Uprising in Morelos

[zzzptm]

General Obregon sat at his desk, poring over horsefeed requisitioning forms. [i]We still use horses? Seriously?... I guess we do... why do I have to approve these, though?...[/i]

Colonel Orozco walked in. "Sir?"

"Hmmm?"

"We just heard on the radio a broadcast from Morelos. From the sound of it, the sugar growers there have taken up arms and seized the radio station. Probably also barricaded the roads. We're sending recon to check that out."

Obregon nodded. "I expected this. What are they demanding?"

"Union with the HAE, sir."

Obregon inhaled narrowly. "Ooooh! That's a tough one! Do you think the HAE put them up to it?"

Orozco shook his head. "I think they're just mad over the land reform. But it does internationalize the issue, somewhat."

"I know. Oppressed people rising up and demanding a foreign liberator... puts a little egg on our face, PR-wise."

Orozco asked, "What are your orders, sir?"

Obregon reached for the current Himynamistan order of battle. He flipped through some pages, then followed down with his finger. "Hold, on... where in Morelos are these guys?"

Orozco produced a map from his briefing folder and opened it on Obregon's desk.

[img]http://www.mexicohotel.com.mx/eng/maps/images/Morelos-fisico-politico.jpg[/img]

"Roughly in the area to the south of the Cuernavaca-Cuautla road. We still control the line of communications to Puebla. That's been verified."

Obregon nodded and went back to the order of battle. "3rd Mountain is based in Cuernavaca. What's the disposition of their forward elements?"

"We haven't yet determined. This leads us to speculate they may have been compromised by the growers or may have joined with them."

"So sending in the 3rd to shoot at their fellows is no good. Keep them on patrol in the north of the state, and send in the 2nd Mountain, from Puebla. Let's also establish air cover and let the HAE know that this is going on."

-------

[quote]
Message to top HAE military and civilian officials
From General Obregon, Himynamistan Minister of Military Affairs

An internal disturbance exists in the southern portion of the state of Morelos. Himynamistan military units will be entering the region to return it to a normal status. We will respect the territorial integrity of the Holy American Empire. Be advised that participants in the disturbance may attempt flight into the HAE as an alternative to surrendering to Himynamistan justice. If we cannot intercept fleeing elements of the disturbance on our side of the border, we will not pursue them into the HAE. What you do with them will be your business, should they enter the HAE illegally. If any illegal entrants to the HAE fall under formal criminal charges in Himynamistan, we will initiate extradition proceedings as appropriate to international law and other agreements in force regarding the disposition of such persons.

Signed,

General Obregon
Himynamistan Minister of Military Affairs
[/quote]

[zzzptm]

The attack helicopter found its target and got a missile lock. The fleeing capitalists were driving a death car... and then the pilot noticed the frontier. It would be close, but he fired the heat-seeking missile and hoped it went up the car's tailpipe before they got to the HAE.

The seconds ticked away.

The pilot slowly closed and opened his eyes.

On his targeting screen, he saw the wrecked machinery and bodies. A hit. The pilot panned the camera forward...

Looked like about 20 feet shy of the border. [i]Good. They won't bust my chops for creating an international incident. Still, I'll catch hell for how close that was.[/i] The pilot peeled off and returned to his base.

[zzzptm]

"Sir, look at these."

The lieutenant pointed to weapons captured from a sugar grower militia. "Some of these are ours, but [i]those[/i] rifles, there. HAE, I'm sure of it."

The major nodded. "I'll pass this up the wire. Keep your eyes peeled for any HAE regulars. If you can identify any, I want them captured, not killed. Otherwise, carry on as normal." The major thought a bit, then said, "And assume they may have received some measure of HAE training."

[Shadowsage]

[b]Public Announcement[/b]

Recently, a shipment of Imperial arms was stolen from an under-construction border base by what we suspect is a Himynamistan cell across the border; one which has personally been responsible for the deaths of at least a dozen Imperial citizens and countless migratory workers. We cannot tolerate this action and have hereby ordered all soldiers to shoot on site for any unrecognizable people on Imperial Military Territory, which is in fact the border zone. As for the various factions in Morelos vying for independence followed by subsequent annexation, we will not help one way or another. This is a matter entirely to be managed by Himynamistan, not the Holy American Empire.

[b]**Classified**[/b]
Several more arms shipments with heavy weaponry and even anti-tank launchers disappeared from another border base; unfortunately the culprits were not caught. The weapons made their way across the border and vanished, to be used at some other point.

[zzzptm]

"Honestly, I don't think the HAE is behind this." General Obregon shrugged.

First Speaker Zzzptm nodded. "But... in an unofficial capacity, I think there are persons within the HAE that are lending support. If the HAE were doing things officially, we'd find serial numbers effaced off the weapons or, more likely, weapons from some third party."

Obregon said, "I agree. This is evidence that there are reactionaries in the HAE that are sponsoring trouble in our borders. I don't think the rebels would have risen had it not been for some other party encouraging them."

"Well, close the border in Morelos, and we're going to have to get back to discussions with the HAE. We've got a lot of trade with them, and we don't want to endanger the cargo handling facility near Veracruz."

[Shadowsage]

"All is proceeding according to plan, sir." The man bowed slightly in acknowledgment of his superior. Both were retired soldiers-for-hire from the now defunct Diberia, experts in unconventional warfare as well as high force engagements. They were passing on weapons and training to a cadre of people from Morelos from even before Himynamistan formed, and now it seemed that the effort was paying off.

"Good. I've gotten reports that security around Morelos has clamped down. Let's contact our branch in Veracruz and pass weapons in through there."

---

A shipping container disappeared from a tanker in Veracruz; ostensibly destined for a Chiapan company's factory in Morelos. For some reason or another, the convoy it was traveling overland on was attacked and brutally massacred; the cargo disappearing into the wilderness. A series of explosive attacks occurred across various border regions; not the least of which detonated in the Himynamistan enclave in Veracruz, where a massive weapon identical to the United States MOAB munition detonated, flattening large swathes of the facility and destroying nearby Imperial buildings.

The message seemed clear; [i]Unity or Death![/i]

[Otto Verteidiger]

Amerikanisches Reich echos it's fear of instability in neighboring countries as it did with Chiapas and offers assistance in dealing with the rebels. We hope the situation can be contained without spreading and more violence.

OOC: Good stuff so far.

[zzzptm]

The Himynamistan chief of co-dominium security entered the office of his HAE counterpart.

"That explosion in Veracruz has got us very concerned. I'm sure you share our concerns. We're pretty sure it was a non-governmental agent that set it off, but we have no idea who they may be working for or what they hoped to accomplish beyond harming relations between our nations. We remain committed to this venture, but I have to convey the concerns of my Congress. They'd like to increase security along the roads and at the port facility. Beyond the police forces, I know some are asking for actual formal military presences in the co-dominium area. I need to find out how flexible the HAE is with our agreement so I can inform my government where the limits are."

[Shadowsage]

The representative was clearly unhappy. "Your citizens are crossing our border, shooting our people, and looting various houses and wares. We are understandably a little annoyed and as of this message the order to shoot on site has been given. Unfortunately, that will result in border transgressions for BOTH parties, which is something I hope that you can overlook. Or else this little uprising of yours could easily escalate into something neither of our nations want." The representative carefully did not mention that the slight advantage in technology Himynamistan enjoyed would be easily drowned beneath the million men-in-uniform of the Imperial Army.

[zzzptm]

"Yes, yes, things are a mess, but neither of our governments are sponsoring the violence. We are dealing with agents provocateurs and we need to arrive at a solution, quickly. Neither one of us wants to see the borders sealed - that's a victory for the terrorists and-

"Wait, did you say our citizens are looting your warehouses? The only citizens we have crossing the border to do such things are criminals, traitors, even. Feel free to put all you have in the border region around Morelos to crush those elements. We will issue no protest."

*****

Later that day, a complication in the border crisis developed when a Himynamistan infantry unit cleared a village of rebels... and discovered a man in a current HAE uniform. His dogtags confirmed he was still on active duty.

Word of this went up to Zzzptm Nezahualcoyotl. He knew he had hours, at most, before this story hit the presses. He had to act fast to avoid a war that no-one would win. [i]If we win, HAE launches nukes to protect itself. If we lose, the Congress will launch all our missiles to appease Huitzilopochtli... This can't be allowed to go on![/i]

His aide poked his head into Zzzptm's office. "The hotline is set up."

Zzzptm picked up the phone and motioned for the aide to leave and shut the door. "Hello, there, your Imperial Highness. I bear the heavy burden of sad news: there was a soldier from your army found fighting alongside the sugar grower rebels. This story will make its way to the media. I want something I can show to my people so that we don't go to war because this incident got blown out of proportion. What assurances can I give my people to keep the peace? I'm ready to negotiate, as well, in case you need something to keep the peace at your end."

Unbeknownst to Zzzptm, a wealthy landowner and two members of his family had been found murdered in their Guerrero hacienda. The killers had written "¡Viva la revolucion!" on the walls of the hacienda, and the shell casings were from Himynaistani C-191 rifles.

[Shadowsage]

"Well, mister Zzzptm, he was likely following those rebels after they attacked an entire village next to a military base a few kilometers inside the border. Did you know," the Emperor's words were becoming slightly clipped, a sign that he was agitated. His Spanish was excellent; it being a corruption of Imperial. But his conjugations and personal pronouns began shifting towards Imperial. "That doesn't explain however how several land-owners in a state of Diocese Norte - you would know it by Guerrero - have been massacred in cold blood. I've ALSO gotten reports," the Emperor continued, "that there was graffiti on the walls and ammunition matching your weaponry. Care to explain that while I draft orders transferring Battlefleet Atlantic to Caribbean duty?"

He was extremely agitated. "Do you have any idea how outraged the Imperial Senate is? Did you even know we HAVE a Senate? They can pull me from power WHENEVER THEY WANT. This is an Empire with checks-and-balances. I'm trying to keep my job and keep us from going to WAR. I can't do that with what looks like a cold-blooded ethnic killing on my hands." He growled a bit at the next bit of news. "I'm getting information that a proposal has been put forth in the Senate calling for a limited incursion against the perpetrators who killed the people in Dioce- hell, Guerrero. Do you know what that means?" He continued sweetly.

"Since they don't know who did it, that means a general [i]ethnic cleansing.[/i]" The last two words came out as a whisper.

[zzzptm]

"What kind of weapon?" As the Emperor filled in the details, Zzzptm realized what was happening: both sides of the border had their own particular brand of violence. In the HAE, revolutionaries demanded land reform. In Himynamistan, counter-revolutionaries demanded the exact opposite.

[i]Hot pursuit agreement... it could work, or it could result in worse situations than we have now... and for either of us to condemn the violence in the other country won't play well among our home base. What to do?[/i]

"Emperor, there is an explanation for the rifles. Those are old models, likely military surplus. HAE weapons have turned up in my nation, so we know now the border is porous in both directions. Building a physical fence in the mountains would be next to impossible, so closing the border would be impractical. Perhaps what we need is a hot pursuit agreement. If one side's forces cross the border, the other can escort those forces to the target area. The escort would be there to observe and intervene only if the law demands it - and then the cross-border parties will be taken into custody.

"As for the unrest in Guerrero, your northern diocese, I will use some of my political capital. I will make a speech denouncing the violence there, even though it is popular among my supporters... I'll take the hit and- say... is there any chance your naval units could halt a trawler on its way out of Cozumel? I can load a shrimp boat with confiscated narcotics and place documents that tie the shipment to the rebels in Guerrero. We'll pursue them to your territorial waters and then your coast guard makes the arrest. A huge interception like that should play well on both sides of the border.

"What do you think of those suggestions? If we need more, I will make more. Neither of us should have his hand forced by these violent elements."

[Shadowsage]

"I can't exactly see any other way out of this situation, Speaker. At this point all I'm trying to do is NOT get your nation ground to dust with multi-millions of deaths. Something like that would touch off a global war AND eliminate all hope for survival in any recognizable form, for both of us. In the meantime, I'm going to go tell my soldiers along the front-line to shoot anybody crossing over without a guard. And by the way," The Emperor finished, "that soldier you found? Those dog-tag patterns are from a decade ago. He's retired." He slammed the phone down onto the receiver.

---

A dozen border-crossers were shot in as many hours by Imperial soldiers. Unfortunately, only half a dozen Himynamistan rifles were recovered along with various pistols from around the world; their serial numbers illegally sanded off. Several grenades and detonators were also taken from the still-cooling bodies, showing their intent to cause havoc. The Empire soldiers were equipped with a combination of weapons; some the ancient Mk-14 Thunderburst used as a Marksman rifle, others with more recent weapons; the ICR was a favorite due to its' reliability and customization. One soldier even sported the legendary G-3 Longbow, a weapon almost entirely out of production and lost in the chaos of battle.

Only one carried a F.O.B, in this case a terror weapon.