Home Front

[Subtleknifewielder]

OOC: Because so few ever properly RP out the effects a war on foreign soil will have on the population at home...and because I'm bored--you get this thread, which is closed for the time being to myself only. OOC comments are, of course, welcomed as long as they are not complete spam.

IC:
[b]***Darwin, Lillia Palace, Parliament Hall***[/b]

The decision to go to war had been a hotly contested one in both the Council and Parliament from the moment it was proposed, and it only grew in furor when it was mentioned that their allies in New South Wales and Greater Pacifica intended to declare as well. For this reason, it was kept in closed session, with the doors shut tightly and not even servants permitted to enter the room while discussions were taking place.

To the surprise of very few, opinions tended to run along Duchy lines. The representatives of the Western Duchies: Perth, Adelaide, and Darwin itself, were largely in favor, along with the Tasmanians, with the representatives of Brisbane and the Pacific Islands firmly against it. The However, what did surprise a few was the split among the Micronesians. While most of them backed their hanseatic bretheren, this area contained the heaviest concentration of Nordlanders and the Fyo/Kyo-clans. The few represented here were voicing their approval for the war.

"For too long Tahoe has been the scourge of not only their own region, but Asia and Oceania! We cannot let the threat of their presence in the Pacific continue to fester, lest one day we be caught under their heel like so many others!" exclaimed one Parliament member of Asian descent.

"You would have us destroy the fragile peace that exists between the nations of the Pacific to protect us from a threat that most likely exists in your own minds?!" protested a Pacific Islands PM. "Your paranoia will be our end if we listen to the likes of you!"

"It is NOT paranoia!" shouted a Darwinian representative. "Tahoe has, on more than one occasion, attacked allies of the Australian people!"

"You mean of Promised Land! The Hansa never had problems with the Republic of Tahoe!"

One of the Tasmanians calmly spoke. "However, they have threatened to attack brothers and sisters in other parts of the nation repeatedly...your bretheren and ours. The danger may not be present, but it is clear," she said, rationally, amidst the storm of both cheers and derision.

"The Queen must be mad to propose such a thing! Surely..." [i]SLAP[/i]

The rather foolish PM was the recipient of a stinging blow to his cheek, and this by one of his own fellow representatives from Brisbane. "The Queen is doing what she believes is best for the nation! How dare you insult her!"

That session nearly degenerated into a brawl before the Guards, this time not the favored Lillians but rather Crimson Shield, waded in to break it up. Heavy-handed only with the most unruly, of course, nevertheless a number of PM's sported black eyes, bruised cheeks, and split lips before it was over. Even the Dukes and Duchesses had not been immune, and one PM from Perth had actually been laid unconscious.

In the end, the vote was close...but it was clear. The Queendom of Australia was going to war with the Republic of Tahoe.

[Sarah Tintagyl]

OOC: Done with...

Edited April 29, 2010 by Sarah Tintagyl

[Maelstrom Vortex]

The celebration in Tasmania was subdued as the cultists in their underground bunkers quietly watched the Imperial Guard seize Los Angeles.. and.. Disney Land? Alright.. interesting strategic choice. They however, would not question their commanders on the ground; at least until they got back... if they got back.

Edited April 30, 2010 by Maelstrom Vortex

[Subtleknifewielder]

[b]***Classified***[/b]

Of course, movements had already been underway even as the declaration of war was voted on...if it was voted against, there would be no harm done. However, as anticipated, though close, the deciding factors had been the Tasmanian votes...and the dissenting votes within Micronesia.

To stave off the protests that were sure to sweep the Hanseatic portions of the nation, the units that had been carefully picked and chosen were all from the Wester Duchies, and even then most of them had been among the strongest advocates (in the military, at least) for the war.

[b]***Public***[/b]

As expected...furor swept over the Eastern Duchies. Understandably almost rejoicing in the declaration were the Tasmanians, whereas the strongest disapproving sentiment came from, predictably, the duchy and city of Brisbane, where the mood was decidedly tense, almost violent. The only thing, likely, that kept outright riots from sparking was the discretely leaked fact that none of the men and women dying would be from among them, from among those that objected to it. That, and the presence of a higher, more visible security detail, and the memory of what had happened in Melbourne--though there were several instances of protests that teetered on the edge of, but never quite tipped over into, violence.

The furor was not quite as extreme in any of the other duchies, though heated debate and strong words occured no matter where you went in the nation. The Hanseatics had, if one looked at it in a certain light, run afoul of one of the few deeply-ingrained passions (one could almost say an unreasoning prejudice) in their bretheren from Promised Land.

[b]***Some time later***[/b]

The war progressed. The moods, the outcry from the initial announcement could not be sustained indefinitely, rather settling into either resigned acceptance or working to support the conflict. Oddly enough, in one way, the war actually seemed to be of benefit--to the economy. Having gone through two major recessions within just a few short years, it showed signs of once more being on the rise, now that they were geared toward wartime production. Food, supplies, weapons, ammunition, vehicles...it all needed to be produced to replace what was lost or used. It was conjectured as another reason why the protests didn't become worse, though there was a riot in Brisbane that fizzled when broken up by units of the national guard using non-lethal weaponry to disperse the crowds, and arresting but otherwise not harming those deeed to be responsible.

All were given absolute minimum sentences, a mere slap on the wrist, to further placate any thoughts of violence, though the barely contained emotions boiled just beneath the surface.

[b]***Private***[/b]

"They did what?!" The two men, Marshals, visibly recoiled even though they knew they were not the object of the Queen's fury. The glass she had been gripping shattered, and in her rage, she barely seemed to notice the shards that had embedded themselves in her fingers and palm.

The news that had her in a rage was the Tasmanian landing in Los Angeles...when the Hawaiian Islands had not yet been secured.

"Tell their commanders on the Island," she just managed to restrain from shouting at the two men before her--it was not their fault-- "that at their earliest convenience, they are to report at once to the Palace." If she couldn't get at the overeager commanders in the field, she was going to have the heads of those who had not taught them proper discipline and respect for both the chain of command and an operational plan.

Anthony was no less displeased at the premature landing...and upon reviewing the footage of the landing transmitted by the war correspondants, promptly censored out the declaration of the Tasmanians as they had planted their flag. [i]Those[/i] words [i]would[/i] engender riots at the very least--and could potentially lead to rebellion. And not just in Brisbane...

Already news of the landing itself would be leaking to the public, sparking renewed resentment and a small measure of disgust. They didn't need to add fuel to the fire...

[Maelstrom Vortex]

The acting Commander of the Imperial Guard came before the Queen. He seemed cool, calm, collected. "Greetings your Majesty. Among my own, I am called Legion, but you may call me Greg Cromwell, and I understand you wanted to speak to me." He was a Caucasian, obviously of Australian Anglican descent. His nose was somewhat hawkish in shape and his body frame gaunt, but strong. He was highly decorated.. which meant one thing, he must have been involved in the military operations of the old Dragon Empire.

He stood at attention, hands folded neatly in front of him around a horse's whip. His gaze was steady, unflinching. A broad rimmed generals hat with 4 stars sat atop his head.

[Subtleknifewielder]

For once Hannah was not sitting on the throne as the summons was answered, but rather standing in a manner she would have used in dressing down a failing army recruit. The expression on her face was anything but pleased, almost a glare that intensely studied the man before her, searching for the slightest hint of unease. If he had any inkling...

"Mr. Cromwell...are your troops undisciplined idiots? Or are they merely blinded by their fanaticism?" She gave him no chance to respond, running over any protest he might have made. "The Hawaiian Islands are not even secure...and they ignore orders to go off and land on the continent. The least they risked were their own lives...the success of the operation, the effectiveness of the chain of comand, the integrity of the nation. All of these were called into question because your...'Imperial Guard' couldn't seem to follow the simplest of instructions--to [i]stay with the main invasion force.[/i]"

By this time, she was up in his face, daring him to try and respond to the challenge. "And the declaration they made as they planted the flag...are you [i]trying[/i] to start a civil war? You realize the entirety of the Duchy of Brisbane would be up in arms if the Grand Duke hadn't censored that portion of the footage out. Even the name 'Imperial Guard,' brings no few unfavorable comments, which I reluctantly allowed. Should I consider withdrawing that approval?"

[Maelstrom Vortex]

He swallowed faintly, but a nervous smile couldn't help creep across his face. "I am sorry this displeases Your Majesty. You are correct.. they.. we.. are fanatics. We have a score older than the Queendom to settle with Tahoe. It was a calculated risk. Trust me when I say that if Tahoe attempts to remove us the amount of casualties that will be suffered on the part of the Republic will be far greater than what we have sent there.. even if every last man dies. It is but one Division. The others are landing with your instructions at Hawaii. I know it would displease Brisbane, but as you have yourself said.. we live in a secular country. It was your people's will.. the Tasmanian people's will.. this be done and so it has been. No further risks will be taken."

"I also must apologize, for I felt myself in giving the orders that atop those mentioned in prior reasoning that taking out Los Angeles and its factories and infrastructure would deal a significant blow to both the morale and industry of the Tahoe Republic, giving us a long term strategic advantage in the likely long and drawn out battles which lie ahead. It is less an attempt at conquest as it is a raid. It could also prove a valuable distraction keeping Tahoan assets pre-occupied whilst Hawaii is secured. We have.. a rather interesting use planned.. for Disney Land. I would suggest keeping that off the air as well.. it might scar some children for life." A somewhat sinister smirking grin crept over his visage.

Edited May 4, 2010 by Maelstrom Vortex

[Subtleknifewielder]

"The people's will...you realize that almost half the country was against this war from the start?" she retorted angrily. "A nation cannot truly fight without the support of the people it represents--and the flag you raised has caused no few mutterings and harsh words, not only among the citizenry, but Parliament and the Council of Duchies as well. Bluntly speaking, while for some odd reason those of Promised Land viewed you as a friend and ally, there was little love lost between the Hanseatics and what they viewed as the Hegemon of Asia." She forced herself to remain impartial in this. She had been a Hanseatic, but she represented ALL the people of Australia, not just the Hanseatics. This included the Tasmanians.

"I recognize your need to remember your history...but you do not need to obsessively dwell on it. The flag, like the Empire, is a relic of the past. Remember it, but do not wish for its return. If you are going to claim lands in my name, you [i]will[/i] use our flag."

She was only partially mollified by the explanation.

"So you claim it is more of a raid? That does not excuse the fact that you didn't consult with your superiors first. While I encourage creativity and strategic thinking in my forces, you must realize that ultimately the chain of command must be respected. Consult with the mission commanders before making any more moves of this magnitude in the future, and consider yourself as having gotten off light with an official reprimand and a reduction in pay for a period of one year. If you do not follow the chain of command a second time you [i]will[/i] find yourself before a Court Martial. Do I make myself clear?"

She raised her eyebrows, lessening the challenging stare but not eliminating it altogether. "I'll be sure to let His Grace know to have the footage of...Disneyland carefully watched."

With nothing further to say, she finally retreated to and sat on the throne. "You are dismissed."

[Maelstrom Vortex]

"Thank you your Majesty for the hand of Discipline. I will be sure to improve and impress you more so the next time around. To the Queendom! May her flag fly high. By the way, the correct flag is now placed on the U.S. Bank building." He once again smiled that somewhat sinister smirking grin, bowed, turned.. and departed.

[Subtleknifewielder]

The migration of a large number of Dragonisians hardly went unnoticed. While many were sad to see them go, the majority of Hanseatics, frankly, were relieved to see that they would no longer have to deal with the unruly Dragonisians.

While dissatisfaction with the war was no less than before, unruliness died down for a time, no doubt due to this reverse immigration.


[b]***Classified***[/b]

With the beginning of the migration, the rumors that the Dragonisians were somehow behind the war through manipulation, began to lose their steam. If they were behind the war, why would they leavein the middle of it? One thing the Tasmanians weren't was cowards, and even those firmly against the war would have to admit that.

The idea that perhaps, just maybe, it might be the Grand Duke's machinations that had brought them into this, began circulating among the parliament members.