NationStates Jolt Archive

The warm winds of the north desert swept through the winding ridges, slinking between bleached rocks, plummeting from high ridges into the rocky valleys below. The sun beat down on the earth with the fury of a thousand martyrs, boiling the small ponds formed in the cool night into nothingness. Tough crag weeds swayed in the passing wind, deep roots sliding deep into the rock, striving for an once of life giving liquid. Great birds of prey sailed through the air, lazily floating from thermal to thermal. There dark shadows sent the small things scattering about below.

Amongst the breaking rocks and blinding sun a small river wound through the central valley, its shores tentatively batting at the boiling rocks about it. Springing from this timid bit of liquid sprung acres of manicured lawn and brilliant glass buildings casting great glares across the ridges. This was Chrinos Regalos University, a small university funded independently by the military to train future weapons researchers and designers. Small and secluded it was largely hidden from the public eye, the common man rarely adored the birth of machines of death.

Beyond training future researchers it also dabbled in low grade research projects which it privately funded, mostly programs dropped by the government for various reasons. Those that attended the university were ardent nationalists, eating every slogan and basking the glory of the desert nation.

Shahpur Jamsheed sat at the base of a tree that shielded him from the furious sun. The northern wind sent ripples though the grass about him, the glossy green glowing in the light. He slowly looked over a set of equations calculating the catalysts used to create chemicals used in the most despicable of warfare. His eyes slowly slid over the mundane details, chemical equations flowed before his eyes, the script of death danced within his electrified mind.

He glanced up for a moment and observed his fellow students wandering from building to building, evading the sun at every possible moment. His eyes moved methodically over those about him, they were cold, but in that coldness their was a love, or more aptly an understanding of the cruel world and the acceptance of that fact.

He sighed slightly and looked the grass at his side. A small beetle slowly strode through the thick blades, each step slow and cautious, struggling with each blade. Slowly, however, a large black spider closed in, tiny hairs bristling with each vibration. It scampered from blade to blade, dancing about the beetle with sickening speed and efficiency. Still the beetle strode along, seemingly oblivious to the closing finality. Just as the spider wound up for the pounce Shahpur moved his hand in its path, saving the beetle. The spider scrambled up his hand laying furious bites across his fingers as it went. Enlightened to the danger the beetles thin wings sprung from its carapace and it took to sky, safe for the day. With its prey gone the spider returned the grass.

“Sorry friend.”

With that Shahpur stood slowly and leaned against the tree. He heard a faint crack to his right. A terrible rumbled followed the crack, practically tripping over its preceding sound. A great and terrible light emerged to the boys right.

Shahpur along with dozens of others were dead.

OOC: Tag...I am interested. Is this modern tech?

OOC: I second Nari.

OOC: I third myself.

Ooc: This is MT, thanks for the interest.

IC:
Saul Nadav gazed out at the broken earth passing below, each ridge falling in and out of focus, the constant whir of the helicopter muted before his internal thoughts.

God Damnit, how could this happen, how could we let this happen to our best and brightest. To be truthful, however, neither he nor anyone else knew specifically what had happened. Just an hour before he had received news that there had been an explosion at the Chrinos Regalos University, origins and cause unknown, and orders to dispatch immediately. Nadav was a Pristos First Class in the secret police. The secret police, ha, most were brutes and murderers, not cut out for work in the Clergy.

After a moment, however, he slowed his wandering mind and turned to the task at hand. If he ever wanted to get out of the second class government he had to prove he was brilliant, cunning, and brutal when necessary. He slowly moved through the details.

Unknown explosions…
Possibilities: terrorism... chances: low… accident…chances: probable… betrayal…chances: possible
Course of action: Securing position…primary… Analyze origin… primary Acquire all pertinent and clandestine information… primary Assist rescue attempts… Secondary, primary objective of rescue workers… null association with CSP.
Threats:…

He continued with this as the world passed below. However, he was unable to finish. A low voice crackled over the headset, “Shit…” He looked up slowly and saw the black lines piercing the sky, each individual strand of black climbing to the blue heaven above, black paths to eternity bearing so many souls. Nadav’s gaze fell to the thin winding road below, now congested with news vehicles which congregated at the military blockade like some diseased artery of the world. It became immediately apparent, however, that the vans were obstructing the firefighters and rescue workers who were now arriving to aid those already at work.

Jesus, sometimes I wish we had never allowed non state news services. Fucking leeches sucking at the side of tragedy. In a sudden spurt of conscience he pulled the headsets microphone close to his mouth and murmured to the pilot, “Take use down by those news vans, we have to clear them out.”

Without a word the helicopter jolted and began to fall towards the crowded road below.

OOC: A little shorter than I wanted, but I have to be somewhere.

OOC: Anyway I could contribute?

OOC: Anyway I could contribute?

OOC: You can contribute in any way you see fit, if it ends up being too extreme or whatever, I will tell you. Feel free to do anything really, whether merely send a letter of condolense to The Infinite Crucible, or dispatch a team, hell even a spy to try and pick up a few weapons secrets. More options may or may not become available as the RP progresses depending. I know its not the easiest thing to get involved with, sorry.

Bill Hugher stared down the photos as if hoping they would up and give him additional insight into what they showed. He was staring at the latest satelite images of what was apparently a previousely hidden depot. At that moment his officemate and friend of many years walked in. He looked up and said "Hey, Kev. Take a look at these, would you?"

Taking the images, Kevin Korchenko sat heavily in his chair. "Jesus, this isn't one of ours, is it?"

"No. Now look here." He reached over and pulled a felt marker out of a bullet hole in the wall--a reminder of the recent civil war--and circled dertain places on the photos. "It looks like the main blast was here. We can't really be sure, but there may have been secondary explosions at these spots."

"What was here, an armory?"

"No, my opinion is a hidden depot. Here's an image of the place before it blew up."

"It looks civi to me."

"It was a college, or something like it. It was entirely under the military's budget, which is why I'm thinking depot."

"College students often get radical ideas..."

"Yeah, add in the collegian trait of causing trouble plus military equipment on-site and it was a recipe for disaster."

"Yeah, but the theory doesn't match the evidence. There should be more standing, unless they built their school out of C4 and TNT."

"There were odd readings and a flash of light from ground zero. similar to a nuke except we didn't see any of the other trademarks: EMP, radiation, mushroom cloud..."

"That could be worrisome, they had an experimental weapon here?"

"Which is why I need to put together a brief for the powers-that-be. I need authorization to send anyone in-country."

"Huh, what about the Dotseiyev team?"

"Naw, their on another op in Agrandov right now."

Kevin winced, "That's not a fun place to be right now."

"I wanted to send my favorite guy, Af-"

"NO!" Kevin interrupted, "Absolutely not. The man doesn't understand the meaning of 'collateral'."

"He doesn't blow up everything."

"He thinks he's James Bond, for Chrissakes!"

"Then who do you think we shoulod send?"

"I was thinking Nuwolf and maybe a few others chosen by him."

"Okay, now the question is, do we try to get cooperation from their government? Couch it as a goodwill gesture? Or will they want to keep it strictly internal?"

"I don't know. I gues we'll have to take it upstairs." The two men gathered up their materials and went up the chain."

Some fourteen hours later it was decided to go it alone on a covert operation and attempt an independant investigation.


OOC: How's that for getting involved?

OOC: You can contribute in any way you see fit, if it ends up being too extreme or whatever, I will tell you. Feel free to do anything really, whether merely send a letter of condolense to The Infinite Crucible, or dispatch a team, hell even a spy to try and pick up a few weapons secrets. More options may or may not become available as the RP progresses depending. I know its not the easiest thing to get involved with, sorry.

OOC: Okay. I will sent a message to your nation and maybe a diplomat to meet with the leadership in order to discuss what we could do. It might end that I don't really help your nation, but at least I feel involved. Maybe when the diplomat is meeting you could have a smiliar attack that kills him. What do you think? Plus, I may send sypies to research the weapon in question.

"President Amras. Have you finished the reports on world events. Are we planning on responding to any of the situations throughout the international community?"

"At the moment I am intrigued by this emerging story from The Infinite Crucible. A weapon like that would be helpful to fend off our enemies. Especially Kamasha. I will personally write a letter, and begin an operation. Thankful Jonathan."

"You are quite welcome sir."

-----

"The People's Republic of Great Nari would like to express sorrow for the deaths that occured in The Infinite Crucible. I would like to send a diplomatic envoy to your nation in order to discuss what we could do to help you. We offer aid to the families, and anything else you may need."

- President Amras Wallace

The small van clung to the edge of the winding road, bits of broken tar scattering off of the side of the dilapidated structure. The tires screeched as Shafiq Nasir was rocked to the side of the van, his head smashing into the tin wall.

“Fusckin wath ith!” spat Nasir. He was a nomad, or at least he had been one until a group of marauders had slaughtered his tribe, with weapons he believed to be subsidized by the CDF, Crucible Defense Force. The CDF and nomad tribes had a long history littered with clashes of culture and tradition. In recent years things had quieted down, but the amount of armed marauders within the vast oblivion of the interior had vastly increased. Whether the CDF or government in general had given these weapons to the marauders could not be proven, however, it was a commonly accepted belief amongst nomads.

With the death of all those he loved, he was forced to move into a city, oppressed and subject to rampant discrimination he worked the equivalent of slave labor, subject to the whims of a hundred loan sharks. Despite his rather normal appearances his thick accent gave his… unsavory roots away to man a bigot. With a black anger in his chest, and crimson fury in his mind he had long wished a way to take revenge on all those that had wronged him.

Just such an opportunity had presented itself only an hour earlier. He had heard the news of the explosion over a public broadcast television, immediately he felt an opening. He wasn’t sure what he would do, but he knew he had to get in, he had exploit this tragedy, he had to kill.

Cresting a final ridge the off white van stopped abruptly, nearly colliding with a news van retreating from the scene unfolding down the road. For a moment he was puzzled and took out his binoculars. Surveying the blockade ahead he noticed a man in the traditional garb of the secret police directing the news reporters away from the entrance in order to allow the passage of more rescue vehicles.

He broke a hideous smile, “Ith wilth doess no guth futh youth.” With that he parked the van at the side of the road and continued on foot. He immediately noticed that dozens of military helicopters were patrolling the skies and CDF troopers prowled the surrounding hills in the hundreds. This, was not going to be easy.

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Foreign Minister Oren looked over the message he had received from the Great Nari. He quickly proposed a reply.

Target: The Great Nari
Sender: Evron Oren, Foreign Minister, The Infinite Crucible

We thank you for the show of support. Although we are not in need of economic aid, we would like to meet with your delegate. If this does turn out to be the work of terrorists, it helps to have as many allies as you can.

--End Message--

Foreign Minister Oren looked over the message he had received from the Great Nari. He quickly proposed a reply.

Target: The Great Nari
Sender: Evron Oren, Foreign Minister, The Infinite Crucible

We thank you for the show of support. Although we are not in need of economic aid, we would like to meet with your delegate. If this does turn out to be the work of terrorists, it helps to have as many allies as you can.

--End Message--

"A delegation lead by my Head Ambassador, Mr. Micah Colp, will leave my nation today, and will arrive in your nation tomorrow. Thank you."

- President Amras Wallace