Lestari Posted July 8, 2012 Report Share Posted July 8, 2012 (edited) [b]Obviously, Not Public[/b] "Dr. da Silva, what can you tell me of the status of Project Dirac?" Marina da Silva looked from the folder in her hands up to the premier. Around them, engineers, mechanics, scientists and researchers were all in a furore, gathered around a spacious construction site. Vieira looked up at the towering proto-structure of Dirac, arms crossed across her chest; the wind was harsh and whipped through the wiry black strands of her stiff, short hair, and the thick heat was oppressive, coming down on all sides and reinforced with an onslaught of mosquitoes and the smell of grease and oil heavy in the air. This was not an ideal location for wide-scale construction, but in Pará, there were few regions that were not devoured by the avaricious Amazon Rainforest, and those that were not were home to civilian centres, industrial powerhouses, or those few military outposts that the nation maintained. This would have to do. [I]Gotta pity the poor !@#$%^&* who have to stay here year-round working on this,[/I] she couldn't help but muse as she looked over the structure, over the scurrying workers slowly but surely driving it to completion, and then back to da Silva. "What you're seeing is not the satellite--or at least, not the main bulk of what will soon be Satellite Dirac," da Silva reported, flicking briskly through page upon page of notes collected within the folder. "So far we have completed the launch structure and ignition systems--components that will propel Dirac into space, but we're only just beginning progress on the satellite itself." Pará's director of research looked from the notes back up to the premier. "However, our progress thus far has been swift and largely smooth. I do not predict any deviations from schedule. In fact, if we maintain this productivity, we could end up ahead of schedule [I]and[/I] potentially save on the costs of the project." "I'm pleased to hear it, Marina," Vieira nodded with satisfaction. "I wouldn't want to keep your engineers here any longer than they have to." Vieira glanced up at the horizon, shielding her eyes from the sun with her hand. "Humid, hot as hell, and infested with every species of pest known to man, and plenty that aren't. The Amazon may be a beautiful sight, but she sure as hell ain't an amiable neighbour." "At least with Dirac weather and climate prediction parameters will be more accurate than ever," da Silva mused, accepting a new report from the hands of a passing engineer and reading over its contents. "General Vara has expressed his opinion that Dirac should also operate as a military satellite." "Do you approve of this?" Vieira's old colleague questioned, and the premier merely shrugged her shoulders. "He has a point--better safe than sorry, though I've never been a fan of Vara's constant pursuit of military expenditure." "A curious thing for a former Marine to say," da Silva noted with a pointed smile. The premier responded in kind with a faint chuckle. "I try not to look at the world down the barrel of a gun like I used to. I'm the leader of an independent nation now, Marina. I strive to make it clear that my pursuits are of peace and goodwill, and I am in no hurry to lead my country as though I am constantly in fear of attack. Pará is a nation of peace. I aim to exemplify that at every turn." The smile faded the slightest bit from the premier's thin lips, and she sighed through her nose. "Fifteen years ago I would have agreed whole-heartily with Vara's military-centric, nationalistic ideals. But I shudder to think the state of things had I come this far with that mindset. The world has enough such men and women in power." "What fuelled this change of heart?" da Silva asked cautiously. Vieira did not often speak of such personal matters, and when the conversation veered towards such subjects, she was quick to fluidly steer it right back away. And true to her nature, Vieira merely smiled faintly, wryly. "Widening of perspective," she answered vaguely, before turning away from da Silva. "Speaking of Vara, I have a telephone conference with the good general lined up within the hour. I should be on my way." "When should I have the next reports to your desk?" "Unnecessary. I'll remain in the area for a while checking in personally. I prefer to be as involved as possible in projects of this nature." She directed another wry smile at da Silva. "Keep up the excellent progress, Dr. da Silva. I expect to see a construct that would make Project Dirac's namesake proud when I return at the next checkpoint. [b]Public News[/b] Controversy arose today over the renewal of a decision by Premier Vieira and the Supreme Justice Tribunal a mere three months into her administration that nationally legalised abortion in any circumstance prior to twenty four weeks of pregnancy, and up to twenty eight weeks in special circumstances such as a threat to the mother's physical or mental health. Several moderate and conservative factions within the Republic expressed resentment towards the decision, arguing that the boundaries set by the Tribunal were "too liberal" and "unlawful". A minor but highly vocal conservative portion of the population demanded the illegalisation of abortion altogether, citing abortion as "an act of sin and infanticide", and the controversy surged back to the public eye after the conservative religious group Paráense Family Association challenged the Tribunal's decision, claiming that "the people of Pará do not endorse the act of extinguishing a soul before it has even had a chance to experience life". Premier Vieira, however, remained adamant that the decision was "non-negotiable". "A vocal minority does not equate to a majority," she spoke tersely, addressing the issue in responce to a question expressed by a Paráense Journais researcher. "The majority of the citizens of Pará have made it clear, through polls or otherwise, their opinion of this issue. That is the stance I have taken." Other critics, however, addressed what they perceive to be the Premier's undemocratic approach to the issue, bypassing the Senate and taking it directly to the Tribunal. Senator Joao Alencar decried Vieira's "utter disregard for due process and the democratic system; she has used the excuse of 'the approval of the majority' to scorn the democratic ideals upon which this nation was founded". An unnamed representative of the PFA took it even further, declaring it evidence of "Premier Vieira's authoritarian tendencies" and predicting that "our premier is a tyrant in the making and this is but the first step in revealing her autocratic nature". Vieira dismissed the PFA's claims as "ridiculous and nonsensical" and went on to criticise the Paráense Family Association as a "desperate, dying vestige of ultra-conservative creeds, hiding behind a veneer of tradition and familial love and seeking to maintain its clutches in a society that no longer has use for such outdated thinking". More concerning controversy over the Tribunal's decision, as well as public perception and opinion of the Paráense Family Association to follow. Edited August 21, 2012 by dotCom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lestari Posted July 20, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 20, 2012 [b]Public News[/b] The Paráense Government Institute of Science and Engineering has reported the successful launch of Pará's first satellite. Project Dirac, which came to fruition earlier this month and was launched on June 17th, draws its name from Paul Dirac, the English physicist whose formulation of the Dirac equation and prediction of the existence of antimatter were fundamental contributions to early quantum physics, and is expected to act largely in a "scientific and commercial capacity...handling radio functions, tracking weather patterns, providing land survey data, and conducting atmospheric research", according to the statement from Dr. Marina da Silva, Director of the Institute. When asked if the satellite had any military functions, however, da Silva answered that it had not been explicitly designed for such purposes. "Dirac is designed such that, if necessary, it can be quickly outfitted and re-purposed as a satellite with military functions," the director stated. "It can also be used to track large-scale military movements should such details come into its focus, though it will not, primarily, be on the look-out for such activity excepting unusual circumstances." The Institute and Premier Vieira presented Satellite Dirac as an excellent show of Paráense engineering. "The Institute really had to work with a most unfortunate dearth of supplies, and for them to have created such an efficient design and brought it to fruition vastly ahead of schedule is a testament to what Paráense researchers and engineers have to offer the modern science landscape. Hopefully, much like the early work of its namesake, Satellite Dirac is an indication of greater achievements to come." In other news, the controversy that once surrounded Premier Vieira's nation-wide legalisation of abortion has been put to rest with a decisive conclusion reached by the Tribunal: after weeks of gauging the public's opinion via various polls, direct interviews, and letters from concerned citizens, the Tribunal unanimously upheld Vieira's decision. "The people have made their opinion clear," the Premier herself stated on behalf of the Tribunal. "Ultra-conservatives were determined to stir up a furore and create the impression that there was some sort of partisan division amongst the Paráense people. There wasn't. Public opinion was clear no matter how much hot air conservative factions tried to obscure the issue with." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zoot Zoot Posted July 20, 2012 Report Share Posted July 20, 2012 The Imperial Commonwealth of Umbrella wishes to congratulate Para on this first step towards space. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lestari Posted July 26, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 26, 2012 [b]Public News[/b] Fears of overpopulation, as well as rumours that the Cabinet is considering emergency actions to find a pre-emptive solution to the potential situation, have stirred a degree of concern amongst the general populace, especially to the East, where many of Pará's population centres lie. Rapid shifts in demographics and a massive influx of immigration to urban areas after an all-too-successful urban programme instituted by the government have brought about fears that the burgeoning cities of Amazônia and Ipixuna do Pará, the largest cities in the nation, will be unable to handle the rapid influx as well as the so-called 'baby boom' that has been observed in the past year. "I cannot guarantee that we will not as a nation and as a people face potential hard times in the coming months," Premier Vieira announced in reply to the concerns. "The threat of overpopulation is very real, and it is one that has plagued Brazil since the days of the Holy Imperium. I can guarantee, however, that I will do all that I can to minimise the economic effects and ensure nobody suffers through this alone. Pará has faced worse than this before. Just like before, we will make it through together." More news to come. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lestari Posted August 20, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 20, 2012 (edited) Private Isabel Vieira couldn't believe what she was hearing. Just a precious few moments ago, she'd been preparing for the morning's workout regime--the standard 6:00 ritual, one she'd adhered to without fail for the past fifteen years. And on her mind only the same concerns she'd gone to bed with: the threat of overpopulation, increasing poverty and crime rates in the larger cities of the nation, the challenges whose greatest difficulties still had yet to come. She wasn't new to losing sleep over them, and she wasn't in a habit of being indecisive when those choices had to be made. When General Vara, however, feeling it to be a concern primarily of defence matters, rushed to her office that morning to consult the premier, when he had divulged what confessedly little he had gleaned from international news reports that day, the premier had gone silent for several seconds--which was several seconds longer than Vara had ever known Isabel Vieira to be brought to speechlessness. He wasn't used to seeing the premier shocked. And sure, anybody would have been shocked at this news, but the astonishment he was seeing on Vieira's expression was a little more than that. The shock etched into her angular features wasn't mere surprise. There was something else there...and the old general thought he had a good idea of what it was. "'The Holy American Empire's reborn champion'?" she finally repeated back, forcing her voice into stillness and calm. It proved too difficult; her voice wavered at the last word, and she swallowed hard. But when she continued, and the disbelief and outrage bubbling beneath the surface began to creep into her tone, maintaining an impression of calm and collection became pointless. "This man seeks the rebirth of the Holy American Empire? He wants to bring back the old system? After all the !@#$ that happened after it failed the first time?" No, that couldn't possibly be true. No sane person would try to revive the old system. No sane person would want to even remember the old system and what it had resulted in--Isabel sure as hell didn't. Nobody should. The HAE is dead and gone, for damn good reason... "He made it clear from the beginning that this was his intention," Vara proceeded tentatively but firmly, and Isabel's eyes, not quite recovered from the shock of the news, rose to meet his. "He seeks the revival of the Holy American Empire and its ideology. And we're not sure just what kind of manpower this 'reborn champion' wields, but with all the territory that seceded from Umbrella we can only assume he has garnered much support. And he has publicly declared a war of secession against the Imperial Commonwealth, but--" "'A war of secession'?" Isabel's voice cut sharply across the words of the general with a surprising venom behind them. "No, no herald of the Empire fights for secession." Her eyes hardened and her teeth clenched as her gaze upon Vara grew cold. "We both know this--we both had a hand in that tyranny even if we wish direly we could forget those years ever happened. If this man claims to bear the ideals of the old Empire, then his goal is not secession. It is subjugation. Subjugation of all of South America under a second oppressive theocracy." Vara stiffened. "The people of South America will never accept that." His voice wasn't quite as firm and confident as it always was, however. Isabel could hear the anxiety in it already, and she knew that it should have stopped there--that she should have agreed, maintained an optimistic tone, assured Vara that this insurrection could never beat down the Umbrella Commonwealth. It was what she would have done normally these days--be the one to keep everyone's spirits up, ensure morale failed to falter, all that crap that long ago she had no mind for. But it was as though the return of the spectre of the Holy American Empire had subdued Premier Isabel Moraes Vieira, and up to the surface surged Lieutenant Colonel Izzie Vieira--bitter, pessimistic, cold-hearted, all the things she'd been before the civil war had completely changed her perspective and her ideals. And now it was all coming back out. "The HAE doesn't care if the people don't accept it," she spat back, beginning to pace about the floor of her office as the anxiety began getting to her too. "The old system was not one of acceptance and it sure as hell wasn't one of the people. It was a system of control and domination. If they overcome the Commonwealth, do you really think they'll stop because nobody in their right !@#$@#$ mind wants to be enslaved again? They won't stop until the entire goddamn continent is under the old banner and the freedom we fought so hard and sacrificed so much to take is a thing of the past." Even as she stopped pacing, her voice rose to a frantic high and she looked almost demented as she swept back to glare at Vara. "Don't you get it? This !@#$%^& wants to undo all the things we destroyed so much of ourselves to create, enslave us after all the blood we shed to tear off our shackles, and instead of being rejected for his madness, he has an entire army doing his bidding!" Now Vara was speechless. Fifteen years ago, he wouldn't have been surprised at all by this outburst--typical behaviour from the lieutenant colonel: he'd grown accustomed to her brash, hot-headed mannerisms. But it wasn't fifteen years ago anymore, and now Isabel Vieira, perpetually the voice of reason, of calm and of optimism, seemed to be falling apart. Vara was a military man through and through; being a voice of calm and comfort was a task better trusted to a mossy rock than to him, and that was a fact he was only all too aware of. He could muster only an uneasy silence. Fortunately, nothing else was needed. Isabel felt her breathing steadying, the frenetic chaos of emotions seething in her head beginning to abate and her facial expression softening. Dammit. She cursed herself for her negligence, for falling back on an old persona she'd long since learnt was no good for the world she lived in now. "I just..." she continued hesitantly, trying to make up for the embarrassing outburst. "I'm frustrated. I can't believe that all that we fought for in the civil war--all those years of blood and death and the loss of those we cared about and facing those we cared about on the battlefield as bitter enemies...that it's all being threatened by a lunatic who has somehow managed to garner military support for his delusions." When she met Vara's vexed gaze once more, her eyes were no longer cold and hard. "I killed my own father and brother to overturn that cruel, hateful regime. Saw friends slaughtered by Imperial forces, and entire neighbourhoods, once vibrant, bombed and massacred into mere husks of what they had once been, and children crawling amongst the bodies in the street searching desperately for their parents...and for what? A mere ten years of peace and freedom before it all came crashing down once again?" Her voice fell cold once more, but . "That's how I will always remember the Holy American Empire, and that's how I will see anyone who ever tries to bring it back. Nothing good ever came of it." "We all lost things to the war that we will never get back," Vara at last spoke, and Isabel was relieved to hear him speak familiarly--firmly, straightforwardly, plainly. "No matter how many rally behind his cause, there will be three times as many who remember what life was like. Three times as many who will fight with all they have to destroy this last bastion of the Holy American Empire." Isabel smiled. "Yes. I know it. Nevertheless..." she glanced away from Vara for just a second. "Hard times are in store. And it may be the hardest we have faced in ten years." "What are we going to do, Premier?" "I?" A brief flit of a genuine smile flashed across her face. "I am going to go about my typical morning regime." And then it was gone. "And you...be ready to send a message to the Commonwealth. Be ready to tell them that they have our unequivocal support in this, no matter what." ((Does not signify any kind of Paráense involvement, present or future, in the matter, seeing as it's closed. Just wanted to use the 'Downsizing' thread as a way to reveal some stuff about some characters. No real IC effect. These aren't the droids you're looking for. Move along.)) Edited August 25, 2013 by dotCom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zoot Zoot Posted August 20, 2012 Report Share Posted August 20, 2012 OOC Sorry for OOC, but this is an awesome read! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lestari Posted August 21, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 21, 2012 (edited) [b]Private[/b] Francisco Vara would have been delighted by this recent turn of events if not for the circumstances that lay behind it. He had been pressuring Premier Vieira to funnel more funds into the military for who knew how long--from the moment the Republic had been established as a sovereign state, which was roughly about the time Vieira had begun to allocate budgets to various newly-established departments...and left the Department of Defence in a state Vara personally felt could be best described as '!@#$%*'. She seemed to consider it an idealistic statement of sorts--that a nation that advocated peace and logic in all circumstances should nevertheless maintain a powerful military force seemed reasonable to Vara, but Vieira argued against it and he failed to convince her otherwise every time. She argued many things--that the overall national budget would not provide for a military of the magnitude Vara sought anyway, that the money was better put to use by the ever-diligent and steadily funded departments of research and internal affairs, that when you got down to it the money being put towards research would enable Vara to produce a much more effective fighting force anyway. He felt that it was a necessity regardless to maintain conscription laws and put more tanks and aircraft into production, allocate more funds to bolster a Paráense army that was more like a goddamn militia with regards to funding and equipment, [I]something[/I] to ensure the Republic was not completely vulnerable to attack by its enemies. And Vieira, of course, idealistic crusader that she'd become, insisted that the Republic had no reason to have enemies in the first place and to be convinced of their existence was to undermine the foundation of Paráense conduct. It hadn't been long ago that Vieira at last confided, if somewhat reluctantly, that some of Vara's 'paranoia' was "starting to rub off" on her. Vara would have personally replaced the term paranoia with something marginally more accurate, perhaps 'damn sense', or 'a little less idealism, a little more realism', but at this point he wasn't about to press his luck by pursuing the typical 'what happened to the old you' subject he was wont to stubbornly hanker. He'd gotten what he wanted: permission from the premier to allocate more funds to the military and begin production of further military munitions and ordinance. He just wished that it hadn't taken the attempted revival of the Holy American Empire to do it. The seceding territories of the Umbrella Commonwealth, those under the thrall of the 'reborn champion', they directly bordered Pará, and that left the very real threat of the insurrection spilling over the borders, the influence of this herald of the old system, which must have been damn near superhuman to have swayed so many to his tyrannical cause, finding its way into Pará. Vieira had little fear of the latter; the Paráense people had proven their own disgust and revulsion to the rebels by enlisting by the hundreds, swelling the ranks of the Paráense Army--training had begun immediately. Being a small, relatively unadvanced and certainly underfunded force (this could not to a major degree be helped; most nations' standing armies had budgets that dwarfed the Republic's entire national budget), Vieira knew that any hope of combatting a technologically, numerically, and financially superior foe lay in guerrilla warfare--a field in which she'd specialised back during the civil war. Vara may have been the highest ranked officer to defect to the rebels at the time, commanding the largest forces and waging the bulk of the war in the cities, but the impenetrable depths of the Amazonian rainforest that sprawled across much of Pará...that had [I]belonged[/I] to Lieutenant Colonel Isabel Vieira, and it still did. That was her domain, her speciality lying in using the dense foliage, the thick darkness, and the general hellishness of the Amazon to ambush, whittle away, and eventually crush invading Imperial forces that attempted to secure control over Pará...which, being essentially [I]comprised[/I] of the Amazon Forest, was not a successful venture. She was even ordering that the old network of tunnels deep underground the Amazon, built to avoid napalm strikes by Imperial forces during the initial years of the civil war, was to be utilised once more--it was very old, very decrepit, and it would take much time to get it into actual working order once more, and Vieira planned to have the structure expanded upon. It would certainly take a very long time, but Vieira felt it to be the most effective defence the fledgling Paráense military had--it had been used to great effect in the civil war. Rebels would emerge from the tunnels as soon as Imperial forces ventured into the forest, conduct a rapid hit-and-run strike, and then fall back into the heavily-guarded tunnels to plan the next attack. It had proven effective--it would again if the worst came to the worst. Meanwhile, by Vara's order the factories began to churn out armaments after armaments--it was largely personal munitions, as armoured vehicles were of little to no use in the Amazon and certainly not for the kind of warfare the two military specialists felt would be inevitable in the case of an invasion of Pará. Rifles, anti-armour infantry weapons, MANPADs, camouflaged body armour and ballistic vests were to be pumped out of Paráense factories as soon and as rapidly as possible to fulfill the growing numbers of the Paráense armed forces; meanwhile, orders were put out for the production of fifty Sukhoi Su-25SMs, of which ten were to be of the Su-25T anti-tank variant, as well as ten A-10 Thunderbolts to bolster the Paráense air force. Tactical ballistic missile systems were also being looked into, with a primary candidate being the MGM-140 ATACMS surface-to-surface missile; the M270 MLRS was singled out as the most likely launcher supposing the military went through with purchasing the missiles. At the same time Vara considered the 9K37 Buk surface-to-air missile system... The aging general looked down at the reports and the papers and sighed. He could not prepare for all contingencies effectively--anti-air, ground-to-ground, aircraft, and the rising need for supplies for the burgeoning army--not without going over budget. He would have to request that the premier allocate more funds to the military if he was to ensure he could cover every facet of a potential war. "This is the price we pay for growing negligent with developing our military." Vara had not meant to voice aloud the sullen admittance, but it emerged all the same from his lips, that same old stalwart grunt as many of his subordinates from years and years back had gotten much used to. He shook his head and set aside the reports. He was no moron--he knew very well that [I]some[/I] money had to be secured for the research budget, and the result of that--Pará's growing space programme and the ongoing results of Project Dirac--even Vara could recognise. Nevertheless...[I]To have turned away almost entirely from the military's budget is to simply invite disaster. And this could be it if the insurrection and the international responce hits a critical point.[/I] Edited August 21, 2012 by dotCom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lestari Posted August 29, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 29, 2012 (edited) The two forty five pound weights chained to the belt around Alejandra Valverde, the captain more commonly known, if she really had to be known on a first name basis, as Alex, were determined to drag her back down to the earth--but she'd be damned if she was gonna let herself be proven inferior to some !@#$%-ass force like the goddamn [I]force of gravity[/I]. No, instead she proved [I]she[/I] was the one wearin' the pants in [I]that[/I] relationship. Slowly, arduously, she lifted her three hundred pound bulk, and the two forty five pounders, her clenched teeth the only sign of the strain bearing down on the muscles of her arms as she pulled herself up, up, until her chin yet again surpassed the metal bar, and she allowed herself to, just as slowly, just as arduously, return to a dead hang. And then she continued to repeat the process. The typical [URL=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VNUyjRRjxM]metal assault[/URL] bore down upon her ears from all directions in the training hall--captain's pick of the hour, of course. Around her, the soldiers of the Paráense Marine Forces Special Operations Regiment First Company bustled about the hall, many of them performing similar exercises, others making the mistake of tarrying about in idle chatter, or to watch the captain as she pushed her own body to its bare limits, much like she did every day of her life. Her spit-fire verbal barbs towards those whom she perceived to be lazing about were notorious even beyond the men of the First Company--never polite, rarely constructive, often immensely demeaning, and always entertaining, which was why it wasn't unknown for a few particular morons to test her temper with the occasional jest, a little jibe from time to time, just to elicit the typical mordant retort from the captain. Which kind of defeated the whole purpose of her venomous vocabulary, but she supposed it to be one of the consequences of the highly informal atmosphere that, she had found, had become standard for the First Company--whether or not it was as a result of Alex's own leadership, she didn't know. [I]But $%&@ it, I really don't mind it all that much.[/I] She'd never been the uptight military type with a mind for all the formalities and solemnity--!@#$, they got more than enough of that from General Vara, who coulda been replaced with a soulless automaton capable of thinking and talking of nothing but war and the military and nobody could tell the $%&@in' difference. She was just pulling herself up one last time when some joker passing by the pull up bars decided to toss in the obligatory provocative remark. "Hey Cap'n Valverde, you ever been mistaken for a man?" he offered all cocky, with a precocious sort of grin plastered across his blockish face. A smattering of low chuckles propagated throughout the training hall as a couple of other soldiers stopped off to hear the the good captain rip the foolish inquirer a new one. "Nope," she replied mid-pull up without skipping a beat, the slightest of grunts escaping her thin chapped lips as she lowered herself back down to the ground and turned her head towards the fool in question. "Have you?" She smirked as laughs and cat calls followed, before she nodded her head at the soldier. "Get your midget ass movin', Câmara. That goes for all of you." She motioned around at all the troops gathered about. "General Vara expects the Paráense Marines to be in absolute top shape. I expect better than that of the First Company. No room and no time for slackin' off in my company. Hell, who knows..." She smirked darkly around at the lot. "You ladies might even get to see some action soon. Insurrection on our borders and all." "But the Imperialists got their asses kicked." A marine wiping sweat from his arms and forehead plopped himself down on a bench near the pull up bars. "The reports from the Commonwealth implied that with the death of their 'reborn champion', the rebellion just fell apart." "You believe that, you're more of an idiot than you look like, and that's sayin' a lot." Alex slowly went about removing the chains, with the weights still attached to them, from her belt. "A massive insurrection like that can't be quelled just 'cause their 'reborn champion' got disintegrated like the little cockroach he was. That Imperialist sentiment was lyin' there dormant--just needed someone to set off the spark and the whole thing would explode." "No matter the size, if you cut the head off the snake, does it not still die?" offered a second marine as she approached to make use of the pull up bars herself. "Without the Pretender to give them direction, they couldn't remain organised." "Your clever little metaphor there doesn't apply, sweet cheeks," Alex retorted sardonically. "Seven entire territories and eighty thousand soldiers are not organised just by the continued existence of one degenerate. There must be more out there, and I daresay the Amazon that swallows up our own humble little nation would make a prime hiding place for the vermin." An uneasy sort of silence fell over the First Company. Not a 'damn, she has a point, we should all collectively brood over that possibility for several seconds' kind of silence, more of a 'whelp, there goes Captain Valverde sharing another one of her paranoid convictions, wonder if anyone will have the balls to challenge her on it this time' sort of silence. Unsurprisingly, nobody did. Alex tossed aside the weight-lifting belt, rolled her squarish head around her shoulders and felt the tension departing with a resounding [I]crack[/I], before she stepped away from the pull up bars. "Anyway, it's irrelevant, 'cause either way it still boils down to you !@#$%*^ getting your asses in shape regardless of whether or not you think we're under threat. You may think you earned your uniform when you got through Complex Vermelho, but the reality is you ain't earned that uniform 'til I say you have." Edited September 7, 2012 by dotCom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lestari Posted September 6, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 6, 2012 (edited) ((I've tried posting the military development section at least three times and each time something got $%&@ed up and it didn't go through. So I'm just not going to bother retyping the long-ass, ten paragraph or such post that I tried to do three times, and I'm just gonna do a list. Deal with it bro.)) [b]Classified[/b] Army Reorganisation: Active Personnel (as of September 6 2012): 13,500 Reserve Personnel (as of September 6 2012): 3,703 Organisation: Supreme Commander Premier Isabel Vieira Chief of Staff General Francisco Vara I Shock Army - CO Lieutenant General Enzo da Caxias -First Regiment (2500) =First Battalion (500) *First Company (100) *Second Company (100) *Third Company (100) *Fourth Company (100) *Fifth Company (100) =Second Battalion (500) *Sixth Company (100) *Seventh Company (100) *Eighth Company (100) *Ninth Company (100) *Ten Company (100) =Third Battalion (500) *Eleventh Company (100) *Twelfth Company (100) *Thirteenth Company (100) *Fourteenth Company (100) *Fifteenth Company (100) =4th Battalion (500) *Sixteenth Company (100) *Seventeenth Company (100) *Eighteenth Company (100) *Nineteenth Company (100) *Twentieth Company (100) =Fifth Battalion (500) *Twenty First Company (100) *Twenty Second Company (100) *Twenty Third Company (100) *Twenty Fourth Company (100) *Twenty Fifth Company (100) II Infantry Regiments -Second Regiment (2500) - CO Colonel Sérgio Nagato =Sixth Battalion (500) *Twenty Sixth Company (100) *Twenty Seventh Company (100) *Twenty Eighth Company (100) *Twenty Ninth Company (100) *Thirtieth Company (100) =Seventh Battalion (500) *Thirty First Company (100) *Thirty Second Company (100) *Thirty Third Company (100) *Thirty Fourth Company (100) *Thirty Fifth Company (100) =Eighth Battalion (500) *Thirty Sixth Company (100) *Thirty Seventh Company (100) *Thirty Eighth Company (100) *Thirty Ninth Company (100) *Fortieth Company (100) =Ninth Battalion (500) *Forty First Company (100) *Forty Second Company (100) *Forty Third Company (100) *Forty Fourth Company (100) *Forty Fifth Company (100) =Tenth Battalion (500) *Forty Sixth Company (100) *Forty Seventh Company (100) *Forty Eighth Company (100) *Forty Ninth Company (100) *Fiftieth Company (100) -Third Regiment (2500) - CO Lieutenant Colonel Ana-Maria Vasquez =Eleventh Battalion (500) *Fifty First Company (100) *Fifty Second Company (100) *Fifty Third Company (100) *Fifty Fourth Company (100) *Fifty Fifth Company (100) =Twelfth Battalion (500) *Fifty Sixth Company (100) *Fifty Seventh Company (100) *Fifty Eighth Company (100) *Fifty Ninth Company (100) *Sixtieth Company (100) =Thirteenth Battalion (500) *Sixty First Company (100) *Sixty Second Company (100) *Sixty Third Company (100) *Sixty Fourth Company (100) *Sixty Fifth Company (100) =Fourteenth Battalion (500) *Sixty Sixth Company (100) *Sixty Seventh Company (100) *Sixty Eighth Company (100) *Sixty Ninth Company (100) *Seventieth Company (100) =Fifteenth Battalion (500) *Seventy First Company (100) *Seventy Second Company (100) *Seventy Third Company (100) *Seventy Fourth Company (100) *Seventy Fifth Company (100) -Fourth Regiment (2500) - CO Lieutenant Colonel Júlio Soares de Nascimento =Sixteenth Battalion (500) *Seventy Sixth Company (100) *Seventy Seventh Company (100) *Seventy Eighth Company (100) *Seventy Ninth Company (100) *Eightieth Company (100) =Seventeenth Battalion (500) *Eighty First Company (100) *Eighty Second Company (100) *Eighty Third Company (100) *Eighty Fourth Company (100) *Eighty Fifth (100) =Eighteenth Battalion (500) *Eighty Sixth Company (100) *Eighty Seventh Company (100) *Eighty Eighth Company (100) *Eighty Ninth Company (100) *Ninetieth Company (100) =Nineteenth Battalion (500) *Ninety First Company (100) *Ninety Second Company (100) *Ninety Third Company (100) *Ninety Fourth Company (100) *Ninety Fifth Company (100) =Twentieth Battalion (500) *Ninety Sixth Company (100) *Ninety Seventh Company (100) *Ninety Eighth Company (100) *Ninety Ninth Company (100) *100 Company (100) -Fifth Regiment (2500) - CO Lieutenant Colonel Carlos Castavet =Twenty First Battalion (500) *101 Company (100) *102 Company (100) *103 Company (100) *104 Company (100) *105 Company (100) =Twenty Second Battalion (500) *106 Company (100) *107 Company (100) *108 Company (100) *109 Company (100) *110 Company (100) =Twenty Third Battalion (500) *111 Company (100) *112 Company (100) *113 Company (100) *114 Company (100) *115 Company (100) =Twenty Fourth Battalion (500) *116 Company (100) *117 Company (100) *118 Company (100) *119 Company (100) *120 Company (100) =Twenty Fifth Battalion (500) *121 Company (100) *122 Company (100) *123 Company (100) *124 Company (100) *125 Company (100) III Paráense Marine Forces Special Operations Regiment - CO Major Michelle Amaral -First Marine Company (250) - CO Captain Alejandra Valverde -Second Marine Company (250) - CO Captain José Viegas -Third Marine Company (250) - CO Captain Álvaro Monteiro -Fourth Marine Company (250) - CO Captain João Alvarez Equipment/Vehicles; Status - Sukhoi Su-25SM--40 units, outfitted and ready for combat Sukhoi Su-25T--10 units, flight-ready, in the process of being outfitted A-10 Thunderbolt--10 units, flight-ready, in the process of being outfitted M1A1 Abrams Main Battle Tank--250 units planned, production currently underway MGM-140 ATACMS Surface-to-Surface Missile System/M270 MLRS Mobile Launch Platforms--75 units planned, production currently underway 9K37 Buk surface-to-air missile system--45 units planned, production currently underway Brown-Water Navy: 14 units Cyclone class coastal patrol ships, construction underway/15 Gepard class fast attack missile boats, construction underway Amazon Tunnel System: Main structure cleared and in active military use; separate sections currently under construction Edited September 7, 2012 by dotCom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lestari Posted October 8, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 8, 2012 [b]Classified[/b] "I understand there are some recent developments for me to hear about, General." "These days? Always." The aging general shook his head with a bit of a marvelling smile as the premier took a seat at his desk. Outside, the pitter patter of the dwindling autumn rains on the windows, growing weaker and weaker day by day, signalled the ponderous coming of winter. "It seems ever since we began galvanisation programs, enlistment rates have never failed to skyrocket. Our active reserves now number twenty thousand...we're not exactly ready to take on Tianxia, but it's a considerable boost since..." "An increase of seven thousand active troops, if I recall correctly, in the past four months," Isabel finished, placing her elbow on the polished wooden surface of the general's desk and resting her chin on her knuckles, allowing a measure of satisfaction to show through on an otherwise tired, worn-out countenance. She knew she needed a vacation--no, not a vacation, just some rest. [i]Hell, what was the last time I just sat down and [b]didn't[/b] talk business?[/i] She almost wished she could simply sit there and let herself doze off to the all-too calming rhythm of soft rains--but she forced herself to speak on. There was more that needed to be discussed--there was no time for dozing off. "Certainly, by no means have we reached the level of more powerful nations even in our own continent, but with this kind of progress, and with the hopes that our purchase of new lands from Mexico will go through, I don't foresee anything but greater improvements to economy, military, and standard of living. After all, Director Caspera has reported marked growth in our business sector and financial departments, and I have seen with my own eyes the vast leaps in quality of life. We won't see the end of overpopulation and unemployment rates until discussions with Mexico, but if all should go well, Pará will arise more prosperous than ever before--more prosperous than in the heyday of the Empire." A grand statement, a sweeping, bold declaration, delivered in a weary variation of the premier's throaty rasp. "But that's not why I'm here. I'm here so you can tell me the status of our fighting forces. What of production? Armoured vehicles, armaments?" "Continuing smoothly. In fact, we've fulfilled the quota set out at the reorganisation conference--our aircraft is outfitted and ready for combat, our tanks and SAM systems have completed production, and our brown water navy has already begun training operations." "And blue-water navy?" "Still in the latter stages of the planning phase. The plan is that by the end of the month we will be able to begin production of three Stockholm-class corvettes and two Iowa-class battleships and they should hopefully be laid down by the end of the year, should the deal with Mexico go through." "Excellent news, General." The premier heaved her towering frame from the chair at Vara's desk, sighing the slightest and barest of sighs as she came to her feet. The weariness of her voice and the deepening of the lines of her face that Vara felt was almost aging by the minute did not escape his hawkish eye. "Perhaps you should head home, Isabel," the general suggested tentatively, knowing only too well the responce he would receive. "Get some rest. You need it." "No, there's no time," Isabel replied just a fraction of a second out of time, rolling her head around her neck and, with a slight crack, feeling just a bit of tension leaving her body before she turned back to the doorway to depart. "I have a meeting to attend with Mexico very soon and much to discuss with my cabinet. No time for dozing off now." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lestari Posted October 23, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 23, 2012 (edited) "The world's suddenly stepped into madness. Or at least, South America has." It had been much time since Premier Isabel Vieira had spoken, one on one and alone, to her niece--they were both, all too often, pre-occupied with their own enterprises; Alex with the running of her company and her affairs as a significant officer in the Paráense, Isabel, of course, with the running of a nation. To the both of them the concept of vacation and respite from work was so utterly foreign as to be unthinkable, and yet they now found themselves trailing about amidst the flourishing greenery of the little garden Isabel liked to maintain in the yards behind the Capital Building in Amazônia--not as premier and captain, not even as aunt and niece, but as friends and equals as they preferred to do. And for her part any other time, the premier took great pleasure in solitary strolls through the garden, enjoying the rare quietude and tranquility it offered amidst the chaos of politics. Today, there was no such peace--and not only because she was now in the company of her less-than-couth niece. "They've gone !@#$@#$ insane is what's happened," Alex replied irascibly. "Whoever's in charge in Colombia, that is. Attacking the goddamn Athenian Federation? Are they $%&@in' trying to tear this whole damn continent apart? The Athenians'll bring in their legion of allies, it'll turn into one big cluster$%&@, and what the hell're we gonna do about it?" "I don't know." Isabel minced no words with her uncertainty, and her unease with the whole situation could not have been clearer than it was to her niece. "By principle, we should support Colombia in driving off foreign forces holding onto what should be sovereign South American territory, but practically speaking, they have thrown themselves into a pit of fire. As you've said, they have a legion of allies who will tear Colombia to pieces and it'll be, as you so very accurately put it, one big cluster$%&@. And," Isabel hastened to add. "Let's not forget we can't even be sure who the hell is calling the shots in Colombia anymore. The international release was written by someone named 'Lupe de Santa Anna'...Interim President. What happened to Ignacio de Ardanza?" "Sounds like a coup to me," Alex noted gruffly. And then, after the third time her hand rose to her mouth and found nothing, she at last blurted in exasperation, "Oh for $%&@'s sake, just let me smoke, will you? And don't give me the crap about how you don't like people smoking in the garden," she added as Isabel opened her mouth in a scowl to reply. "I know you do it too." The premier scowled. "I...tried to quit." Alex smirked in triumph as a hand withdrew a beaten pack from the pocket of her pants, before the long inked fingers picked out a single filter and placed it between her lips. "Tried and clearly failed, if the sheer volume of packs I've seen you run through this week is any indication." With a strike of a match that was then unceremoniously flung to the side (and then quickly retrieved upon a second baleful glare from the premier) the cigarette was lit, and Alex took a healthy drag of it before retrieving it and exhaling a thick stream of suffocating black smoke. "If you had to deal with all the !@#$ I have to think about, you'd've smoked yourself to an early grave by now, regardless of how good a job you're doing at that already," Isabel retorted, her own irritation growing. "First Colombia takes it upon itself to embroil the continent in a war with Athens and all the superpowers it can call in to aid it, and then Georgia of all goddamn things decides to launch an invasion of Brasil. Georgia," she underscored. "Invading Brazil. What casus belli could they possibly conjure up for that?" "Inconsequential. The question is, what are we going to do about it? ...er, is that not the question, Izzie?" Alex added with a raised eyebrow at the warning glance of her aunt, who felt the captain growing perhaps a bit too presumptuous, before Isabel answered. "Now what exactly can we do? As a staunch opponent of foreign incursions into South America for any reason, there should be no question about going immediately to Brazil's aid. But as someone who holds the lives of ten million civilians that would become immediately uncertain upon any such action, I hesitate." "Well, god knows we could use a bit of a population culling," Alex muttered. Isabel raised an eyebrow to her, prompting the captain to shrug. "Joke?" When it became evident Isabel didn't entirely agree with this humour, she returned to the subject at hand with scowl renewed. "I don't think militarily the situation is as bleak as you're makin' it out to be. Hell, speakin' for ourselves, enlistments are still pourin' in, we have two battleships fresh off the production lines and more planned to follow. And that don't come close to what the Brazilians and the Colombians have to offer. They're no pushovers by any means." "I don't know enough about what Georgia could throw at Brazil to estimate how that front will fare, but it's not my primary concern. Even alone, against the Federation, the Colombians will be hard-pressed to secure victory, and that doesn't even take into account the inevitability that Athens will bring in its allies to curbstomp Colombia for good. War surrounds us on both sides--and if Georgia's unprovoked invasion of Brazil is any indication, we cannot be certain we remain unthreatened amidst this tempest no matter what course of action we take. Even if we take none." But Alex seemed to be pondering other things altogether. A brief silence came over the garden before at last she noted, almost absent-mindedly, "My understanding was that Georgia and Brazil were on just about equal footing. I don't see why we couldn't go to our fellow Brazilians' defence." Isabel halted in her tracks, grabbing her niece's burly arm in her own powerful clutch and forcing her to a stop as well. "You are hungry for war." It was not a question and it was not an accusation--a statement of what both knew to be fact. But the glare of the premier's eyes as they bore into Alex, alit with fire and force renewed, made it clear her sentiments on that reality. "Do you see this as a game, Alejandra?" The captain did not pull her arm away. Her own eyes, one forest green and the other mottled brown, met Isabel's glare with a shamed gaze--the briefest flash of vulnerability before she caught herself and they hardened once more, her teeth grinding down in discomfort. "I have tasted battle only once since... since the civil war." "Tasted war?" Isabel threw back at her with an expression of rage overtaking her angular features. "You mean that spat between the Lunar Republic we once served and the old Commonwealth? That was not war, kid. Pray you never know war as it truly is." "I do. I know it just as well as you do. Did I not lose my own father in the very war I know you're getting at here?" Alex's eyes darkened considerably and took on a sadistic streak. "Were you not the one who pulled that trigger?" The accusation worked just as Alex knew it would. Isabel seemed to veritably shrink and stiffen--from a surly seven foot figure of Herculean authority to a tiny, fearful, mortal being consumed with guilt and remorse. Yet she failed to deny it. "I did," she confessed, quialling at last under Alex's harsh glare. "Your father...and my own brother. Don't think I would forget that." Her eyes turned back, with steel and resolve anew, and met the anger in her niece's. "But my hand was forced, and it was he who forced it. I have never forgiven him for it just as I have never forgiven myself for it." A moment passed in which Isabel regained the stature she had lost before the furious accusation had thrown her back into a world of remorse she sought always to escape, and in silence the two regarded one another--with anger, with guilt, with obduracy and unbending will. And then at last, Alex relented. "If I didn't know that, I wouldn't be here," she grunted, turning her eyes away. "If I didn't believe he deserved it. Brother or father, what he became in the end was a menace that needed to be crushed." "Then why is it you want so badly to throw yourself into the hell those of us who have crossed it wish never again to see?" the premier demanded furiously. "It doesn't matter," the captain insisted as she turned to continue walking, and the premier bit her lip and followed. "We have, like you said, a hell of a lot more on our minds than that." How was Alex supposed to explain it to someone so irrevocably damaged by war? How could she put it into words that her aunt could possibly understand--that she, a soldier who had tasted the thrills of combat only once, who had waged war only once, who had lost herself in the comforting chaos of death and destruction, sought to do so again? Edited September 8, 2014 by dotCom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lestari Posted December 1, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 1, 2012 Amidst all the chaos running rampant all around Pará, Isabel was only all too happy to be hearing some good news about the state of the interior. Some couple of months prior, the results of the Mexican referendum had come in. The results: the native people of provincial Old Pará and Maranhão had cast a majority vote in favour of joining the Republic. The process of integration was no small undertaking, but with the help of Mexican construction and volunteer organisations, it was being done. It was a matter of not only providing new infrastructure in the new territories to accommodate for the incoming immigrants who would no doubt be eager to escape the overpopulation of the Republic proper, but also of actually moving those populations to decent housing, and of controlling the flow so that the new provinces didn't experience the very same overpopulation Pará was only now beginning to recover from. By now, the first droves of immigrants into old Pará and Maranhão were already settled in their new homes-- finding employment, new opportunities, a fresh, free atmosphere far from the cloud of destitution that had fallen over the capital in recent years. And as such, it was being felt also in the capital and in the Republic; the sweeping emigration lessened the severity of overpopulation and unemployment, and soon it would eliminate altogether those two misfortunes that had plagued Pará since its birth, and when that time came the Republic would lay witness to a booming golden age that would dwarf even the economic and internal upswing of recent months. Already, the Department of the Interior was reporting vast improvements in the standards of Paráense education and the state of Paráense schools; the Director of Finances had informed Isabel that the full effects of the trade agreement with Colombia, despite recent....er, 'stresses' on the Colombian side of things, were bolstering the Paráense economy far beyond prior expectations would have led him or any one of his Cabinet to believe. [I]And of course, General Vara won't let me forget for so much as a minute the strides of our military,[/I] she couldn't help but add with a wry smile. He'd been giddy as a schoolboy-- and hell, Isabel couldn't even [I]picture[/I] the old !@#$%^& as a schoolboy. Sometimes she swore he'd been born an old, crabby coot with a potbelly and about three hairs on his head.... [I]But I digress...[/I] The NAP [i]Amazônia [/i]and[i] [/i][i]V[/i][i]itória [/i]had been joined by a third Iowa-class battleship, the NAP [i]União[/i]; meanwhile, two Kirov-class cruisers had been launched and were soon to be commissioned, with a third on its way, all three designed for anti-ship missile combat. Vara had even ordered, with the Premier's approval, the laying down of three Visby-class corvettes for express coastal patrol purposes in the coming years. Vara was also looking to replace the anti-tank outfitted Su-25s with more specialised bombers-- perhaps, he'd suggested, the B-2 Spirit, though the Premier was reluctant to expand the budget of the military-- after all, the army had swollen to some 340,000 troops, many having enlisted in the wake of the economic downturn looking for opportunities for pay, for university or for college. Therefore, the Premier opted instead to funnel newfound funds into the Departments of Research and Education. Dr Marina da Silva had even informed her that with the current progress of the nation and its economy, she anticipated the possibility of launching a mission to the Moon-- a goal the Premier had been eagerly entertaining since the birth of the nation. It was no obscure little factoid that Isabel had something of a passion for the[i] [/i]Paráense space programme and placed much importance on its power, and she'd shared with da Silva her hope that before long the nation would have a booming space programme, with Paráense astronauts on the moon, a space telescope in orbit for gathering data and observing distant planets and galaxies, even a space station-- [I]though undoubtedly that's just my imagination running away with me once again.[/I] Well, those were dreams that yet lay far off, but that didn't mean continued priority on research and scientific institutions was not valuable and necessary. [I]And hell, with the progress we've been making, they may not be as far off as I thought they would be...[/I] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lestari Posted December 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 12, 2012 (edited) [inconsequential] Edited August 18, 2013 by dotCom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lestari Posted December 22, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 22, 2012 [size=4][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]The picturesque view of the sea through the glass wall of the office was quaint, to be sure, but not even the vastness, the majesty, the overbearing beauty of the Atlantic Ocean in all its glory could make up for one simple fact: [color=#000000]Amapá was !@#$@#$ hot. [I]Sweltering hot, populated by every species of mosquito known to man, and wetter than a...[/I][/color][/font][/size] [size=4][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif][color=#000000]A wry smirk wormed its way onto the newly-crowned admiral's slender lips as she gazed out at the sea-- in her burnished eyes a mixture of love, longing, and anticipation. Perhaps a note of sorrow-- sorrow, however, was always lurking beneath the tranquil surface of an otherwise still sea. It would always be so, as long as mankind made this vast, mysterious universe all its own into a battleground for its mortal pettiness and greed. "And yet here I am," she noted, the smile vanishing. The irony was not lost, certainly not on Admiral Fernanda Kaneda. She'd spent enough time trying to figure out how she'd ended up where she was now-- tracing back the years, looking for the moment where she went from a simple sailor with naught in her heart but an ardent love for the open sea to a commander of vessels that waged war on it. There was no point to it. Kaneda could hardly remember a time when this hadn't been her life-- when war on the open seas hadn't been her business.[/color][/font][/size] [size=4][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif][color=#000000]"Enjoying the view, I see."[/color][/font][/size] [size=4][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif][color=#000000]The admiral's brow perked up at the sound of the familiar voice, and the smile reappeared in short order. But she felt no need to turn. "A personal visit, eh? You flatter me, Premier Vieira."[/color][/font][/size] [size=4][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif][color=#000000]"I would have come sooner, but..."[/color][/font][/size] [size=4][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif][color=#000000]"But I just got here today myself?" Kaneda turned to face the premier, shaking her head ruefully. "Damn, Izzie. When did punctuality become a priority for you?" "When I became the leader of a nation, I imagine." Isabel shut the door into the office as she approached her old colleague at the glass wall, clasping her hands behind her back. "Kind of a big lifestyle change, you know."[/color][/font][/size] [size=4][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]"So I hear. Who'da thunk, eh? Can't say I woulda guessed you'd be callin' the shots in an independent [color=#000000]Pará. No offence."[/color][/font][/size] [size=4][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif][color=#000000]"None taken." Isabel smirked. "You think I'd'a seen myself where I am now back then? Hell, I can barely see myself where I am now right now."[/color][/font][/size] [size=4][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]"You know, that makes more sense the less I think about it." Kaneda chuckled, dug her hands into the pockets of her uniform pants ([I]Too small,[/I] she decided, scrunching her nose just a bit in distaste), and took to pacing. "But then again there's a lot of things most of us couldn'ta pictured back then. An independent [color=#000000]Pará, eh? Ain't that a kick. And to think it's survived through the fall of so many empires around it. You've carved out quite a little bubble of peace and neutrality here, Izzie. How long you think you've got before reality comes up and pops that bubble for good?" "Now that you're here, hopefully a little longer than before." Isabel watched the admiral pace, an eyebrow quirked that this unusual glimpse of pessimism from the generally light-hearted Kaneda. [I]The pacing, however,[/I] she noted wryly. [I]That certainly isn't new.[/I][/color][/font][/size] [size=4][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif][color=#000000]Kaneda caught the premier's eye. "What?" she blurted out defensively. "Old habits die hard. And anyway, it helps me think."[/color][/font][/size] [size=4][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif][color=#000000]"What're you thinking about now, then?" "That we need destroyers. You're making some good progress on a blue-water navy here, Izzie, but it's outdated. A modern navy isn't worth a hill'a beans without destroyers. You worked with what you had, and you made progress, but now that we have the supplies and ability to begin producing a more effective navy, why wait?"[/color][/font][/size] [size=4][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif][color=#000000]Izzie couldn't help but scowl, if only for a moment before she caught herself and a hand raised to rub at her chin thoughtfully. "Should it really be a priority right now, though? Do we need to commit resources to this when they could be spent elsewhere?" "Look, I've got the corvettes and the cruisers running patrols along the coast--" Kaneda gestured out to the Atlantic. "--and the battleships with them. But if we come under an actual threat, they stand about as much chance as a sheet'a paper against a tactical nuke. They won't even slow a modern naval force down." "You're operating under the assumption that we are constantly threatened." "Look at the world we live in, Izzie." Kaneda ceased her incessant movement, and instead began to tap her booted toe softly as she glanced at Isabel. "We [i]are [/i]constantly threatened. Wars erupt on the paltriest of reasons. Nations are curb stomped by superior forces for petty things, such things as any sane person would hardly consider cause for invasion. How long ago was it that the newly declared Kingdom of Brazil was invaded by [i]Georgia [/i]of all nations and who the hell said a word? Who's to say we might not be the next target, that we won't be next on the chopping block simply for existing and minding our own business?" "We're not the only nation in the world to realise what you're saying, Fernanda," Isabel interrupted the admiral's tirade at last. "It's not so easy to get away with dime-a-dozen wars any more." "No, but they still happen, and that's enough reason for caution. Your idealism, Izzie, is admirable, and I appreciate the idea of approaching the world with a hand extended in peace, but in this world, you've gotta be damn sure the other hand's holding a loaded gun. I don't like it, but it's not something either of us can change. The least we can do is make sure our people don't suffer for it."[/color][/font][/size] [size=4][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]"No, you're right," Izzie at last assented, though her expression was troubled. "I just... hate the necessity of it. That money that could have been put towards science, towards bettering humanity as a whole, must instead be spent on ensuring we are not the victims of some madman's whims to violence."[/font][/size] [size=4][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]"I know what you mean," Kaneda sighed with a shrug. "But true peace isn't in the cards, not unless all of humanity somehow finds itself under a single flag, and I tell ya the day that happens is the day Francisco Vara puts on a pink Speedo and starts singing [color=#000000]Magalhães in Unity Square." "Dear god, why would you say that?" Izzie pressed a hand to her forehead in mock-agony. "That mental image-- I'll have to drown my brain in bleach to keep that out of my nightmares." "I know, eh?" Kaneda grinned widely. "[/color][color=#000000]Magalhães? The stuff of horror movies right there."[/color][/font][/size] [size=4][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif][color=#000000]"If [/color][color=#000000]Magalhães is your biggest problem with what you just said, I may need to have you taken in to get your head looked at.You're either badly brain damaged, or you actually like the thought of Vara in a Speedo. In other words, you're just badly brain damaged."[/color][/font][/size] [size=4][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif][color=#000000]"At least [/color][color=#000000]Magalhães beats that crazy metal stuff you used to be into. I don't suppose I'm lucky enough to have heard the last of that, eh?" "Nope. Gimme some Napalm Death and a couple Devourment LPs and I'm a happy premier."[/color][/font][/size] [size=4][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif][color=#000000]"A psychotic one, more like. I may never understand how you can actually enjoy the sound of someone growling like a Neanderthal over detuned, melody-less guitars."[/color][/font][/size] [size=4][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]"See, that's just not true. Napalm Death's got more of a roar thing going. And Devourment.... well, I have no clue what exactly Ruben Rojas is doing, but whatever he's doing, he's doing it right."[/font][/size] [size=4][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]"Whatever helps you come to terms with the fact that you, the leader of a country, think that a band whose hit single is called 'Choking On Bile' are doing something right."[/font][/size] [size=4][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]"Never judge a book by its cover, Admiral," Izzie reprimanded Kaneda with a smirk. "Or, in this case, a song by its title." "Oh? And what else is 'Choking On Bile' supposed to be about, if not choking on bile?" "You oughta give it a listen. It's actually a deep and thought-provoking metaphor for the human existence and our constant struggle with the bonds we form with others, with the concept of love and attachment against our animalistic, primitive natures..." "Vis a vis, of course, the act of choking on bile."[/font][/size] [size=4][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]"Well, you know what they say. A true poet..." "All due respect, Premier Vieira," Kaneda flashed a cocky smile. "But you wouldn't know true poetry if Edgar Allen Poe rose from the grave and bit you in the ass."[/font][/size] [size=4][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]"True, poetry was always your forte. In fact, I can remember some of your masterpieces. Shall I recite one from memory? 'The Darkest Night'--" she said the title in a dramatic, overdone voice. "-- was especially... [i]juicy[/i]." "Alright, alright then," Kaneda raised her hands in defeat. "But just for the record, that? Definitely a low blow."[/font][/size] [size=4][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]"What can I say?" the premier retorted with a shrug. "I work with what I've been given."[/font][/size] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lestari Posted February 13, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2013 (edited) "I can't begin to describe the shame I'm feeling at this moment." Though the radiance of the warm summer sun streamed through the windows of the Premier's office and illuminated the room with a balmy effulgence, Captain Alex Valverde had never felt herself to be in a darker, colder place. She could not even bring herself to raise her head and look Isabel in the eye-- the severity of her tone, delivered in the rough-edged rasp that had been characteristic of the premier since her teenage years, was enough without the Marine having to withstand the harshness of her unrelenting gaze as well. "... I don't know what you're--" Alex began to protest hoarsely, but the premier cut her off ruthlessly. "Please, Alex. Don't insult me, and don't embarrass yourself. It is proven beyond a shadow of a doubt." "It's not true," the captain continued to insist weakly, even as she could not force herself to raise her eyes to Isabel's-- perhaps because she knew a single look and all would be betrayed. "You know me, Izzie, you know where my loyalties lie--" "Do I?" the premier spat back coldly as she paced around the seated captain; her niece all but recoiled at the harshness of the words. They stung worse, far worse even than the bite of the venomous wandering spider that made its home in the Amazonian forests. "I'm not sure what I know about you anymore. I didn't want to believe it at first-- tried to convince myself of every other possibility, looked everywhere but the truth until it was staring me in the face. How could you do such a thing, Alejandra? How?" "I don't know," the captain breathed weakly, her resolve gradually faltering. "I just... I got caught up. I didn't even realise what was happening..." "You should have stopped when you realised what you were getting into," the premier retorted without sympathy. She sighed forlornly, and ceased her pacing just in front of Alex, shaking her head ruefully. "Imagine the anguish, the shame, when I found out my niece, a stalwart metalhead, a purveyor of real music, was listening to La Roux. La Roux, of all things!" "I'm so ashamed," Alex whispered in horror. "And well you should be," Isabel pressed unforgivingly. "I can't begin to imagine what you were thinking. I'm not sure I even want to." Alex raised her face at last, perhaps to beg forgiveness for her sin, but she had not spoken a word before she was cut off by the ringing of the Premier's cell phone; she reached a hand into the pocket of her pants to withdraw the device, and her countenance brightened considerably when she saw the caller ID. "Admiral," she greeted Kaneda as she raised the phone to her ear and began to speak evenly but eagerly. "I hope this is regarding the update I requested? ... indeed. Well, that's great news. Have we got a rough timetable on this? ... excellent. Absolutely excellent." The premier paused to listen, and then gave a hearty chuckle. "Bet he did. Typical. Well, keep me posted on the progress. Thanks, Kaneda. You're doin' some good work." And with that, Isabel hung up, and shoved the phone back into her pocket. "Update?" Alex ventured, the animosity of a mere moment prior vanishing as she stood from the chair. "We've commissioned two Virginia-class submarines, and they've been laid down," Isabel explained, before glancing at the clock on the far side of the room. "I'm also waiting on a call from Director da Silva concerning the Paráense space programme." "Oh?" Alex piped up, interest piqued. "Yeah. With recent strides taken into consideration, economically and with regards to our scientific institutions, I've discussed with the director the possibility of building a gamma-ray space observatory for the purposes of studying distant galaxies, quasars, pulsars, dark matter..." "You lost me at 'gamma-ray'." "... and a mission to get Paráense astronauts on the moon to do some study on lunar geography and water." "Sounds serious. And costly." "Costly, yes," the premier agreed, leaning against her desk. "Worth it, you can be damn sure." And then she gave a casual shrug, and a wistful smile. "It was always a dream of mine to visit space. 'least I can do is send other people up there." Edited March 31, 2013 by dotCom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lestari Posted March 4, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 4, 2013 Work To Begin On Paráense Space Station Today marks an auspicious day in the history of the Paráense Space Agency (AEP), a department under the authority of the Director Of Research which has regrettably seen little funding, as finances have instead been directed towards the integration of old Pará and Maranhão, the construction of new infrastructure therein and the influx of immigrants into the newly integrated provinces. The acquisition of the provinces, providing both new work opportunities and space to those who once suffered unemployment and poverty in overpopulated urban centres, has enabled an impressive upsurge in the Paráense economy, which was no doubt a significant factor in Premier Vieira's decision to publicly announce her decision to allocate significant funding to the AEP in order to begin construction on a Paráense space station. "Regrettable economic circumstances have stayed my hand in this regard for several years now," the premier remarked in her public announcement. "With the welcoming of old Pará and Maranhão into our country, and the tempering of those economic obstacles that once inhibited us, I feel there is no better time than now to pursue this goal. It is a vital step in demonstrating to the global scientific community that Paráense engineering and research is not only held in high regard by our administration, but also has something to offer-- something new to add to the annals of human endeavour in space." Director of Research Dr. Marina da Silva, who will directly manage the details of the project and report directly to the premier on its progress, spoke at length concerning the purpose of the station and what the administration intends to glean from its launch. "This space station will provide a platform for in-depth scientific research in space that couldn't be conducted to the same extent through any other means, as well as a long-term environment in which studies can be performed by engineers and researchers for years on end." The Director also remarked upon plans to fit the station with a module known as an alpha magnetic spectrometre, which will "detect and dissect cosmic rays and feed us the data gleaned therein, potentially shedding light on such notoriously elusive phenomena as antimatter, dark matter, and strangelets". "All in all," the premier stated decisively. "This is a great step in Paráense history-- an opportunity to learn, to discover, to contribute to the ever-burgeoning tome of human knowledge." Despite the premier's grandiose rhetoric, others in the Senate baulked at the potential costs of the station, as well as the premier's neglect in putting the proposal before the Senate for approval. "Premier Vieira is indulging her own pursuits, and completely trampling upon the democratic process," Chairman of the Senate Vinicius Valverde declared in a fiery address before the Senate shortly after the premier's announcement. "The costs of this venture aside, the premier's refusal to consult the Senate before discussing this venture with her cabinet sheds much light on just how much authority she seems to think she holds on the federal level." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lestari Posted March 20, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2013 (edited) The Paráense Navy has announced the launching of its first Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, the NAP Rei, and has received funding for the laying down of a second Nimitz-class soon to follow. The launching of the Rei marks the initiation of another wave of military reforms intended to modernise the Paráense army, air force, and navy; the air force's aging Sukhoi Su-25M air superiority fighters are to phased out in favour of the more modern, effective F-22 Raptor craft, and the army has taken a vested interest in AFVs such as the Stryker family of AFVs. Furthermore, another four Virginia-class attack submarines have been commissioned. Meanwhile, the Department of Research has released continual updates on the progress of the space station project; the core module of the station has been completed and launched, and is said to be based on earlier non-modular designs and consists of a stepped-cylinder main compartment and a spherical 'node' module, which will serve as an airlock and provide ports to the station's expansion modules upon completion. Work has begun on the second and third module, the former of which is to provide orientation control, communications and electrical power for itself, whilst also facilitating a passive connecting node connecting it to other modules; the latter will provide critical systems, facilitate a permanently habitable environment, and handle guidance, navigation and control for the entire space station. Other known modules designed and ready for the production stage include an astrophysics module, destined to be used for study and in-space research; consisting of several pressurised and unpressurised experiment compartments, the module will be equipped with a wide variety of electromagnetic spectrum telescopes, electrophoresis units, and x-ray/gamma ray detectors, as well as all necessary equipment to study and examine the data gleaned thereof. Another module will be equipped with a top-of-the-line multi-spectral imaging system in order to study weather patterns and geology on Earth. Edited March 31, 2013 by dotCom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lestari Posted March 31, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 31, 2013 (edited) Classified Information In Brackets The Navy's second aircraft carrier, the NAP Escudo, has followed the NAP Rei into Paráense waters, [and has joined the bulk of the Paráense Navy in conducting joint exercises with the army and the air force to measure the capabilities of the military and its personnel. Much of the exercises are to consist of anti-submarine warfare exercises, as well as tests of anti-air capabilities, anti-missile interception, and tactical coordination. The military has also begun development of the MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial combat vehicle, which has conducted its first flight trial; a number of small but definite design errors noted following the flight have necessitated that initial production be postponed until performance flaws are ironed out completely. The air force has begun phasing out Su-25M air superiority fighters and replacing them with F-22 Raptors, and the process is expected to be completed by the end of the year. One hundred ASLAV III AFVs have been produced, with another hundred more on order, and an official review of the state of the armed forces has been ordered by the premier.] Paráense Army Active personnel: 436,264 Reserve personnel: 95,000 Main Battle Tanks: 5,312 M1A1 Abrams MBTs in service Infantry Fighting Vehicles- - 150 ASLAV IIIs - 360 Boxer APC modules - Artillery- - 182 PzH2000 - 392 M270 MLRS - 24 9A52-4 Tornado MLRS - 102 S400 Surface To Air Missile System - 5 S500 Anti-ICBM Anti-EW Missile System Paráense Air Force 230 F35 Lightning Air Superiority Fighters 195 F22 Raptor Air Superiority Fighters 120 F-16 Fighting Eagle Fighter Bombers 46 AC-130J Spectre Ground Attack Crafts 61 A-10A Thunderbolt Ground Attack Crafts 101 B-2 Spirit Strategic Bombers 37 B-1 Lancer Strategic Bombers 24 E-3 Sentry AWACS 100 V-22 Osprey VSTOL Transport 96 C-130J Super Hercules Transport 10 KC-10 Extender Tankers 36 RQ-170 Sentinel UAV 105 MQ-9 Reaper UAV 56 RQ-4 Global Hawk UAV Paráense Navy Independence-class Littoral Combat ship - NAP Sarney - NAP Da Silva - NAP Recife - NAP Titania - NAP Oberon [Among others] Duke-class Anti-Submarine Frigate - NAP Jove - NAP Saturnus - NAP Umbriel - NAP Acrux - NAP Suhail - NAP Alnitak - NAP Alkaid - NAP Naos - NAP Sadr - NAP Aspidiske - NAP Wei - NAP Velorum - NAP Carinae - NAP Monoceros - NAP Aurigae - NAP Doradus - NAP Scorpii - NAP Zetas [Among others - 28 in total] Citadel-class Arsenal Ship - NAP Amazonia - NAP Vitoria - NAP Uniao - NAP Liberal - NAP Io - NAP Corvus - NAP Al Rai - NAP Lunairis Kirov-class Battlecruiser - NAP Jaceguia - NAP Parnaiba - NAP Triniciao - NAP Thebe - NAP Rana - NAP Eridanus Arleigh Burke-class Guided Missile Destroyer - NAP Pollux - NAP Antares - NAP Castor - NAP Canopus - NAP Achernar - NAP Agena - NAP Spica - NAP Pollux - NAP Becrux - NAP Adara - NAP El Nath - NAP Sadira - NAP Ain - NAP Tureis - NAP Ushakaron - NAP Haedus - NAP Alkes - NAP Alhajoth [among others - 28 in total] Virginia-class Attack Submarine - NAP Bellatrix - NAP Rigel - NAP Mira - NAP Circinus - NAP Cygnus - NAP Altair - NAP Hyades - NAP Izar - NAP Sirius - NAP Marka [among others - 12 in total] Ohio-class Ballistic Missile Submarine - NAP Regulus - NAP Vega - NAP Tethys - NAP Phobos - NAP Prometheus - NAP Europa - NAP Saiph [among others - 12 in total] Nimitz-class Aircraft Carrier - NAP Rei - NAP Crucix - NAP Betelgeuse - NAP Mu Cephei - NAP Sigma Orionis - NAP Mintaka [[updated as of 4 September]] Edited September 24, 2013 by dotCom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lestari Posted April 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 2, 2013 A special fund of two hundred million reals had been set aside for the funding of the South American Organisation overseeing the unaligned territories of South America, as well as personnel to train and support local authorities in administrative capacities. The funds would be put to use organising the coalition, and to help in creating a foundation of infrastructure upon which local authorities, bolstered by funding and training, could build, thus providing the unaligned territories a basis of self-sufficiency to ease progress towards independence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lestari Posted April 28, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 28, 2013 (edited) A review of Pará's electronic warfare capabilities revealed a glaring, potentially fatal lack of such systems. In light of recent events in South America, an immediate venture to improve Pará's ability to both wage and counter electronic warfare has been ordered by the premier, particularly in defending the underground tunnels that have been used by the military for potential use in guerrilla operations from electronic warfare. To this end, to begin with, the complex was upgraded with optical fibre wires, which were ideal not only due to their speed and relatively lower attenuation rate, but also because of their immunity to electromagnetic interference. The fibres were coated with UV-cured urethane acrylate composite materiels in order to make the delicate strands much more durable; a second external coating would protect the primary coating against mechanical damage and act as a barrier to lateral forces, and an internal coating was applied, designed to act as a shock absorber to minimize attenuation caused by microbending. Lastly, the fibres were secured in a metallic armour layer to provide even more protection to the fibres. These fibre-optic communications systems would eventually be applied not only in the underground bunkers but in vital military outposts, installations, and government facilities. Radar was also a particular arena in which Paráense capabilities were judged woefully lacking. Therefore, the premier ordered the design and construction of a ROTH radar system station at the remote Rondônia, not far from Ji-Paraná Airbase and the Rondôniense rainforest; in order to counter potential jamming measures, the ROTH system would use constantly alternating frequencies over a spread-spectrum at highly randomised frequencies, and outgoing signals would be cloaked with random noise as well. AESA (Active Electronically Scanned Array) systems were already present on the F-22 Raptor (which had since entirely supplanted the Su-25M) in the form of AN/APG-77 multifunction radar and the Boeing 737 AEW&C. An order was also put out for MIM-104 Patriot tactical air defence missile systems, equipped with the AN/MPQ-53 frequency-agile multifunction G/H-Band radar group, which would enable the system to perform surveillance, IFF (Identification Friend-or-Foe), tracking/guidance, and Electronic Counter Measure functions. Each AN/MPQ-53 was to be equipped with a 2.44 m diameter, 5,161-element phased-array planar configuration antenna array, with separate arrays for target detection and tracking, missile guidance and IFF functions, as well as an AN/TPX-46(V)7 interrogator, using a supplementary array adjacent the main circular search and track array on the antenna unit. Other supplementary arrays would provide sidelobe cancellation and missile guidance signal reception. Medium range mobile radar would be provided by ELM-2106 ATAR (Advanced Tactical Acquisition Radar) systems, which were effective in detecting a wide variety of low RCS targets such as low-flying fighter aircraft, helicopters, low velocity ultra lights, UAVs, and drones. The ELM-2106 was characterised by its ability to automatically detect airborne targets and track and scan up to 100 of them with the aid of target differentiation and classification systems. Like the AN/MPQ-53, the ELM-2106 possessed IFF capabilities, and its low power consumption made it much more difficult to detect. It possessed extensive electronic counter-counter measure capabilities, as well as digital beam forming, pulse compression, and receiver technologies. Infrared camera technology would also be expanded in a number of ways. The underground bunkers used by the military would be outfitted with infrared thermal technical surveillance counter measures to prevent surveillance and bugging; these would be augmented with more sensitive magnetic equipment to detect bugs that do not emit radio waves. The Target Task Performance (TTP) metric had been applied to all military imaging sensors, as well as the ACQUIRE-LC approach for low contrast infrared targets. LIDAR technologies were being looked into, specifically Ultraviolet Laser Induced Fluorescence (UV-LIF). Such high resolution systems would be able to identify specific targets and identify the presence of bio-threats and enable rapid detection of a bioaerosol release and allow for timely implementation of counter measures; the design and construction of both short-range compact spectrometric lidar (SR-SCL) systems and Long-Range Biological Standoff Detection System (LR-BSDS) was ordered by the premier in light of the review of LIDAR technology. Next on the review list was synthetic aperture radar systems, installed generally on both aircraft and satellites. SAR capabilities were already present in Paráense satellites, but it was also being looked into with regards to being installed on various reconnaissance aircraft frames. Furthermore, an order was put out for EA-18G Growler electronic warfare crafts, to be fitted with up to five ALQ-99 jamming pods and the INCANS Interference Cancellation system, which would allow voice communication while jamming enemy communications. In addition to the radar warning and jamming equipment the Growlers would be equipped with a communications receiver and jamming system that would provide suppression and electronic attack against airborne communication threats; these aircraft would fly missions with F-22 Raptors to increase their anti-electronic warfare capabilities. Furthermore, acoustic boomerang systems were now being implemented in the Paráense Army-- both the standard and the Warrior-X Boomerang systems. The Boomerang systems would be mounted on various vehicles, including all-terrain and others more suited to urban traversal, whilst the Warrior-X systems would be supplied primarily to marines and other special forces before it began to trickle down to the army. The Boomerang systems were part of an effort towards integration of the Paráense armed forces-- the Boomerang system would pinpoint and track gunfire, feeding the general location of its origin to both soldiers and to drones, who could then use the information to take out the target. Edited April 28, 2013 by dotCom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lestari Posted June 9, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 9, 2013 (edited) Classified Two more OTH radar stations were built, designed to provide extensive coverage of the South American continent, Central and Northern America, and the Atlantic Ocean. The ROTH-R station at Rondônia was to continue to be directed southward, providing a 64 degree wedge-shaped area of effectiveness with a range totalling approximately 2,800 kilometres. The second OTH station was at Mabaruma, the northernmost district of Pará, directed northwards towards Central and North America with a range of about 3,300 km across a 60 degree area; the third, with a similar range and coverage, was built at Amapá, directed out to the Atlantic Ocean. Furthermore, recent efforts had been undertaken to secure Paráense military and government information structures against foreign invasion. To this end, the premier had ordered the creation of the Paráense Cyber Command, headed by General Alice Calais, with the purpose of planning, coordinating, integrating, synchronising and conducting activities to direct the operations and defense of specified Department of Defence information networks and prepare to, and when directed, conduct full spectrum military cyberspace operations in order to enable actions in all domains, ensure freedom of action in cyberspace and deny the same to adversaries of the Republic. General Calais had determined that CYBERCOM shall operate with a 'proactive cyber defence' doctrine, intended to mitigate operational risk and enable CYBERCOM to quickly and efficiently respond to attacks on Paráense networks. Paráense information networks were, to that end, to consist of several layers of security. For one, various networks, such as command and control structures, would be largely isolated, so that any attack on a particular network made in an effort to access the system as a whole could quickly be isolated and then mitigated; many of these networks were also isolated from the outside internet to further make attempts to externally access them difficult. These networks fed back to a number of central information systems depending on their level of classification through heavily secured data pathways: they required at even the barest level of security elastic encryption keys that are frequently changed. Further measures included, of course, cryptosecurity, emissions security (EMSEC), in order to eliminate to as great a degree as possible compromising emanations; traffic-flow security, to conceal the presence and properties of valid messages on a network and including the protection resulting from features, inherent to some of the equipment used in the aforementioned cryptosecurity, that conceal the presence of valid messages on a communications circuit, achieved by causing the circuit to appear busy at all times; and transmission security (TRANSEC), the component of communications security that results from the application of measures designed to protect transmissions from interception and exploitation by means other than cryptanalysis such as frequency hopping and spread spectrum. With regards to physical security, the optical fibre wiring implemented in sensitive military facilities had since been expanded throughout the vast majority of the Paráense military and civil network; as before, the fibres were coated with UV-cured urethane acrylate composite materiels in order to make the delicate strands much more durable, and again, a second external coating was to protect the primary coating against mechanical damage and act as a barrier to lateral forces, whilst an internal coating was applied, designed to act as a shock absorber to minimize attenuation caused by microbending. And again, the fibres were secured in a metallic armour layer to provide even more protection to the fibres. Wireless communications would be prohibited at all levels of vital classification in order to further guarantee the security of the various networks; the only wireless functions would connect the highest levels of classified networks to their respective 'primary systems'. Pará's ability to employ electronic counter-counter measures had also received attention in the interests of improving the military's ability to combat attempts to combat its counter electronic warfare suites. For example, polarisation could be used to filter out unwanted signals, such as those often used in jamming: this was based on the principle that if a jammer and receiver do not have the same polarization, the jamming signal will incur a loss that reduces its effectiveness. Furthermore, aside from power loss to the jammer, radar receivers could also benefit from using two or more antennas of differing polarization and comparing the signals received on each. This effect was capable of effectively eliminate all jamming of the wrong polarization, depending on the degree of jamming. Radiation homing was another primary focus of Pará's ECCM efforts; many of the air force's crafts would be armed with AIM-120 AMRAAM beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles, fire-and-forget missiles with active guidance. These missiles would be equipped with a primary 'home-on-jam' mode, which would enable them to home in directly on sources of radar jamming if the jamming was too powerful to allow them to find and track the target normally. The military would also put to use ARMs (anti-radiation missiles), with the interest of forcing a potential adversary to think twice about deploying ECM measures; though such measures would obscure a target from normal missiles, they would become veritable beacons to the military's anti-radiation missiles. Private It was a strange day indeed when the combined efforts of alcohol, cigarettes, working out, and several playthroughs of a Malignancy record (generally the latter two in conjunction followed in short order by the former two) failed to allay Colonel Alex Valverde's concerns. By that point she had long since graduated from the first stage of events to the second. And in any case, a quick indulgence of the vices that seemed to veritably run in the family blood if her aunt and father were any indication was, the colonel felt, well in order after the hectic past few months. The opening of potential conflicts in Paraguay and against the PSSA, to say nothing of the constant development of the military, had been and continued to be strenuous times for all involved, and Alex had devoted herself, mind, body, and metaphorical spirit, to carrying out her duties in that regard to the fullest extent. Now, with her two oldest and closest friends, it was time for a little... R&R, so to speak. And yet, at this point, she couldn't even ask for that. Maybe she was just overthinking it. She wanted very much for that to be the case, though it was not at all characteristic of the marine to be the over-analysing type-- she had always been the more impulsive, act-first-maybe-remember-to-think-about-it-later type. But still, she held out some small quantity of hope that she could simply dismiss her concerns as pointless brooding over nonexistent bullshit-- that she was seeing patterns that simply weren't there. How likely could it be, after all, that Isabel Vieira, a staunch opponent of autocracy if Alex had ever seen one, could now be consolidating her power in such a way that one could only conclude that she was pursuing such a system herself? To her aunt, that meant the 'old system'-- the Holy American Empire. And Alex knew for a fact that nothing elicited from Isabel Vieira loathing of a kind that would have made the darkest, edgiest of black metal fans pale in comparison like the Holy American Empire. Izzie hated anything that remotely brought to mind the HAE-- including her role in it and the dirty, bloody war that had rent it apart. Namely, she hated its autocratic, totalitarian nature. Of that, Alex was more certain than anything. Why, then, she questioned herself as she took another heavy drag of the cigarette in her hand and held it for a second before exhaling a thick cloud of smoke. Why would she be doing... this? Why was indeed the question of the hour. Why would Isabel Vieira be taking gradual steps to curb the power and authority of the Senate on a federal and state level? Why would she supplant her previous doctrine of adhering stringently to an ethic of peace, rationality, and cooperation, in favour of one that emphasised asserting Pará as a force in South American politics? Why would she actively seek to consolidate power purely in her hands, the very essence of the old HAE? Hell, all she needed to do now was start pumping out propaganda posters emphasising slavish devotion to the premier and Alex would have cause to be fairly certain her aunt had been possessed by the spirit of the God-Emperor himself. It was perhaps even more poignant that, as Alex reminded herself, the colonel would have espoused the new ideology Isabel seemed to be adopting wholeheartedly not long ago. How often had it been that many a discussion of ethics and morality had ended in fervent, if civil, disagreement? Alex had lost track of the countless times she had attempted in vain to figure out how her aunt could be so short-sighted-- well meaning, but short sighted nonetheless. For many years that had been the case-- Alex countering what she had regarded as her aunt's wishy-washy, deluded ideas of morality and goodness with a pragmatic cynicism that would have been the pride of Lieutenant Colonel Izzie Vieira. That was, at least, the case as it had been before-- the past year or two had begun to divorce her of that line of thinking. She couldn't point to a specific catalyst if she tried-- maybe it was a combination of her discussions with her aunt, the literature on ethics and morality she had been borrowing from the premier's extensive library, and the simple passage of time and its inevitable effect on one's thought patterns. But recently, she had found herself realising the faults of her own arguments, and recognising the truth that lay in many of the ideologies Izzie had espoused. It wasn't a complete 180-- certainly Alex wasn't gonna completely dismantle the military and announce that the Republic was henceforth to be governed by a coalition of flower-power hippies and 'make love not war' Pink Floyd fans or some shit. But she was beginning to realise that there had certainly been something to reality as her aunt had illustrated it for her-- and then, just as she had come to that conclusion, Izzie had evidently decided that was all bullshit. In the back of Alex's head, a vestige of that cold, blunt, all-too-cynical voice repeated a word that evoked in the colonel much distress. Power. It was, that miserable little voice reminded her, all too simple for even the most passionate of idealists to become ensnared in power's simple but insidious luxury. How many had it ruined-- Lenin, Castro, damn near if not indeed every politician who walked into office a doe-eyed youth dreaming of acting with integrity and good will. It was not unthinkable that Izzie Vieira had found herself in a position of immense power and the temptation of taking increasingly authoritarian measures to secure and expand that power eventually eroded and erased the idealism she had built for herself. In fact, it was perhaps even probable. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. And it was not a stretch to say Premier Isabel Vieira was reaching out to grab onto absolute power and intended to keep a firm grip on it. And yet Alex could not help but find even the very suggestion reprehensible. Because, even in those days when she and her aunt could not see eye to eye on a great many things... well, such truths were hard to admit. In retrospect it even sounded incredibly naive and childish. But she had always seen her aunt as incorrigible. Incorruptible. Possessed of an indestructible will and sense of self, a dedication to her virtues and to honesty that would have been the envy of any of those rabid 'comrades' who went around spouting some bullshit about 'the revolution'. That Izzie was honest, straightforward, and above all above corruption had been the one constant in Alex's life, such that in a way, despite their differing views, she had come almost to idolise her aunt. But now, that was changing. And Alex didn't want to think about the possibility that her aunt was not incorruptible. Or, perhaps worse... that Isabel Vieira was beginning to sympathise with that which she had once reviled-- that which she had once sacrificed Alex's own father to destroy. Edited June 9, 2013 by dotCom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lestari Posted June 18, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 18, 2013 The azure waters of the Atlantic were as crystal clear as the most precious of South African diamonds-- as though crafted meticulously and with the utmost care, by some patron deity of the ocean. Fernanda Kaneda had heard of many such gods of the oceans-- some from the very indigenous peoples who inhabited the territory that now comprised Pará, such as the Kayapo, who held that the whims of the ocean were governed by the will of a spirit whose essence permeated throughout it. Well, Kaneda didn't know if that was the case-- she knew only that she herself was privileged, whether by the benevolence of some ocean god or simply through the coincidences of happenstance, to travel the Atlantic, driven by the love unmatched that a sailor holds for the sea. "As an admiral..." she remarked slowly, her slender eyes unwilling-- or perhaps unable-- to the vast expanse of the Atlantic before them. "... it seems I spend even less time with the sea than ever before. I'm always on some warship. Conducing exercises. Overseeing military movements. Not much opportunity to just spend time with my oldest friend." She turned away at last from the picturesque Atlantic, and she shifted her gaze to her visitor. "And when I'm not on a warship, it's through a window. Ain't life a kick sometimes?" "The armed forces have been on high alert-- it's to be expected." General Francisco Vara's voice emerged raggedly from his furrowed lips-- a voice well past retirement if ever Kaneda had heard one, though as ever the tenacious old fuck held on. At the stiff statement, however, the admiral raised an eyebrow, surveying the aging general with an appraising gaze, and with a sigh, slumping back slightly in the chair he'd taken a seat at in the admiral's office, he relented. "The premier's been running us all through the meat grinder," he admitted, at last removing his impeccably-placed peaked cap ([I]Oh shit, he's serious now,[/I] Kaneda mused mordantly[/I]) and wiping with the back of his hand across his balding head. "The army, the air force, the navy-- it's like she constantly expects invasion. In fact, I'm convinced of it. Have you heard the new border policy orders she issued?" Kaneda nodded sympathetically. "Constant border patrols, guards stationed at strategic checkpoints across the borders, nothin' gets across 'em without the military knowin'." "Not just guards. Marines. Intelligence officers. The kind of personnel you would station at the border at wartime, if that. The kind of security you would want if you knew for certain somebody would be trying to infiltrate the country. Except that I'm fairly certain our military's best are being squandered on stopping in its tracks that foremost of evils-- wayward tourists." "Is that a sense of humour I detect, General?" Kaneda quipped with a cocky gleam in her eye. "Takin' off your hat, tossin' out a joke or two-- hell, I was feelin' pretty cynical about this whole thing before, but now I'm about ready to predict the Armageddon." "Hilarious," the stoic old general retorted, the vaguest hint of a smile pulling at his creased lips. "You call upon me to talk, not as colleagues but as old war buddies, and for my trouble I am the butt of jokes once again. I see you've hardly changed since the war, Kaneda." "Much the same could be said for you, Vara. Funny how some things just never change." "Yes." The general agreed monosyllabically, before his gaze fell from the admiral, and a crestfallen expression overtook his wrinkled features. "And how quickly other things do. The therapy failed. The cancer's back in force now." "I hadn't heard that." Kaneda's voice lost some of its characteristic incisive tongue-in-cheek, and her words were serious, even gentle. Vara shrugged wearily. "I've fought as diligently and as hard as I have every other war in my career, but I can see the writing on the wall. This is one battle this old officer's not coming back from. Not victoriously, anyway." "Doctors give you a timeline?" The general shrugged again. "Suffice to say, either way, I'm not long for this world. I made peace with it. A soldier must make peace with their eventual death when they take up war as their profession. I did so long ago." "Deep stuff, Bodhisattva. Your cancer couldn'ta chosen a better time, though, eh?" A scowl tugged at Kaneda's thin lips, struggling to pull through to the forefront of an otherwise neutral expression that was, even then, bordering on the wryness that it never seemed to be without. "Seems Izzie's already losin' her damn mind as it is. Losin' an old comrade too ain't gonna be no good for that." "If anything, I suspect her niece-- Colonel Valverde, of the Marines-- will be appointed as my replacement." "Nepotism, eh?" Kaneda quirked an eyebrow, before she shook her head. "I've met Valverde. Spoken with her. She 'n the premier got nothin' in common. She 'n Lieutenant Colonel Vieira, on the other hand..." "Well, that's just it," Vara interjected. "Don't you see a pattern unfolding here? The militancy, the nepotism, the autocratic measures she's taking..." "Reckon the old Lieutenant Colonel's returned?" "Not to put it in such figurative terms. But she's certainly taken a turn away from the idealistic leader she is-- or was-- to the cynical soldier she used to be back during the war. It would make perfect sense, then, for Colonel Valverde to be promoted to Chief of Staff-- it's to her advantage to have somebody who agrees with her heading the armed forces. Less opposition." "That seems to be the phrase of the hour, ain't it?" Kaneda remarked. "'Less opposition'. Premier's pissed off a whole lotta folks in the name of 'less opposition'. Primarily, the opposition." She hesitated, biting at her lower lip for a moment, and then she confessed, "I don't like it. It smacks of authoritarianism. And the people are just eatin' it all up." "Isabel's more than just a leader to the citizens," Vara reasoned logically. "She's an icon-- a war hero, a champion, the single force most responsible for the creation of this country. To them, she can do no wrong." "Not to all of them. As I understand it, there are quite a number of factions who have made clear their dissatisfaction with the premier's latest policies." "Underground cliques," Vara scoffed with disdain. "Vilified and frowned upon by the press and the people. No matter how they point out the truth, the masses will invariably prefer blind comfort." He paused, as if suddenly coming to his senses, and his expression fell dark. "But this very conversation borders on treason." Kaneda smiled almost sorrowfully, and she said softly, "But that was how the fall of the HAE began... was it not?" The general's aging face was ambiguous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lestari Posted July 14, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 14, 2013 (edited) [OOC: Retconned] Edited July 19, 2013 by dotCom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lestari Posted July 20, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 20, 2013 (edited) Classified The year brought further developments in the Paráense armed forces, particularly in terms of doctrine. The air force was in the process of preparing to phase in the F-35 Lightning II (and various variants) as its mainstay multirole fighter, replacing the dependable but aging F22 Raptor, and, following successful development and testing, the VSI helmet-mounted display system, primarily used with the F-35, had been adapted for other Paráense aircraft. Furthermore, production of JLENS system was now under way, which would provide an indispensably vital dimension to Paráense warfighting capabilities. Each platform, with a 360-degree range of detection of approximately 550 kilometres, could reach altitudes of ten thousand feet above sea level, remaining aloft and operational for up to thirty days, with each platform providing the same efficiency of coverage as five fixed wing surveillance crafts such as AWACS or JSTARS. At least two JLENS platforms would be assigned to each carrier group and to each wing of aircraft; one would run surveillance, whilst the other would run precise fire control. The missile corps received attention as well. A network of satellites was being worked on to provide Paráense cruise missiles and ICBMs greater guidance and resistance against jamming. [OOC: Will finish later] Edited August 25, 2013 by dotCom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lestari Posted August 25, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 25, 2013 (edited) Classified With the expansion of Pará's satellite network, anti-satellite measures were also receiving focus. The missile corps had begun producing long-range kinetic kill ASMs capable of reducing satellites in medium earth orbit to shreds, which were to be used to destroy enemy capabilities to use assets in space for intelligence operations in the event of military conflict. In addition to these anti-satellite defences, the military had begun to deploy its network of specialised satellites. These satellites utilised lasers, infrared, and synthetic aperture radar functions to perform a variety of operations including NAASW (Non-Acoustic Anti-Submarine Warfare), ICBM launch detection, satellite tracking, MASINT, SIGINT, and IMINT. Recent expansions to the Paráense Air Force had also recently been conducted under the auspices of the premier herself, noting the absolute vitality of an effective, modern air force in controlling the battlefield. For this purpose, the F-35's phasing had been conducted at a rapid pace, not only supplanting the F22 but also augmenting the diminished ranks of the older Raptor. Edited August 25, 2013 by dotCom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.