NationStates Jolt Archive

The corporations in Varsola each agreed to send a combined message.

People, just calm down. It was one ship! All right, if them Russians pay the Layar-whatevers money, then isn't it all good?

OOC: I actually agree with you Varsola. That's quite a good idea. Certainly what I'd be hoping for.

Response from the Government of Russian Federation

We shall not give monetary compensation to those who tried to compromise our national security. That is final, and i again repeat, this vessel has been classified as a military vessel with the Layatrebian Navy, if a vessel of this type enters Russian territorial waters without authorization from the Russian government it will be sunk without warning. We will ignore any further outrageous accusations from the side of Layatrebian Empire and its allies. This incident has shown to us that there are some nations in this world we are unable to have friendly relations with, they don't seem to listen to reason. We can live with that.

Official Statement

The reasoning behind the Russian classification of this vessel as military is because of its sensor equipment and its nuclear reactors, which we have sufficiently explained as supplied because they provide long-range, low-pollution, and better efficiency. The reasoning for such sensitive sensors has too been explained for their sensitive nature. If the Russians wish to continue an illogical approach that defies reason it is not in the ability of the Empire to change their mind.

However, should any vessel of this type be sunk in international waters, by the Russian Federation, it will be the duty of the Empire to respond in just ways. The Empire would never violate Russian waters nor would it tolerate it if Russian vessels did the same. As the Hawdawgian government stated, the Empire can monitor signals intelligence from bases in the Empire and does not have the need to venture close to Russian waters to do so.

Sehnsucht Class

The Sehnsucht was moving at 20 knots away from the Barents Sea, having entered the Norwegian Sea and with it, tons of SOSUS listening posts. Its escort submarines remained at 8 knots and as the ship got further away, they allowed for more distance. A pair of Virginia SSNs would accompany the Sehnsucht as it neared Iceland and both would keep up with the ship, staggered at a depth of one hundred and fifty feet and six hundred feet, just incase. The other two submarines, the escorts, could ensure that nobody was trying to following the submarine.

OOC: Pushka, you still following me?

OOC: Only if you are in international waters, then the second boat is still following you, you know the one you don't know about. It is supposed to break off 5 kilometers from the end of the international waters.

IC:

Official Response to Empire of Layatreb

Non of your explanations cover the fact that the vessel in question was commiting acts of espeonage, good day sir, please make sure that none of your boats ever cross into Russian territorial waters.

Official Response

The Empire and the world has yet to be shown proof that this vessel was committing any acts of espionage.

Norwegian Sea

SOSUS monitoring centers in Iceland were busy. The Sehnsucht was racing through the waters at 28 knots now, near flank speed, which was, technically, 35 knots. Tactical silent for the vessel was 15 knots and it would be going up to 31 and staying there.

However, as it sped along, the Virginias keeping up, roaring through the water, the SOSUS stations began to notice something. Trailing behind the Sehnsucht was an echo, a contact. All five Layartebian ships were plotted and their courses were known. This was something very unusual and very problematic.

The submarine was a well-built one, quiet. The submarine was making noise and it was moving at the exact speed of the Sehnsucht. The noise of the submarine moving through the water was picked up first by the SOSUS and identified. Then, the more sensitive processors went to work, to identify the reactor plant noise. Moving at twenty-eight knots was fast and it was easy to track and spot the target but not as easy to identify it. The SOSUS processors were working to isolate just the reactor plant noise, which would be done eventually. Any submarine moving at that speed was making a lot of noise and it wasn't going to be running cold either.

Response from the Russian Federation

Our satelites register every informational transaction that it makes, they also triangulate the position of the object the transaction is made with, with aid of other satelites. The logs show an anauthorized transaction of encrypted military communications, the time and location pinpoint the receiver as the Layatrebian naval vessel in question.

Official Response

This must be a mistake. We will have to analyze the Cohen for the information registered. We will take this into consideration when we analyze the data but given the accusations already made we cannot help but take your bias into account.

Official Response

Likewise, we will take into an account your own bias if you choose to reveal the results of your findings.

North of Faroe Islands

As the Sehnsucht had reached 31 knots and the trailing submarine was losing ground. It was only doing 28 knots and the SOSUS had figured this out quite quickly. As the Sehnsucht gained distance on the trailing submarine, classification finally came in. The SOSUS processors had done their job and done it effectively. The classification came up as Russian Cartagena SSN. The exact boat was not known. This particular vessel had never been encountered by the Layartebian Navy but its class had been.

The escorting Virginia Class submarines and the Sehnsucht were required to slow down to 6 knots north of the Faroe Islands for a communications relay check, which would be more aimed at the submarines than the Sehnsucht. However, if the Virginias alone slowed down they would lose serious ground on the Sehnsucht. All three vessels would slow down to 6 knots and, from a SOSUS station in Iceland, an encrypted communique was sent to the escorting Virginias.

The communique immediately detailed that a Russian submarine was trailing but that it had a maximum speed of only 28 knots. The vessels were ordered to continue their course at 31 knots. ASW patrol craft from Iceland and Ireland would make things unpleasant for the Cartenga.

As the ships resumed their speed and the Cartenga sped up (OOC: Assuming you would slow down with the ships to avoid running into them), a patrolling P-8A Excalibur north of Ireland was divereted to the area to drop sonobuoys. As it did, the Empire prepared a response.

Official Response from the Empire to the World

Nations of the world. ASW patrol aircraft and escorting submarines have identified a single Russian submarine trailing the Cohen. For a nation that does not intend any harm to said vessel, they are certainly making it their business to harass the vessel. The Cohen and its escorts have been ordered to make best speed away from the Russian submarine, to outrun it, in order to avoid any incident. We know not the intentions of the Russian Federation but we can be assured that they mean to do everything possible to harass this vessel and its crew.

Response from the Russian government

We will not deny the presenss of that vessel, it is as you say tracking the Layatrebian naval vessel Cohen. Its mission is to gather information on the Cohen in order to help us better clasify it in our foreign military recognition records. The said submarine is operating in international waters, and intends no harm to the Layatrebian naval vessel in question. The said submarine shall not leave the international waters under any circumstances.

OOC: I am going to let the rest of the players respond to this statement and I have to be up at 0500 so I am going to go.

OOC: Shadowing a ship is a technique not new to military circles. Navies on regular intervals track direction, speed, etc. of surface and subsurface vessels by many means. During the Cold War the Russians always shadowed the Carrier Groups with some sort of vessel. It could be a trawler or a Frigate but someone tended to always have a visual of what the US Navy was up to. What makes this situation unique is the fact the Pushkan Submarine threatened the EOL Cohen in international waters and has chosen to then shadow it back to its port of call.

My question would be this to Pushka what is your response going to be when the EOL demands your submarine stop following its vessel in international waters and puts a P-3C Orion over it with ADCAP's, drops sonar bouys and marks her for destruction if she doesn't turn around? What's good for the goose is good for the gander.

-Hawdawg

OOC: As long as i am in international waters i will not back down. If he wants to start a war over this, then he would be the aggressor and he won't just start it with me, he will start it with the whole VCO.

Open communique to EOL, Russian Federation

The Kingdom would like to remind the Russian Federation that the Kingdom holds in its posession the Faroe Islands, which means that we consider them a part of the Kingdom, and that the territorial claim is 24 nautical miles from every bit of land. Naturally, civilian vessels and naval vessels from allied and friendly nations are welcome to enter our waters, but any foreign unidentified or hostile naval vessel will be sunk upon entry in Norwegian territorial waters. That goes for the Russian submarine near the Faroes. Just a friendly reminder.


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Torshavn Naval Station wasn't a particularly large naval facility, but more of a resupply base. Still, it was the home port of thirty-nine destroyers and frigates, of which more than half were dedicated to ASW duty, five cruisers and fifteen resupply vessels, as well as a few submarines. Now, four Rothsky class ASW destroyers and three Mjelde class frigates were sent out to ensure that the Russian submarine the Norwegians suspected to be out there didn't violate Norwegian territorial waters without paying dearly. They would be supported by the two Tennessee class submarines which were out there somewhere, patrolling.

At the air force base outside Torshavn, a single P-7A ocean surveilance craft took off and headed out to the outer perimeter of the territorial waters. The P-7 was lightly loaded, with only eight Mark-50 Mod 2 Barracuda ASW torpedoes. However, the aircraft had sonar bouys too, and a MAD, Magnetic Anomaly Detector, which detected magnetic sources near the aircraft. The range was the weak thing though. It worked 400 meters forward of the aircraft, and 900 meters to the sides, and 600 meters downwards. In other words, the plane had to be pretty damned close to detect a potential submarine. Still, if they did, it would be a positive confirmation that there really was a sub in the area.

For now, the Norwegians would wait, but if the Russian entered their waters, they would sink the violator, and that they would do with the law on their side.

As the Sehnsucht regained 31 knots and once again gained distance on the Russian submarine, the Virginias kept up and went about their tasks. The Russian submarine was now in waters heavily controlled by the Empire and the rest of the October Alliance. The entire breadth of the North Atlantic was in their control. SOSUS sensors, satellite uplinks, a giant base on the Azores and another on Bermuda, as well as the land controlled by all members in the area ensured that the North Atlantic was a dangerous place for any non-friendly vessel.

The Cartenga had been plotted and it was being tracked throughout its course. The two escorting Hunter SSNs that had originally been with the Sehnsucht had sped up now to 20 knots, keeping themselves still further away from the Cartenga but with enough distance to still fire offensively or defensively, should it be necessary.

A P-8 had dropped at least two dozen sonobuoys and had already begun active pinging on the submarine. Whether or not they could hear it at 28 knots was something that was uncertain although it was quite possible they did not. That was why, as the Sehnsucht and the submarines approached 55°N, 25°W, they closed back down to ten knots. The Hunters came down to eight and the Cartenga would definitely slow down enough to hear the active pinging, which identified the submarine.

OOC: What depth is your submarine at Pushka?

OOC: No idea. And the active sonar, didn't you tell me that it doesn't work very well because some submarines are made of sound absorbing materials? If i remember correctly my sub has those materials as well.

IC:

"Afanasi I" was fully aware of the Layatrebian boats and aircraft that were following it. It could hear the active sonar pings from the start. Yet its captain was unmoved, he knew that he was in international waters and he had orders to follow the Layatrebian naval vessel that was spying on the Russian Federation. The submarine already had hours of sound recordings about the vessel, the electronic readings and so on and so forth. New orders came from the HQs.

Abort mission. Return to port. Over.

Without further waiting "Afanasi I" quickly turned around and made its way towards the friendly Russian waters.

As the Sehnsucht passed deeper into the North Atlantic, the Cartenga averted its course and began heading back, on a course that would put it back to Russian waters. The news was good and the Sehnsucht passed backed down to 15 knots with its submarine escorts picking up speed to stay with it. The P-8 continued to track and ping the Cartenga throughout the Norwegian Sea, until it went back to Russian waters.

Official Response

The Empire is pleased to announce that a cooler head has prevailed in the Russian Federation. The harassing submarine has averted its course and appears to be heading back to Russian territorial waters. In light of this, the Layartebian Navy is going to be continual to escort the Cohen as it comes to a safe port in the Empire.

Spence-Moorland, Drysdale Republic

The new Main Forces Command Headquarters Bunker was the meeting place between the Defence Executive Magnus Rabbidge and the AFURESCECOM commander and Chairman of the Eastern Siberian Armed Forces General Staff, Supreme Marshal Ralph Miles. The dipomatic arguments were still ringing in the ears of the media and the intelligence service and calls for peace had been politely set aside. The two men would decide what stance the government would be taking, and perhaps more importantly which alliance they would be siding with.

The large Conference Room was occupied only by the two men. Sitting across each other, a pile of papers and two open briefcases lay on the long rectangular table seperating them. A voice recorder was placed to the side to keep an account of the meeting.

Supreme Marshal Miles: "...And earlier this week, a Layartebian ship called the Cohen was seized by the Russian Navy. The Layartebians insist the vessel was an NGO weather boat, the Russians say it's a spy ship, though the overall situation has been defused peacefully."

Executive Rabbidge: "What are the chances of this TOA-VCO rivalry ending peacefully, Supreme Marshal?"

Supreme Marshal Miles: "Greater than they were a few weeks ago, but still slim, though we have greater optimism since the end of the Cohen incident."

Rabbidge mulled over the information he had been given.

Executive Rabbidge: "Is the reorganisation complete?"

Supreme Marshal Miles: Yes sir, we have eight legions and 32 Wings in the immediate area around North Germanian-held Oblasts and Russia which we'll prepare on the event of anything happening and we'll put the Yellow Sea Fleet on high alert. But, Sir, we will need to know which alliance the governments plans to side with, so we can begin the business of co-ordinating much easier."

Magnus had been thinking over this factor deeply. Eastern Siberia was a member of the VCO but had greater allies on the TOA side.

Executive Rabbidge: "The government shall declare neutrality in whatever situation should arise. However, if the VCO attacks us we will have to side with the TOA and...vice versa, if necessary."

The Supreme Marshal recognised the doubt and hesitance in the last part of his sentence. He'd known of the URES' and North Germania's past and the government would be more comfortable siding with the TOA than the VCO, despite the fact they are aligned with the latter.

Executive Rabbidge: "Also, Supreme Marshal Miles, I'd like to form non-aggression pacts between the two sides as insurance. I'll mention that at the next cabinet meeting and you should take that into account when planning any actions."

Supreme Marshal Miles: "Yes, Sir. Is there anything else that requires consultation?"

Executive Rabbidge: "No, that will be all."

Miles nodded and began to organise the papers and put them into his briefcase, Rabbidge doing the same. Magnus stopped the recorder and removed the tape, slipping it into his pocket. Magnus and Ralph shook hands and quietly left to report their conclusions to their respective branches.

Elkins, West Virginia

Mr. Murdoch hung up the phone and looked around the table. The top twelve members of Majestic were seated around the table with stern looks in their faces. "Should we trust this alliance with the Bjornoyans?" One asked.

"It is a perilous idea." Mr. Murdoch answered. "I am not entirely sure we have a choice."

"Very true. I don't understand though, what is it that we are trying to accomplish here?"

"The motives of the Reich are not our concern. The motives of the Bjornoyans are."

"Cobalt based weapons are definitely a major bargaining chip. Our space based launch platforms contain only four missiles with 33 pounds of Cobalt-60 each. Unfortunately that is more than enough to render the world a very uncomfortable place."

"The presence of Cobalt weapons was previously only in our hands and the Reich. Now the Bjornoyans have it." Mr. Murdoch lit a cigarette and puffed. "You know. We should go to this meeting with the idea of monitoring both the Reich and the Bjornoyans on this situation."

"Right. Mr. Murdoch may you go. I shall accompany you." That man was Mr. Gray, one of the higher ranking members in the twelve. He was number three, whereas Murdoch was ten. The two of them usually saw eye to eye on most matters and this was no different. Both of them were in their mid-40s and both recruited from the same place, the now defunct Manhattan Program, which was the first program that investigated the use of Magnetite in nuclear warheads as a booster.

Mr. Murdoch was a man of small stature, only about 5'6" and he weighed about 160 pounds. Mr. Gray, on the other hand, stood a full foot taller and weighed just over 200 pounds. They were both old allies and old friends from the Manhattan Program, both having doctorate degrees in physics, more particularly nuclear physics. They had accomplished a lot of evil between the two of them. The entire LGM-175 program owed its existence to the two of them.

Charleston, West Virginia

Sitting alone, on the edge of the tarmac was a single C-21B Learjet 80, the transport plane of choice for Majestic. The aircraft was heavily modified from the C-21A military version, which had been retired almost ten years earlier. The transport was crewed by two pilots and seated eight comfortably or twenty in an emergency configuration. At 64.89 feet long, 14.56 feet tall, and 48.79 feet wide at its wingtips, the $88M aircraft was well made. It weighed 18,000 pounds empty and could take off at a maximum weight of 40,510 pounds. She could carry 12,190 pounds of fuel and up to 1,600 pounds of weapons, stored in a pair of small bays underneath the aircraft, which usually held four, short-range, infrared missiles. One bay faced forward, the other faced aft. They carried the AIM-9X Sidewinder until it was retired by the AIM-204A Escape missile. Powered by a pair of turbofan engines, the plane had 8,000 pounds of thrust to push it to 590 miles per hour at sea level, 635 miles per hour at altitude, and 57,000 feet at a rate of 2,200 feet per minute. Unrefueled, it had a range of 6,289 miles and it was equipped for inflight refueling.

The aircraft sat guarded by a pair of soldiers, each armed with M30A3 Carbines. The two pilots were inside, working on their preflight checks when the limo pulled up. The driver got out and opened the door. Both Mr. Gray and Mr. Murdoch stepped out, dressed in suits. They each carried a briefcase and they had one bag of items, which the driver carried to the plan and loaded onboard. The guards checked their ID passcards with a UV scanner to ensure they were real. Upon verification, the guards stood at attention and saluted. "Sirs. Your aircraft is ready."

"Thank you gentlemen." Mr. Gray returned the salute. "Perhaps we should be going then?" He turned to Mr. Murdoch.

"I believe so. Gentlemen. Carry on. You are relieved."

"Thank you sir." They walked off as the door of the aircraft was shut.

Both men sat comfortably in the aircraft and Mr. Murdoch poured himself a soda. "Louis, what is the flight plan looking like?"

Louis was the pilot. "Sir. We're going to be refueling over the Azores and then flying straight through to Almaty. We have 2,880 miles to the Azores and then another 5,060 to Almaty so we're going to be in the air for about sixteen hours. It's going to be a long trip so we better get comfortable."

"Thank you."

"Always a pleasure sir." Within twenty minutes, they were sitting on the edge of the runway, waiting for clearance. When that came, the aircraft bolted down the runway at full throttle, climbing out of its take-off run after a mere 4,800 feet. It would climb to 36,000 feet and fly the entire length of the Azores to meet up with an airborne KC-10A Extender. After that, it was on to Almaty, at five hundred miles per hour and 44,000 feet.

NG, Bjorn. What are we doing with the secret society thing?