NationStates Jolt Archive

General Vladimir had positioned his men around the Acras Station. All entrances were blocked: sandbags around the Station and checkpoints on the main roads. Now, as snow swirled and the blizzard set in, it was a waiting game. The Red Guard sat by their posts anxiously, dreading the near future.
"Come on, men. We all know that we're the best force around for a hundred kilometres." That made the soldiers straighten up, smiles on their faces, concentration refreshed. They would give Ysevold a fight yet. Best force in a hundred kilometres.
Vadrinsk was approximately 110km away.

Laura Connors' car came to a halt outside the government building, the journey had seemed long, as her mind was turned towards her colleagues, hoping that they were safe. If she had been given the choice, she would have preferred to have gone along with Edmund and the others to see the action first hand.

Talking to government officials, listening to them skirt around your questions and failing to give you the tiniest bit of information made her more annoyed than she could ever describe. She could never see the point of being invited into these countries, just to be fobbed of with some lie or half truth.

She stepped out of the car and made her way into the building, again her mind turned to Edmund, wondering when - or if - she would ever speak to him again. She shook her head to clear her thoughts, her head needed to be clear.

Upon seeing Laura, Comrade Mikhailovitch tepped towards her with a large, fake grin.
"Ah, comrade, welcome to our capital. Of course, this is a turbulent time for both our countries, but I hope that we can...co-operate to bring justice and security back to the world. A briefing will take place in the Defence Bunker in 2 hours. Until then, you may make the most of your time here. However, as the location of the bunker's entrance is confidential, we..."
A SIN officer had sidled up to Mikhailovitch and whispered something in his ear. The politician nodded, and started to walk towards an obscurely placed door.
"My apologies, comrade, urgent business.." He waved his hand, and entered the room.
"Sir, Ysevold is moving his troops north. The assualt is about to begin."

Laura smiled and greeted Comrade Mikhailovitch as he approached. She knew instinctively that nothing would come out of this meeting. He was just like the rest, having the investigation team here, but not giving them anything to work with or do.

She thought about the team. He has said they were about to prepare an assault. He thoughts went out to her colleagues as she followed Comrade Mikhailovitch into the building.

A group of ten stood outside a small office building: Mikhailovitch, Laura, two other inspectors, two ministers and four guards.
"Now, I'm afraid that we will have to blindfold you before we enter the bunker." At Comrade Mikhailovitch's word, three of the four guards stepped forward and tied cloth around the inspectors' eyes, walked them around in circles for half a minute, and turned to the ministers. With a nod from the Acting Premier, the journey to the bunker's Defence Room commenced.

Once the blindfold was on and she had been turned around, Laura was totally lost and confused, and had to trust entirely in her guides to lead her safely to their destination. Her feet not wanting to move, fearing that she might walk into something at any minute.

She moved slowly, her brain trying to register direction, noting when they turned left or right, hoping that if anything went wrong, she would have enough knowledge to get her out of the place.

OOC: A map of DB and its neighbours can be found at http://invisionfree.com/forums/CACE/index.php?showtopic=323

IC: With 8 codes entered by ministers, the fireproof and bulletproof reinforced steal door to the Defence Room slid open. The inspectors' blindfolds were removed at a gesture from Mikhailovitch, and were shown seats at the centre conference table.
"Here we monitor all movements by Ysevold. There is a direct line to the AB office, the Kharovsk Space Centre and all rooms in the bunker from this station." Comrade Robert waved a hand at a large plasma screen, depicting northern Demo-Bobylon. "Our satellites show that the renegade forces are moving north-north-east, along a network of roads. Any questions before we begin the conference?"

Laura blinked as the blindfold was removed, pleased to be stop relying on another to move her around. Her eyes instinctively took in her surroundings, as she listened, resting them on the large screen being indicated.

She turned to Comrade Roberts. "I have no questions. I am more than ready to begin the conference when you are." She smiled, as she waited for him to lead the way.

Comrade Robert Mikhailovitch smiled, and gestured at the people sitting at the conference table. "Yes. Well, may I have the pleasure of introducing the Professer of Epidemiology [sp?] at New Demo University, Comrade Samuel of MIST, Comrade..." He talked for a further few minutes the 15 people present nodded and corretced his pronounciation. "Now, without much further ado, let us begin."

Laura greeted each of the people in turn, knowing that she would be lucky to remember half the names and positions of the people around the table, not that it was important. It was only what they had to say that mattered, not who said it.

She nodded to Comrade Mikhailovitch. "I'm ready, although I'm not entirely certain what I can do in this situation. But if there is anything, then our services will be offered." She knew she had the authority to agree to a certain level, anything else would have to go through the Empress.

SS Mikhail
*********

Lieutenant Piotr was tired. After being questioned for hours with his captain, and helping in the rescue operation, and limited sleep, he was now relaying the satellite pictures to the Defence Bunker. He was just short of suddenly slumping over the controls: over a video conferencing system he had been watching the meeting with faked interest, but the Proffessor of Epidemiology's lecture, involving something about spread factors, had resulted in nothing more than a severe headache.
Piotr finally let his body take over and fell forwards. But something caught his eye. Something...
He straightened himself up and looked at the screen of the Northern Vadrinsk Line in front of him. With his heart pounding, the lieuteneant increased the magnification, so that a single troop train was visible, even the writing upon its side.
Ysevold's troop train had just switched tracks. It was heading for the Vadr Hydroelectric Dam, not the Acras Station. With a heavy heart, Lieutenant Piotr groaned.