The Not-So-Serene Republic

[Imperator Azenquor]

[b] (Line of control: Western Front) [/b]

After hours of heavy artillery fire and hundreds of casualties on both sides, the surviving APL forces withdrew from the frontlines and moved rapidly east. The main APL force withdrew towards the western bank of the Lena River while smaller groups moved south towards East Ingushetia. The units moving to the south abandoned their tanks and heavy artillery to increase their mobility as they fled.

As soon as they had broken through the enemy lines, the government forces continued to push east, heading directly for the city of Yakutsk. Small military contingents would break off from the main force of soldiers in order to hold towns and villages en route to the city of Yakutsk.


[b] (Undisclosed nuclear facility, Central Buryatia) [/b]

The teams of scientists worked feverishly in silence, until a lone technician leapt to his feet and shouted: [i]“I have done it! I have done it!”[/i]

Suddenly, three APL soldiers rushed to the technician. He jumped from his seat and was lead to the basement of the facility where the first security system was housed. Needing no invitation, the technician punched several digits into a keypad, and then smiled as a huge metal door to the vault swung open. The three soldiers rushed inside where they found another metal door and keypad. Without hesitation one of the soldiers punched in the password and waited as the second door opened.

The next room was climate controlled and contained twenty-one metal boxes. Each box was labeled “Military Institute of Chemical & Biological Weaponry (MICBW)”. The soldiers donned their NBC suits, before carefully examining each metal case. After a few minutes, the soldiers carefully lifted two of the cases and carried them out of the room. The two cases would be carefully loaded onto trucks and sent to the waiting missiles. The labels on each container simply read: [b]“Caution: M.g. Weapon Class 2”[/b].

The APL Commander glared at the technician and shouted:
[i]“Get back to work! You have only unlocked the chemical weapons vault. It is the nuclear weapons vault below it that is our objective!”[/i]


[b] (Undisclosed location, Central Buryatia)[/b]

APL forces began fueling two of the four Soviet era missiles that they had obtained and readied them for launch. Once the two ‘special’ warheads arrived, the missiles would be launched at Sygh-Varthys.

[KaiserMelech Mikhail]

Fifteen bright lights streaked through the sky, as soldier ducked for cover. The katyushas all landed in different areas. Eight of the rockets landed in the forests, leveling large amounts of trees, but luckily not starting any fires. Six more rockets landed in the crowd or refugees, killing hundreds, and maiming hundreds more. One rocket hit its mark though. Soaring through the sky, it hit the truck with the sniper on the roof, killing him instantly and sending the flaming vehicle dozens of feet into the air. With that loss, all the mortar rounds were lost, save 2 boxes, and all but 2 light machine guns and 1 heavy machine gun were also lost. The line of border police collapsed as soldiers were called to called to grab their weapons and prepare for battle. Two men manned each light machine gun, and three men manned the heavy. Another illumination flare was launched from the mortar, and the tops of the now-exposed katyusha platforms were visible. The machine guns moved to the west, hoping to open a clear line of fire on the assailants. The mortar team, now without their spotter, did the best they could adjusting to where they though the terrorists were, and continued to open lob explosives at the general area. The steady stream of refugees now lost all sense of cohesion, as they scattered down the road and into the forests, hoping to find some comfort from the violence. If the situation became any more desperate, the men might need to actually call in an airstrike to end the firefight.

[Imperator Azenquor]

[b] (Marscurian Siberia/Vauleyo-Buryatia Border) [/b]

The remaining enemies who weren’t killed in the exchange of fire held firm and launched volley after volley of Katyusha rockets at the Marscurian soldiers. The response from the Marscurian side inflicted heavy casualties to the APL forces on the ground and destroyed the first of the two Katyusha rocket launchers. The second launcher rapidly moved to a new position and resumed firing across the border.

Before the Marscurian forces could respond to these developments, a single Vauleyo-Buryatian MiG 37E flew overhead. Almost effortlessly the aircraft struck the rebel positions and destroyed the remaining launcher. Only a handful of the rebels remained uninjured after the attack. They attempted to retreat behind the civilians to escape further attacks from Marscurian forces across the border.

When the dust settled, there were at least 723 deaths (670 of them civilians, the remainder of them rebels) and 2,692 injuries (800 of which would be life threatening). To call the incident a humanitarian catastrophe was nothing short of an understatement.



[b] (Presidential Palace, Yakutsk) [/b]

OZ Special forces took less than an hour before they were able to fully secure the Presidential Palace and to flush out the remaining Red Guard forces hiding in the Palace. They made their way through the basement of the Palace towards the now sealed Presidential Bunker.

The technicians in the group carefully examined the door before positioning blocks of C-4 at several structural weak points around the door. Unlike the other emergency government bunkers, the one in the Presidential Palace had not been upgraded since the 1970s. This, the soldiers hoped, would help them to force their way into the bunker in the hopes of taking Vladimir Kalinin alive. The alternative, if they were unable to force their way in, was to call in an airstrike against the Presidential Palace, a move which would undoubtedly kill those hiding in the bunker.


[b] (Undisclosed location, nuclear weapon facility Central Buryatia) [/b]

The technicians continued typing away at their computers until a lone technician (the same one from before) leapt to his feet and shouted:

[i]“I have done it! I am invincible!”[/i]

He rushed from his seat, down to the final door that stood between the APL and the nuclear weapons storage depot. He carefully keyed in a 70 digit password, and swiped four access cards obtained by the APL. He grinned to himself as the huge door swung open revealing the storage depot.

Just as before, the soldiers rushed into the room, expecting to find the nuclear warheads that would bring them a much needed victory. Inside the room was a single metal box with a note on top of it.

Cautiously the soldier picked up the note, dusted it off and read it out loud:

[i] “10/20/04: Weapons removed from storage by order of HMORH Imperatrix Marimeya. Nuclear warheads moved to secure location” [/i]

The soldier crushed the note angrily, then turned around and shot the technician.


[b] (APL missile positions, Central Buryatia) [/b]

With no nuclear warhead in their grasp, and a rapidly advancing enemy heading their way, the APL forces decided to fire the missiles ahead of schedule. They carefully measured the missile trajectory and targeted the center of the city of Sygh-Varthys for maximum damage.

The two ‘special’ warheads were quickly fitted to the missiles and fired. The soldiers smiled triumphantly as the missiles flew over the horizon and disappeared from view.

[Imperator Azenquor]

[b](City of Sygh-Varthys: 3:12pm) [/b]

At the peak of rush hour, missile alert sirens sounded across the city of Sygh-Varthys. Panicked residents rushed towards the Sygh-Varthys metro which also doubled as an underground bunker. Cars were abandoned in the street and buildings were quickly emptied of people. At most of the entrances to the metro, lines flowed quickly, however near the center of the city massive congestion caused delays.

As soon as the alert sirens sounded, metro service across Sygh-Varthys ground to a halt, trapping some metro travelers mid-journey.

At the Imperial Palace, Imperator Pyotr and the entire Royal Family moved to the secure bunker underneath the Imperial Palace. The Imperator would also be accompanied by senior OZ officials.

[b]
(*5 minutes later*)[/b]

As soon as the first missile entered its final stage, several S-398 Odin (OOC: MIM-104 Patriot) batteries took aim at the missile. When its course was calculated, the nearest Odin battery fired two interceptor missiles at the target. The first interceptor struck the target and destroyed the incoming missile.


[b](*10 minutes later*)[/b]

The second of the missiles launched from the APL territory fell short of its mark and instead landed on the small town of Ostrova, 30 miles from the city of Sygh-Varthys. The missile exploded in the middle of the village releasing a cloud of purple gas. The gas expanded to engulf much of the town in a few moments until the air was covered with a thin purple haze.


[b][u] BCNA Breaking News: Chemical Weapon Attack! [/b][/u]

[i]“We have received the following breaking news from the government moments ago. There has been a chemical weapon attack against the capital territory. According to the statement from the military, two missiles were fired from an undisclosed location within APL held territory. As we understand it, the first of these two missiles was intercepted and shot down by the Capital Missile Defense System. The second missile landed outside of the zone covered by the defense system in the town of Ostrova, east of Sygh-Varthys.

We understand that the inhabitants of the town did not receive sufficient warning to complete evacuations prior to the attack. Reports indicate that the missile struck the town and that some form of chemical agent has been released. We have no word on casualties or the extent of the damage at this stage, but emergency crews wearing NBC suits have flooded into the town. Additionally the military has ordered precautionary evacuations of towns and cities in close proximity to the affected areas. Citizens in these zones are ordered to make preparations for an immediate evacuation from the affected area.

In response to this shocking attack, the military has deployed several divisions of Odin missile defense batteries along the current frontline with the APL to prevent further attacks. Air Force fighter jets have been scrambled and have begun patrols coordinated by AWACs aircraft.

We will keep you informed of these shocking developments as they occur. All citizens of Sygh-Varthys are to remain in safe zones until ordered to do otherwise.”[/i]-Reporter

[Imperator Azenquor]

[b][u] BCNA News: First casualty numbers in, APL leader captured [/b][/u]

[i] “The Humanitarian Aid Division has released the first casualty figures for the chemical weapon attack on the town of Ostrova. According to the Division, there have been 635 casualties so far, and more than 2,000 individuals have been rushed to the hospital. As a precautionary measure, the military has evacuated 3,000 individuals living within a 15 mile radius of the impact zone. Emergency teams are still on the ground in Ostrova, and the casualty figures are likely to continue to rise as the full scale of the disaster becomes apparent.

In other news, the government’s defense spokesman has announced that OZ Special Forces have captured the rebel leader Vladimir Kalinin and have taken him into custody pending charges. Mr. Kalinin and other senior SDP officials were apprehended in a daring raid on the Presidential Palace in Yakutsk and transported to a secure location. This development, along with the remarkable success on the battlefield, has now decisively turned the tide against the APL.

We have also learned that an incident has occurred along the border with Marscurian Siberia. We have not received any details about the nature of this incident, however it is reported that a joint group of APL and Liberation Army of East Siberia (LAES) forces fired upon and engaged Marscurian Forces along the border. The government has so far refused to comment on this incident.” [/i]- Reporter


[b](Embassy of Vauleyo-Buryatia, Marscurian Siberia)[/b]

As soon as the Vauleyo-Buryatian Ambassador had been fully briefed about the situation, he sent an urgent message to the Marscurian government.

[quote]
[b]
To: The Government of Marscurian Siberia
Fr: The Government of the Socialist Union of Vauleyo-Buryatia

Re: Incident at joint border on (date here) [/b]

It has come to our attention that an incident occurred along our shared border in which terrorists of the Liberation Army of East Siberia (LAES) and the APL engaged in attacks on civilians fleeing the conflict and attempting to cross the border into Marscurian Siberia. We further understand that these individuals also proceeded to engage Marscurian forces along the border for several hours until their defeat.

We acknowledge the extensive partnership that exists between our two nations and we express our sincere thanks to the government and people of Marscurian Siberia who have allowed refugees to move through their territory at this critical time. We extend our sincere apologies that the incident in question was allowed to escalate as it did, and for the loss of life resulting from the incident. Rest assured that the government of Vauleyo-Buryatia shall launch a full investigation into this incident. As a strategic partner, Marscurian Siberia will be invited to participate in this investigation.

On behalf of the government of Vauleyo-Buryatia, I request a meeting with a representative of your government to discuss the events which took place and to determine how best to proceed in the aftermath of these shocking events.

Signed,
[/quote]

[b](Presidential Palace, Yakutsk)[/b]

The Presidential Palace was rocked by the force of the explosion as the C-4 detonated. The soldiers re-entered the basement and managed to force their way into the main Presidential Bunker. The soldiers spread out with their weapons drawn as soon as they entered the bunker.

Two of the Red Guard soldiers raised their weapons and were quickly dispatched by the soldiers. The remaining Red Guards simply threw down their weapons and waited for the end. In the middle of it all, Vladimir Kalinin, flanked by his wife and children, simply sat at a conference table staring blankly at the soldiers.

The first soldier pointed his weapon at Kalinin before breaking the awkward silence:

[i]“Vladimir Kalinin, you are under arrest on charges of treason, conspiring against the state, undertaking and organizing violent actions against the state, committing and being party to the committing of war crimes, murder, destruction and illegal seizure of state property, providing material assistance to an armed terrorist organization, ordering and carrying out a chemical weapon attack against civilians, attempting to assassinate His Excellency the Imperator and resisting arrest.

You may avoid summary execution by surrendering now and cooperating with us.”[/i]-Soldier

Vladimir Kalinin rose from his seat and replied:

[i] “As it appears that there is no alternative, I shall comply with your demands. However one day you will see that everything I fought for was right.”[/i]

The soldier retrieved a pair of handcuffs from his pocket and stepped towards Vladimir Kalinin.

[KaiserMelech Mikhail]

Reply to Vauleyo-Buryatia:

We have arranged a meeting for you with the Chief of the Armed Forces, General Dov Harmar. In response to the incident, we have already begun a process of adding troops to the northern border to repel any aggressors, and to insure the safety of Marscurian Siberians, and any refugees who may be escaping the war.



At the border:
The refugees heading south would have seen an impressive sight going the other direction. First, they would have heard a smooth, even rhythm, then they would see 10 Marscurian Siberian flags flying high. Behind them, in ten even columns, 1,500 Marscurian Siberian soldiers were marching. Everyone was in step, rifles over their shoulders, heavy packs on their backs, faces looking forward. Behind the soldiers were trucks towing 20 pieces of artillery of various sizes. Bringing up the rear were 5 tanks. They began setting up camp near the border, and the artillery was placed in their necessary arrangements. While 1,000 men would serve guide refugees and defend the border crossing, 500 of the men would begin patrolling the mountains, looking for signs of terrorist activity and attempted infiltration.

[Imperator Azenquor]

[b][u]BCNA: Imperator offers amnesty as APL surrenders![/b][/u]

[i]"Today, after the senior leaders of the APL were captured by OZ Special Forces, His Most Orthodox Royal Highness Imperator Pyotr announced a general amnesty for all non-officers of the APL forces who lay down their arms and surrender to government forces immediately. This offer, we were informed would not be extended to members of the Liberation Army of East Siberia, or to the individual APL units involved in the attack on the Marscurian border or in the chemical attack against Ostrova. The amnesty, which would block prosecution, would only be granted after a thorough investigation into each individual to determine the extent of their roles in the conflict.

With the momentum now clearly on the side of the government, several APL units have elected to take the amnesty offer and have laid down their arms. The military has advanced to retake control of 99.6% of the territory previously held by the APL and is expected to continue security sweeps for remaining enemy combatants for the next few weeks. Meanwhile in Ostrova, the death toll from the chemical attack has risen to 921 and is expected to reach as high as 1200 in the next few days.

In other news, government analysts have begun to access the infrastructural damage caused by the conflict and to tabulate estimates for its repair. In a short statement to the press, a senior defense spokesman announced that all major military operations would be concluded shortly after the remaining APL forces either surrender or are dispatched."[/i]-Reporter


[b](Vauleyo-Buryatian Embassy, Marscurian Siberia)[/b]

As soon as the reply is received from the Marscurian government, Col. Vladimir Kharkov lands in the Marscurian capital to meet with the Marscurian government.

[KaiserMelech Mikhail]

Flashing his ID, General Harmar walked into the embassy. A guard told him where he could find Colonel Kharkov, and he walked into the room where he found the man waiting for him. "Colonel Kharkov," he said, with a bow and a salute, "it's a pleasure. Now, I think we have a lot to talk about. Let's get down to business."

[Imperator Azenquor]

[b][u]BCNA News: Economic crisis deepens as market panic spreads [/b][/u]

[i] “As rumors spread that the government is in the process of dissolving the Treaty of Union (2010), the markets responded with another major fall ahead of the next government fiscal report. The stock market fell a record 2,100 points during the first seven hours of trading. This marks the fourth successive day of huge losses this week, prompting fears or a prolonged economic downturn. Adding to these concerns, the Bank of Vauleyo-Buryatia, has revealed a rise in inflation from 3.2% to 7.5%, and a rise in unemployment from 8.9% to 11.3% since the beginning of the financial crisis. Some financial analysts believe that the rapid upsurge in government spending, and the dramatic falls in revenue have combined with high unemployment to worsen the country’s economic situation even further.

On the foreign currency trading markets, the Vauleyo-Buryatian Ruble (B$) fell from (Marscurian Siberian Ruble) MSR$ 110 to MSR$ 86.23 despite efforts by the Bank of Vauleyo-Buryatia to shore up the local currency. Figures released by the Bank of Vauleyo-Buryatia also indicated that the bank has exhausted the B$ 230 billion which remained in the National Reserve Fund (NRF) in its efforts to combat the crisis. We understand that the bank has now reallocated B$32 billion of its current budget to shore up the Ruble against sudden shocks. In an attempt to boost confidence, the Finance Minister announced that the Ruble would not be allowed to drop below the ‘floor’ value of MSR$ 74.00.

The Bank of Vauleyo-Buryatia also raised interest rates from 8% to 11% to combat the sudden rise in inflation. If this initial move does not yield the desired effect, we understand, from a source within the bank, that it is prepared to raise interest rates as high as 15% if it becomes necessary.

As the government is faced with the monumental task of reconstruction and paying for the current conflict, it also faces a crisis of confidence and the sharp rise in commodity prices which will undoubtedly affect the vast majority of citizens across the nation. Adding to the chaos are the persistent rumors that the Treaty of Union (2010), which established the Socialist Union of Vauleyo-Buryatia will likely end in the coming months. This has led to a loss of faith in the Ruble as some individuals believe that the Vauleyo-Buryatian ruble will be worthless if the treaty ends. Some of these individuals have begun exchanging their currency for Marscurian Rubles.”[/i]-Reporter


[b](Marscurian Siberia)[/b]

Col Kharkov greeted the general and led him to a conference room inside the Embassy Compound.

[i] “General, as you are no doubt aware there was an incident along our mutual border in which a joint APL/LAES group attacked civilian refugees fleeing across the border into Marscurian territory. From our initial investigations we have also learned that these forces engaged the Marscurian military as well. Due to the absence of Vauleyo-Buryatian personnel on the ground at several key points during this incident we do not have a very clear picture of what events took place as our only sources thus far are the refugees themselves and pictures obtained by reconnaissance aircraft during the incident.

Firstly, we would like to obtain a report from your government about what occurred along the border so that it may be added to our ongoing investigation. Secondly we extend an invitation for the government of Marscurian Siberia to join in the investigation of the incident. Thirdly we would like to make arrangements for the retrieval of those civilians who were killed on the Marscurian side of the border and we would also like to seek permission to send forensics experts to the Marscurian side of the border as a part of the investigation.”[/i]-Col. Kharkov.

===

[b](Classified: Ministry of Finance)[/b]
[quote]
[b]Classified Imperial Directive[/b]

Due to the current crisis, HMORH Imperator Pyotr has requested that the sum of B$4.2 million from the Imperial Treasury be converted to its equivalent value in gold and added to the current Imperial Gold Reserve.

Signed,
Imperial Chief of Staff[/quote]

===
[b](OOC: Added in this section afterward. Consider it a day after the events specified above)[/b]

[b][u]BCNA News: Government preparing to dissolve Union [/b][/u]


[i] “The Presidential Spokesman today revealed that the government has called a referendum on the cancellation of the Treaty of Union (2010) which created the Socialist Union of Vauleyo-Buryatia. This referendum, which will be organized by the Vauleyo-Buryatian Electoral Commission will be held in the next two days and will determine the future of the entire nation. In light of the current conflict, which has almost entirely ended, additional infrastructure is being put in place to ensure that those who are living in the conflict zone, or who were displaced by the conflict can cast their votes as well.

According to the terms of the Treaty of Union (2010), its cancellation may only be enacted after a nationwide referendum in which at least 60% of voters agree to the cancellation. It also specifies a minimum turnout of 55% of eligible voters for the referendum to be considered valid. The question that voters will be asked in the referendum is simple:

[b]“Should the Treaty of Union (2010) which created the Socialist Union of Vauleyo-Buryatia be cancelled resulting in the separation of Vaule and Buryatia and any other culturally distinct entities within the boundaries of the current union? (Yes/No)”[/b]

Where appropriate, the ballot will also include the question in Russian or Buryatian as the need may be. Voting will begin in exactly 48 hours and should be completed by 10:00pm on Friday. The Electoral Commission reserves the right to extend voting hours or create additional voting locations if it is necessary to do so to facilitate the needs of the voters.

If a majority vote in favor of the resolution, the government will begin to implement the necessary steps to dissolve the union. First, twin referenda will be held in both Vaule and Buryatia asking those who reside in these two areas if they wish to have their sovereignty returned from the Union government. Additionally, areas which are deemed to be culturally distinct shall be asked to decide if they wish to be a part of Vaule, Buryatia or if they wish to pursue an independent course. In this referendum, there are three areas which have been determined to be culturally distinct these are the Yuktobania Autonomous Regioin (YAR), East Ingushetia Autonomous Region (EIAR) and the Novaya Zemlya Autonomous Region (NZAR).

Once the double referenda have been completed for all constituent states of the Union, then the cancellation process shall begin. First, the Vauleyo-Buryatian Electoral Commission (VEC) shall determine the ‘national’ boundaries of each entity that has voted for sovereignty from the Union government. Citizens wishing to move from one entity to the other shall be permitted to do so without hindrance. Once this has occurred, each entity which has voted for sovereignty shall hold elections for their own government which will take over from the Union government. These governments shall consist of a Legislature, Judiciary and Executive modeled on those of the Union government.

At this stage, with all of the non-Union governments duly elected, the Imperator shall issue an Imperial Decree dissolving the institutions of the Union government. Once this decree is issued, each of the newly elected governments will have to approve the decree. Once the decree is approved, then the Union of Vauleyo-Buryatia shall be dissolved and replaced with the transitional entity, the Commonwealth of Vauleyo-Buryatian States (CVS). All members of the Commonwealth shall have a common currency (the Vauleyo-Buryatian Ruble) and a common Head of State (the Imperator). This is the final and critical stage of the cancellation as it is the point at which the individual governments shall regain their sovereignty from the Union state.

While it is not possible for the military and police services of the Union state to be dissolved as rapidly as the Union government, the security forces will be placed under the temporary control of the Imperator until they have been appropriately partitioned to each newly independent state.”[/i]-Reporter

Edited December 29, 2010 by Imperator Azenquor