NationStates Jolt Archive

Imperial Palace, Port Royal, Roycelandia

His Imperial Majesty Emperor Royce I was not having a good day. The War in Gabon had fizzled into a sort of cease-fire thingy, and had also failed to lead to the destruction of the Lusakans.

More importantly, they still hadn't recovered two missing Nuclear Warheads from the Pacific Ocean, and people were starting to get bored with life. There was no crime, everyone was employed, and all in all everyone was happy with their lot.

Which meant it was time for another Random Imperial Expansion.

His Majesty pressed the intercom button. "Commander Sword, it's time to expand the Empire again. Come and help me find somewhere to invade."

Commander Sword sighed, and made his way to the Imperial Map Room.

His Majesty had a giant map of the world on the far wall. "Ah, Jack. Glad you could join us. Time to decide where to expand to."

His Majesty raised a revolver and fired randomly at the map.

"Right, despatch the Imperial Guard to... Madagascar!"

"Your Majesty, we already invaded there once. It was a debacle. The troops mutinied. OK, we got Reunion out of it, but even so, let's leave Madagascar alone then, OK?"

"Oh." His Majesty fired again. "Where the hell is Macao?" he asked, looking at the bullet hole.

"It's a Portugeuese Colony on the Southern coast of China*. Neither the Portugeuse or the Chinese are going to be too impressed if you try and take it."

"Well, put it on the short list, eh? Here we go, 3rd Time's the charm!"

His Majesty fired the revolver a third time.

"New Guinea. Anyone own it?"

"Not as far as I can tell..."

"Good. Invade it."

36 hours later, somewhere near Port Moresby

"What are we doing here, Sarge?"

"Um... apparently we're supposed to add New Guinea to our glorious Empire. Or something?"

"Is there a pub in Port Moresby?"

"One hopes so."

"OK, let's go there and invade the country later..."


*I'm aware that in RL Macao is now part of China. As far as Roycelandia is still concerned, however, it's a Portuguese Colony.

OOC: Lol, nice one mate!

IC: We would be appalled by this act of naked aggression, but this would require far too much effort and since nothing is actually going to happen anyway, we reckon that we'll probably just send some police to help your troops back off home when they've drunk all the alcohol they can find.

OOC:Heh

IC: "We must announce our outrage at this blatant....oh, who cares....blah blah blah, dont kill the natives...blah blah...restore democracy...blah blah blah...something about not raping or pillaging....we dont care anymore.

"Have fun!"

Freethinker Foreign Office

"Good show, old chap"

-The Emperor of Jordaxia.

The Jordaxian government in exile would like to congratulate you on your addition. If there is no pub there, I'd be happy to build it, and export some of our finest ale reserves to stock the cellar with.

"Good show, old chap"

-The Emperor of Jordaxia.

The Jordaxian government in exile would like to congratulate you on your addition. If there is no pub there, I'd be happy to build it, and export some of our finest ale reserves to stock the cellar with.

(BTW Brunei is a colony of UE that is somewhat autonomously run)

Government House, Brunei

The weekly meeting of the Governing Committee usually was eneventful and the United Elias representatives nearly always permitted the Bruneian members to do whatever they wanted with regard to internal policy and vice versa for foreign policy.

Today was going to be different as a potentially serious issue would have to be debated immediately, a recent intelligence disclosure that Roycelandia was invading Papua New Guinea. To make matters more serious, Brunei was starting to see an upsurge in illicit narcotics smuggling which almost certainly originated from New Guinea.

After four hours of discussion a decision had been made to make some sort of effort to assist Roycelandia and decrease drug smuggling from the area. An hour later another decision was made to send military special forces and a compromise was that United Elias forces stationed in Brunei should be used in the begining with Bruneian troops to follow only if necessary.


Tutong, Brunei

At Tutong Military Base, the headquarters of the Elias military Contigent in South-East Asia, there was a general feeling of elation in the barracks as the approximately 19,900 troops of the 1st Airborne Division prepared to be rotated back home after a gruelling nine month tour of duty in Brunei. During that time the troops had only been allowed home four times on weekly leave and the endless jungle humidty and tropical rainfall had been exhausting. The entire time the 1st Airborne had been in Brunei the three brigades had rotated duties every month so that one brigade was assigned to field training at all times. This took place in South Eastern Brunei which was sparsely populated and of course covered in dense rainforest.

As the afternoon sun shimmered over the waves of the beaches adjacent to the airfield, the thirty two men of Recon Platoon 175, one of several Special Reconassiance Service (SRS) units attached to the 1st Airborne to provide a specops capability, lounged about waiting for the transport plane that would bring the initial units of the 3rd Airborne who were replacing them, and more importantly take them home. However they were approached by a Lieutenant Colonel and they were ordered to the briefing room. They were no longer going home, they were headed for New Guinea.

Shortly after dark an EA-80 (http://www.nationstates.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=38933) Transport Plane tookoff from Tutong and headed Eastwards, inside the special forces operatives chekced their weapons and parachutes. Much to their annoyance they would be dropped a few miles off shore and have to use parachuted inflatable boats to get to Port Moresby. Anyway it was a long flight and they needed something to complain about.

Port Moresby, New Guinea

The soldiers of the 21st Imperial Guards Regiment were somewhat surprised by the near total lack of resistance to the "invasion."

As it appeared that the country was basically in a state of Anarchy anyway, the locals seemed somewhat pleased to see a civilised Nation interested in taking over control and restoring Law & Order etc to the country.

By this stage, most of the Soldiers had sobered up and recovered from their hangovers, and the entire operation had been jokingly dubbed Operation Bar Tab.

The Government in Port Moresby was only too happy to hand the job of "running" the country over to someone else, and a high ranking New Guinean official was quoted as saying "You know, if the Roycelandians had phoned first, then we could have laid on a plane for them and got their offices ready. Still, If you'll excuse me, I'm off to retire on a tropical beach somewhere with no Tax laws..."

More troops had been deployed, and the only resistance expected was some of the less civilised Tribes in the Highlands, and some of the Drug Cartels, who wouldn't be much challenge for either the Imperial Guard or the Imperial Foreign Legion...

Port Royal, Roycelandia

"Your Majesty, we've established control over Port Moresby and the surrounding area, with no casualties except for a few hangovers and some cases of the dry horrors. Now, you need to justify this Invasion as more than something to do on a slow day..."

"Hmmmm." His Majesty thought for a moment. "Got it. We have decided that New Guinea was being used as a haven for Drug Cartels, Scum, Villainy, and other Undesirables, and that it was necessary for us to liberate the country from Un-Civilisation and so on. We should probably tell United Elias as well."

"I'll get right on it..."

"Your Highness!" said an orderly, running into Her Majesty's chambers.

"Yeah?" asked the Queen, her face covered in a mud mask.

"Roycelandia has invaded New Guinea."

"Do we own it?"

"No."

"Meh."

Official Statement from The Burnsian Desert

Meh.

Sincerely,
Her Majesty Queen Rachel Romalia

You have the full approval of my goverment in this matter. I shall send tons of bootlegged alchohol that I captured a month ago.

The Imperial Roycelandian Government is still consolidating its forces in New Guinea, but thus far resistance has been minimal.

The real debate is whether to add the name "Roycelandian" to the country's title.

A Vote will be held at the end of the month to allow the New Guineans to decide, although the Roycelandian Government being what it is, they'll probably do whatever they feel like anyway...

And the results are in... 64% of the Voting Population of New Guinea have voted to add the name Roycelandian to the title.

Henceforth, the Country shall be known as Roycelandian New Guinea, or RNG for short.

A New Governor-General will be appointed once control over the island of New Guinea has been completed. The Colonial Capital will be located in Port Moresby, and other news will be posted shortly...

River Patrols have begun in an effort to find any Drug Plantations, Rebels, and other Counter-Imperial Elements that might be lurking in the New Guinea Highlands or Jungles.

The Official Annexation Ceremony will be held in Port Moreseby tomorrow morning, with the name of the new Governor-General being announced then.

Rumours that His Imperial Majesty Emperor Royce I may also attend have not been denied by Palace Spokespeople.

Imperial Guard have done an excellent job of quelling unrest in parts of the Colony, and at least one Rebel Leader has voluntarily surrendered to Imperial Troops in the Highlands.

"If we did not have other matters to attend to, such as the rebuilding of our armed forces, and if we were not such a peace-loving people, we would take this opportunity to kick your ass. As it is... we echo the statements made by the Queen Rachel Romalia of the Burnsian Desert: 'Meh'"
Matthew von Pickett
Minister of Foreign Affairs

Congratulations on finding a land that is at peace rather than at rebellion.

Ellington Duke
Prime Minister
PRKS

Kinshasa

This morning, the Secular Party suggested, rather pointedly we might add, that Roycelandia should finish the expansion attempts they have already begun in Gabon(and, mayhaps, take responsibility for the hundreds of African lives they took in the process), before undertaking new conquests.

In orbit...

The defense sattelitte CAF-SPX-4 hovered silently along it's path, the merest of whirrs and rattles the only sign that it had received alternate transmissions. Focusing its advanced cameras on New Guinea, it attempted to gain any and all information it could glean about the Roycelandian invaders.

The Imperial Government issues a reply to Kinshasha pointing out that the Imperial Armed Forces are more than large enough to meet our Peacekeeping Obligations in Gabon AND expand our Empire to include New Guinea at the same time.

AC Satellite Imagery will confirm that there are a couple of regiments of the Imperial Guard in RNG, along with some rather funky new PBRs acquired from United Elias, and, of course, some squadrons of Spitfires- a sight that the AC and Lusaka will be all to familiar with. :D

ooc: *grabs his sh** kickin boots* :P

"Should we report it to the boss?"

"Well you know he hates imperialism, unless he's doing it in the name of lennin, he'll go up the wall if we tell him."

"Then we tell the boss."

One of the aide's sighed and opened the door slowly to what was the inner sanctum of Poland, and where "The boss" as he was lovingly known.

The boss was asleep at is table, his pen dripping with red ink off of the side.
The aide coughed.
Illianov did not stir.
the aide coughed again, before giving up and slamming a heavy book on the table, it awoke Illianov with a start.

"KURWA! Lennin and Marx! what the hell was that for Comrade Uskov?"

"Sorry boss it's just Roycelandia made another random imperial expansion."

"Gargh stupid roycelandians, we'll have to bitch slap them, issue war or whatever needs to be done to stop those idiots"


Communistpoland requests that you renounce all imperialism and give your colonies their own flag and country back to it's people or be wiped from the face of the earth.

A Freindly warning from the Communistpoland workers party

From the Foreign Office, Peoples' Federation of Scandinavia

As a nation that not only has local interests in New Guinea, but also a vested hatred of nations who would invade sovereign territory just to expand an "empire". This is not mere imperialism, it is naked greed and human nature at its worst. We deplore the actions of his imperial majesty Royce I's government, and DEMAND that he removes all troops from the isles of New Guinea. If said demand is not met fortwith, it will be taken as an act of hostility towards Guinea and its allied federation of Scandinavia.

Regards,
Mogens Lykketoft,
Foreign Minister,
PFoS.

OOC: Guys, New Guinea is well and Truly Roycelandian now... read the posts. The Invasion is over- if anyone wanted to undertake military action, the time to do it was a week ago. In NS Time, New Guinea has been Roycelandian for almost a year now.

However, feel free to get involved on a Diplomatic or Covert Ops level. (TG me if you want to take the Covert Ops path)

And Communist Poland, Roycelandia's empire is HUGE. I wouldn't reccommend trying to attack us- read the thread "UE Invades Gabon in War on Terror" for an idea of what happens when Roycelandia and United Elias decide to get Imperial on someone's ass... :D

IC:

TO: Communistpoland
FROM: Roycelandia

Thank you for your communique 11/06/04, regarding our acquisition of New Guinea.

The Roycelandian Constitution forbids the granting or declaration of Independence to or of any Colony of Roycelandia. Ever.

All Colonies have a full, democratically elected Parliament, voted for by the people of the Colony. The Governor-General is the only person installed by Imperial Appointment, although the Governor-General may also appoint local persons to act in his Cabinet. Such appointments are subject to both an Imperial and Democratic Review should there be any serious concerns about their effectiveness in carrying out their duties.

As such, we have no intention of granting any of our colonies full indepenence at any point ever.

Once again, we thank you for your enquiry and trust that your own plans to spread Global Communism and further your own Neo-Soviet Empire are proceeding to your satisfaction.

[signed] Jeff Lebowski, Foreign Minister, The Empire of Roycelandia

********************************

TO: Red Scandinavia
FROM: Roycelandia

Thank you for bringing to our notice the presence of Red Scandinavian Interests in New Guinea, and raising some of your concerns with us.

To take your concerns in order:

i. So far, the Colonial Government in New Guinea has been unable to identify any of your interests in New Guinea. However, if you would be so kind as to elaborate on them, then we can ensure that your business interests can continue to operate unmolested.

ii. Roycelandia is a Democratic Empire, and a civilised one. Many of our Imperial Trading Company Representatives in New Guinea were decrying the lawlessness, banditry, drug dealing, and general breakdown in Law and Order that had taken over New Guinea.

After a careful evaluation of the situation by the Imperial Security Bureau, it was felt that the full annexure of New Guinea would be the only way to ensure civilisation, peace and stability in the area, as the Natives are clearly incapable of governing themselves. It was only a matter of time, in the ISB's opinion, before New Guinea became a haven for Terrorists and other Scum & Villainy.

iii. Whilst a full annexure might seem extreme, Roycelandia is an ardent campaigner for Civilisation and the Benefits Thereof. Leaving a country to be consumed by Anarchy and Corruption is totally unacceptable to Roycelandia. Rest assured, New Guinea will receive the same benefits and treatment as the rest of the Empire, including full Citizenship, Free Medical Care, Free Education, etc.

iv. We are sorry that you feel this way, but regrettably our troops protect the Colony of Roycelandian New Guinea- and thus, are not leaving. We are, however, more than willing to keep the military forces at a level necessary only for Self-Defence of the Colony.

v. New Guina is a part of the Roycelandian Empire. No hostility towards Scandinavia can or should be implied or intended- we have been unable to work out the nature of your "interests" in New Guinea, but rest assured, if you have any of a non-military nature they shall be free to carry on as before.

[signed] Jeff Lebowski, Foreign Minister, The Empire of Roycelandia

OOC>> Hm, that's queer. Could you link me to the annexation thread? Or do you just mean this one? I've been so busy with all my storefront and this Gabon/Elections skullduggery that it must have slipped me by.

Now, the Peoples' Federation has had some goings on in New Guinea half a RL year ago, but our nations work in different versions of the globe as is often the case, so I'll try to work out a compromise in my IC post below, okay? If there's anything you can't agree with, just let me know by Tgram or in the Sub Saharan regional forum and we'll sort it out.

CommunistPoland>> Relax with the war-declaring, it's bad form - no nation, psychotic dictatorship or not, would commit its precious military off the bat and into jeopardy without a good reason. Hit me up, and we can work something out with New Guinea.



From the Foreign Office

Our demands have not been met, but we hail and applaud the will of the Roycelandian Imperial Government to make concessions. As to the concerns:

I. The Peoples' Federation working class government has many representatives on New Guinea, educating the guinean children, providing contraception, some health care, and a number of other free services. Not only so, we have formed Worker's cadres that work for a local and independent socialist democratic government in New Guinea in the national capital district(Waigani, Boroko and a number other major settlements, as well as smaller townships and squatters settlements all over the isles). These patriot cadres now feel that all their hard work has been for naught, and neither they nor the Peoples' Federation is willing to recognize a foreign Empire's preposterous claims of ownership to an indigenous and soon-to-be sovereign people.

II. The democratic federation that is Scandinavia holds no greater love for the savagery taking place, but given time and resources, our just efforts would have curbed it, under the auspices of New Guinea, not Scandinavia or any other foreign empire - Pray tell us, what is democratic about annexing another people?

III. Excessive Capitalization does not a valid point make. Civilization is only civilization if it happens for and by the people. We can not be sure the former has happened, and the latter certainly has not. If it does not, it is merely assimilation and subjugation.

IV. See that you do. We wish to know what concessions Scandinavia can make to effect a full withdrawal of the imperial forces from New Guinea.

V. In performing an act of naked imperialism, hostility towards Scandinavia and the free people of New Guinea has already been intended, knowingly or not. Expect relations with the Peoples' Federation to detetoriate, and do so rapidly, if a satisfying settlement can not be agreed upon.

Regards,
Mogens Lykketoft,
Foreign Minister,
PFoS.

An equerry came into the King's Drawing Room

"Your Majesty sir, Roycelandia, has taken New Guinea and has made it a part of their Empire"

The King moved his glasses to the end of his nose, and looked at the equerry, "Hmmm, any resistance?"

"No Sir - They landed, took over all important bases then all made of to the pub for a tinny" the equerry replied.

"Jolly good show! Send a congratulations letter to His Majesty the Emperor, oh, and lets follow their example - Send our Forces to the Solomon Islands and Timor, they shall now be Austican Timor and Austican Solomons"


http://www.hmso.gov.uk/img/royalarm.gif
OFFICIAL CORRESPONDENCE FROM THE KING

Dear Emperor of Roycelandia. Congratulations on your expansion into New Guinea. We pray for good health and prosperity to you, your nation, and your subjects in the colonies.

We have also decided to follow your example, and will take Timor and the Solomon Islands as our colonies. We shall also follow your precedents as to the governance of the new Austican Colonies.

Congratulations again, and thank you for the inspiration

Robert R.I.

King Robert II of Austica

off the coast of New Zealand

The 2 "Cuba"-class troop carriers quickly despatched the 13th Jægersoldater detachment and 54th Insurgency regiment and their mission-specific equipment into smuggler-compartments in the six waiting merchantmen, before leaving for Scandinavia again. The Jæger soldiers and Insurgency specialists, clad in non-descript civilian clothing, quickly towed up and sailed for Port Moresby, Madang and Rabaul in pairs. Carrying crate upon crate of cement, spikes, paint, plain signs and iron; they had an inconspicous cargo at first inspection. A lot of infrastructural imports were going to Papua New Guinea these days, so it was unlikely they would arouse much suspicion.

OOC: I'll post more on this tomorrow, when I've got some time off work and a break from my studying...

Somewhere in, under, or near London

"...Papua, or have they declared war on Indonesia, too, and made life in the area really difficult for themselves? Well shouldn't you know? I know, Tom, but all branches experienced the same cuts, and you don't see the Civil Service getting any smaller...yes...yes...all right, that was a stupid thing to say...but..."

Some while later the PM replaced the receiver, realising that his thirty minute conversation had been rewarded with absolutely no new information.

"God damn it." He muttered in some dejection.

Sighing more heavily still as his gaze caught the stacks of papers still before him, he picked up the remote, having decided to waste the rest of the hour, too. Nothing on at this hour, since he absolutely insisted that Channel five stop showing baseball all night and ITV get rid of that damn cheesy nightscreen. He settled on BBC News 24, thinking that he spied his name on a placard.

"...on the other hand, say critics, Prime Minister Bull may deem thirty years of Papua New Guinean independence and so many thousand deaths in related struggles as of secondary importance to relations with so-called sister states such as Roycelandia..."

Another groan arose from the PM's significant belly. All right, he'd have to at least ask what the Roycelandians thought they were playing at. I wonder if Berlin gives a damn?

Imperial Palace, Port Royal, Roycelandia

"Your Majesty, the rest of the world wants to know why the hell we invaded, occupied, and annexed New Guinea."

His Imperial Majesty Emperor Royce I frowned. How dare the rest of the world question his right to expand the glorious Roycelandian Empire for whatever reason he felt like?

"Are they Questioning our Authoritah?" His Majesty enquired of his aide.

"It would appear that they are, Your Majesty."

"Blast."

His Majesty thought some more. He hated it when his Authoritah was questioned.

"Did you tell them that the New Guineans were Savages in danger of falling prey to Communism, Terrorism, Savagery, and Telemarketing?"

"We Did, Your Majesty."

"And still they see a problem with this?"

"They do, Your Majesty."

"Bah!" His Majesty waved his Jewel-Encrusted scepter dismissively.

"With all due respect, Your Majesty, that doesn't really help."

"Well, we can't tell the truth, can we? We can't say that we're Imperialists of the Highest order with aspirations of Global Domination now, can we? It's just not the done thing. Come up with something decent for us, eh? There's a good chap..."

*****************************************
TO: Red Scandinavia/British Federation
FROM: Roycelandia
RE: Roycelandian New Guinea

The Roycelandian Empire thanks you for your communications regarding our acquisition of New Guinea.

This step, which may seem drastic, or at least "Not Cricket", has been taken as a necessary action for several reasons, including the very real likelihood of New Guinea collapsing into Anarchy and being used as a base by terrorists, criminals, and other undesirables.

Also, Roycelandia's large economy needs resoucres to function. We sat down and did the maths, and worked out that we could buy the resources off the New Guineans, but they'd just waste the money on Drugs and Bribes, and the money wouldn't go anywhere near the people who actually deserve it. Besides, if we Annex the Country (as we have done), the quality of life goes up, and everyone wins.

We direct your attention to Roycelandian East Africa, one of the most prosperous Nations in Sub-Saharan Africa (about on par with the African Commonwealth, depending whose propaganda and rankings you beleive :wink:). Things in REA have only got better since we took over (despite what Lusaka might think :wink: ), and we firmly beleive we can do the same for New Guinea.

Furthermore, Article I of the Imperial Constitution quite clearly states "Its Good To Be The King". This was held in the case R v Imperial Trading Company Ltd (1862) 1 IR 42 to mean "The King/Queen/Emperor/Ruler can do whatever the hell they like."

Roycelandia has already declared Port Moresby a "Free Port" exempt from Tariffs and Customs Duties in an effort to free up trade in the area, and we have undertaken a massive humanitarian aid program to improve the quality of life for everyone in New Guinea.

Unfortunately, Article XLII of the Imperial Constitution also forbids the declaration of, granting, or acceptance of Indepenedence for ANY Roycelandian Colony- which includes New Guinea. So, Roycelandian New Guinea is now most firmly a part of the Roycelandian Empire, and shall remain so for the foreseeable future.

[signed] Foreign Minister Jeff Lebowski, Port Royal, Roycelandia

The Foreign Office response was not terribly long in coming. Apparently London saw no sign that Papua New Guinea was about to descend into anarchy of any exceptional order. Certainly it did not believe that armed invasion and forced long-term occupation was the solution to such a condition if it did exist.

Hearing that Roycelandia in fact meant to subjugate the people of New Guinea, Bull's government issued an official condemnation and flatly demanded that outside observers be granted full, unrestricted access to the island. Britain offered to provide such, and contacted other states in pursuit of a similar end.

In a personal communication from PM Bull to HM Royce I, the head of Britain's Industrial Democratic government expressed his disappointment with Roycelandia's outdated policies. After all, he said, if this were the imperial age, south eastern New Guinea, at least, would be British soil, and Roycelandia would be commiting an act of war on a first world nation, rather than a defenceless member of the 3rd world.

HM the Queen also expressed the resentment of her office for the hasty unilateral nature of Roycelandian action, and spoke of her hope that nations such as Roycelandia could one day advance from their faded landscape into the light of the modern world. There in relations with the United Kingdom could surely prosper and benefit the world at large.

BBC news teams, amongst others, were by now seeking to gain access to the occupied territory in order to follow-up speculation on guerrilla resistance to the invasion. New Guinea was hardly a passive land likely to roll-over, after all. The Roycelandians surely knew that ten thousand or so people had been killed during political strife in the nation's recent past.

BBC News Crews (along with anyone else who wanted to see what was going on) have been granted full and unrestricted access to Roycelandian New Guinea, so they can see for themselves the benefits Civilisation is bringing to the New Guineans.

OOC: The problem with NS is trying to work your head around the Multiverse. In the world Roycelandia RPs, England as we know it doesn't exist. (However, since you're obviously an excellent RPer, I'm more than happy to overlook that).

And it seems rather odd than an English nation is AGAINST Imperialism... still, a good RP feature- nice to see someone being original for a change!

I'll post something more meaningful when I get home from work...

this looks interesting... tag.

(OOC: Hehe, it's reassuring -while operating one of few evident based-on-a-real-nation accounts- to be called original. And I'll be back after I er...nap.)

Port Moresby, Roycelandian New Guinea

The Sunderland Flying Boat throttled back as it touched down in the harbour at Port Moresby, the sun glinting off it's wings as the sea spray subsided.

The Flying Boat taxiied up to the jetty, and shut off the engines.

Supplies were unloaded, and the Imperial Guard on the docks scratched their heads.

"Are these what I think they are?"

"Looks that way. Get them to the quartermaster."

Soldiers grabbed the crates and loaded them onto the back of a Deuce and a Half Truck.

"Guys, the CO says the Humanitarian Supplies are due here in 45 mins. We've got an airdrop in the Highlands, and His Majesty might be visiting soon. We need to get this place presentable!"

The RBC World Service has been full of images of smiling villagers getting Aid from Roycelandian troops, Drug Caches being destroyed, and general prosperity in Roycelandia's newest colony...

British media teams in the region were beginning to arrive in New Guinea, but already it seemed apparent that there was little that London could do to prevent the subjugation of a few million Papua New Guineans.

Of course this in itself wouldn't keep the consulate from stirring up trouble or administering espionage activities in the future. There was even talk in Whitehall of provoking revolt and...

Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territory

"News for the newbies! Clifton, get out of here, you're off duty!"

"Aye, I'm off home, eh? Have fun." Said the dispatched Corporal, with some sense of irony as he left the billet for the last time.

"What's the word, Sir?" Asked one of the more confident newly arrived servicemen.

"Word is you're shipping out already! Good-will trip as far as the Kiwis as part of Bully's new Commonwealth drive, apparently."

A few eyebrows were raised, most of the young men and women on hand seeming fairly enthusiastic. It didn't look like there was much left to see on the island, anyway.

The good ship RFA Cardigan Bay was gradually made ready to sail east for New Zealand via the Torres Strait, passing just off Daru, PNG, in rounding the northern extent of the Great Barrier. At the same time the visit became a very minor news story, and MI6 agents did their damndest to gather advance intelligence in Papua New Guinea and to make clandestine contact with some of the nation's better armed or respected factions.

London continued to do a bad job of covering-up how little could be done, and Bull took a few minor knocks in the press on slow news weeks, as tabolids jabbed at him. Apparently his talk of bringing the Roycelandians into the fold and slowly talking them round was nonsense and a hopeless waste of time, and in fact was it not true that Britain couldn't do a thing? The British Industial Democratic party would continue to insist that the mentioned policy was going to work, and that it had their full attention.

MI6 Agents manage to uncover the existence of a VERY loosely organised Rebel Group in the Bismarck Ranges known as the Fire Spear Warriors.

Over the course of New Guinea's history, they have been acquiring weapons from many of the country's invaders/occupiers, or simply traders.

As such, they are well armed, but not very well trained.

Most of the Warriors are armed with either SMLE Mk III*, Arisaka Type 38s, M1 Garands, Martini-Henrys, Colt M1911A1s, Nambus, or Webley handguns. There are also a handful of Owen Guns, Bren Guns, Tommy Guns, and even some Japanese Hotchkiss guns. The most "sacred" gun is a Browning .50 calibre MG.

However, ammunition is scarce, and the Warriors beleive the spirits of their ancestors live in the weapons.

Not surprisingly, most of the guns are in average shape at best. What little ammunition they have is WWII vintage, and somewhat worse for the wear.

The Fire Spear Warriors are no match at all for the Imperial Guard, and even if the FSW could be trained (possible, but expensive and unlikely), there just aren't enough of them to do any more than be a pain to the Government.

Bougainville Island, Roycelandian New Guinea

Capt. Robert Farnsworth stepped ashore from the Launch, his uniform looking especially neat and shiny to impress the Natives. The Imperial Guard with him were busy playing cards on the crates of consumer goods currently piled on the foreshore.

"Blast these Savages!" Farnsworth exclaimed. "Here I go, putting on my Good Uniform and carting all this stuff from the mainland, and they don't even show up! I've a good mind to go and find their chief and give him a good talking to!"

"Excuse me, are you Captain Farnsworth?" an educated voice enquired from somewhere just out of view.

"Errr... Yes, yes I am. And who might you be?"

The Speaker emerged from the Jungle and revealed himself to be a tall Native man, wearing a worn and faded suit, complete with top hat. He wore no shoes, but it was obvious that the suit was a matter of pride.

"I am Tuatol, the Chief of the largest tribe on this Island. It is indeed a pleasure to meet you."

Before Farnsworth could react, Tuatol had stepped forward and shaken his hand.

"How did you? Where did you...?"

"European Traders and Missionaries have been visiting us for centuries. I learnt your language from them, although I have little oppurtunity to use it. Now, how can we be of service to you?"

København(Scandinavias Capital)

The Central Communal Council's foreign office hardly bothered to respond to Roycelandia, sending a short communiqué condemning the emperors attitude, reminding the empire that all men are born equal, and that they should expect no more exports or other friendly dealings with the People's Federation of Scandinavia.

Port Moresby

Being so damn good at what they do, half the members of the 54th insurgency regiment quickly departed from their merchantmen taking their mission equipment with them, using only their own backs and the trucks, jeeps and personal cars of what tribesmen could be bribed to aid them. Thanks to generous payment in Roycelandian Wibbles/pounds sterling/US Dollars and the fact that the equipment was in unmarked crates, they were likely to get their way and exit Port Moresby with all due haste. Soon, they would begin their assignment as per standard SPA insurgency doctrine.

Madang

The other half of the 54th arrived with little commotion, what few or non-existant imperial guard presence there evaded with extreme caution(the Moresby/Madang regiment were ethnically mixed north european/oceanian, and clad in plain marine overalls, they would arouse little suspicion). Soon, they left the city and started to look for any and all anti-imperialist sentiment.

Rabaul

Going in a wide arc around Rabaul's port, the 13th Jægersoldater special forces detachment quickly debarked, bringing their material with them. Being some of the best fighters in the SPA, and armed for business, they expected little trouble taking Rabaul, once a suitable HQ could be found...

"William Leonard, MI6, how do you do?" Leonard didn't incite much obvious favour in the native persons before him.

"...ah, yes, all right. Well, as you've been told, we've a proposition for you...ah, regarding the invasion of your island."

Mr.Leonard went on, like several other agents across the former British and German, and later Australian territory, to promise aid to the locals should they choose to forcibly reject the Roycelandian invasion. That was, after all, an assault on the British, too; Queen Elizabeth III was chief of state after all, not this upstart Royce fellow! It was freely explained to anyone who'd listen that a nuclear submarine of the Royal Navy was en route from the north having layed over in South East Asia to take on supplies and arms enough to start a rebellion in the more difficult terrain of the under-developed Independent State of Papua New Guinea.

At the expense of security every measure was taken to spread the word, the Queen had sent a submarine to arm her subjects against the invaders, and the Prime Minister promised fat rewards for invader's heads taken! Brave subjects off the Ward Hunt Strait and Waraka Bay, and on New Ireland and New Britain should begin the fight at once, and prepare to receive extra arms shortly! And would there be commandos? Many thought so. To the forest! The Central Range! The swampland!

The British ambassador to New Zealand meanwhile attempted to rouse interest there, hoping to focus attention via the lens of RFA Cardigan Bay and her troops, due in NZ at some point in the near future, and presently passing through the Arafura Sea.

The Natives listened to William and conferred amongst themselves.

"We are prepared to defend our Homeland, or Ancestral home from these Invaders." The Chief announced.

"We will send our Canoes to meet your Iron Fish when it arrives. Our Homes will be free."

William might notices the Imperial Electronics Shortwave Radio, conveniently tuned to the Roycelandian Broadcasting Corporation World Service, located in the Chief's Hut....

Central/Northern PNG

This was a difficult situation for the British, certainly. So few resources, such a big country, such a big problem (what with there being more than a hundred Roycelandians to every Briton), but it seemed that was usually the way for the people of the North Atlantic's most influential little island group.
Leonard and other operatives like him were more or less in country with what they carried, and had arrived from posts in near-by friendly and Commonwealth countries such as Australia. They weren't really equipped to lead a rebellion, they weren't enough to fight on their own, either. And of course there was no submarine, MI6 just wanted the Roycelandians to think that there was, hence the open manner in which the 'fact' was distributed. As a defence against the information being dismissed on the grounds that it was simply to easily available to be true it was hoped that the invaders would realise that from the British stand-point it was important to get word out to the population if there was any hope of inciting them to resist.
Of course it was still hoped that the population would believe it, too.

For his part, Leonard had given a quick demonstration of his Sterling L2A4 sub-machinegun, a weapon ordered back into production -in its latest configuration and this time at Royal Ordnance Factory Nottingham- after PM Bull's election. He had then attempted to contact whatever remained in the north of the Papua New Guinea Defence Force -usually, for fear of being set-up, through middle men- and like several other agents in the north and central regions was gathering however many locals or Ground Force recruits would come along on risky raids. Nothing too ambitious was to be attempted under British supervision, though the native defence forces were of course more than welcome to try. Perhaps the British agents could arrange to blast a Land Rover off a track here or there, or to open-fire on a checkpoint or police station under occupation control.

There was no danger of dislodging the invaders by these means, it was assumed, but MI6 and its fellow agencies (for the British presence was as yet rag-tag, and many agents hadn't ever expected to be carrying a sub-machinegun into action) weren't even concerned with killing Roycelandians. The objective was entirely focused -along with the threat of RN submarine encroachment from SE Asia- on making the difficult north and the Central Range the centre of activity. If the locals went along with it, it ought to be possible to cause trouble and escape into the vast country.

Off the south coast

A little more than 48 hours after the first attempted operation, success or failure, RFA Cardigan Bay steamed into the Torres Strait, hanging north as she meant to round the Great Barrier.

For creating beachheads she was not intended, but HMS Ocean and the Albion Class vessels were far from the region, so the British would have to make do, again. Operating over the horizon as she was intended to do, Cardigan Bay launched her two Merlin HC Mk3 helicopters still west of Daru. Some voices had called for a direct insertion into the town, but that was deemed too risky, and it was reasoned that there was no way the Roycelandians could maintain heavy presence across the entire coast, so a lower-risk operation was undertaken a few dozen kilometres away from the town.

Aboard the first helicopter 24 infantrymen clung to their weapons as the aircraft raced in low at over 160 knots, countermeasures at the ready. The men, most still serving the first few months of their careers, were teenagers in the main, and still quite surprised to be away from the BIOT station they'd barely taken a week earlier.

The second Merlin was proceeding a little less hastily, an L118 105mm Light Gun underslung and a Land Rover mounting a Thales Air Defence Starstreak Lightweight Multiple Launcher carried inside.

While the helicopters would make it from ship to shore in a matter of minutes, the LCU cutting the waves below might take significantly more than an hour to reach the island. Aboard was an Fv 107 Scimitar armoured reconnaissance vehicle and a further 36 infantrymen with significant arms and equipment, including L7 GPMGs, Milan ATGMs and Starstreak Manpads.

The mothership began to move towards the shore with the intention of offloading via rafts several hundred further men and even a number of Challenger II battle tanks.

The British agents inland would have to break-off their risky engagements and vanish. If captured they were, sadly, in a deny-all-knowledge sort of situation so far as London was concerned. The landing to the south was not meant to result in a fight, and the British merely wanted to get men ashore and to secure as large an area as possible so as to allow some sort of free government to be set-up and to act as a centre for negotiation. If targetted by Roycelandian forces the landing forces were to attempt communication and to fight only if forced to- the odds weren't exactly likely to be in their favour, after all.

Somewhere in the Torres Strait, near Daru

"Sir, Radar reports an unidentified veseel on the Starboard Bow."

Captain Hollister scanned the horizon with his binoculars. "I can't quite make it out at this distance. But since the Australians haven't become involved, it's either Red Scandinavian or British."

"It could be a trading or civillian vessel, too..."

"Yes, it could. Hmmm. Scramble the Seafire, and go to Blue Alert."

The IRNS (Imperial Roycelandian Naval Ship) Goldfinger, like all Imperial Naval Vessels, was equipped with an IAe Seafire aircraft. Basically a Spitfire with Pontoons, the Seafire could be launched from a Steam Catapult over the forward Guns and retreived via a crane when the aircraft returned.

Within a few minutes, the Seafire was flying over the RFA Cardigan Bay, whilst the Pilot hailed the ship on the Radio and ordered them to identify themselves, and withdraw from Roycelandian Territorial Waters forthwith.

Daru, Roycelandian New Guinea

"Can you hear that?" asked one of the sentries near Daru's makeshift harbour.

"Sounds like choppers... Not Iroquois or AV-33's. Get on the blower to the airfield and warn them."

5 inutes later, two Spitfires and two AV-33 Attack Helicopters were airborne over Daru, heading towards the incoming choppers.

The Roycelandian Garrison in Daru wasn't large- maybe 150 combat soldiers and some aircraft, but Port Moresby wasn't far away, and there was a Dreadnought in the Torres Strait... the British were in for a surprise, no matter how they looked at it....

OOC: British Federation, Check your Telegrams...

RFA Cardigan Bay

The alert sounded throught the Bay Class vessel's sixteen thousand tonnes as close-in-weapons-systems swung their 30mm cannon towards the sky, countermeasures were preppared, and machineguns manned.

Captain Perry Simpson, a man with little more experience than most of the near children around him, ordered a reply sent to the approaching aircraft. The Cardigan Bay was outside the territorial waters of Papua New Guinea (having been 20 nautical miles off shore on launching helicopters and landing craft, and only minutes ago begun its own approach on the coast), and as a ship of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth III's Royal Navy did not recognise Roycelandian authority over those waters in any regard. The floatplane was asked to justify its position or risk being shot down for violating the security of a ship of Her Majesty's Royal Fleet Auxiliary. The Goalkeeper CIWS tracked the plane's course across the sky.

---

At the coast the two British helicopters were landing by the time Roycelandian aircraft arrived, but the troops were far from established in a serious defensive posture. There was a moment of hesitation as officers tried to decide whether to send the Merlins back towards Cardigan Bay or to leave them on the ground as aircraft were heard closing on the scene. In the end the first helicopter lifted off and began building to its roughly 170knot maximum velocity as the Roycelandian aircraft appeared in the distance. The second was still half loaded with supplies having taken longer to land with the need to detach the 105mm gun from below. It seemed pointless to lift off and leave the men without much of their equipment after flying them in. Rather hurridly were sent radio transmissions hoping to avert disaster as make-shift Marines raced to bring their Starstreak (HVM) SAM online. It'd have no trouble at all in taking down a helicopter or turboprop (being a Mach 4+ missile immune to countermeasures (visually guided most of the way) with a submunition warhead that could scarcely fail to find a target), and by the same token the remaining Merlin and several of the Marines, only on the ground for a matter of seconds, were dangerously exposed to straffing fire.

Further inland British agents were relieved to have thus far escaped capture, and, expecting the landing to the south, were gradually making their way in that direction, spreading word of British landings as they went. Perhaps that would stir up further opposition to the Roycelandians.

Torres Strait

The Seafire Pilot (who was re-broadcasting all communications to the Goldfinger replied to Captain Perry that the Cardigan Bay was threatening the Territorial Integrity of a Roycelandian Colonial Overseas Territory, and was to heave to immediately.

Daru

The Aircraft pilots immediately targetted the 150mm Howitzer and the SAM Missile system, flying very low over the sand near where the British troops were.

One of the Helicopters began hovering over the British troops, and broadcast a message over it's speakers:

"[i]You are unlawfully entering Roycelandian Territory under arms, an Act that can only lead to Military Reprisals. Lay Down your Arms and none of you will be hurt. If you return to your ship immediately, we will not open fire on you. No harm will come to you. If you cease hostilies, you will be returned to your ship and granted safe passage from our waters."

Port Moreseby had been informed, and a C-130J was en-route with Paratroopers.

Approximately two dozen Imperial Guard were desecending on the Landing Beach in LandRovers, although some were rather wisely staying back a bit to see what happened....

RFA Cardigan Bay

"Roycelandian Overseas Territory? The bloody cheek."

"Sir?"

"Oh, no, don't send th... yes... no, no, don't send that."

Perry, hands on hips, sighed and chewed his tongue as he gazed out from the bridge of the shiny new vessel. The mainland could just about be made out at the horizon, he thought, and the wake left by the Landing Craft Utility was faded from view.

Perry bided his time and waited for communication from the helicopter teams before responding again to the Roycelandians.

"They're ashore, sir, but the Roycelandians are all over them, apparently."

"All over them, Wattle?"

"Oh, ah, helicopters, Spitfires, ordering withdrawl under threat of arms... over speakers, sir. We are, 'unlawfully entering Roycelandian territory, under arms" sir."

Perry blustered a few half words and waved his hand at the comms.

"Now look here!" He started, the young man glancing up at his captain now putting on a somewhat nervous expression as he tried to determine what to relay. "The Independent State of Papua New Guinea is nobody's overseas territory! It is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, and recognises Her Majesty the Queen...ah Queen Elizabeth III... as Chief of State... Her Majesty's Armed Forces shall not and should not bow to extra-national... extra-Commonwealth authority with regard to passage or other activity in Papua New Guinean territory."

Perry paused, aware that he was getting carried away in the moment.

"To accuse Her Majesty's forces of trespassing upon Roycelandian territory is tantamount to slander. We are acting under orders from Her Majesty's Government, and have no intention of withdrawing from the area while Papua New Guinea remains under illegal Roycelandian occupation. Repeat, we have no intention of withdrawing while the illegal Roycelandian occupation of the Independent State of Papua New Guinea persists.

"Ah, there, send that."

Perry turned back to the window and squinted for a sight of the Roycelandian aircraft, its path still scanned by the ship's close-in-weapons-systems.

Mainland PNG

Response from the troops on the ground was little different. They were spreading out as best they could, the Starstreak team taking special care to remain less than obvious to the naked eye, for their weapon lent few other means to detection, being visually guided and requiring no target lock. There was no hint of surrender or withdrawl at this stage, as the LCU drew ever closer.

London

"...and put it plainly! PNG is an independent nation and a member of the Commonwealth, a Roycelandian territory it is not, and they haven't got a leg to stand on! Make it clear!"

The PM probably wasn't done, but his aide thought she'd heard the basics, and continued to back out of the room, nodding and uttering complicit little squeaks as she went. She refrained from suggesting that the Roycelandians probably had more than three thousand million legs on which to stand.

"Now where are our assets?" Bull rumbled, turning to his MoD liaison.

"HMS Campbeltown's rounded the Cape, she's a way to go, yet."

"Frigate, one frigate wouldn't do us much good, anyway. Visual presence, I suppose." Bull was muttering in low, gruff tones that the liaison couldn't properly understand.

"HMS Vigilant reporting past 100 degrees... she's half a week away... although of course within rang..."

"...Thank you, J..ah.." The name escaped Bull. "...but we don't want to destory New Guinea, now, do we? Tell me when her torpedoes have their range, I shan't be asking anyone's approval for Tridents."

"Quite, Prime Minister." Came the reply, Lewis trying to convince himself that the PM meant that there'd be no call for the launch of nuclear weapons rather than that if there was, he'd launch without asking anyone.

"Well" He started up again, "...do you wish to confirm the secondary deployment?"

There was a significant still for some moments before Bull nodded and muttered, "Oh, yes, yes." As if he'd spent the last few seconds thinking about something completely unrelated rather than weighing up the gravity of the situation.

Plymouth, English south coast

An NCO could be heard bellowing directions decipherable only to somebody who already knew what he was going to say as 42 Commando's seven hundred Royal Marines four distinct company classes assembled for embarkation and an extremely long journey. Shortly they would be joined by Royal Marine Auxiliaries, swelling their ranks to wartime proportions.
Similar scenes were repeated at Arbroath, where 45 Commando prepared for deployment, and at 40 Commando's home base of Taunton.
Swiftsure and Trafalgar Class submarines had vanished from their moorings around the country, and the great silhouettes of RN surface ships such as HMS Ocean, HMS Albion, and the newly launched Type 45 Destroyer HMS Daring could be seen moving through British waters.

The BBC World Service joined other broadcasters in raising the status of PNG's invasion to the level of pop crisis of the hour, but this was no Yugoslavia, Iraq, or even Falklands dispute. The UK was putting herself between defenceless Commonwealth family member Papua New Guinea and a 1st world powerhouse almost a hundred times Britain's size. If the United Kingdom ever needed moral support it needed that now.

(Oh, bother, double post, I think)

Daru, Roycelandian New Guinea

The Helicopter was still hovering over the troops.

"Throw down your arms and cease hostilities immediately!" the pilot ordered again, but to no effect.

The Roycelandian Troops had established a fairly secure perimeter around the area, and word had it that a Tank was coming from the Military Base

"Hey, Wizard, I've got an idea..." The pilot said

The WSO listened, smiled evilly, and started searching through the on-board MP3 player.

Cranking the volume to maximum, he found a song. That would do.

The British troops on the beach were suddenly subjected to FatBoy Slim's Sunset (Bird of Prey) played very loudly, with maximum Bass, minimum distortion, and just the right amount of Treble.

An Iroquois Gunship had been scrambled from Daru, and in 30 minutes there would be at least another 80 soldiers paradropping in, as well as some of the local Armed Constabularly, if things got particularly hairy.

The 32nd Colonial Scouts hadn't been in RNG for long, but one thing was immediately obvious to Cpl. Tanghouse- the British troops on the beach were surrounded, and their options were limited to Surrender, Start Shooting, or Leave. Eventually their food would run out- No supplies would be forthcoming from the ship, that was for sure, especially not if the ISAS showed up, and it would be a couple of days at best before any more British Ships arrived...

IRNS Goldfinger

"Captain, the British aren't withdrawing."

Captain Hollister read the communique that had been received from the Cardigan Bay.

"Illegal Occupation? We've been here for nearly a year now, and no-one's noticed. Bah. Sounds to me like someone's trying to score political points back home. Very well. Full Speed Ahead, and send them a message along the lines that New Guinea is indeed sovereign Roycelandian Territory, Validly Acquired by Imperial Annexure, and if they had a problem with that, the appropriate time and place to lodge an objection has been and gone. And just invading someone's country really isn't cricket."

With the message duly transmitted, the Dreadnought began steaming towards the Cardigan Bay. Roycelandian Dreadnoughts were impressive Naval Ships, with rather large guns, thick armour, and a retro-Imperialist charm about them. They also sported the latest in ECMs, CIWS, NBC operability, and a Sauna. The best of both worlds, Captain Hollister reflected...

Port Royal, Roycelandia

His Imperial Majesty Emperor Royce I was NOT pleased.

"Queen Elizabeth WHO???" he asked loudly to anyone who would listen. The only person in earshot was a pretty young aide who hadn't found some filing to do quickly enough.

"The Queen of the British Federation, Your Majesty" she said.

"Yes, I'm aware of that. I was trying to make a point. New Guinea has been Roycelandian for ages, and suddenly they kick up a stink about it. I've a good mind to Nuke their country back to the Stone Age."

"You said the same thing about the Lusakans yesterday, and I recall something similar regarding the Beth Gellertens last week. You can't solve your problems by throwing Nuclear Warheads at them."

"Yes I can. Article I of the Constitution, 'It's Good To Be The King'. I can do whatever the hell I like. But those things are expensive, and the Tree-Huggers don't like me building more of them, so I have to save the ones I've got. Anyhoo, the British lot. They seem like a civilised bunch. Maybe we can talk to them? Wait, I've got a better idea. Let's invade them!"

"Let's not. It's expensive and someone might notice. How about we deploy some more Dreadnoughts to the area? Everyone likes a good Sea Battle."

"What other ships have we got in the area?"

"The IRNS Scarab is on layover in Brunei, Your Majesty."

"Get it to RNG. Oh, and get the RBC there too. I don't want any allegations that we're being unsporting or anything like that."

"It shall be done..."

The idea of local constabulary turning up might not have worried the British too much; if the New Guineans were to fight for Roycelandia, it surely wouldn't be too hard. Paratroopers and the isolation of the British task force were different matters.

Still, London maintained that the Roycelandian invasion of PNG was illegal, and that any accusation levelled against the British could be mirrored directly in Roycelandia, on top of other charges. PM Bull was by now expressing this view openly, and admitting that the Roycelandians had superior military muscle while stating that this was clearly their only advantage, where politically they were clearly beaten.

Still, at Downing Street, Whitehall, and elsewhere, neurons were firing. "Wait a minute... PNG? Why in the modern world would anyone want PNG? We administered it for years, the Aussies well into the last century, and never was it of all that much importance."

"One supposes, Prime Minsiter, that its annexation is akin to your disregard of the Americans' leases..."

"A political distraction..."

"...Valuable on the personal level before the real national, Prime Minister. Almost like socialist public works, one might say."

Bull tapped the plate before him with the remaining half of his steak.

"So the current leadership can't give it up without losing face and going back into whatever dissatisfaction caused the initial invasion..."

"Yes, Prime Minister.

"But... regime change is, presumably, beyond our means... Hm...hmm!" Bull grunted, taking another bite of his steal and knocking back a second glass of port in a single mouthfull.

"Well..." He continued, repeatedly jabbing a fork on to the plate in front of him before finally catching a roast potato. "...we absolutely [munch munch] must find a favourable way out for them, say what?"

"Ah, quite, Prime Minister."

"Can we use the Commonwealth? PNG must be allowed back in... must restore self-rule... but perhaps it could recognise this Royce fellow as Chief of State?"

The Civil Servant, immaculately presented with one hand behind the back of his well-fitted suite and a folder clasped in the other, gawped like a goldfish as he sought a proper objection to the PM's latest idea.

"Well? Would that be enough?" Questioned Bull, examining some green matter on his plate and discarding it with an unimpressed contortion of his face. "We need to get in touch with their government on a less than public level... maybe they could be convinced to withdraw, peacefully, having 'installed HM King Royce' as Chief of State... without actually continuing to disrupt the old PNG government... or removing it from the Commonwealth?"

"Well... it... would be the first none-native, none British monarchy in the Commonwealth... but... of course the Commonwealth has changed its tollerances many times.... we could offer it, Prime Minister, but it our approach is rejected we may look...soft, Prime Minister."

"All the better grounding for cruise missile strikes, eh, what?"

And so London sought low-key contact with the Roycelandians with a view to negotiation a peaceful end to the dispute. Bull's idea meant the Roycelandians losing any practical control over PNG, but it was made on the understanding that the island hardly offered major practical power or wealth anyway, and it allowed political face to be maintained. The main question was whether the Roycelandians would be happy to take this, or prefer to stick to their guns on the (likely correct) assumption of military victory in the event of conflict.

Oh well, it was only plan B, there were a lot of letters remaining.

Port Imperial, Roycelandia

Shadow Foreign Minister Scott Croft received the British Envoy at one of the more fashionable clubs in Port Royal, and was more than willing to discuss options for RNG.

"The problem is largely constitutional" he explained as the Garlic Bread arrived. "It is constitutionally forbidden for us to grant independence to Colony. It's a long story, but Roycelandia used to have a very large empire- most of East Africa, large parts of The Subcontinent, Asia... ah, those were the days." He breaks off a piece of Garlic Bread.

"Now, the previous King was... shall we say... lacking in vision? After WWII, he granted independence to the various Colonies, or just didn't try and stop them when they declared themselves independent. By the mid 1970s all we had left was Roycelandian East Africa. Ah, here are the entrees."

He took a spoonful of soup and continued. "REA fought a very nasty war of Independence in the mid to late 1970s. The Imperial Guard fought a number of valiant battles, but like that unpleasantness in Indochina, we won the battles but lost the war, so to speak. His Majesty conceded defeat and the United African Republic of Lusaka was born. Not long afterwards, the King suffered a Hunting Accident, and the current Emperor, Royce I, ascended the throne."

More soup was eaten. "We returned to Africa a few years ago and re-established control over Kenya, Uganda, and the Sudan. They'd been part of REA before Lusaka was born, but warlords and militant White Settlers kept the area 'unaffiliated'. They were only too happy to see us return, which is why we now control a large chunk of Africa- Roycelandian East Africa, to be precise."

"At this point, the constitution was altered to prevent a repeat of the Loss Of The Empire. Once a Colony is established, it cannot be un-established."

The Mains were brought. "Now, I personally can understand the British Federation's displeasure with the matter. It probably could have been handled better, but it did take The World nearly a year to notice, which is pretty unusual."

Mains were eaten, with Scott still talking. "Now, stop me if I'm wrong here, but it would appear that The British Federation knows as well as we do that there really is little of interest in New Guinea. I'm sure your people know as well as we do that it's political. We have other reasons for being in New Guinea, but they're not for discussion at the moment."

Scott drank some of his wine. "We're a democractic nation, as hard to beleive as that is. With some 3 billion people in the Empire, we have to be. And there is absolutely no way we can convince them that Roycelandia should leave RNG, or alter the constitution to allow it."

Now, the point of this whole conversation.

"The simple fact of the matter is that we aren't leaving New Guinea, and you can jump up and down about it all you like. Our Armed Forces and population outnumber yours by an astronomical proportion. We've both got Nukes, and I'm willing to bet we've got more than you do."

He continued. "The point is, we're both civilised Nations, and this whole thing with you invading RNG and carrying on is just silly. We really shouldn't be at War, not when we have so much in common. And threatening to bomb each other's Nations back to the Stone Age is hardly productive either. Quite the opposite. To be honest, we really aren't sure what the problem is. RNG is already run democratically- the parliament is democratically elected, the citizens are free to live their lives, and everyone is happy. The only person not democratically elected is the Governor-General, and even his appointment is subject to review if he's useless at his job."

The offer arrived. "Look, we aren't leaving- we couldn't, even if we wanted to, which we don't. And you'll look like political bantamweights who are soft on things if you pack up and leave. I have a solution.

New Ireland, Bougainville, and the Admiralty Islands , as well as most of the Islands off the Western Coast of RNG can be "drawn out of" the RNG Territorial Boundaries, and returned to the control of the former Government of New Guinea, assuming any of them want it. If not, The British Federation could take them on as Crown Colonies. And we'd be prepared to let you establish a Military Base in RNG, provided the appropriate treaties and trades could be organised. What do you think?"

Port Moresby, Madang

The 54th Insurgency remained relatively undercover, still gathering intelligence on the large port towns, and covertly seeking out people who could be convinced, one way or another, to agitate for and/or join an anti-imperialist insurgency force. Contact with the worker cadres of the pre-invasion New Guinean-Scandinavian People's Front((I'm assuming they were dissolved or at least ordered to cease more overt and militant actions during the Roycelandian annexation)) is being re-established, and under orders from the Federal Communal Council, they quickly change their night-time hours from agitation to regular incitation of unrest and revolt. Pamphlets, posters and radio broadcasts take an increasingly hostile tone towards the Roycelandian empire, and citizens are encouraged to seek out the(now unofficial) worker cadres, where they can receive guerilla training and be attached to the People's Army that will eventually return control of Papua New Guinea to the sovereign, united people! Wether the insurgency specialists will have much success remains to be seen, but the first steps have been taken.

Rabaul

Ignorant of the big wigs negotation many miles from their position, the Jæger soldiers continued their area sweep, picking off lone patrols with their superior firepower and kidnapping stray locals to gain intelligence on Rabaul's defenses. The strike would come soon, once the 13th had some idea of what they were up against.

Sir Humphrey appeared fairly aloof, maintaining a superior air through the initial courses and the early part of Croft's meandering speech. His demeanour sank a little as he realised that the Roycelandians weren't quite going to go for Bull's plan, but he tried hard not to let it show. Stiff upper lip, manipulated only to let the main course through, and all that.

Still, the surroundings seemed civil enough, the sort of thing he was accustomed to in the swankier parts of London. The idea of doing business with these people couldn't yet be hopeless, he thought.

It was well that Sir Humphrey chanced to be sent to Port Imperial in stead of one amongst Bull's new and rather crude generation of politicians and diplomats. Garlic bread? They'd have caused a scene.

Through a mouthfull of something exceptionally rich Sir Humphry vocalised some indestinct objection at Croft's reference to a British "invasion" of PNG. Unfortunately, he was enjoying the ambience and flavours a little too much to make anything major of it.

"You see..." He interjected at one point. "My Prime Minister... he's an idealistic sort. Had a lot of success with it all, you see, won 44.7% of the vote next to 16.3% for the opposition. The point being that it doesn't have to make sense... to you or I... it just has to fit a certain moral code that's popular with the public, and we all know what a pain they can be."

Sir Humphrey was quite for a minute or two after that, save the odd, "Mh" or, "Mhm" in response to Croft's words. Eventually the Roycelandian counter proposal was raised.

"Well..." He said, in a tone peaked with his interest. "We're, erm, officially out of the empire-building trade, as of the 1930s in fact, and the PM supports this reckless precident... however..." He drew-out the last word rather. "...the state...is not Bull, so to speak, and with the face of the world so changed in recent years there are many who would dearly like to find new bases of operation. After all, we could have used one in a crisis such as this!" Sir Humphrey almost laughed.

"From our point of view, of course, the liberation of several islands in the target area could be seen as a success for the new government, and a defence of the Commonwealth... and one supposes that there are plenty of local types who'd readily give native permission for British military bases in exchange for elevation from the status of Roycelandian subject to independent head of government...yes, I'm fairly sure I can sell this in London." Sir Humphrey dabbed the corner of his mouth with a napkin on completion of his meal and gave a modest smile as he finished speaking. Even if the PM wasn't fully satisfied, the securing of new influence in Oceania would certainly win him Brownie Points in a lot of influential circles.

(OOC: Western coast? Does this mean you've invaded Indonesia, as well? And wouldn't that make life all the more difficult for your assets in the region, being as the Indonesians could actually shoot back? Anyway, I've quite enjoyed this exchange, so far, some tension and flashing of guns, but nobody's been n00ked or even shot, yet. Jolly good show!)

Port Moresby

There aren't many locals who really seem to be bothered by the Roycelandian annexation. Indeed, the improvement in quality of life and wages seems to have convinced many of them that the Roycelandians aren't bad people.

Having said that, there ARE people who want New Guinea to be free, and are more than happy to engage in minor sabotage... taking out Traffic Lights, blowing Sewer mains, that sort of thing. The Colonial Guard start to crack down on some of the more militant groups, but they're secretly glad they haven't been posted to Rabaul...

Port Royal

Croft laughed jovially at Sir Humphrey's jokes. What a nice chap. Pity the rest of his contacts couldn't be so amiable.

At that point, the Waiter arrived with a small box. "Cigars, Gentlemen? Freshly arrived from Roycelandian East Africa this morning. Number One length, from the House of Bender & Farnsworth."

"Ah, thank you, don't mind if I do" Croft said, and took one of the fine Cigars, and lit it from the proffered taper.

"I don't think it will be hard to convince the troops in the Outlying Islands in question that maybe if they'd all like to just pack up and head back to Mainland RNG. We'll issue a statement to the effect that we "over-extended" ourselves, and that we're making a "territorial readjustment" to correct that."

He took another puff of his cigar, careful to exhale the smoke away from Sir Humphrey.

"Brandy, Port, Whiskey, or Bourbon, Gentlemen?" enquired a different waiter.

"Oh, uh, Bourbon for me, thank you" Scott said.

"Now, about this Invasion business. If Britain apologises for the "Dreadful Miscommunication" that led to a breakdown in communication regarding a military exercise that had already been planned and organised, Roycelandia will apologise for failing to properly inform our troops of the Exercise, and everyone gets out of this without losing any face. Everyone's happy, no-one's nose gets put out of joint, and we can sign some sort of useful Trade and Alliance Treaty and find something more interesting and constructive to do. What do you say?"

OOC: We took the whole Island of New Guinea. Remember, in our world, Indonesia doesn't exist. Therefore, the western half of PNG isn't Irian Jaya- it's all New Guinea. Roycelandian new Guinea now... :wink:

Indonesia doesn't exist to shoot back, as we're in different multiverses, yet we can selectively jump between them for RP purposes... oh no, I've gone cross-eyed. :D

I too have enjoyed this little adventure... and it's not over yet! Red Scandinavia is planning some Covert Ops type stuff, and I daresay there'll be some shooting then, along with the potentional for the British Federation to get involved as well (against the Guerrillas, not the Roycelandians :wink: )...

"Oh!" Said Sir Humphrey, quietly, as he accepted a cigar, somthing in which he indulged only when outside of a thousand mile radius at the epicentre of which sat his wife. He, "hmm"'d softly as he realised the exact nature of Roycelandia's method for dealing with the half-agreed adjustments. A little more... underhanded than he was actually accustomed to getting away with. He almost felt out of practice!

"Oh, ah..." Sir Humphrey thought fast when confronted with a choice of after dinner drinks, too French, too American, oh! "...whisky." He said, unaware of the apparently Irish (or American) bent applied to the offering he hoped might be Scotch and keen to avoid being too polite with the help.

The Diplomatic Civil Servant winced slightly as talk moved to apologies that would have to be issued. He was loathe to give any assurances of his own accord, warey of committing London to something that might not be followed up in Port Imperial. Still, he continued to avoid negativity of any serious degree.

"Well..." He said, "...I think that might be possible,... given our well publicised intent to engage in manoeuvres with the New Zealanders, and all that." He said in response to Croft's speculation on crossed-wires over military exercises.

"If, erm, I dare say that if... the Commonwealth, a very loose affiliation of states I'm sure you're aware, is perhaps allowed to get in on social programmes in New Guinea... things the democratic busy-bodies would have your government do anyway... it could almost be played as if nothing had changed, from our perspective, and other states would be shouldering some of the economic expense into the bargain. You know, women's rights, clean water, and all that.

"Treaties, I'm sure something can be worked out if all this goes off without too much trouble. I shall have to get on to London to confirm even what we've discussed, of course." He finished.

(OOC: Ah, all right then. And indeed, the continuation of hostilities is likely to highlight the gap between who runs the country, and who runs the country, one being Bull and his fellow lion-hearted politicians, the other being Sir Humphrey and his fellow Civil (self-)Servants :)
And now I want a cigar and something finer than Czech lager. Damn!)

Port Royal, Roycelandia

Organising major international "understandings" was part of Scott's talents. Rumour had him tipped to replace Lewboski when he eventually retired.

In the meantime, Scott enjoyed his cigar and Bourbon. "The Maitre D' apologises for the lack of Scotch. Apparently Colonel Fossington has been in again, but I'm sure that something Irish won't offend." he chuckled at the "joke", and exhaled some more smoke.

"Obviously you'll want to talk this over with your people." Scott continued "I can talk to His Majesty and Parliament over the next couple of days. I don't think there'll be any problems getting this all ironed out in time for Saturday's Cricket Match. We're playing the Coral Palm Islanders, which should be interesting."

"Now, this Commonwealth thing. We're a civilised people, as you can see." Scott waved his cigar around at the panelled walls of the Club, replete with animal heads, trophys, guns, and paintings & photographs of distinguished past members, now deceased.

"We'd be more than happy to let various Commonwealth Aid Agencies come in and help with social programmes in New Guinea. Lord knows there's enough work to do." He chuckled again.

OOC: I have an exam tomorrow morning, so I'll have to leave the plotting, scheming, and back-room deals until after work tomorrow afternoon. Yes, I know, and Exam and Work. It's not fair. Still, more time to work out what else the Roycelandian Civil Service is up to... and wait till you meet the Imperial Intelligence Service. These guys are so good, they make MOSSAD look like amateurs. In fact, they've managed to convince the general public they don't exist, by putting themselves in every Spy Movie made in Roycelandia. People think they're a fictional organisation, but they aren't. They managed to help run a war in Gabon with total deniability, and although their involvement was suspected, it was never proved.... :wink:

The President settled himself in the plush, blue chair at the head of the table, made of the finest oak wood, imported straight from McQuaide, traded for oil . The Desert Republic had pretty good relations with that particular country, even having a mutual defense pact. In front of the President, Khaled, the Minister of Foreign Affairs sat down in a black, leather chair, forming a sharp contrast with the Presidential blue chair. A simple, hanging lamp above the table, with a steel case around the bulb, hardly lit the room, giving a somewhat sinister effect, as the rain outside furiously pounded on the single window in the room, giving a view over the garden of the Presidential garden. The weather was not really suprising for the time of the year and Kusair had a much better climate in the winter than most people would think.

"What's the news of the day, Farid?"

The President said loud, clearly articulating and speaking suprisingly loud, not strange if you knew that Farid was somewhat of a daydreamer, not always paying much attention.

Farid suddenly rose his head, his view had been fixed on the steel briefcase laying on the table, between the two men.

"Not much, some random imperialism, but it's all quiet around the Canaries and SI, most of the fighting there has been postponed and a cease fire is currently being discussed between us, the Granzians, the Western Asians and Daylam, chances are damn slim though that we can keep Hierro, how small the island might seem. The Western Asians are being greedy, they want to annex all of the Canaries, but I, personally have good faith in the negotiations and I don't think they want to risk war with the OMP,"

Farid said, at the same time opening his briefcase, first unlocking it. Khaled nodded in agreement and said:

"We can only wait for that, so let's discuss the other pressing matters, international or internal,"

Farid grabbed a sealed, brown envelope and slid it over the table to the President. The latter opened it, breaking the red seal, saying confidential. Inside were several sattelite photographs, analysises written by the intelligence service, further some text encrypts and other, more technical, documents, containing SIGINT and ELINT reconnaisance reports of the designated area.

"New Guinea.."

The President said out loud, putting on his glasses and glancing at the top page.

"Yes, Mr. President, the Roycelandians have invaded New Guinea over a year ago, but they have difficulties at the moment, threats from several nations, the British are planning to take what is "legally" theirs and Red Scandinavia having "interests" in the region,"

"Hmmm, the Roycelandians were involved on Gabon, isn't it? I don't see any reasons why they can't do this themselves, send the ASNS Scimitar to keep an eye on how this whole thing evolves. Any other news?"

"No, Mr. President, nothing,"

"Good, gives me most of the day off, what about lunch here and after that play some golf in the garden, before you go back the Ministry?"

"Sounds good, but I dunno if these showers ever fade away,"

"They sure do, wait half an hour, the sun will break through and we'll get the usual stereotypical weather of an Arab nation, sun and more sun,"

OOC: TAG

BBC News was beginning to talk -after the main headlines regarding some freak murder or the possibility of unrest in Canan- of operations in New Guinea.

It seemed that British naval and marine forces had engaged in a major exercise with Roycelandian forces, allowing the British to restore their ability to react and deploy around the world, and the Roycelandians to practice defence of their far-flung protectoratres. Apparently, British Royal Marine Auxiliaries had achieved a landing, and a RN submarine had snuck into engagement range with regards to its missiles. Royal Marine Commando companies had activated quickly, and the RN's response was deemed quite good.

Essentially, the training operation had gone well, save for one communication break-down that saw British troops land on the main where they ought to have been making for islands off the north coast. This, said MoD spokesmen, was to be expected as communications networks were, "sorted out" between first time exercise partners such as the UK and the Roycelandians.

Further details remain as yet too sketchy for any responsible news source to speculate upon.

The Roycelandian Broadcasting Corporation ran a short story about the successful conclusion of Operation Tropical Shower, despite the "humorous" miscommunication that caused the British Troops to land in the wrong place.

Most of the Roycelandian Troops involved suddenly found themselves in the Highlands of New Guinea (Which wasn't reported in the RBC).

Meanwhile, ElectroGuinea are at a loss to explain minor power outages, and the Imperial Guard insist that the sporadic gunfire emanating from the Jungle is a "routine cull of dangerous animals."

(And quite fair, too! One never knows when a Double-Eyed Fig Parrot or a Lowland Mouse Babbler, or even a Dwarf Cassowary might start some trouble!)

Rabaul

"The Imperial Guard has positions there! I swear!" the native quivered in broken english." Captain Bjorn Jannson withdrew his pistol from the mans head, and turned to the map the poor port-dweller had gesticulated at. He shrugged and non-commitally issued the orders. "We're going in. Train the LMGs on the barracks our friend here have revealed. I want the piston cannons on any truck, half-track or squad that seems to withstand the assault. Keep each other covered, and don't hold your fire. Civilian casualties are to be avoided, but I'd rather kill one islander than have an imperialist gunner survive and blow us to kingdom come, do you copy?" *chorus* "Yes sir!". "Allright, get on it, there's no time to waste."

Quickly, the highly trained ranger corps set up MGs trained on the garrisons, and two recoilless M/85 piston cannons sent shells wooshing into the garrisons, as the rangers spilled into the nearby ditches, ready to rain death with their M86s on what resistance the Roycelandian guard could muster in the face of a coordinated surprise attack.

the British strait

A lone Los Angeles sailed deep below the surface, laden with supplies and weapons - bound for an unknown destination(guess where? ;)).

Rabaul

The relatively small garrison were caught largely unaware by the surprise attack. They'd enjoyed good relations with most of the Natives, and were very surprised when Recoilless Rifle Rounds came crashing through the barracks.

The Sentry in the Tower trained the Vickers HMG on the area where the firing was coming from and sprayed the area with .303 bullets, whilst some of the soldiers not in the barracks grabbed rifles and handguns. Several soldiers had M79 Grenade Launchers as well

Someone in the command hut was on the SatLink, reporting what was happening, as the soldiers started firing back...

Torres Strait

"Sonar signal in the water, Skipper. Looks like a Submarine." The SONAR operator on the Sunderland said.

"Excellent. Ours or Theirs?"

"Not ours. Not British, either."

"Depth Charge it."

"Consider it done..."

OOC=very funny LOL
IC=Grenval is appalled by this lack of international peace blah blah blah... Of course Grenval has to kick Sephrioth's ass.

2,000 yards off RFA Cardigan Bay

The Tigershark class (http://www.nationstates.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=2132825#2132825) Diesel Electric Submarine Sierra Five Eight licked along at presicope depth, making just five knots in order to stay silent and undetected. In the Control Room the Captain watched the depth gauge intently, the water was shallow but so far not too shallow to stay submerged.

The submarine had been shadowing the ship for days, and without sonar it appeared to be blisfullly unaware of the fact. Staying just out of visual range at night, it could raise its snorkel and the batteries could be recharged without being detetced, after all it was covered in RAM coatings so radar detection was near-impossible as well.

The weapons officer called on the intercom, "Conn, Torepdo Room, we have a firing solution, two Tigerfish ready, permission to flood tubes and open outer doors?"

"Weapons, Conn, negative, repeat negative, maintain firing solution until my order and standby. I also want you to go over yourYakhont anti-ship missile drills."

"Aye Sir."

The Captain was waiting, eventually the Royal Fleet Auxilary would anchor close offshore, and this would give him more options. After all he was not authorised to engage overtly, yet.

Southern New Guinea

With the near-resolution of the crisis, far from perfectly ideal though it may be, British forces on the shore had ceased their frantic effort at entrenchment and were now reloading their Merlins. The LCU never got to unload before coming about and making back to the Cardigan Bay. Several of the make-shift marines were less than concerned just so long as they got their feet on to something a little more stable than the landing craft. The mothership hung on the water awaiting the return of its spawn and the order to make ready the two great rafts to deploy Challenger 2s was recinded.

Still, the deployment was far from over. With the growing crisis in Canan it seemed likely that 40, 42, and 45 Commando would not be made available to this theatre. Somebody had to make landfall on the northern islands, and maintain a British presence while negotiations finalised the post-crisis state of New Guinea.

HMS Campbeltown and HMS Vigilant -still in the Indian Ocean, the former all but mid-ocean and the latter moving up on Indonesian waters- made course changes to account for recent developments and continued on towards New Guinea.

Apologies had to be sent to Wellington for their unwitting inclusion in a hurridly improvised deception of domestic and global scale and significance.

The Al Emirat steadily steamed through the shallow waters of the northern part of the New Guinean coast, on its way to a classified location. The ship was an old, small freighter, its rusty hull covered under many layers of grey paint, also covering up her real name, the ASNS Scimitar. The latter was only known by a handful, special-selected people at the head office of the Federal Intelligence Service and the crew of the trailer itself. Deep down in the ship, under the quarters of the small crew and the ship's cargo load of rubber boots, imported straight from Malaysia, a team of seven SIGINT officers tracked and listened to the various radio signals on either side of the conflict. Trying to shape an image of what exactly was going on, not easy with the chaotic and not exactly panicless messages being exchanged between numerious units and garrisons, the men did their duty, informing their country of what exactly was going on near the Roycelandian controlled New Guinea....

OOC: Hm, with the forums going down I rather lost touch of what was going on, here. I wonder how everyone else sees the situation. I was going to have the RFA Cardigan Bay make around RNG to the northern islands where a protectorate might be set up and a new PNG government essentially established (although I'm now wondering if we shouldn't just make it part of a reborn British Empire, as the Roycelandians seemed to suppose it would be), and I don't know if somebody's about to torpedo the Cardigan Bay for some reason or other.

My understanding of the "agreement" was that Roycelandia was going to withdraw from some of the smaller, less important islands near the Solomons and turn them over to Britain, giving Britain an operating base in the region, and the impetus to re-form her Empire.

Remember, Imperialism is good... ;)

OOC: Yeah, that's roughly what I thought. I finally found the bit where your chap brought up the idea.

"New Ireland, Bougainville, and the Admiralty Islands, as well as most of the Islands off the Western Coast of RNG"

I'll have to look at working in the creation of some islands as protectorates and the freedom of others, and better yet I might go back to bed. Yes.

Indeed. In the meantime, we'll withdraw our Soldiers from the territory in question, and continue improving the infrastructure of Roycelandian New Guinea.

2,000 yards off RFA Cardigan Bay

The Tigershark class (http://www.nationstates.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=2132825#2132825) Diesel Electric Submarine Sierra Five Eight licked along at presicope depth, making just five knots in order to stay silent and undetected. In the Control Room the Captain watched the depth gauge intently, the water was shallow but so far not too shallow to stay submerged.

The submarine had been shadowing the ship for days, and without sonar it appeared to be blisfullly unaware of the fact. Staying just out of visual range at night, it could raise its snorkel and the batteries could be recharged without being detetced, after all it was covered in RAM coatings so radar detection was near-impossible as well.

The weapons officer called on the intercom, "Conn, Torepdo Room, we have a firing solution, two Tigerfish ready, permission to flood tubes and open outer doors?"

"Weapons, Conn, negative, repeat negative, maintain firing solution until my order and standby. I also want you to go over yourYakhont anti-ship missile drills."

"Aye Sir."

The Captain was waiting, eventually the Royal Fleet Auxilary would anchor close offshore, and this would give him more options. After all he was not authorised to engage overtly, yet.


What exactly is Cardigan Bay doing right now?

She is making around the east coast of the mainland, bound for the Soloman Sea. The British mean to make landfall on Bougainville to assess the condition and mood of the population following the Roycelandian arrival. Other vessels are being made ready in the UK with a view to delivering aid enough to establish a new Papuan government on those islands Roycelandia sees fit to vacate, and to negotiate and plan a British naval and air force base on one of them. The frigate Campbeltown and Vanguard Class submarine Vigilant by now are both in the area, with the former approaching from the west and the latter still hiding near by.

3,000 yards off RFA Cardigan Bay, 95nm East of Woodlark Island

Ever since the auxiliary landing ship had started Easting, the Captain of S-58 had kept his submarine in more or less constant position, about a mile and a half of the vessel's stern while occasionally dropping back to snorkel and recharge the batteries. It may have been an arduous experience, following the same ship, seemingly around the whole of New Guinea but they had to make sure that the vessel presented no threat to Roycelandian forces. Also they knew that it was likely it would anchor off one of the outlying islands, and then they could take a closer look.

The big Royal Fleet Auxilliary had proceeded slowly, often making little more than ten knots while the Campbeltown closed at a steady eighteen. Northeast of Woodlark the frigate was soon to come within range of its charge, bound for the lowland southeast of Bouganville.

3,500 yards off RFA Cardigan Bay, 130nm North East of Woodlark Island

In the Ops Room of the S-58, the mood was somewhat more relaxed than usual. Now that the Chief Engineer had reported that the notoriously unreliable Air Independant Propulsion (AIP) system was operational so they could stay submerged for over two weeks if necessary and the need to snorkel and run on diesels was negated. Just as midday passed, the submarine made a routine manouvre, dropping back a thousand yards or so from Cardigan Bay so there was less sonar interferance from the ship's shafts and they could listen in to the surrounding ocean.

Suddenly a speaker came to life, "Conn, Sonar, new contact designated Charlie Three Alpha, surface vessel, around twenty six thousand yards, zero eight five degrees relative to our position."

The Captain reached for the intercom, "Sonar, Conn, what type of vessel?"

"Sir, it's a twin screw ship, must be cruisng at near twenty knots."

"Could be a warship."

A second later the sonar operator responded, "The sound is faint but the computer has identified the sound pattern and its 82% sure its that of a Type 22 frigate."

"British damn it! Bloody thing's on its way to escort." With these words the Captain replaced the intercom reciever and looked at the charts, a grease pencil showed on a dotted line that their current course was taking them to the North Solomon Islands, and it looked like the landing ship was heading to the southern coast of Bougainville. Shadowing their quarry was becoming more complicated with the presence of a warship but there was a simple yet dangerous solution. "Officer of the Watch, make turns for twelve knots, match course and heading of contact Bravo Four Whiskey (Cardigan Bay), maintain periscope depth."

"Aye, make turns for two zero knots, matching course and heading, maintaing current depth."

The Executive Officer looked perplexed, he lacked the Captain's sea experience and tended to do things too conventionally, "Sir, what are you doing?"

The Captain took the officer aside and whispered aside "XO, if we come right in behind the ship's screws, and I'm talking about a hundred yards away, the noise interferance will mask us from the frigate's sonar."

"What if the landing ship slows quickly for some reason?"

"Well XO, that's the fun part, we have to dive down a hundred feet or so in about a minute and drift directly below him until we can resume position. Otherwise we'll slam into his props and it won't be pretty." A wide grin appeared on the Captian's rugged veteran face. "So I think I better remain on watch for most of the day."

Aboard HMS Campbeltown

"Contact ahead, sir." Stated a young rating rather bored by the extremly long voyage and the anti-climactic nature of its apparent conclusion, which so recently seemed to promise action.

The officer who requested the contact's bearing delivered the information to her captain with slightly greater enthusiasm, but he in turn pointed out that Cardigan Bay had just become visible. On checking the position of the contact it appeared to all concerned that they'd merely detected the big Royal Fleet Auxiliary. Had hostilities with the Roycelandians still been expected then greater efforts may have been expended on confirmation of this assumption, but in the warming diplomatic climate this was not the case.

Campbeltown signaled her new charge, confirming her arrival. Captain Stephenson even mentioned the presence of HMS Vigilant in the region, though he was of course unaware of her exact position.

Shortly there after, the RFA vessel deployed a Merlin helicopter towards the coast of Bouganville.

Bougainville, New Guinea

The sight that greeted Captain Brannigan, of the Imperial Guard that morning on Bougainville was not pretty. The soldiers, who should have been preparing to leave, were instead lying around, horribly drunk.

There were also a large number of Native Women lying around, equally drunk, in various states of undress.

"The British will be here soon! Dammit, none of you are sober, this place looks like shit, and I notice none of you found a Native Girl for me! Get yourselves together and fix this place up NOW!!!"

The clattering of rotors signaled the arrival over Bouganville's little southeastern plain of a British Merlin HC3, carrying the first few servicemen who would set down to begin the work of establishing a protectorate.

London hoped to establish an independent government of Papua New Guinea, under British protection, covering Bouganville, Buka, New Ireland and New Hanover and the surrounding little islands, and Manus. The assumption was that New Ireland's Kavieng would become the capital, which made some wonder why they were making landfall on Bouganville. Perhaps it was just that they were sick of sailing. Long term plans saw small British military bases being established and British investment leading the way to a free-standing economy.

The Roycelandians had withdrawn by the time the British arrived, but persistent rumours from the Jungles indicate that the Roycelandians may have "Accidentally" founded a few Cargo Cults during their brief tenure on Bougainville...

1,200 yards off RFA Cardigan Bay, Bougainville, Solomon Islands

As dusk approached, the two British ships, were now creeping slolwy into the protected waters off the Island's Southern Coast obviously preparing to anchor.

In the Ops room of the S-59, the Captain remained utterly focused on mavouvering his vessel through the shallow waters, avoiding reefs, sand banks and other obstructions while remaing submerged and avoiding detection.

"Up persicope," immedialtely there was a hissing as hydraulics brought the periscope above the waves, immedialety teh Captian pressed his eyes up against it and used the handles to move it left and right quickly, "Down Periscope...depth?"

"3 fathoms below the keel."

"XO, does the chart show any underwater obstructions?"

"Negative Sir, but this area's badly mapped, probably the first Elias boat to sail in these waters."

"Probably..Helmsman, three degrees left rudder."

"Three degrees left rudder, aye."

In the nearby communicatons room there was a fierce whirring from as a machine rapidly printed out teletype. Immediately the comms officer ripped it off the machine and entered the Ops Room, " Captain, just got this on the VLF."

The Captain grabbed the paper and read it,

To: Submarine Sierra Five Nine, 2nd Attack Squadron, 15th Submarine Flotilla
From: COMSEA (South East Asia Command),Bandar, Brunei

Message:

Vessel is ordered to break off close surveillance of British Landing ship auxiliary immediately and depart the AO without detection.
Vessel is ordered to make best passage for position 51*47.49' E147*27.52' to rendezvous with submarine tender Alpha Sierra One Four in approximately 120 hours.
After resupply make heading for Brunei through means of best passage at Captain's discretion.
All prior selective Rules of Engagement are nullified and vessel will return to peacetime status forthwith.
Vessel is to report all contacts made during westward passage and may breakoff to investigate contacts if deemed neccesary.

<<END>>

The Captian placed tehmessage on the chart table, party angered, party relieved. "Helmsman, make heading two seven five degrees, bring us round smarlty, we're going home."