NationStates Jolt Archive

OOC: Any volunteers/suggestions? Now's the time to speak up.

He was tired of putting up with it, so he left.

In a nation the size of Tahar Joblis, there will always be discontent somewhere. In a nation as freeminded as Tahar Joblis, there will always be a few odd apples. Mass emigrations from Tahar Joblis have happened before and will happen again.

Some are tired of seaweed. Some are tired of living on, in, and/or near the ocean. Some want to come oppressive capitalist pigs with wasteful amounts of resources at their disposal. Exploitation looks attractive to some folks, particularly if they're intending to be on the right end of it and have no personal experience with the matter. Some develop unusual religious concerns and decide that Tahar Joblis is unholy, and by folly, they want to find their own land where they can enforce their religious strictures about premarital sex, a minimum age of adulthood of 25, public torture of heretics, and the forced conversion of nonbelievers.

Some don't want to serve a term in the Army, irregardless of the fact that most of the Tahar Joblissan Army doesn't spend more than two weeks on a self defense course before moving to more important things, like sheer gradients, compression constants, and how to build a high density apartment complex without disturbing the local ecology or causing undue health risks to those actually on the ground building it. Simply having to put in a year of service of some sort is offputting, even when you get free health and free education.

There were a lot of them, because they'd been waiting for some time, getting ahold of what they needed. Military surplus was quite handy, and a few international black market operations had helped them quietly get ahold of numerous ships decommissioned by the NDOTJ. Of course, getting them to be "bought" from apparently external sources, redone in at least a semi-civilian style, and brought back into ports where they wouldn't be recognized. In a nation where private property is rare on any large scale, but where large scale nongovernmental projects have been completed for the most absurd reasons - one might consider the early pioneer launches of the Tahar Joblissan space program, run by several competing religious and civic groups - their activities raised little attentions over the course of ten years from the plan's inception.

Now, they were moving.

With little announcement, a vast flotilla of ships launched. Overhead, planes ferried to and from the larger ships and the mainland of Tahar Joblis, picking up supplies, stragglers, or those who'd changed their mind at the last minute.

It quickly became a hot spot on local Tahar Joblissan news. Where'd they come from, anyway?

The NDOTJ made it a point of keeping an eye out, running escorts out for the roughly five hundred miles of territorial waters they would cross between the mainland of Tahar Joblis and the open sea. Patrols would happen to swing nearby it until it passed the shores of Tahar Joblis's nearer neighbors.

Where were they going? What where they doing? And why did they need a quarter million tons of dried vitamen enriched seaweed jerky?

OOC: ...I am SO in on this one.

OOC: I wish I knew how to reply to this, I really do.

OOC: I wish I knew how to reply to this, I really do.

OOC: Well, I'm looking for a couple things, really. The big one is a destination - a target, if you will - for this large crowd of migrants from Tahar Joblis, which I prefer be someone who OOCly volunteers - not ICly volunteer, just OOCly. Of course, the sudden movement of a large enigmatic group from Tahar Joblis may provoke some other reactions intermediate to their actually getting anywhere.

In the current capital - for the next seven months, anyway - of Bogvadopolissa, a clerk was very unhappy. She reached for her telephone.

"George, ha ha ha. Very funny. Now get down here, get rid of this stuff, and tell me where you put the real stack of this morning's RECR forms." She pronounced it 'wrecker,' as many in the Citizenship Database Department find convenient after the first year of sifting through the paperwork. "Oh really? Then tell me what these crates are here for." She paused, waving away the new intern, who was trying to get her attention. "I'm telling you, if this is some elaborate practical joke, I'm not going to let you forget it, George." The intern coughed. She hung up.

"Yes?"

"Umm. Ms. Tanaka, they're real forms. They were all filed yesterday morning at the regional offices."

"Why haven't I heard of anything about that? Surely if this many people decided to emigrate all at once, I'd've heard about it in the news this morning."

The intern shifted uneasily and swallowed. She glared at him, but he didn't budge or blurt out a confession. She sighed and picked up the phone.

"George, I think I'm going to need some help down here."

OOC: alright, i'll do it, but for now i'm playing MGS! :D

OOC: My apologies for the delays...

The flotilla safely traversed Tahar Joblissan waters and headed west across the ocean. West, towards a far land very different from their homeland. NDOTJ elements quietly shadowed them for several days, then broke off.

Their destination: Theatheistreality, according to current plan.

They ran emergency drills. Men trained belowdecks on simulators and practiced coordinating with each other.

The large community went to the business of policing itself on the long way. Many of the larger and slower converted cargo barges couldn't pass 15 knots, setting a relatively low upper limit on the sustained cruise rate. Their destination ahead of them, they waited to see if it would be final. Time would tell... it could well be that the land would be unsuitable for habitation in the long term.

The flotilla approached Theatheistreality.

"Behold the promised land," he told his people, and they gathered onto decks, peering into the waves ahead. It would not be long before it would be visible.

They did not bother with radioing ahead. They would of course be welcome in the promised land. Slow civilian planes moved overhead, heading towards land to scout out a good beach to land upon.

There was much rejoicing, and much preparation. Many things to do, and a prophecies to prophesy or fulfill.

sir, we have detected a great amount of hard to identify ships heading towards our coast, i hope the do not have any ill intent. very well child, keep monitoring them, and we shall send out a patrol to greet them, but it shall be armed well, just in case, as we cannot take any chances with a fleet of this size.

The flotilla largely ignored the patrol, to all intents and appearances - or would until they made great effort to be noticed, at which point they would be blathered at to great lengths while the flotilla expeditiously went to move everything from ships to beach.

Hands edged near concealed weapons nervously at the sight of Theatheistreality craft, but no overtly hostile moves would yet be made.

having calculated the beach that the the ships would land on, a lightly armed gathering is sent to welcome all that arrive on the beach. A few officers are among the gathering, there to gather info and communicate to the groups leaders about their rights and responsibilities as new arrivals in TAR.

having calculated the beach that the the ships would land on, a lightly armed gathering is sent to welcome all that arrive on the beach. A few officers are among the gathering, there to gather info and communicate to the groups leaders about their rights and responsibilities as new arrivals in TAR.

Hundreds of tall men wearing thigh high wading boots were leaping ashore, finding the best places to unload all-terrain vehicles and get them inland. Old amphibious transports shuttled to and fro, unloading large trucks and tractors. If they didn't find a solid road in, they would make a solid road in. The fleet clustered near to shore; one large cargo ship grounded on a sandbar before they sorted out into a sort of order.

Overhead, helicopters buzzed like steroid enhanced beetles. Great boxes and machines piled on the shore, and great muddy patches of brine gaped where they unloaded heavier equipment. Other vehicles, covered in burlap and netting and buldging all around, were driven clear off the sides of ships. Bubbles filled the water, and fish fled from the noise and confusion.

A man wearing a bright purple business suit strode out to meet the welcoming party.

"Who," he asked, "are you?" Brushing a speck of mud off his jacket, he glared disdainfully at the natives, a notion occuring to him.

He began an exaggerated pantomime routine. "Me Tarsek. Tar-sek." Thump. "You?" Point, wave, gesture, puzzled expression; point, presenting gesture, open mouth, shut mouth.

the first official coldly replies, I good sir am Lorain Corados, and cut the snide tone. i do not appreciate it. however, you are welcome here, and you will be treated as well as we can afford to. Lorain motions with her hand, and the
parties 'sparky' radios to headquarters the information gained so far.

the first official coldly replies, I good sir am Lorain Corados, and cut the snide tone. i do not appreciate it. however, you are welcome here, and you will be treated as well as we can afford to. Lorain motions with her hand, and the
parties 'sparky' radios to headquarters the information gained so far.

Tarsek pulled out a cell phone, turning half way around. "Hello? Hello? Yes, this is Tarsek. Can I speak with One? Yes, it's important. Hello. Yes, can you put me through? It really is important. Hello? Oh, nice to talk to you. I've discovered something important: The natives can speak and understand StandEng! It was remarkably easy to make contact with them. Make sure everybody gets the memo. Yes, I'm sure, there's one right in front of me. Would you like to talk to him yourself? Maybe later then?"

He hung up the cell phone, turning back to face Lorain. "Yes, you were saying something about us being welcome here?"

Of course you are welcome here Tarsek. But we do have our laws, and you must do your upmost to follow them, even if they seem...rather backward to you. You are permitted 'some' liberties until you are fully integrated into our society, and that WILL take some time. She glances suspiciously at Tarsek. And remember, we do have firearm laws. Everything must be registered for one. And no assault rifles and the like.

Of course you are welcome here Tarsek. But we do have our laws, and you must do your upmost to follow them, even if they seem...rather backward to you. You are permitted 'some' liberties until you are fully integrated into our society, and that WILL take some time. She glances suspiciously at Tarsek. And remember, we do have firearm laws. Everything must be registered for one. And no assault rifles and the like.

"Permitted some liberties?" Tarsek looked surprised. His cell phone rang, and he turned his back to the natives again.

"Yes, I really do have some right here. They seem to claim sovereignity over this territory and particularly want to know exactly what we're carrying in terms of weapons. Yes, I'm aware of that possibility. Could I set up an appointment for a conference with them? I have them right here." He turned towards them. "Could you come back next Tuesday with all the appropriate documentation etc to discuss these matters with us? We don't want any more trouble than necessary, really, and there's so much to do with just unloading everybody and everything off the ships."

Tuesday, Lorains office, Tar capital Lorain opens the door, and ushers Tarsek in, before sitting down in her luxurious leather chair. She motions with her hand, just to make sure Tarsek notices the various hightech gadgets in the office.So Tarsek, what exactly would you like to know?. Anything particular about our way of life? our laws? our customs?

Tuesday, Lorains office, Tar capital Lorain opens the door, and ushers Tarsek in, before sitting down in her luxurious leather chair. She motions with her hand, just to make sure Tarsek notices the various hightech gadgets in the office.So Tarsek, what exactly would you like to know?. Anything particular about our way of life? our laws? our customs?

Tarsek composed himself. The council had been clear.

"We wish to know by what right you demand to rule over us. We also would like to speak with a man, as females are not suited to discussion of serious matters, but we understand if your culture is degraded and backwards." Tarsek smiled diplomatically. "No offense intended, of course, but it grates on our nerves to be shunted around to a lower level flunky such as yourself. I'm sure you understand where we're coming from?"

"We also have some problems with your demands for disarmament in the the light of the probable forcible subjugation and extermination of our people it portends. We understand that this may not be truly your intention, but such it appears to no small number the laymen among us, and it is not fit that they be so ... distressed. Indeed, to even tell you such without having ourselves been told what force you could in turn bring to threaten us seems a most unfair circumstance. Thus, we request to know what weapons you are hiding before we even consider giving you a full accounting of the scraps we have to defend ourselves with."

Degraded? backwards? You know not who i am you insolent young man, and you know nothing of this nations culture. You shall be told what you need to know and nothing more. You have no right to know anything about this nations armed forces or government as you are not yet citizens, but you shall be fully integrated WHEN THE TIME COMES AND NOT BEFORE! NOW BEGONE FROM MY SIGHT! BETHAK NARAMKARA TARSEK! Lorains eyes glow a firey red, staring deep into tarseks soul, as if mentally urging him to leave the room and not return for a long time.

Degraded? backwards? You know not who i am you insolent young man, and you know nothing of this nations culture. You shall be told what you need to know and nothing more. You have no right to know anything about this nations armed forces or government as you are not yet citizens, but you shall be fully integrated WHEN THE TIME COMES AND NOT BEFORE! NOW BEGONE FROM MY SIGHT! BETHAK NARAMKARA TARSEK! Lorains eyes glow a firey red, staring deep into tarseks soul, as if mentally urging him to leave the room and not return for a long time.

Tarsek worked very hard at suppressing the smile that wanted to come to his lips.

"That does not sound like appropriate language for a proper lady, even. Are we expected to negotiate with base harlots and threats upon our very identity? Madam, do you realize the gravity of the situation? I demand, for the sake of both our peoples, that you contact your superiors to amend this as immediately as practicably possible. We cannot establish any working relationship in this land on the bases of ignorance and insult."

Tarsek drew himself to his full [short] height and composed [comical looking] dignity, working hard to literally look down his nose at her in spite of his relatively diminuative stature. He turned sharply on one heel, obviously looking to make a dignified exit.

Lorain just stands there, restraining herself from...harming...Tarsek. She makes a mental note to do something sinister to him sometime in the future, but for now, for reasons of diplomacy, she would have to hold herself back.

Lorain just stands there, restraining herself from...harming...Tarsek. She makes a mental note to do something sinister to him sometime in the future, but for now, for reasons of diplomacy, she would have to hold herself back.

Tarsek promptly tromped back towards the camp with all due speed. With any luck, though, he would manage to get suitably lost en route. Now, if the guides didn't get ahold of him quickly enough, a city should be complicated enough to serve the task. Even if this ... woman ... was not obliging.