you." His massive face split into a momentary grimace of cruel irony.

Wiggin turned and put a hand on the Astartes' shoulder. "These scum killed Roxas. Hell is too good of a place for them." He closed his eyes for a brief moment. All at once it seemed like infinity was right there, in that room. [i]'Destiny.'[/i] A voice so similar and yet not his. [i]'This is your destiny. 450 million people are counting on you, Andrew.'[/i]

Lord Admiral Andrew Wiggin of the Holy American Empire's Navy looked his special forces counterpart square in the eyes.

"Our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor."

OOC: You can post your reactions to the public bits.

Edited April 25, 2011 by Shadowsage

[Shadowsage]

[b]**Unknown Location**[/b]

"We got the !@#$%, boys."

The expletive was spoken softly and yet emphasized at the same time. A man turned and strode from the vast window he was looking out of to his guests. Even arrayed as they were, at the foot of a large irregularly shaped table, they were a practical exhibit in the accumulation of power and wealth. The window-man sat at the head of the table and allowed himself a small smile. He poured a small bit of brandy from the crystal tumbler next to him, swigged it in one gulp, and sighed contentedly.

"That only begs the question... Where do we go from here?" Another person spoke this time; he was close to the head of the table and thus one of the more senior members of the assembled group. There were 7 men in the room, all of them leaders of a province-grouping which had gained significant influence in the Senate. The majority of them hated each-other at a level so personal as to be ingrained in their characters.

Some of them even held loyalty to the Empire.

The window-man, Cassius, turned his head slightly and took in the sight of his thinly built associate who had spoken in his time of triumph. Senator Cassius had been elected to the Provincial Governorship immediately following the rainforest wars which had granted the then-Imperium a thin swathe of land serving as a border between Diberia and the rest of the world. During his 15 year long tenure he had seen his province expand from a string of jungle fortresses to a veritable locus of civilization. This influence allowed him to be elected to the Imperial Senate representing Foundation and its' surrounding districts, a position he had held for almost a decade before the original Emperor disappeared.

Since then, he had been up to no good.

Naturally.

"Well, dear Fiatus, we have several paths available to us." He sneered at the man's name. "We can lead the Empire into a new era of prosperity at the behest of this Senate. With our influence it is likely we can keep the throne unoccupied long enough to either install some controllable cretin or organize a few more... accidents for the rest of the succession." Cassius bared his teeth in a not-quite-smile.

Fiatus, unlike Cassius had been a military viceroy in the recently conquered swathes of the Amazon, and later the Caribbean. He had always been accustomed to military precision and direction; it showed in all things he did. His specific region of interest was, naturally, Jamaica and the large Imperial garrison there firmly loyal to him for reasons of their own. Unbeknownst to the other Senators, Fiatus' agents had infiltrated and subverted large portions of the once-Diberian coastline. The Imperial citizens represented by him were no more happy with the economic downturn than any, but the military presence that pervaded their entire lives forced them consciously and otherwise to seek out a strong leader.

Fiatus had been more than happy to comply.

"Very cocky for a man who has just committed patricide." He smiled thinly. "But we must go further. There are still figures in the Empire that can destabilize this whole plan. Until we are certain that the Inquisitor-Emperor is dead and not simply missing, there can be no overt actions on our part. That, and..." His voice dropped to an almost-whisper.

"Another." The gasps of breath across the entirety of the table were taken almost as one. "It's been confirmed?" A lesser representative from Antarctica asked.

Fiatus looked the man right in the eyes. "Yes. So long as the Lord Admiral draws breath, so does He. And since nobody happens to know where He is, we'll have to do something about the more vulnerable of the two." Such a massive understatement. In the wake of Emperor Roxas' death, the Lord Admiral was the most adored figure in the Empire.

"Let's get started."

[Shadowsage]

Two years.

Two long years of hiding, moving from location to location. Lord Admiral Wiggin was a hunted man. Every time he made a public appearance, or released a video the site was devastated by so-called 'terrorist' bombings within hours. Thousands of innocents had died in each attack. With a heavy heart, the Admiral had pushed on. He realized that people were dying because of him, but his messages had to get out. For the sake of the Empire; all it ever was and all it could yet become, the chains of slavery had to be cast aside.

All of that preparation was coming to a head this day.

"Citizens of the Empire. Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated." He began his broadcast with a toothy smile and the customary line he had been using each and every time. The Senate continued to report his 'unfortunate' loss after every bombing. The nerve of some people!

"As you know, both Emperors are missing. Whether or not they are dead is irrelevant, but the Senate has yet to pick an Emperor. Would you like to know why, faithful subjects? Because the Senate enjoys things the way they are now. There are no checks on their power: or more specifically their ability to accumulate more and more wealth. I'm sure a few of you - quite a few actually- are happy with this. They've bought your silence with Imperial Credits diverted from the treasury and into the provinces.

"Treason in and of itself, yes. But the Senate went further." He sighed, impish smile disappearing. "We have reason to believe that the Senate is responsible, through private operatives, for the terrorist attack on Aegis Cathedral two years ago that resulted in the disappearance of Emperor Roxas in a speech similar to this one." A brief rumbling shook the facility. The picture flickered once or twice, and stabilized.

"I'm getting reports that a broadcast station I was scheduled to be at was hit, by what appears to be Imperial aircraft. How strange." The sad little smile the Admiral wore somehow emphasized all the worry-lines that had developed recently. He was a man aged beyond his time.

But it was all to come to an end.

"Effective immediately, all forces loyal to Emperor Roxas, myself, and Emperor Holihan are requested to think long and hard about their oaths to protect the Empire against all enemies, Foreign and Domestic." The last word was stressed. "The Holy American Empire has lost sight of the views instilled in it by the original Sovereigns, and later by the True Emperor. In the name of the thousands of slaughtered innocents the Senate has blown away to try and maintain the status quo, I beg of you to join me and make them pay."

His eyes blazed white hot fury into the camera. "Do you hear me, Senators? This is a declaration from your people; we will not be pushed any more. I will find you.

"And by the Emperor, I will kill you."

[Shadowsage]

[b]*Announcement to Loyal Citizens of the Empire*[/b]
Due to circumstances involving the bloodthirsty warmongers in the North, election season is cancelled this year and for the foreseeable future until the current crisis is averted. The Senate requires consistent, strong leadership to guide this fractured country into the light again as the most favored among God's creations. To help facilitate the advancement of war against the apostate, so-called 'Empire of the Southern Rim' a permanent draft will be instituted for all male citizens aged 18 to 35. Please report to your nearest recruiting station.

Additionally, a blockade of the rebellious northern provinces has been enacted under penalty of forced labor or death. Again, we stress that the rebel cabal organizing the north has no regard for your rights as Imperials. Refrain from entering any of the grey provinces on the forthcoming maps, as they are believed to be rebellious. Please report to your nearest recruiting station, once again, or otherwise return to work pending reassignment onto significant war projects for the Empire.

---

[b]*Radio Free Caribbean*[/b]
And in other news, massive sections of the Empire have subsequently joined the Empire of the Southern Rim after a particularly galvanizing statement from the central government in Foundation. Flyers are being distributed which detail exactly where the lines have been drawn to date, and it isn't pretty. Please note that Admiral Wiggin has publicly refused to institute a draft, but has asked every Imperial to do their duty in restoring our domain to a pristine state. Hundreds of thousands of people have lined up for training to join the newly created Imperial Guard.

This is Radio Free Caribbean, signing off.

[img]http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/3654/imperialprovinces.png[/img]

OOC: So Green is loyalist, Grey is Rebel before broadcast, and Red is provinces that broke off after the broadcast.