NationStates Jolt Archive


All Good Things....

Skinny87
16-10-2005, 14:20
Dowland City, Greater Imperial Empire

The entire city was covered by a blanket of thick black smoke that permeated everything it touched, from buildings to individual pores. Most of the remaining buildings were on fire or in ruins; many had been blown to pieces by point-blank artillery and cannon fire, their defenders entombed forever in their shattered skeletons. Heavy tanks prowled the streets that had not been ripped apart or sealed off by rapidly-constructed barricades, and Riot Troopers scuttled behind the massive behemoths, M-8s and Batons at the ready. Gun shots and the occasional explosion could be heard in the distance, the only signs of continued resistance.

The Emperor stared impassively out of the thick glass windows of what remained of the Grey House. With one good eye he looked at a long chain of prisoners that was being led by several Troopers towards a Detention Centre for liquidation. One of the wretches fell, revealing for a second the uniform of a Republican Marine, before being clubbed by a Riot Trooper and being forced back into line, head bleeding copiously. Disgusted by the mans meekness and pathetic form, the Emperor turned back to the shattered insides of the Oval Office. He brushed aside the corpse at the desk and sat down in the chair by the desk, nostrils wrinkling at the foul odour.

"Did we find it intact?"

The question, asked in a low, flat tone, caused the man before him to shrink back a little before bowing his head, tunic rustling. "My liege. We did find the facility that you prophesised would exist. The vermin were apparently trying to escape when we captured the Gate Room. It may be of interest that coordinates were already input into the machine."

The Emperor turned, eyes curious. "Coordinates for what?"

The man took out a file from a red and brown case and placed it gingerly on the desk. "We believe that they are the coordinates for a parellel reality they were trying to escape into, possibly to recieve help. Fools."

With the flick of a hand, the Emperor dismissed the man, who slunk back into the ruins of the building. Then, opening the file, the man once known as Briggs smiled, and gave a bitter laugh that echoed throughout the ruins. Damsel Fate could be so forgiving and generousat times.

Three Days Later, New Kaylee Defense Base, Grand Republic

New Kaylee Defense Base was informally known as 'Bastion' due to the calibre and sheer number of the defences and troops defending the small island, barely ten miles by eight at its furthest points. Thus it was at 'Bastion' that the experiment was being developed in its final stages. If it were completed, the opportunities were expontential and infinite not just for the Grand Republic, but for all of Haven itself. In the Gate Room itself, the huge wireframe portal dwarfed the soldiers and scientists that moved around; it was fully half a mile wide and tall, and was a thing of scientific beauty. However, it was not yet complete; much of the wiring was incomplete, and the safety override was due next tuesday. There was no possible way that the Gate itself could be activated.

That, at least, was the theory. It certainly couldn't be activated from their side. The other side, however, weas an entirely different matter. Thus it was that at exactly 2234 Hours GMT every satellite in orbit around Haven, and many of the bordering regions, would record an energy spike unlike anything that had ever been recorded in the known history of man. Alarms screeched their warnings as the Gate began to revolve, slowly at first and then with ever-gathering speed until it was too fast for the unshielded eye to look at. A powerful white glow filled the room, and the Gate activated, sending out a huge wave of pure energy that vapourised anything within its range; hundreds were killed in an instant, and the Gate Room and a large part of the Facility was destroyed. The Gate, however, remained intact.

Slowly the glow faded, and the dazed and wounded survivors of the blast could see a huge crater, half a mile wide, in which the Gate was the only thing untouched. Then, the Gate opened. Eyes wide, the shocked survivors could only watch as hundreds of figures, clad in dark uniforms, pured from the Gate, followed by huge vehicles and even more figures. Not that they watched for long; they were dispatched within a few minutes by the Guardsmen who hunted them down with a ruthlessness unseen before. A foothold had been made for the Emperor.

Within a few minutes, the Grey House had been informed, and the National Guard throughout the nation mobilised, alongside the armed forces present. It was, however, a case of too little, too late. The chaotic forces overran a blocking position by a National Guard battalion within moments through sheer numbers, and encircled and wiped out a hastily assembled Armoured Division within an hour of the Gate activating. A combination of sheer numbers and advanced technology meant that wherever a stand was made, the Republican forces were wiped out. There might have been a glimmer of hope, had not more portals opened throughout the Republic, disgorging even more of the enemy forces. Within six hours, every military force in the Republic had been wiped out or forced into surrendering.

Last to fall was Dowland City, but not by long. There had simply been no time to prepare, and the sheer speed of the invasion had been staggering. There had been no time to call for reinforcements, no time to assemble anything like a defense. The Republic had fallen. This, however, did not stop the carnage. By the seventh hour, every person, every man, woman and child that been in the invasion areas was either dead or dying, put to the sword by the invaders without ever knowing who they were, or why they had attacked. By the eighth hour, there were very few people alive in what was once known as the Grand Republic, as the invaders used Plasma Warheads to wipe out entire cities and destroy any remaining citizens in them.

Exactly ten hours after the Gate activated, not a single soul was left alive in an area occupied by the Invaders. This was not just destruction, this was the way of the Emperor, and He liked it. In what remained of the Grey House, the Emperor faced President Martin. He smiled at the pathetic creature that lay sprawled before him. "I killed you only a few days ago, it might interest you to know. Or rather, I killed a version of you. You, the man who would dare to strip me of my rank and dismiss me from your country."

Xavier managed to pull his head up. He spat out blood, then answered weakly. "I...I have no idea who you are, you bastard. But what you did here....what you did will be avenged. Mark my words."

The Emperor smiled. "How noble, and how bland. I have heard those words come from your mouth more than a dozen times, in a dozen different realities, and yet I do not grow tired of them. They amuse me." He leaned forward, so that Xavier could hear him more clearly. "I have destroyed your country, as I have destroyed it more times than I can count. And I will travel through every reality and destroy you, again, and again, and again, until you are no more. Then, and only then, will I stop. And no-one can stop me."

With that, he stalked away and left what the corpse of President Xavier Martin contemplate the destruction of his country. In an hour, there was nothing left in the country alive, for the Emperor and his forces left via the portals; another reality had been destroyed, another slight made better.


OOC: yes, this is the end. I'm leaving NS forever, as you can tell from the post above. I'm leaving because of several things; University is taking its toll, and I have little time to write, but that is not all. The Mods are becoming far too powerful in NationStates, and have changed, and not for the better. I'm not going to start a rant against the Mods, because it will change nothing now. But I believe that the Mods are too powerful, and something must be done to hold them accountable for their actions before NationStates changes completely to something unrecognisable.
Kriegorgrad
16-10-2005, 14:50
[OoC: Sorry, I'm not inspired to write an IC post...I apologize, but I hope good luck to you in university, must be great fun finally getting to ascend to a higher plateau. I'm real sorry to see you go, my circle is breaking apart at the hands of the over-regulated mods...:( ]
Camewot
16-10-2005, 15:20
He cursed, the people in the room cursed, some cried. The whole Democratic Empire seemed to curse and cry at the same time. It had not take days for the news to reach the Empire, and even in that Empire the cruel faith staggered on. Hundreds of Skinny citizens, not willing to accept the news of their families being killed made an end to life themselfes. The Emperor did not curse however, he just cried. How many times was he informed of the bloody purpose wich thousands of nations had with their population. The Skinny's were a good friend, therefore he did not curse, cause he could not do anything. He just cried.

"Send help, see what's their to be saved. Try and save as much people who are still alive. And most important, bring me Xavier!" The instant this words had been spoken, a first paratrooper squadron landed in the ruins of Dowland City. As they strolled through the ruined buildings, many troopers threw up. Squashed, unrecognisable bodies of humans who had once been part of the friendliest Republic this world had ever seen. They could save one man before they reached the oval office where Xavier's dead body was found, he was later placed in a Mental Hospital, for he could not stop saying. "Technology brings death and destruction!" Nobody would ever question him, as they did not dare to. The evidence lay in the ruins of cities throughout that nation.

5 days later, Jensen, The Democratic Empire of Camewot.

".....And so, the body of President Xavier Martin was found in the ruins of the Grey House in Downland City. I hereby end my speech, and give chance to thousands of Camewottians to show their regrets in public. May he rest in peace, my good friend. May he be an inspiration for every man who is willing to live, to have joy, who is not affraid to die." A big plasma screen showed images, mostly commercials before the first man appeared on the screen. Millions of Camewottians had filed a request to appear live on television when Xavier's soul was handed over to God, Buddah, Spongebob, or whatever he beliefed in. And they would all do, the longest funeral in the history of Camewot. It would last for 5 days. And on the fifth day, the Memorial Tomb in Jensen was opened and the body was placed inside, under the Great War Memorial, wich was a statue who remembered thousands of deaths.

Not every man was given this honor. The man who lead the Skinny's into the world stage, and into every well thinking man's hart was.




RIP Skinny.
Derscon
16-10-2005, 15:57
Star Office, Kremlin Palace

The Czar and current Emperor of Greater Prussia looked over the news reports and the breifings -- the energy spike and then Skinny's total destruction. The Dersconi people and nation really never had much interaction with the nation of SKinny87, but as S87 was a Haven member, had an immediate distrust for them. However, destruction on this scale....

Alexei shook his head, whispered a small prayer for the people of Skinny87 and Xavier Martin, and tossed the reports into the memory hole. Strategically, this was good for Derscon and the Empire as a whole, as it meant a less-uinified hostile force against the Greater Prussian Empire in Haven. However, it's strategic value does not outweigh the outright apolcalypse suffered by the nation and its people. Hmm, the Czar thought. This is another dangerous step towards the destruction of Haven. First Hogsweat, now Skinny. Why? What the hell is going on?
Sarzonia
16-10-2005, 16:41
OOC: I'm not in the mood for a IC post or to get further into the debate surrounding Hogsweat. I'll just say that I'm very sorry to see a great writer and talented RPer leave the game after what happened.
Czardas
16-10-2005, 17:25
"So...Haven. Again."

Alhoun stares at the computer screen uncomprehending.

"First Hogsweat, vaporized by a nuclear explosion. Then Sanctaphrax just disappears, and now this? There's something fishy going on over there."

His assistant Lorin Dax speaks. "I know. It's almost as though some malevolent forces are at work here, trying to destroy the whole region."

"This really isn't good." Alhoun shakes his head. "Can we send them any kind of aid?"

"It doesn't look like it. Latest reports say that casualties are horrendous. In the billions even. Skinny has been destroyed completely."

"By what?"

"Apparently, by vast, technologically advanced legions of soldiers outnumbering the population of Czardas alone by nearly six to one. Which is saying something."

"Add them to the list of nations destroyed by inexplicable forces then," says Alhoun. "Everything we've got, put in our database, and create a category for nations utterly destroyed."

"All right," says Dax. "I'll do that."

He does.

And that day the flags of Czardas are lowered to half-staff as in thousands of realities, battle after battle goes on.
Allanea
16-10-2005, 18:37
OOC: Well, see you then. Of course, I'll be glad to retcon this if you come back.
Ato-Sara
16-10-2005, 18:42
Hey wait a second all the mods did was wipe Hogsweat's pop and make him add two letters to his name.

The mods said that they wern't going to reverse their desicion just because of his popularity. But what makes their punishment trivial, pointless even is his popularity.

We still know he is Hogsweat and we always will.

People there is no point going or leaving, becuase the mods as far I as I see it have taken every possible opportuntity to be leniant to Hoggy while at the same time following their (albeit unwritten) rules to the letter.

See its not all that bad, nothing has to change, we can all be happy again.
Present Day Comatica
16-10-2005, 18:53
OOC: I just replied to another thread by Praetonia, like this. He's also leaving, and now two RPers that I respect are calling it quits. I bow my head to you, Skinny, and I'm really sorry that it had to come to this. Nobody should ever have to reply to two 'farewell' threads in one day.
Derscon
16-10-2005, 18:54
OOC: That makes a total of four nations. Hogsweat himself, Skinny, Praetonia, and I think Scantaphrax. (sp?)
Czardas
16-10-2005, 18:54
Hey wait a second all the mods did was wipe Hogsweat's pop and make him add two letters to his name.

The mods said that they wern't going to reverse their desicion just because of his popularity. But what makes their punishment trivial, pointless even is his popularity.

We still know he is Hogsweat and we always will.

People there is no point going or leaving, becuase the mods as far I as I see it have taken every possible opportuntity to be leniant to Hoggy while at the same time following their (albeit unwritten) rules to the letter.

See its not all that bad, nothing has to change, we can all be happy again.
Yes, but he himself decided to quit because he had grown attached to his nation or something, and didn't want to start over with a new one.
HogsweatHatesJolt
16-10-2005, 18:55
NS has lost one of its finest. Skinny, you were quite possibly an RPer I respected the most. You weren't amazing at tech but you always came out with posts that dwarfed mine and where far better written, although I never admitted it.
Thanks for all the good times.
Czardas
16-10-2005, 18:56
OOC: That makes a total of four nations. Hogsweat himself, Skinny, Praetonia, and I think Scantaphrax. (sp?)
Sanctaphrax, yes. And others have thought of doing it, too. Fortunately for II, some of us *cough*me*cough* are too addicted to this game to quit, no matter what kind of injustices happen.
Ato-Sara
16-10-2005, 19:00
Hogsweat hasn't quite he is just taking a breather for a week or two
Present Day Comatica
16-10-2005, 19:00
Sanctaphrax too? What's happening? It's like one of those days that you dread, but when it happens, it still hits you like a ton of bricks.
Omz222
16-10-2005, 19:05
OOC: It's certainly a shame - well, "shame" would be an understateemnt - to see you depart, especially under these circumstances. NS has perhaps lost one of its finest, if perhaps unsung, RPers. Though you never had that much grasp of military technology, your written works as part of the the Yasmarean war are nothing short of impressive, giving me another rolemodel to learn from.

And because of that, farewell and good luck in your future endeavours, my friend.
Isselmere
16-10-2005, 19:13
Best wishes, Skinny87. Sorry that things had to be this way.
Czardas
16-10-2005, 19:15
Sanctaphrax too? What's happening? It's like one of those days that you dread, but when it happens, it still hits you like a ton of bricks.
The Mods have grown too powerful, and after the deletion of Hogsweat more people are simply walking out, not wanting to be around to see what the game will become if it continues this way.

Even I thought of leaving, but I'm too addicted to go.
The Macabees
16-10-2005, 19:18
The Mods have grown too powerful, and after the deletion of Hogsweat more people are simply walking out, not wanting to be around to see what the game will become if it continues this way.

Even I thought of leaving, but I'm too addicted to go.


It's not that. Moderators should have power, it's their job to do so. But it's the fact that our mods rule by favourites, and without researching the situation first. Meaning, their decisions are sometimes rash and unfounded, like the deletion of Hogsweat, the end of the W@W advertising, and other rulings, like one that TSS told me.
Czardas
16-10-2005, 19:23
It's not that. Moderators should have power, it's their job to do so. But it's the fact that our mods rule by favourites, and without researching the situation first. Meaning, their decisions are sometimes rash and unfounded, like the deletion of Hogsweat, the end of the W@W advertising, and other rulings, like one that TSS told me.
And then their lack of a ruling on other matters, such as the matter of Francos Spain—which was griefing if I've ever seen it, by a native delegate without consent, unlike Hogsweat.

It looks a little like favoritism. And saying that the rules aren't "set in stone" gives them far too much freedom over the nations of others. Without a written law code they can make decisions discriminating against anyone. That's why the One-Stop Rules Shop was so helpful. But that line bothers me.
Present Day Comatica
16-10-2005, 19:24
The Mods have grown too powerful, and after the deletion of Hogsweat more people are simply walking out, not wanting to be around to see what the game will become if it continues this way.

Even I thought of leaving, but I'm too addicted to go.

I actually did leave a while back, for about 150 days. But about a month ago, I rejoined. The addiction catches up with you when you least expect it.:p
Scandavian States
16-10-2005, 19:33
[Hogsweat will be leaving eventually, he's just not going down without a fight. I'm going to give him that fight.]
The Macabees
16-10-2005, 19:36
[Hogsweat will be leaving eventually, he's just not going down without a fight. I'm going to give him that fight.]


Good. After all, for Hog, it's better to burn out than to fade away - Def Leppard
Halberdgardia
16-10-2005, 19:38
Even I thought of leaving, but I'm too addicted to go.

That's what keeps me from going. My question is, though, what do I do about a navy without IPS? Sarz, expect me to be a new regular at PIW...

Seriously, though, it's a damn shame to see so many fine RPers go. Skinny, I never interacted with you, but if this was indicative of your RP skills, then...wow. Your loss is indeed a great one to the community of fine RPers on NS. Best wishes at university, and here's hoping (perhaps a bit misguidedly) that you change your mind and come back some day.

--Dave, the player behind Hal
Borman Empire
16-10-2005, 20:28
OOC:Jesus...I cant believe this. Skinny, I've never really seen any of your RPs, but Ive seen your name alot and Sarzonia talks of you well, so I'm sure your real good. And so Im very sad to see you go. NS is truly dying.
Pacitalia
17-10-2005, 07:21
We're at a loss without you, m'boy. Keep fighting the good fight for us away from NS. :headbang: This just makes me even more determined.
Farmina
17-10-2005, 10:26
OOC: Didn't you leave last month? Leaving NS twice in two months has to be a record.
Willink
17-10-2005, 13:15
NS is truly dying.


I shall save it !