NationStates Jolt Archive

The Hall was a Mess, Malien, Princess of the Western Realm, fretted with the Ends of her dress, Rumours had spread of a skermish having happened on the Border between Shamata and Tom Joad. She had decidedly kept nutral on the subject, for reports where not yet in, at least nothing that she decided was proof enough. She would soon find out.

James walked in, his tall wiry frame looking thinner then usual. His face was white, and he had dark Circals under his eyes, as well he looked worried.

"Milady" He said, bowing at the waist. "We have news, according to the report, the Joadians attacked, minor casualties for both sides." He said softly. "We won, but I am not sure so much." He looked at his mistress. "This could have some prelude to invasion, or it could have been a border patrol getting excited and shooting at us."

"But you don't think so Lord Duke?" She said sighing.

"Aye, since the station was a kilomeater from the border and the enemy fired first."

"Please, don't call them enemies yet" She said softly. "Who will Arutha send?"

"Black Guy, who else" Came the short reply.

"Well, at least we will have experiance and skill, James, Step up border patrols, double them, reinforce the garrison in Shamata and phone my brother." He turned to leave before she stoped him. "Get me into contact with the Mockers as well James" She said shortly.

At the National Command Authority Centre (NCAC) the activity remained at a constant level overall, routine reports of immigrant arrivals and long-range aircraft warned away from sovereign airspace. However in one sub-section of a particular room, each room representing a Designated Command Zone, the activity was heightened and several people were busily engaged in confirming reports and receiving digital updates for the main screen and also their particular sector.

“Confirm information Argonaut, I need an absolute” The calm response of the operator hundreds of miles away did not match the reply, “Control, there’s been a skirmish on the border at Shamata involving a platoon of our personnel and an unknown number of foreigners. Casualties are low, at least one Lieutenant leading this assault is dead, this was an unauthorised manoeuvre and I will be investigating. Situation is stable at present, I’ve pulled my forces back a further kilometre from the border.”

In a sealed room overlooking the chamber below several officers listened to the report and review some information, GPS relays showed that forces in the immediate area of the incident had been pulled back a kilometre and that losses had been adjusted on the register for the company involved.

A Lieutenant-Colonel spoke first, “My battalion has been placed on alert and my second is in the process of conducting some readiness drills, nothing provocative just simple protocol, at present it looks as though a rather inexperienced lieutenant led his party on a routine patrol of the immediate border and crossed in to foreign territory, this may have been a GPS error however all signs point to a deliberate strike in to Shamata.” The man speaking was Lt-Col Cornelius Porter, recently reactivated to command the only extensive land border in the nation, the other being areas around embassies, his hair was faintly greying and instead of a dress uniform he wore fatigues and tactical accompaniment, “If you’ll excuse me I need to get on a ride to Clearsprings and survey the situation personally.”

The remainder assembled nodded, Cornelius left and they proceeded, “We’ll need to issue a statement of denial at first, depending on the response we can leave it at that or simply alter the story to a technical problem that was revealed under investigation. The situation on the border has been quiet for a while now, in the unlikely event reports of abuse from across the border are true we may have justifiable cause for crossing into their territory, however the officer in question responsible for letting this happen, leading the patrol and associated will need to undergo investigation by SO12.”

The continued to discuss, almost jovially the possibilities and a few other memories and issue that arose, in the control area reports continued to be verified and more than one technician noted with satisfaction that the new communication systems from VicoCorp were performing to spec, a final report from Argonaut spelled out the situation, “Our forces crossed the border with the intention of relieving a foreign post of its flag, they were engaged and caught unawares as most of those involved were not officially assigned to the patrol and lacked their gear. We’ve got aerial units up at the moment, nothing special seems to be going on right now but I’m having my people prepare further patrols in to the dead zone along the border, we’ll keep back at least half a click from the border itself though.”

Malien sighed, before picking up the phone. The Mockers had showed that investigations had begun into the attack, so mabey something could be salvaged. She listened to Aruthas commands, right before slumping and falling asleep. James came in 10 minutes later, smiled at the young girl and covered her with a blanket before going to sleep himself.

Arutha had no such luxtuaries, as King of the Isle, this was his problem to deal with. Picking up the phone he dialed the number of ((Who ever is in command))

"Hello? Yes, this is Arutha ConDion, King of the Kingdom of the Isles."

Argonaut did not sleep that night, he kept his platoon active and running fire team patrols in the area. His rather naive and superfluous 3rd Lt had questioned his decision not to request permission from a captain before making such a move, “The captain has things to deal with, if you ever make it as a lieutenant you’ll have to think for yourself when it comes to the obvious but get it wrong and you’ll know, get it right and you’ll of done the necessary”

He also managed to spend some time liasing with the ground commander and the other fifteen platoon commanders about deployments, protocol and the impression from senior command. Argonaut listened, along with the other platoon commanders, as Lt-Col Porter explained how things were going to be run.
“As of two hours ago I was made ground commander for the border sector, right now we’re the only area being activated to any significant level and personally I doubt it’ll be needed. For ourselves though we are to begin mobility preparations, so ground everything and get it readied to perfection, that includes yourselves people, I don’t want sloppy action again.” Porter wasn’t abrasive but he got his point across firmly enough to reveal the hardness of his character. There weren’t any questions except from Captain Emerson, final deployment in areas was going to be left in the hands of company commanders, “Sir, if we’re grounding everything for maintenance we’re going to leave ourselves awful open, unless aerospace is planning on doing the work and if we‘re going for mobility does this mean the situation has changed?”

“Correct Captain, Aerospace Command will be shifting aerial assets in to our sector and maintain the presence we’ve maintained until now, however the area they’re cover will only be thirty kilometres wide, beyond that it’ll be down to other MI units. Captain Emerson, as of this moment in time we are preparing to mobilise only to prevent any incursions by excited border guards and to keep these men focused on a single goal, this will be a full mobility deployment though. Readiness people, I want equipment prepped to perfection and to aid that we're getting fresh supplies, the details of which will be detailed to you when it regards your men. You‘re dismissed people.”

Aging TSR-2s took off from their airfields severald dozen kilometres from the border, despite being twenty years young the aircraft still kept themselves worthy by being simple to maintain and the upgrade in systems brought them in to line with the networked defence policy, fulfilling their tactical reconnaissance role admirably for all those years they were due for replacement only due to airframe wear and tear. Providing high-altitude patrols were interceptor aircraft, laden to bear they settled in to fuel-efficient patterns within twenty minutes of the orders being dispatched by Porter.

On the ground Mobile Infantry began stowing unnecessary gear in packs, they checked out extra equipment and began maintenance of the equipment, especially their communication equipment. Vehicles were inspected by crews and maintenance teams with vigour, nothing momentous was found in most although some of them could do with new tracks or fresh air filters, the work would go on for some hours. Well past the dawn.

Arutha waited, his hand tapping on the desk. He had called the leader of Tom Joad. He now waited for connection, sighing.

OOC A pilote way of saying that post doesn't help :P

The call was detected, it used indirect lines to allow communication between the two states, the call was redirected several times to reduce the likelihood of any tracing programs being effective very quickly.

On a mahogany desk, complete with national flags, pen holders and documents a light blinked next to a flat screen monitor. Pressing a button to the side the call was answered, audio only, “This is the Chairman of the Executive Committee, lets cut the crap Arutha and get down to business, we both think we know what happened that evening but the reality of it all is quite different and you should keep that in mind.” The voice that answered was precise and very clipped, accompanying this exact speech was a very calm and placid tone.

OOC:Sorry, didn't know what you were on about when I last posted.

"No, I don't pretend I know what happened, actually, I was going to ask YOU that very question, since you have, without permission, launched an investigation into MY Kingdom, and my Sisters realm. Now, This incident is on our territory, we will investigate it, and send you the results to link in with any thing you have discovered on your side." His voice was weary, but had a massive intelec behind it. "Now, I will ask, what has your investigation discovered?"

The wood-framed chair leaned backwards gently, “All I’ve seen of your investigation is troop movements and continued harassment of Joadian personnel doing their duty, our investigation has shed some light on a number of issues and we continue to examine all aspects. At this time though we are unwilling to discuss anything beyond a reduction in your mobilisation.” The same light that had blinked for attention before did so again, “I truly hate to leave without an answer from yourself, Arutha, but I must attend to some matters of urgency.” Deliberately leaving out his title the Chairman closed the line with some deliberation, then turning his chair to face those assembled he looked at them for some views.

The first to speak was a suited young man who looked more likely to offer tea and coffee then advice to the Chairman, “They’re playing it like we are, it wouldn’t be greatly noticeable if we stepped up our activities further in the area and naturally we have a series of options already prepared.” He waited anxiously for the Chairman to speak, “I think we’ll call their bluff, assuming they’re making one of course but irrespective of their intentions we are already aware of our own. I’d appreciate copies of readiness reports on the sector where this all happened, along with the rest of the area and see if you can get me a moment of Porter‘s time.”

Arutha looked at the phone and sighed. They had hung up on him, which ment something had come up or they had wanted to insult him. He shivered, before ringing up James.

"James, Get the Mockers working on full force, also, tell the Clans to get themselves ready for possible war."

"You think it will come to that?" James said politly.

"I Hope not old friend, I hope not."

Thus it was that to the North, thousands of Clansman Gathered for the possible war. Meanwhile, the Garrisons of all cities where increasing their drills. And in the West, the Mockers, once the guild of theives now the Guild of Spys was investigating and watching the border, nothing would be missed within this nation.

“Henderson! Jesus almighty, get that thing out of my face, I‘m trying to check the suspension out.” The sudden uproar was lost almost immediately by the sounds of several hundred individuals working on tanks, infantry carriers and trucks. Engine components were inspected thoroughly and less than satisfactory components were removed, more than one man thanked the relative modularity of the vehicles they worked with and eventually go in to battle with, whilst computerised systems were set to perform self-tests. Soldiers cleaned their rifles thoroughly, packed and repacked the equipment they’d need and checked their own individual communication sets all the while to the background of similar actions being undertaken by nearly six-hundred men in this one sector alone.

The chatter of radios was ever present in the command room, Lt-Col Porter stood transfixed by the large display that gave him the exact layout of his forces to within metres, regaining some control he tore himself away and went over to his immediate subordinate, “Major, how long till we can begin mobility operations?” Turning his attention from a written communiqué he looked up to answer, “I’d like another week to really break people into mobility operations properly but I’d say we’re ready to go in another two days, three at the most. You might also be interested to know that our forward air controllers are already in position.” They spoke like old friends even if they’d not seen each other in quite awhile they had at least kept in contact for those years.

Pausing only briefly Porter responded, “Excellent, I want you to play games with the enemy though, paint them a picture of supply problems and missing equipment. I’m sure there’s a suitable frequency sitting on the restricted list, from now until we launch I want them to think we’re completely unprepared to launch any hostile action.” With a small grin the Major listened to the plan laid out in detail, it would certainly be a gamble if it didn’t work but this was a simple matter to arrange and could provide them with a solid advantage.

* * *
In the black of night, now penetrated by vision enhancement devices, the single helicopter had taken off and had been lost to the weather almost immediately. In its rear sat four men and a lot of bags, the helicopter hugged the contours of the land like a warm bed on a cold day, banked and swung that helicopter roughly enough that those in the back were quite glad they were able to strap themselves down even if there wasn’t any seats.

At last their time came, the call came from the cockpit and the men slid out of the aircraft with equipment in tow and as though hardly having paused more than a few moments the helicopter banked away and began following an alternate room back home. The four men quickly assigned their loads, gathered a direction and began moving with every step deeper in to enemy territory and in to those wonderful mountains that split Tsurani so unevenly. No wonder they were called the Spine of the World.