NationStates Jolt Archive

Tristan da Cunha, a Bjornoyan possession was suddenly going to be under the direction of the Empire, though only temporairly. A group of remote islands in the south South Atlantic Ocean, 2,816km (1,750 miles) from South Africa and 3,360km (2,088 miles) from South America, Tristan da Cunha was definitely the perfect place for the mission. Saint Helena, the closest inhabited island was 2,712km (1,350 miles) away, making it perhaps the most remote territory in the world. For this reason, it was deemed the safest place for the mission, a mission that would capture the attention of the entire planet.

Talks with the Bjornoyan government had concluded with the apprehension of the island for a limited duration. The Bjornoyan government would evacuate some 300 citizens on the island and sanitize it of anything important before the Empire ever came to rest. Structures would be left in tact, everything would remain as if it were populated, though it would not be, it could not be, not for this mission. A convoy of merchant ships would arrive at the island in mere hours to assist the Bjornoyan government with their task and also to set up the island for the task of the Empire. Who knew what was about to befall upon these islands...

A small fleet of civilian vessels escorted by a handful of Visara Co. Naval security forces were dispatched to the region. Orders were to immediately and if necessary forcibly relocate the citizens. The islands’ local population was to return to their fatherland at once. A few grumpy seniors cursed as the Peacekeepers hurried them onto their ships. The promises of a new and modernized home within the scarcely populated regions of the north quieted some discontent. It had been years since these people had seen their homeland. It was a chance to re-unite with their families and start anew away from these god-forsaken rocks. The majority of people living in the region were employees of Bjornoyan based corporations. The Bjornoyan meteorologists and other various researchers packed their equipment and happily boarded ships headed for the Channel Islands, California; headquarters of the famous Visara Co. constituent Amgen.

An RA-5E Vigilante on the end of its extremely long-range patrol picked up a lot of radio traffic originating from Tristian de Cunha, a Bjornoyan posession. This was interesting enough, but the Vigilante didn't have enough fuel to make it all the way to Tristian to take a look, since its tanks barely had enough to make it to the rendevouz-point with the KA-3C Skywarrior refueling aircraft. Still, it was interesting to know what was happening. Perhaps it would be ordered back when it had been refuelled...

The monitoring group, which included a Sehnsucht vessel, maintained a position some 200 miles west of the island group. Winds were blowing towards the south and it was definitely a beautiful day. The islands had been evacuated for a week now and the day of the test was on hand.

A single B-9B Sphinx bomber, loaded with a single bomb, a very special cargo at that, would take off from a base inside Layarteb and fly all the way down to the island group, refueling four times on the way down and it would refuel that many times on the way up, though it would be returning to South Eastern Virginia, not Layarteb. The flight would be a long one, a very long one, but it would also be a very important one.

The B-9B was a sleek aircraft. It was on par with the B-2 in terms of stealth but it had a significant advantage in that it was equipped with better sensors and a better payload. Designed originally for export use only, for the nation of Witzgall, the B-9B was put into service with the ILAF in limited numbers, a mere 40 examples. They were tasked with a single mission, carrying the largest, free-fall, nuclear device in existence. This device, the B109 Mod 1 Thermonuclear Bomb was rated at 100 megatons and at least 98% of its energy came from fusion, making it one of the "cleanest" nukes.

The bomb weighed an impressive 75,000 pounds, was 24 feet long, 8.5 feet wide, and its wingspan topped 10.5 feet. Parachute retarded, the bomb was set to airburst at an altitude of 12,800 feet, to achieve maximum carnage. Tucked inside the B-9, it was safe, very safe. The design was something unique though, very unique. It did not use the standard Teller-Ulam design but rather a whole new design, revolutionary in that it enabled a large amount fusionable material to be kept and set off from a very small amount of fissionable material, hence keeping radiation fallout as low as possible. The bomb was certainly not "clean" but the amount of radioactive fallout that could be thrown by it was a number far scarier than the cost of developing a whole new system. In addition, the warhead was also boosted, heavily, which enabled it to reach the output of 100 megatons. Whether or not the test would be 100 was something to be seen but there was a good prediction that it would be, especially from those leading the project.

The B-9B took off and climbed to 40,000 feet and made its waypoints at 600 mph, keeping subsonic to avoid raising its radar signature. It was very stealthy and it would take a very powerful, phased array radar to detect it, and even at that it would have to be close for good detection. The B-9 was definitely a formidible foe and the government once thought about replacing its B-2 fleet with the B-9 but opted to simply upgrade the B-2A to the B-2B, for the time being.

The B-9B had an easy flight plan, so to speak. It would drop the weapon at an altitude of 65,000 feet and 400 miles per hour. As soon as the bomb was released and the parachute deployed, the pilots would throw the engines to full power and keep flying straight. They would have to clear the blast radius before it went off, something that wasn't going to be easy but without 75,000 pounds of mass in their bomb bay it would be easier than without.

The pilot, LTC. Dawson, was experienced with nuclear weapons drops. He had flown three test missions already, dropping dummy bombs. Hitting the target with unprecedented accuracy and clearing the blast radius with seconds to spare. He hoped to have more time than this now but he could only hope.

At 0824, he released the weapon and kicked in the massive afterburners of the four engines, pushing the aircraft towards a speed of 1,400 mph. His four engines output a total force of 140,000 pounds and as he and his crew were pinned to their seat, the bomb fell, quietly.

http://www.theforsakenoutlaw.com/Graphics/Nation-States/Role-Playing/A%20Moment%20for%20the%20Empire/nukefall.jpg

The bomb fell like something in suspended animation. Everything was so surreal and the convoy group got it all. Cameras and sensors on the island, that were sure to be vaporized got it as well, all the data being recorded on board the Sehnsucht, which was there under the guise of monitoring the effect of the bomb on the weather. The 100 megaton bomb was definitely going to do things never before recorded.

It exploded at 12,800 feet, as set. The resulting explosion leveled everything for 60 km, causing vast overpressure still at 100 km, causing third degree burns even at 170 km. The flash, visible well over 1,500 km away was definitely something that nearly broke the lens' of the cameras. As predicted, all sensors on the island ceased to exist within milliseconds as this massive, almost 6 km fireball, lasting in excess of 35 seconds touched the ground as predicted, sending a mushroom cloud as high as 89 km and as wide as 78 km. The detonation was massive on so many levels.

http://www.theforsakenoutlaw.com/Graphics/Nation-States/Role-Playing/A%20Moment%20for%20the%20Empire/fireball.jpg

http://www.theforsakenoutlaw.com/Graphics/Nation-States/Role-Playing/A%20Moment%20for%20the%20Empire/mushroomcloud-01.jpg

http://www.theforsakenoutlaw.com/Graphics/Nation-States/Role-Playing/A%20Moment%20for%20the%20Empire/mushroomcloud-02.jpg

http://www.theforsakenoutlaw.com/Graphics/Nation-States/Role-Playing/A%20Moment%20for%20the%20Empire/mushroomcloud-03.jpg

http://www.theforsakenoutlaw.com/Graphics/Nation-States/Role-Playing/A%20Moment%20for%20the%20Empire/mushroomcloud-04.jpg

http://www.theforsakenoutlaw.com/Graphics/Nation-States/Role-Playing/A%20Moment%20for%20the%20Empire/mushroomcloud-05.jpg

The Emperor would address the world shortly...

OOC: Somehow i saw that coming.

--edited--

Statement coming up after Lay admits that it was him.

OOC: Somehow i saw that coming.

IC:

Message from Russian Federation

We condemn this act and assure you, that we still maintain a nuclear force large enough to wipe you out, your bombs do not scare us.

-Russian Foreign Ministry

OOC: You should probably wait until I admit it's me before you make a statement.

In the space above the Earth, flying in a geosyncronous orbit over the equator, a Norwegian reconnisance satellite picked up the massive nuclear flash over Tristian de Cunha. The images were sent to the command bunker for the Norwegian Space Division somewhere deep underneath a mountain in mountainous Norway. The response there was surprise and confusion.

"Put all strategic forces on maximum alert!" the General in command of the Space Division ordered, not wanting to take any risks. The second in command, a Brigader stood up.

"I concur with the Generals order."

The agreement among the top two people in charge of the Norwegian secret nuclear arsenal was necessary for the next events to transpire. Safes were opened by high-ranking officers, supervised by armed security personell who had orders to shoot anyone not affilliated with the contents of the safe. The contents were taken out and broken out of their plastic capsules. The insides contained the Norwegian response plans, embedded in DVD-plates. The software was highly classified and had to perfectly match the contents on the machines they were inserted in. If even one tiny detail didn't match the one on the DVD, the latter would automatically self-destruct itself, wiping all data from it, leaving it useless.

The information was inserted and command codes entered. The Space Division was linked up with the black suitcases which always accompanied the Prime Minister and the King whereever they went. Both men needed to agree before nuclear weapons could be released. The Prime Minister because he was the political leader in Norway, and the King because he was the supreme commander of all Norwegian military forces, and the nuclear weapons belonged to the military. Hence, they needed his approval before any could be released.

The insertion of the DVD into the machine also meant another thing. After the verification process ended, an automatic transmission was sent to all Norwegian bomber wings, submarines and other strategic forces, ordering them to battlestations and to prepare for action. Submarines took up launch positions around the world, ready to release their deadly payloads if need be.

In the bunker and around both the King and the Prime Minister, who were in the Royal Palace attending the weekly meeting with the King and the Cabinet, people argued for and against the release of nuclear weapons. Several people believed that the Russians had finally done it and fired their nuclear arsenal, while some claimed the Tyrandians had done it. The fact that the Norwegians knew nothing about the origins meant nothing. They should fire their entire arsenal at Russia, Tyrandis and anyone else who had threatened the Kingdom in the past. The situation was heated, to put it mildly. However, for the moment at least, cooler heads prevailed. There would be no Norwegian nuclear release untill they had more information. The Norwegian nuclear weapons remained a secret... ...for the moment.

The Emperor took the podium and the cameras flashed as they took thousands of pictures. "Ladies and gentlemen of the Empire and of the world. Earlier today, the Empire detonated a nuclear device on Tristan da Cunha. The island group, leased from the Bjornoyan government is one of the most remote places on Earth and definitely the best possible place for this test. The test was equal to one hundred megatons, the largest device ever exploded. This device was of a new design, a very efficient and safe design. Its goal is to maximize energy and minimize fallout. Readings show that this device has put out no more fallout than a second generation fission device of 15 kilotons. The impact on the environment will be negligible.

"The world will have you believe that we tested this device as a measure of warmongering, to scare those in the world of our awesome power and might. They err. This test has been on the books for some time now and it was the only way possible to see if this device works. An underground test would not yield the same results and no suitable place exists except the one we have chosen. The Empire makes no plans to use this device offensively nor do we intend to test another one or any others in the near future.

"Thank you and have a good day."

One of Azimeth's "Azethlei" Class Submarines, A-226, creeped silently below the surface in the Pacific. Armed with anti-SONAR technologym which used fibers and soft materials to block any advanced SONAR equipment, was of high advantage to the crew. Although the Azethlei was close to 15 years old, it was confident to live on as a standard issue submarine until Azimeth's top secret Urasela submarine project was completed. Armed with "Armageddon" Class Nuclear Missiles, Yertert II Anti-Submarine missiles, Komech I Anti-Ship torpedoes and Azimuth I Class Anti-Ship missiles, the Azethlei was a formidable opponent and was capable of gathering surveillance information about enemy ships and amphibious movements with its Passive Advanced Scout Sensory Technology, [PASST]. It was immediately sent over to cross by South Africa and into the Central Atlantic. Hofstria had heard rumors of something brewing, and his young nation was etching to dig itself into international affairs.

The Divine Empire of Kreynoria remains as always opposed to nuclear weapons and shall never make use of such weaponry.

Three Visara Co. satellites each had clear views of the blast and recorded it as best they could. A blast that could be viewed from space, it was absolutely marvelous. Wilhelm knew many of his employees had been working in the region and would get a kick out of it. The employees of Amgen would be particularly pleased. The free spirited Californians hated working on the rock. Wilhelm sent each of them a free T-shirts. On them was a picture of the explosion as viewed from space and in bold black letters were the words, “My Laboratory Got Nuked by the Empire”

Wilhelm also addressed the displaced populace with sentimental tones and a brief explanation of what had happened to their homes. The populace would be re-settled with the help of Visara to a new city called Dawn being founded in Novaya Zemlya.

The Patriarch was quite impressed with what he saw and gave thought to performing a similar test in the future upon one of the countless isolated rocks claimed by Bjornoya.

Response from the Russian Federation

We condemn the actions of the Empire. A weapon like this should never be used for whatever reason, even if there is no major threat to environment which we still doubt. A 10 megatton nuclear weapon can destroy almost any major city on earth, if a 10 megatton weapon can do that why use a 100 megatton? We view this as a needless display of power, a move taken by the empire several times before. We are not afraid of this new weapon for in event of it ever being used against us our own nuclear arsennal will be sufficient to deal a retaliatory strike of sufficient magnitude to evaporate the attacker's homeland.

-Russian Federation Ministry of Foreign Affairs

OOC: Bjorn don't know if you can use this, but those living in Southern California used to be my citizens for a while, so you know, maybe you'll take that into account then you move them to Novaya Zemlya however you wanna play it.

Beijing

"Fascinating...."

"I concur, Comrade Premier. The Layartebians honestly believe that a few words from their beloved Emperor will set the world at ease."

Premier Zhao chuckled. "Very observant, but that wasn't what I found fascinating. They have a weapon of that power with negligible environmental effects. It is my opinion that we should possess something like that. Do you agree?"

Security Minister Jamil bin Hasan nodded. "Most certainly. Perhaps we should also investigate just what Bjornoya's price was; if their morals and military are for sale as the rest of their nation appears to be, we could use them in later circumstances."

OOC: Mari check TGs.

ooc: give me a call Mari

The Empire takes note of the worries of the Russian Federation but assures it that this weapon test has not been done in the way they have described.

The Empire

OOC: Bjorn don't know if you can use this, but those living in Southern California used to be my citizens for a while, so you know, maybe you'll take that into account then you move them to Novaya Zemlya however you wanna play it.

ooc: I'd be happy to put Russian citizens closer to their homeland if I knew they wouldn't be used as pawns when you invade Bjornoya. There were two main groups on Tristan: Bjornoyan citizens and S.Californian researchers from Amgen (prbly combination of Russian and Bjornoyans living in Channel Islands if you owned them before. I know BLARGistania owned them as well), both of which needed to be relocated. Most of the researchers will be sent back to California

Official Hawdawg Response

WOW!

OOC: LOL @ Hawdawg.

The Empire wishes to note that due to the sheer destruction power of this weapon it will be listed as a WMD in our books. Tests will be conducted in our labs to confirm that the bombs have low radioactive fallout.
Minister Alkim Huhanin

There is no doubt that this nuclear device is a weapon of mass destruction. We do not deny such a classification and have it classified as such under our own system. The advanced design, however, allows for some 98% of its explosive potential to come from fusionable material rather than fissionable, correlating to lower fallout. Despite this, the weapon has roughly 2 megatons coming from fissionable material though this material is highly and specially refined so that it gives out as little fallout as possible.

The Empire

The situation was reduced in intensity by several notches when the Layartebian press release came. It wasn’t an attack on the Kingdom or its allies, but rather a nuclear test by one of the Kingdoms closest allies. The intelligence satellites gathered as much information as possible, and a flyby was planned for the next morning, using a RA-5E Vigilante from the 25th Enterprise CVBG, currently stationed off the Falklands. In the meanwhile, the Prime Minister would go public.

*********************

Official statement

We congratulate the Empire on their newest addition to their arsenal, and pray it will never become necessary to use the weapon.

- signed -
Thomas Rothsky
Prime Minister
The Kingdom of Norway

Official Announcement from the Ministry of Defense

In light of the successful test, the Empire will be procuring some 100 examples of the B109 Mod 1 bomb. There are currently no plans for fitting these warheads to ICBMs and these will remain strictly a bomber-laiden weapon. The Empire does not rule out possible future changes. These weapons will be integrated into the nuclear policy of the Empire, which is entirely responsive. In the event of a nuclear attack against the Empire from nation we will not hesitate to retaliate with these weapons against military targets and population centers.

The Minister of Defense