Tropical Depression Forms in Indian Ocean
CHITTAGONG, Bengal (RFP)- A tropical depression has formed in the northern Indian Ocean just off the coast of Burma, raising fears that a cyclone as worse or worse than the 1991 Cyclone that nearly destroyed the City of Chittagong, Bengal's second largest city, is in the making.
At this point, Bengali cyclone officials have not yet stated what they believe the severity of the storm is. They are urging the population not to panic but advised them to seek higher ground or a cyclone shelter, whichever is easier. Put into work was the country's new relay system, constructed after the tsunami of 2004, which, country officials hope, would give the outlying towns the ability to anticipate and prepare for the new system.
"We are not yet sure how severe the cyclone will be," said Abdul Nondi, Bengal's chief cyclone observer said, "but we cannot take this lightly. Tropical depressions usually don't form at this time of year and thus we must be worried."
With files from The Roman Free Press Wire Service
Cox's Bazar, Bengal
Aphram Meier hated working the fields. His father was a farmer but he was in his last year of high school and thus wanted to make something of his life. He saw the big city of Chittagong- an hour’s drive to the west- as his gateway to his dreams and ambitions. At the moment he did not have the means to pursue them, so he was forced to work at his father’s farm until he earned enough money to travel on his own and he would have had enough to do so if he hadn’t squandered his money during day trips to Chittagong in the weeks before. Still, Meier was determined, even if his dreams provided him with a daunting challenge.
However, as he hit the field, something didn’t feel right. The sky was blue but for some reason he noticed the cows were all sitting in the field. Usually they don’t sit unless it’s raining, but there’s not a cloud in the sky. He chalked it up to the cows going senile- most were old- and carried on with his work.
That was when Cyclone Mala made its mark. Due to become Bengal’s worst cyclone in its history, the sky grew darker and darker with each passing hour and with alarming speed. Rain began to fall shortly after the clouds rolled in and intensified in minutes. Meier saw that as a sign that a storm was coming and headed right for the car. He tried to convince his father to come but he would have none of it, so he left for Chittagong and its cyclone shelters to hopefully outrun the storm. Instead, he got caught in a mudslide and his car was stopped in its tracks. It would eventually get swept into the ditch where the car would get plastered in mud. Meier then became scared- for the first time in his life he contemplated death. He never knew what it was that he wanted out of his life but he was determined to live just so he could make something out of it. “I’m too young to die, I’m too young to die.” He prayed; and got resourceful. It was his only hope.
Slope Point, New Zealand
"Remind me again why we're here," asked Gregalis G. Claudius Timarus.
"We're 'exploring'," said Primus Pilus F. Aemilius Rellus, the New Zealand Expedition leader. "The Romanians want to see the potential colonial opportunites here in New Zealand and that's what we're doing."
"...but shouldn't we go from the north? Seems odd to explore from the south."
"My friend, New Zealand is most populous from the north. It makes a lot more sense to go southward and then go north. Besides, if we encounter resistance we can easily encircle them."
"Ah. Now it makes sense."
"See? Valerius isn't mad after all."
Rellus took with him some 50,000 soldiers on his journey, which was officially one of exploration but, unofficially, was one of conquest. New Zealand was seen by the Romanian government as the cornerstone to its Pacific interests in that it was the Pacific's most populous country, plus its resources and economic prowess would relieve the pressure off the Pacific Federation's current engine in Rapul and New Britain Island. There were rumblings that Bengali control over the region was crumbling and thus there was room for the Romanians to fill in the power vacuum, but Rellus needed to check how easy the colonization process would be here. It would obviously not be worth adding to Romania if New Zealand would ultimately be too difficult to control.
Around nightfall, Rellus and his company came by a peculiar sign that read "Kingdom of the Ponaturi- DO NOT CROSS". Rellus was somewhat familiar with Maori mythology and knew about the mythological nocturnal creatures, but he was surprised to see the sign written in English. This can't be the Ponaturi, he thought to himself, they speak Maori, not English. Thus, he didn't put much stock in the sign and crossed its boundaries and ordered his men to set up camp in the area. "Tomorrow we will continue on to Invercagill, which is 70 km to the west of here. So sleep tight." It was the last anyone heard of the company.