On the way

[Kaiser Martens]

[i]Somewhere in Vladikavkaz, Nordic Empire[/i]

A man walks past a number of flagpoles of the local Empire, a forgotten monument in the background. He enters a somewhat poorly lit yet suitable bar. There were a number of customers there, although it was far from full, and some of them seemed to be soldiers which just happen to be off duty. Several languages are heard - many languages, from the many countries making up the Empire. He understood some of them, while others seemed to be completely incomprehensible...he wears gray and black, a large trenchcoat that while clean looked like it hadn't been new in a long time, like something that one might buy off of a war surplus store. The insignias and flags had been removed, and he sits down by the bar while removing his Ushanka and keeping thin red sunglasses on. The hat is deposited on the region and he speaks to the bartender in Russian,

"Good evening. Give me your best beer. For starters."

And so he begins. Later on, he is consulting what seems to be some sort of mix of a blueberry with an ipod touch, but the screen had received treatment so that it could only be viewed from right ahead, like many screens in bank ATMs. When he is done, he tucks it into an internal pocket and requests - how could he not? - some Vodka instead. He was leaving Europe, and he felt it. The place around him didn't feel quite European, but decidedly it wouldn't fit neither in the east nor the south, he was at the very border of European Civilization. When he next resumed his journey, he would leave his [i]"greater heimat"[/i] behind.

[Generalissimo]

Sitting at the bar next to the Nordic founder (perhaps unnoticed) was a bearded man clothed in his typical generic paramilitary uniform of indeterminate rank, Castro hat, and trademark unlit cigar. Procinctia’s once head-of-state had been surveying this bar for months waiting for this moment. Maybe this would constitute hiding in plain sight; apparently there might actually be enough Generalissimo impersonators (maybe it was considered regional humor) in Vladikavkaz to do this relatively unnoticed. Generalissimo, like a tenacious stalker, knew things about Martens - trivial details. Little things like where the Kaiser liked to go to be alone particularly before leaving the European continent.

Generalissimo conspicuously drew a bayonet from his sleeve and haphazardly pointed the blade at his foe, “[size="7"][b]Martens![/b][/size]

So we meet again, Kaiser. Did you really think killing me would be that easy?
[size="4"]Who the hell do you think I am?!? [/size]
[size="5"][b]I am Generalissimo, Generalissimio of Procinctia![/b] [/size]

I have to admit that was clever trap utilizing Queen Cybil as bait, shooting my plane down over those same Arctic waters, and sending in that ground squad as a final contingency. If that wasn’t enough your influence with wolf cults, iceburgs, terrorist camps, ninja, and polar bears almost finished me off. Today, however, the tables are turned. Give me one good reason not to kill you where you sit . . . ” Generalissimo yelled loud enough for everyone in the establishment to hear clearly, because threatening Kaiser Martens with a deadly weapon in a bar patronized by tough looking Nordic soldiers in his own empire was really a good idea. . .

Edited March 9, 2011 by Generalissimo

[iKrolm]

OOC: Generalissimo lives!
Looking forward to this.

[Kaiser Martens]

OOC: this is awesome lol

IC: By then, Martens had moved over to a bunch of Russian and Ukranian soldiers of the Nordic Army, all of them smelling of Vodka. Glases and bottles have piled up on their table, and they keep singing old war and folk songs of their respective regions rather loudly but not entirely without talent. Now and then, they pause to laugh and, of course, to drink more. They are all so loud themselves, that nobody seems to notice Generalissimo - nobody but the bartender, who just stares at him with a dull look, as if such behavior would happen to be extremely commonplace in the bar. He merely keeps cleaning his glasses, and turns his back to the Procinctian.

A couple of rather intoxicated soldiers arrive from the bathroom...just barely. One is made to sit down at a table, half passed out, and the other moves past Generalissimo and says to him, "Nice bayonet! Come drink with us!" He pats or rather slaps powerfully his back a couple of times and attempts to lead him to the table everybody is at. "Next round is on me! Nordland, URRAAAA!"

[Generalissimo]

Generalissimo jumped from narrowly dodged this unexpected projectile vomit with an excessively flashy tiered capoeira-ish jump. . .
[img]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x251/CyberNationsStuff/genwalk.gif[/img][img]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x251/CyberNationsStuff/genwalk-1.gif[/img][img]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x251/CyberNationsStuff/genwalk-2.gif[/img][img]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x251/CyberNationsStuff/genwalk-3.gif[/img][img]http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x251/CyberNationsStuff/genwalk.gif[/img]
*[i]In Extra Slow Motion[/i]*
. . . only to stumble into a chair adjacent but just out of reach to group of soldiers Martens was hiding behind.

Edited March 9, 2011 by Generalissimo

[Kaiser Martens]

Even then, nobody seemed to notice. Did people jump around like that all the time in this city?

The ravens know.

From his position, Generalissimo could see Martens clearly. It had to be him. Generalissimo, after all, was the leading expert on Martens. The way he spoke loudly even seemed reminiscent of his speeches, and the way in which he managed to drink on, too, was legendary.

Closer than ever.

[Generalissimo]

Was this yet another one of Marten’s traps? The Kasier, in Generalissimo’s ‘logic,’ was clearly prepared for this ambush and positioned the patrons accordingly. Generalissimo promptly removed himself from the seat and slowly prowled towards his intended prey, “There’s no need to run, I’m only trying to extract righteous vengeance, in blood! No need to delay the inevitable. Stand your ground like a true Nordlander.”
Mad laughter followed, “Don’t be that way. . . I’m only trying to kill you. . .”

Edited March 9, 2011 by Generalissimo

[Kaiser Martens]

Martens turns around slowly, his face somewhat distorted by alcohol consumption. He had stood up to go for the bathroom, but unexpectedly had run into Generalissimo. He simply stands there, blank-faced, and blinks several times. Belatedly, he looks down to notice the Bayonette. He had not heard what Generalissimo had said, but at least he was staring at him rather intensely, it was an improvement over the previous state of affairs.

Believing him to be one of the local, he just asks in Russian, "What?" - And one of his hands starts to rise to be level to the large knife, so as to be able to intercept it and stop it if needed be.

"...?"

[Generalissimo]

Generalissimo had Martens cornered and with luck there wouldn’t be anywhere else for the Kaiser to flee. . .
. . . but instead of striking down his unarmed opponent he monologued.
“Running away again? Typical, just like you, just like our last little war.
What will you do, Martens, when there is nowhere left to hide?
Where were we, ah yes, my righteous vengeance.
If your missiles, wolf god, mercenaries, iceburgs, terrorists, ninja, and polar bears couldn’t kill me. . .
. . .what makes you think it’s possible to escape me? What didn’t kill me made me stronger.
I’m not afraid anymore, I’m not running away, and today I finish what you started!
As a gentleman of honor, as Generalissimo of Procinctia, I will give you one last opportunity to explain yourself.”

Edited March 9, 2011 by Generalissimo

[Kaiser Martens]

"Oh. I remember you now." He then smiles, rather drunkly and moves his hands forwards to where the knife is, not to grab it but to grab his hands with both of his own, shaking them energically. "Generalissimo! It is good to hear from you! What happened? I heard that Procinctia has been in some tough issues. Have you guys gotten back on your feet already? Why don't you sit down and drink with us! Like the old times!" - Which old times, though?

[Generalissimo]

“Just like old times, when we were at war! How have I been? You’ve been trying to kill me! You had me shot down over the Arctic ice where I had to survive on your tasty polar bear assassins for more than a year. It’s because of your interference and not because I was flying alone without a flight plan, transponder, black box, or positioning device while intentionally flying below radar tacking levels that no one found me sooner. If is it wasn’t for Sarah Tintagyl’s, who’s death was also exaggerated, direct interference I would still be out there in that frozen wasteland.” Generalissimo began quaking with anger, and realized his blade was. . .

Edited March 9, 2011 by Generalissimo

[Kaiser Martens]

Buried on Martens' stomach, apparently, even though no blood could be seen.

"Actually I think it was Überstein who tried to do those things. I do not recall doing any of them. Then again, I have a bad memory. I know I had been once going to invade your country but decided that it was not worth the effort. If you ask me, your pilots probably screwed it up by himself. Were they polish? Trust me though, if I wanted you dead, it'd have been simple."

He looks down for a second and then raises an eyebrow.

"Are you quite done stabbing me?" He sighs and folds his arms.

[Generalissimo]

Generalissimo lets go of the bayonet and step backs into a combat position, “You’ve won this round, but don’t play coy, I know why you’re trying to kill me. . . It’s much more than petty revenge for bringing down your pathetic lesser Nordland Reich. We both know Überstein wasn’t responsible, this sort of charade was never his style. Of course it’s actually possible you don’t actually remember, you’re too pumped full of Übersoldaten (super soldier?) and who knows whatever else, data from several of your less-then-fully-informed test subjects indicate that stuff can fry someone’s brain.

I have to die simply because I know too much about your precious secrets to be left alive. I know you know that I know what I know about you.
You’ve better much killed men for far less - and I happen to know who they are and exactly where those bodies are buried.”

Generalissimo, still poised for battle, reached into his sleeve pulled out a small thin tape recorder, “If you don’t remember then let me refresh your memory starting with that World Congress session concerning your invasion of the Republic of Mariehamm,” and pressed play[quote name='Generalissimo' timestamp='1245204290' post='1622669']. . .“You’re not going to leave because you’re committed to peace, aren’t you Kaiser Martens?
There’s note and three files under your chair in a manila folder, I suggest you read it, consider it new evidence.” . . .[/quote][quote name='Generalissimo' timestamp='1245214865' post='1623156']. . . “Don’t think you can just walk away Martens, [size=5][b]Marteeeeeeeeeens ~ ! ! ![/b][/size] You’re not going anywhere, when you’re finished reading that we’re all going to sit down and talk about peace.” . . .[/quote]“A man like you wouldn’t walk away without reading the contents of the manila envelope I was trying to blackmail you with on international television. . .”

Edited March 9, 2011 by Generalissimo

[Kaiser Martens]

"You are right. I have lived very long. I might have done as you said and simply do not remember. But." He pulls out the bayonette, just like that. "But you should know by now that there is no way to stop me - neither myself nor these Nordified Slavs. You have done a good job finding me and slamming that weapon of yours into me. But I might just advice you to quit while you're ahead. I know and you know and our Comrades here know how unlikely your survival could be if I decided to end you."

He turns the chair around and sits down, grinning. "But the fact is that I do not want to end you. You are amusing. I could not rob Midgaard from your prescence. You do not have to die. And even if you ever killed me you could not ever stop what I started. Not even I could. I suggest a truce, in order for you to retain some dignity, yes?"

[Botha]

[IMG]http://i51.tinypic.com/2mczw40.jpg[/IMG]

[color="#000080"]THIS JUST IN! Generalissimo is now arming the Libyan rebels with the latest in Procinctian dual-purpose military office furniture.[/color]

Edited March 9, 2011 by Botha

[Generalissimo]

“I, respectfully, disagree for everything with a beginning also has an end. Don’t underestimate me! What makes you think I’m going to give them the chance? Why believe in a passive fate when I knock away reason and gasp the impossible? The rules can always be changed! Quit while I’m ahead? It doesn’t look like that from here. From where I’m standing,” in a single swift movement Generalissimo brought a wooden gripped 1918 vintage colt M1911 pistol from his jacket and leveled it at the Kaiser, “It looks like you brought a bayonet to a gun fight! Always remember that being gunned downed looks very different from the barrel’s other end.
Is this how your legend ends?”

Procinctia’s onetime generalissimo pauses momentarily and regards his firearm, “Hold on. . . you . . . survived nukes. . . in open field. . . I might. . . need. . . a bigger gun, ” the gunman takes a moment to intently scrutinize the Kaiser, “You've been given another chance from a charitable man. I’ll surrender this weapon, even sit down to civil convsation, if you can satisfactorily answer one more question to my satisfaction.

How did you survive multiple simultaneous high-yield thermonuclear strikes, out in the open, at point blank range?”

Edited March 9, 2011 by Generalissimo

[Kaiser Martens]

ooc: lol, generalissimo is taking over lybia.

IC:

"My legend will never end. That is why it is a legend. You should know that by now." He raises his chin in a rather conceited manner, an aspect of his person that he seldom does show, and for a moment gets ready for...evasive maneuvers until Generalissimo seems to have changed his mind about shooting him.

"That is why not even the nukes seemed to be able to stop me. Though to be quite fair I do not recall how I managed to then survive. I believe that I was rather drunk at the moment, passed out. My head really hurt the next morning. I didn't know if I was puking due to the brännvin or the radiation poisoning. That was the worst hangover of my life, I'll say that much. So, what do you drink?" - Martens slips a hand in a pocket of his trenchcoat comfortably, leans back and turns to the table for a moment to get one flashy vodka bottle. He drinks some and then offers it to Generalissimo. "Cmon. Haven't you ever wanted to drink with the devil?"

[Generalissimo]

“You were completely drunk while leading that battle for Berlin? I always imagined you a little more composed. That actually explains a few things. . .” Generalissimo unloaded his weapon’s magazine and threw it haphazardly towards the Kaiser, “Sure, why not? I’m still lugging portable toxicology kits like the one I brought to your daughters wedding. What’s a little alcohol between old enemies?
It beats standing here facing off in outside of this bathroom, scenery just not dramatic enough locale for a climatic final showdown.

You can keep the bayonet as a souvenir. My usual blades are hand crafted by an Inuit blacksmith who works ten hours a day for seven months on a single bayonet. That particular instrument was folded more than five thousand times and took two years to complete; it was commissioned specially to kill you.”

Edited March 10, 2011 by Generalissimo

[Kaiser Martens]

"Yes. I get drunk often, because my body can, after all take it, therefore I have no reason to decide not to get drunk. It makes things fun, you see? Sometimes I also go with my own MP3 blasting music onwards to battle. It makes me disoriented, but it also makes me fight harder. So, who cares?" - He takes the magazine and examines it a few times, taking out a round. "This looks like vintage, you might have had a hard time actually getting the shots to come out. Anyway." He puts the mag down, drinks from the bottle again and places it on another nearby table for Generalissimo to be able to grab.

"Yeah. That blade is well made. Too well made." He looks down at his torn clothing. "You owe me a new suit, I'll have ya know that. And I hope your kit does not screw up with the excellent qualities of this alcohol. Did you actually pay the guy who made the blade to begin with? Poor !@#$%^&..."

He then grins and leans forwards, "Now, let's do something interesting. A bit of an experiment. You now get to decide...who I invade next."

[Generalissimo]

"It evidently wasn’t enough or you wouldn’t still be sitting here talking to me, maybe you’ll find better use for it, I might try for eleven thousand fold steel next time," Generalissimo sat down, holstered his weapon, and began carefully testing his shot for toxins, “A deceptive inquiry mister Martens.

[i]One should not invade unless absolutely ready to be invaded in return![/i]”

Edited March 10, 2011 by Generalissimo

[Kaiser Martens]

"So there'll be a next time? You never give up, do you? Well, if you would only put this energy in running a nation, Procinctia would do much better. While you keep chasing me, your land is in shambles. But at least you make some nice weapon exports, gotta say that." He folds his arms, waiting for the silly test to be done, staring at the bottle.

"Yet we are ready to be invaded. That is why we consider invading someplace. We're at the height of our power as is, and have not been quite as greedy for the time being. Fact is, we [i]will[/i] invade someone, but I am allowing you to pick the target. If not, I will eventually find one by myself. Fun game, yes?"

[Generalissimo]

Considering the Kaiser’s conundrum Procinctia’s founder knew his answer, “It’s my fault Procinctia was in ruin to begin with. I personally think my nation, despite the ridiculous complete demilitarization, might actually be better off without military strongman like us. Maybe a little civilian administration goes a long way. . .

As Generalissimo of Procinctia, without being a hypocrate, there’s only one fair answer to that question.
There’s only one country I have ever been responsible for and that’s Procinctia – your next target.”

Edited March 10, 2011 by Generalissimo

[Kaiser Martens]

"That's what is different between your countries and mine. You see...for us, there is no distinction between civilian and military. Maybe it is good, maybe it is bad, I would not be able to say. But that is how it has always been since time immemorial excepting during the pseudodemocratic lapse." He watches him carefully, with a most intense gaze. Then he nods a few times approvingly, and grins teethily. "In that case I will not invade anyone. You have the right answer. But at the same time also the worst answer. Condemning your own folk to save others...are you a hero or a traitor? I bet people ponder such facts about us now and then. But what matters is that we're just part of what makes our land. If we were not here, others would play the roles. I will invade no further country, not unless I must."

[Generalissimo]

“You won’t, unless necessary, invade another country?” Generalissimo burst into deep hearty laughter, “I’m entirely sure Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Belgium, Bosnia , Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Marino, Moldova, Montenegro, Macedonia, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slavorussia, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Switzerland would be happy to hear about that.

Condemning my own folk to save others makes me the worst sort of traitor; I’ve walked that path too many times before, yet I am somehow considered a hero. Putting Procinctia in front a firing squad. . . isn’t that what happened when I gathered a massive coalition take down the world’s superpower, your Greater Nordland Reich, when I was my country’s only soldier? I’m still surprised Scolar Visari, such a sore loser, didn’t carpet nuke the Aleutians.

You forget that until extremely recently Procinctia also had no distinction between the civilian and military.
A country created and ruled by a man whose name was synonymous with his rank, a land always overseen by the highest ranked military officer.
Are generalissimos like us, and I consider you a fellow generalissimo, a sufficiently superior system of governance?
What make us any better than the alternatives?”

Edited March 10, 2011 by Generalissimo

[Kaiser Martens]

His head tilts to the side and he begins to speak in a low, constant, somewhat emotionless voice.

"You must be using an outdated map. A good number of those territories have already been a part of Us for a very, very long time considering the pace of our world. And additionally many of those territories are no longer countries, in any case...yet you should see our land from the inside. This isn't Germany invading some other country. It hasn't been that way for many decades. It could be argued that, in fact, many of those lands have invaded us. Our ranks and higher echelons are full of Dutch, Swiss, Scandinavians and until recently Austrians. Speaking of Austrians. How about them, and how about the Swedes, that we have freed? And what might you say of Norway? It would have been the easiest thing in the world to march into Oslo and remove their crosses. But you are still evaluating the present and future using information and a perspective from the past...a ship...that has...sailed."

His head straightens up and his eyes narrow, he speaks with a small hint of forming intensity.

"You should know that you had made another mistake even then. You didn't gather a coalition. Our enemies used you, you a man who in spite of all had good intentions, a man who wanted something that from many's point of view is decidedly good, they only used you in order to have a shot at us, not because they believed in freedom, not because of anything like that...they just wanted to get their own shot at being the tough guys. That is why when it all ended, nobody anyway cared for helping Procinctia out of its dismal misery, the misery it is still in today...they have betrayed you, and ironically, only I, a former enemy, have been honest..."

To then speak very calmly at the end.

"I am not a system of government, although I had been when the other choice was undoubtedly one of the worst systems mankind could come up with, or yet worse, anarchy. All that I am is the destruction preventer. The Guardian of my People. I am not the sword but am the indestructible shield. Am not the judge nor the president but am the embodyment of the ancient spirit of the free germanic peoples. My place is no longer to tell them how they should live their lives, but to make sure that they will continue to exist in order to have a life at all to deal with, as long as Ravens Fly."

He drinks from his vodka. For a moment, he seemed to not have been drunk anymore, but as he ceases to focus on his words he relaxes onto his chair again and seems like your average drunken german.