NationStates Jolt Archive

ATTN: Nations of the World
RE: Announcing Cordial Greetings
2065.01.01

Our warmest of greetings to the nations of the world! I am the elected delegate of our tiny island nation of Freedominium, First Speaker Eulalia Haarvanisen, daughter of Mei-Lin Chang and Fjalar Hytchinsson. Our nation was founded upon the principles of civil liberty, democratic freedom, economic equality, and environmental harmony in 2052 by the Utopia Now! Foundation, an association of free-thinkers, philosophers, scientists, and environmentalists who were dissatisfied with the trend of mid-21st century politics. Our goal is to encourage the principles of nonviolence, environmental respect, tolerance, and political freedom all throughout the world, leading by example; we seek to abrogate peace and human rights through diplomacy, negotiation and compromise.

Dr. Kai Mwangi, the leading thinker for the Utopia Now! Foundation, held dear the belief that tolerance, diplomacy, and compassion would usher in a new age of peace and prosperity for humankind, and he initiated the Freedominium Initiative under this banner. After his untimely death due to leukemia, we continue his work in this optimistic and hopeful direction, and our goals are nothing less than world peace.

Let me declare our most cordial and sincerest of salutations to the world! We look forward to establishing good diplomatic relations with everyone! You will always have a friend in Freedominium!

Sincerely,
Eulalia Haarvanisen,
First Speaker

Bomble would like to officially welcome you to the world, hoping that you will achieve your goals for global peace. Our nation is peaceful regarding world affairs, and has never taken active part in any conflict whatsoever. However, our nation internally is an entirely different matter. Our citizens are vicious brutes of human forms, and deserve to be punished. We carry out this punishment with maximum violence, usually preventing further trouble.

Numerous internal uprisings against Bomble have taken place, usually orchestrated by women demanding equality and students demanding both free speech and increases in wages. These uprisings are all violently ended, usually with many casualties. The ringleaders and major players are rounded up and publicly tortured and killed in Capital City (at the taxpayers expense). We feel that this hard line is suitable for the ignorant troglodytes that inhabit our cities, eat our food and drink our water. Long may it be so.

On a lighter note, we would like to invite members of your government to a pizza, beer and DVD night in the coming weekend. Please bring along the pizzas, some beer and a few DVD's with you. We apologise for asking you of this, but governmental funds are dangerously low after last week's pizza, beer and DVD night. We could possibly raise taxes to cover this, but at such short notice it would be impossible.

Regards,

Trevor Joystick
Acting Inviting-People-to-Parties Secretary

TO: Trevor Joystick
Acting Inviting-People-to-Parties Secretary, Bomble
FROM: Eulalia Haarvanisen; First Speaker

We would certainly be amenable to establishing cordial diplomatic relations with your people, Mr. Joystick! We Freedominians love pizzas and DVDs as much as everyone else -- however, you will have to take care that you set aside some vegan pizzas, as many of us are vegetarians. We hope that this won't inconvenience you much.

In another note, I am a bit frightened at the severity with which your government imposes its rule upon the fair citizens of your glorious nation. Though we respect any and all cultures, I wonder if your government need be so harsh with its people? Perhaps, if more people were allowed to have a fair say in the actions of their government, they would come to love and respect it more, thereby decreasing dissent in a manner that is fair and reasonable for all people?

Respectfully yours,
Eulalia Haarvanisen,
First Speaker

---------------------
ATTN: World
FROM: Freedominium News Agency One, "Bringing you the best news in Freedominium!"

Fellow citizens organised an impromptu rally today in the meeting squares of eighteen communes. Chanting enthusiastically and waving signs, the citizens exercised their right to free speech by declaring in bold words and direct actions, that they were, in the words of one speaker: "Very, very happy with the way things are going here in Freedominium! Honestly! Things are all right here, and we just love how good life is." Linking their hands in a circle, the demonstrators sang songs, played music, and danced until midday, when they broke for lunch.

-------------------

Welcome FreeDominium,

WE, the FREE DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT OF THE EMPIRICUS SATELITES (FreeDemGov) welcome you to the world and wish your government luck in all it's endeavors.

We too wish for a peaceful world, however our aggressive neighbor may not allow such to happen as they are a fundementalist cult led regime bent on taking over our satelites by force. We hope that such will not force your nation to see us in a negative light.

Also one behalf of our people I also wish to express interest in future endeavors together to accomplish our common goals.

Sincerely and honorably yours,
Donald Gregorini, LLD, Secretary of State of F.D.G

FreeDominium:

Welcome, It is nice to see a country with such similar, peaceful, democratic goals around. We too, THE FREE DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENTS of EMPIRICUS SATELLITES [FreeDemGov] are a new democratic peaceful nation with strong beliefs in freedoms and rights. We hope to explore mutually beneficial endeavors in the future.

Hope to speak to your Glorious Nation soon,
W.G. Judge, PHD
[Insert seal of Secretary Of State of the Free Democratic Governments]

Please disregard/delete my second post.
IDK what is going on with my other two diplomatic letters but here is a third assuming that the other two wont be posted. If they are go with whichever is best written. :P

Free Dominium,

Welcome. It is nice to see a young nation with such similar goals as us,THE FREE DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT OF THE SATELITES OF EMPIRICUS. Peace democracy and the rights of the people are all issues near and dear to are hearts.

That being said I think it would be advantageous to both out nations to join together to persue endeavors to further our righteous beliefs which we together hold.

Best wishes to your Glorious Nation in all its endeavors,

I wish to remain in touch,

W. G. G. Judge,
Secretary of State THE FREE DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT OF THE SATELITES OF EMPIRICUS.

TO: Mr. W. G. G. Judge,
Secretary of State,
The Free Democratic Government of the Satellites of Empiricus
FROM: Eulalia Haarvanisen, First Speaker
2065.01.02

Thank you for your kind greetings, Mr. Secretary! We humbly accept your warm welcome, and offer our best wishes and brightest of hopes for the creation of a healthy, peaceful, and loving rapport with yourself and your nation. Let an embassy be established in both our nations so that we may facilitate dialogue, cooperation, and the free exchange of ideas and culture between our peoples.

Freedominium is a friend of everyone, and an enemy of none! We approach all nations, all cultures, and all ways of life with open minds and open arms!

Best wishes,
Eulalia Haarvanisen,
First Speaker

----------------

Eulalia wiped her young brow. It was a warm day on Pace, the sunny little North Pacific island where the Utopia Now! Foundation had established their optimistic social experiment thirteen years ago. The Psych Doctors had warned her when she applied for the job of First Speaker, as they had everyone who volunteered, that the task of representing the will of the voting public of Freedominium was a very difficult one; a position that conferred onto each First Speaker, when the random lot fell upon their number, unparalleled respect and gratitude from the population, but was saddled with the heavy burden of responsibility.

But she had been only sixteen when she began her training at the Political Academy, and all those years she spent with the professors drilling and studying and learning were spent isolated within the white walls of the Academy building. When the day came, and the computer selected randomly among the pool of First Speakers, she had felt the pit of her stomach boil in anticipation. When it fell upon her number, 926528, Eulalia had felt that uncomfortable acidic boiling overflow, bubbling into a blast of hot, joyous excitement.

She had approached her job with the optimism and naiveté of a young adult, which she was, at the age of 21. Not even the acrid gaze and trenchant criticism of her old professor, Dr. Inouye, who on more than one occasion had sent her running from the Academy grounds in tears, could have prepared her for the overwhelming weight of the title of First Speaker.

It was her job, for example, to travel to every commune, every village on the island, small as it was, and to observe and mediate every town hall discussion. If the community was deciding on small, petty matters, it was the First Speaker's job to listen quietly and take notes. When debates became heated -- as they often did amongst the independent-minded Freedominarians -- it was the First Speaker's job to cool spirits and soothe tempers so that a calm decision could be made. And, twelve times each year, once every month, when the communes sent their delegates to the Direktorium to discuss matters of national import, it was the First Speaker's duty to start off the Grand Debate -- hence the title "First Speaker".

This kept the First Speaker fairly swamped with work, and was the reason why the Founders had decided to randomly select a new First Speaker each year amongst the pool of graduates from the Political Academy. It would be unfair to force one person to do such work for so long, and it would be unfair to the people if they had to elect a person from their ranks once each year, thus tying society up into popularity contests between power-hungry candidates.

Up till now the job seemed hard enough. But then the Direktorium voted, at last to unveil the fruits of the Freedominium Project to the world, and the office of First Speaker took on a new role: to act as voice of the Freedominian people to the world. It was enough to make Eulalia's head spin.

She sat back from the data console and walked to the synthesizer to make herself some herbal tea.

Let me re-iterate. The citizens of Bomble are incapable of deciding what they will have for breakfast, let alone the actions of the government! Democracy will never work in Bomble, the people need telling what to think and do. We request a simple written apology and a complementary fruit basket from Eulalia Haarvanisen for this comment, and hope that she is suitably punished. No nation has ever insulted ours as such until this day. We are moderately offended.

Regards,

Zachary Plumbob,
Acting Foreign Affairs Minister

*Note: We hope that this letter will not effect our pizza night. The entire governmental staff is looking forward to it!

**Note: Vegan pizzas will be set aside for the more picky members of your contingent.

***Note: Due to a recent crackdown in Bomblean DVD content, we can only supply a selection of highly pornographic material. Perhaps you will like to choose a selection of more family-orientated DVDs for the younger members of our group.

Matei Revert woke up. He had barely any sleep last night because of the party and he was now remembering the good old days when he could just lie in bed until 10. Now, as the supreme leader of a country, albeit democratic, but fond of that "smart monarch" theory, he found himself with less and less time for a morning sleep. He was the monarch.
As he arranged his posture (he was dozing in his command chair), he admited the incoming videocall.
Conex>Admit>2
The face of his minister for external affair, Crist Dragh appeared. He was as asleep as his boss.
Morning Comander!
Morning Crist! Man, what did you do after the party?! You look waisted. Who was the lucky one?!
Well...
Oh, wait, that's probably classified anyway
Comander it is not...
Come on, I was jocking, I already know, the Security cameras inside CentrArm cought you.
Crist Dragh face become redder and redder. The fun part about Matei was that he was so trustworthy, but he used to be best at gathering data even before he got to command the RevTerran version of a Secret Service (FSR). The worst part (in the good way) was that he was best at making assumptions and drawing conclusions. So, even though Revert woudn't get as low as watching the security cameras to see who's sleeping with who (no one cought him, at least) he would blow you away with a line like the above.
Come on Crist, I was kidding.
Frak you laughed Crist's brain. Well, as I understood you danced your wife all the night. Poor girl
Well, I warned her before the marriage. Anyway, what's up?
We, along the rest of the world, received a cordial greeting from the so called First Speaker of a island-like nation callled Freedominium. Data begun to be displayed on another monitor. It lies further north in the Pacific ocean, and as far as we know it's a sort of representative democracy.
So a sort of neighbour?
Yes, founded on some principles lied down by the founder of a foundation.
Interesting principles... a sort of dreamer...
Anyway, I thought you might want to answer their call. As far as we know ther are not many diplomatic contacts between Freedominium and the rest of the world.
Good thinking, Crist. Plus, maybe we can establish an foothold-like embassy. I will answer directly to this first speaker. You prepare the common diplomatic channel. Will do it together, I will call you when I'm ready to submit my message.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>Eulalia Haarvanisen,Pace,Freedominium<<<<<<<<<<<<<
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<Matei Revert,Roman,Revterr>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Greetings, First Speaker, allow me to introduce myself: my name is Matei Revert, and I hold the rank/title of Comander in the RevTerr Alliance. I wish to respond to your salutation, in the name of the revterran people, sending you and your country our best thoughts and wishes.
My head of diplomacy, Crist Dragh, will contact your Diplomatic representatives shortly to establish basic diplomatic contact, and to extend an formal invitation for cooperation between our different deprtaments (among them being police investigation, trade and travel agreements, embassyes, etc). Maybe afterwords we can discuss more advance treaties like military cooperation.
Again, best of thoughts!
Matei Revert
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

TO: Zachary Plumbob,
Acting Foreign Affairs Minister
FROM: Eulalia Haarvanisen, First Speaker
2065.01.03

My deepest and most profound apologies for this unintentional transgression, kind minister! I was unaware of these cultural differences between our nations, and committed a faux-pas, however, I only had the best of intentions in mind. We find it unfortunate that your people are so severely handicapped, and offer our finest of medical and psychiatric services free of charge in hopes that this small offering will recompense any hurt feelings that I may have accidentally incurred.

Again, speaking upon behalf of all Freedominium, I am truly, and sincerely sorry.

Humbly,
Eulalia Haarvanisen

-------------------
Her sea-green eyes flew wide open and Eulalia could feel her pale cheeks flush with sudden hot colour, and, unconsciously, she picked a tendril of her long mahogany-coloured hair and chewed it nervously. It suddenly dawned on her with a kind of creeping horror that whatever she said now could possibly determine the fate of her people -- forever. I'm not ready for this! she thought, terified. Oh! Won't someone help me?. A thought came into her mind. She logged onto the National Forum -- the vast digital gathering-place where every citizen debated and voted on matters of national policy.

It was the National Forum that proposed the laws that the Direkotorium was to vote upon, and the National Forum that approved the laws once passed. Far from an all-powerful Parliament, the Direktorium was only a sort of stepping-stone where laws were refined and made precise and efficient, before going back to the citizenry for approval.

It was the National Forum where previous First Speakers passed on their experience and wisdom to the younger First Speakers. A few minutes later, the video images of a dozen former First Speakers came onscreen, consoling young Eulalia and giving solemn advice, and she talked to each of them, thanking each in turn. Eulalia realised that she was never alone in her task, and could always depend upon the kindness and wisdom of her fellow people. That was one of the things that were drilled into Freedominarians from youth -- that you should always trust, love and respect all people. Now Eulalia saw it applied.

Eulalia returned to her work, filled with confidence and inspired with hope and optimism.

TO: Matei Revert,
Roman, Revterr
FROM: Eulalia Haarvanisen, First Speaker

We eagerly welcome the august Mr. Crist Dragh to our humble nation! In Freedominarian tradition, our communities shall make you -- our guests -- feel honoured and welcomed wherever you go. We would be more than happy to establish embassies and send our own diplomatic envoys to further the free and meaningful exchange of dialogue, culture, and information between our two societies.

However, I must tell you advance to keep this fact in mind: Here in Freedominium we have no specific government agencies. We are an E-Democracy. All political affairs and laws are managed and controlled by the dictates of the National Forum, the voting body to which all citizens contribute. All laws and foreign policies are drafted on a national wiki-page, submitted to the representative legislature, the Direktorium, for editing and refinement, and returned to the National Forum for enactment. Then each citizen, by association, is expected to take it upon himself or herself to obey the laws that they themselves created and agreed upon.

Keep in mind that when you parley with us, it will not be to government bureaucrats, but random volunteers who are chosen amongst a pool of applicants to represent various interests. We have no agencies, and no bureaucracy. Furthermore, Dr. Kai Mwangi, our Founder -- may he rest in peace -- set out with the explicit goals of teaching nonviolence and tolerance. He saw the military and police as the ultimate expressions of violence and intolerance, and so, founded our society without weapons or law enforcement agencies. He felt that, if everyone agreed to obey fundamental rules of society, which they themselves created, then each person, out of the good of their own hearts and with pressure from their peers, would obey the law voluntarily.

So far, his wisdom has prevailed. The only thing we have which comes close to a national police force or military, are the Mediators. With advanced degrees in psychology, Mediators are trained to peacefully negotiate and compromise, to peacefully defuse violent conflicts before they ever get off the ground. Out of every commune on our island, there will be at least one person who volunteers part of their time to be a Mediator. Mediators are randomly assigned to different parts of the island, so that they will present a neutral, unbiased perspective to all situations, and so that the community will not begin to look upon them and elevate them as leaders.

We welcome any and all diplomatic offers and dialogue, but sometimes our very informal structure of government throws off newcomers, who are used to heavy-footed governments, endless red tape, and pompous officials. We have none.

Namaste,
Eulalia Haarvanisen,
First Speaker

We welcome any and all diplomatic offers and dialogue, but sometimes our very informal structure of government throws off newcomers, who are used to heavy-footed governments, endless red tape, and pompous officials. We have none.

FreeDominium, we would like to offer our invitation to estabilish mutual embassies in eachothers nations and work on furthering our diplomatic dialogue and association.

ON behalf of The Armed Galatic Empire of Corneliu, I would like to welcome you to the world's stage.

Thomas Williams
Public Relations
State Department
Armed Galatic Empire of Corneliu

This is madness.
No, this is utopia
Matei Revert and Admiral Anca Nita, head of FSR, were walking on the corridors of CentrArm. The building was the center of the joined military and political government. A city in itself, placed in the middle of the capital city of Roman, CentrArm’s sole existence has been put in questions by the message received from a small island.
How did they existed until now? I mean, come on, it is not the first country that do not have an army, but My Cats, not a police force, no nothing? I don't know what to propose to do, defend them, invade them or cure them, for their own good.
Matei was almost laughing. Admiral Nita was a small thin woman in her forties, and she rarely had outbursts. Somehow she got fond of the small country north of RevTerr. How could one not be?
Who wrote these law was such a dreamer.... but I like it. Come on, admiral, think about it. No police, but Mediators? We should give that name to our Enforcers just for the idea of it. A truly workable e-democracy.
That's fine and dandy, but there are a lot of countries who would send only a ship there, a refinery-ship for instance, to extract oil, and they would still conquer the island.
The theory often does not survive the practice. I think I want to see this democracy at work.
Comander, they do not appear to have any security force, any secret service, but volunteers. I mean, come on, every country have crazy people, and you are too valuable for us. I cannot guarantee your safety. I cannot guarantee anyone's safety.
As I understand, there are only humans on the island...
I think so.
Humans looking like us?
Yeah...
Let's go undercover.
You want me to slip you inside Freedominium?!
No, I mean, without the official stuff. I'm going there as a human being.
Wha..?
As a visitor. If their regulations allow them, I'm going to ask this first speaker to allow us a private meeting. Come on, admiral, if I were them I would be very concerned about the damage a full state visit would do.... They have to be concerned about what outsiders are gonna do to their civilization, even if they have a sort of cultism believe in these foundation rules. And let’s not forget, we are extremely well armed. I would look upon a delegation from a country like RevTerr with distrust.
First there is this Oka festival you are planning to attend. Second, this incognito visit to this country. I have to express my concerns regarding your safety. You are too important for the stability of this alliance to take risks.
And this alliance needs a friend. Even if Freedominium won't be able to help us, securing an alliance with them would help us establish a foothold in the northern Pacific Ocean, and give that mage fleet of ours a reason to exist. Plus, look at this country, it’s a dream come true. I want to help it.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>Eulalia Haarvanisen,Pace,Freedominium<<<<<<<<<<<<<
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<Matei Revert,Roman,Revterr>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxprivate messagexxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Greetings, First Speaker, I am asking forgiveness for my daringness, but since there is no secure link installed between our countries I would like you to install the program attached to this message. It will allow you to decipher the second message I'm going to send in ten UN-standard minutes. Please trust us and me personally that this is not a virus, and you are more then welcome to delete the program afterwards, if you do not agree to my proposal or to install it on a test station. I know I would.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

>>>>>>>>>>>>>Eulalia Haarvanisen,Pace,Freedominium<<<<<<<<<<<<<
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<Matei Revert,Roman,Revterr>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxheavily encryptedxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Greetings again, First Speaker I will get straight to the point. The mere existence of Freedominium is one of the great dreams of a wise country leader: a country totally democratic, with negotiators instead of policemen, and peoples freely abiding to these rules. I would like to visit this country.
As you know, this means some problems for both of our countries: you, as a host, will have to attend some diplomats, have some negotiators of your own at hand, with drafts of contracts, needs and offerings. It is common to have some sort of entertainment at hand, and to guarantee a level of protection for your guests.
I will be fair and state that my secret service consider the level of protection that it estimates you will be offer as inadequate.
Being stubborn, I would like to request a special favor of you. I would like to visit your country, as your guest, without the protocol involved. Details regarding how many bodyguards and who will come with me can be drawn later. And while there will still be an official revterran delegation visiting your country to discuss embassies and treaties, I will come separately.
I am officially requesting the honor of visiting you, at your work place, under the highest secrecy. I know that in a true democracy the people should know everything. But I hope that you understand the spirit and the reasons behind my request.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

>SECRET MESSAGE<
TO: Matei Revert, Roman, Revterr
FROM: Eulalia Haarvanisen, First Speaker

Mr. Revert,

I'd be honoured for you to pay a visit to our humble island. Freedominarian airspace is always open to all newcomers. While I don't precisely condone your bringing of armed personnel to Pace, we Freedominarians are taught to respect the ways and customs of others, and we realise that in your encounters with previous peoples you've acquired a desire to actively defend yourselves. This is fine with us -- the consensus on the National Forum thus far has been that your security forces have permission to freely roam around the island, doing their jobs, so long as they don't interfere with the lives of ordinary Freedominarians.

I'd be happy to meet you at my home. I live in Evergreen Three, a commune at the northwestern corner of the island, in a small, wood-paneled house at the end of the commune's single road, by a wooded copse and a small stream. Since you seem to be keen on secrecy, come at midday, when most people are asleep, landing in the field just beyond the wooded area and taking the bike trail southwest. You'll reach my house in no time!

I look forward to meeting you, kind sir!

Namaste,
Eulalia Haarvanisen

TO: Mr. Thomas Williams, Corneliu
FROM: Eulalia Haarvanisen, First Speaker

Thank you for your welcome! Freedominium always looks forward to opening communications with all nations of the world. I hope that we can establish a free and cordial exchange of communications, diplomatic dialogue, and information between our two nations.

Namaste,
Eulalia Haarvanisen

They want WHAT?
Anca Nita read again the decrypted message the First Speaker sent. Matei Revert, who happened to be near the admiral when the message was received, was barely stopping his laugh: Anca Nita was so... cute when she was bewildered.
So they want you to be dropped out of the sky in the middle of a field?! Do they think anyone would risk your life for an insertion?! Not to mention the noise of a JetSet.
You know, we could use those local soundwave inverters. Or a parachute. Black parachute, night insertion....
...unknown animals, windy weather, who knows what teens having night sex on the meadow and seeing you. No, this will never do.
How about an insertion by water? Matei was busy calling for some map on his Rik display.
I've already thought about that, but looking at the map you'll have some walking to do.
Or peddling.
Comander, I hate this.
I know, admiral, but still, I want to go. I have two days before leaving for the Oka festival...
...a trip I also oppose to.
I know.
Anyway, I'm thinking about two bodyguards. And I will oppose bringing along Mrs. Revert into this by any means necessary. It's enough I'm sending you like this. Now, we've been researching the Freedominian clothing style and...

>>>>>>>>>>>>>Eulalia Haarvanisen,Pace,Freedominium<<<<<<<<<<<<<
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<Matei Revert,Roman,Revterr>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxheavily encryptedxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Greetings again, First Speaker!
I will arrive tomorrow morning, around 09:00 Freedominium local time. Please be home around that time. We intend to spend the night on the island, if preparations could be made for this.
I look forward to meet you in person
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

10 hours later a ship called Talin, with commercial ship-like identifications but belonging to the RevTerran Secret Service was rushing the seas towards Freedominium. Suddenly, the ship came to a halt, and a helicopter landed on the deck. 3 figures came out, wearing a scuba gear that covered all their body. A fourth character went directly to the bridge, and recommended himself as captain Paris, from FSR. He didn't know who the other characters were, but his orders were to ensure that they will safely reach Freedominium shore, along with their equipment. As the helicopter flew back to his carrier and the masked persons where being shown to their quarters, Talin hastily resumed his course.

It was night when Talin reached his designated position, northwest of Freedominium, in the international waters. Two dolphins were sent ahead in the territorial waters, to search for any sign of radar or CoastGuard. Behind them, six bullet-shaped minisubs left the Talin, heading for shore. Two of them would stop in mid sea, to be used as relay stations.

The self-guidance system of the first minisub stopped the ship 50 meters from the rather rocky coast, and surfaced. A small camera sent images of the shore through the relay sub to Talin, where Paris was giving orders. The infrared camera showed no humans around. Go for phase 3!

The other three subs made their way toward the beach and surfaced near the first one. The water was too small for them to advance, so the figures inside got out and carried all four of them land. On the shore the figures unpacked. The swim suits where replaced with normal clothing. Three bicycles where assembled, In the end, one of the figures pushed the subs enough for them to flow back far enough to submerge.
As the sun rose above Freedominium, one biker passed through an intersection, turning south west toward Evergreen Three. A few minutes behind him, two others passed through the same spot, heading in the same direction.
As the Fredominian woke up and minded their business, the first biker, followed by the other two, left a marked road to head toward the woods. He passed along some locals who were minding their business, and quickly gave a head up to the two behind. The first continued his way, giving warnings to the two behind him about his encounters. Finally, they reached the designated landing spot. The trail was easy to find, the trip was short indeed, and the house was secluded enough for them to hope they'll reach it unnoticed. One of the bikers remained in the forest with the bikes, supervising the house. The others approached the door and knocked.

The First Speaker's house was a smallish two-storey, country home with wood panels, and painted a rustic shade of off-white. All around grew the lush, verdant woods, Douglas firs with their slick, dark-green needles rustling softly in the cool onshore breeze. The wooded glade was separated from the house by a small stream that babbled and gurgled merrily as it ran over the slick rocks. Standing at the back door, the RevTerrans were surrounded by a small garden with lush domestic plants planted amongst rocks and pools in a rather wild, naturalistic style. Still being winter in the North Pacific in January, the garden plants looked fragile, like delicate green birds, nestled against the brunt of winter's storm, with the promise of spring blossoms.

Knock knock

The first thing that the two RevTerrans heard was loud, excited barking, echoing through the house, growing louder and nearer until it came from behind the white-painted, wooden door.

"Down Kiki, down!" came a man's voice from inside the house.

The back door opened, followed by the screen, and a man appeared, with a dog. A very large, brown-haired, and very happy dog.

It bounded out and onto Matei Revert's bodyguard, eagerly licking his face and barking enthusiastically. The person behind the door, a dark-haired, dark-skinned boldly handsome young man of Indian descent with striking, dark eyes, smiled when he saw the foreigners, and greeted them in English as he struggled to get the happy dog back inside the house.

"Hi there! You must be our foreign guests! Come on in!"

"Uh --" ventured a tall, slim black-haired man. Then, he cleared his throat and spoke in Esperanto: "Good morning, I am Matei Revert. Is Miss Eulalia Haarvanisen home?"

"You won't need Esperanto," said the Indian man. "We only use it for official things, like documents and announcements. Most people speak English."

"Well, okay. Erm--"

"Would you like to come in? Have some tea, perhaps?"

"Ah, of course. Thank you, Mr. --?"

The man laughed and smiled -- it was an oddly infectious smile. "No, no, it's no problem at all. Just call me Sanjay. Sanjay Rahman. Now, come on in."

The three strangers insisted on taking their shoes off before coming in, and Sanjay merely shrugged in his baggy, comfortable pajamas.

"Suit yourselves. The floor cleans itself more or less," he said, giving an affectionate kick at the small vacuuming robot that fussed softly at the sudden intrusion.

Inside, the house was comfortably, though modestly furnished, with a few small paintings and works of art hanging from the walls, a floor made of rustic hard wood -- cedar or pine it looked -- and with various miscellaneous items placed hither and thither in a semi-random fashion. Here was a book that someone had stopped reading and put face-down on the arm of the couch. There was a small art project whose ingredients were still scattered across the round dining room table. A plate and a glass sat idly in the sink, waiting for someone to wash them, and a mobile danced slowly and softly in the gentle air currents of the living room. It had a soft, warm, lived-in appearance, the casual disarray of a well-used family dwelling.

Sanjay led the guests through the rooms of the modest dwelling into the living room, which was spacious and clean, with a large, overstuffed beige couch and a similar-looking armchair. At the left wall was a fireplace, the mantelpiece was decorated with all sorts of family pictures and other miscellanea. To one corner sat a piano, similarly decorated. Light streamed in through all five wide windows -- clean, blue-grey morning light.

Matei Revert had the sense that he had been transported suddenly to a mid-20th century, comfortably middle class dwelling -- not the house of a national leader in the year 2065. It was certainly rather odd -- but then, what wasn't odd about this strange group of utopians?

The bodyguard -- a compact, muscular, serious-looking man -- looked around the house, his sharp, trained eyes checking for ambushes or booby traps. When sufficiently satisfied that his leader would be safe, he looked to his leader and nodded, and said in a soft voice:

"Mr. Revert, this place is secure," and, looking to Sanjay, "Would you excuse me, sir, to wait outside while you speak?"

"Oh! Of course, of course."

Sanjay opened the front door and the bodyguard made his quiet exit.

The RevTerran leader cleared his throat, and said: "I'm sorry; we don't want to imply you are not trustworthy. But my Secret Service has to do it's job, and I have to listen to their advice."

"Oh, it's okay. It's no problem at all. Uhm.. Sorry about the mess -- we weren't expecting you until midday, or at least, that's what Eulalia told me," Sanjay said, watching the guests settle into the soft, somewhat lumpy couch. "Er -- I'm her boyfriend, by the way. Her first boyfriend. And, ah, since we weren't quite expecting you yet, Eulalia's still upstairs, with her second boyfriend."

Revert raised an eyebrow.

Sanjay nodded and called out: "Eulalia! The foreign dignitary is here!"

Then, listening for a moment, he said to Revert: "Oh, here she comes now."

There was a muffled gasp of pleasure, and a few soft moans coming from upstairs. Eulalia called out, rather tiredly, "Okay, just a minute! I'll be down soon!"

Sanjay looked to Revert, and he smiled warmly.

"Tea or coffee?"

The first thing Revert heard was a dog barking. Like any revterran, Matei was rather uncomfortable around their presence. RevTerr is the land of the cats. But he signaled his bodyguards to remain at ease. It sounded like a friendly bark.
When Deris Vaz saw the big furry creature he started to move between the dog and the Comander. Kiki’s aim, however, was bodyguard itself. Bleah, dog spit!!! With a fast move, Deris put his fingers around Kiki’s jugular, waiting only for a fang bit to break.
I’m gonna pay for this dearly, thought Matei as his male host took the walking couch away from his bodyguard.
Bona mateno. Mia nomo estas Matei Revert. Estas frauxlino Eulalia Haarvanisen hejmo?
You won't need Esperanto, came the answer. We only use it for official things, like documents and announcements. Most people speak English.
Well, okay
Would you like to come in? Have some tea, perhaps?
Duh, thought Matei. Ah, of course. Thank you, Mr. --?"
No, no, it's no problem at all. Just call me Sanjay. As in…?! Sanjay Rahman. The doorman, the gardener, the bodyguard, minister for pajamas affair..? Now, come on in.
Matei found the house to be… refreshing. Something like a summer house in the mountains, somewhere to relax. It didn’t have anything to do with a ruling person’s house, and lacked any form of formality. And this Sanjay guy, bodyguard or whatever, had a je-ne-sais-qui that could really make you feel welcome.
Mr. Revert, this place is secure, said Deris, briging all of them back to reality. Would you excuse me, sir, to wait outside while you speak?
Oh! Of course, of course.
That put the ice back…I'm sorry; we don't want to imply you are not trustworthy. But my Secret Service has to do it's job, and I have to listen to their advice.
Oh, it's okay. It's no problem at all. Uhm.. Sorry about the mess -- we weren't expecting you until midday, or at least, that's what Eulalia told me. Anca wouldn't sleep a week in advance preparing for a visit. But then again, this is unofficial. Matei was begining to have fun. So it's ok to let a guy in pajamas greet the leader of a bilion+ country. By the way, you are…?!. I'm her boyfriend, by the way. Her first boyfriend. Is that a title?! And, ah, since we weren't quite expecting you yet, Eulalia's still upstairs, with her second boyfriend.
The eyebrow lifted out of an almost forgotten reflex: ookey….
Eulalia! The foreign dignitary is here! Oh, here she comes now.
Do I hear muffled gasp of pleasure, and was that a … moan?!
Okay, just a minute! I'll be down soon! Why?! Finish first, I’m in no hurry.
Matei’s neurons where laughing their axons off! And the most interesting part was Sanjay, who was warmly asking Tea or coffee?!
Well, they say I too have a great smile…Tea, please. And please, call me Matei. I’m not here as a foreign dignitary. Although I think the only difference between this and a state visit would be you in shorts and her not … whatever. As miss –is this the correct form?- his smile was from one ear to the other- Haarvanisen probably told you, I was just curious. We are proud of our democratic system, but this is really something out of some theory books. And I wanted to come visit before a delegation, before something spoils you. It’s not that we idolatrize you or something, Matei felt the need to add, as Sanjey was pouring tea. It’s just that, well, we are rather skeptical that nothing would change here as you hit the world. Or vice versa..

"'Spoil us'?" Sanjay asked, raising an eyebrow. The smell of jasmine tea rose, warm and delicate, in the cool morning air. "Pardon my saying, Matei, but pacifist utopians though we may be, I don't think we're all that delicate."

The visitor raised an eyebrow, asking him to continue.

"Well, it's just that most of us here," Sanjay remarked, sipping his tea contemplatively, "Came from out there, as emigrants. Me, I was born in Mumbai, but lived for most of my childhood in the SonIBM West Arcology, in Los Angeles. And believe me, I know what's out there. My father was a low-level software engineer, and my mother was a librarian who worked in information services, so we only had a little cubicle down on the tenth-level. And every night, we'd hear the shootings in the streets echoing up from the valley of buildings."

There was an uncomfortable pause as Sanjay's face darkened with terror-haunted thoughts.

"When my father first heard of the Utopia Now! Foundation, he thought it was a scam. It's almost impossible not to. When your world is all about surviving the ups and downs of The Biz, you get suspicious. But he and mom talked and talked, and they took a risk, and the rest is history, I guess..."

"Oh, excuse me, Matei. I'm rambling again, aren't I? Sorry! All I meant to say was that... well... most people here in FreeDom weren't born here, but brought here when the Foundation initiated its Project. They have memories of the world outside -- even clearer ones than younger folks like me. We're not all that innocent.

"But the young ones -- the kids that were born here in the first year and onwards -- they'll be growing up with only good memories. That's what's really important. To have a safe place, a happy place to grow and thrive in. Ah! Eulalia! Miguel! It's about time you two pulled your lazy butts out of bed!"

"Oh stuff it, you!" came a voice from the stairwell. Two pairs of bare feet came down the stairs: it was Eulalia and her second boyfriend Miguel, in their sleeping clothes.

"Matei," said Sanjay, "Let me introduce her most august reveren--"

Eulalia threw a pillow at him.

"--oof! Er -- Eulalia Haarvanisen, First Speaker of Freedominium. Followed by my good friend and colleague, Miguel Rivera, her second boyfriend and archaeology major."

Eulalia was a slim young woman, and rather petite -- just a hundred and sixty something centimetres. She carried herself lightly and there was a certain bounce in her step that conveyed an almost girlish energy. She had long, black hair tied in a ponytail that reached to the small of her back, and pale, clear skin with a dusting of freckles over the bridge of her pert nose, and sea-green eyes. Her cheeks glowed softly pink, and her smile was unabashedly friendly. She was dressed in light, coral-pink nylon pajamas, and fairly hopped over to the armchair where Sanjay sat.

"Oof!" he said, as Eulalia fell into his lap and kissed him on the cheek.

The second young man -- about the same age as Eulalia -- was a bit more restrained, and approached the living room with a kind of sheepish shyness, as if he'd been caught by his mother in a slightly embarrassing act. His skin possessed an olive tan and dark, roguish brown eyes behind oddly delicate-looking glasses. He was tall and wiry -- just short of two metres. A baggy Greenpeace t-shirt and sweatpants covered him loosely. Miguel possessed the shyly cunning air of an incurable intellectual and carried himself with nearly professorial demeanor.

Noticing Revert's surprise, Sanjay explained: "You can have as many relationships as you like. Usually it's common to have a 'steady' -- someone you go out with regularly and for the long term -- and a 'fling' -- someone you date for the short term for the fun of it. I'm the steady in this relationship."

Eulalia giggled and knocked him lightly on the head as she twirled his curly black hair. "Oh stop it, Sanjay. You're so arrogant!"

Miguel spoke, smiling his rascally smile, "What he means is that he's the boring one. I'm the fun one."

"Ahem!" Eulalia cleared her throat.

Turning to Revert, Eulalia extended a hand and a stunningly bright smile, and said, "It's a pleasure and an honour to finally meet you, Mr. Revert! You're a little early, but that's great -- we'll have plenty of time to show you stuff and talk about things and walk around and meet the people! And -- oh! Sanjay, did you offer him anything other than drinks?"

Sanjay shook his head slowly, and then his eyes flew open and he smacked his forehead. "Of course! How rude of me!" he exclaimed, standing up suddenly and heading for the kitchen.

"Mr. Revert, it's Freedominarian custom to offer guests a drink and something to relax. Would you like anything? We've got -- hey, Sanjay what do we have in the fridge?"

"Some of that leftover apple pie from the festival a few days ago, bundt cake, some hash, lots of marijuana, a few 'shrooms."

"Would you like some marijuana? Maybe some psilocybin mushrooms? They're really great!"

FSR tracked down some stories like Sanjay's, so Matei was warned that not all those utopians where born free(dominarians). Yet this kind man's bitterness was so real. One could understand the true vision of that founder only by listening to stories like that.
...they'll be growing up with only good memories. That's what's really important. To have a safe place, a happy place to grow and thrive in. How are you going to defend it?
Ah! Eulalia! Miguel! It's about time you two pulled your lazy butts out of bed!" Nice legs...
"Oh stuff it, you!" I think pajamas are the oficial uniform in this country. "Matei, Let me introduce her most august reveren--" right….
Eulalia acted like the child she looked like. Throwing a pillow at Sanjay, jumping in his lap, ignoring the revterran for a moment. Still somehow “outside the loop”, Matei kept looking at the tall new comer.
You can have as many relationships as you like. Usually it's common to have a 'steady' -- someone you go out with regularly and for the long term -- and a 'fling' -- someone you date for the short term for the fun of it. I'm the steady in this relationship." Oficial husband meeting the oficial lover…
Oh stop it, Sanjay. You're so arrogant! ”you would be so bad if you would forbid me to date other people”, Matei felt the need to mock her.
What he means is that he's the boring one. I'm the fun one. Maybe in bed.
"Ahem!" What, you didn't spit that?! :)
It's a pleasure and an honour —wow— to finally meet you, Mr. Revert! You're a little early, (apart from drawing flowers on my message print out, did anyone actually READ it?!) but that's great -- we'll have plenty of time to show you stuff and talk about things and walk around and meet the people! should I be afraid?

Outside the room, Deris was looking at his PocketPC -called Rik- monitor, depicting several scannings of the building. Matei's steady heart beat was also displayed. One spike there, and the guard would enter.
Outside the house, hidden in a tree in the nearby forest, the second guard was also on the lookout.

Over the years Matei impose himself not to became boring. He would let his mind think of a line even if the mouth would never say it. It helps the spirit, he use to say. As he was elected to supervise the final steps of opening RevTerr to the world, he had to face people’s anxiety, military’s stillness and the constant need of a moderator over different disputes. His quick responses, cheerful mood and trust inspiring smile, constantly got him in the revterran “who would you date with” polls. Even after his marriage.
Back to here and know, these kids understood exactly the spirit of his visit: an unofficial, free of constraints one. Still, he was supposedly the first outsiders to come visit them. He wouldn't have so much trust in a guest, especially with their backgrounds. Not necessary physical trust but even a mental one.
Matei found himself uncertain how to act: to warn them, would be inappropriate and really fun spoiling. To endorse them wouldn't send the right message.
For now he'll continue to play along -that's an ugly word, since I really enjoy this-, and let them dictate the mood.

Mr. Revert,
Please, call me Matei.
It's Freedominarian custom to offer guests a drink and something to relax. Would you like anything? How nice…
Hey, Sanjay what do we have in the fridge?" I love trying local cuisine
Some of that leftover apple pie from the festival a few days ago, leftover?! bundt cake (since when?), some hash, ok..., lots of marijuana is that the...? a few 'shrooms.
"Would you like some marijuana? Maybe some psilocybin mushrooms? They're really great!" I’m sure they are, those PSIlocybin.
I like trying the local cuisine, answered Matei smiling, and congratulating himself for his stomach pills, although please, keep the psychedelics away. I might like them too much, he added, laughing.

Eulalia giggled and shrugged. "Well, at any rate, you simply must try some of this pie, I'm sure you must be starving from your long trip."

Thrusting a plate at the Revterran, Eulalia laced together her fingers before her, and smiled sweetly, asking: "So! I guess we should be talking political matters and whatnot! What interests you here in Freedominium?" Her first boyfriend, Sanjay, gently stroked her thick, dark hair as she sat in his lap, and her second boyfriend Miguel reset his spectacles on his nose, looking keenly interested in the foreign dignitary.

"Woooo! Yeah!" Shouted Sergeant John Harris, from the cockpit of the Bomblean Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle.
"Hey, we're close to Freedominium! Bloody hippies! Let's buzz 'em!" Said Flight Sergeant Frank Sinclair.
"Oh, i wouldn't do that, flight. We might get in a lot of trouble." replied Harris, unwilling to get into any more of the mess they were already in.
"John, we sneaked onto the airfield and stole an F-15, what more trouble could we possibly be in? We are going to get stood down, for sure."
"Oh, go on then, you might as well."
"Here goes nothing!" Shouted Sinclair.
Harris gripped his seat.

They saw the building up ahead. They must've seen us by now! Thought Harris. Altitude was dropping. 1000, 950, 800 feet. Afterburner on!
"What the hell are you doing? Their gonna go deaf!" Shouted a manic Harris.
"Look, if we're gonna do this thing, we have to do it properly!" Replied an icy cool Sinclair.
100 feet! They could almost reach out and touch the ground. The building was up ahead. Not long now!

They passed the building 70 feet above, at speeds almost reaching Mach 1. The noise was deafening.
"WOOOHOOOO!" Shouted Sinclair, while pulling up.
Harris uncovered his eyes and caught a glimpse of the building they had just buzzed. There were soldiers outside, with a helicopter. The soldiers were running.
"Ummm, Frank?" Harris said.
"Yes John?"
"I think we might be in a hell of a lot more trouble than we think."
"Why John?"
"I think that the building that we just buzzed was diplomatically important."
"Oh shit" Said Sinclair. "I'll go around and take another look"
They were quite a way away now, but Frank turned the unarmed F-15E back towards the house with the soldiers...

"Ohmygosh!" shouted Eulalia, jumping to her feet. "What was that?"

"A jet fighter, I think," said Miguel, with his pinky in his ear.

Her eyes wide, Eulalia said: "That was an unauthorized pass, then. It'll activate the island's security system."

Sanjay ran to the bay window on the opposite wall and threw open the curtains.

"My God, it's turning back!"

"Miguel!" Eulalia shouted.

"On it!"

Miguel sprang over the couch and darted into a room. Moments later, he came back with a small, cubical electronic device in hand. Eulalia took it and inserted a thin, transparent rectanglular sliver, and rapidly spoke into the machine.

"Stop! Whoever you are, you must stop! You've activated the island's security system -- we have no way of turning it off! Please, you must turn around NOW!"

Sinclair pushed the F-15E's nose down. He could see the building clearly now that he was out of the clouds. Suddenly, he heard a frantic voice shouting in his ear...
"Stop! Whoever you are, you must stop! You've activated the island's security system -- we have no way of turning it off! Please, you must turn around NOW!"
"We have flares and chaff, it'll be ok" Sinclair calmly said to Harris.
But Harris was worried. Anything other than missiles and we're history, he thought. They continued to dive.

The building with the soldiers rushed towards them. They pulled up level and dipped the left wing to get a better view.
"Yep, they're definitely soldiers!" Sinclair stated.
Harris laughed feebley. He wasn't in a joking mood.

And then it happened.

The control panel lights suddenly switched off. All control of the engines and surfaces failed. In an instant, they were a dead duck in the water. Sinclair immediately tried the radio.
"Mayday, mayday...damn, radio's dead. And the EPU has failed to initialise" Said Sinclair. They weren't prepared for this.
"Roger flight, no ECM on board."
"Roger, prepare for ejection."
The F-15E slowly banked down towards the ground. A sideways ejection was inevitable.
"GO!" Shouted Sinclair. Harris was gone in a flash.
A fraction of a second later, so to was Sinclair.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sinclair and Harris floated gently towards an open field, some way away from the building. They could see the F-15E crash in the distance, perilously close to a small village. The last thing they needed now was civilian casualties.
"We need to remain hidden." Sinclair said upon landing. "They'll be after us now, but I don't think they saw where we landed, thank god."
"Yes sir." Harris muttered. He wasn't ready for all this. He just wanted a quick joy ride. Now they will probably be the subject of a major diplomatic incident.
Sinclair kept low, and signalled Harris to follow him.
He whispered, "Bomble has no embassy here, and relatively few Bombleans can stand this country. We need to get to a boat. But first, we need a change of clothes."
Harris looked at his dark green Bomblean Air Force overalls and nodded.
"Let's go!" Sinclair whispered. They bolted to the nearest clump of trees.
Now just where the hell is the coast? Harris thought...

Matei was about to open his mouth, when a jet-like noise was heard somewhere in the vicinity. Way too close was that vicinity.
Matei’s hand rushed to his pocket and pulled out his wireless headset. Report!
Plane, not commercial, came the reply from the tree. Thus military.
Rev, this is Base, captain Paris could be heard, aboard Talin. We have it on radar. Military, flies low, and it’s coming about.
My God, it's turning back!
Comander, said Deris Vas as he rushed into the room, this is not safe, we have to evacuate.
Matei turned around to face Eulalia. I am not letting them behind!! Miguel raced past him, giving some sort of cubic device to Eulalia.
Comander!, said Deris, as he begun pushing Matei to the door.
Stop! Whoever you are, you must stop! You've activated the island's security system -- we have no way of turning it off! Please, you must turn around NOW.

Different ships relayed the status report toward Roman, to admiral Nita: Unidentified military jet, flying low in civilian area over Zone Rev.
What?!! Connect>Satelites>Freedominum.
The macrocomand established a videolink with someone from the Satellites Control center, in Ceahlau Island.
Go for Freedominium!

There are some basic rules that go down to every revterran core. One of them was don’t do to others what you wouldn’t want them to do to you. Thus, although RevTerr experimented with satellites launching systems and orbital control, they always kept their electronic eyes to themselves. After all, any orbiter approaching the revterran sky would be tracked down and, if proven hostile, destroyed. Of course, a satellite does not have to be exactly over it’s target to deliver information, especially those equiped with powerfull lenses in diferent wavelenghts -when not used, they are great for space exploration-. But then again, a properly applied thrust would slow down a satellite’s speed just enough to make a similar pass over a country, as it’s intruder did over RevTerr.
Or, at least, this was the theory. No one actually cared enough for RevTerr to send a spy, and, of course, who says that a country’s borders expand into space.
But the RevTerrans sticked to it (more or less) so, even with the leader undercover into a foreign country, no spy satellite would set it’s lens on that land. Until now.

Dr. Adrian Antonescu, M.D., was taking a sip of hot, fragrant coffee outside the Banyan Tree Café in Harmony 7 when there was a deafening blast of noise overhead. Ruffled, with his ears ringing from the earsplitting rumble of the sonic shockwave, Antonescu shot to his feet, heart pounding.

He'd heard that sound before. When Bucharest fell to the Turkish army during the Water War. The screech of scram-bombers flying overhead, dropping napalm bombs on infantry and tank columns. The howl of cruise missiles tearing the sky as they bombarded weapons emplacements.

Looking skywards, he saw in the distance a flashing point of metal bank and turn again. Heart trembling, Antonescu instinctively dove for cover under the small coffee table, expecting guided missiles to home in at any second.

The security system!

He was right. Five seconds after the F-15 fighter flew far under clearance over Pace, the network of one hundred microwave radar dishes, normally used for doppler weather radar and air traffic control, came to life, turning under the control of the Security AI, towards the perceived threat. Five seconds it took, and then one hundred invisible beams of microwave energy bombarded the fighter, reducing the million-dollar electronic apparatus to a flying scrap of metal.

The pilots inside realised that their plane was doomed and ejected, and Dr. Antonescu watched the jellyfish shapes of their parachutes drift slowly down to an open field not more than twenty kilometres away. A muffled roar came as the fighterjet dove down into a field some ten kilometres away.

There were screaming voices again, triggering a momentary wave of horror to pass over the doctor, but these voices were shouting to go towards the two crash sites: the two new, unexpected guests that might have been hurt in their perilous descent, and the airplane crash site, to see if there were any injured.

Adrian Antonescu ran towards the former.

Dong-sun Kim was working the community gardens on his weekly three hours of community service, when a blast of noise and light tore the sky. Then an explosion hit, the concussion jarring his ears and a hot, dry blast wave that smelled of jet fuel propelled him a short distance through the air. Moments later he came to, his ears ringing and his head was pounding, as if someone had taken a hammer to it. He had landed on a soft bed of grass.

He saw the fire roaring not far away. Momentarily he flashed back to the Winter War, remembering how he had sheltered his children when the artillery barrages came crashing down in Seoul.

Oh no, thought Kim. Not here!

He lapsed back into unconsciousness just as the dim, blurry forms of his fellow Freedominarians came searching towards him, through the noise and firelight.

**

Yoana Weizman was a Mediator, and was on her morning biking route, through a grove of Coast redwoods past a meandering stream, and had emerged from the cool shade of the groves into the pale gaze of the winter morning onto a well-beaten dirt trail that joined a paved road just about half a kilometre to the north. She heard it before she saw it, since she was busy admiring the view of Pace's weatherbeaten northwest coast and listening to the lull of the North Pacific waves crashing coldly against the stolid rocks.

But then when the crash of metal rent the air with an earsplitting shriek, Yoana turned and before she knew it, a blur of silver had exploded onto a field not more than two hundred metres from Humanity 6 commune. Shock quickly lapsed into horror, as her mind flashed back to terrible visions. She had heard that sound before -- the sound of flames and destruction. A blast wave caused the ground beneath her to tremble slightly, and that too reminded her of the awful things from which she had fled.

Her squad had been returning from a skirmish at the Syrian border, when Noah shouted and pointed out over the highway. A blur passing through the sky, followed by a white contrail, and a sudden flash.

Ducking down behind the humvee, her squad felt a hot rush of light and heat, a blast wave roar past them like the sound of distant thunder. When they peered over the engine covering, Yoana felt the bile rise in her throat as she saw the mushroom cloud rise over Tel Aviv.

This explosion here, where she thought she and her family would be safe, brought back those flickering memories.

Yoana kicked in the electric motor on her bicycle and sped down the path and onto the road. They would need her.

As she went, tears sparkled from her eyes like morning dewdrops.

The satellites were almost circular in shape. Most of them was decoy, used to hide the real target of the lenses. When admiral Nita gave the command, it took a couple of second for the lenses covers to emergency-open. One satellite had the lenses already focused on the designate "Zone Rev" around the house, the other allowed for a general view over the country. It took a while for the humans to adapt to the images, so in the first moments they missed the essential.
Rev, Rom transmits the intruder is dropping altitude fast...and it crushed landed, 10 kilometers west from you.
One plane, military by design, it crush-landed ten kilometers west, said Matei loudly. Although ten kilometers away, the explosion's sound could be heard. Others?
Not on sensors...
Keep monitoring...
Sir, AN on the line...
Put it on.
Are you alright?
Yes, I am.
I want you out of there.
I want you to investigate the scans.
RT, you are in danger!
Activate the "eyes". Are there any other hostiles?
Already done. Anca Nita frowned at the monitors. Light air traffic, but I cannot tell friend from foe.
Flying hot stuff?
Nothing on thermal... But still, maybe it was a decoy...
Noted.

Matei was watching the others reaction. There really seemed to be a procedure set in place for situations like that. And it didn't involve screaming, whining or hiding in bunkers...

RT, the frame-by-frame analysis came. Anca Nita was reading the report draft. To cut it short, the plane was hit by a concentrated wave, in the upper Gigahertz spectrum.
Microwave beams? whispered Matei into his microphone. If needed, that will be shared later.
Sort of. It came from some array of dishes around the capital. Little to none thermal effect on the plane, but apparently it fried his electricalls.
How come we've missed them?
They looked and acted like meteo scanners. RT, I strongly suggest evacuation
Keep the jetters hot. I'm taking it into account. Off!

Yoana Weizman arrived on scene, hopping off the electric motorbike not far from the roaring, flaming wreck of the crashed fighter jet. It was a scene of controlled chaos. Flames from the jet fuel roared metres into the sky, and people were running about, carrying the wounded away from the crash site and administering first aid. Fortunately the jet hadn't crashed in the commune directly, but just away from it. Still, the concussion from the blast, and the ensuing fire, had hurt some.

Yoana went over to the nearest stretcher team, and inspected a victim. He was covered in burns, and charred skin flaked and peeled off of his razed flesh. He groaned in pain. Yoana took out the safety kit that all Mediators were expected to carry in their pockets at all times, and gently pressed an hypospray to the man's neck, administering a sedative along with several stabilizing solutions. Medical nanoparticles would rush to the most critical areas and act as sealants to prevent internal haemorrhaging, and the sedative would lower his heart rate and dull his pain.

Turning to the stretcher bearers, Yoana said: "This man is too badly injured for the community clinic. We need to bring him to The Chalicel."

The Chalice was one of twelve centralized facilities scattered around the island, each perfoming a different function. It was the best nanohospital in Freedominium, and specialized in cases of severe medical trauma.

"The Chalice? Yoana, that's sixty kilometres away," said a woman. "We'll never make it in time."

"I'll requisition an ambulance. Move him to the clinic and separate the worst wounded from the rest."

"Good thinking," said another stretcher bearer.

The female stretcher bearer looked to her injured comrade, and said softly as she bore him away, "Don't worry, Jacob, you'll be fine. You'll see!"

Yoana went around the disaster area, supervising the rescue operations and directing fire control. People gravitated to her for assistance and direction; she possessed an assertive aura of calm in the face of disaster, a legacy, perhaps, of her time in the Israeli Defense Forces.

**

In Eulalia's house, everyone heard the muffled thud a few seconds later when the fighter jet crashed into the ground.

"Oh ... no... " Eulalia whispered.

Sanjay, who was watching the windows, pointed out at the parachutists descending towards the forest on the northwestern side of the island.

"Look! They're still alive!" he shouted.

Miguel turned to him and said, "They're going down in the forest. They might be injured in the descent, or distressed. We have to help them."

"My thoughts exactly," replied Sanjay. "Eulalia, Miguel and I are going to look for those parachutists."

Eulalia nodded: "I'll contact The Scale and ask them to send out search-and-rescue teams in ultralites to survey the area."

"Good idea."

"Wait, before we go, Eulalia," said Miguel, "Do you think we should activate The Shell?"

"That'd take a referendum, Miguel," replied Eulalia.

"Those parachutists might be armed, and with all of us closing in on them, they might take our actions to seem hostile. Desperate people do dangerous things."

"You should contact the local Mediators in that area before you do that. If you ask my opinion it's serious enough to warrant locking down the entire island -- not yet anyway."

"Alright."

The two men clattered upstairs to get their things. In a flash they were down again in their outdoors clothes -- jeans and light jackets, with backpacks slung over their shoulders -- and went out the door, both kissing Eulalia's cheek in turn as they rushed past.

Eulalia looked to Matei, and said, "Matei, I'm sorry to cut our talk short, but it's an emergency, and as First Speaker, I have special duties -- I have to open up a dialogue with whatever government that jet was from and work it out diplomatically. If you'd like to go, you can. Our security system was prepped with Revterran transponder codes, so you shouldn't have any trouble flying away."

Sinclair stopped. He could hear voices. They were frantic. It seemed to suggest to him that they were now after them.
"We have to keep moving!" He whispered to Harris. "I think they're onto us!"
"Sir, I think there might be casualties." Harris replied.
"Damn, I lost control of the thing. Sneaky bastards jammed me." Sinclair furiously replied. "I didn't want a friggin' diplomatic incident. This is gonna be all over the papers tomorrow!"
"Let's just keep moving" Harris said, somewhat comfortingly.
They both began to run through the cold, dark forest. Hopefully for them, towards the coast....

If they are armed, then your Mediators are in danger. There is a small armed contingent onboard the vessel I came with, said Matei, signaling that he could walk and talk in the same time, including some JetPack flyers, as we are using them regularly. If you want them, they will be at your disposal for firefighting and recon missions. Additionally, there are two satellites in geosynchronous orbits off your sky, if you want, they could get here in minutes and aid.
Sir, I suggest evacuation.
What would you like me to do? asked Matei ignoring Deris. Do you think I can help you or I would just stay in your way? And in case of an incident, would the discovery of my presence here serve your interests?

"Satellites!" Eulalia exclaimed. "Excellent -- if your satellites have high-resolution imaging abilities, it'll make searching for those parachutists a whole lot easier!"

Eulalia walked over to a large, flat optical screen on one side of the living room and pulled up a three-dimensional display.

"The parachutists came down somewhere in this ten-kilometre area," she said, tracing a square around the forested area on the northwest of the island. "If we can get high-resolution, realtime images of this area, we might be able to identify their approximate location, maybe by finding their parachutes."

Base, go for eyes deployment, Matei spoke into his microphone, as he was approaching Deris. Relay it to the R1 External. His hand reached for his bodyguard's belt alrea, raised his t-shirt, and revealed a small utility belt. Matei reached for a special holster, and extracted two devices.
This is a sort of universal connector, he said giving one of them to Eulalia. It featured different connectors, among witch USB and Firewire. Establishing a connection through this will be a lot faster then waiting for our techs to establish a normal internet securised data connection. If you have radio, bluetooth, light base connecting capabilities, please enable them. This is the receiver, both of them should allow you to directly control the data flux.
Rev, eyes deployed. Incoming data.
The satellites are in position, said Matei, as an interface in revterran and english was configuring itself on the display. Now, here is the visible spectrum, here are the thermo-scans.

"Ah... ha!" Eulalia exclaimed. She pointed victoriously to a square that showed rather obviously where the parachute had landed -- large, white and conspicuous against the backdrop of the dark green conifers that forested the northwestern part of the island.

Lightly touching the screen, Eulalia captured the Revterran satellite readouts in a little holographic square and dragged it with her pinky finger to a 'send' icon on the big optical screen. Toggling icons glowed softly, pale silver in the morning's light.

"I'm making this public on the National Wiki," she muttered as she manipulated the icons on the screen. "If I could have your permission," she said, flipping her raven-black ponytail over one shoulder, "I'd like to set up a streaming feed from your satellites to the Wiki. That way all citizens who are interested can aid in the search."

A soft chime alerted her to another section of the metre-wide screen. Eulalia touched a glowing square and a few lines of text appeared on the screen. Scanning it, Eulalia said:

"It's the Scales. They've issued a national alert," Eulalia frowned and bit her lip. "Must've missed the vote in all the commotion a while ago. Oh well."

A realisation struck her suddenly, like a light-bulb going off in her head. "Oh, I'm sorry Matei. Here we are, throwing around all these terms. You must be rather confused at the moment!"

She sat down on the couch. "See, Freedominium is organized around twelve different 'departments', just like the faculty of a university, corresponding to the twelve signs of the Greek zodiac. The purpose of these departments is to organise general policies for various aspects of society. For example, the Scales -- my department, associated with Libra -- concerns itself with interpreting laws, settling disputes, diplomacy, and international relations. And the Vault, associated with Taurus, is concerned with stockpiles, finances, and economic planning. In normal times, the departments are pretty much invisible, and only act as a way for various professionals to get together to provide a general focus for their activities. In emergencies, like right now, they rise up to coordinate search and rescues and things like that. Ummm..."

Eulalia looked again to the optical screen at the far side of the living room. She pointed at a line of text that scrolled up suddenly.

"See? The Vault has opened up emergency stockpiles of medical supplies and is reassigning work schedules. The Wheel is dispatching ambulances and trucks to transport the supplies. And ... yes, it looks like the Scales already has some glider patrols over the crash site, searching for the parachutists."

The chiming noise came up again and again. Text-messages from people all over the nation, requesting advice and countless other emergency-time procedures. Eulalia went over to the screen and started to work. Looking to Matei again, she said, smiling:

"Would you like to assist in the search-and-rescue? I'm wondering if these people, whoever they are, might be more calm and comfortable if they knew how we treat foreigners here in Freedominium."

-----------

Sanjay and Miguel had gotten on their electric motorbikes and sped down the road towards the forest. In normal times they might've playfully bantered with one another, challenging each other to see who'd make it there first, or exchanged the casual jibing of long-time friends. On their young faces, however, was only a look of determination born of the urgency of the matter at hand.

High overhead a glider swooped silently towards the forest. A man, a member of the Lens -- a slim, dark-haired, and olive-skinned man in his middle-thirties -- activated the infrasensors at the nose of his glider, and brought up a holographic display. Twin heat signatures glowed not eight kilometres ahead.

He grunted, and uploaded the data stream to the National Wiki.

Rev, AN here. We've analised the plane, but we don't have enough to make a positive ID. At most we could say that is not someone we met before.
OK, be warned that eyes 01 and 02 will deliver data to the local intranet, said Matei, signaling Eulalia to set up the direct video link.
Got it, AN out, said Anca Nita, instructing a technician to watch the access logs.

Matei listened to Eulalia's explanations, asking himself how come the freedominians managed to overcome a sort of course that pledged the countries without an enforcer system in place: the system in perfect. If there is a flaw, it's human. It always is. There has to be a computer somewhere....
"Would you like to assist in the search-and-rescue? I'm wondering if these people, whoever they are, might be more calm and comfortable if they knew how we treat foreigners here in Freedominium."
Eulalia, I doubt that I, as a revterran, will make a difference. We've tried to analise the markings on the wings, but so far we've only determined it's no one known to us, and I think we could assume the vice-versa too. If their intentions are hostile, then I believe telling them is nice and peaceful here won't help you, or put them out of the hole. If they got here by mistake, then again, they don't know us, thus not only they have to deal with Freedominuim, but also with RevTerr. I doubt they will get out. You seem to think they are not hostile. I would get some people into the air with heavy body armor and a speaker, telling them to get out because they won't be hurt. But I strongly suggest that body armor or -Matei realized that helicopters do not have "body" armor- or armor, since I doubt that this plane arrived here by mistake. And since we're at it, I must propose you again our Jetters, soldiers would jetpacks, who could do all the above. Plus, they are great as firefighters.
Eulalia wanted to answer, but Matei interrupted her again, as the shape of a glider and the termal image of his inhabitant entered the area covered by the two satellites: Uhm.. is that yours?

Eulalia pondered, then she nodded.

"Do it," she said to the Revterran. "Technically it should take a vote, but emergency procedures are up, and I can always explain it later."

--------------------

John and Sinclair panted, travelling with their heavy packs over the rough ground of the Freedominarian forest. It was tough work, and they'd been up for hours -- and tired and hungry. What they'd wanted was a spur of the moment joyride. What they got was a diplomatic incident and a whole nation full of angry hippies.

John turned his head when he heard the sound of the loudspeaker echoing through the dense, dark columns of the Douglas firs and black pines. He didn't take much heed of what was said.

"Oh shit, duck down, man!" cried Sinclair, throwing him into the thick, dark-brown forest litter. The wet, rich earth was strong in their nostrils.

Overhead the white polyfiber wings of a search and rescue glider swooped silently.

"Christ," muttered John. "These aren't your ordinary hippies."

-------------
Freedominium
-------------

Base, we would like to launch the flyers in a surveillance mission over the Zone Hunt except for one unit who would go firefighting in the Zone Crush, Matei struggled with the encoded communication language, remembering his civil defense trainings.
On the Talin, the order came as a shock. Jetters, in a forest?!
Is this an MDK mission?
No, answered Matei. Until proven hostile, they will only try to talk them out, added Matei, in English this time, questioning Eulalia with his eyes. The girl nodded.
Err…, RT, Base advise against using flyers over an area as Zone Hunt, as the environment is not safe. It’s a forest, thought Paris, and you want to use some jet propelled humans as speakers?! Nonetheless, they are being sent to shore with a speedboat, but please take our recommendation into account.
Matei’s mind throttled back. Dense forests and Jetters never mixed. Still…

-----
Talin
-----

Base, do we have Ballistic Support?
Yeas… Paris was afraid of what might come out.
How about a Balistic propelled speaker on top of zone Hunt?
Where do you get these ideas…..
Still, come to think about it…

Freedominian Coast Defense Authority, this is the revterran vessel Talin. We bear the revterran flag and we are entering freedominian territorial waters on a support mission. We are forwarding IFF identifications, as we intend to approach in full speed. Be advise, there is a support speedboat designated TalinA1 heading ahead to shore, broadcasting the same IFF.

-----------------
Evergreen Three
----------------

My… advisors, (Matei smiled as a child caught without his homework) told me that using jetpacks in a forest in not recommended. None the less, three of them are en route to the coast. One of them will fly to the wreckage and be used as firefighter, the others will standby, if the situation gets hot. In the mean time, (now the smile was the one of a child “cooking” something), my people are preparing a stuff we call Ballistic Support: a missile-like casing, without explosives, who will fly close to this area, (he was pointing on the two hotspots). Once there the engines stop, a parachute is dropped, and a… thing can be delivered exactly there. I’m planning to send them a speaker, so that you could tell them yourself you are peaceful.
Or you can use my special 10 language female-voice message I've just recorded.:D

-------
Talin
-------

Freedominian Air Defense Authority, this is the revterran vessel Talin. There is a non-explosive ballistic projectile on the following course on a support mission. The following are IFF frequency codes, please do not intercept.

The “missile”, hardly half of meter long, left the ship, heading on an arched path toward the place identified by the heat-seeking sensors. As it approached the target zone, the engine where cut off, and the missile begun it’s silent ballistic approach. At one point, a small parachute was dropped, and the object dramatically lost speed. Small corrections were made, as the two fugitives moved through the forest. In the end, the parachute got mix up with some branches, and the device was left hanging on top of the two fugitives. A female voice boomed through the forest, in a clear English.