The Dragon Awakes

[Maleatu]

[b]1900 MTZ (Minmatar Time Zone)[/b]

Several hundred trucks, IFVs and other assorted ammunition, supply and logistical equipment were being moved in a hurry. Dust seemed to cloud the air even as night had fallen nearly two hours ago. The desert was a harsh, and barren landscape and it did not prove to be healthy to Sanmatar's health. He had personally drawn up the plans of this operation three months ago, under his father's watchful eye. When his father had passed away, it fell to him to see the expansion of the Republic come to fruition. Unfortunately, being a field commander was hard on his health. He coughed violently as several tanks drove by, kicking up a cloud of dirt and sand.

Sanmatar and several of his aides walked to a nearby tent, where the Field Marshal of the Republic Defense Forces was waiting for a high official to greet them. His look of surprise was quite vivid as Sanmatar entered.

"[i]Sir...I thought you were on a state visit?[/i]" the Marshal stammered, trying his best to recover.

"[i]That would be my security double. No one outside the Republic has seen my face, since my father's death. It plays to our advantage as it is. We have to maintain the element of surprise, afterall. Is the military prepared?[/i]" Sanmatar asked, taking his seat and looking over a brief prepared earlier in the hour. It displayed the locations of several field units as well as artillery, supply and air defense batteries.

"[i]We are fully ready and awaiting further instructions, sir.[/i]" The Marshal replied, also taking a seat. Clearly recovering from his own disadvantage of not expecting the head of state personally, the Marshal also took out his brief document and made some notes as he waited for Sanmatar to reply.

"[i]Very well. Have the operation commence immediately. For security purposes, I will be at an undisclosed location, and I would like hourly updates on the progress of the operation from start to finish.[/i]" Rising, he shook the Marshal's hand, who acknowledged the order and rushed off to his aides to comply with the urgent request. Sanmatar entered a bulletproof limo and sped away to the east, off into the desert, presumably to a safe location.

---

[b]1920 MTZ - Western Border of The Republic[/b]

At precisely 1920, the barrage started. Dozens of 155mm artillery pieces fired into the night sky, and struck positions inside the Kingdom of Storia. The operation, dubbed "[i]Heimdall[/i]", was a coordinated strike to seize the western most lands inside Storia up to 50 miles to secure various strategic resources and desperately need land area for arable and habitation purposes. With the continued rising influx of Minmatar refugees, living space had become a premium commodity amongst a cash strapped government with little land to spare. That left only one option: conquest.

The artillery barrage continued for several minutes, of nearly continuous fire. Afterward, the fire slowed to a steady stream of precise strikes at logistical, communications and supply depots. With the initial strikes hitting these, plus the pre positioned defensive clusters of Storian military units along the border, the vanguard force would hopefully achieve complete surprise and engage in force against a significantly weakened force. The first wave of about one thousand infantry and dozens of battle tanks and infantry fighting vehicles poured over the border. A few of these groups moved into Storian territory in a coordinated move along a 200 mile front, aiming to push roughly 50 to 70 miles into Storian territory and establish a foothold.

In the East, after months of silence, the Dragon had finally awoken...

Edited December 19, 2010 by Maleatu

[iKrolm]

[quote name='king of cochin' timestamp='1292653874' post='2542438']
With the apparent anarchy in Storia with a complete lack of communications, the Kingdom of Cochin is resetablishing Cochin Kazakh protectorate.
[/quote]


Selenarctos hopes the Minmatar Republic did not just invade Cochin.

[Maleatu]

OOC: I'm not Omniscient. I cannot tell where every post is, at all times. I'll shoot him a PM.

[Maleatu]

[quote name='iKrolm' timestamp='1292726954' post='2543508']
Selenarctos hopes the Minmatar Republic did not just invade Cochin.
[/quote]


[b]Department of Foreign Affairs[/b]
[i]
Due to the high volume of queries to our home offices in Matar, the DoFA is unable to process your query until the following business day. A government official will respond promptly sometime tomorrow. Thank you for your patience.[/i]

[king of cochin]

[center][u][b]Announcement from Kingdom of Cochin[/b][/u][/center]

The erstwhile Kingdom of Storia is now Cochin Kazakh Protectorate. Minmatar has launched aggressive attacks against a Cochin protected territory. Minmatar is hereby warned to withdraw to your territory, lest punitive actions be enforced upon Minmatar. Minmatar has 24 hours to comply with this instruction.

Sd,

His Highness Kerala Varma,
The King of Cochin.

[b]Secret[/b]

The 1st Shock Army Division and 7th Mechanized Division has been alerted to DEFCON TWO alert and the RF04 and RF13 regiments and the RH01 (Halob), RM01 (Metac), RA02 (A10) and RS01 (Asper) squadrons of Royal Cochin Air Force have also been alerted. The RF04 regiment with its 4 squadrons of JM2 would ensure that Minmatar air units would not be able to venture any further into Cochin or Protectorate airspace.

[Maleatu]

[b]Classified[/b]

One dozen of the recce troops disrobe and change into local civilian clothing, and discard their weapons aside from their combat knives, and sidearms and disperse into the population. The rest of the main army receives orders to retreat before sustaining any significant losses by a Cochin retaliation. Armored and infantry units retreat across the Republican/Storian border and back into friendly territory.

[king of cochin]

The 7th Mechanized Division's leading battalions reached the border areas as the last of Minmatar troops withdrew behind their borders. Cochin Protectorate Administration would start an immediate investigation to assess the damages caused by the Minmatar attack on the Protectorate. Cooperating with existing local administration officials and police units, healthcare and residential as well as financial assistance would be given to everyone affected by the Minmatar attacks.

[Vedran]

"The Union of Arctica is perturbed by the actions taken against its ally the Kingdom of Cochin, and hopes that the situation will not escalate further. Any further deterioration in this situation will warrant closer observation and possible repercussions for Minmatar. The territorial integrity of its allies is important to Arctica and any threats to it are threats upon our security."

[b]Private to Cochin[/b]
While we do not expect anything more to happen with Minmatar, know that if by happenstance this should explode into something bigger, we stand by to provide assistance.

[king of cochin]

[b]Private to Arctica[/b]

We thank Arctica for their offer of assistance, but considering the withdrawal of Minmatar forces from the region, a clash of arms has been avoided. We are hoping to receive explanations from Minmatar regarding this issue very soon.

[Maleatu]

[b]Private Communications to Kingdom of Cochin[/b]

With due respect and deepest regrets, the Prime Minister of the Minmatar Republic wishes to meet with an official from Cochin regarding urgent business. We request that the meeting be held in three days time, pending an investigation and preperation for a full explanation in regards to recent military operations in Storia.

Yours Respectfully,
[i]
Deputy Secretary of State[/i]
Department of Foreign Affairs

[king of cochin]

[b]Private to Minmatar Republic[/b]

The Kingdom of Cochin is currently assessing the damages and destruction caused by Minmatar aggression in the Pavlodar Province of Cochin Kazakh Protectorate. A summit conference would have to wait until the investigation is completed and withdrawal of all Minmatar armed forces personnel is accounted for. The Kingdom requires two weeks (one day RL) for this to be completed after which an invitation is extended to Minmatar Republic to send a delegation to Cochin City for a summit conference where Minmatar Republic can explain its side of the issue.

Yours Sincerely,

KP Varma,
Minister of External Affairs,
Kingdom of Cochin.

[Maleatu]

[b]Private to Kingdom of Cochin[/b]

A delegation will be sent, including the Prime Minister, after the allotted time to meet with your representatives in hopes that a speedy and just reconciliation can be made on behalf of all Minmatar people and to the Kazakh people of Storia.

[iKrolm]

[b]To Cochin:[/b]

The Selenarctan branch of the White Cross stands ready to provide assistance the those affected by recent actions in the Cochin Kazahk Protectorate.

[Maleatu]

[b]Classified[/b]

A military transport taxis and takes off from a runway in Matar, inside the Republic. Inside the aircraft is a delegation including Prime Minister Sanmatar Shakor and some of his top advisers. The role of the meeting is to discuss the future of the lands that lie to the west of the Minmatar Republic. Also on the docket, is a full explanation and negotiations on the repercussions of an attack nearly two weeks ago by Minmatar forces.

The aircraft makes it's way southward, and lands at a city that is undisclosed to the public. Waiting just outside the plane, the Republican delegation awaits the arrival of their hosts from the Kingdom of Cochin.

[king of cochin]

The Kingdom of Cochin delegation consisting of KP Varma, Minister of External Affairs and Gen. Mahesh Varma, Commander of Royal Cochin Defense Forces would arrive at the meeting place with a full complement of Personal Security Staff for the meeting with Minmatar representatives.

[Maleatu]

As they traveled from the airport to the location of the meeting, the Minmatar delegation reviewed their notes on the upcoming deliberations. They knew that they would be hard pressed to come up with a logical explanations for the Republic's military operations in Storia.

Rolling up to the building, they exited their cars and entered through the main entrance. Turning left in a rather fancy hallway, they entered what looked to be a conference room with the standards of the Cochin military and government on the walls. The minmatar delegation waited for the Cochin representatives to arrive.

[king of cochin]

"Thank you for arranging this meeting Prime Minister," KP Varma would say as the Cochin delegation settled down, KP Varma taking the lead and Gen. Mahesh Varma by his left side looking at the Minmatar delegation over half moon spectacles with a black bound folder in front of him. KP Varma is dressed in a dark grey executive suit and Gen. Varma is in his Battle Dress Uniform.

"Let us come straight to the point, Mr. Shakor. What explanations do you have for the military aggression that you launched upon the Pavlodar and East Kazakhstan provinces two weeks back."

[Maleatu]

Clearing his throat, PM Shakor leaned forward and spoke.

"[i]Plainly, there is no explanation. Refugee and repatriation numbers flowing into the Minmatar Repubic have risen nearly 230% in the last year alone. There is simply not enough arable land and food to sustain our population and resettlement programs.[/i]"

Removing a sheet of paper, displaying the intelligence briefing from Republic Military Intelligence, he continued to speak.

"[i]This document will show what we believed to be an inactive and government plagued by anarchy. We were unaware of any ownership by the Kingdom of Cochin over the lands in question. Our motives were primarily fueled by a need for living space and desperation for arable land to feed and house our population.[/i]"

Sanmatar Shakor waited for his hosts to reply.

[king of cochin]

"Military conquest is by all means a historical way to secure territorial expansion. We have done it, so have a lot of nations in this world. Storia indeed had been inactive and on the verge of anarchy when Cochin declared protectorate over it. But at non time did we have to resort to violent measures for establishing protectorate. Did not your vaunted intelligence agencies which had been so efficient to determine the potential anarchy inform you that the Kingdom of Cochin had declared it a Cochin Kazakh Protectorate?

You state that you embarked upon this military adventure to secure greater land and resources for your burgeoning population. What plans do you have for the people who are already living in this land and who are already tilling its resources? Let me remind you, Storia and Minmatar are founded on territory which had once been Cochin's. We have deep connections and relations with the Kazakh people and we shall not quietly watch them get oppressed." KP Varma said.

[Maleatu]

Our people and government have no history of oppression. The Republic is a just government, kept aloft by the consent of it's people. We will not sanction any form of force relocation or resttlement of existing populations. We have it on good authority that most of the major population centers reside on the western and southern areas of Storia. The areas we would seek to gain, are ones to the east.

The lands are primarily for goat herding, farming and light industry. There is little existing population, and any residents there would be respected as locals, and welcomed with open arms into the Republic. We would like to inquire as to the future status of Storian territory, and if it might be possible for the Republic to be given administration over those lands and the right to settle our citizens there?

[king of cochin]

"If Minmatar's needs are indeed genuine, your aims benevolent and if the people of this land are not opposed to being part of your nation, the Kingdom of Cochin would consider transfer of sovereignty of this land to Minmatar. We shall conduct a referendum in this territory over the next month.

The Cochin Kazakh Protectorate is also a strategically sensitive region. In order for us to transfer this land to Minmatar, you would also assure that your nation or a deemed logical political successor would not cede this land to a third nation without our permission. This must be a legacy agreement, by which even if your present government system falls the treaty would stand in effect. If your nation falls into anarchy, this land would revert once again to Cochin Protectorate. In return for this, we are willing to offer you a Preferential Trade Agreement by which Minmatar would receive preferential access to the Cochin markets without commissurate Cochin access to Minmatar markets, if you deem it necessary to protect your industries from competition. To alleviate your food worries, the Kingdom of Cochin offers you the surplus food from our National Food Reserves free of cost. To alleviate any security issues, the Kingdom of Cochin also volunteers to build, operate and maintain a border defense force along Minmatar borders similar to the Border Guards of Royal Cochin Defense Forces."

[Maleatu]

The Minmatar Republic agrees to the legacy treaty in principle and invites Cochin to seek a referendum in the region of Storia. We eagerly await the results. Further to that, I thank the Kingdom of Cochin for it's generous trade and food agreements to our people. They are most appreciated. However, at this time we feel that foreign troops along our border, even if in service to protect us, would not sit well with the people we serve. Nevertheless, we thank you for your offer.

[king of cochin]

"In the artillery bombardment which accompanied your military strike, 24 people have lost their lives, 65 people have been injured and a total property destruction worth CRs. 15 Million has been caused. You are required to transfer this amount at the earliest to the Cochin Protectorate Administration who would further distribute it to the affected parties. We hope the people of this region can forgive you for killing and maiming their own and then choose to be part of your nation," Gen. Mahesh Varma said.

[Maleatu]

Payments from the Republic Central Bank have been processed and you should receive them within one business day. While we regret the loss of life for native Kazakhs, it has been noted by your own government that use of force is a fairly routine method of expansion. War is a dirty business, but it is sometimes reluctantly necessary to pursue it. We only hope that our future actions will display our dedication to supporting and building up both Minmatar and Kazakh people to a prosperous level of civilization.

[Maleatu]

OOC: Bump so you see this Cochin.