Baptism by Fire

[Expletive Deleted]

Hundreds of Levantian legislators crowded into a massive domed building with a bombed out roof. Harare seemed like a fairly secure location. It was the least contested of the major cities with the smallest rebel presence besides Temple City, which many of the delegates to the drafting convention refused to consider as a meeting place due to the political implications. A significant portion of convention, consisting of fiery intellectuals and humble statesmen elected by their provinces, refused to accept the theocracy. A few days earlier, Sizwe II spoke before the public over the radio in conciliatory terms, rejecting the powers offered him by the interim government, and suggesting that a theocracy could harm the unification process. This won him support from the nonreligious professional class, which Levantia would soon be dependent on, but also alienated some of his ultrareligious supporters.

Harare buzzed with activity as planes began crowding the airport tarmac and cars started clogging the streets. The marketplace opened for the politicians coming to negotiate the new government. Little children crowded around representatives begging for food and money until Levantian soldiers appeared dressed in their slightly mismatching uniforms, identifiable by the wooden crosses at their necks, and the coat of arms on their shoulders. The troops waved off the young lobbyists and escorted the delegates to the convention center in an old parliament building built by one of the previous governments. Thin, ghostly musicians began playing Christian music for the well-dressed men as they passed. Some of the more generous representatives stopped to drop a few coins into a starving artists' hands.

The streets smelled rank with human waste since the government was still in transitional chaos. Sanitation workers were on strike since they still had yet to be paid. Soldiers were still prioritized above anything else. Soldiers and Temple City. Nothing could come before that. The illiterate soldiers understood money better than the Holy Bible. The fact scared the legislators and turned them away from the militant republic and towards a monarchy with a professional military. The delegates seemed more wary of the military than anything else. After the first day of deliberation, Biscottian coffee beans were brought in from Windhoek. Cooks brewed coffee in kettles over open flames outside the parliament building since there was a national shortage of gas due to an oil workers' strike. Delegates worried that the interim government might be falling apart at the seams. The military was the only thing keeping the country together.

On the third day of deliberation, representatives from the military showed up uninvited. The officer corps spoke almost unanimously in favor of a monarchy while the enlisted men present at the meeting declared themselves for a republic. A division soon appeared in the Levantian army.

After a week, negotiations appeared to be working out in favor of a symbolic monarchy with a strong central parliament. Time constraints forced compromises as the postal system began breaking down in various parts of the country. People began openly renouncing their faith in God and the new government as quickly as they had embraced them. The Christian overtones of the new government would be toned down a little in comparison to its predecessor. Leaders of the Monarchist faction and the Republican faction invited the media, mostly radio with a few TV stations to carry the news of the great compromise to the rest of the nation. Traditionalists walked out on the convention vowing to force the government to accept the tribal minorities as autonomous states.

[Expletive Deleted]

[center][color="#FF0000"][size="5"][b]Breaking News[/b][/size][/color]
[color="#00BFFF"][size="4"][b]Levantian News Network[/b][/size][/color]
[i]"Bringing Light to the World."[/i][/center]

A camera panned across the now infamous domed building in Harare where bystanders crowded about a gaping hole in one of the building's wall. Firefighters fought a furious conflagration while police, one of the few groups of public employees who did not join the strikes, dressed in various shades of blue and armed with small arms stood guard with the militia-like soldiers. Emergency medical technicians escorted dozens of bleeding Levantians out of the building, many of whom suffered from severe burns. Policy-makers also assisted in the effort to move the wounded out of the building. Unfortunately, a shortage of ambulances and gurneys left several wounded laying on the ground while the EMTs ferried wounded back to St. Cecilia's Hospital down the street from the convention. A few policemen broke ranks and joined the rescue effort. Eventually, the men brought all the wounded out and began moving corpses to the entrance where they began piling them up. A flock of priests gathered around the dead bodies, crossing themselves and whispering prayers for their lost souls. Silence followed for several moments before the news anchor began to speak.

[i]"...uh... Hello. I'm sure you, the viewer... are just as shocked as we are. What we are witnessing is an unprecedented tragedy. From what we have been told by Levantian government officials, several Traditionalists disguised as Levantian soldiers drove up to the convention in a cargo truck. They then dismounted and proceeded to gun down Levantian soldiers. Two of the tribesmen-turned-suicide-bombers killed themselves and tore a hole through the wall of the building. The remaining gunmen charged through the breach and killed several security guards before entering the the chamber where negotiations were taking place. *Pauses* They then proceeded to kill an estimated twenty-seven delegates to the convention, including the several key leaders of the Monarchist and Republican factions. Officials predict that the death toll will increase as more bodies are found. We are still awaiting further reports to confirm our numbers."[/i]

The looped video switched abruptly to footage of lawmakers walking out of the domed building with smoke rising in the background.

[i]"Wait. We're getting more information. The compromise has broken down and the Republican faction is walking out on the negotiations. We will defer to our convention correspondent, Andile Unathi."[/i]

People rushed about filming, taking pictures, shooting, and waving signs. Most of the Levantians shouted insults disgracing the politicians who were leaving the convention. Andile Unathi walked in a brisk pace to keep up with the departing legislators.

[i]"We're getting live footage of the Republican representatives who are leaving the convention."[/i]

Unathi stepped in front of the leading Republican delegate, [i]"Excuse me, Mr. ?."[/i]

[i]"Faraji."[/i]

[i]"May I ask why you're walking out on the convention?"[/i]

The delegate leaned in towards the camera.

[i]"We're sick of this nonsense. The Traditionalists and the Monarchists have gone too far. We will no longer compromise with the Devils. We know they are working together to subvert God's Plan. We, the Republicans of Levantia, refuse to relinquish the vision of a Theocratic Republic, one in which men are equal before the eyes of God. We refuse to surrender our hearts and minds to some secular monarchical tyranny. Our vision is one of Christ and we will not bend and we will not falter. We are guided by faith and principle in our efforts to unify the country. Sizwe and van der Waals, it is time to choose your side. Either you're with us, the children of God, or you're against us. We will destroy the Traditionalists and claim their land for the faithful masses. God is with us."[/i]

Edited February 20, 2012 by Expletive Deleted

[Captain Enema]

Major General Bari Mustafa, Legion's high ranking representative to the scene, notes the local conditions. He dispatches his assistant to contact the local superintendent for waste management and to make him an offer he probably wouldn't want to refuse.

"Get back to work and the money for your wages owed will be paid by Levantia Relief Association. But this deal lapses by the end of today. If we don't see the men back at work by then we will withdraw our offer."

The messenger is also carrying enough currency on him to be taken seriously. The Levantia Relief Association is the proxy organization that was formed in Port Sudan under the Port's very liberal business laws. So liberal in fact that just about anyone can get a license to operate a business, providing they can pay the modest fee of course. And the fee was paid, in full, with real money as well. Nothing at all like the time Denard stumbled into the Licensing Office, drunk as a skunk, and tried to incorporate his testicles with monopoly money after losing a dare during a wild game of truth, dare, or pistols at 50 feet.

With no balls in the fray so to speak, the Major General's orders are to not directly interfere into Levantia's internal politics beyond making on the spot decisions to quietly assist the country during this rocky time. Mustafa finds the religious ranting and so forth quite repugnant. As a Legionnaire he holds an oath to Legion beyond all other things. As much as that oath might conflict with his Muslim faith, he still takes the oath seriously. For now he merely observes and keeps up a steady stream of communication with Legion's central command.

Options are already being discussed as to how to deal with a possible civil war in Levantia. Thus far the prevailing opinion seems to be taking a hands off approach and letting the locals figure it out so long as no crimes against humanity are being committed. Armed conflict is purely an internal matter, but massacring prisoners, civilians, and other such crimes are a crime against the entire world and will not be tolerated. Should such crimes occur the most likely course of action will be Legion requesting African Unity Pact assistance to quell both sides of the dispute and halt the fighting.

[Expletive Deleted]

[b]From:[/b] Levantian United Sanitation
[b]To:[/b] Levantian Relief Association

[quote][i]"We humbly accept your offer and we apologize for the current state of affairs within our country. Many of us worked voluntarily for weeks, waiting for the government to pay us. However, we have yet to receive a stipend for our work and most of us have families to feed. We hope the international community can understand the situation we are facing and see past the negative effects of the ongoing general strike. Some of us still volunteer our services in exchange for donations and private contributions from Levantian communities, but, for the most part, the cities have failed to compensate us for our labor, which is all we ask given the fact that we have wives and children to take care of. The general strike of public employees isn't an act of malice or a political maneuver as much as it is a matter of life and death. We support the government in its efforts to revitalize public infrastructure, but we have legitimate concerns over the current distribution of economic resources which have placed the lives of hundred of thousands of Levantian people in jeopardy. The decision to strike was a tough but necessary decision for us. With your assistance and the aid of other generous donors, we can return to work and stop striking."[/i][/quote]



[b]Situation in Levantia[/b]

Radios buzzed with frantic reports of desertions since the walkout on the constitutional convention. The Monarchist faction had, as a result, dominated the proceedings and decided that a secular monarchy would be the best form of government to represent the interests of the nation and the people of Levantia. As quickly as the Monarchists dominated the government, the Republicans sought to undermine it by encouraging strikes and walkouts. However, the government began restructuring and reorganizing its priorities as soon as Albrecht was elected by the now-defunct Conclave and crowned by Patriarch Sizwe II. Public employee unions were starting to back the King as he began slowing to work on Temple City and other ambitious projects so the government could restore public services.

In short time, the Republicans struck at the heart of the new Kingdom of God. The militant faithful in the ranks of the Levantian Army and their nepotist compatriots revolted against the officer corps at the Republican. Officers rose to an uncomfortable awakening. Many at gunpoint were escorted out of their posts and shot in front of their barracks. Soldiers organized angry mobs to raid government offices and attack public employees. Reports of violence and disorder saturated the airwaves. King Albrecht did not hesitate to declare a state of emergency.

[u]Announcement to Rebels and to the International Community[/u]
[i]"We are now offering an olive branch to the dissenting factions. Come to the negotiating table and we can have peace in this country again. The violence against the current, legitimate government is an insult to the country and to the people of Levantia. The defilement of our nation's fundamental institutions must stop. I urge people to stop the violence and the looting. I order soldiers to return to their posts immediately. In return, I offer amnesty. However, if this crisis cannot be resolve peacefully within the next twenty-four hours, I am willing to deploy our military assets in order to restore the peace.

Nations of the world, and the African Union in particular, I ask that you all refrain from interfering in our internal political affairs. This is a matter of the Kingdom's security and we hope to maintain our sovereignty. On the other hand, I will note that any economic aid is welcome. Food, water, medical supplies, and volunteers are in short supply in many of our provinces. While I, as the King of Levantia, wish to change this situation, it cannot be done overnight. We need the assistance of the international community to rebuild this country and to lead it into the developed world."[/i]

[Captain Enema]

[quote]From: Levantia Relief Association
To: Levantia United Sanitation

Expect full payment for services rendered. All future payment of salaries will be routed through our office until the government can assume full control. Further, we wish to know if your office can coordinate with the medical and police agencies to see if they are requiring salaries to keep them at work.

[/quote]


Mustafa groans at the thoughts of what the physical costs could end up being. Still, he's not entirely worried as he suspects reimbursement can be gained from the African Unity Pact once everything blows over. Until then he recognizes the need for safe zones for aid distribution to be established and he authorizes, "Operation Market-Time".


[b]Operation Market-Time[/b]

The Legion Naval Fleet which was so recently engaged in operations against Canada and in Aremor is once once again unified in strength off the coast of Levantia. The earlier hours of the morning show three simultaneous landings of men that wade ashore in remote areas that have reasonable access to civilian transportation routes.

The men being landed are members of the Legion Civil Action Team that has been reinforced by doctors, nurses, logistical experts, and engineers. They are lightly armed and quickly begin setting up tents and other structures needed to begin providing aid relief services on a first come first served basis. As this occurs the Legion fleet begins beaming signals into Levantia that carry the following message.

[quote][IMG]http://i.imgur.com/FT7aA.jpg[/IMG]

Citizens of Levantia, my name is Major General Charles Beckwith and I am a Legionnaire. Just a few moments ago we began landing aidworkers at three different points along your coastline. You'll note that the landing points are away from major population centers, but within easy access of your transportation hubs. Legion performs this action because we wish to make available to the citizens of Levantia medical services and other needed supplies.

Upon completion of our mission we will leave. We have no territorial ambitions or designs upon Levantia. Or services have no price tags attached and we absolutely will not be taking sides in this ongoing crisis.
[/quote]

What is unannounced is the Legion's assumption of responsibility for Levantia's Maritime Security Patrols.Not so much to prevent the fighting from reaching the high seas but more so to prevent opprotunitic raids from various groups that might include but is not limited to the Vikings.To accomplish this mission successfully, Task Force Redlight begins operations with a much increased presence of ships and aircraft.

2 CVNs- 72 Aircraft each
6 corvettes
5 frigates
5 missile Cruisers
5 Battle Cruisers
4 Destroyers
3 LHDs


ooc: I do recognize that there is a war going on against Canada, but given they have been so lax in responding I'm going to say that for this time line the fighting is either over or resolved enough to justify me moving the ships and planes around.

Also, again, I'm not here to interfere, just making sure your sea-lanes are safe and that medical care and food is available for distribution to your peoples.

Edited February 25, 2012 by Tidy Bowl Man

[Vedran]

The Arcticans had been monitoring the situation in their nascent neighbor, Levantia, and had been quietly making some moves over the past few days. Border defenses were elevated, with soldiers joining civilian authorities at major border crossings in South Africa, and a special antiterrorist team was dispatched to Kariba dam to bolster existing defenses against the potential threat of sabotage by rogue elements in the unstable nation.

Diplomatic officials would be looking to make their way into Levantia, seeking to monitor the situation unfolding in Harare to be able to better warn the government in Oceana of any changes. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement, establishing the Union's position that the political situation in Levantia is to be considered an internal problem, but that they cannot condone terrorist attacks committed by any faction in the ongoing conflict, and that any faction found to have committed these attacks will lose legitimacy in the eyes of the Union. However, the Union is very concerned by the humanitarian situation in Levantia, and has asked the Arctican White Cross to provide aid.

The White Cross has committed to sending a container ship filled with essential medicines to supply Levantian hospitals in areas of greatest need. The ship is scheduled to arrive in Walvis Bay, where it will unload its cargo and a number of personnel to facilitate its transport and distribution to the general population. The AWC has also created a volunteer program that seeks to recruit medical specialists to be temporarily sent to Levantia.

To deal with the immediate need and for casualties of future terrorist attacks, the Arctican military has requested permission to send medical personnel to Levantia to set up field hospitals, and engineers to construct aid and refugee camps in preparation for the arrival of White Cross personnel.

In addition to the humanitarian response, the vultures are always circling. Hourglass International, Inc., has contacted the King and Chancellor of Levantia, offering to contract for professional support in the areas of training and advising a central military force, or perhaps for certain combat missions that cannot be entrusted to others, given the recent...crisis. Hourglass has previously been involved in contracts in Austria and Cameroon, providing training and security duties. The company claims to be apolitical and free of ideology.