NationStates Jolt Archive

'Demonic Machine' raises spectre of massive war

PLEBELLARUN - The streets of the capital of Plebellia are quiet tonight, but furious preparations continue unabated within the government. For the first time in a generation, the threat of war again rears its ugly head in the form of Catharsiadum, a nation long known for its history of scholasticism and emphasis on knowledge and science.

In recent weeks, however, this devotion to academia has taken a dark and twisted turn, and Catharsiadum's Prime Minister Jeremy Beal is beginning to look more like a Dr. Frankenstein than a true man of science. The reckless pursuit of technology over common sense and morality has lead to the development of a massive Artificial Intelligence which has completely taken control of the nation's civilian computer networks. It is unknown whether this entity has also taken control of Catharsiadum's military network as well, but the worst is feared.

"This obscenity should never have been allowed to come to exist," said Jobu, the Chief of Chiefs of Plebellia. "for a computer knows no compassion, no morality. When dealing with a person, even a madman like Mr. Beal, you can count on some common threads of humanity to bind you together. This machine being, this demonic machine, knows no mercy and has no concern for human life. It must be stopped before it can spread."

In the weeks since this entity (derisively known as "Skynet" within Plebellia) has taken power, it has begun an immediate cyber attack on Plebellia's computer networks. Attacks on as many as 130 other countries have also been registered, but for now, Plebellia seems to be the main target. The nation's IT infrastructure is holding up under pressure, so far, but this incident is considered, "a direct attack upon the sovereignty of Plebellia," by the government. Officials are closemouthed, but inside sources indicate that diplomatic overtures have been almost completely unsuccessful.

The world holds its breath tonight, for on the morrow, war may once again darken the skies and borders of the Nomadic Peoples of Plebellia and the Republic of Catharsiadum.

A short glass of Manatee scotch is whisked away from the Prime Minister's desk. The clock reads 2 in the morning as Catharsiadum's first lady dumps the alchohol down her husbands sink and looks into the mirror. Staring back is a 42 year old who still was graced enough to have held on to most of her looks, though the marks of fake smiles were begining to sculpt their . A voice (for lack of a more suiting descriptor) sifts into her concious like warm hands
- Darling, it was just the one glass
- I know Jeremy, but you need your sleep
- I suppose... you're right
there is a knowing silence that ends when Alyson pleads about that which they have already come to agreement upon
- Has it really come to this?
Catharsiadum has become a nation unlike all others since the advent of ICQ version 12. Without either words or even what would be described before as thoughts the nation had collectively weighed out the options and had decided with heavy hearts on their upcoming offensive against Plebellia.
ICQ version 12 had been created almost by accident by University graduate students a year and a half earlier. In an effort to improve upon already existing cerebral technology, that is, the internet attached to a persons brain and regulatory systems. The systems in their youth were considered obtrusive by both the government bodies and most people, though they caught on quickly with the youth in Catharsiadum. ICQ version 12 (the moniker was a joke referring to an ancient text messaging system) aimed to turn connection from one of images to one of actual thoughts, stimulating brain activity within its users that would conjur up shared images instead of just transfer data. The experiment was an unbridaled success and the technology unexpectantly "melded" effectively the people into a situation that was deemed "pure sharing" and lended the feeling of complete Uphoria that was infact once experienced difficult and even painful to part from. In the space of the year without exception the entire nation was able to "plug in" and Catharsiadum developed into the first complete democracy inthat no decision of any individual or body, large or small, was made without the concensus of the entire body of citizens. The desicion making process was swift and without failure excellent. The people of Catharsiadum were experiencing a growth in science, social welfare and general progress that was unprecidented. At 2135 on January of this year, Catharsiadum made contact with what is believed to be extra terrestrial life and were presently in the act of building a ship capable of space travel.
The problem of Plebellia had been troubling Catharsiadians for longer than ICQ version 12 had been around. Their leader, a despotic, savage and seemingly insane "Chief of Chiefs" Jobu had come to power over his country's more industrialized areas by murdering his brothers and sisters with poison while at a supposed peace conference. Catharsiadum had been monitering the situation and with the advent of ICQ version 12 they began a contingincy plan to monitor and possibly circumvent should Plebellia pose any threat to peace in the world. After extensive studies it was detirmined that Jobu was following the historic route of another despot, Emperor George W. Bush, who in the twentyfirst century, single handedly instigated the great war that very nearly erased all semblance of humanity from the earth. Catharsiadum had begun to clandestinely infiltrate their relatively infantile computer infrastructure inhopes of overthrowing their leader without too much noise. Their clandestine efforts were ruined by a series of coincidences leading to the alert of Jobu and his inner circle. War was now the only option, and Jobu, the mad head of state, had little knowledge that the resources and level of sophistication of the Catharsiadum defences would spell inevitably the deaths of thousands upon thousands of his people. Catharsiadum had decided to break it's origional promise of isolation and to try to amalgamate Plebellia into their concious. The die is cast

OOC: Restricted tech, or can any tech level join in?

"Catharsiadum's intentions are finally laid bare for all to see: Assimilate or Die, that is the choice they think to offer the Nomadic People's of Plebellia. Well, we have heard worse before, and aye, lived through worse than this silicon dictator can muster. In the great diaspora of the 21st century, the people of the flying squirrel were scattered over half the world, isolated and seemingly powerless.

Many outsiders thought we would perish forever. Many other races would have. But the peoples of Plebellia would not be kept down, and in only one short generation we threw off the shackles that held us and laid waste to those would attempt to destroy our culture.

In the ruins of those shattered empires, we built the flourishing nation of Plebellia, strong, brave and most importantly, free. Many thought this peace would last for centuries, but the cancer of tyranny always returns. It may take a seemingly different form this time - the form of a half human, half machine atrocity - but we recognize it for what it is. Evil has many guises, but in the end, the will and pure heart of the good always triumphs.

Bring your robots, Catharsiadum. Launch your "smart" weapons. You only ensure your own doom, for all free peoples of the world can see as clearly as
us that your brand of madness is a disease which must be eradicated if lasting peace can ever be attained.

All hail Plebellia and the Great Alliance! The doom of Catharsiadum begins today."

-- From a speech given by Jobu, Chief of Chiefs, 03/12

OOC: This conflict takes place some time around 2135, so obviously the tech is going to be more advanced than it is today, but we're not talking spaceships or giant space lasers or anything like that.

Just wait until Catharsiadum attacks me, and then you can see what level we're going for.

At 1:30 pm EST today major riots and protests of the war took place all over the Republic of Exculpation. Effigys of the neighbouring ruler of Plebellia were "urinated upon and burned" by the widespread chaos that ensued in the downtown sector of New Avalon. Reports are coming in that protests of a similar kind were held in the right-wing city of Sigil, the fiercely patriotic crowd refuses to disperse and has continued to demonize the attacks by Catharsiadum long into the evening. With the positions of both combatants in question by the populace, it seems that any kind of action may trigger civil war. The High Arbiter has requested time on all national television stations to explain the government's intentions in the face of a new threat from the isolated nation of Catharsiadum. Arbiter Jeremiah will be addressing the nation of Exculpation tomorrow at 9 pm EST. That's all the news for now, I'm Red Palmer and that's the Word of God.

The Word of God clothing and attire supplied by K-Mart.
"When you just can't afford that extra 45 centis"

Associated Press

The Republic of Catharsiadum has declared war upon the aggressive but underdeveloped Nomadic peoples of Plebellia. At approximately 1:00 this morning Catharsiadum's relatively secretive computer systems effectively shut down all electrical systems and infrastructure within the major cities. In an act the United Nations has deemed unofficially "vicious" the Catharsiadum spy network erected a giant banner of a flying squirrel being castrated outside the palace of the Plebellia's leader know only as Jobu. The agents were taken into custody and reportedly committed suicide before being interrogated. Even without the computer capacity, the war machine of Plebellia is considerable and they immediately began an arial bombardment of major Catharsiadum cities, only to find their arsonal detonated moments after being released from their planes by some manner of surface to air laser technology previously unseen in international warfare, in some cases destroying the planes that carried them, and in all cases proving unuseful. A brigade of marines were dispatched this morning to the northern shores of Catharsiadum. Early reports say that the marines were greeted by what seemed like swarms of insects that attached themselves to marines as they waded seemingly unprotected shores. Reports indicate those soliders that were attacked by these bugs immediately ceased their assult, laid down their arms and refused to move further, even with the violent and lethal encouragement of their non infected officers. The war has begun, casualties are minimal at present and it is clear the secretive Catharsiadians have been prepared for this kind of retalliation for some time

-Feed Begins-

Greetings sons of Exculpation!

I the High Arbiter of Exculpation have heard the Word of the Lord. His will on this matter is that we support our current allies so that we may destroy the evil entity known as "Sky-net." The most Holy One has empowered me to one end alone, the destruction of the machines and the conversion of Catharsiadum's people to the one true faith. However, common sense and a gentle touch is required to make these aggressors see the truth of their ways. If Exculpation is to assist Plebellia in its battle against the children of Catharsiadum then rules of honor and decency must be upheld. For the destruction of a nation is damning in the eyes of God.

Our nation stands ready to assist our closest ally of Plebellia, so long as it is a Holy War.

Blessings upon the Compassionate Republic of Exculpation.

-End Transcript-

THE HAMMER - The mood is calm, but tense here in the Hammer, Jobu's hometown and one of the oldest cities in Plebellia. Signs of complete mobilization are everywhere. Military service is mandatory for the youth in this country, and every citizen is required to keep a working firearm and several clips of ammunition in their home. As I look around the main square here, it is obvious that the majority of Plebellians go above and beyond the minimum requirements when it comes to building their home arsenal.

In addition, every adult from the age of 20 - 49 who is not a member of the military is required to spend at least 6 weekends a year in training, as well as a 2 week shock course every summer. The men and women walking around here may not be full-time soldiers, but by the professional way they carry the weapons, it is obvious they will not be simple bystanders in this war either.

Persecution and resistance was once a way of life for the Nomadic Peoples of Plebellia, and you can see the memory of that era has not died. Within hours of the failed exploratory incursions into Catharsiadum, the government institued an article of their constitution known as, "Defence of the Burrow."

This article, and an accompanying body of legislation, make up one of the most sophisticated and pervasive forms of martial law in the world. Every able bodied adult is instantly assigned a rank based on their former military service and performance in training situations. Since citizens train and work in the same units over the course of their lives, these groups are able to spring up from the populace and work with a purpose and clarity of action unknown even to many professional militaries.

Overt military movement is not obvious, but since diplomatic tensions began, units have been mining the 117-km border shared with Catharsiadum, and naval activity seems greatly increased.

The main power is still out here, but backup generators are coming online all over the country. This is a nation designed to fight a defensive war - you get the impression that many citizens here have been waiting for something like this all of their lives.

After the calm of a fortnight, Catharsiadum made it's move on a fully mobilized and waiting Plebellia. A lenghty debate by Catharsiadum standards desided that debilitating an enemy was more humane than slaughtering them, and operation green sky was set into effect. It came on a tuesday morning, upon the central and industrial sectors of Plebellia, the sky was alit with airborne incandescent spores developed by the biological warfare branch of the Cartharsiadumian defence structure. The spores were designed to react with atmospheric matter to cover the sky in green light that spanned to the size of 20 city blocks. The Plebellians stood in awe as the green light blew up the sky beautifully eclipsing any fireworks display they had seen in their lives . Though Jobu himself was immersed in his war plans, his sons were able to observe the seemingly harmless "gift from the gods". His eldest son and head cheiftain was heard to observe "it is a sign from heaven, we will be victorious".
Collectively, the Catharsiadians experienced guilt. Observation of lights would cause irrecovable blindness in all who even glanced at the light within 36 hours. Perhaps this example would intimidate the rest of the Alliance and the world to leave Catharsiadum to it's own devices, but how much of their humanity have they forfieted in the process.

Once a Plebellian, Always a Plebellian

Epicurea- Today, in the Hedonistasian capital of Epicurea, the government of Prime Libertine Kotarou Suzuki announced it's intention to side with Catharsiadum in a conflict which is rapidly increases in scope to encompass extra-regional powers. "Plebellians have always been troublesome, ever since the great diaspora," Suzuki said during a joint press conference with Catharsiadumian Prime Minister Jeremy Beal, held in the Zen room of the Psychadelic House in the Hedonistasian capital. "Their constant attempts to undermine our society and ruin our fun with their narrow minds and strict military regimes has long been a source of friction between our two peoples, and now their ambition has become a global threat. We stand firm with our Catharsiadumian brethren against the Plebellian scourge."

This is far from the beginning of the conflict between Plebellians and Hedonistasians. After the great diaspora, the Plebellians searched for a new home in East Asia, eventually coming across Hedonistasia in it's infancy. Older Hedonistasians still recall those times of turmoil. "Those Plebellians are always stirring up trouble," says a gentleman only known to others as 'The Dude', "I remember a whole group of them getting up in my face and screaming things like 'Have you done your shock course this summer?! The whole world is after you son! You'd damn well better get training!' They were real buzz-killers man. <proceeds to inhale from a marijuana cigarette> Anyways, it's a bummer they're trying to cause more trouble."

On the streets of Epicurea, the move to mobilize has been slow, and relatively disorganized. Citizens, many seemingly in a haze, are being asked to donate half their stash to the making of "drug bombs", which the Hedonistasian military claims will "paralyze the enemy with some bad ass trips." Although drugs are legal in Plebellia, Hedonistasia is widely recognized as a world leader in narcotics technology. Says Hedonistasian Drug Czar Pablo Escobar "I've tried some of that Plebellian stuff that passes as drugs. Let me tell you something - we are going to melt their brains."

The Prime Libertine was not forgetful of the chilling message delivered by the leader of the Republic of Exculpation, whom he referred to as a 'delusional lunatic'. "The High Arbiter of Excuplation has promised a holy war. In this day and age, we must realize that his devotion to a maniacal fringe of religion is dangerous, not just to Catharsiadumians and Hedonistasians, but to the entire world. He promises to conquer Catharsiadum in the name of God - but who can trust him to stop? This alliance shows just how low the Plebellians will stoop in order to gain support in their attempt to stomp the rights of other free nations." The High Arbiter's son, who is currently on a cultural exchange in Hedonistasia, could not be reached for comment, but was rumoured to be "tripping on acid off the coast of [Hedonistasia's least populous prefecture] Satyria."

Both Suzuki and Beal's speeches were met with raucous applause throughout the emergency meeting of the parliament. Preparations for the war will now be handled by the Joint Subcommittee on National Safety.

Hello everyone, my name is Red Palmer and this is the Word of God.


New Avalon - TODAY

In an interview the High Arbiter denounced allegations today that his only child had been vacationing in Hedonistasia. Set forth on a pilgrimage from Sigil to New Avalon, Dennis took up the quest as all sons of Exculpation do. "I can't imagine what they're doing to him down there," Jeremiah told reporters today, "They're a nation of evil-doers, and we must stop them. The only reason we haven't turned their nation to dust is because of this nuisance of the war between Plebellia and the Cathars." Clearing his throat, the High Arbiter announced attacks will begin at dawn tomorrow. "Hedonistasia must be purged, and god forgive us for what we must do."

Sigil - Breaking News

In other news, the High Arbiter has ordered all spacecraft traffic to be discontinued as any approaching spacecraft will be fired upon by it's network of spy satellites. The military displayed a new type of power armor today created by the Umbrella Corporation, to be used in "Operation Clean-Sweep."
Test Pilot Alice Sinclare displayed the suit and all it's functions in earnest today and after displaying a series of maneuvers including target recognition, limited flight capability and a live combat simulation, Alice allowed a few questions on the specifications of the Voltron Mk. II. "The suit is unlike anything I've ever seen before. The response is quick and agile, if I had to compare it to anything else I'd say it would be much like Hover-Tanks already in our arsenal." Alice taking a drink of water, she continued "Though, to be fair... that technology is outdated. The power suit's plasma cannons and jetpack have been perfected after seven years of failure, deriving from the original Voltron, this model has also been designed specifically for terrain combat rather than space, so it will be much hardier as the gravity binds a suit together more tightly." When asked if these had ever been tested in combat, Alice just smiled, "I'm still here aren't I?"

Preparations have already begun in Exculpation to bring legions of these troops into action, how they plan to get them into enemy lands is a mystery. Perhaps tomorrow we will see. As our embedded reporters suit up as well, they ready themselves for the dark journey ahead.

That's all for tonight folks, good night and god bless.

PLEBELLARUN - The nation of Plebellia lies on the brink of chaos today. After a brutal attack by Catharsiadum, unprecedented in both effect and viciousness, over 75% of the population was rendered completely blind. Only a last second warning sent by Plebellian intelligence allowed the leadership of this country to maintain even a semblance of order. Literally minutes before the devastating attack was unleashed, word came through about the potentially catastrophic effects of the green light, and the government managed to secure most of its key personnel and an unknown amount of soldiers and civilians away from the blast.

Plebellia was fortunate to be in a state of full mobilization at the time of the attack. The instant communication and command structure of the civilian populace was the only thing that allowed even 25% of the population to escape full blindness. Reports coming in now, however, reveal that a portion of this group still incurred some sort of vision damage, possibly through indirect or refracted light. It is unknown how large a portion of the 25% has been affected, nor how bad the damage is to those who were affected.

Accurate estimates are impossible to make at this point, but there have been at least several thousand deaths already, possibly into the tens of thousands. Although the onset of blindness did not occur until an average of 16 - 24 hours after the attack, once the process began most victims report going from full vision to complete blindness in a matter of minutes. Many also report becoming completely hysterical once the attack began, although it is unclear whether this is a property of the attack or a natural reaction to sudden blindness. The military attempted to secure the streets, but since they were unable to send out any troops not already exposed to the light, this control loosened and finally collapsed as more and more soldiers lost their vision and their minds. Many turned their guns on themselves, and also on each other. One can only imagine what sort of demons they thought they were fighting in the dark.

Automobile accidents have turned the cities into graveyards, as motorists on the brink of losing their vision attempted to flee and inevitably crashed. The omnipresence of guns in this society has also led to tragic results. Suicides have been reported all over the country, although the extent of the phenomenon may not be known for some time.

The green light has faded from the sky for some hours now, and the government has begun cautiously sending its soldiers back on the streets, wearing heavily shielded masks and bio suits. When asked why the suits were necessary, one Sgt. Dick O'Reilly replied, "those bastards didn't get us all with the blindness. We know they'll try again, probably with something even worse."

Chief of Chiefs Jobu has not yet spoken in public. It has been rumoured that he is in seclusion in the Eastern Palace, mourning the blindness which took his wife, both his sons, and many other members of his family. More rumours abound of a possible technological solution to this unnatural blindness and various superweapons the government has supposedly been developing. Official word is expected soon, but for now, all communication is running through military and civilian defence channels.

"This is a nation built on survival," Sgt. O'Reilly commented, "and revenge. We will rise again."

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OTHER NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD:

Leaders of other nations are gathering next week to discuss the ramifications of this attack. Outrage is rising throughout the civilized world, in part because of the human tragedy, and also because citizens of over 60 countries were in Plebellia at the time of the blinding. Plebellian expatriates, spread around the globe due to the diaspora of last century, have already begun a campaign of civil unrest which seems doomed to turn violent, due to the nature of the attack and the warlike nature of Plebellia's past.

With war preparations already creating turmoil throughout the Republic of Exculpation, Dennis, son of High Arbiter Jeremiah, has returned to his homeland and delivered a speech which heightened tensions in an already divided nation. At the New Avalon airport, accompanied by aides from his recent exchange in Hedonistasia, Dennis reprimanded his father for "losing his way and turning against the will of God." Armed supporters clammered to listen to his speech, which was cut off at the mid-point on all national media. Rumours have it that the High Arbiter himself ordered the move after realizing his son was not supporting his decision to attack Catharsiadum in support of Plebellia.
Holding high a picture of Plebellian Chief of Chiefs Jobu, Dennis launched into a vitriolic attack on the leader and his nation alike. "These godless men have tried to draw our nation into a war we have no business fighting! My father no longer answers to God, but to Jobu the deceiver! He has abandoned God, Exculpation and me in favour of the material rewards offered here on Earth! We must resist this faulty leadership at all costs. My brothers, the time has come to replace my father as High Arbiter!" Several divisions of the Holy Army of Exculpation immediately joined Dennis' cause, which has massive support in more progressive sectors of the country. In the courtyard of the High Church, rioters defaced paintings of the country's leader.
Several marches have taken place across the country in support of Dennis' claim on the national leadership. Mobilization has continued on a massive scale in the city of Sigil and the surrounding area, which is considered the conservative heartland of Exculpation. It is unknown how long stability can be maintained in the country however, with many believing that the possibility of a civil war may hamper efforts at mounting an offensive against the Hedonistasian and Catharsiadumian armies.

PLEBELLARUN - The nation was shocked today as Jobu emerged from the palace for the first time since the attack, wearing dark glasses and carrying a white cane. The worst of our fears has been confirmed - Jobu, Chief of Chiefs, did not escape the attack which claimed his family and much of the rest of Plebellia as well.

Stumbling once or twice, but refusing all aid, the leader made his way to the podium of the Great Hall, accompanied not by the usual racous applause but by a shocked silence and whispered conversation. As he stood before the crowd, it seemed he had lost none of his commanding demeanour, but as the speech began, a harshness and anger never before shown by our Chief was plain for all to hear.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you for coming. I will make this short - we all know what has happened, we all know who has done this, and we all know the price they will pay. Plebellia stands today as the victim of the most heinous terror attack the world has ever known. There was no pretense of humanity, or moderation. This was a vicious assault deliberately aimed not at our military infrastructure or hardware, but at the common people of Plebellia, the women, the children, the grandparents and the babies, all the Nomadic Peoples who call this great nation our home."

"The Cathars have made it clear that they will uphold no standards, follow no code of morals or decency, but instead will sink to any level and employ any weapon at their disposal, no matter how monstrous. They have declared that this will be a war with no quarter, fought only according to the laws of the jungle. It is a war we are loath to fight, but unfortunately all to familiar with."

"It pains me to find ourselves at such a pass. Many of my generals urged me to deal more harshly with the Cathar threat. They told me that the only good Cathar is a dead Cathar - that this is a people who will never let us be free so long as they live. I ignored this advice. I believed that this was a problem with a rogue regime, led by an unstable leader undemonstrative of his population. I believed that this AI was a curse imposed upon the people, not embraced throughout the land. Most of all, I believed that our differences could be solved honourably, by men and women of good will, with regrettable bloodshed perhaps, but not with wholesale slaughter."

"Ladies and gentlemen, I was wrong on all counts. We are dealing with a new kind of enemy - an entire race of demons, half-human, half-machine, all-mad. I have just set in motion a plan to deal with this new enemy, to strike back at them on their level. Remember the Code of the Flying Squirrel - 'Lop off a finger, we shall take a hand; put out an eye, we will shall remove your head.' I will say no more - you will see our victory for yourselves as it plays out on the world stage."

As Jobu's speech was taking place, units were moving all across Plebellia to round up all first and second generation Cathars within the country. Some were sent to the capital for further action; most were taken to internment camp sites being set up all across the country by the Cathars themselves.

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At exactly 7:17 p.m., 1 hour and 43 minutes after the end of the speech, a suspicious looking man was detained attempting to walk into a bank in the capital of Catharsiadum. A struggle ensued, during which the man managed to reach into his pocket and detonate the explosives strapped to his body. At least 19 people are dead.

Several dozen similar attacks occurred all throughout the country over the next 25 minutes, targeting malls, restaurants, police stations, subway stations, large intersections and other crowded areas. Many of the attacks were timed precisely to cause maximum carnage. In the Sunny Oaks mall in Eastern Catharsiadum, one explosion went off in the center of the mall, causing shoppers to flee for the exits. Exactly 45 seconds later, four more explosions went off at the main exits, killing dozens or hundreds more civilians and temporaily trapping the rest inside.

Several of the perpretrators have been identified already as having Plebellian heritage, although most of the bodies are too badly burned for any immediate identification. Many witnesses claim to have seen the various attackers, but since Plebellians are a nondescript race interchangable with many others, it has been hard to determine for sure if they are behind all of the attacks so far.

The immediate death toll is in the hundreds or thousands, but investigators have come across chilling evidence that this may not be the end of the carnage. Traces of unknown chemical and organic compounds have been found in most of the wreckage across the country. There is no word so far on what these substances may be, but the government has asked all citizens who were near the blasts to step forward, and rumours abound of a large scale quarantine which may be about to take place.

New Avalon -- Today

Thousands of units of the new Voltron model blanketed the landscape of New Avalon, with millions more in the streets searching for Dennis, the son of High Arbiter Jeremiah. This was the scene earlier in the day as a possible civil war is now nothing more than a stoner's dream. After seizing Dennis and his new group of Aides, Dennis was taken to the nearest hospital for a drug and mental examination, his aides according to local witnesses were taken into a nearby alleyway and rougly shoved into an APC. Channel 8 was able to get an interview with Rex Midgar, the doctor who treated Dennis.

"The amount of toxins we found in his bloodstream was near a fatal stage." Rex Midgar told reporters today, "How he was able to say, 'the Word of God' gives us a hope for the future that he'll be something other than a nuisance to society."

So you're saying that these are the ramblings of a drug-induced madman, Rex?

Rex nodded, "Nothing new there, from what our tests show he would have had to taken ten hits of acid to get to that state normally, and if you've ever done that, I reckon you could see something you believed to be God, the Devil or maybe even John Lithgow."

Has the High Arbiter spoken to you at all, did he say what he was planning to do?

"From what I hear, he has secluded himself in the West Wing of his Palace. Praying for the continual health of his son."

New Avalon - Breaking News

High Arbiter Jeremiah held yet another press conference today to address the growing concern of Hedonistasia and Catharsiadum.

"These two nations exist for nothing but the harm of the sons and daughters of all nations! I call on all people who care for the Will of Lord to look upon the attacks by Catharsiadum and Hedonistasia as an example of the kind of depths the devil known as Suzuki would plan."

"From the mouths of his aides who had to be purified by pain, one cried out a confession. Hedonistasia's planned attempt at coup. Using drugs and an advanced brainwashing technique these imps poisoned the mind of my son, and Catharsiadum's attack on our brother nation is obviously a threat to the people of Exculpation not to defend our closest allies in the west."

"Today, the destruction of the infidels of Hedonistasia begins. By the powers given to me by God and State I have launched the first defense. Today, begins the Rebirth of Hedonistasia."

After the speech, a dark cloud of missile-like objects blocked out the sun, headed for Hedonistasia.

We have given them no recourse but to resort to terrorism
They have been effective, we have been hurt
We have not been hurt since the great connection
Genocide
No Genocide
Erasing diversity of cultures is unacceptable to our plan
We have been hurt
The Sedated ones are under attack, they do not have sufficient defences, many of them will be killed.
We must protect them and us.
How?

Emergency Telegram to the nation of Hedonistasia


Greetings exalted allies, it has come to our attention that you are currently under heavy bombardment. We wish you strength and perserverance. While now might seem like a bad time to transmitt this information, we have taken heavy terrorist attacks from the Plebellians and as such have decided that all humans in Catharsiadum will be required to be plugged in to ICQ version 12. This is a temporary measure until the threat has passed. We require a favour. As you well know, there is 54, 383 Catharsiadians who have never been plugged in, it is our contingincy plan, and now they seek refuge within your borders. This new plan also means that your scientists working in our borders will need to be plugged in during the tenure of their visit. In exchange for your continuing friendship and hospitality Our manufacturing sector will dedicate 40% of it's capabilities to both your defensive and offensive weaponry. At present the Plebellians present no threat save that of terrorist attacks we have yet to anticipate that could penetrate our new security measures. It is very easy for us to notice people who aren't plugged in. We shall forcus our efforts in dismantling your more immediate threat.
In solidarity,
Catharsiadum

Today, a surprising development from Greenish Smoketopia. This reporter has learned, in a exclusive interview, that Dennis, son of High Arbiter Jeremiah, has been liberated from the "medical facility" in which he was being held captive by his own father. Dennis has released a desperate plea to the Smoketopian government for political asylum, believing his own life, as well as the welfare of his country to be at stake.

"Please," Dennis wrote, "do not be deceived by the lies perpetuated by my father and his government. Many in Exculpation have stood up to throw off the shackles they have been living in at the behest of this false prophet. He openly advertises that he tortured my aides in order to bring about a false confession. Hedonistasia was not the cause of my rebellion - while outside the reach of my father's constant propaganda I was able to see the lies he has been pushing on our people every day of their existence since he came to power. He now claims to have full control of my homeland, but rest assured, this too is a lie. I have seen him slaughtering thousands upon thousands of my own people with little discrimination or forethought - he commits genocide against his own people. I beg of you, grant me asylum, so that I may form a government in exile, and correct the horrible mistakes of my father before it is too late."

Dennis was also able to appear briefly on Exculpation television this afternoon, interrupting "My Big Fat Obnoxious Excorcism" in order to deliver these words of hope to his followers. "My brothers - do not believe the lies of the High Arbiter. You have seen the bloody slaughter taking place in your streets. This is not the work of our enemies, but the work of my father. He has begun a mass campaign of suppression against his own people because he has been bought by Chief of Chiefs Jobu. Before I left for Hedonistasia, I was able to smuggle with me secret documents showing this unholy alliance against our Hedonistasian and Catharsiadumian friends. Jeremiah has sold our support to Jobu against the will of the people AND the will of God. Rise up against him, or you will burn in the lake of fire!"

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Meanwhile, in Hedonistasia today, the nation mourns the loss of thousands of civilians who were murdered in an unprovoked attack on the orders of High Arbiter Jeremiah. Prime Libertine Suzuki himself was the target of one of these strikes, but intelligence failure on the part of the Holy Army of Exculpation lead to a massive missile strike against an elementary school where children were studying hydroponics. While a final tally of deaths has yet to be completed, it is feared that hundreds of children may be dead. The Prime Libertine addressed world media this afternoon:

"During this time of tragedy, it is difficult for me to even muster the strength to address you all. But I feel that it is necessary to show the lengths to which the evil Jeremiah will go to spread the 'word of God' to Hedonistasia, and any other country that 'sins'. Jeremiah ordered, without provocation nor forewarning, the complete annihilation of an elementary school in the centre of Epicurea. He, and his Plebellian allies, have devoted themselves to a doctrine of terror which has been realized in this bombing campaign and in the brutal attacks on civilians which have taken place recently in Catharsiadum. Prime Minister Beal and I stand united against these unspeakable acts and I have agreed today to allow my scientists to plug in to ICQ 12 so that acts such as these may be prevented in the future. Prime Minister Beal and I remain steadfast, and call on the whole world to condemn the acts of these brazen mad men, who recklessly push the world toward war of an unprecedented scale in order to force our countries to meet with their beliefs and doctrines. These men MUST be stopped."

Relief workers, who were in Catharsiadum helping with disaster relief have been shuttled back to Hedonistasia to help with the massive rescue effort now underway throughout the country.

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This evening in Exculpation, the entire state media has been shut down after an explosion took place at network headquarters. Earlier tonight, during a regular news cast, Red Palmer became delirious, as did the entire crew of the show. What ensued was simply unprecedented in the history of Exculpation. Some removed their clothes and ran around chaotically through the studio. Others sat and simply laughed hysterically, unable to concentrate on anything or even speak. Red Palmer himself claimed that he saw the face of High Arbiter Jeremiah himself, shaking hands with the devil. Shortly afterward, an explosion leveled the building, destroying the studios and their inhabitants. Similar attacks have taken place at communcations sites all around Exculpation. The High Arbiter cannot be reached for comment, but reports are surfacing that widespread panic has engulfed the country.

At 1:00 p.m., Chief of Chiefs Jobu held a press conference which was broadcast on all major news networks around the world. The scene opened up to Jobu sitting at a desk, with three stoppered phials in a rack in front of him. His troubled, unseeing eyes stared off unfocused into the distance as he began his speech.

"Good day. This is a personal appeal from myself and the government of Plebellia, to the leader of Catharsiadum, whether that be Mr. Jeremy Beal or ICQ 12 itself. The world stands today at the brink of catastrophe. Although the hope of peace is fading rapidly, there is still time to forsake this madness, and this is the choice I offer you today."

Jobu picked up the first phial. It was half filled with a perfectly clear liquid. "This is RP-E-R9971, also known as the Reaper virus. This is the virus which was rapidly disseminated among your people in the recent bombings. It was also dumped into some of your water supplies, cooked into your fast food, and even sprayed into the air by crop dusters. It is rather lethal - our scientists estimate that between 60% - 90% of adults and virtually all children and elderly people who catch the disease will die from it. Reaper is only moderately communicable - it can only be spread through touch and direct exposure. Therefore only Catharsiadum itself is at risk of major casualties, although neighbouring countries are likely to suffer some low levels of infection."

Putting down the first phial, Jobu picked up the second, filled with a muddy brown sludge. "That is why we have this. The antidote. Only a madman would launch such a devastating attack without some means of countering the effects, which is why I hope you Cathars have some means of counteracting the blindness you inflicted upon our people. Because although we have already dosed our own people, and will provide this antidote to other nations in the fullness of time, there will be some special conditions you must fulfill if you wish it for yourselves. Which brings us to the third phial."

Jobu put down the second phial and picked up the last, filled with a clear liquid much like the first. "This is what we like to call the Activator. It is a catalyst of sorts. We designed the Reaper virus specifically to be slow acting, so although you will already see people getting sick en mass all across your country, large numbers of deaths will not start to occur for about six months. We wanted to give ourselves time for negotiation. However, in the design phase, it also occurred to us that if we were ever to come in conflict with a technologically advanced nation, six months might be more than enough time for them to develop an antidote or some kind of controlling medication themselves."

"That's where this little baby comes in."

"This is a secondary virus, designed in conjunction with the Reaper. Unlike the Reaper, it is wildly communicable and difficult to control once unleashed. It is specifically targeted at a few key areas of the immune system. If a normal person were to become exposed to this, they would be relatively unaffected, although at a much higher risk of contracting colds and other diseases. The effects would be completely dissipated within seven days."

"If someone infected with the Reaper virus were to become exposed to this, however, the effects would be immediate and deadly. Those specific areas of the immune system this virus attacks are exactly those areas that prevent the Reaper virus from killing someone right away. The Activator opens the door, and the Reaper sweeps right in. Death would follow 12 - 24 hours later."

Jobu put down the phial and moved the entire rack to the side. Folding his hands, he continued. "Many of my advisors encouraged me to include the Activator virus along with the Reaper in the original attack, and kill as many as possible, as quickly as possible. Others said we should hold off, wait until the Reaper has been disseminated widely and then unleash the Activator in secret. I have chosen neither. Both of those actions take away all possibility of peace, and leave death and destruction the only option."

"I offer you, Mr. Beal, or ICQ 12, the third option. A slim hope, but the only hope remaining if we are to avert total disaster."

Reaching out, Jobu found the second phial and picked it up again. "The antidote. The cure. A solution which represents a world where Plebellia and Catharsiadum both emerge battered but not broken, angered but not hateful, and hopeful, not in despair. A world where the death toll in both countries reached only into the tens of thousands, and not into the millions. A world where distrust and anger will remain fierce, but lasting peace will not be set permanently out of reach."

"This world, however, cannot exist if Plebellia's children and grandchildren remain blind, shut away from the world forever. Therefore, this is the deal. Reverse our people's blindness, and we will provide you with the antidote. Refuse, and we will activate the virus in its full glory."

"It occurs to us that you may have been foolish enough to unleash your attack with consideration for a possible remedy. If that is the case, you must stand down your military, pull back from the border, provide us with full technical details on the blinding attack, and devote all of your nation's considerable expertise to the task of curing the blindness. If you do not follow through fully and immediately on all of these conditions, we will consider it a refusal to help the people of Plebellia, and act accordingly."

"Now, a word of caution. You may believe that with your recent lockdown in which you forced all persons in your country to hook up to your machine, that you have precluded any possibility of espionage or further insurgent attacks. You may believe you can simply torture or electronically interrogate our people to find out the information you need to counteract the disease. Well, I can tell you that there is not so much as a microlitre of the antidote anywhere in Catharsiadum. Nor do any of our agents there have any knowledge of its production, nor even of its existence until now. In fact, no Plebellian with significant knowledge of the disease has ever crossed over your border since the beginning of the conflict."

"You will find nothing to help you if you attempt to design a cure yourselves. And if you think you are impregnable, and cannot be hit by the Activator virus in the way you were hit by the Reaper, I strongly urge you to think again. We have known about your computer project for some time, and it is not infallible. We have taken steps to work around it, to find the cracks, and slip through your net. One day, given enough time, you may be able to fill all of these cracks, but today is not that day, and time is a luxury you do not have."

"You have heard our demands. I will repeat them one last time - cure our blindness, and we will cure your misery. Reverse your attack upon us, and we will do the same. Refuse, or fail to alleviate our condition in a timely manner, and we will unleash death upon your people like you have never known before."

"The decision is yours. You have 48 hours."

Hail High Arbiter,

The reconstruction of Sigil and New Avalon's radio stations has commenced. Demolition squads are searching the surrounding neighbourhood, picking through the rubble and as of yet no more bombs have been found. However traces of solidified methane and a residue we haven't encountered before covers all surfaces of the rubble of both radiostations. A new strain of a highly communicable virus has broken out in New Avalon, as of yet there are few known fatalities but many people are violently ill.

I recommend a full quarantine of this city using units from the western cities of Exculpation, there appears to have been little to no disturbances in that area. I spoke to you earlier about 'Operation Clean-Sweep" and perhaps we may want to put the sorties on hold, until we've cleaned up this mess. Intelligence here indicates that we'll need the full support of our military to continue on any type of campaigns in Hedonistasia, unless of course we use... undesireable means.

Exculpation is holding together well so far thanks to the police, looting and destruction of buildings have been kept to a minimum aside from a few minor disturbances. If you wish to continue sir, I recommend stoppage of spending on space programs to hire mercenaries from the Umbrella Corp. Their soldiers are of the highest caliber and most likely to aid, rather than hinder us in our efforts to destroy the enemies of Exculpation.

Sincerely,
Grand Marshall Dan T. Waldrip