NationStates Jolt Archive

The Emperor looked over the figures. He pointed to his aide to shut the door and he did immediately. "Look at this. Caratan allowed all sorts of illegal drugs into this country. Cocaine, Heroin, LSD, it's all on a massive rise. This used to be a drug-free country but now look at it! Drug-related crimes are up 200% and the black market in ilicit drugs has nearly qualrupled. We must stop this at once! Issue a statement to any nation supplying illegal narcotics and other drugs into Layarteb that if they do not cease immediately, they will have to face serious consequences. Also make statements to the public. Anyone caught with these drugs will never see the light of day again. We are going to turn this back into a drug-free environment if I have to slaughter half the nation! I DO NOT TOLERATE DRUGS!"

deleted

The Dominion of Kanuckistan's Department of the Exterrior would like to request a list of all drugs considered illegal by Layarteb's authorities for refference; afterall, one nation's accepted medicine is another's illegal recreational drug, in many cases.

OOC I would like to note that you guys have no clue what is going on in Layertab, considering the fact that this was a conversation between the Emperor and his Aide. Until a public statement is released, you have no knowledge this happened. :)

well then, why did you post it?

OOC I would like to note that you guys have no clue what is going on in Layertab, considering the fact that this was a conversation between the Emperor and his Aide. Until a public statement is released, you have no knowledge this happened. :)

OOC:
The aforementioned conversation said that statements were to be made to the public and atleast some international bodies; often enough such refferences are all that is posted, with the statments themselves being implyed.

OOC: I do not consider that a statement, I consider that him telling his aide to issue a statement :P An official statement has yet to be released *prods Layertab*

If you know any places where these drugs are coming from and you want someone to go there and drop some napalm there we can do it, for an appropriate payment of course...

OOC: I do not consider that a statement, I consider that him telling his aide to issue a statement :P An official statement has yet to be released *prods Layertab*

OOC:
The above can be easily enough taken as an implyed statement, and such is used often enough that I have no problem replying as such.

Tho if ya wanna be picky, you can consider my IC post a well-timed-yet-routine inquiory as to a specific aspect of the given nation's custums policies. :P

Issue a statement to any nation supplying illegal narcotics and other drugs into Layarteb that if they do not cease immediately, they will have to face serious consequences.

That means a statement to all else.

And all drugs that cannot be recieved through a perscription and no you can't get marijuana with one, are completely illegal. Cocaine, heroin, crack, marijuana, shrooms, LSD, ecstacy, etc.

"Oh dear... another drug war..." The aide looked at the statement issued by the government of Layarteb. It didn't look like something either the King or Prime Minister would be interested in seeing while there were matters of war to attend to. Still, some sort of reply had to be made, because even though Callisdrun's government in no way sponsored the drug trade, they did know of Callisdrunians involved in it, unfortunately especially among the more resilient vampiric community, a fact often used by the fascists in their attempts to revoke vampires' civil rights. If a Callisdrunian was caught smuggling contraband into Layarteb, a undesirable situation could result.

The aide quickly typed up a response to the Layarteb government. The statement read: "To the Government of Layarteb... Callisdrun notes your policy and will abide it. However, as most narcotics are legal here, we can't necessarily stop some citizens from smuggling narcotics into your nation. When such individuals are caught, we request that they be sent back here to stand trial for violating certain trade laws. That is all."

Aides were given quite a lot more authority than their titles would suggest at this level of government, so this particular Aide neatly folded the statement and put it into an envelope. It was mailed later that day.

"...and the next business in the Moot is the recent news we've received that Layarteb is implementing a total ban on narcotics usage in their country. Including marijuana". Aaron Sanchez, Speaker of the Andolaian People's Moot, coughed bemusedly. A chuckle ran throughout the chamber. "Any comments on this?".

The Representative from Hemphill raised his hand. "I don't have the figures. How much of our marijuana crop were they buying, anway?"

Sanchez flipped through the papers in front of him. "An insignificant amount".

"Do they really think they can win this?" came a female voice from the back of the Moot. Sanchez adjusted his glasses to see who had spoken. It was Sonja Mann, sister of the film star Greta Mann.

"I suppose they most believe it. At any rate, hardly our business. Someone check to see which farming collective was selling to them, and find another market. We'll let them figure this one out for themselves".

*******

Diplomatic communique from Andolai to Kancukistan:

Per the current regulations of your nation, we have suspended all traffic in narcotics between our country and yours. While we regret this action, we do not feel that it is our place to advise other nations regarding their domestic policies.

Please let us know if we can be of any further assistance.

Ixus Prolixus Bombastus
Director
Procurement Department
Prolixia City

Andolai:

The people of Prolixia have a great need for recreational substances of all sorts, as our neighbors, the Mycellial Peoples, have squandered our regions supply of any substance psychedelic.

The Government of Prolixia offers the opportunity to invest in our substantial uranium mining operations in exchange for unfettered access to your drug producing regions.

PROLIXIA HAS SPOKEN

Iuthia will respect Layarteb's wishes to ban Drugs in their nation and will make a point of informing the Iuthian Recreational Drugs Industry to cease any trading they were doing within your nation... reports currently indicate that our nation is not trading drugs with Layarteb, or at least nothing significent enough to show records... in eithercase all companies inthe industry will be informed of this development.

We will also make a point of informing Iuthia's suppliers of this development, while we have no power over them (as they are from other nations trading with Iuthia) we will make a point of letting them know that trade of such contraband is no longer permitted within your nation.

We ask that Layarteb respects Iuthia's wishes to continue allowing the drugs trade within Iuthia and we expect that no action will be taken against our shipments of such goods providing they stay clear of your nation... any shipment destroyed within your waters will be investigated and compensated if our traders are at fault.

Thanks,

http://www.nationstates.net/images/flags/uploads/iuthia.jpg


Trade Minister Fred Galwitz, Iuthian Trade Control
Urbanites (http://www.nationstates.net/cgi-bin/index.cgi/page=display_region/region=Urbanites)

Apply for an Embassy in Iuthia (http://www.nationstates.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=127023&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0)
OOC Information on Iuthia (http://www.nationstates.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=109898&highlight=)

OOC: I know we don't trade with Layarteb, but it's still worth stating none the less. We don't export much in the way of drugs, seeing as we Import alot it would be pointless to get rid of some only to find that we would require much to make up for the stuff we got rid of... but never the less we export a small amount at high prices to allow other nations to have variety.

We shall abide by this of course, because recreational drugs are as well illegal in our nation.

The Emperor of Layarteb does not care what other nations do in their own borders with respects to drugs. We wish no harm upon them and wish not to change their laws or ways and thank all who will abide by our wishes. However, any foreign citizen caught violating the laws of Layarteb, of which they are subject to regardless of their nationality, will be tried in a Layarteb court and punished in Layarteb. Tolerance is not an option with such. Before the Democratic revolution, the amount of drug use in this country was less than 1% of 1% of the population. Now it is at a blistering 8%. This must be curtailed and stopped immediately. Drug traffiking and use inside Layarteb is a severe crime and met with a very strict punishment. One man is doing 30 years for being caught with a bong and residue.

One man is doing 30 years for being caught with a bong and residue.

The Magnificent Memescape of Prolixia petitions the government of Layarteb to curtail such an obscene human rights abuse. Surely, more lenient sentences can be issued for victimless crimes.

All Layartebian embassies within Prolixia (besides the Layarteb Embassy in Prolixia City, which is Layartebian sovereign property) will be shut down, and all Layartebian ambassadors and staff will be confined to Prolixia City until this situation is rectified.

And all drugs that cannot be recieved through a perscription and no you can't get marijuana with one, are completely illegal. Cocaine, heroin, crack, marijuana, shrooms, LSD, ecstacy, etc.


That is rather excessive, given that any chemical substance can be considered a 'drug' if used as such. Our primary concern is that of less conspicuous 'drugs'; things like herbs and the ilk with mild medicinal propertys frequenty used in food stuffs, cosmetics, and other products, usually because of their non-medicinal properties. Also natural remedies. Then there are 'drugs' usually dispensed 'over the counter'; aspirine, cough syrup, anti-dandruff shampoo, anti-septics and anti-bacterials, mild anti-biotics, etc.

These are all drugs, or contain drugs, yet far more benign than what you are seeking to purge; we just don't want their markets and the employees who make them to become the casualties of an indiscriminate dragnet.

OOC:
And specifying would create loopholes for new designer drugs to exploit :twisted: :wink:

One man is doing 30 years for being caught with a bong and residue.

The Magnificent Memescape of Prolixia petitions the government of Layarteb to curtail such an obscene human rights abuse. Surely, more lenient sentences can be issued for victimless crimes.

All Layartebian embassies within Prolixia (besides the Layarteb Embassy in Prolixia City, which is Layartebian sovereign property) will be shut down, and all Layartebian ambassadors and staff will be confined to Prolixia City until this situation is rectified.

I don't have any embassies in your nation. And we will not alter our punishments at all as this man broke the law and took the set punishment.

And all drugs that cannot be recieved through a perscription and no you can't get marijuana with one, are completely illegal. Cocaine, heroin, crack, marijuana, shrooms, LSD, ecstacy, etc.


That is rather excessive, given that any chemical substance can be considered a 'drug' if used as such. Our primary concern is that of less conspicuous 'drugs'; things like herbs and the ilk with mild medicinal propertys frequenty used in food stuffs, cosmetics, and other products, usually because of their non-medicinal properties. Also natural remedies. Then there are 'drugs' usually dispensed 'over the counter'; aspirine, cough syrup, anti-dandruff shampoo, anti-septics and anti-bacterials, mild anti-biotics, etc.

These are all drugs, or contain drugs, yet far more benign than what you are seeking to purge; we just don't want their markets and the employees who make them to become the casualties of an indiscriminate dragnet.

OOC:
And specifying would create loopholes for new designer drugs to exploit :twisted: :wink:

Only drugs approved by the Drug Administration are legal, plain and simple. Asprin and such are included in those. The drug list is long, very long, and it grows by each day.

I don't have any embassies in your nation. And we will not alter our punishments at all as this man broke the law and took the set punishment.

Then who are these imposters claiming to represent your government?

Then who are these imposters claiming to represent your government?

What are you talking about? Not every nation in NS has an embassy everywhere? I have embassies only in Hirgizstan, Liberal Liberals, North Germania, RightWingConservatives, Soviet Bloc, The Long Islands, and Undivided Principles.

Then who are these imposters claiming to represent your government?

What are you talking about? Not every nation in NS has an embassy everywhere? I have embassies only in Hirgizstan, Liberal Liberals, North Germania, RightWingConservatives, Soviet Bloc, The Long Islands, and Undivided Principles.

If that is the case, we will crack down on those claiming to represent Layarteb. Our nation has no laws against extradition...

Assuming a successful action against these imposters, our logistics department indicates that they can be shipped to Layarteb within 48 hours if your nation chooses to extradite the fraudsters.

Dude you're not getting it. There is no embassy from the EOL in your nation, no people claiming to represent the EOL in your country, etc. Unless I have opened trade relations and specifically said there will be embassy there is nothing to do with it period. The EOL is all knowing, especially if someone is trying to claim to represent our government.

Dude you're not getting it. There is no embassy from the EOL in your nation, no people claiming to represent the EOL in your country, etc. Unless I have opened trade relations and specifically said there will be embassy there is nothing to do with it period. The EOL is all knowing, especially if someone is trying to claim to represent our government.

OOC: apparently some organization outside your control has been conducting government business in your name. Whatever, I'll drop this if you like.. I was trying to keep the thread in character after you stated that your nation had no embassies within Prolixia.

I appreciate the attempt but it won't go anywhere. People have tried it before, same basic thing, but a few posts later it became a pissing match.

[quote="Layarteb"]any foreign citizen caught violating the laws of Layarteb, of which they are subject to regardless of their nationality, will be tried in a Layarteb court and punished in Layarteb. Tolerance is not an option with such. quote]

A message was delivered to King Haakon IX. He studied it for a minute and then stared deep in thought. He turned to the prime minister. "Layarteb has said that they will try and punish any foreign citizen caught smuggling narcotics in accorance with Layarteb law. There are several citizens of ours engaged in some shady business over there."

Prime Minister Anne Eriksen was not in a very good mood. The current war was very stressful. "Well, if they arrest any, and word gets out, the public will view it as hostage-taking, and will demand war. We don't want that right now."

Haakon thought a moment. "While I certainly have little sympathy for drug runners, they're still our citizens. You're right, the people will view it as hostage-taking."

Anne folded her arms in thought. "One of my aides already sent them a message that said that upon their return to Callisdrun, narcotics dealers would be tried for violation of our trade laws. I then realized that they don't know what our trade laws are."

"Well, send another message explaining what the trade laws that would apply are, and politely request that our citizens not be held in a foreign country who we presently have peaceful relations with." The King looked suddenly content.

Message to Layarteb's Government: "We will again request that Callisdrunians arrested in Layarteb be returned to Callisdrun to face trial for violation of our trade laws. The laws that would apply in this case specifically prohibit the sale of an item in a foreign market if it is illegal in that nation, and stipulates that a fine of at least twice the market value of the contraband item be paid to the government of that nation, as well as a significant period of prison-time be served. We are of the opinion that this is fairly reasonable, as we do not imprison your citizens when they commit crimes in this country. We hope that this issue can be cleared up without too much trouble."

The Emperor looked over the statement and though International politics is such a tricky business. He called in his aide. "Dictate what I am about to say and send it out to King Haakon IX immediately. Ready? 'It is the policy of Layarteb that we believe that crimes committed in a country are against that country. Any foreign citizen or national inside of another country that committs crimes against that country should be punished by that country, not their own. It may very well be viewed as hostage taking but it is vastly different. Unfortunately, we are unwilling to back down on our stance and any Callisdrun citizen caught violating the law of Layarteb will be tried in Layarteb. It is our recommendation that if the Callisdrun government knows of any such activities that they recall them immediately. I shall allow 7 days for such to occur. Then I am sending my forces on the hunt.'" The aide concluded, nodded, and left. The wire was sent immediately.

Ixus Prolixus Bombastus
Director
Procurement Department
Prolixia City

Andolai:

The people of Prolixia have a great need for recreational substances of all sorts, as our neighbors, the Mycellial Peoples, have squandered our regions supply of any substance psychedelic.

The Government of Prolixia offers the opportunity to invest in our substantial uranium mining operations in exchange for unfettered access to your drug producing regions.

PROLIXIA HAS SPOKEN

"Well, seems that our loss of a rather minor market has opened up a major one in response" trade advisor Lisa Winston mused. "We have the okay of the Moot on this?"

"Yeah," her assistant replied. "There were some arguments concerning the whole uranium thing. You know, one country's environment affecting the rest of the world. On the other hand, since they're doing it anyway, we might as well take advantage. God knows we could use the economic boost".

"And they said recreational substances of all sorts, right? So we might have a psilocybin market as well? And LSD?"

"We might at that". The assistant grinned and stretched out on the couch they shared, toying with Lisa's hair.

"Send them a menu. Oh, and I hear the new crop is in. Care to give it a test with me? I mean, it'd be a shame to send them a product we weren't willing to try ourselves"

*******

To the government of Prolaxia.

Thank you for your interest in our wide array of recreational substances. Please indicate which of the following substances you are interested in.

Marijuana (several varieties from inexpensive "ditch weed" to more potent sativa strains)
Lyserigic acid
Psilocybin mushrooms
MDMA ("Ecstacy")

Due to a low demand in our country, we only have a small supply of heroin and cocaine. Our stocks of these chemicals are reserved solely for our addict maintenance programs. We do apologize if this causes any inconvenience.

Lisa Winston
Trade Advisory Council
Andolaian People's Moot

OOC: Don't want to hijack this thread, so feel free to telegram me or open up a seperate thread for this issue.

Andolai. It's totally cool, keep going maybe we can make something out of this, you know?

OOC: Okay, cool. Good way to get my feet wet in this game without actually resorting to a war I'd be destined to lose.

Indeed. You're going about it the right way too. It's good to see a new person that we can't call a n00b. Keep up the good work. BTW if the EOL can be helpful let us know.

The king nodded at his assembled cabinet as he signed a third statement to Layarteb. He read it over once more. "We know that you do not view the arrest and imprisonment of Callisdrunians in your country as hostage taking, and frankly, neither do we in the government. However, Callisdrun is a democratic country. If the public views your action as hostage taking, it doesn't matter what those in the government think. We assure you, the punishment for violation of our trade laws is severe. If citizens of our nation are arrested and imprisoned in yours, the public outrage would be tremendous, and an international crisis would develop. The government also has no power to prevent Callisdrunians from traveling to foreign nations, except if we are at war with that nation and does not have information as to which citizens are dealing in items that are illegal in your country (as the majority of those are legal in ours) and which citizens are just innocent tourists. We again repeat that we do not want a crisis and that there will be one if the Callisdrunian public hears of their fellow citizens being imprisoned in Layarteb. All we ask is that your government simply deport Callisdrunians to face punishment here."

"Do all of you concur?" King Haakon asked the assembled Callisdrunian leaders. All replied that they did. He then turned to the head of Callisdrunian police. "Chief, I want your full force ready to be mobilized in a week. If this situation doesn't get better, and they do indeed put Callisdrunians on trial, there will probably be riots, and citizens of Layarteb travelling here might be at risk."

The head of Callisdrunian police nodded that he understood and the meeting was adjourned.

The Emperor nodded. And so it continues. He called in his aide and immedately had him write down another statement. "As in most historic cases of the past, including that one kid spray-painting cars in Singapore, where the crime is committed is where the crime is tried. We can offer the following though. Your lawyers may be present to defend the accused in a trial. Citizens of your country will be granted access to public documents of the trial so that your press and media may report the situation. All over the world things are done this way and they shall not change in the EOL. Any EOL citizen caught inside of a foreign nation committing a crime is subject to that nation's laws, trials, etc. we only ask to represent our own citizens and we extend that outward ourselves."

"Any reply from Prolixia?" Sanchez asked his assisstant.

"Nothing yet, Speaker. But you know how these things go. It'll take a while".

"True, true," Aaron commented blandly. He stared out the windows of his office to the seemingly endless woodlands. A surplus in the crops this year, and for a developing nation....

"Tanaka, take a letter. For release through the international wire as well as diplomatic channels. Diplomatic channels get it first, naturally".

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

Announcement:

Due to a minor surplus in this year's crop, the government of Andolai is pleased to announce that they have chosen to make their hemp available for sale on the international market.

Said hemp is of two varieties: Industrial and Medicinal/Recreational. The industrial hemp is not reccommended for medicinal/recreational usage, and vice versa.

Please contact the Andolaian embassy of your country or telegram the Andolaian People's Moot to negotiate.

We additionally have a wide variety of psychedelics for sale, including (but not limited to) psilocybin mushrooms, MDMA, and LSD. It should be noted that we reserve the right to refuse to sell to any country, corporation, or individual who we have reason to suspect of wishing to use these substances for interrogation, intelligence-gathering purposes, or any other use which would violate what we see as basic human rights.

Additionally, as the Andolaian government holds sacred the right of every country to determine its own laws regulating traffic in narcotics, we will not sell any substance to any individual, corporation, or other entity from a nation where said substance is prohibited. We additionally will refuse service if we have reason to believe that the prohibited substance will be transported to any nation with such laws.

Yours most sincerely,
Aaron Sanchez
Speaker
Andolaian People's Moot

OOC:
Hemp isn't a narcotic; it's banned mainly because of it's genetic relationship and similar apearance to Marijuana.



Oh, and you guys might consider also allowing any sentenced individual to be extridited serve out the sentence in their native nation; this has been done iRL, and would also allow them to be prosicuted by their own government for violating trade laws, with any additional sentence added on to that handed down by Layartebian courts.

[tag]

Fine detail I never thought of Kanuck. I shall weigh it in.

OOC: Yeah, I was just thinking that, maybe foreign offenders could be tried in Layarteb, and then extradited to serve the time in whatever country they're from, in addition to any additional punishment their native country might want to impose on them.

Pending they have sentence of course. If someone were found guilty of murder and would be given the death penalty than sending them home would be in a bodybag ;).

OOC:
Hemp isn't a narcotic; it's banned mainly because of it's genetic relationship and similar apearance to Marijuana

OOC: Understood. I've done my research in this matter. The term "narcotic" was being used to describe the other drugs listed. Technically they're not "narcotics" either, but rather "psychedelics". However, "naroctic" is the term generally used for legal purposes, as we're both aware.

IC: Sanchez browsed through the newspaper and gave a long, thoughtful whistle. He drummed his fingers on the long wooden table of the Council of Advisors, then spoke.

"Do we have any Layartebian tourists here?"

The Council looked up from their newspapers, slightly confused by the seeming non sequiter. Suddenly Victoria Chen, Legal Advisor, blanched.

"Sanctuary". She spat out the word with such force that the other advisors jumped.

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

Diplomatic Communique from Andolai to Layerteb:

To Our Honored Colleagues,

While we have as of yet not been able to determine whether or not any Layartebian citizens are within our borders, we feel obligated to inform you of a matter codified into our national law.

Inherent to our culture is the concept of "Sanctuary". Plainly stated, this means that if someone is within our borders, and can justly claim that he or she faces persecution within his or her society over a matter of personal consicence (barring that which may cause direct harm to others), then said person may apply for the Right to Sanctuary, or political asylum.

In practical terms, this means that any Layertebian citizen currently within our borders will be granted citizenship so long as they can justly claim persecution due to your current anti-drug laws, are willing to swear allegiance to our country.

In order to maintain positive diplomatic relations between our respective nations, the Moot has decided to not accept applications for Sanctuary for any citizen of yours not currently within our border, unless your government indicates its approval.

Sincerely yours,
Aaron Sanchez.
Speaker,
Andolaian People's Moot

The Emperor looked over the communique and laughed. "Get this. If our drug toting citizens go there and apply for asylum because of our anti-drug laws they can recieve it." His aide laughed. "Andolai says they won't accept any without our permission." They laughed more and the aide looked as if he was going to ask whether or not it would be allowed. But, before he could open his mouth, the Emperor responded, "Of course we'll allow it. If they want our drug-addicted wastes of society than they can have them. The current count is twenty-eight Layartebian citizens in Andolai as per visa requests. We can't affirm their intentions but if any want to do drugs and they want asylum there, let them have it. The less in our society the better." He returned to his coffee and looked at the clock. Man when was the last time I slept!

OOC: Cool, this is fun. Let me have a rough idea of who I managed to get. I'll assume that not all of them will want to apply, and that we'll get some unproductive stoners...but it might be interesting if one or two of these people had some sort of importance to you. A scientist, or diplomat or something.

OOC: Let's say of the 28, 4 are on business. 8 are 2 4-person families on tourism. That leaves 16. They will be the ones there for a tripping good time.

OOC: Okay, that makes sense. Can I come up with someone reasonably important to be one of them? Nothing that would compromise your national safety (someone with access to your defense plans), and nothing that would allow me to godmod ("A-bomb? Sure, I can build a dozen stealth ones for ya!"). But someone who your government hates to lose....

OOC: Go right ahead. Take her away man you're driving right now.

The Layarteb News Network was once again on its feet. Reporter Shepherd Smith came on at seven to eight with a startling announcement.

"Earlier today, the bodies of seven foreign nationals were found brutally murdered in an alley inside of Layarteb City. Their nationalities and identities are unconfirmed at this point in time but police have speculated that they were involved in the exportation of illegal narcotics, primarily heroin. Analysis of substances found on them reveal that they were traveling with 1 kilogram of refined, 80% pure heroin and approximately two hundred tablets of LSD. The police are investigating the matter but currently there are no leads. All seven were shot in close range to the head, execution style."

***********

Note that the following is unknown as it is secret

Meanwhile, in the Emperor's office, the General of the Special Forces sat down again. He nodded at the aide to shut the door and leave. "Sir, we've completed the first part of Operation Rolling Thunder. Seven drug traders were assassinated earlier by members of Force Victor."

"What weapons were used?"

"Close range shot gun blasts to the head. Their bodies will never be identified unless someone fesses up."

"Any leads on who they were?"

"No sir."

"Very well. Continue Operation Rolling Thunder, the complete removal of all drug markets within Layarteb through force!"

An aide dropped yet another message to Layarteb in the out box. It had read: "To the government of Layarteb... Callisdrun always demands the extradition of its citizens if they commit criminal acts in another country. That is just the way we do things. In past cases they have often wished they had not been extradited, as their punishments are often more severe here than they would normally be because of the embarassment they may have caused our nation. However, we will accede to Callisdrunians who violate the drug laws of Layarteb being tried in Layarteb based on the following conditions: A) They will have the rights normally given to them, such as the right to remain silent, the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty and the right to be told what they are accused of. B) That Callisdrunian lawyers shall defend them. C) That if found guilty they will be extradited to Callisdrun and serve out their prison sentence in Callisdrun.
Any community service imposed as part of the sentence will be in Layarteb, all fines imposed shall be paid to Layarteb. We will not accede to any of our citizens being sentenced to death for violation of a drug law. Upon extradition to Callisdrun, they will most likely face an additional trial for violating trade laws. We would like their jury to be composed of Callisdrunians, but this is not a necessity as long as the jury is composed of regular working people. We hope that this does not sound unreasonable, and are eager to see that this situation is resolved."

In Callisfjord Castle, having written another message to Layarteb, the King could not help from falling asleep. It had been an exhausting day, and he was an old man. Sometimes politics was just too much, and he had a bad feeling about the recent killings in Layarteb. He had seen the news, and spy footage that showed the bodies. It had been horrifying, their faces unidentifiable, but several visual ques suggested what he feared. If word got out about this....

The Emperor read the statement. "Very well. I shall agree to such. However, if they commit any crimes that warrant a sentence of death they shall be put to death. These include, but are no limited to, murder, rape, child abuse, plotting against the Emperor and the government, the selling of narcotics and drugs to minors (under 18 years of age), and spying." He too put the issue to rest for the time being. He only wished he could sleep.

Prime Minister Anne Eriksen read the statement from Layarteb. It was good. She then phoned intelligence minister Hansen.

"hello?" the minister sounded tired.

"Yes, this is Anne."

"Oh, hi Anne, what news?"

"We need all spies in Layarteb to cease activity, all who have already engaged in activity are to be recalled. Right now." It was necessary, in order to honor agreement with the government of Layarteb, to cease on the ground spying. Oh well.

"It shall be done." Hansen had always been extremely professional, and could get things done in amazing time.

Intelligence work had been done, and it had revealed that of those still alive in Layarteb, none were actual drug dealers, although a few were casual junkies. After about 72 hours without rest, Eriksen found her way to bed. Those seven troubled her though. What if it was true? they had certainly looked attirred in a familiar way. What remained of their hair was a bit light to be Callisdrunian, though...

OOC: Okay, but don't say that I didn't warn you.

"Okay, so here's the report. 28 Layertrebian citizens within our borders. Almost all who were here for the Gaugin exhibition at the Main Hall are returning. We also had a couple who were here on business. One was interested in arms purchases; he's staying but not applying for Sanctuary. Ironically enough, this woman was here for psychedelic purchases in large amounts for experimental psychiatric purposes. Humane ones, naturally. She's decided to go home and see if the government could make an exception in her case. She didn't sound hopeful. That leaves," the Diplomatic Advisor put a series of photographs on the table. "Fourteen people. One of whom may be a bit tricky diplomatically, but could be considered a coup if they don't put up too much of a fuss".

Sanchez rubbed his eyes and reached for the ever-present cup of coffee. This was getting far too tricky. Not for the first time, he wondered if taking the country onto the world stage was a good idea.

"Stop being cryptic and tell me about it" he snapped, more irritable than usual.

The Advisor opened the door. An elderly yet dignified man stood in the doorway, wearing a rather formal outfit in comparison to the casual Andolaian style.

"Good evening, sir" the gentleman stated with enormous gravity. "My name is Gustaf Jung. I am the Head of Household to His Majesty the Emperor of Layerteb"

Aaron groaned.

"Tell him why you're here" the advisor prompted.

The man nodded. "Indeed. For several years, I have suffered from a rather painful arthritic condition in my hands. This has made it difficult for me to perform my duties. However, I have discovered that marijuana has helped to alleviate the condition somewhat. For the past year, I have been travelling here incognito to purchase moderate quantities of it for pain relief. No other medicine has worked as well". He stated this calmly, with no appeal for sympathy. Aaron looked at the man with a new respect.

"And you are applying for sanctuary?"

"Yes, sir. On one condition, if I may be so bold. Naturally, in years of service to a gentleman, his servant is privy to certain personal, private, and business-related secrets. Although I am ending my service to him, I would not wish to be indiscreet..."

Aaron held up a hand. "Don't even worry about it. You know how badly they'd want to take it out on us if we knew anything? Now I've just got to figure out a way to let them know we're not pumping you for info". He groaned. The last thing he needed was a serious power breathing down his neck.

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

To: The Emperor of Layerteb
From: Aaron Sanchez, Speaker, Andolaian People's Moot

Your Highness,

With the greatest respect, I wish to inform you that your Head of Household has elected to become a citizen of The Serene Republic of Andolai. This choce was made of his own free will, and for his own reasons.

The gentleman has stated that he is willing to communicate with you or a representative of yours on Andolaian ground or neutral ground, if desired. He further has asked me to communicate on his behalf that he firmly refuses to break the trust placed in him by Your Majesty regarding any personal or state matters he may have been witness to. I can state openly that he made this a condition of his request for Sanctuary. It is additionally the position of the People's Moot that such matters are private in all cases not involving criminal matters, and that we therefore will not ask him to disclose any private information regarding Your Majesty and your government.

I should additionally inform you that due to the free press laws of Andolai, this story will be in every media outlet that chooses to report it worlwide by tomorrow morning.

Please let me know if I may be of any further assistance to you,

Aaron Sanchez,
Speaker,
Andolaian People's Moot

Please let me know immediately if I may be of any assistance to you.

The aide immediately burst into the office of the Emperor. "Sir, I have bad news."

"What is it?" The Emperor was just putting his head down on the desk to shut his eyes, they hurt.

"Sir, we have detained a single man that we affirmed to be from Callisdrun. He had a phoney passport and all but through blood testing and DNA traces we have pinned him to be a member of Callisdrun. It gets worse though."

"What's that?"

"He had pictures of the seven bodies and intelligence reports."

The Emperor immediately shot up from the chair. "Was he a spy?"

"Well sir..."

"Was he?"

"Yes sir."

"What action has been done?"

"Well sir he was aprehended, interrogated, and is now in a holding cell within one of our prison camps in the mountains sir. Camp 1447."

"Has the government of Callisdrun been alerted yet?"

"No sir. Shall I inform them?"

"Certainly not. I want to wait on this one a little bit. How was he captured?"

"The General of the Special Forces informs me a raid sir."

"Very well." The Emperor smirked, I love Black Ops! He then turned to the aide and nodded for him to come closer. "Find out what he knows. Get him to talk and spill about other Callisdrun operations inside this country. I know countries have spies here! Find out what you can! By whatever means necessary."

"Yes sir."

Erik did not like being in a cell. He also did not like the fact that he knew he was dying. Unfortunately, he had not been able to take the pill sooner, and so would probably die in the middle of interrogation. He had, of course, triggered his alarm beacon, sewed under the skin in his ribs, so the government knew he was in deep shite. The photos had been sent, along with all the information. His mission was accomplished, save one thing: dying, and that would take place soon enough. Fortunately, none of the other intelligence agents had taken part in any activity yet, and now they wouldn't, since they had orders not to. H had kept copies of the photos and his reports, but they had been confiscated.

He pondered who the other five people in the pictures could have been. Only two were Callisdrunian. One he had known. He was sorry that he would not be able to attend her funeral, if she ever had one. He could feel his life slipping away. The poison was in his bloodstream by now, and ever so gradually killing him.


Minister Hansen scowled at the alarm beacon sounding on his desk. "Shite! they've captured him. At least he knows what he has to do." It appeared that Erik Sorvik (a relative of the famous Rear Admiral Erzsebet Sorvik) had not gotten out in time. None of the rest had been involved, though, so the rest would make it back.

"Gustaf Jung?" The Emperor yelled, upon hearing the news from his aide. "Gustaf Jung wants to be a citizen of Andolai." He paced back and fourth. I wonder why. The old bat has been complaining of pain and has frequently traveled abroad on his vacations. The Emperor nodded to his aide to shut the door. "Well Gustaf Jung wants to be an Andolai citizen. I can't deny him that. it is his right but I do want to know why. What are the searches revealing in his quarters?"

"Nothing sir. Nothing suspicious at least. Though we have found pictures of him inside Andolai from some time back, I can't affirm when though sir. He was complaining about arthritis though, if I remember correctly."

"Yeah the old bat was. Keep on top of it. Send out a message that we will not hinder the process at all. Get the Director of Intelligence in here though."

"Yes sir." Forty-five minutes later, the Director of Intelligence waltzed in, munching on a cookie.

"You are eating those cookies again aren't you Doug?"

"Sir I love them!" They embraced. "It is good to see you back in here sir!"

"Tell me about it. Reminds me of our service during the War of Independance."

"A little less drastic I must say."

"You're right. Well what have you got on Gustaf Jung?"

"Not much sir. He's pretty clean we have to say. His medical tests last year revealed minute traces of THC. They could be from anything though. He did make a few trips to Andolai, not in any skulky manner, but not advertising it either. He could have been in the general vacinity of someone who was smoking marijuana though. We can't be positive how it got there. Medical records also show he had significant arthritis. He was getting old though, eighty-six years old!"

"It doesn't add up. We'll have to watch him closely."

"You know this is going to the press over there?"

"What am I going to do about it?" He stood up and walked around. "I can't shoot the guy!"

"Or can you?"

"I can, let's not be too rash here. If it surfaces he moved there to partake in drug activities it will bring shame to my household, a household going back what, fifteen hundred years." He sat back down and thought in eerie silence for a moment. "Who is your best assassin?"

"Your's sir. Colonel Delaney."

"You know what to do."

"Conditions?"

"If..."

"Very well sir." They embraced and he left. The Emperor sat quietly to himself. But no sooner than he sat down did he get a phone call. He spoke for a few seconds and then hung up the phone.

So the Callisdrun spy killed himself. Damn police. This is why I let the military handle these matters, they know what to look for. And a radio transmitter under his skin. This is too good. I'll have a field day with this one. But in the morning.

OOC: Time for bed

"You sent him where.?" the speaker sputtered.

Defense Advisor Lauren Winthrop stared back at him placidly through ice-blue eyes. "The Northold House of the Stag, sir".

"But...Northold's a pagan commune! You really want to drop that nice old bourgeois man into a group of naked neoprimitives?"

"They're a hunting and trapping commune, sir. Nobody on this planet knows those woods like them. Nobody gets in there without running the security gauntlet they have set up. And nobody...I mean nobody...leaves that place without one of their people knowing. And of course, they are as subject to the arms requirement as anyone else. Not a man or woman of majority age lacks a firearm, and more than a few of the younger ones are fair shots".

"So you really think...."

"Don't be naive, Aaron. I can't say for sure whether or not they'll try anything, but they seem to be taking this to an extreme. You read about the killings, right?". Winthrop flipped the newspaper over to Sanchez. Sanchez glanced at the bodies on the front cover and sighed deeply.

"You're right as usual. Just please tell me that they were wearing clothes when they greeted him...and that they didn't try to offer him the ritual welcome. He somehow doesn't strike me as the type to appreciate the carnal pleasures in a group setting".

"I talked them out of it, sir"

"Good. Keep me updated. Oh, and tell intelligence to bring me whatever they have on the supposed traffickers they killed"

OOC:
What I ment is that, unlike MJ, Hemp doesn't have any THC in it, which is the stuff in Marijuana that hives you a high; it's impossible to get high using hemp, peroid.

OOC:
What I ment is that, unlike MJ, Hemp doesn't have any THC in it, which is the stuff in Marijuana that hives you a high; it's impossible to get high using hemp, peroid.

King Haakon looked over the reports. It could have been far worse.
"Inform the Sorvik clan about Erik. They will not be pleased to hear of it, but they'll know he died in an honorable way. They've always supported our house, so I'll have to go to the funeral. Can't say I'm looking forward to it, there isn't much to eat at a vampire funeral." The Sorviks were a very old house of Callisdrunian vampires, very well known, and had a long military history. It was the King's obligation to attend.

The aide who had brought in the reports looked up again. "What about the individuals who were shot?"

The King paused, thinking for a moment. "One of them has a brother in the Navy. See that he knows what happened. Tell the family of the other that the person was killed in a botched robbery."

The aide then departed.

OOC: Callisdrunian vampires aren't undead or anything, they just happen to need blood. I came up with them to provide for something fun and interesting for my region's RP. TG me if you want a further explanation.

:x
We do not support drugs, however if any drugs are found on person we will do anything to put you behind bars for years and years.
Drugs are not tolerated other than prescripted drugs

OOC:
What I ment is that, unlike MJ, Hemp doesn't have any THC in it, which is the stuff in Marijuana that hives you a high; it's impossible to get high using hemp, peroid.

OOC: Yes, understood. If you don't mind my going OT for a bit, I've been an activist in RL regarding this issue for some years now.

OOC: Yes, understood. If you don't mind my going OT for a bit, I've been an activist in RL regarding this issue for some years now.

OOC:
Well, the point was that, as far as I can tell, hemp has no 'Medicinal/Recreational' applications, as claimed in your earlier post.

OOC: Oh, that. I've heard the terms used interchangably since I first got involved in the movement. The term "hemp" can technically be used to mean "marijuana" as well; it isn't limited to simply the industrial form of the plant. However, I can see where I may have seemed unclear there, and thank you for pointing it out. And I understand that not everyone sees it that way.

Oh, and I'd also like to drop the subject here so as not to hijack the thread. If you're interested in continuing the conversation, please feel free to tg me.

OOC: Oh, that. I've heard the terms used interchangably since I first got involved in the movement. The term "hemp" can technically be used to mean "marijuana" as well; it isn't limited to simply the industrial form of the plant. However, I can see where I may have seemed unclear there, and thank you for pointing it out. And I understand that not everyone sees it that way.

Oh, and I'd also like to drop the subject here so as not to hijack the thread. If you're interested in continuing the conversation, please feel free to tg me.

OOC:
Well, it'd be like reffering to DVDs as CDs; fine within a local context, but outside of it it creates confusion, and when ICly marketing a product, well, they're two overtly different things, just similar in apearance.

Imagine the poor Layarteb textiles merchant who imports it, thinking the stuff he bought was actually hemp, as advertised. :twisted:

Yeah, I think we've wandered this tangent long enough and made our points; I'll be quiet now.

The Emperor hung up the phone with the Director of Intelligence. COL. Delaney was already inside Andolai, completely secretly. He was a member of the 1st Black Operations Unit anyhow and thus the most skilled warrior in all the land of Layarteb. However, things became instantly worse. He turned to the General of the Special Forces, who was sitting inside his office. "Well General, Jung disappeared. He's somewhere there but nobody knows where. He just vanished. That means only one thing. They have him in hiding because they fear we're going to take him out. Delaney is going to need more forces. Send the rest of his team, the remaining seven men, and have them just scout and recon right now."

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

The Emperor, after the deployment, looked at the General of the Air Force, who joined them immediately thereafter. "General, what does reconnaissance show?"

"Well sir, Callisdrun has a major drug production plant here," as he pointed on the map, "and it is protected by guards all around the border. What is the situation on guys on the ground?"

"None. We have a few contacts over there but nothing significant."

"Very well. GPS coordinates are plotted and from the looks of it, a single F-19 strike could remove the plant from any service."

"Keep the option around. I don't want to have to use it yet but keep it alive. That is all."

OOC: Black Ops means only I know about it.

OOC: Understood. Figured cautious Defense and Intelligence advisors would make sense. They don't know what you're sending or even if you're sending anyone, but they've decided to take certain precautions.

IC: Chief Huntsman Red Owl scratched at his leather clothing and grinned in what he hoped was an encouraging manner at the man seated across the table from him. The man gave a polite smile back, and continued to slowly chew on his venison.

"We don't receive many visitors here," Red Owl blurted. "I hope it's to your liking".

"Quite satisfactory," Gustaf replied after swallowing. "A bit like one of His Majesty's camping holidays. And the cuisine is excellent. Your country deserves its reputation in this regard". He slowly dabbed at his mouth with a napkin.

Red Owl shifted uncomfortably in his pants, idly wondering how much longer he was going to have to wear the damnable things. Uncivilized to have to wear clothes in such warm weather. "So, are you ready?"

"Absolutely. I appreciate your hospitality".

In the next room, Diplomatic Advisor Wu Lei prepared the visiting reporters. Five known journalists, including one with a live feed ready to be picked up by the international wire services if they so desired. The door at the other end of the room opened. Red Owl walked in first, glaring suspiciously at the rest of the room. Lei nodded at him.

"Your guide led you past the traps successfully, I see" Red Owl muttered.

Lei nodded again. "Your daughter had them memorized perfectly. Amazing. I couldn't even see the snares or pits".

"Hmph. Well, if you can't see them, then hopefully the animals can't, either. Or anyone else, for that matter". Red Owl looked meaningfully at Gustaf, who was now entering the room. "Did you announce the press conference?"

"No. All the journalists know is that there's a conference regarding Sanctuary. Told them at the last minute before bundling them into a van and driving them over here. They're still a bit confused. They've all promised not to reveal the location we're broadcasting from for at least 48 hours. By that point, we should have him out of your hair".

Red Owl grunted agreeably.

"Well, it's showtime" Wu Leisaid with an ease that belied the butterflies in his stomach. He approached the podium and faced the assembled reporters, Gustaf Jung standing behind him and to the right.

All over Andolai, anchorpeople said "And now we take you live to a report from an undisclosed location, where Diplomatic Adviser Wu Lei has a special announcement".

Wu Lei stared into the camera.

"Greetings, people of The Serene Republic of Andolai, and to the rest of the world. I stand before you today to announce that due to the recently implemented restrictions on narcotics use within the Layertebian Empire, several citizens of that nation who are currently within our borders have chosen to request the Right to Sanctuary. To avoid any misunderstanding between our peoples, one of these seekers has asked to make a public statement". He stood aside as Gustaf approached the podium.

"Good day" he said with an enormous dignity. "My name is Gustaf Jung. I am, or was, the Head of Household to His Majesty the Emperor of Layatreb. I have served in this position for the majority of my adult life, and have considered it the deepest honor to be so associated with such a great man.

"Unfortunately, due to a worsening arthritic medical condition, I have been less able to fulfill my duties recently. While on a visit to Andolai for their theater festival one year ago, I discovered that moderate amounts of hashish oil eased the pain to a degree unattainable by more conventional treatments. However, due to His Majesty's ruling, I am no longer able to continue this course of treatment within the Layertrebian borders.

"It is with great sadness and a heavy heart that I therefore" he paused, composing himself. "I therefore must renounce my Layertebian citizenship and seek the Right of Sanctuary within Andolai. I have been forced to choose between suffering through unbearable pain or being deemed a criminal within my own land. I cannot in good conscience continue to be a citizen of a country that would ask me to make such a decision" He looked straight into the camera.

"Your Majesty, it has been an honor and privilige to serve you these many years. I trust that you shall reign with supreme wisdom for many more years. I beg of you to understand this course of action, and to show compassion towards your faithful servant of the past half-century"

He stepped away from the podium and exited to the next room, Red Owl darting in directly before him.

Wu Lei stepped back to the podium. "Thank you, ladies and gentlemen of the press, and citizens of Andolai. There will be no questions for now. Truth be told," he smiled. "We're still figuring out this one, so I wouldn't have an answer. Enjoy your day". He gathered his papers and followed Red Owl and Gustaf back into the Huntsman's private chambers.

OOC: Fascinating...checking the two seperate plots going on, it seems that we're seriously covering a couple of sides of this issue.

Yes, this was an excuse to *BUMP*. Why do you ask?

The Emperor hung up the phone with the Director of Intelligence. COL. Delaney was already inside Andolai, completely secretly. He was a member of the 1st Black Operations Unit anyhow and thus the most skilled warrior in all the land of Layarteb. However, things became instantly worse. He turned to the General of the Special Forces, who was sitting inside his office. "Well General, Jung disappeared. He's somewhere there but nobody knows where. He just vanished. That means only one thing. They have him in hiding because they fear we're going to take him out. Delaney is going to need more forces. Send the rest of his team, the remaining seven men, and have them just scout and recon right now."

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

The Emperor, after the deployment, looked at the General of the Air Force, who joined them immediately thereafter. "General, what does reconnaissance show?"

"Well sir, Callisdrun has a major drug production plant here," as he pointed on the map, "and it is protected by guards all around the border. What is the situation on guys on the ground?"

"None. We have a few contacts over there but nothing significant."

"Very well. GPS coordinates are plotted and from the looks of it, a single F-19 strike could remove the plant from any service."

"Keep the option around. I don't want to have to use it yet but keep it alive. That is all."

OOC: Black Ops means only I know about it.

OOC: We don't have any major drug production facilities, except of course for the ones that make pharmaceuticals like aspirin. Drugs are for the most part legal in Callisdrun, that doesn't mean they are a major industry, and their production is in no way shape or form sponsored by the government. The biggest drug production facility in Callisdrun is a small warehouse in an abandoned part of Istengrad, and the single guard is a timid dog.

OOC: I tried. Any marijuana fields?

OOC: I tried. Any marijuana fields?

OOC: Not really. There aren't many fields in Callisdrun, period, its geography is a lot like Norway's and so the few fields that exist are used for more important things. There might be a few plants hidden among the ordinary hemp crop. and by hemp I mean the industrial kind that you can't get high from, you know, the kind they make rope and stuff out of. A few people grow the stuff in their backyards though. Sorry, but having a huge narcotics industry just doesn't fit with what I've already decided and written about Callisdrun.

OOC: LOL it works. I'll go a different route.

OOC: Andolai, what's the name of your leader?

The Emperor sat with the phone to his ear, talking to the Director of Intelligence. "Yes, I understand." He hung up. Inside his office was the General of the Special Forces and several other aides and officers. "Well gentlemen," he stood, "the cat is out of the back. Gustaf has made it public and for that things must fix. Andolai has accepted him to sanctuary and now we all know why. The matter will all be finished eventually."

The room empited to all but the General of the Special Forces. "Sir, what is your course of action?"

The Emperor looked back. "Force Falcon Team 1 is to take out Gustaf. Assassination yes."

"Sir you know we can't find him?"

"Yes I understand. They have him stashed somewhere. That place has a lot of back woods and such and tribes galore. It's largely undeveloped. Therein lies the problem, he could be anywhere. I don't know myself where he could possibly hide out but I am sure that he is under the best protection that their leader can spare."

"Very well..."

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

The General instantly retreated to the special operations division of the Layarteb Central Command Center. He instantly sent the orders and communique via encrypted transmission over their PDAs that included their new orders. Intelligence gathered from satellite passes and two operatives on the ground in the capital city was transmitted as well but the data was so far beyond vague that it was a needle in a hay stack.

OOC: The Leader is Aaron Sanchez, Speaker of the Andolaian Moot. Or hes' what passes for a leader. They're rather decentralized, as you can tell.

Info: (Obviously not player knowledge). When and if your characters find the place, they're still going to have to deal with numerous snares, pits and other sorts of hunter's traps. Not to mention a commune of shotgun-wielding neopagans (I listed on the Ille de France regionpage the law regarding every Andolaian owning a gun about a week ago. Seemed the most reasonable way to deter invaders without requiring an army).

rgr. Don't worry I got it covered.

Mr. Petersen was concerned read the paper. Yes, this would do, he thought. This was actually probably the most important statement he had ever made, as minister of public awareness. "Yes, send this out, in the newspaper, and also on the TV news."

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

Channel 2 News. "This is a public announcement. All Callisdrunians planning to travel to the country of Layarteb should keep in mind that narcotics are highly illegal in that country. If you partake of these items, it would be best to leave them at home if you are planning a trip to Layarteb. Now back to our regular program."

The Emperor saw the broadcast via satellite feed, naturally having been taped by the officials at the intelligence center. "Well, that about sums it up." He called the Director of Intelligence and inquired about the identities of those seven killed drug dealers. Two were confirmed to be from Callisdrun and the other five were a mix, three from Layarteb and two from Andolai. It was a huge mess and he knew it. It was a drug-deal that was supposed to take place with regards to opium but it went bad when Layarteb Black Ops shot and killed them in such a way that they were unrecognizable.

"Has the Bjornsen family been informed yet of their daughter's death?" The King had decided to inform the Bjornsens of what had actually happened, as their son was in the navy.

The aide responded an affirmative.

"And the Freysdatters have been informed that their son was killed in a mugging?"

"Yes, sir." The other Callisdrunian killed in Layarteb had been from a family not used to sensitive information, due to no government connection, so they had been told that their son had been killed in a robbery gone wrong.

"Good. You can go home now, I'll see you tomarrow."

"Thank you, sir." It was much earlier than the aide usually got off work.

"Speaker Sanchez"

Aaron grunted, already wishing that he hadn't picked up the phone. Nobody ever called at three a.m. to tell him that he'd won the lottery, or even to wish him a happy birthday. Always some emergency.

"This is Aaron" he grunted.

"Speaker, this is Leslie Hinkel over at the State Advisory Commission. We've received reports concerning a couple of our people in Layarteb"

"What, they get caught with some hash or something? We can get our legal people on it in the morning; see if we can work out a deal"

"No, sir. They've completely dropped out of contact. I wouldn't normally be concerning you with such a matter, but with the recent issues...sir, they were merchants. Not just hashish. They sold the harder narcotics. Without government approval"

Aaron sighed deeply, and again considered not making his home number so widely available.

"Roust someone from intelligence"

A minute later, the lines were connected

"Bruce? Aaron. Secure on your end?"

"As usual. Yours?"

"Secure. Okay, here's the thing: We just had two of our citizens disappear within Layartrebian borders. Simon Neill and Yu Chi. From what I've seen, they're both unlicensed opium salespeople. I need to you to find out what they were up to and what happened to them ASAP. We have any resources in that region?"

"Funny you should ask. Not every citizen of the government is happy with the new policies, so we have a couple in development. Nothing major, but people who can look things up"

"Good deal. Get back to me when you have something"

The Emperor called in his aides and top military staff. "Gentlemen, we have a serious problem. Drug use is not declining, though it isn't climbing. How many Force Spectre forces are available for our disposal?"

The General of the Special Forces nodded to his Black Operations Commander. "Forty-eight hundred sir."

"Good. Operation Rolling Thunder will go into full force."

"Yes sir."

"Good, conduct the sweep right away. You know the targets." Operation Rolling Thunder was a total black operation. Force Spectre forces, the 3rd Black Operations unit, would conduct sweeps and raids and operations against known drug suspects.

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

24 hours later. The Layarteb News Network immediately flashed on the screen. "Yesterday, the Emperor ordered enforcement of his new drug policies. Police and military personnel have arrested and rounded up apporximately seventeen thousand suspects on drug charges. The Emperor would not comment on the raid but said only that 'Drug enforcement was not going to be sidelined.' In addition, the borders are now closed for the time being."

The Emperor watched the television and picked up his copy of The Prince by Machiavelli. It is just that I do this. The saftey of these people and of this empire counts on it. Once this is over, all shall return to normal.

The King watched a taped video of the Layarteb news, and shook his head. It would be no use to try to talk the Emperor of Layarteb out of this policy, after all, no one had been able to talk Callisdrun out of a similar war on drugs a century ago. It had been utterly unsuccesful, and eventually abandoned.

He grew tired of the depressing video and so went to enjoy dinner with the Queen.

"Aaron, it's Bruce"

"Bruce! Thank God. You find out what was going on with the opium people?"

"Not yet. But we did hear something else. Turn on the TV"

Aaron did so, his jaw dropping as he saw the announcement.

"Idiots," he grumbled. "Talk to State, see if you can work out something with any of our people caught up in this"

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


URGENT COMMUNIQUE FROM THE ADOLAIAN STATE COMMISSION TO ALL CITIZENS WITHIN THE BORDERS OF THE EMPIRE OF LAYARTEB.

Due to recent developments within Layartebian society, we regretfully must request that all citizens of our country within that nation's borders not currently on urgent (family emergency or diplomatic) business immediately return to the SRA.

For those who must stay, we will repeat the information regarding Layartebian narcotics laws sent earlier: Do not possess, sell, attempt to buy, or intake any narcotic prohibited by the government for the duration of your stay in the country. Return home at the earliest possibility. In the event of your arrest, immediately contact the closest diplomatic representative.

Thank you, and we apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

"Yes, I want this stuff sent to Andolai." Prime Minister Anne Eriksen was getting frustrated. "They need to know as well."

The intelligence minister finally said "All right, although you know I'm always uncomfortable with sharing any of our intelligence. Fine"

"Thank-you, minister." After arguing with him for ten minutes, Anne was pleased that he had finally conceded.

copies of Callisdrun's intelligence reports of the events in Layarteb, including copies of the photos, were then sent to Andolai.

Prime Minister Ellington Duke approves of this matter against drugs; however, it is the implications that worries him. PM Ellington Duke hopes that such a crisis can be solved quickly and averted in the near time future.

Lady Lin Pak
Minister of Foreign Affairs
PRKS

The Emperor looked at the latest figures from Operation Rolling Thunder. Of the close to ten thousand raids already conducted, approximately twenty-six thousand people were currently in makeshift holding facilities, constructed by the Layartebian government, should Marshall Law need to be declared. They were like prison camps but vastly different in that they were not as advanced as some of the others that Layarteb had. These were basic ones, with basic needs. Barbed wire, electric fences, guards, and other anti-escape features were employed.

Already there had been six attempted escapes, two of them resulting in electrocution, three were shot, and the sixth was caught on the barbed wire and bled to death. He was left there as an example of why one should not escape. Approximately eight thousand metric tons of drugs had been seized and disposed of through high heat incinerators, which were air tight and vapor sealed.

The Emperor was pleased with the way things were going but he was not fully satisfied. He wanted more and more progress, he wanted absolution on this matter. He saw the warnings from the governments of Callisdrun and Andolai and immediately sent communique's thanking them for the fore warning of their citizens. Now anyone traveling to Layarteb couldn't possibly claim that they did not know these "archaic" laws. It gave him more of an edge if he caught any of them. They had been warned and they committed the crime, they would do the time.

The night brought about another set of raids on this third day of Operation Rolling Thunder. No casualties had come upon the forces conducting the raids but there were about four hundred dead heroin, crack, speed, LSD, etc. addicts that either tried to run or tried to fight their captors. This would end eventually.

The King read his daily reports. Apparently, Callisdrunians travelling to Layarteb were for the most part no longer taking illicit substances into that country. However, they were now reportedly packing large amounts of Aydinfjord Vodka and Jolt Cola. He hoped that alcohol and caffeine were not on Layarteb's list of illegal substances.

The King read his daily reports. Apparently, Callisdrunians travelling to Layarteb were for the most part no longer taking illicit substances into that country. However, they were now reportedly packing large amounts of Aydinfjord Vodka and Jolt Cola. He hoped that alcohol and caffeine were not on Layarteb's list of illegal substances.

OOC: No they aren't but drinking and driving are...

The King read his daily reports. Apparently, Callisdrunians travelling to Layarteb were for the most part no longer taking illicit substances into that country. However, they were now reportedly packing large amounts of Aydinfjord Vodka and Jolt Cola. He hoped that alcohol and caffeine were not on Layarteb's list of illegal substances.

OOC: No they aren't but drinking and driving are...


OOC: Drinking and driving is against the law most places, I believe. Though you can't get arrested for possession of most things, you can still get a DUI in Callisdrun

Sanchez looked at the reports, then slammed his fist on the desk.

"You're sure about this" he said, a worried crease forming in his brow.

"As sure as I can be, Aaron" his intellgence advisor replied. "What's it going to be now? War?"

"War? You're joking. We're going to send what? A million farmers with shotguns? No, we're going to have to swallow this one. The opium dealers broke the law in their territory"

"Due process..." Bruce said.

"Well, the Emperor obviously doesn't give a good goddamn about due process. His idiotic 'War' takes precedence over the most basic human rights. No, we'll send a polite inquiry asking them what they found out about our citizens and watch them hem and haw their way out of it. But first, get on the line to the Stag Commune. Tell them to double their guard and traps. Anyone who would do this is capable of anything. Oh, and apologize to Gustaf for having to put up with them some more, and to the commune for them having to put up with Gustaf some more".

"I don't think that will be a problem"

"No?"

"No. While he's still a bit uncomfortable, he told them to go ahead and not worry about the clothing issue. He's mostly assisting in the nursery now, telling the children old Layartebian fairy tales and changing diapers. Now that he has the hash oil at hand, he says his arthritis seems to have disappeared".

Aaron grinned at the thought of this astoundingly digified man changing nappies. Well, a Head of Household was a fancy name for "servant". Of course, it was more amusing to think that the man who had performed this ancient custom on the Emperor of Layarteb was now doing the same service on little pagan babies.

The world was getting smaller and stranger with every passing day.

Penalties on DWI

DWI if caught but no harm to other individual: lost lisence & 10 years in prison

DWI and hurt individual: never have lisence & 25 years in prison

DWI and killed individual: death penalty

OOC: hmm, in Callisdrun, there is no death penalty for anything except treason. Even though most drugs are legal, driving, or operating heavy machinery, or doing anything that's obviously stupid like that will land you with a fine that will probably force you to sell your car at the very least, sometimes mortage your house, and if you hurt or kill someone driving under the influence, well, you'll have a long time to think about what you did.

Oh yeah we fine people as well and that's the average terms. It's a scale that depends on the outcomes of your actions and such.

OOC: Andolai has no prisons to speak of. There are psychiatric institutions focused on rehabilitation, and society at large practices ostracization against those who wrong their neighbors (and word spreads pretty quickly). Also, considering the number of cameras in all public places (loved that issue), everybody knows once someone's done something truly bad.

Oh...and every man, woman, and some children have at least one firearm that they're trained to use. Only a couple of pacisfistic communes and townships are exempt from this.

Legal and illegal drugs must be distingished.

OOC: As far as the definition of legal and illegal drugs go, I've been assuming that we're working off of the American model, just with greater penalties. Of course, that's Layarteb's decision.

OOC: So that Callisdrun may continue to export Vodka into Layarteb... :lol:

OOC: As far as the definition of legal and illegal drugs go, I've been assuming that we're working off of the American model, just with greater penalties. Of course, that's Layarteb's decision.

I am with minor alterations. And yes Callisdrun alcohol is a legal import for our country.

The Emperor, overlooking the most recent batch of paperwork on Operation Rolling Thunder, worked hard to suppress his smile. The success was great. The EOL was raking in drug addicts and dealers left and right. Camps for martial law were nearly full and, for the most part, things were going to plan. There was one minor problem.

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

Inside the thickets of the forest, Force Falcon Team 1 were following a lead that Gustaf had been whisked away to the forest to live with the tribal people there. They were informed on the tribal people of the country before they left and certainly they were at the disadvantage, as hard as it seemed to believe. The eight men walked slowly, eying every step and choosing them with caution. Their weapons were suppressed or silenced so that any shooting that they had to do would be done in total secrecy. They traveled at night and hid during the day. Their night vision was well tuned to the forest and the quiet of the night was helping them. The way the forest was, a cracked branch could be heard hundreds of yards away.

They had, thus far, made absolutely no contact with anyone. They were creeping along, not gaining much ground but checking each step. They were the best of the best and they certainly showed it. Each one wore their most advanced body armor, which in testing stopped just about every bullet fired at it. They were covered in this armor and they hid well. It was going to take more than a skillful shot, a simple booby trap, or an ambush to kill them.

The ship crawled along the ocean. It was an old, dingy cargo ship, painted in the characteristic dark green of the evergreen line. It was noisy, dirty and rusty, but it didn't need to be nice to preform its duties. There were only two kinds of things in its hold. Barrels of Vodka and barrels of Jolt cola. Orders from Layarteb had increased substantially.

The Guerilla unit has passed laws legalising all drugs known to man. This act will increase the nations economy due to the fact that stoners can somke their pot in peace or johny bussiness man can acquire his blow at one of our "drug centers' the G-unit soliders run these operations so there would be no corruption or un-nessisary violence. The G-unit soliders are also given the authoirty to give a beating or two if any buyers get out of hand...The G-unit navy has also made it possiable to sell drugs in international waters so their can be easy access to these highly hallousigentic substances

If any Guerrilla Unit citizens are caught in Layarteb, breaking the laws of Layarteb, they will be held accountable in Layarteb.

*bump*

I'll post something tomorrow night after work, sleepy now.

OOC: Coward! You retreat to bed rather than facing the overwhelming wrath of the Andolaian forces?

*Checks population and armed forces*

Oh...never mind. Pleasant dreams.

LOL. Don't make me put my missiles on alert. You know I haven't used them yet and I have to one of these days.

:: looks at terrain of Andolai. damn too rural, oh well ::

(Not really happening)

"This is breaking news from the Andolaian News Wire. Today, the Empire of Layarteb fired several high-capacity missles directly into the Andolaian capital city of Nueva Blanca. Two sheep were killed, and a cow was reported injured. We now return you to our regular programming".

LOL yeah that's about the size of it. Damn urbanize!

need to put down a stoner rebellion?

If you train the best soldiers, why send them into combat with...less than disirable arms. Why dont you send them in with
state of the art weaponry that costs less to Mr. and Mrs. Taxpayers. Look no further for these firearms. Also look for our
troop support APC, IFC, and Medical vehicles[b], and our new [b]FIGHTER AIRCRAFT:

http://www.nationstates.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=151490

Shameless self plug?

The Empire of Layarteb storefront not only offers more at better prices but is a household name!

http://www.nationstates.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=135462

"Whenever the people of Andolai need weapons for a war they'll probably never fight, they choose the top of the line...Layarteb"

*Shot of sexy Layartebian woman holding a bazooka and wearing a bikini*

Now get on with it!

I like the ad.

*BUMP* C'mon, I'm sitting and twiddling my thumbs here. Those covertopsidon'tknowabout need to fish or cut bait.

OOC: Sorry for the delay.

The docks were empty that night except for a lone cargo vessel, something that looked like it had gone through a few DMZs. Police assigned to border checks bordered and searched the vessel for contraband but came up empty handed. The only thing on board were insidious amounts of vodka and Jolt Cola. The cargo was authorized and brought onto the pier where it was offloaded by seaport personnel.
******************************
Six hundred miles away, at a top secret Layartebian military base, a pair of U-3A Aurora Spy-Planes lifted off. They climbed to a whopping sixty thousand feet in mere minutes, fully on conventional power. But, once at sixty thousand feet, they leveled off, increased speed, and ignited their pulsejet engines, just before climbing to one hundred and forty thousand feet. Their mission was complete reconnaissance of two areas in Andolai where they suspected Jung to be. Traveling at four thousand miles per hour, the aircraft, in full stealth mode, not only could not be shot down by any missile because there simply were none fast enough, they also could not be seen on any radar.
******************************
On the ground in Andolai, the Force Falcon team had at least three scars. Roving patrols of what appeared to be naked tribesmen had come close to spotting them a few times but to no luck. Their training was kicking in well but unfortunately they were running out of supplies for they had another day and a half left of supplies. Command knew this and the Emperor was already making his decision.
******************************
The Emperor sat back with the report, "You know," he turned to his chief advisor, "do the people even remember anything about this?"

"Polls show no sir."

"Are they true polls or 'I'm scared polls'?"

"True sir."

"Very well. Recall Force Falcon, let him go, I'll have compassion on the man. However, keep the recon flight. If we find him via that we'll do something but I doubt we will."

"Very well sir."
******************************
The message was repeated to Force Falcon and though their mission was a failure, the first in the history of their unit, they had to obey. The extraction point was about forty klicks west of their position, in an area they knew to be safe. They immediately reversed course and headed towards the EP. Andolai and Layarteb were very far apart and they were a little curious how they would be extracted. However, that answer came shortly after when they were given a new EP, which was another five klicks away but on the shore of the main river of Andolai. Night had fallen and they were determined to get there before the sun rose. They had roughly six hours!

[OOC: Okay, FYI: Difficult to get in or out of Andolai by the rivers, as it's landlocked and most of the water comes from the mountains. Think Switzerland. It'll be able to take you pretty close to the borders, though, so you could get there at least. In Sepiroth's "war" on me, which still has me chuckling, I compared the surrounding territory to Switzerland. Mountains, with one bit of slightly flatter land leading through Avenging Angels, our UN delegate. Probably smarter to try to head through the mountains. Going upstream, several water passages could get you there)

[OOC: Okay, FYI: Difficult to get in or out of Andolai by the rivers, as it's landlocked and most of the water comes from the mountains. Think Switzerland. It'll be able to take you pretty close to the borders, though, so you could get there at least. In Sepiroth's "war" on me, which still has me chuckling, I compared the surrounding territory to Switzerland. Mountains, with one bit of slightly flatter land leading through Avenging Angels, our UN delegate. Probably smarter to try to head through the mountains. Going upstream, several water passages could get you there)

Was going to use that river to get to flatter terrain to evac since I was in the forests and such. But it's cool, remember how I said I had 2 guys there. Well they are about to do something :).

"In Today's business news.... The economy improves as Vodka sales in Layarteb skyrocket... After Layarteb recently banned most mind-altering chemicals, Vodka exports to that country have increased by a whopping 200%, while sales of Callisdrunian highly-caffeinated soda have increased about 147%... Now for the weather... it appears that, as usual, we will have thunderstorms tomarrow..."

Layarteb, you are a fool. Denying drugs to your people will only increase the demand for them, meaning more dealers will come, thinking to make tons of money. Soon, it will become uncontrollable, a mass epidemic of drugs. Everywhere you look, you will see your own people doing whatever they can to purchase the highly-priced illegal drugs. Your nation will become so poverty stricken that many will not be able to pay taxes or buy goods for themselves. The best way to lessen drug use is to legalize them. If you legalize them, then it will take the thrill out of buying drugs and getting away with it. When they tire of the high the drug gives them, they will not buy it, unless the dealers lower the price. When it becomes so low that the dealers lose money with every purchase, they will leave.

Layarteb, you are a fool. Denying drugs to your people will only increase the demand for them, meaning more dealers will come, thinking to make tons of money. Soon, it will become uncontrollable, a mass epidemic of drugs. Everywhere you look, you will see your own people doing whatever they can to purchase the highly-priced illegal drugs. Your nation will become so poverty stricken that many will not be able to pay taxes or buy goods for themselves. The best way to lessen drug use is to legalize them. If you legalize them, then it will take the thrill out of buying drugs and getting away with it. When they tire of the high the drug gives them, they will not buy it, unless the dealers lower the price. When it becomes so low that the dealers lose money with every purchase, they will leave.

The same arguments came around when we banned many other things. Now at first it did rise like hell and become almost uncontrolable but it subsided eventually. The same will occur here.

NOW on the lighter side of the news.......

The unoccupied zones to the north and east of Layarteb were filled with at least six hundred and seventy million nomadic people. there were, at least forty-two thousand tribes in the zones. Layarteb had, on several occasions, gone into these zones to stomp out hiding terrorists and to provide the Emperor with safety during the rebellion. However, recently, a single tribe, the biggest one with a whopping four hundred and sixty-two thousand people was causing a major problem inside the EOL.

Since the enactment of the rigid anti-drug laws inside Layarteb, the Urbh Yueh tribe had been selling drugs throughout the Empire of Layarteb. They were non-nomadic and lived in a city roughly four thousand miles from the border with Layarteb, to the east that is. Their city was one that was built by the Caratan administration, as it was being called. In addition, their drug caches were supplied by Caratan and his supporters. Now, they were the leading export of all illicit substances to the Empire of Layarteb. Since Andolai and Callisdrun had ceased their exportation of drugs, junkies and addicts were scavenging for a quick "high." Layartebian secret police and military units had done well routing out drug addicts, sellers, and manufacturers inside Layarteb with Operation Rolling Thunder but it was over now. In total, twenty-two point eighty-six million people had been arrested by the government and imprisoned for breaking the laws. They would never be heard from again.

Statistics showed that the EOL was drug-free but they weren't. Junkies and addicts that had escaped the initial roundups were still around, an estimated sixteen million of them, spread out throughout Layarteb and its two commonwealths, Dnalkrad and South Eastern Virginia. The capture of one Jermal Garhek, a drug lord from the Urbh Yueh tribe led to startling revelations during interrogations.

The Urbh Yueh tribe were being supplied by foreign nations, though none were mentioned or too obvious. In addition, they were netting millions of dollars each year in drug trafficking alone. They were also well equipped, having bought up excess weapons during Caratan's demilitarization. They had no weapons of mass destruction though but they did engineer LSD into a spray that could be used against an invading army and render them harmless.

Something had to be done about them but they had to talk to the region. Going into the unoccupied zone had always made other member-states of the region nervous about the intentions of the EOL but this was vastly different. They wanted permission to literally level a city and obliterate an entire tribe of four hundred and sixty-two thousand people.

OOC: Oh...this is getting good. *Grabs popcorn and watches intently*

OOC: Can't let it die ;) I am hoping you gentlemen (or ladies/lady/gentleman) continue with this branch too. I certainly am not done with you let Andolai LOL!

The Wickit Clownz Wrote:

Layarteb, you are a fool. Denying drugs to your people will only increase the demand for them, meaning more dealers will come, thinking to make tons of money. Soon, it will become uncontrollable, a mass epidemic of drugs. Everywhere you look, you will see your own people doing whatever they can to purchase the highly-priced illegal drugs. Your nation will become so poverty stricken that many will not be able to pay taxes or buy goods for themselves. The best way to lessen drug use is to legalize them. If you legalize them, then it will take the thrill out of buying drugs and getting away with it. When they tire of the high the drug gives them, they will not buy it, unless the dealers lower the price. When it becomes so low that the dealers lose money with every purchase, they will leave.


So i guess in your nation its not just a minority of the populace that are useless addicts with nothing more than a dirty pair of clothes and a heroin needle sticking out of their arm, slumped in a toilet in the dirtiest and most depraved and run down tenement block in a city of untold sqaulor? I guess thats the norm for your nation then? Thought so.

Drugs degenerate society. Its a well known medicale fact. The only way to stop drugs it to kill them. For posession of a handfull of Marajauna the criminal will never get out of jail. For usage and dealing its death. Zero tolerance works, thats a fact.
The Dictatorship of Hirgizstan and its Commonwealth has had these laws on drugs for many years, people here, do not need drugs as we have produced the facts in vibrant ways-showing the TRUE horrors of illegal drug use. This was merely enough to warrant a 75% drop in drug usage and a 50% drop in drug trafficking. The last known poll on drug usage was 5 years ago, the free poll registered at 0.05% at just over 1 Billion in the DOH itself.

What the EOL is doing is cleaning up the mess Caratan made, drugs should be made illegal, any nation who does not do so is weak and ignorant of the basic medical knowledge of their dangers.

-HIRGIZSTAN-

OOC: Which all just goes to show how enjoyably different rl is from NationStates. You get to have ineffective drug programs in place, and decide for yourself how effective they are.

Oh, and I sure as hell hope you're not done with me yet, Layarteb. This is my favorite rp to date.

OOC: Which all just goes to show how enjoyably different rl is from NationStates. You get to have ineffective drug programs in place, and decide for yourself how effective they are.

Oh, and I sure as hell hope you're not done with me yet, Layarteb. This is my favorite rp to date.

Damn this is one of my fav's too man everyone is doing a bang-up job!

OOC: Which all just goes to show how enjoyably different rl is from NationStates. You get to have ineffective drug programs in place, and decide for yourself how effective they are.

Oh, and I sure as hell hope you're not done with me yet, Layarteb. This is my favorite rp to date.

Damn this is one of my fav's too man everyone is doing a bang-up job!

Shall we resume everything? Where did we leave off?

The Urbh Yueh tribe continues to stand firm against it's so-called "Layarteb aggression." They are now taking steps to defend themselves. Sources reveal they are recieving military aide from a foreign nation in the realm of air defense equipment such as SPAAGs, AAA, and air defense missile launchers.

IIRRAAQQII policy is simple when it comes to actual drugs. Weed (we prefer to call it weed over other slang words for the plant) is an all-natural substance that is great for pain and relaxation! So it is legal, but limited.

For example, noone can operate heavy michinary while "high" on this substance. All other types of "drugs" are illegal, unless you are going to smoke pure tobacco.

Cigarette companies around the world have killed so many! Our tests already found traces of cyanide! So other than pure tobbaco, all other types of drugs are illegal to every extent.

If anyone is selling drugs in my country, they will eat it!

tag for later reading

King Haakon sat back in his chair, feet on his desk. For the moment, things were going well. He was more than satisfied with how quickly the government had been able to get a handle on business, thus averting what could have become a major international crisis. Because Callisdrun was already embroiled in a war, it would have been unwise to open hostilities because of a nation's drug policies. Then he glanced down and noticed a paper in his in-box that he hadn't seen before.

After reading the paper, his mood, though still good, was not what it had been moments ago. The paper was an intelligence report. Apparently, one Callisdrun's Moroii families had found a way to skirt Layarteb's drug policy. The way they were doing it was by exporting to countries that neighbored Layarteb, and using foreign transportation. The king shook his head. Oh well, nothing could really be done about it. The only other Moroii families involved in the business had shifted production to vodka. Callisdrun's neighbors, Altar Rang and Helvetefrosk, continued to export to Layarteb, but they didn't have governments.

The Emperor was pleased with Operation Rolling Thunder. It concluded with the netting and arrest of at least 94% of drug users, sellers, and producers in and around Layarteb. The overwhelming percentage of drug users, which peaked 2% of the population at one time had fallen to a mere .001%. This was much better news, just a few junkies lying around that would be picked up by local law enforcement. The military activities were no longer needed.

But, nothing was sacred. The Urbh Yueh tribe had acted. They seized a tanker carrying chemical weapons and were holding it for ransom somewhere in the EOL, intelligence could verify that. However, where was the big question.

This was getting out of hand very quickly.

http://forums2.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=305127

The Emperor was pleased with Operation Rolling Thunder. It concluded with the netting and arrest of at least 94% of drug users, sellers, and producers in and around Layarteb. The overwhelming percentage of drug users, which peaked 2% of the population at one time had fallen to a mere .001%. This was much better news, just a few junkies lying around that would be picked up by local law enforcement. The military activities were no longer needed.

But, nothing was sacred. The Urbh Yueh tribe had acted. They seized a tanker carrying chemical weapons and were holding it for ransom somewhere in the EOL, intelligence could verify that. However, where was the big question.

This was getting out of hand very quickly.

http://forums2.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=305127


In light of these recent terrorist actions by the Urbh Yueh tribe, martial law is being declared in the EOL.

Prime Minister Anne Eriksen didn't much like doing business with the vampire families. She particularly hated having to visit the Harthy clan. It wasn't that she had anything particularly against vampires in general, but when you got a group of them, negotiations could be very difficult.

Her task wasn't simple in nature, as she had to both convince the Harthys that there was a problem and work out a solution with them. They were one of the very few vampire families in business (most were military families) so it made it that much more difficult. She had to deal with people interested mainly in making money. The fact that they were making it through a loophole in Layarteb's drug policy didn't appear to pose a problem to them.

She could get the more cooperative clans to give her their support though, with a little work, should the Harthys be stubborn on the issue. She and the king had decided to act before Layarteb raised the issue of the Callisdrunian drugs still coming into their country through a series of middle-men, and thus avert another crisis.

After ringing the bell, she waited impatiently until a snooty looking butler answered it.

King Haakon sat back in his chair, feet on his desk. For the moment, things were going well. He was more than satisfied with how quickly the government had been able to get a handle on business, thus averting what could have become a major international crisis. Because Callisdrun was already embroiled in a war, it would have been unwise to open hostilities because of a nation's drug policies. Then he glanced down and noticed a paper in his in-box that he hadn't seen before.

After reading the paper, his mood, though still good, was not what it had been moments ago. The paper was an intelligence report. Apparently, one Callisdrun's Moroii families had found a way to skirt Layarteb's drug policy. The way they were doing it was by exporting to countries that neighbored Layarteb, and using foreign transportation. The king shook his head. Oh well, nothing could really be done about it. The only other Moroii families involved in the business had shifted production to vodka. Callisdrun's neighbors, Altar Rang and Helvetefrosk, continued to export to Layarteb, but they didn't have governments.

Drug enforcement officials were wary of possible shippments coming in through neighboring countries but were unable to confirm such. Most, if any, would be coming in with the help of the Urbh Yueh tribe to the east. However, there was some concern that northern nations were aiding such drug runners. Border security was stepped up heavily and no precautions were being overlooked. Anybody caught running drugs now faced execution regardless of their homeland as the laws had been stated long enough. The only tricky part was to make it look as if they died as a result of drug deals and such. Force Spectre was becoming increasingly better at such!

Drug enforcement officials were wary of possible shippments coming in through neighboring countries but were unable to confirm such. Most, if any, would be coming in with the help of the Urbh Yueh tribe to the east. However, there was some concern that northern nations were aiding such drug runners. Border security was stepped up heavily and no precautions were being overlooked. Anybody caught running drugs now faced execution regardless of their homeland as the laws had been stated long enough. The only tricky part was to make it look as if they died as a result of drug deals and such. Force Spectre was becoming increasingly better at such!

OOC: Callisdrun does not border Layarteb. The Harthy clan drugs are being shipped overseas to countries that do border Layarteb, and that is where they leave Callisdrunian hands. Foreign middle-men then get them into Layarteb, for a fee, that is easily paid for by the skyrocketing drug prices.

IC: No need to worry, we are already taking action to reign in the Harthy vampire clan's... less than scrupulous activities

the nation of Psychotic Drummers, guided by the exalted King Bonzo Moon, announces that a country that makes drugs illegal is a square nation. we do not deal wiv squares. alos we would like to announce that when uve gathered up the shrooms and lsd from the black market, our King would like to purchase them from u.
Mysterious Man wiv the Moustache

The Prime Minister grunted. Yet another crusade against drugs. Of course, it was entirely the perogative of the nation in question, and some might call the Dominion's anti-smuggling initiatives similarily barbaric - The practice of shooting down aircraft believed to be smuggling narcotics if they would not land and submit to a search, for instance. Still... Reaching out, he tapped the intercom button for his secretary. "Millie, issue a travel warning about Layarteb - Also warn our embassy. If someone's quite so stupid as to be caught with drugs there, they pretty much deserve what they get, but still... Alter our shipping lanes to avoid their international waters. They seem to be fond of delivering a Miranda warning from the barrel of a gun, and I don't want any international incidents on my watch."

Representatives of the Free Land of Sonsy are standing at the edge of Layarteb, tossing joints over the border.

OOC: Callisdrun does not border Layarteb. The Harthy clan drugs are being shipped overseas to countries that do border Layarteb, and that is where they leave Callisdrunian hands. Foreign middle-men then get them into Layarteb, for a fee, that is easily paid for by the skyrocketing drug prices.

IC: No need to worry, we are already taking action to reign in the Harthy vampire clan's... less than scrupulous activities

Certainly I know you don't border. Thought the middle men part and going through other stuff was assumed.

the nation of Psychotic Drummers, guided by the exalted King Bonzo Moon, announces that a country that makes drugs illegal is a square nation. we do not deal wiv squares. alos we would like to announce that when uve gathered up the shrooms and lsd from the black market, our King would like to purchase them from u.
Mysterious Man wiv the Moustache

I am curious, are the blatant disregards of grammar IC accent or something?

The Prime Minister grunted. Yet another crusade against drugs. Of course, it was entirely the perogative of the nation in question, and some might call the Dominion's anti-smuggling initiatives similarily barbaric - The practice of shooting down aircraft believed to be smuggling narcotics if they would not land and submit to a search, for instance. Still... Reaching out, he tapped the intercom button for his secretary. "Millie, issue a travel warning about Layarteb - Also warn our embassy. If someone's quite so stupid as to be caught with drugs there, they pretty much deserve what they get, but still... Alter our shipping lanes to avoid their international waters. They seem to be fond of delivering a Miranda warning from the barrel of a gun, and I don't want any international incidents on my watch."

You don't have an embassy in my country but duly noted.

Representatives of the Free Land of Sonsy are standing at the edge of Layarteb, tossing joints over the border.

Representatives of the Empire of Layarteb are standing at the edge of Sonsy, tossing the joints back over the border and lacing your drug crops with all sorts of harmful chemicals so that when you smoke the stuff you go sterile and your puny brain masses liquify.

First of all, the citizens of Sonsy do not take kindly to chemical warfare, especially when it comes to our prized crops. Luckily, our government-run greenhouses are secured by military personnel, so its very unlikely you touched our primo sh!t. The crops that were damaged were privately owned, which Sonsy frowns on anyway (no way to tax unregistered crops).
Second, I suggest you not insult the people of Sonsy, whose educational institutions are unmatched. Your pathetic insinuation that pot smokers lack intelligence is completely off-base and immature.
Third, we sent our representatives to distribute joints along the Layarteb border not to create animosity, but as humanitarian aid for your oppressed masses of would-be smokers.
Despite the statistics you tout, drug wars do not work. By outlawing something so natural and basic as marijuana, you're setting up your country for a grave backlash of crime and corruption, much as the prohibition of alcohol in the United States did. I suggest you do your research before creating an across-the-board ban on a substance that will enhance its user's peace, spirituality and mind.
Until then, I shall keep the activities of my representatives on the down-low to avoid further "misunderstandings" and we will be on the watch for Layarteb goons, who, if captured, will be dealt with swiftly and severely.
Signed,
Kelly Houlihan
Supreme Executive Minister of the Free Land of Sonsy

I am curious, are the blatant disregards of grammar IC accent or something?
partially my accent, but also i just typed it very quicky. I usually have somewhat decent gramar. but gramar sux, specially when the school terms are over.

First of all, the citizens of Sonsy do not take kindly to chemical warfare, especially when it comes to our prized crops. Luckily, our government-run greenhouses are secured by military personnel, so its very unlikely you touched our primo sh!t. The crops that were damaged were privately owned, which Sonsy frowns on anyway (no way to tax unregistered crops).
Second, I suggest you not insult the people of Sonsy, whose educational institutions are unmatched. Your pathetic insinuation that pot smokers lack intelligence is completely off-base and immature.
Third, we sent our representatives to distribute joints along the Layarteb border not to create animosity, but as humanitarian aid for your oppressed masses of would-be smokers.
Despite the statistics you tout, drug wars do not work. By outlawing something so natural and basic as marijuana, you're setting up your country for a grave backlash of crime and corruption, much as the prohibition of alcohol in the United States did. I suggest you do your research before creating an across-the-board ban on a substance that will enhance its user's peace, spirituality and mind.
Until then, I shall keep the activities of my representatives on the down-low to avoid further "misunderstandings" and we will be on the watch for Layarteb goons, who, if captured, will be dealt with swiftly and severely.
Signed,
Kelly Houlihan
Supreme Executive Minister of the Free Land of Sonsy

Stay off my borders and I won't have to insult you. Marijuana is just another virus on civilization and it will not contribute to the downfall of the EOL whatsoever. We have the situation under control we assure you and it will not cause crime and corruption as it has yet to do any. And if we catch any Sonsy rep on our border they will be dealt with just as swiftly and severely.

Prime Minister Anne Eriksen was furious. The Harthys had been completely uncooperative. As she had predicted, they saw nothing wrong with using middle-men to sell cannabis, ecstacy and LSD in Layarteb for enormously high prices. Now she had to go all the way up to the city of Drun to try to gather the support of the Sorvik and Farkas families. She wasn't having a very good day.

Stay off my borders and I won't have to insult you. Marijuana is just another virus on civilization and it will not contribute to the downfall of the EOL whatsoever. We have the situation under control we assure you and it will not cause crime and corruption as it has yet to do any. And if we catch any Sonsy rep on our border they will be dealt with just as swiftly and severely.

We here in the Free Land of Sonsy have a strict policy for dealing with uneducated, close-minded anti-weed loons such as yourself, but none of them violate international law. I have not crossed your borders, nor do I have any desire to enter your desolate realm of hopeless abandon. I want nothing to do with your mindless citizens or their corrupt, inefficient leaders. But I do find your ignorance of the facts concerning marijuana to be not only errant, but irritating as well.
And so, as a service to those few citizens under your weak-minded tyranny who chose to partake, can visit the borders of Layarteb where free joints will be handed out to all who ask for them. Barring a request from your neighboring nations (of which I'm sure to find one supporter, to be sure) I will continue the practice, as well as offer refuge to your persecuted smokers.
If there is another act (or even a threat) of chemical usage against my nation, we will respond with a severe crop-dusting of Layarteb with the finest hydroponic smoke we've got... and since marijuana is our major export, we have plenty to share with your unhip citizens.
Now, before you shoot back a list of limp insults, I suggest you do your research on marijuana, lest you end up quoting Nancy Reagan exclusively.
Signed,
Kelly Houlihan,
Supreme Executive Minister of the Free Land of Sonsy

We here in the Free Land of Sonsy have a strict policy for dealing with uneducated, close-minded anti-weed loons such as yourself, but none of them violate international law. I have not crossed your borders, nor do I have any desire to enter your desolate realm of hopeless abandon. I want nothing to do with your mindless citizens or their corrupt, inefficient leaders. But I do find your ignorance of the facts concerning marijuana to be not only errant, but irritating as well.
And so, as a service to those few citizens under your weak-minded tyranny who chose to partake, can visit the borders of Layarteb where free joints will be handed out to all who ask for them. Barring a request from your neighboring nations (of which I'm sure to find one supporter, to be sure) I will continue the practice, as well as offer refuge to your persecuted smokers.
If there is another act (or even a threat) of chemical usage against my nation, we will respond with a severe crop-dusting of Layarteb with the finest hydroponic smoke we've got... and since marijuana is our major export, we have plenty to share with your unhip citizens.
Now, before you shoot back a list of limp insults, I suggest you do your research on marijuana, lest you end up quoting Nancy Reagan exclusively.
Signed,
Kelly Houlihan,
Supreme Executive Minister of the Free Land of Sonsy

I have better things to do with my time than do drugs. I don't care what you hippe pro-weed burnouts say about the stuff, it's useless and garbage. Any crop dusters will be shot down and seen as an act of war against the EOL, which will result in immediate reaction. Currently at this time, no nation borders Layarteb as it is all unoccupied zones, of which the region of New York and the NYRDT (regional defense treaty) have established that any nation(s) inside the unoccupied zones without proper authorization (i.e. a unaminmous approval of the council) will be considered an enemy and therefore treated as such. The EOL, being the largest military nation in the region of New York has dealt with many enemies inside the unoccupied zones and this shall be no different. DEA and military personnel are aware now of your plan and will be arresting anybody on sight doing any such means, whether it is inside the EOL or not. If you want take all of our hippies, junkies, potheads, etc. as they are wasting space in my jails. We care not.

Now back to RP'ing before the flame war gets out of hand.

The Layarteb News Network flashed a logo with a picture of a Marijuana leaf and a few mushrooms with the title "War on Drugs" with Shepherd Smith in the foreground. "Just in from the capital, DEA officials claim to have arrested and seized a shippment of drugs coming into the Empire of Layarteb from the east, most likely from the Urbh Yueh tribe. Officials claim that a few trucks attempted to cross into the checkpoint but when asked to open their cargo holds, immediately turned around at high speed. Apache gunships were called in and two of the three trucks were destroyed, the third being stopped by gunfire.

Here are some video clips from the checkpoint:
http://www.nickadamsphoto.com/images/pic37.jpg
http://www.redstone.army.mil/history/aviation/ah-64/ah-64d.jpg

Officials say that they will be interrogating four of the arrested individuals. No friendly soldiers were killed but inside the two destroyed trucks were sixteen men. They have not been identified. The cargo being carried in each truck was three hundred pounds of Marijuana each. And now back to your locally scheduled programming."

OOC: Callisdrun, I plan to have this tied in with that vampire family you were talking about. Going to say that a Urbh Yueh tribesman during ancient times saved the life of a vampire family member and so on and so fourth...sound good?

OOC: Meh, sounds ok. So you know, the Harthy vampire family, unlike other vampire families such as the Sorvik and Farkas families (both of which are military families), is into making money. You could RP a bit of loyalty in the way you described however. It would make sense.

IC: When Prime Minister Eriksen arrived at the Sorvik house, in Drun (it had taken her the better part of 6 hours to get there) it was quite a while before anyone answered the imposing front door(s). The Sorviks lived in a castle that they had originally built to protect themselves from angry villagers. Finally she heard a familiar voice yell, rather absently "come in." She entered through a small side door. It appeared that no one was home, except... Erzsebet, back on R&R. (OOC: for other FRODF members, this is happening in a different time frame from the regional war, so that Erzsebet could be at home). Erzsebet was quite possibly the most controversial figure in the navy. Talented, inventive and cunning, but at the same time reckless and unpredictable. She was also the chief diplomat of Callisdrun, representing the country in their regional alliance. She had risen faster than just about anyone Anne could think of, commanding more at 28 than most did at 40.
And there she was, head of diplomacy, battle cruiser commander... listening to black metal on an obscenely large stereo, wearing a tank top and jeans (black of course)... smoking a joint and reading a book that would probably put most X rated movies to shame. A tall glass filled with a dark red liquid was on the coffee table. Anne knew perfectly well what it was.
Anne sighed, this was not her day. She didn't bother asking where the rest of the family was, she just decided to wait until they got home. Even with Erzsebet's less than enthusiastic support, it wouldn't be too hard to get them to put pressure on the Harthys. It was a well known fact that those two houses did not like each other. Since Erzsebet appeared to be engrossed in her book, and the music was too loud to talk over anyway, Anne sat there, picking up a recent edition of "The Drun Chronicle," the local paper.

Educate thyself.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/dope/

Educate thyself.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/dope/

In 10 years we'll see who has more brain-cells.

can we get back to the RP please?

can we get back to the RP please?

My sentiments exactly. Shalt we ignore the previous quarral as "hubub"?

Yes, hubbub it was.

A decision was made with the Urbh Yueh tribe. The EOL would release the prisoners in custody but laced them with a mechanical device that would kill them within two weeks. By that time, the situation would hopefully be resolved. Layarteb intelligence chiefs, black ops, and DEA officials were combing high and low for the stolen tanker truck and its chemical cargo to no avail.

It had been a mere eight hours since the incidient on the Layarteb border with the three trucks but already many things were now known that were previously not known. Primarily, reconnaissance teams outside the city of Urbh Yueh monitored two trains leaving the city, one packed with soldiers and the other packed with drugs, mostly LSD and cocaine. In addition, the decendent of a former tribal leader was having a meeting with a person who matched the description of someone from the Harthy clan from Callisdrun. Intelligence on history revealed that, if in fact this was a person from the Harthy clan, in the year 1300 AD, during a furious war of the worlds, the tribal leader of the Urbh Yueh tribe granted refuge to this clansman from the Harthy clan, which was ultimately responsible for their victory and his ancestry. There was a long bond there that certainly would not be broken.

Recon was continuing around the clock but time was running out. The stolen truck HAD to be found!

:: on hold until Callisdrun comes back from vacation ::

I am now back home. I'll be leaving in another week though. so let's get this show on the road.

In a dark room in a strip bar in a nation close to Layarteb, young Mr. Harthy thought the meeting was going well. His family would make millions of Kroner from the deal. Despite their business sense, the Harthy's only sold marijuana, LSD and Ecstacy. Things like heroin would be a bit much even for them.

In a dark room in a strip bar in a nation close to Layarteb, young Mr. Harthy thought the meeting was going well. His family would make millions of Kroner from the deal. Despite their business sense, the Harthy's only sold marijuana, LSD and Ecstacy. Things like heroin would be a bit much even for them.

Would it be out of line to have my anti-drug black ops storm the meeting on a tip from an informer or is the clan that tightly knit that nobody would inform (or that they have no enemies). You tell me, I'll chill on it for a while. You're guy can always 'attempt' to escape the back door ;).

OOC: Well, since he's not in Layarteb, I don't see how they can do anything but simply break up the meeting. The vampire families are extremely tightly knit, the loyalty is very intense. And if anyone did tell, they would tell Callisdrunian authorities most likely. The Harthy's are the most disliked clan, by far, especially by the Sorvik and Farkas clans, who both are military families and percieve the Harthy family to be dishonest and immoral. The Prime Minister is organizing a meeting with the other families, and since you have diplomatic representation in Callisdrun, your guy could exert some influence there.

OOC: Well, since he's not in Layarteb, I don't see how they can do anything but simply break up the meeting. The vampire families are extremely tightly knit, the loyalty is very intense. And if anyone did tell, they would tell Callisdrunian authorities most likely. The Harthy's are the most disliked clan, by far, especially by the Sorvik and Farkas clans, who both are military families and percieve the Harthy family to be dishonest and immoral. The Prime Minister is organizing a meeting with the other families, and since you have diplomatic representation in Callisdrun, your guy could exert some influence there.

Alright yes then I shall forgo that idea. I was going to use black ops so it doesn't matter what country lol, if it's close to me, you can guarantee I can get in and out without being seen. Anyhow. Have you seen the posts on the Layartebian Chronciles of the Urbh Yueh tribe and war?

http://forums2.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=305127

Alright yes then I shall forgo that idea. I was going to use black ops so it doesn't matter what country lol, if it's close to me, you can guarantee I can get in and out without being seen. Anyhow. Have you seen the posts on the Layartebian Chronciles of the Urbh Yueh tribe and war?

http://forums2.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=305127
I have not yet, am currently reading though.

To Layarteb:

The gouverment of the Protectorate of Atsuma has read your statment. Any trading of drugs that has been done to your nation will cease immediately. However, it has been our experience that by outright banning something, the more underground and dangerous it will become. Something to consider in the future.

-Directorate Amin, High Consul of Economics and Trade

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

As the high consul session ended, Praetor Yuri Maru retired to his chambers. After pouring a glass of absinthe, he slouched back into his favorite chair, a padded wroght iron seat that had been used throughout his career. Directorate Amin soon joined him.
"Ahhh Amin...Care for a glass?" Yuri sighed, raising his glass to Amin.
"Perhaps some other time, my friend. I have a report for you, just came in. Apparently Layarteb has outlawed all drugs." Amin passed Yuri the form, a single white sheet of paper.
"I see...How do you think this will affect our trade?" Yuri tipped the glass back, slowly sipping the green liqour.
"Well, we haven't done any drug trading to Layarteb, but it is likely that they may think lesser of our nation for promoting drug trade. It may also lower international opinion of white market sales." Amin pushed his glasses up a bit on his bridge.
"Quite so...Hmmmm...I think we should just continue business as usual. Step up background checks for nations in the same area, see if they have any ties to organized crime or black market agents. The last thing we need is Atsuman labels all over black market product going into Layarteb. Also, work closely with Directorate Hollings, try to keep international opinion up." Yuri stroaked his chin and set the paper down on the nearby black mahogany desk.
"Certainly. I'll give you notice as to any changes. Now if you will excuse me, I do believe my wife is calling me." Amin chuckled as he turned to leave. Yuri raised his glass once more to Amin.
"Be well, and send my regards to you wife. We must dine again sometime!" Yuri smiled and sat back in his chair, sipping his drink, preparing for another long night of policy reading.

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

Speaking of drug trade!
http://forums2.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=344195 :D

To Layarteb:

The gouverment of the Protectorate of Atsuma has read your statment. Any trading of drugs that has been done to your nation will cease immediately. However, it has been our experience that by outright banning something, the more underground and dangerous it will become. Something to consider in the future.

-Directorate Amin, High Consul of Economics and Trade

The Emperor of Layarteb thanks you for your cooperation and warning. Drug use has remained stagnant though since the cessation of Operation Rolling Thunder, in which raids were conducted and many arrests made in conjunction with all drug use and trafficking. We are looking to stamp out this little bit.

Atilla Sorvik came home to find the Prime Minister sitting in his living room with his daughter, who was still reading and smoking a joint. Erzsebet looked up and turned the music down a bit. "Hi dad."

Atilla smiled at his daughter, though he did not necessarily approve of her activities, the fact that she was at the family home instead of her apartment was good enough for him. He then looked over at the prime minister. "Is there a problem, Prime Minister?" Atilla asked tentatively.

Standing up, Anne Eriksen walked over to Atilla. "Yes, yes in fact there is, Mr. Sorvik. The Harthys are close to getting us into another international crisis. I have already met with them and they don't seem to see anything wrong with what they're doing. That is why I am here." Erzsebet got up but continued to sip from her glass, which she had refilled. This was the kind of thing that made it uncomfortable for Prime Minister Anne Eriksen to meet with the vampire families.

Erzsebet then chimed in. "If it's about those crazy Layartebians, I suppose you should call their ambassador, or consul, or whatever they have here." Anne wondered if Erzsebet was aware that there was a little blood on her lips.

OOC: So do you want your diplomat involved in the upcoming meeting? I think it might make things interesting, maybe a bit of culture shock, you know?

Atilla Sorvik came home to find the Prime Minister sitting in his living room with his daughter, who was still reading and smoking a joint. Erzsebet looked up and turned the music down a bit. "Hi dad."

Atilla smiled at his daughter, though he did not necessarily approve of her activities, the fact that she was at the family home instead of her apartment was good enough for him. He then looked over at the prime minister. "Is there a problem, Prime Minister?" Atilla asked tentatively.

Standing up, Anne Eriksen walked over to Atilla. "Yes, yes in fact there is, Mr. Sorvik. The Harthys are close to getting us into another international crisis. I have already met with them and they don't seem to see anything wrong with what they're doing. That is why I am here." Erzsebet got up but continued to sip from her glass, which she had refilled. This was the kind of thing that made it uncomfortable for Prime Minister Anne Eriksen to meet with the vampire families.

Erzsebet then chimed in. "If it's about those crazy Layartebians, I suppose you should call their ambassador, or consul, or whatever they have here." Anne wondered if Erzsebet was aware that there was a little blood on her lips.

OOC: So do you want your diplomat involved in the upcoming meeting? I think it might make things interesting, maybe a bit of culture shock, you know?

Certainly. You RP it, our diplomat is in your writings hands.

Certainly. You RP it, our diplomat is in your writings hands.

OOC: I think it would be more interesting if you RPed the diplomat. Don't worry, I'll handle the Prime Minister's and vampires' actions (that's going to be like, quite a few people), but I don't know enough about Layarteb or your style to RP a Layartebian.

OOC: I think it would be more interesting if you RPed the diplomat. Don't worry, I'll handle the Prime Minister's and vampires' actions (that's going to be like, quite a few people), but I don't know enough about Layarteb or your style to RP a Layartebian.

Well basically what I meant is you call the diplomat over and RP him arriving and such and post some stuff and I will gladly respond. That's what I mean.

OOC: Can do.

IC:
A few minutes later, Anne Eriksen was on the phone with the Layarteb embassy. The others in the room could only hear her end of the conversation. "Yes, tonight. What? Oh, at the Sorvik Castle, in Drun. It will take you a few hours to get here, but that during that time we will get the rest of the people representing the vampire families here. Pardon? Yes, I did say vampire. Not dangerous, no. What? No, of course not, normal food will be served. Just don't look in the fridge. Semi-formal. I'll see you then." She hung up and then called all the representatives who would be needed. Dining with vampires was always a bit creepy, but Anne rather liked the Sorviks. Always friendly, except for Erzsebet who was moody.

The diplomat hung up the phone. Vampire family? Oh well... He paged his secretary to bring around the car, he was going to Drun. It would take three hours to get there, obeying traffic laws that were and they had plans on doing just that. His car was a standard limousine, black and armored against small arms bullets, standard for the Layartebian ambassador corps.

He was on his way an hour after the call was made, having had to shower and change. He was certainly going to make a good impression, after all, the fate of their two nations could be at stake. He was nervous though, all of his hearings of the word vampire definitely carried a negative connotation.

Anne waited in the great hall (all castles in Callisdrun have great halls) looking out the window while the representatives from the families arrived. Most in decent enough car. The Farkas family reps arrived in their black 1930's sports car. Limos were uncommon in Callisdrun. Even the King only occaisionally rode in one. The Sorviks were getting changed upstairs. Mrs. Sorvik was at the door greeting people, wearing a green dress. Erzsebet came downstairs in her elegant black dress. All wore their axes on their belts, as was Callisdrunian custom. The Katarindatters entered, as did the Ziganadatters and finally the Farkas family. Anne wondered what they'd be having for dinner. It smelled like boar. She continued looking out the window while the various vampires chatted. They were well-dressed, vampires could be depended on to look good. All the fangs gave Anne an eery feeling though.

She then saw a black limousine pull up. This must be the Layartebian ambassador, she thought. She hoped Erzsebet wasn't still high.

The ambassador stepped out on his own, alone. His bodyguards were ordered to wait inside the limo, as to hopefully not offend any of the families. He walked to the door and was about to knock the door knocker but the door was opened.

Anne stood by the door as Mrs. Sorvik opened. Mrs. Sorvik greeted the Layartebian first. "Oh, you must be the Layartebian ambassador," she said. Vampires had the same accent as other Callisdrunians, but for some reason, there was a very very subtle barely perceptible hiss quality to the "S" sound. She was still quite good-looking at 52, vampires did not show their age much.

Anne reached out to shake the man's hand. "I am Prime Minister Eriksen. I'm pleased that you could come on such short notice. I hope you're not too tired, it's going to be a late night. Dinner will be served early for your accomodation." It was 8:00

The ambassador held out his hand. "I am pleased to meet you. It is a shock than you and I have never met during my stay here in your fabulous country. I am the ambassador of Layarteb, Henry Hyde. It was a beautiful ride here and I regret that I do not get out very much from the embassy. I want to thank you for the accomodations and however long this takes I will gladly be welcome to it. I have ordered my bodyguards to stay in the car as to not offend you. I hope I made the right call." He smirked and entered, in awe of the castle. What a great place. I need to get one of these.

NOTE: all italics means inner thoughts

OOC: Do you have any instant message capabilities?

The ambassador held out his hand. "I am pleased to meet you. It is a shock than you and I have never met during my stay here in your fabulous country. I am the ambassador of Layarteb, Henry Hyde. It was a beautiful ride here and I regret that I do not get out very much from the embassy. I want to thank you for the accomodations and however long this takes I will gladly be welcome to it. I have ordered my bodyguards to stay in the car as to not offend you. I hope I made the right call." He smirked and entered, in awe of the castle. What a great place. I need to get one of these.

NOTE: all italics means inner thoughts

OOC: Do you have any instant message capabilities?

OOC: Yes, my IM is BassistSartori

IC: Anne took Henry to the hall, where the scent of roast wild boar wafted through the air as the vampires socialized. Though the meeting was serious, it hadn't really begun yet, so the guests were laughing at gossip, jokes and the like. Sorvik castle was very old, and the great hall still had tapestries hanging from it.
Anne then motioned for Erzsebet to come over. Erzsebet's evening dress was sleeveless, revealing a few of her many tattoos, the most prominant being black vines with thorns spiraling down her left arm. She was rather on the small side, though the way she carried herself she looked both beautiful and fierce. Anne spoke to her "Erzsebet, this is the ambassador from Layarteb, Mr. Henry Hyde. He'll be representing Layarteb at this meeting." She then turned to Henry and introduced Erzsebet. "Mr. Hyde, this is Rear-Admiral Erzsebet Sorvik, commander of the battle cruiser squadron and officially head diplomat of our nation. You haven't met her because she mainly represents us in our regional alliance. She's back for R and R right now."

Erzsebet gave Henry a razor-blade smile and shook his hand, saying "Pleased to meet you, Mr. Hyde."

The ambassador thrust out his hand immediately. "Pleased to meet you as well. It is always a pleasure to meet those who serve and defend their country with more than words and pens. It is a shame we have never met before this day but I hope that we can discuss the fate of our two nations in the future as well." He smiled back at her and took a quick peek around the hall. Personal note, I need a home like this. "So do all Vampire homes look as grandious and pleasing as this one?"

Erzsebet and Anne both laughed. Erzsebet responded to the question. "Most of the family ancestral homes do. I only live here some of the time. I actually have an apartment closer to downtown Drun, but I also count my ship as a place of residence. Don't tell the Farkases or the Katarindatters I said this, but in my opinion, we Sorviks have the best castle." She grinned again. Callisdrunian castles were not ornate in the slightest, but they were big, and old, and just how well they were built gave satisfaction to viewers. Almost all the vampire families were military families, and big ones at that, so they were well known. Anne then spoke to Henry "I hope roast boar is an acceptable meal to you. We didn't have time to find out what you liked."

The ambassador thoroughly enjoyed both Anne and Erzsebet and he could tell right away that they would not be the usual simps that paraded these events. He hoped the rest would be just the same and he had no premonitions, he was going to give it his best. "Actually, I have never had boar but I am certainly pleased to be able to try some. I have no doubt it will taste splendid. I am curious," he lowered his voice to an audible whisper, "are there any customs or habits I ought to know about for dining so as to not offend anyone. I am here representing the Empire of Layarteb and I wouldn't want to give anyone the wrong impression of our ties to your nation."

Anne nodded to Erzsebet that she was free to take over. Erzsebet replied to Henry's question. "Well, nothing important, except don't take more than you're going to eat. That's really the only important one. Just the regular stuff. Use your napkin. We hold our forks in the left hand, but it doesn't really matter if you hold it in your right hand. Some of us may choose to drink blood with our meal. Don't worry, we don't expect you or the Prime Minister to, as you are not vampires. Say 'excuse me' when you burp. Just be polite and you'll do fine. If the sight of blood makes you squeemish, just pretend that we're drinking wine. And don't look in the fridge." Anne then chimed in. "Boar is like pork, except a lot leaner and more chewy."

"Certainly nothing out of the realm of respectable. All of those are what is necessary no matter where you are. I am left-handed myself so I do hold the fork in my left hand as well so that works out to my advantage," he chuckled. "Don't worry about the blood, I am not queezy. I spent two years myself in the military. I am eagerly awaiting this boar, talking about it is making me curious. So Erzsebet, I am curious, what is it like to be the head of a battlegroup and the top diplomat of a country, I am most intrigued of your position." The ambassador surveyed the room once more and returned to her eyes.

"Well, actually, it was unexpected, because I am younger than they would normally want for a diplomat or leader of a cruiser squadron. I heard later it was a very controversial choice. I guess when you're in the middle of a war, you don't really think about whether or not your position is odd, you just do it. What's ironic is that during my early days in the navy, I had quite a reputation for all the pranks my friends and I pulled on the Varghona (OOC: Callisdrunian battle cruiser), and now that's my flagship. I got my first tattoo in B turret, in fact. Gives one a lot of backround info on your nation's capabilities and hence how you should react to certain situations if you're in the military at the same time. That's my opinion anyway. You'll find most of Callisdrun's diplomats either were or are in the navy. I know many of them." A tear came to her eye. Some of the memories from back then were painful.

"Layartebian diplomats share the same as well as, if you don't know, we have mandatory military service of two years to all males at the age of eighteen. I too have known many of them myself. It can be some painful memories I can tell." He withdrew a hankerchief from his pocket, unused, freshly clean, and handed it to her as he could tell she was getting flustered. "Unfortunately, in our business tears are a requirement."

"Why thank you." Erzsebet wiped her tears with the hankerchief. She had lost many friends, and the ability to have children on that horrible day. "I don't know if you've ever heard about it, but I was in B turret on the day that Varghona's A turret exploded. It was the worst thing ever to happen to a Callisdrunian ship in peacetime. Those guys and gals had helped us TP the bridge the previous day. Many good men and women died that day. It wouldn't bother me so much if it had been during wartime, but the only enemy was fate." Recovering herself, she said "We have basically the same requirement, except that both men and women have to serve. Many choose to stay on. You can actually join one year earlier to train to become an officer, like I did."

At that time, the various people were starting to sit down for dinner, so Erzsebet and Anne took Henry to the table.

The table was filling up fast and Henry sat down, holding out the chair for both Anne and Erzsebet. He sat down afterwards and took his cues from those standing around. He imagined that someone was going to introduce him around and so on and so fourth. The smell from the kitchen emanated into the hall and he could taste the boar with his sense of smell. It was exquisite smelling and he was certainly going to enjoy it, he could tell already.

Erzsebet and Anne both sat down. In the middle of the table there were two bottles. Anne whispered to Henry "Now, Mr. Hyde, you see those two bottles? Make sure you only drink the contents of the one with picture of the grapes on it. The other one is for the vampires." Erzsebet then took the bottle without the grapes on it and poured into her glass. Atilla Sorvik then came out of the kitchen bearing a large platter with the boar meat on it. It was Callisdrunian custom for the host or hostess to serve dinner themselves. Callisdrunians also did not eat meals in courses, so everything was served all at once. Anne then spoke up. "Ladies and gentlemen, before we begin our meal, I would like to introduce our guest Mr. Henry Hyde, the ambassador to Callisdrun from Layarteb." Everyone smiled warmly, and then introductions were made around the table. The Katarindatters, the Farkas family, and of course, the Sorviks. Erzsebet, between sips from her glass, leaned over and whispered to Henry. "It is Callisdrunian practice to conduct business after the meal, when everyone has had their fill. Just letting you know"

The ambassador nodded to Erzsebet and whispered himself, "Such is Layarteb custom as well. Might I propose a toast or is such not customary for you?" He thought to himself, It's adlib time if she says yes. He thought of the many toasts he had made while he was in the army, it was their custom before missions to give a toast just in case they were not coming back after the mission. In his two years, he was part of the war with Dnalkrad and he was on the front, part of the units attacking Dnalkrad City.

Erzsebet chuckled. "Why of course you may propose a toast." One drawback to the castle was the fact that it was quite drafty, and even with a fire in both fireplaces (one at each end of the hall) it was about 60 degrees fahrenheit. Even though most of the women's dresses were sleeveless, they still showed no sign of being chilly. The dim light slightly reflected off the Callisdrunians' pale skin. Erzsebet smiled at Henry "What would you like to toast?"

The customs officer had initially mistaken the marijuana for tobacco, especially since the packaging was similar. But he had to be blind to miss the half-finished box of Sawchild's, especially with its large boast, "Kelssek's Favorite Cocaine! Minimum 99% purity guarenteed!"

Clearly, drugs weren't legal in Layarteb, or he wouldn't now be in a police car. But maybe... he turned to the police officer and asked, "What am I looking at here?"

"That's the back of the driver's seat." said the policeman.

"No, I meant punishment." said Phillip.

The police officer told him. Phillip had an instinctive urge to vomit.

The ambassador smiled back at Erzsebet. "Good tidings and fortune for our two countries as well as prosperity and protection." He felt the drafts but was unfazed by them himself and he was sure that all of the others weren't fazed either as no one shivered. "I spoke with the Emperor on the way over and he asked me to extend his personal blessings and to offer a truce in all matters pertaining to his current War on Drugs and that he hereby is allowing more Callisdrun citizens into the country each month than previous limits allow. He is pleased with the cooperation of Callisdrun in helping to stop the flow of drugs and use of drugs in our own country and would like to offer a reward to the country and its king."
**********************************
The squad car pulled up the detention center shortly after the arrest of one Arthur Mendel, though they were wary that it was his real name. He had two sets of passports, one with the name Arthue Mendel and the other with the name of Phillip Carlyle. He was taken into the interrogation room where the light was low and the room muggy, hot, and stagnat. The smell of blood and beaten flesh hung in the air and two military personnel were waiting inside, apparently to assist in the interrogation. Their main questions weren't why the drugs were being brought in the country but who they were being given to once they were inside of the country. Regardless, this man broke the law and he was certainly going to trial for it and if he were to be found guilty he would be spending the next thirty-two years in jail, without parole.

"Thank you, Mr. Hyde. We will discuss the details of this after dinner. Now, we may feast." Everyone raised their glasses and clinked them. Erzsebet laughed inside herself. International cooperation was always a good thing, she thought, but it was ironic what she had been doing several hours earlier. She managed to show no more than just a mischevious smile. She took a deep drink from her glass of blood, having to wip her lips with the napkin, which was, of course, red. They then dug into the boar. It was all gone in less than half an hour.

The hotline number printed on all Kelssek passports went straight to the office of the Justice Ministry specialising in international law, because anyone calling that number was likely to be in serious trouble and more often than not, it also meant an international incident.

"Minstry of Justice, International Office."

"Please help, me. I'm in Layarteb and they arrested me for having drugs." Phillip pleaded.

"Hold on, sir, I'm going to need your full name." the man on the phone replied. Already, lawyers and clerks were pulling on headsets and hurriedly accessing the file on Layarteb.

"Phillip Andrew Carlyle. Please, they think I'm trying to smuggle drugs in! I'm not! I just forgot to take them out, you gotta help me! It's 30 years in jail just for having cocaine!"

"Sir, relax. We do our best to get all citizens back home if they commit a crime overseas, and in the case of drugs, we're legally obliged to. Now, I need to know your passport number, and where exactly are you?"

"Passport number is G4244TA9023J, and where I am... I don't know. It looks military. But I have two passports."

"But you entered the country with the number you gave me, right?" said the official.

"Yes!"

"Okay, now, sir, you need to tell us the truth or we can't help. Was the second passport obtained fraudulently?" said the official.

"No, it wasn't! The other one's from Free Pacific States, I was born there and I have dual citizenship and it's in the name in my birth certificate. But I entered with the Kelssek passport. I changed my name after emigrating."

"Okay, that's good. We can't help you if you entered with the FPS one. Now exactly how much were you carrying?"

"About 10 grams of coke and a full box of Nationals."

"Oh geez... That's quite a bit."

"They're legal in Jeristown! My flight got diverted, and I totally forgot about them, now I'm facing THIRTY YEARS! Please!" Phillip was becoming increasingly desperate, and the guard was beginning to eyeball him.

"Okay, but they were for personal consumption, and you didn't intend to sell them, did you?"

"I didn't, but they think I did!" Phillip was trying to keep his voice down, but the stress was getting to him.

"Alright... We're sending a diplomatic team and a lawyer over. Until they arrive, don't say anything to the police. We don't have any details on the civil rights in Layarteb, but there's nothing too negative, so you should be alright. Have they tortured or intimidated you?"

"No..." said Phillip.

"Okay, Phillip. That's all we need. We WILL do everything we can to get you out. Okay? Relax. Now, I want to talk to the guard or whoever is overseeing your detention. Give them the phone."

Phillip handed the telephone to the officer sitting across the table. In a shaky voice he said, "He... wants to talk to you."

The ambassador dug into the boar as well. It tasted better than anything else he had previously eaten and it was fast becomming his favorite meal. Everything was delicious and he ate something from every plate, sans the blood. He was pleased that the meal was so good and noticied that no one talked during the meal, he followed. He thought he had done a good job thus far of following along, no need to muck it up now.
************************************************
In the police station, the smuggler handed the phone to the man in charge. "Hello? Yes I am Captain William Ryback and you? Very well. No sir we cannot do that. This man was in clear violation of the law. I am aware of that. I checked with the captain, he claims the plane was not diverted and that this was his original demonstration. Of course I checked the flight logs and manifest. Yes it was set to land at Jeristown and it did. Then it was set to fly to Layarteb IAP. Seventy-two passengers were set to get off here and one of them was in fact Mr. Carlyle. Of course we have not tortured him. We've only asked him questions. Cooperative yes sir. No sir the sentence is not fake. All we wish to know is where those drugs were going. That's classified intelligence. Very well, fly into Layarteb IAP and we shall have a car waiting for you." He hung up the phone and looked at the smuggler. "Nice try. We know you were set to come here, the manifest says so. Now where were the drugs going!"

After everyone had their fill of the meal (including the extremely rich chocolate cake desert), the members of the Sorvik family present cleared the table except for the guests' wine glasses, and brought out two more bottles, one of blood, one of wine. They then sat down again. Anne then hushed everyone. "Now, it is time for us to do business. We all know of the Harthy family's various business schemes, and for the most part we ignore the ones that, while immoral, are still legal here. However, one of their more recent schemes could possibly bring about an international crisis. Mr. Hyde, would you like to speak?"

Erzsebet wondered what Henry would say. She knew Layarteb's policies to be strict, and presumably Henry knew Callisdrun's to be... not. Erzsebet idly felt one of her fangs with her tongue while wating for him to speak.

The ambassador smiled and nodded. "Yes it is most dire. As you are all aware drugs, of any nature not approved by the FDA, have been outlawed in our land. This includes usage, trafficking, production, and so on and so fourth. I understand your policies are a bit more lenient and with that we have no quarrel. Each country has its own sovereignty, which should not be violated unless it violates that of another country.

"Thus far we have stamped out the overwhelming majority of drug use, trafficking, production, and moving throughout the Empire of Layarteb. However, therein lies just one problem. As some of you may or may not be aware, the tribe of Urbh Yueh, approximately two thousand miles away from the border of Layarteb relies on drugs as its chief export. After all, it was the Caratan revolution that gave them their golden age, so to speak. However, that is no longer the case.

"Intelligence has revealed that members of the Harthy family have contacts with the Urbh Yueh tribe stemming back hundreds of years. Way back when, a member of the Urbh Yueh tribe saved the life of a member of the Harthy family. They have had strong ties ever since. We can safely say, with certainty, that both are doing business in the form of drugs and that these drugs are winding up on the streets of Layarteb.

"Just recently, members of the Urbh Yueh tribe seized a shipment of industrial chemicals and threatened to use them against our people. This plan has been thwarted and our Emperor has declared war on the tribe of Urbh Yueh. We have been monitoring the activities of one Harthy family member inside the Empire of Layarteb.

"Plans to arrest and try him are the most plausible right now and I believe you all know what would happen if such would happen." They nodded. "It is I who proposed to the Emperor that we try to work something out. This is where it becomes most delicate. As I have been made aware, there has been some dissent to the activities of the Harthy family within the Callisdrun borders. To what extent I know not. I am looking for a diplomatic alternative. What could happen would be a very grave and dangerous war and I think we all can agree that we do not want that to happen.

"I am proposing a deal to all of you. If pressure could be put on the Harthy family from internally then it could cause them to cease their activities. If all worked well, it could cause them to cease their business dealings with the Urbh Yueh tribe. We know of Harthy family members inside the city of Urbh Yueh and in the event of war with the city and the tribe, they would surely be killed, further creating an international crisis. I am looking to avoid this. Perhaps there are additional alternatives to my proposition for what should be done." He ceased talking and looked around. Well that went well, I think! He was nervous, never before being in such a predicament as he was now.

When Henry said that Callisdrun's policies were "more leniant," Erzsebet had to cover her mouth to avoid her chuckles being seen. The vampires quietly listened to Henry speak. They were quite perplexed as to why anyone would adopt such strict policy, but they listened politely nonetheless.

Erzsebet said nothing. Though she had showered and put on perfume before dinner, she realized she probably still carried a slight hint of the scent of marijuana. One of the drawbacks to Callisdrunian marijuana was that its smell lasted forever. So she would wait until addressed personally to speak. Her father, however, spoke up.

"Mr. Hyde, we do not agree with your government's policies, but the Sorviks certainly have no love for the Harthys, mainly for personal reasons, but even those without grudges can see that they have consistantly acted in their own self interest without consideration for the political implications of their actions. They operate on a 'good old boy' system as well. Some of them have even tried to avoid military service. Why anyone would want to adopt policies such as yours is beyond me, but we all would like to avoid what could turn into a catastrophe." Atilla Sorvik was an imposing man, he was 6'3" and always had perfect posture. Some of his black hair had begun to gray, but his face, though he had the look of experience, remained uncracked. He then looked to his wife, who nodded to signify that she had nothing to add.

Anne then spoke. "It seems you have been monitoring the wrong Harthy then, as it seems the one you are following is male. I'll let you in on something, Mr. Hyde. Vampire families are matriarchal. However, if you catch said Harthys, send them here, and they shall be strongly dealt with. Legally, we cannot forbid them to sell their goods unless they are actually selling in Layarteb, which they are not. They are selling to people outside Layarteb who then get it into Layarteb. Though drug use is low, prices are extremely high, and those that actually sell inside Layarteb give the Harthys a share of the enormous profits. This is perfectly legal. But we can put pressure on them. Quite a lot, actually." She then looked in the direction of Erzsebet, who still was playing with her fang with her tongue. "Erzsebet dear, would you care to explain?"

Shit, thought Erzsebet. So, she turned to Henry and explained the donor system, how it was set up, all the usual stuff. "There is a peculiar discipline mechanism worked into it though. If a great portion of the rest of the vampires, and the government, disapprove of what a certain family is doing, they can call a vote to exclude them from the donor system at a general council, thus depriving them of their nourishment unless they can find enough private donors or survive on their stores. The Harthys are particularly vulnerable to this because they aren't as well liked as some of the other families, and they're lazy, so they don't have much in the way of stores. We in the Sorvik family have actually been wanting to do this to those filthy immoral capitalists for quite sometime. In case you haven't noticed, the Sorvik and Harthy families don't like each other. Cutting them off in this way might not solve the problem immediately, but given time, it is a surefire way to make them give in." She smiled at Henry, hoping he couldn't smell the hint of marijuana on her.

!!!Drug Dealers!!!
Tired of prohibitive governments, dangerous smuggling routes, antiquated modes of shipping. Ply you're wares elsewhere!!! In Punkoritus you will be treated like a member of the family, not a criminal. Our ports have state of the art package tracking nodes that put the ease back into delivering spine-tingly good narcotics. Police intervention? Only if you don't kick us down a gram or two for our headaches. A gram of what? What cha got!?!

The ambassador sat as the ladies and gentleman spoke, thinking of how to respond. But then it was his turn. "While it may be understandable as how we could adopt these policies and I assure you that it was with careful consideration. Our consession is we wish to impose our policies only to ourselves, not further. While you are correct that they are selling outside of Layarteb, they are getting a cut of the profit, which links them directly to the goods being sold inside our country. This man we are following we know little about except that he is part of the Harthy clan as was affirmed through conversations he had with the Urbh Yueh tribe.

"Our leaders have spoken of the policies and extradition but we cannot extradite any criminals caught inside our country. It would set a precedent and then what would follow would be a domino effect of countries taking advantage of us. Such cannot be allowed in these turbulent times.

"We have a window of roughly one month. At the end of these next thirty days, he will be apprehended, tried, found guilty, and either given the death penalty or placed in solitary for the rest of his natural life. I am looking for an alternative as this will create a war. The Emperor will not extradite and such will result in conflict, quarrel, and something very unpleasant for both of our sides. I've seen war enough, I don't want to see it again.

"If pressure were to be put on the Harthy family from internally, it would resolve all of these conflicts. We know this will not be easy and I am allowed to present certain consessions if such were to be the case. No good deed goes unrewarded."
*******************************************************
The bar was hazy from the smoke in the air. Sitting at a booth were two men, each hidden under the frail light of the room. "What is the status on our next shipment?" Asked the man seated to the left.

"We will have it ready by tomorrow and inside of Layarteb in three days. It will be on the streets in no less than one week from today." The other said.

"And of the cargo?"

"Forty cases of LSD and twenty-four cases of ecstasy."

The man on the right did a quick calculation on a napkin. "That's going to cost six and a half million with a profit yeild of what, eighteen?"

"Try one hundred and twenty. Prices are so high right now due to the restrictions. We can't go wrong."

"No we can't. I will meet with you at location 'R' in four days. Be well my friend!"

"Same to you." The man on the right left the bar while the other remained another twenty minutes, ordering a shot of vodka. When he left he exited through the same door as the other and hailed down an awaiting taxi. Five minutes later another man left the bar, sober and alert. He got into his car and pulled out his PDA.

He immediately began typing on its small keypad at a rate of eighty words per minute. "Meeting adjorned. Subject en route to home. Following. Conversation uploaded." He sent the message along with an audio attachment and switched screens on his PDA. He then started his car and followed a dot on a map. It stopped moving ten minutes before he got there, the subjects house.

The man walked into the apartment building and ascended the stairs to the fourth floor. He went to apartment 4B and turned on the lights. He made a bee-line to the bathroom where a transformation came. First he removed a whig and what appeared to be a set of false teeth to reveal long hair and fangs. He was a she.

Erzsebet replied to Henry. "We will need more than one month. The Harthy family will try to hold out for a while after they are booted from the donor system. It might take as long as two months for them to crack. They will run out of blood and won't be able to get adequate supply within the bounds of law, and will be forced to the table. I will not be the one to negotiate with them though, as they will continually point out that I smoke marijuana if I try, and nothing will get done. The negotiations will most likely be done by my parents, Istvan and Maria Farkas, and perhaps Bente Katarindatter."

Anne then addressed Henry. "You see, Mr. Hyde, we have several old laws that forbid our government from letting our citizens be executed or held for upwards of five years in another nation. This was because of what Altar Rang used to do to our citizens, and we are still somewhat paranoid of that. They would do the most horrible things. We do terribly want to avoid a war, for the sake of both our peoples."

Istvan Farkas, a general of the armored divisions of the Callisdrunian horde, as it was called, then spoke. "Mr. Hyde, your government must be patient. If we kick them off the donor system, the Harthys will buckle. They can no more survive without blood than they can without water. It takes time, but it always works. And the Harthys have not stored any blood for hard times, and they are not popular, unlike some people we know," he cast a sarcastic glance in Erzsebet's direction, "so they will not be able to find enough donors on their own. They will buckle. The only fast way to do this would be a clan war, but that is highly illegal, would cost many lives, and would have an uncertain outcome."

Anne concluded the communal speech, as it were. "Now, seeing as how they cannot ignore demands when they run out of blood, we think more than one month would be easier, just in case they prove more resilient than the Sorviks think them to be."

OOC: Can I get some basic info on Henry?

Announcement:

Due to a minor surplus in this year's crop, the government of Andolai is pleased to announce that they have chosen to make their hemp available for sale on the international market.

Said hemp is of two varieties: Industrial and Medicinal/Recreational. The industrial hemp is not reccommended for medicinal/recreational usage, and vice versa.

Please contact the Andolaian embassy of your country or telegram the Andolaian People's Moot to negotiate.

We additionally have a wide variety of psychedelics for sale, including (but not limited to) psilocybin mushrooms, MDMA, and LSD. It should be noted that we reserve the right to refuse to sell to any country, corporation, or individual who we have reason to suspect of wishing to use these substances for interrogation, intelligence-gathering purposes, or any other use which would violate what we see as basic human rights.

Additionally, as the Andolaian government holds sacred the right of every country to determine its own laws regulating traffic in narcotics, we will not sell any substance to any individual, corporation, or other entity from a nation where said substance is prohibited. We additionally will refuse service if we have reason to believe that the prohibited substance will be transported to any nation with such laws.

Yours most sincerely,
Aaron Sanchez
Speaker
Andolaian People's Moot

Ab-shalom and salutations,

It is our desire to purchase as much surplus stock of industrial-grade hemp as plausible on the open market, in order to supply the demands of our rapidly growing Book Publishing industrial base.

If such would be allowable, perhaps arrangements could be made to open peaceful trade and diplomatic relations between our nations?

Go in Peace,

Namaste,
Voyate Shumash ben Allen
Vizier of Commerce
Humble Servant of His Magnificence, the Sultan of Vastiva


OOC DAMN but this is a well-handled RP! and so little shooting going on! TAG for later reading as well... wow!

The moment the guard closed the door, the diplomat ceased being diplomatic.

"You IDIOT! WHY THE HELL DID YOU TELL US THAT?"

Phillip was speechless.

"Listen to me. I don't care if you cooperate with these guys. It won't matter, because they want to put you in jail anyway. BUT YOU'D BETTER COOPERATE WITH US, AND THAT BEGINS WITH YOU TELLING US THE TRUTH, ALL THE TIME, EVEN IF YOU THINK IT DOESN'T MATTER!"

He thumped the table for emphasis. "We decide what's relevant, not you!" The diplomat's voice lowered menacingly, "Now, I've got to clean up the mess. All because you were too stupid to check your luggage before leaving the country. You'd better listen to and do everything we tell you, because you are an international incident, my friend." He left the room and was escorted out of the prison.

"I'm Martin Brisebois, and I'm going to be your attorney." The lawyer from the Ministry of Justice was much friendlier. "The problem is getting you back to Kelssek. As far as we're concerned, you've broken no law. Once you're on home soil, you're free. But Layarteb is refusing to allow you to be extradited, because of that, and also because they think you're part of a smuggling ring."

"You're sure you only had ten grams and a box of marijuana?" the lawyer said, looking meaningfully at the door which the diplomat had just stormed out of.

"Yes. I don't do anything else. I wasn't smuggling." said Phillip.

"Well, it's stretching it a bit, but in that amount I'd say it falls within reasonable for personal consumption. But why do they think you're smuggling? There must be some reason." said the lawyer.

"Well, because of the two passports?" said Phillip.

"Neither were fake or false, so that can't be the basis. Do you know anyone in Layarteb?"

"No... unless you count the policeman who interrogated me, and I forgot his name."

Martin gave him a withering glare, and chewed thoughtfully on his thumbnail. The appropriate sections of the Layarteb criminal code were printed on the sheaf of papers he now stared at. Very harsh, draconian even. If Phillip couldn't be extradited...

After a long pause, he looked at Phillip again. "Okay, here's the picture. You have no chance of getting off down here, and with evidence this obvious, you probably won't even be offered a plea bargain. Remember, just possession is 30 years here."

Phillip nodded despondently.

"The case for smuggling is shakier because of the small quantity, but there's no reference in the law to when it can be considered trafficking. They're also running tests to see if you had any drugs in your body when you were arrested, and if you did, that's another charge in itself. So worst case, you're looking at 116 years in jail."

Phillip opened his mouth, but the lawyer cut him off.

"No, let me finish. Your only chance of being free again is to be extradited home. So that's what we're going for. There's no point in further cooperation with the police here. Don't say anything, and don't sign anything unless I say it's kosher. Leave it to me, to the Ministry of Justice, and to the Foreign Ministry."

He had to unpack and repack his briefcase twice before he was able to thump it shut and leave the room. The guards came in again and took Phillip back to his cell.

The Layarteb citizen arrested earlier in the day had been dragged into Reichschancellor Einheit's office by his hair. The Germanian holding him was a giant of a man, and a Highcaptain in the Schultzpolizei. He stood 6'4" and weighed 240 pounds, easily.

He wore the typical wolf fur cape and platinum chains of a high-ranking SP member. His unkempt long hair and beard, coupled with the horned helmet he wore didn't help the sheer intimidation he gave off, even to the Reichschancellor himself, who had ascended to rule by sheer combat skills and tireless conquests against enemies alone. He carried a battle axe along with his assault rifle, standard in the Reichswehr.

Translated from Germanian:

"Herr Einheit", he said while still holding the man, "Layarteb's recent releases to the public made this case especially interesting to me. Three kilos of cocaine and a half pound of marijuana..."

"Do it.", Einheit responded.

Two guards of the Chancellor chained the man to the execution wall, while a camera on a tripod filmed him.

His pleas were in English, and no one but the Reichschancellor understood him, let alone cared.

While the camera filmed, the captain dumped the found cocaine and marijuana onto the floor in front of the man. Einheit spoke into the camera, in English.

"My old friend and emperor of Layarteb. We have received your statements to the public concerning the illegal drug situation in your country. Our laws are a bit more harsh. I hope you understand the circumstances, that if I showed mercy to the public now, what might happen later?" He yelled a command to the captain.

Kapitän Onschloss revealed the large, double-edged battle axe holstered to his back. With a swift movement and the sound of the Layartebian citizen's cries muffled by the snap of the axe against the stone execution wall, his head fell to the floor and rolled into the pile of cocaine, turning it into a pinkish puddle.

Einheit: The body is to be fed to wild animals. However, it is custom in Germania that the head be sent to you, yourself, the sovereign emperor of Layarteb. It has been sent with this video. Feel free to do with it what you wish.

We are requesting that an envoy, and a high-ranking general be allowed to speak with you, or a representative, in person. I again hope our actions did not set your mind ill-at-ease. I promise you that these drugs were not planted. Germania does not break alliances with old allies without a reason, and would not even consider tampering with the belongings of a tourist from an allied nation, ever. We hope you do not perceive this to be an action against you or your people, but rather we are trying to help you in your campaign against narcotics users such as this man here.

I will soon be releasing a statement similar to the one you have made yourself to the public. We do not have a drug problem, and WILL NOT have one.

With peace and good will, goodbye.

The film was stopped. The head of the man and the video (wrapped in a seperate sealed container) were sent to the capitol of Layarteb, addressed to the emperor, along with a message written by the Reichschancellor himself, offering to personally eradicate the tribe in the northern portion of Layarteb responsible for stealing the truck, with no connections tied to Layarteb itself or North Germania.
_______________________________________________

OOC info: North Germania's population still wears attire similar to the old Germanian tribes, however it's created with modern techniques. Soldiers are required to carry a side-weapon at all times, in addition to a pistol, and many prefer battle axes, swords, maces, etc. to an additional firearm.

The ambassador looked around. "Two months you say? Very well. I shall communicate for the expanse of the window. I cannot guarantee it but I know the Emperor does not want an international incident. I shall leave it in your hands as I trust you."

OOC: Henry is what 6'0", normal stature, works out daily so he's in good shape. Was in the army for 2 years during the Dnalkrad war and served on the frontline in Dnalkrad City. He is unmarried, 30, works constantly at the embassy, was the first in the line for the pick of the job, went to college and has a masters in international relations. That enough?
*********************************************************
The Emperor looked at the news brief. A Kelssekian citizen was arrested coming into the country with drugs on him. Diplomats and attornies from Klessek were there with him. Police were trying to follow a lead tipped off by a passenger on the flight, who claimed that the man was talking about a business proposition over his cell phone to someone in the Yukon Tavern, the same tavern that Force Spectre forces were monitoring. This was the same tavern that the night before had a meeting between a Harthy family member and a Urbh Yueh tribesman. If the man went free and back to Kelssek, he was certainly going to be set free. But they did have an alternative. The Emperor knew of it and was thinking about the capsul. It might prove useful.

In addition, he had a package from North Germania. What he saw was startling, a head and a video tape. "What the hell. Oh they better have a good explanation for this one!" He played the video as he placed the head back in its iced container. He saw the video, watched everything, and sighed. Just great! He buzzed in the head of the police department and gave him the evidence. "Commissioner. Get what you can on this, contact the Minister of Intelligence. I want a fully explanation in seventy-two hours.

OOC: Yes, that's fine. I was mainly wondering about his age, since if he was like, 50, it would be inappropriate if I wanted Erzsebet to try to charm him at all, which I might have her do, if you think that would work in the storyline.

IC: Erzsebet decided to wrap up business for the evening. "Well then, it would seem things are settled. Two months allows enough time for the full pressure to mount on the Harthys. I am glad that we could work something out, as it would be terrible to have a confrontation over something like this. That would be... uncivilized." At that point everyone understood that the business portion of the Turning to face Henry directly, she said "I hope you are enjoying your evening, Mr. Hyde. How has your stay in Callisdrun been thus far?"

The ambassador smiled. Okay good, that was a lot better than I expected. I gauge that as a success. "My stay here," he paused for a moment. "It was a lot more than I expected to be honest. I can't say I was happy at first to have to leave Layarteb but when I got here I realized that I didn't want to leave. It's like the most extreme countryside of Layarteb, castles and mansions dating back hundreds of years. Before modern times, Layarteb was ruled by hordes of pagans and tribes. There are a lot of castles and ancient structures there, not unlike here. I enjoy that more than bustling cities. Just too many people for me, I like my space." He smiled. Wierd. I feel attracted to her. A lot.
*******************************************************
The man stopped in front of the apartment complex, watching the dot on his PDA. He zoomed in and saw the dot, the man, roaming around the apartment. His mission was reconnaissance, undetected reconnaissance. But then, just before 0430, the man left the building, but was a woman. The operative immediately awoke from his awakened sleep. What the hell is going on here? Immediately, he communicated the findings to his commander through his PDA. Something was definitely amiss!

Erzsebet was a bit flattered by the praise of her nation. She was a socialist, but also quite a patriot. "Well, actually, a lot of visitors don't realize just how bustling our cities are because of how old all the buildings are and how forested they are." This was true, as Callisdrun's cities often looked smaller and quieter than they were because they were so heavily forested, and most of the buildings were at least a hundred or so years old. "I'm glad that you're enjoying your stay. I understand that you spend most of your time in Callisdrin, which has a slightly different culture than Drun." Drun was Callisdrun's cultural center, home of the most prestigious university, and largest library, it also had more vampires. It had always had better music and art as well. It was colder and darker though.

OOC: if you need info on Erzsebet, just ask.

The ambassador nodded and continued smiling. "I have to say that this is the first time I have been to Drun. Actually, only four times have I ever stepped out of the embassy property. It would be boring if I wasn't constantly dealing with papers, problems, communiques, and so on and so fourth. It's getting to me. I need a life outside of the embassy. I can see that I'm going to come up here more often. Perhaps I will be able to find a quicker means of transportation up here. Maybe the Emperor can part with a helicopter." He smirked. This is a great idea. I need to explore this place more!

THE PRESIDENTIAL PALACE
5 Canada Square
Neorvins
Federation of Kelssek

To:
His Majesty the Emperor of Layarteb
Layarteb City
The Empire of Layarteb

Most Respected Sir,
It has come to our attention that a citizen of the Federation of Kelssek, one Phillip Andrew Carlyle, is being held by your government pending drug charges. We therefore officially request that he be extradited to our legal jurisdiction.

We understand and approve of your stance against crime and we respect your sovereign rights. However, we in Kelssek do not consider drug use or possession unlawful.

We understand your unwillingness to allow a person you consider a criminal to go free, and we respect your commitment to upholding the law. However, we ask you to consider that although we share common ground in this area, we do not consider his actions as illegal, and in order to uphold our laws, we must make every effort to achieve extradition of any of our citizens charged with drug offences.

Sincerely,

Joseph Sutter
President of the Federation of Kelssek

(OOC: http://thelandfill.web1000.com/kelssek/druglaws.html , section 54.)

Erzsebet chuckled. "You will need a good pilot then, our skies are not easy to fly. Wind and thick fog and such, you know. In terms of work, I find i'm quite the opposite of you, I don't often deal with papers and such, since I'm mainly a wartime representative. Drun is a great city, quite unique, though, my opinion may be a bit biased, seeing as how I grew up here. In my opinion it's a far more romantic place than Callisdrin, despite having more tragedy attached to it." She crossed her legs, strategically using the long slit on the side of her dress. When she brushed back her waist-length black hair, she revealed piercings going all the way up her ear. This was not intentional, the crossing of the legs was. "The solstice festival is in a month now. Funny, winter seems to be starting late this year. It's really great fun, you really should get out of the embassy for it."

The Emperor looked at the communique from Klessek. "They want me to let him go so he can run around free in his nation, break our laws and run around free! Justice will not be subverted." He paged in his secretary. "Reply to them that their communique is an insult to law and justice. Include that we WILL not hand over this criminal!"
*********************************************************
The ambassadors eyes remained on hers but drifted mildly as he saw her crossing her legs to reveal the whole of them. I wonder if that was intentional! If she is she must know that piercings are a weakness for me. I remember Helen well, what a beauty. "Perhaps I will come up here for that festival. A tough pilot you say. I am sure that can be afforded, after all the Emperor is very protective of his ambassadors as we don't have many of them. How is winter here, I have never experienced winter here."

"To most people, winter here is frigid. To us it seems normal, but you'll definitely need some warm clothing. Hel, the average summer temperature is about 50 fahrenheit. Winter temperatures usually drop below zero in the night, and it snows quite a lot. But since the party for the solstice lasts several nights, we manage to keep warm." She gave a little wink. "Lots of great concerts are usually scheduled around that time, in both classical and popular music. The solstice used to be considered the end of the year, but several decades ago we switched to the standard international calender to make things simpler. It's still the most important, and in my opinion the most enjoyable, of Callisdrunian holidays. It's always been more fanatically celebrated in Drun than in Callisdrin for some reason." Erzsebet really was looking forward to it. Ever since she was a little girl she'd always had a great time on the festival nights.

OOC: I'm going to be gone for the next couple weeks, though in the second week I might manage to get in a few posts.

"Here's the reply from Layarteb. They refused. Quote, your request is an insult to law and justice, end quote" said the Justice Minister.

"Didn't think they'd agree to just a polite little note anyway. Right-wingers run things over there." said President Sutter.

"Now what?"

"Well, I want your ministry to keep it going. Keep his spirits up and prepare a defence in Layarteb. Layarteb has to put him on trial sometime." Turning to the general, he added, "I want you to prepare a SPECOT team and ready one of the long range jets ready to leave on an hour's notice."

"Sir, do you really think that's necessary?" said the general.

"It was my idea. If we just keep requesting we'll keep pounding on a brick wall. We need something to make them open the door. Actually sending them in would be a last resort." Prime Minister Marlin cut in.

"I'll do that, sir." said the general.

"They haven't moved him or anything, have they?" said Marlin.

"No." said the Justice Minister.

"Then you have your orders, general."

"Yes, Mr. Prime Minister, Mr. President." He stood, saluted and left the room.

OOC: Just FYI if you looked at my military figures I have an active anti-stealth system in place so no matter what you fly in there is going to be detected 100s of miles before it hits Layarteb airspace. I also have a SOSUS net in place and border security is as tight as Area 51.

OOC: Hmm... didn't notice that, but the plane wasn't going in on stealth anyway, I don't think many transports have stealth capability.

IC:
Once again, the Carlyle situation dominated the meeting.

"Okay, step two then. Invite them over to talk." said the President.

"Who's going to talk?" said Prime Minister Marlin.

"It's gotta be you or me, no one lower. Show them that we take this really seriously." said the President, "We can cut a deal for trade rights or uranium or natural gas or something like that, or just plain ransom him out. See what they want."

"And if they don't want anything?"

"Everyone wants something."

OOC: Just FYI if you looked at my military figures I have an active anti-stealth system in place so no matter what you fly in there is going to be detected 100s of miles before it hits Layarteb airspace. I also have a SOSUS net in place and border security is as tight as Area 51.

It's not so much that your transport is stealth that this system tracks everything and does it without giving off active signals. In addition, it can train and guide missiles itself. By per SOPs, any aircraft inside Layarteb airspace without clearance or that isn't from the ILM (Imperial Layartebian Military) is shot down immediately. In addition the anti-stealth system and the SOSUS net (if you see my website) are 100% top secret so nobody knows about them.

Given that Maryland, which is a self-governing territory of Sevaris, is right on Layarteb's back door, we will cooperate with Layarteb's effots and prevent any Layartebian citizens from buying pot in Maryland or any other part of Sevaris. I assure you, though pot is legal, the supply is strictly controlled and distributed by the government.

William N. Graves
Governor of Maryland Province.
Republic of Sevaris

Premier Alec Mannerheim
Republic of Sevaris

The ambassador remained seated at the table, though the drafts were going right through him and making his back ache, an old war wound. He looked uneasy but sat as well as he could without giving out any hints that his back was in pain. "Winter is frigid you say? Well, Layartebian winters are much in the same, part of the location. I'm not much of a fan of winter, my bones ache in the cold." He chuckled. "But this solstace you talk about. I really am getting excited about this. I could use some R and R. Perhaps I'll come to the festivals and just relax. I doubt that the Emperor is going to need me around that day, hopefully."
*********************************************************
"Has he talked?" MAJ. Anderson of Force Spectre asked of the two detectives and his partner, CPT. Harricky.

"No major. He hasn't." The head detective said.

"And of those diplomats?"

"Mucking everything up as usual. We were going to beat him a little but now we can't."

"Well we tracked that phone call to that bar. It was how we knew to pick him up at the airport."

"Perhaps we should ask him?"

"Perhaps." The four men re-entered the interrogation room, the lawyer still present. "Now I understand that with a lawyer around you feel tough and manly but rest assured that it does ensure nothing." The major remained elusive to everyone around. Only he and his partner knew where they were from, the two policemen just figured they were with intelligence. "Why were you placing calls to the Hildebeast Bar? Why were you talking to a person who is a known smuggler? We've got him under survellience, why is it that you were talking to him? Old friends?" The temperature in the room was hot, stagnant air, no fan. It was muggy as well.
*********************************************************
The Emperor was meeting with the Minister of Justice and of Intelligence. "What are our options with this Klessekian?" The Emperor asked.

"I say nothing. Keep him here!" The Minister of Justice said.

"What options COULD Klessek take?" The Emperor asked as well.

The Minister of Intelligence nodded, "Well they could try to bribe us. They could try a rescue with their special forces but there isn't any way they're going to get in. Air incursions will be stopped, sea, land, and so on and so fourth. And then they could just be polite. I doubt they would risk a war over this and if they did they know of the massivity of our forces, it'll be a very bloody disaster. And we do have the capsul option. We have done it with those prisoners from the Urbh Yueh tribe and they have all succombed to the virus. It looks as if they got foot poisoning. The capsul fully disolved and left no trace. It has worked perfectly. Perhaps we can do the same."

"Interesting. Well keep these interests alive. I am going to weigh this carefully. We'll see what a trial shows. Not that I have any doubt, the evidence is irrefutable."

"Yes sir." The two ministers said.
*********************************************************
The Emperor had a piece of paper in his hand, a communique from their southern neighbor, Sevaris. "Cooperation huh?" He smirked. Well that is a plus. Is it sincere now! He replied immediately with gratitude and thanks. Another border was now sealed up, not that it was necessary.

"Green on! Go!" the team leader yelled. One by one, they jumped.

The two SPECOT teams had been doing nothing but HALO (high altitude low opening) jumps and drills since being put on standby, on alternating days so that one team was always ready to leave. It was exhausting, but it was the special forces - you expected this kind of thing.

"This is the only way in, gentlemen. We're putting all the equipment to the limits. We will have to jump at about 40,000 feet to be safe from any SAMs that Layarteb has, but they'll know you're in there before you even jump and believe me, they will be looking for you. Once you spring him, head for the airport. The pilot of the diplomatic plane is Air Force and he knows exactly what to do, so just get everyone on it and shut up. They can't touch you; you'll all be a diplomatic bag." The commander paused ominously.

"Remember, if we do get sent in, this is a black op. Everything will be untraceable, no one is to carry anything which is army-issue, and if you lose a man, you vapourise the body. If you're captured, we deny you even exist. So don't get captured, and don't lose anyone."

****

"We can't afford to send them in." said General Mathieu, "but they can't afford to retaliate. It'd be a mutual disaster."

"Go on..." prompted one of the ministers.

"For a nation that size, they can't send in more than about 25 million. More than that would leave their own territory vulnerable to outside forces. The cost of maintaining an army of that size in the field would be huge, and they couldn't sustain it for very long. In any case, 25 million, at least three fifths of which would be reservists, won't have very good odds invading against 11 million professionals on their home ground. Air is tricky, they have a larger airforce, but once again, they need to leave some at home, and they'll be up against modern SAM technology and fighters."

"What about Packilvania?" someone else said.

"I'll talk to their ambassador, but leave them out of the equation for now." said the Foreign Minister.

"Okay. The other thing is, we've got a M.A.D. situation. If they start invading, every urban centre on both sides will be obliterated by ICBMs or orbital weapons within hours. So our only option is diplomatic."

President Sutter chewed his gum thoughtfully.

OOC: Um hate to break it to you but 40,000 feet is well within range of my SAMs. I have PAC-3 advanced models that can strike into the 80,000 - 120,000 foot bracket. 40,000 is piece of cake for those SAMs. I also have high altitude flak cannons. I don't want to be a ass or a godmodder but 40,000 foot is not going to get you anywhere, I'm going to shoot you down real fast.

It's all declared at my website in the military portion.

OOC: I don't see anything about the range of your missiles, so be more specific where to find it please, all I see is "Total Air Defense Missiles: 41,000". And I'd say you are erring on godmodding here, because right now there is no anti-aircraft missile that has enough range to both get up to 40,000 feet and chase an aircraft.

Okay, let's say you have the capability and we don't know about it, we think you can't get a missile that high, but that just makes the second part all the more relevant.

OOC: I don't see anything about the range of your missiles, so be more specific where to find it please, all I see is "Total Air Defense Missiles: 41,000". And I'd say you are erring on godmodding here, because right now there is no anti-aircraft missile that has enough range to both get up to 40,000 feet and chase an aircraft.

Okay, let's say you have the capability and we don't know about it, we think you can't get a missile that high, but that just makes the second part all the more relevant.

You've never heard of the MIM-104E PAC-2 GEM+, the SA-2 Guideline, the SA-4 Ganef, the SA-10 Grumble, the SA-12 Gladiator/Giant, the SA-17 Grizzly, the SA-20 Triumpf, the RIM-66/67/156/161 Standard, the Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile, have you?

Hell the RIM-2 Terrier back in the 50s could reach 40,000 easy. 40,000 is not out of range of SAMs at all. Remember the U-2 shot down over Cuba? It was around 75,000 ft. Remember the one over the USSR, it was also way up there around 75, 80,000 ft. The MIM-23B I-HAWK has a ceiling of 58,000 feet. Last model was the J so you can bet they made the ceiling better.

Now a transport flying at 40,000 feet and what 300 knots for air drop is a big, easy target for anything.

PAC-3 can hit 50,000 feet IRL and the PAC-2 GEM+ up to 80,000 feet. Not to mention I have missile defense systems which can shoot things down in the 100s of miles. Hell THAAD can reach 93 miles high! 40,000 isn't even 10 miles. It's a piece of cake to shoot something down at that height.

http://www.designation-systems.net/dusrm/index.html

OOC: Actually, no I haven't, but I'll take your word for it.

OOC: Actually, no I haven't, but I'll accept it.

It's facts dude, it's not like I'm putting one over on you.

Callisdrun is on vacation again so that part of the RP is back on hold until he returns

(OOC, sorry about my sudden disappearance. Computer fried itself.)

The President paced around his secretary's office.

"Okay... we invite you to negoiate with us for the extradition of Carlyle, blah blah, we offer... put in everything but the rockets, and cut the usual prices by 25 percent. Then invite them for a diplomatic visit. Give it to me when you're done and I'll sign and send it off."

The secretary's fingers danced on the keyboard.

"You're offering them the uranium?" said the Defence Minister.

"Yes, I'm offering everything we can get out of the ground, in fact." said the President.

"What if they use it on-"

"Please. Like they can't get uranium anywhere else. But whatever they want, it's a good chance to get it cheap. We want the guy home, and there's a lot of currently expensive things that they can get for free. Doesn't have to be uranium. How about oil? Aluminium? It's widely known they're pursuing some fighter projects. They're not going to let him go just cause we asked nicely."

Standing on a rocky, snow-covered cliff along the edge of the sea, on North Germania's northern-most point of land, was Reichschancellor Wilhelm Einheit, III. Snow fell lightly on the emeperor's wolf-fur cape and platinum chain holding it around his shoulders. In another message send to Layarteb, he released the following:

I hope that our actions against your citizen did not give you a feeling of distrust or dislike for our nation or people. We pride ourselves on being allied with the great nation of Layarteb, and wish no ill-will between our nations.

If any reparations are requested by the family of this criminal or by Layarteb, they will be met as quickly as possible.

I hope we will maintain our alliance for as long as our two nations still stand.

- N.G.

The Emperor looked at the communiques. He was unsure what to make of the one from Klessek but replied anyway. Perhaps a deal can be worked out for the exchange of your citizen as the situation with the Urbh Yueh tribe has somehow righted itself. You make mention of uranium. This intrigues me greatly. We have enough to supply our powerplants for the next fifty years but that is not looking very far into the future. In time we will discuss this.

He finished and sent it off, coming to the North Germanian one next. He sighed and opened the envelope. Then he wrote, Reichschancellor we are willing to forget the incident that occured between our citizen and your axe. However, all we request is the evidence that proved him guilty in your eyes. Such will be used to judge the necessity of reparations and so on and so fourth.

The ambassador remained seated at the table, though the drafts were going right through him and making his back ache, an old war wound. He looked uneasy but sat as well as he could without giving out any hints that his back was in pain. "Winter is frigid you say? Well, Layartebian winters are much in the same, part of the location. I'm not much of a fan of winter, my bones ache in the cold." He chuckled. "But this solstace you talk about. I really am getting excited about this. I could use some R and R. Perhaps I'll come to the festivals and just relax. I doubt that the Emperor is going to need me around that day, hopefully."


OOC: People of the um... "Drugs are not Tolerated" thread....
I have returned! So now I'll resume where we left off in this part of the RP

IC: Erzsebet could see that there was something troubling him. Vampires were eerily perceptive of such things at times. She couldn't tell what it was exactly, though. "Well, if you're not much of a fan of winter, then I suggest you get some very warm clothes. Keeping warm during the solstice shouldn't be a problem, however, as bonfires are a major part of the celebration." She smiled somewhat mischieviously. Erzsebet was one of the many Callisdrunians who had a bit of a case of pyromania. At this moment, Istvan Farkas, seated across the table, stood and held a note. Everyone else knew what this meant and stood, Erzsebet motioning for Henry to stand. At that moment, they broke into a rousing rendition of Callisdrun's national anthem. Callisdrunians were both very patriotic and very fond of singing, so it was fairly normal to do this at a large dinner. Erzsebet sang the soprano part. After finishing they sang the Navy hymn, as they were in the Sorvik's house. Then everyone sat down and chit-chat continued.

OOC: The Callisdrunian winter solstice festival is like a combination of mardi gras, the more festive traditions of christmas, and something sorta like halloween, but different. in the snow. Callisdrun's national anthem is to the tune of "Finlandia"

The ambassador stood for the national anthem, remaining quiet and respectful. He would not sing to it nor put his hand over his heart but he would certainly not disrespect anyone as he was only a guest. The chit-chatting afterwards was enjoyable for him. He continued to follow Erzsebet and chat with her. She noticed every time he winced and he forced a smile. "Bonfires, warm clothes. All that we need is hot chocolate." He smiled. "Every Independance Day in Layarteb there is a three day festival. It is not unlike the one you are describing but it is far more secular in nature. Our old rulers, Tnemrot, worshiped Luna, the goddess of the moon and her 'pantheon' of gods and goddesses. We used to have celebrations to her at every full moon and every lunar eclipse."

"Ah, that sounds much like our holidays. You see, for the most part, we are still a pagan nation. The longer you stay here, the more obvious it becomes." Erzsebet chuckled. "The Solstice festival is not our national holiday though. That's Unification day, December first. It's very similar to most countries' national holiday. You know, big parades, fireworks shows, stuff like that." She realized that he was probably cold. "If the draft is getting to you, we can move to a smaller room." She brushed her hair back again.

"I would hate to be a bother. It is just an old war wound from the War with Dnalkrad. The drafts just sometimes pierce right through me and unfortunately tonight I forgot to take some asprin before I left. I was too busy trying to make a good impression." He laughed. "But if it is okay I would very much like that. Pagan nation you say, to continue. Well I must say that I still hold onto many of the pagan ideals of my ancestors, though I practice and worship not. I find them a lot less oppressive and false as some of those of the major religions, where to me the only thing it seems they are after is absolute power at the expense of the need for people to believe in something. I have a huge pet peeve with that."

"Don't worry, you did make a good impression. Good manners can get you far in this country," Erzsebet continued. "We can move to the library or the my old chamber if you'd like. Or we have this sort of sitting room that's nice. All are fairly warm. It's rather hard to heat a room like the great hall." Considering his comment about his wound, Erzsebet added "I understand. I retain some nasty scars from military service myself, though unfortunately they were not recieved in battle." They also weren't visible in Erzsebet's current attire.

bump

"Unfortunately you say? True it is an honor to be wounded in battle for one's country but wounds in battle carry with them a mist of of death. Death is out there on that field. It was that night, that cold, eerie night. We were in the capital, pushing south when the whole sky lit up. Fighters from overhead were taking ground fire, from MANPADs and triple-A. We were the closest so we moved to the location. Only seventeen of us survived." He looked around the room, "It is with gracious manners that I stand here tonight. This is a fine place to visit, I must admit. Do tell me one thing though, just how big is this castle?"
******************************************************
Operations throughout Layarteb continued with anti-drug operations. The victory of Urbh Yueh allowed for a renewed fight against the drug lords. But nonetheless, things were continuing. The monitoring of two individuals having meetings constantly were being undertaken with careful regard.

"Well, Sorvik castle is small compared to say, a colossus like Drun castle, but like almost all Callisdrunian castles, it extends deep underground. It was actually built over a cave. It's a decent size I suppose, I never really thought about it." Erzsebet had always thought of the old building just as the family home, though she no longer lived there most of the time. She hadn't thought about its size or worth.

Erzsebet continued to stroll down the building's halls with Henry. His story had reminded her of her most horrible memory, though it had been in the back of her mind for quite some time. "It must have been horrible out there. I've lost comrades as well. Let me tell you about it."

She poised herself, it was rather difficult. "When I was just a turret commander, ironically on the very battle cruiser that is now my flagship, I was in charge of a great group of people, several of whom I still work with. Now, in the Callisdrunian navy, training is continuous, competitive and intense. We try to simulate war conditions as much as possible. In Callisdrunian surface combatants, turret crews will be very competitive. We played so many pranks on each other, it was pretty ridiculous. We'd also try and see who could get off the most shots if ordered to fire at will. I commanded Beta turret, and our usual rival was of course, Alpha turret. We were going into a war trial that day, and the week before, the pranks had been pretty rampant. So to go one-up on us, as our pranks had been better, they skirted some safety measures to improve their rate of fire. There was a reason those measures had been implemented though. In the middle of the exercise, Alpha turret exploded. Every single man and woman in it was killed, the sight of their remains still haunts me. They were our rivals, but some of my best friends were in that turret. Most of us in Beta turret escaped without serious injury. One person was crippled. I was unfortunately standing at the time, and three splinters ripped through me right below the waist. Almost all the damage was irreparable." She gave a bit of a sigh of relief that the tale was done.

"Indeed. Nothing is more brutal than accidents in times of peace. We headed right into an ambush per say. We won that battle, surprisingly. War is hell. Truly it is. Not much good can come of it but at the same time, so much can come of it." He stopped for a second. "You said there are caves underneath? What is in them? Are they catacombs?"

"There are a few very old catacombs, but mostly it's just more rooms of the castle. Most Sorviks get buried in the Drun military cemetary when they die, so there hasn't been anyone buried here for hundreds of years. My cousins and I used to play hide and go seek in that part of the castle when we were little." Considering his first comment, Erzsebet responded "Yes, war is hell. Now that Callisdrun has gone to war again, I'm well aware of that. It's good to be home for a little bit, away from the carnage for a while. I've taken to staying in the old family home instead of my downtown flat during my rare breaks from active duty. It's comforting to be where one has grown up."

"Most certainly it is." He looked at his hip. "My phone seems to be ringing. Who." He looked down. "If I may be excused this is important." He picked up the phone and walked off a short way. "Yes...Perhaps...I understand sir...No...As usual...You say its a her...Doing what!...Very well..." He hung up the phone and returned to Erzsebet. "It seems a situation has just come up in Layarteb, I must take my leave. I hope that I am not being rude having to leave early but at this moment in time the situation in the embassy is very fragile and critical."
********************************************************
The Black Ops operative looked at man he just aprehended. They were inside a police station just four miles from the bar. "What is your name?" The man stayed eeriely silent. "Listen we know of the meetings, hell we've been watching you the entire time. There is nothing that you know that we don't know."

"They why are you asking me?" The Urbh Yueh clansman asked.

"Are you aware that your tribe and city has given up this little endeavor?" The man stood silent still. "Guess what pal, you're on your own for this one."

"My people were bullied into their position by your government. The very same government that illegally took power from Caratan and illegally executed him."

The Black Ops operative laughed and picked up his cell phone. "Captain, yes sir. We're ready to move him."

"Where?"

"Who says you are allowed to know. Get up!" He pulled out his pistol, a MK.23 SOCOM and pointed it in his face. "I said get up." The man remained seated, handcuffed and defiant. But as the operative screwed on the silencer, the man stood. "Very well. Shall we?" They walked out of the police station and into an awaiting car where they travelled far out of the city to an underground prison facility, one that as most likely, unknown. Interrogations continued, particularly involved the questioning about one individual, a man or a woman, whomever he or she was.

After the ambassador from Layarteb, Henry Hyde, had left, Erzsebet retired to her old room and turned up the stereo. She chuckled to herself about how the Harthy family had gotten themselves into trouble. Again.

Anne Eriksen placed a call to the Harthys as soon as she got back to Callisdrin. Quite cheerfully, she informed them "Your family has been removed from the donor system. Have a nice day." She hung up as Mr. Harthy screamed "What?!!!" into the phone. Between averting war and cracking down on the Harthys for their unethical business practices, it had been a good day. Hopefully the Layartebians would keep their part of the bargain.

The ambassador returned to his office in the embassy much quicker than it had taken to go to the other way. He immediately got on the phone, "Yes sir what have you got for me. Yes sir. They have agreed to cut off the blood supply to the Harthy Clan. Yes sir it will. Now of this woman? You say the man who were tracking is a woman! Yes that makes sense. Matriarchal yes. Interesting. Very well. Yes it went well. I am aware sir. Very well thank you very much."

He sat back at his desk and sighed. I have to get out more.
****************************************************
The Black Ops facility was dark and dank. It was a prison facility that was definitely not press worthy. The individual being questioned had been tracked and watched for the past few months. He was talking now, though not much. The interrogation tactics of the Black Ops operatives were working, the prisoner was scared, very scared. The same question came up though, "Who were you meeting with at the bar?"

"I met with a man from Callisdrun. He said he was from the Harthy Clan and we did some drug smuggling for them." That was all he would say. When he was told that it was in fact a woman that he was meeting with, he became flabergasted.
********************************************************
The woman returned to her apartment and, as usual, the Force Spectre operative trailing her, made a note in his log. When she re-emerged four hours later, she was a he. It was most peculiar.

Here is our initial offer. We will sell you 100,000 tonnes of uranium for a discounted price of $230 million, in exchange for the extradition of Phillip Carlyle. The price is, of course, open to negoiation.

Mr. Harthy was deeply troubled. If they were going to such lengths as kicking the Harthy family off the donor system, then the Layartebian government probably knew at least the basics of what was going on. He called his niece, the main representative of the Harthy family in Layarteb, on her cell phone. "They know what we're up to, this could get very dangerous very soon. Our government hasn't been exactly sympathetic, either. What? No, not yet. Listen, we've been booted from the donor system. Yes, I know that means we no longer have any way to send you and your brother nourishment. We barely have any stores here. I'd say we can probably last a month and a half, hoping they'll put us back. No, I'm sorry, we only have enough to supply you for another week. After that you're on your own. No, I can't stop the business we provide to the government because the King will step in and just nationalize whatever business it is. Tell your brother to keep up the meetings to confuse them, but I want you to lay low. Yes, I think you're right, I think the Sorviks definitely had a hand in this, the slimy communist sea-dogs that they are. In the meantime, I'll see what we can do."

The Sorviks and Harthys had hated each other for quite a while now, so Mr. Harthy had no doubt in his mind that they had been at least partly responsible for this outrage. This was very bad for business.

OOC: The way it was working was the girl dressed up as a man to fool those she dealt with. The Urbh Yueh tribe believes that only men should be doing business.

I reply later.

OOC: Yeah, but her brother is also in Layarteb as a decoy/confusion generator

"Sir," the Black Ops operative phoned his superior, "sir a phone call was just intercepted. Yes to the laptop. On its way now sir. There is a second here. No we have not made any visual findings. Perhaps. Indeed sir. Very well." On the other end, a lieutenant colonel, in charge of this operation, recieved the conversation via his laptop. The 500mb/sec wireless cards in these Force Spectre laptops were prime and connected directly to a satellite and bounced the signal back down to HQ. It didn't matter what satellite either or if there was bad weather. They had enough juice in them and they were set to use the frequencies used to communicate to satellites. Most of the time, they bounced the signals off private, commerical satellites without the owners ever knowing it.

The conversation revealed some hefty details. Apparently the Callisdrunians held up on their end of the deal. It was now up to them to hold up their part of the bargain. Two months began and it would end. How, on the other hand, was unknown. Survelliance and recon operations would continue for the time being.
**********************************************
The Emperor looked down at the Kelssekian deal. 100,000 tonnes for $230M. That's $2.3K per tonne. That's a steal! He signed the letter. "We accept your offer but wish to make it for a duration of 5 years for a total of 250,000 tonnes at the same price, giving you a total of $575M. In return we will let the prisoner go free but he must be placed on gag order. If any of what happened in Layarteb gets out to the press we will be very angry. He broke the law and this is how we do things here. No book deals, no television shows, etc."
***********************************************

Outside raged what would be the first of Callisdrun's brutal winter storms for this year. Erzsebet's old friend, Katarina, was over, and the two were sharing a bit of vodka, musing about the news, the war and such, reminiscing on old times. The subject of the hilariously bad fortune of the Harthy family came up, and with it, the topic of relations with Layarteb in general.

"So," Katarina said curiously. "I heard you met the Layartebian ambassador, what's he like?"

Erzsebet thought a moment. "Well, he's certainly charming, a veteran of his country's battles, with skill at describing his experiences. Naturally, he was a bit reserved, no diplomat wants to tell more than they need to, maybe some of our vodka would help with that, but he seems to be a good fellow. I think he enjoyed getting out from under the paperwork of the embassy. But yes, you'd like him, quite charming."

Katarina gave a little laugh that was somewhere in between a giggle and a chuckle. "Really?" She paused a little. Erzsebet probably knew what she was thinking, about to ask. She asked anyway. "So did you bite him?" It was understood that in this circumstance, Katarina was implying a lot else besides. Vampires liked to be quite sensual, and Erzsebet was most definitely no exception.

Erzsebet laughed out loud. "No, Kat, I didn't have the pleasure of biting him, though I might get the opportunity sometime. Though one must always be careful with foreign dignatories and such." She could see Katarina was thinking. "Don't worry, I'm not going to pull a stunt like at the reich party." She could see the look of relief on Katarina's face. "That was under a unique set of circumstances."

The subject then moved to discussions of when they would probably sortie again, and other such things.


Two weeks passed, and Maria Harthy had run out of blood. She had to go hunting twice before she managed to wrap things up and get out of Layarteb. Luckily, neither victim had sustained major injuries, and she had paid both to keep their mouths shut. A week later, after many plane transfers, she was back in Callisdrun. She called up the Sorviks. Erzsebet answered, so Maria informed her that she was a bitch. Erzsebet said simply and quite calmly, with the faintest hint of a laugh, "I know." And that was the extent of the conversation.

Maria's brother, Marcus, had stayed in Layarteb, as he had found a donor, and continued meeting with the tribesmen, though these meetings were inconsequential and simply for the point of causing confusion.

The briefing room was bustling with operatives from Force Spectre. It was time for the weekly briefing of things that had happened, what would happen, and so on and so fourth. The lieutenant colonel stepped up to the front of the room and the buzzing ceased instantly. "Gentlemen, it seems that things have taken an odd sort. The woman we have been tracking has indeed returned home, perhaps for good. It has only been two weeks since the agreement and already we are seeing great progress. However, we have finally located her brother, an unknown name unfortunately. He is still meeting with Urbh Yueh tribesmen, of what we are unsure as their meetings lack any depth. Survelliance and other such recon are revealing very little and we are to figure that these meetings are merely ceremony. However, we are keeping a close eye on the goings-ons of these two.

"We are, in accordance to the agreement with Callisdrun, not going to harm the brother. However, a sweeper team is set to go in two weeks on the Urbh Yueh tribesman. He will be taken alive, hopefully. As far as anything else, we know that you have all been working extra hard these past two weeks and we assure you that there is not much longer to go. Please, I implore all of you to maintain.

"Now are there any questions?" One man raised his hand. "Yes major?"

"Sir, what of the situation in Callisdrun? The two families are now are a state of quasi-war. Are we to get involved in that?"

"Not at all. What happens there happens there unless it harms our diplomats, embassy, or citizens. Any others?" All fell silent. "Very well, dismissed and enjoy this holiday." The room emptied out and the lieutenant colonel turned to the laptop on his desk, now flashing a warning. Immediately he opened the popup.


ATTENTION LTC. McCullen.

Subject Marcus and Subject Harden of Urbh Yueh deceased. Possible bar brawl at Arizona Tavern in Falcon City. Investigation now. Could be possible contract hit. End message

The lieutenant colonel looked down and his eyes widened. Oh shit! His cell-phone rang a second later, it being the Emperor. "Sir, yes I just heard. No sir. Not at all sir. We are figuring that out sir. Very well." Now what the hell am I going to do?

OOC: If this is too much then I can erase the end part. Figured I'd throw in some sort of contract hit or something, make it look like a bar brawl, and sort of throw a monkey wrench into an almost perfect chain of events.

The scene in the office of the prime minister of Callisdrun was typical. Anne Eriksen was going through the daily reports in her usual position, leaning back with her feet on her desk. She almost fell over when she read a certain one. Marcus Harthy had apparently been killed. It was presently unclear whether it was just the bar room brawl it seemed or whether it was something more sinister. Callisdrunian agents had to be extremely careful in Layarteb, as the situation was still very delicate, so they were very limited in who they were allowed to glean information from. They had only been able to spy on the Harthys in Layarteb, and no information had been taken from the government there, so it was doubtless that the Layartebian authorities knew much more.

Anne was greatly disheartened. This was a further complication in a matter that had been seemingly resolved. If only this wasn't her problem... but Callisdrunian policy mandated that when something happened to a Callisdrunian in a foreign land, it was still the government's business. She supposed she would have to deal with the Harthys and see if they knew anything, but fortunately her position would be stronger this time. She didn't look forward to dealing with the Layartebians, but perhaps she could let someone else do that.

Two hours later

Erzsebet had just enjoyed a concert when, upon turning on her phone (for she had turned it off during the show), it immediately rang. "Hello? What?! Shit! And you want me to? And I assume burning down their embassy isn't an option? Don't worry, I was only kidding, I would never go to such effort because of one dead Harthy anyway. Yeah, I'll see what I can get out of them. Where was I? A concert. Yes. They think it might be a hit? But on who's behalf? The Harthys wouldn't do that sort of thing, capitalist scum though they are, they're loyal to each other, if no one else. Yes, I think it's fairly safe to say the Layartebians know more than we do. I'll give their embassy an unfriendly phone call when I get back."

Her friends, Leif and Katarina, didn't quite understand what was going on, which Erzsebet could tell by their expressions. "You know the whole deal with Layarteb? How they have those weird drug policies and the Harthys have been using a loophole to get by them? Well, we had reached an agreement, but Marcus Harthy turned up dead. Could have been just a bar room brawl, but it could have been a hit, too. So I have to get the Layartebians down at the embassy to tell me what they know."

Leif and Katarina laughed. "Go easy on 'em, Erzsy," Leif half spoke, half laughed. "You don't want to start a war." Erzsebet laughed. She was capable of laughing at herself, she didn't take herself too seriously. She had almost started a war on her first diplomatic mission.

Less than an hour later, she was back at the castle, on the phone with the Layartebian embassy. Whoever the college intern prat at the desk was, he was giving her a hard time, apparently thinking she was a prank caller. For about five minutes now she had been a model of good manners, making her request (now multiple requests) to speak to the ambassador, Henry Hyde, with impeccable politeness, but Erzsebet was at the end of her patience.
"Listen, you fucking clerk. This is rear-admiral Erzsebet Sorvik, head diplomat of Callisdrun. Now get off your ass, and get me on the line with the Ambassador, or you'll see me when I next need to feed." This time, the clerk got the message.

Inside the coroners office, the body of Marcus Harthy was sitting on the table, waiting for the examination and autopsy. The body was badly beaten, definitely having been in a fight. The medical examiner, Dr. Clem Wing, entered the icy cold examination room. "Injuries definitely consistant with bar fight." He spoke into the microphone. "Examination beginning at..." he began the examination. Upon the conclusion, he filled out the report. "Injuries consistent with fist-fight. Stabbing weapon used, most likely a Ka-Bar knife. Stab wounds to vital organs including heart. Validity of contract hit unconfirmed."
*******************************************************
"What do we know?" The lieutenant colonel asked the Black Ops operatives in his office, all having an integral part of the operation.

"Well sir," the chief operative spoke up, "autopsy confirms that he was in a fist-fight but died from stab wounds with what he believes to be a Ka-Bar knife. He cannot confirm nor deny that this was a contract hit. It could have been but who?"

"That leaves us in a sticky situation. I don't doubt that Callisdrun officials are having a shit-storm about this one. See what you can find out, get some people out on the streets and find out. We need to get to the bottom of this before bombs start flying."

"Very well sir." All saluted and left.
*******************************************************
Inside the embassy, the Layartebian Ambassador to Callisdrun picked up the phone. "Yes. Indeed. Most unfortunate circumstances. Perhaps. Very little. All we know is this. Yes. He was in a bar-fight and was stabbed to death. Possibly a Ka-Bar knife. The examiner is unsure. Very well. No. The body will be returned. We would like to invite some of your own investigators and examiners. Yes. No an international incident is not on my list of things to have. Certainly. Yes I am very sorry. Thank you." He hung up the phone and buzzed in the clerk. The clerk came in nervous, obviously aware he was in deep shit. "So I hear you gave Erzsebet a hard time." He chuckled. The clerk nodded, silent and scared. "I am aware you have been here for two days. What is the explanation?"

"I, sir, I, uh, I thought it was a prank sir." He was practically wetting his pants.

"A prank call. Perhaps. Granted you are new I will give you a bit of lee-way. You may return but from now on you are on thin ice. Understood?"

"Sir. Yes. Sir. Sorry. Sir."

"Very well. You may return to your desk." The clerk left in a heartbeat. F****** kids!
*******************************************************
Inside the Emperor's office the briefing had just concluded. He turned to those remaining. "What a mess this is causing. We should have just shot the son of a bitch when he first entered the country. I don't know why I give them lee-way."

"Sir," the General of the Special Forces spoke up, "I am well aware of the situation but we have Force Spectre on the matter. They were in charge of the operation as you know and thus will be following this up."

"Any possible leads?"

"Between us sir, we believe it was someone in the Urbh Yueh tribe who found out that the Harthy's were planning on cutting the business. It looks like a simple mob-type hit but of different natures."

"Very well. Keep that silent until we know for sure. Until we are one hundred percent sure that we know what the story is, we know nothing. Got it?"

"Yes sir." Everyone left and the Emperor was alone again.

This is the worst possible scenario I could have right now. I hope they don't plan on making a fight out of this.

Just when things seemed to be going better, something like this had to happen. The King hadn't had enough sleep in quite a while now. The government of Layarteb claimed that it knew nothing. King Haakon knew they knew more, but he doubted they knew much more. Callisdrun didn't need a war right now, certainly not over something like this. He called up the prime minister. "Hello. Yes. I need you to get a diplomat to handle things at the Layarteb embassy. I know what that means. Don't worry about it, she's no dummy. Besides, I think her... demeanor will probably get the best results. We can't have panzies trying to negotiate things like this."


It had become clear to Erzsebet, from her constantly ringing phone, that she had been given responsibility to negotiate through this. She called the Layarteb embassy, whose clerk was significantly more cooperative this time, and told Mr. Hyde that the Harthys were crying for war. A meeting was scheduled (OOC: you decide the time) at the embassy. Erzsebet was looking forward to meeting, partly because she hoped to make the clerk wet his pants. She was known for sometimes relishing the noteriety that being a vampire brought her among foreigners.

We cannot agree on a total gag. Instead we propose that he be allowed to talk to the news media within a week of his return, but all interviews will be recorded and you may send a representative to ensure that no sensitive information is leaked before we will allow the interview to be broadcast. He will also sign a contract stating that he cannot make any money from the incident.

The ambassador lifted the phone, "Yes. A meeting? What time is it? Twelve hours from now. Yes." He put down the phone and called in his secretary. "Schedule, for twelve hours from now, a meeting with Erzsebet on this matter of the Harthys." His secretary nodded as he returned to the phone, "Very well, it is done. See you then. Bye." He hung up the phone and sighed. If it's not one thing its another. He removed, from his bottom drawer, a bottle of Jack Daniels and poured himself a small glass. Sighing again, he wolfed it down and sat back in relaxation.
******************************************************
The Emperor looked at the reply from Kelssek of the matter of their citizen. Perhaps. I wonder of the biological delivery system. He called in the Minister of Intelligence. "Sir?" The Minister said, coming into his office.

"What is the possibility of using our biological delivery system on this Kelssekian. Place something in him and have him perish in two weeks?"

"It is possible sir."

"What is the failure rate on the system?"

"0.1% in fourteen thousand trials."

"And the reasoning?"

"Failure to fully degrade."

"Very well. And were the flaws corrected?"

"It wasn't a flaw, just a shot of poor luck."

"Very well. Apparently there is good enough of a chance. I'll get back to you on it."

"Yes sir."

The Emperor returned to the dispatch and send a reply. He was agreeing to the latest terms, after all, what proof had he that he had been "treated unfairly" but his own word. He had no camera and nobody took pictures, that was forbidden. These were Black Ops and they didn't make mistakes.

Twelve hours later

Erzsebet strolled down embassy row and finally came to the Layarteb embassy. Several of the old embassies were closed because of Callisdrun's entry into the current war in the region. Layarteb's had only been started during the war, so naturally it was not closed. Clad in her navy trench coat, with her ceremonial/functional battle axe at her belt, and wearing the badge of the Callisdrunian diplomatic corps, it was quite obvious what her function was. Nevertheless, she gave her papers to the guards at the door. When the guards returned them, she strolled in.

Wondering whether this was the same clerk she had talked to previously, Erzsebet strolled up to the desk. "Hello, I'm Rear-Admiral Erzsebet Sorvik, and I have a meeting scheduled with the ambassador. It was quite plain from the young man's shivering that he was indeed, the same clerk. Erzsebet bared her teeth and gave him a slight hiss to indicate that she was here on serious business.

NEORVINS (31 Aug 2004) - In a preliminary statement, the Foreign Ministry announced today that a deal has been reached with the government of Layarteb for the extradition and release of Phillip Carlyle, who was arrested by Layarteb a few weeks ago for possession of drugs. Drug offences in Layarteb are punishable by lengthy prison terms.

The drawn-out extradition process has caused the ruling Coalition to come under heavy fire from the opposition Conservative Party for not doing enough to secure his release, although Prime Minister George Marlin said that this was due to the Layartebian government's unwillingness to extradite him, knowing that he would go free, and not any lapses on his government's part.

Sources also say that the deal involves a sale of uranium to Layarteb. Carlyle will be picked up by Foreign Ministry officials and is expected to return to Kelssek on Wednesday. - THE NEORVINS HERALD

les bump

I'll probably respond tomorrow. Busy lately. School just started yesterday so.

tag for later reading.