NationStates Jolt Archive

Five men and women stood on the hill over-looking the test site. The world didn't know about Callisdrun's plans. They soon would. After today it probably wouldn't be possible to keep their country's nuclear weapons program a secret. It probably didn't particularly matter either. They watched, through binoculars as their colleague made final adjustments to the device in the huge stack of explosives, mainly TNT, that had been purchased from Layarteb. It was imperative that the tubes of fissile material were properly placed. They were nearing the final stages of their project now. This was a preliminary test, if it went well a full scale atomic test would follow. Years had gone into research and development. Atom-smashers had been built, uranium had been mined and enriched, and finally a test tower had been built for this explosive prelude to Callisdrun's atomic age.

"Looks like she's done," said Dr. Wilhelm Torsen, chief of the project as he observed the woman working at the test tower get into her car and drive up towards them.

As soon as Dr. Ilona Batory, the scientist who had been adjusting things at the test site, arrived, they headed into the small bunker they had constructed. They quickly checked to make sure the various meters they'd set up to measure such things as radioactivity, force, etc. were working.

"All right, here it goes..." Torsen said as he pressed the little button. "It should go off right... about... now."

An enormous explosion shattered the tranquil setting. Though still small compared to the gigantic mushroom clouds produced by foreign nation's atomic weapons, it was still very substantial and a bit too close for comfort to the citizens watching from Istengrad.

Batory piped in. "I think we're probably going to need to move to a test site a bit farther away..."

A Layarteb scientist was on the ground near the test site. He was to ensure that nothing went wrong with the shippment of TNT provided from old, decommisioned Slick series bombs. The material was old and it was unsure if it would function properly and, just in case, he was there to ensure that it didn't cause a serious catastrophe.

When the explosion finally took off, the heat made the skin on his face burn, as if he were standing next to a bonfire.

http://nuclearweaponarchive.org/Usa/Tests/100TonExp2.jpg

It had worked and he immediately picked up his cell phone, I hope I get a signal. He had two bars, good enough. "Mr. Ambassador. Yes, this is Dr. Steinmarck. Yes sir. A-okay sir. Yes the Emperor should be told. Thank you."

Bump

The Emperor recieved the assessment report. "Good it was a success." He smirked and turned to his Minister of Intelligence. "How far along are they to a small nuclear device?"

"Close along sir. They are choosing another test site, one further from the population, and we imagine that within a year or two, at most, they will have a successful nuclear bomb test. We're estimating between ten and twenty-six kilotons, in a Plutonium implosion design. If they do conduct a test it will most likely be a surface explosion, probably on the surface rather than suspended or dropped."

"And the threat status?" He paused. "Certainly any country with a nuclear weapon is a potential threat to us."

"Well sir. Given the instability and the possiblity that the Harthy's are going to start a civil war, it is very disturbing that they are this close to this technology at this time but we can safely say that they are not a threat to us, as of right now. If the Harthy's gain political power then the situation and assessment will change. Then it will be a threat. We cannot forsee them using one on us and if they did, getting it into their 'target' would be next to impossible. Certainly they couldn't drop it nor could they carry it. It would have to be the most elaborate scheme in the history of the world."

"Very well. Keep me updated and make sure that you get all the information you can on the new test site, the test, what their plans are as far as capability goes, and what they intend to do with future weapons."

"Very well sir. Thank you."

The Minister of Intelligence left and the Emperor reclined in his chair. Some day this world is just going to destroy itself. He looked over at a picture taken from the first Layarteb nuclear test, some decades ago.

http://nuclearweaponarchive.org/Usa/Tests/Ukbadger1.jpg

They had certainly come a long way since then. The first test was a mere 23 kt, detonated from a 300' tower. Now they had the mighty LGM-175 Armageddon*, a 1.057 gt nuclear ICBM. Things were certainly different.

* = Top Secret IC

Drakomis had looked at what was happening over in a...certian...nation. Although Nuclear Weapons, Hydrogen Bombs, and whatever else was deemed a Weapon capable of Atomic-Grade explosions had not been new to the Anagonians, these tests had started to worry the Intelligence of the Anagonian Military.

He sighed, it had happened long before that these things occured, just not in this order. It was unusual, at the least. It was....almost ment for something more than just tests.

Drakomis sat back in his chair, laying his head back and sighing once more. He didn't know what was going on, nor why someone would need to experiment with these weapons so much, but he would keep an eye on this situation, along with others, as well.

Several months later----------------------

In one of the deeper levels of Fortress Mt. Agaden, a conference was being called between the leading individuals behind Callisdrun's nuclear weapons program. Much work had been done, and several preliminary designs were on the table. Also to be discussed was the new test site.

Dr. Wilhelm Torsen, chief of the entire operation, was in full command of the discussion. "All right, now that everyone's here, let's hear some ideas for a new test site. We already know that anywhere on the Plains of Sorrow is too close."

Dr. Kvebeld was first to answer. "How about the gulf of Rotenburg?"

Torsen dismissed the idea. "Too close to the Roanne islands. We already know that there's going to be a lot of radiation floating around, and that would land ont the Roanne Islands. Or Rotenburg."

Dr. Olsen proposed another idea. "The area between Gothenburg and Budapest isn't too heavily populated."

"That's very near a major river. Also, that would be very visible, because it's also very close to two major cities." There must be some place, he thought.

Dr. Ilona Batory, known for her eccentricity and mysterious demeanor then made an altogether radical proposal. "I think the best place for it would be the Altar Rangian plain. No major cities nearby, not near any river, and very flat."

Olsen protested "But that's in another country! That's a blatant violation of their sovreignty, it's..."

Torsen cut him off "An excellent idea. The Altar Rangians will not care that it's on their land, they're too busy killing each other. That patch of near-desert is so rarely visited that they probably won't even notice. Thank you Ilona. Is everyone agreed?"

Everyone gave their assent, even, though reluctantly, Dr. Olsen.

"Now, for the various designs. Design A is a plutonium implosion device. Design B is a slightly different version of Design A, and Design C is a uranium-gun type device."

Batory spoke up again. "If theories hold correct, the plutonium designs will both produce a higher yield than the uranium device, with design B being the higher projected yield weapon of the two."

Dr. Annalina Kvebeld had a different view. "The plutonium weapons will probably be more effective, yes, but we don't have any plutonium, and no one will sell us any."

"We don't have very much uranium either," Dr. Olsen said.

"Altar Rang does." Ilona Batory seemed to be onto something.

"Explain yourself, Ilona." Torsen was intrigued.

Batory began "Well, since we're already having the test inside their territory, and already making military incursions quite frequently, why not just take their uranium as well? They are an anarchy, it won't matter." Her fangs glinted in the dim light.

"Their uranium mines are near the Helvetefrosk border. The government could send a special ops crew in to acquire a supply of uranium," said Dr. Kereshtur, who had not spoken up to this point.

Everyone agreed that this was the best plan of action and the tentative test date was set at two and a half months in the future. "Remember," said Torsen, "No other citizens are to hear of this, above all the Harthy family is not to hear of this." They quickly went to work.

OOC: Is the Layarteb Scientist in attendance? Or do you have a different plan on your government learning of the test site and such?

OOC: No our scientist is not a mole, you guys know he's there, he's simply there to "oversee" the 100 ton test. The nuclear one I'd just have an observer some 20 - 40 miles away and such, nothing too secretive.

OOC: No our scientist is not a mole, you guys know he's there, he's simply there to "oversee" the 100 ton test. The nuclear one I'd just have an observer some 20 - 40 miles away and such, nothing too secretive.

ok, sounds good

The embassy was buzzing. Callisdrun scientists had yet to leak a test site but rumors had it that it would be in a desert region. The ambassador was given the direct okay from the Emperor to provide certain possibilities of delivery. The ambassador immediaetly sent notification through the scientist working for them that Layarteb would provide, though in complete secret, if necessary, an airborne delivery method. A single B-52H Stratofortress would be provided for if necessary to deliver the bomb. It could fly to Callisdrun, pick up the weapon, and deliver it over the target. Layarteb pilots would fly the aircraft but the bombardier would be a Callisdrunian.

http://www.militaryairshows.net/mild2000/mild5.jpg

The Emperor leaned back in his chair, waiting for the Minister of Intelligence to come in. When he finally did, the Emperor asked the first question. "And the status on Project Ant Farm?"

"Sir, the test will be in two weeks to the day, at 2200. The plan is as follows," he cleared his throat and sat down, "a single B-2 will take off and fly to the target area at an altitude of 40,000 feet. Release speed will be 500 knots. The bomb immediately deploys a parachute pointing it directly down at the ground. At this point, the rocket motor fires and the fins stabilize the bomb. GPS aides the drop, we can put it down on the target to within ten feet sir. The force of impact on the ground is at a speed of roughly six thousand miles per hour, Mach 8. Lastly we expect it can bury itself as far as two hundred feet into hardended Earth, one hundred and fifty into rock, and when reinforced concrete is thrown into the mix, one hundred feet. Lastly with a combination of all three, it can spike down to eighty-six feet. If this test proves well, advanced versions will seek to double those figures."

"And of the yield?"

"Well sir," he paused and thought for a moment. "The current test will feature a low-yield device of only 10 kt. Available version yields to the actual one will be 10 kt, 100 kt, 1 mt, and 10 mt. Naturally over 1 mt will result in much more devestation but it will be successful."

"Very well. Make sure the test goes smoothly."

"Will do sir." He left.

One week before the test was scheduled to take place, the classified lower levels of Fortress Mt. Agaden were very busy. Down this low, the silence of the tunnels was very rarely disturbed, let alone bustling with activity. The atomic weapons project had been conducted on a level even lower than where all the inhumane chemical/biological/sadistic weapons that Callisdrun wasn't supposed to have were stored. Luckily, the decades old cranes for hoisting various materials still worked, so they did not have to drag the heavy things to the surface, which would have taken more than a week.

Two bombs had been constructed, both based on Design C, the uranium plan. One was to be exploded on a steel tower, the other was to be dropped from a B-52 that Layarteb was allowing the use of. The battle to get the uranium had been quite bloody, as one of the fiercest factions in Altar Rang had control over the mines. There was concern over how difficult it might be to get the actual test site.

Doctors Wilhelm Torsen and Ilona Batory stood watching the weapons be hoisted to the surface and loaded onto the armored trucks that would transport them, one after the other. The uranium cores would be transported seperately, and only finally loaded into the devices right before the actual test.

"Have our troops secured the area yet?" Batory asked. She had unexptectedly turned out to be the real brains behind the operation, from covering every last detail of the project to being almost solely responsible for the design the two weapons had been based on. However, she had retained her mysterious and eccentric nature, and most of the other scientists were either intrigued, baffled, or down right frightened of her.

"They just blocked the last road leading to the test site this morning. They didn't have nearly as much trouble as they did actually getting the uranium. The two parts of Altar Rang are controlled by different factions," said Torsen, very matter of factly. He was not one of the scientists who was scared of Ilona Batory. Torsen actually found the vampiress to be quite fascinating.

"Good. Altar Rang is an anarchy, so they can't raise any sort of protest to us using their land. All preparations have been made for Hel2 [the bomb to be dropped from a B-52] to be picked up at Istengrad Air Force base? Fighter escort, security, et cetera?"

"That is correct. And as per your specific request, the bomber itself will be painted flat black. The bombardier will be a Callisdrunian."

::Shakes Head::

::Shakes Head::

OOC: I never said I was actually going to use them on anyone, and also, it's not like I'm doing some crappy-ass thing where I suddenly declare that I have thousands of ICBM's, I'm actually taking the time to RP it out, and I actually recognize that they're not going to be very advanced for quite a while. If you aren't going to participate in the RP, then I'd prefer it if you didn't post at all.

OOC to Shayol: Shush, he's doing a good job.

The Layarteb B-52H Stratofortress sat on the tarmac at 0200. She was painted all black, not a single marking on her. It was one of forty B-52H Stratofortresses that were part of the 4th Bomb Squadron that were set aside for 'special' duty. They were specially constructed. Every piece of material that went into the aircraft was barren of serial numbers, markings, anything that could identify the aircraft as Layartebian. The pilots were all heavily trained and also carried no identifications, their fingerprints being burned off through hot objects. They all carried with them a little black pill, cyanide, just in case they were shot down over enemy territory. None of them had any families and none of them would be missed, that was a requirement for this aircraft. Each of the forty aircraft had two crews, so that in case they were needed, one was always on alert. All forty could be used at a moments notice to do any 'special' duty.

Fully laiden with fuel, the B-52H taxied onto the runway just short of 0300. It's eight turbofan engines spun up to maximum thrust, 136,000 lb. The B-52H began to roll down the runway, weighing in at 400,000 lb. After nearly one and a half miles, the aircraft eased up at 5° and climbed into the night sky.

It turned to a heading of 283 and climbed higher to 36,000 feet where it would fly to Istengrad Air Force Base, some 7,200 miles away. It's flight speed would be in the four hundred to four hundred and twenty miles per hour range.

After a long and arduous journey, made alone due to the secrecy, was finally paid off when the aircraft landed. It was still night when it landed at Istengrad Air Force Base. It immediately taxied into a hangar and the crew disboarded for some much needed rest. The eighteen hour flight really put a strain on them.
*********************************************************
The following is secret

Meanwhile, inside a bunker deep within the Layarteb forest, the final touch-ups were being put on a new weapon. The GBU-28/C Heat Strike, was a new weapon being engineered by the Layartebian military. It was a modification of the GBU-28/B Deep Throat 'Bunker Buster.' The GBU-28/B could bury itself in 100 feet of soil or penetrate 20 feet of reinforced concrete. It weighed a massive 4,637 lb. and was the heaviest guided bomb available. It's 4,400 lb. warhead was enough to destroy just about any bunker it hit.

The GBU-28/C Heat Strike was to be the same size but nearly tripple the weight. Weighing in at 11,048 lb., the GBU-28/D would be dropped from heavy bombers, particularly the B-1, B-2, B-4, or B-52. It was equipped with a rocket motor that provided enough trust that, when dropped from 40,000 feet and 500 knots, it could be moving at a speed of Mach 8, almost six thousand miles per hour.

The test GBU-28/C would be inert, just to see how far it could bury itself. Predictions were as far as 200' into hardended Earth, 150' into rock, and when reinforced concrete is thrown into the mix, 100'. With a combination of all three, it can spike down to 86'. In addition, there would be several versions. A conventional version, the GBU-28/D would carry the same warhead as the GBU-28/B but with double the density of explosives. The GBU-28/D would be nuclear capable with six yields now available: 1 kt, 50 kt, 100 kt, 500 kt, 1 mt, or 10 mt. It would certainly be a mean SOB.

The test was scheduled for 2200, some six hundred miles away. The drop vehicle would be a B-4A Magnum. Drop altitude and height for the first bomb would be 40,000' and 500 knots. However, three more tests were going to be done. One would be at 1,000' and Mach 1 another would be at 60,000' and Mach 1.2, and lastly another would be made at 80,000' at Mach 2.05. The B-4A would be dropping on these four targets as it could carry four bombs internally.

The GBU-28/C and GBU-28/D would be GPS guided and thus have an CEP of 10 feet. When using nuclear warheads, 10 feet was absolutely nothing. Hell, when using the BLU-113/C warhead, it was absolutely nothing.

Doctors Annalina Kvebeld, Drake Kereshtur and Wilhelm Torsen sat in the bunker that had been constructed a safe distance away from the test site. Ilona Batory and Erik Olsen had gone to the tower at the test site to put the horrible contraption into place. It had been encased in whatever metal was on hand, and then spray painted red. The device was aptly named Hel-1. Torsen and Kvebeld were playing cards while they waited, Kereshtur was looking through the binoculars at the test tower, which was visible through them. Spotting a small dust cloud, he told the others "They're coming back."

About fifteen minutes later, Erik Olsen and Ilona Batory entered the bunker, Batory complaining about how bright the sun was in Altar Rang. Olsen mentioned that they had had to kill an Altar Rangian soldier who was investigating the strange ediface, and that's what had taken them so long.

As they all stood peering out at the Altar Rangian plain, Batory spoke. "Well, we might as well get it started." The others agreed, and final preparations were made, all the controls were checked, video cameras were turned on, all safeties were turned off. Finally, they put on sunglasses (Batory and Olsen already had theirs on) and Torsen yanked the lever that triggered the weapon. It took the signal a while to travel through the miles of wire to the test site.

An enormous fireball erupted, the fact that it engulfed the tower was almost too obvious to mention. After the initial explosion, a malevolent mushroom cloud rose from the site and dominated their field of vision. In a few seconds the shockwave reached the bunker and knocked everyone to the floor. They got to their feet quickly and watched the demonic looking mushroom bloom.
They had all seen photos of atomic explosions before, but seeing it before their own eyes was completely different.

"My gods..." was all Wilhelm Torsen could muster.

Ilona Batory was similarly awestruck. "It is as if we were watching ragnarok." She was, like most Callisdrunians, pagan.

The others simply stared in stunned silence at the power of what they had built.


At Istengrad Air Force base, preparation was made for the drop-test while the Layartebian bomber crew slept. Though Hel-2's innards were exactly the same as those of Hel-1, both being uranium-gun type weapons, on the outside they looked substantially different. Unlike Hel-1, Hel-2's exterior had been carefully assembled with consideration for aerodynamics, stabilization, and of course, compatibility with the bomb bay of a B-52. It had been spray painted black, to look as inconspicuous as possible inside the air base. Some of the regular bombs used by the Callisdrunian Air Force were quite large and of similar shape, so the only thing that really set Hel-2 apart was its name, stenciled on the side in large white letters.

The Callisdrunian bombardiers (there were two of them, as a failsafe), who were already awake, helped the flight technicians load the large metal cylinder into the bomb bay of the Layartebian B-52. They answered their questions either with total falsehoods, or simple dodges of the question. As far as they knew, it was just a newer sort of bomb. After all had been readied, they left to the briefing room to play cards. Guards had been posted around the hanger to make sure no one unauthorized came in. They waited for the Layartebians to wake.

The alarm rank inside the makeshift barracks inside Hangar 57, where the B-52H sat ready. The crew were raring to go inside of fifteen minutes and headed directly for the briefing room where they would meet the Callisdrun bombardiers.

OOC: At this point, the B-52 is under your own RP'ing control

Meanwhile, the scientist monitoring the nuclear explosion at the first test site sent back a single, graphic image of the Callisdrun weapon.

http://nuclearweaponarchive.org/Russia/Joe1.jpg

Inside the briefing room, Kat and Lars, the bombardiers, greeted their Layartebian crew as they walked in. The bombardiers had been selected not just for their skill but also based on their mastery of the foreign English language that was typically used by Callisdrunians to communicate with people from other nations. The briefing (coordinates of target, distance, expected flight time, weather conditions in target area, etc.) was also in English.

Less then an hour later,they boarded the B-52. Lars took a picture of Kat as she posed next to the atomic bomb itself. She then took one of him. They both knew that the pictures would have to remain secret for several years, but that was no matter. They took their seats in the enormous jet bomber. The B-52 was not used by the Callisdrunian Air Force normally, but they had both been extensively trained to be familiar with the bombardier's controls. The black behemoth slowly rumbled to life as it made its assisted taxi out of Hangar 57 and onto the runway. It was still very dark, as the days were still short, but the aircraft took off without any difficulty.

Within a couple hours, they were approaching the test site. Kat sat idly at the controls, tapping her fingers. Lars had gotten up to get a drink. The landscape of the northern Altar Rangian Plain was not exciting, it was a flat arid land, almost a desert. Quite boring. Just then, something caught her eye. About 50 miles to the north, the remnants of Hel-1's mushroom cloud were still visible. Kat called Lars over to look. They also spotted the target, a mock-up town built specifically for the test. "You know, we'll be in the history books a few decades from now," Kat said quietly.

They flipped off all the safeties, and released Hel-2 when they were directly over the target. It took quite a while for the bomb to fall, as they were flying at a very high altitude. When it finally detonated, Lars took another picture, as he said "Another one for the history books."

http://www.cccoe.k12.ca.us/abomb/media/Hiro4.JPEG

They both stared at the malignant pillar of smoke for a long time.

On the ground, the design crew observed the second success of the day. Each scientist, Annalina Kvebeld, Drake Kereshtur, Erik Olsen, Ilona Batory and finally Wilhelm Torsen, made an entry into the log of the project. Torsen, with the help of Batory, made a concluding entry as well. They would get a several month long vacation as a reward for their efforts. No real attempt was made to keep the fact that Callisdrun now had nuclear weapons secret.

The Emperor read the NSA brief. "So they have tested two bombs?" He turned to the intelligence committee in his office. "And of the B-52?" The room was eeriely silent.

"Successful, nothing noticed, and she's back in the hangar now." The Minister of Intelligence said.

"Good job. I am proud of you. Not let's put this in the books and bury it. Watch their program carefully, please. I am curious about further developments of their atomic weapons program and of the status of the 'revolution-possibility' in that country."

"Nothing to report as of now sir but we will..."

"Very well."

The committee left and the Emperor leaned back in his chair. He looked out of the darkened window into the night sky, the moon half full and brick red, looming overhead. One of these days... He nodded and drafted an immediate resolution to the Air Force. They had a full go-ahead on the newest GBU-28/C & GBU-28/D.

Rumors spread all over Callisdrun about the new weapon. Wilhelm Torsen, Ilona Batory, Annalina Kvebeld, Drake Kereshtur and Erik Olsen quickly became names that were on everyone's lips. However, soon a new element would be added to the public's conversation. Those who were listening to the news quickly knew, and they told those who weren't.

"This just in. Because of arrests of various Harthy family members made this morning, the Harthys have declared there to be a clan feud between themselves and the house of Sorvik, which they believe is behind some of the government's recent actions against their businesses. The last time there was a full-fledged clan feud was more than 150 years ago, so this event is truly bizarre. The government has not commented on the situation, but is expected to do the same thing it did 150 years ago... nothing, and probably wait till the hostilities have subsided a bit.

The houses of Farkas and Novikas have already declared themselves to be in active support of the Sorviks, and the Katarindatters are expected to follow suit. The Batory clan is reportedly split over it, with only about half supporting the Harthys. Famed scientest Ilona Bathory is not among them. Several have decided to leave the country, whereas others have simply relocated to areas of the nation not likely to be battlegrounds. It is unclear at this point what the Kereshturs, Thurzos and Nadazdys will do.

One Harthy is quoted as saying 'It is time to make those commies, most notably that pierced whore, pay for their effrontery'. There has already been an attempted firebomb attack on Sorvik Castle, but it met with disaster and was thwarted. More on the feud as reports come in."

OOC: To everyone except Layarteb- this is to tie it in with another thread, still feel free to comment, RP whatever on this. In fact, really, I'd appreciate it.

Inside the Intelligence Ministry, analysts were buzzing. The topic was the latest fued inside Callisdrun. Already, the embassy and all tourists as well as businessmen were alerted. Things could get dicey and they didn't want an international incident on their hands.

The ambassador had a meeting with Erzsebet to discuss a very important matter. A sum allotment of $57M was being set aside from arms sales. That sum was going to change hands and suddenly become money for the Sorviks to fight the Harthys. Everything was set, the account number was just needed.

The Layartebians had much to gain from a status-quo. Their fight against drugs had made them enemies of the Harthy Clan, especially after the killing of a member of their clan in a "bar-fight." It was still unknown if it was intentional or not but the theories led to a contract hit, which most likely had a connection to a large fire, in which one man was found dead, shot right through the head.

There was a clan feud raging between the houses when the scientists met again, months later, at the University of Callisdrun to discuss the possiblities of an improved weapon. Dr. Ilona Batory had suggested that they start a long term project to harness fusion. It was known that many other nations had weapons that used this, and her calculations showed that fusion would provide substantially more destructive power than fission. "This will take a long time," she said. "In the meantime, we should improve the fission design, as we could get substantially more out of it."