NationStates Jolt Archive

Kuwait City, Former Sultanate of Al Bahrayn

“ The entire nation is falling apart!” Colonel Shakti’s voice neared a shout, angering his superior officer. Lt. General Bassam raised his hand to strike the defiant colonel but, noticing Shakti’s right hand was resting on his pistol, decided against it. The room fell eerily silent for a few moments as the two men stared each other down. Finally Bassam broke the silence.

“Further killing is not the answer. God will protect his faithful servants. Just because we have fallen on difficult times doesn’t mean you should abandon the Qur’an.” Bassam’s sudden change from politics to religion caught Shakti off guard for a moment but he quickly recovered.

“There comes a time when men must fend for themselves! The Sultanate needs protection! The people needs our help!” The silence came again. The General was tired of arguing with an inferior officer. Without warning, he turned to leave the room. As his fingers grazed the doorknob, he felt a sharp pain in his chest. For a moment he was confused. His thoughts faded as he collapsed to the floor and let out a pitiful moan. Colonel Shakti placed his pistol back in its holster and gave a post-humous salute. “Sorry general, but the weak cannot survive in this world.”

The unit had heard the gunshot but did nothing as their new leader walked out of Bassam’s office. They knew the feud between those two would gradually come down to this and most of them believed Colonel, or rather, Lt. General Shakti would be a better leader anyway. One thing was for sure – this man wouldn’t have them sit around the base while the nation devolved into anarchy.

“At attention, men!” The company quickly lined up. “Due to the ‘unexpected’ demise of Lieutenant General Bassam, I will be assuming the position of Commander of the Kuwaiti First Corps. Is there anyone that challenges this action?” Shakti waited a few moments, scanning the rows of soldiers. Satisfied that his men were obedient, he continued. “Inform the rest of the corps. I want guns loaded, vehicles prepped, tanks ready, and every single man under my command at the front gate in one hour. Do I make myself clear?” After a loud ‘yes, sir’ the lines broke up as each man went to perform his own duties. Soon Shakti was standing alone, staring at the building in front of him where he had just murdered his superior officer. For a second guilt crept into his mind. It was quickly replaced with pride as he imagined the Sultanate united once again under his leadership.

Madinat ash-Shamal, Qatar

Admiral Qusay watched the screen helplessly as the foreign fleet strolled past Qatar to invade what had once been part of the Sultanate. He wasn’t sure on how he should feel about such an event. Sure, the Kreynorians were destroying the Syndicate and perhaps paving the way for the re-uniting of Al Bahrayn. But on the other hand, the navy wasn’t in any condition to eject the foreign forces should they decide to carve up Eastern Arabia and what remained of the army was already overwhelmed just trying to keep law and order in Qatar.

Doha, Qatar

“Sir, put down the gun or…” The soldier was cut short as a bullet tore through his abdomen. The rioter raised the pistol to fire again but a second soldier took out the assailant with a brief shower from his M-16. No sooner had the second soldier lowered his barrel, a Molotov cocktail exploded on the street just feet from him. Fire scorched the right side of his face and his right arm, causing him to drop his gun. Taking advantage of this, an insurgent charged at the injured soldier and stabbed him. The rioter grabbed the dying soldier’s M-16 and ran off to kill more.

This was the new image of Doha as the city fell into pandemonium. With the collapse of the government, thousands of rioters had taken to the streets to kill, rape, and plunder as they pleased. Over 50,000 soldiers, police officers, and volunteers had allied to try and stop the riots but to no avail. The peacekeepers were falling like flies and at this rate, every store, home, and warehouse would be empty and in flames by nightfall. The only safe havens were mosques, but they were quickly overflowing. Very few rioters would actually attack the holy buildings, but numerous guards still lined the outsides of the mosques. From places of worship to fortresses, many wondered just what Allah thought of what was unfolding.

OOC: Just a little intro to start off. I’ll post some action and stats in a bit.

Governors Office, Ras Tanura
"The operation against the terrorists in the UAE goes well, better than we had hoped based on previous wargames against sultunate forces"
"That was to be expected, being as they are disorganised rebels, not a well trained and professional army"
"Well yes, Govenor, but we have prepared an alternate use for the reserves originally earmarked for the operation, being as it now seems unlikely we will need them, we want to send the 194th and 195th Para-armoured Brigades and the 129th Amphibious Infantry Brigade to Qatar"
"On what mission?"
"Mr Governor, it seems that the ex Sultunate forces there are having trouble maintaining order, although an invasion would be unwise from the political point of view, perhaps if we were to assist them in maintaining order we could come to a political arrangement with whatever they have for a government these days that would gain us use of bases on there territory, as well as a trade agreement. We would gain a new base in the Western Portion of the Persian Gulf and also an important trading partner that will give us more secure oil supplies, supplementing idegenous production"
"Very well, how soon can they be arriving in Qatar?"
"The Airbourne units, within 8 hours, the amphibious brigade should be there within two days"
"Send an appropriate message to the commander on the ground in Qatar"
"Yes Sir"
OOC: Assume a message was sent offering assistance

Kuwait City

The chain link fence crumbled under the charge of the Abrams tanks. Task Force B followed on foot, using the tanks as both protection and obstacle removers. Two insurgents on the airport’s roof let loose a hail of bullets upon the infantry, wounding two soldiers and ruining one tank’s new paint job. The task force took cover and then answered with a hail of their own, killing one insurgent and forcing the other to take cover. The fray was broken up as a Panavia Tornado began its race down the runway. Lt. General Shakti’s voice growled over the radio: “Take it out! Don’t let it leave the runway!” Two of the eight tanks fired at the aircraft with one of the shells exploding on the runway a few feet behind the fighter-bomber. The other, however, found its mark on the rear of the jet. A ball of fire erupted from the aircraft, engulfing the pilot and munitions. A second explosion went off as the flames reached the gas tank, flipping the inferno onto its side. Moments later more gunfire erupted and the rooftop rebel fell to his death with a bullet in his side.

“Enemy Apache coming at 6 o’clock. He just took out one of our tanks and is coming to pay you a visit. Over,” Came the voice of the Task Force A leader over the radio. Sure enough, a helicopter could be seen in the distance missing one of its Hellfire missiles. Rafiq, Task Force B’s Grenadier, quickly furnished his MANPADS* and knelt beside a tank. He waited until the AH-64 had cleared the airport terminal before letting loose a Starstreak missile. Traveling at 2,800 miles per hour, the darts hit the helicopter before the pilot could take any evasive actions. Rafiq had little time to celebrate as his brothers-in-arms opened fire on a distant target. Spinning around, he barely had time to count the four militants before a bullet sunk into his right eyebrow.

Lt. General Shakti watched the airport battle unfolding from a few rooftops away. Three of his men fell to the ground before the militants could be exterminated. He noticed one of the downed trio was still moving, despite a small puddle of blood forming around him. The casualty attempted to crawl to his feet but collapsed once again. This time he didn’t move. The task force moved on, following their armored leaders. If they could secure the International Airport, the Islamic forces wouldn’t be able to launch conventional take-off aircraft, which would deal a severe blow to their air capabilities.

Doha

Rioters stormed the harbor as the cruiser drew near. On the bow stood Admiral Qusay cloaked in red rays of the setting sun. He watched as the rioters fired their weapons at him and waved their crude weapons threateningly. Anger, hatred, fear… The emotions that were driving this crowd seemed almost inhuman. How could this many monsters be hiding within his home country? It made him think back to a happier, more lawful time not to long ago. Had he met some of these people on the street before? Shook their hands? Exchanged a friendly smile? He knelt and asked Allah if he should spare these people’s lives. Silence. The admiral stood, satisfied with his answer. Walking inside, he gave the order. From the docks, the rioters could see what looked like an explosion onboard. From the flare flew a long, skinny object that seemed to be aiming at something above them. As it neared them, they realized that it was a large missile. Just when it seemed like it would overshoot them, it’s nose dropped until it was pointing directly at the center of the crowd. A few of the rebels managed to leap into the water but to no avail. The tomahawk unleashed 800 pounds of cluster munitions, each bomblet capable of piercing 2 inches of solid steel. Not a single insurgent on that wharf was left alive. From aboard the ABNS** Fahd, Admiral Qusay made a brief announcement to the following ships: “Landing point A cleared. That should keep those bastards busy while we unload the Marines.”

“Affirmative, Admiral. Sir, some of those sorry infantry boys downtown have been receiving transmissions from Spizania. They’re offering us assistance in controlling Qatar.”

“And they call us? I want a ‘yes, please’ delivered to their doorstep with a bottle of champagne and some of that paper that smells like flowers.” The silence following worried the admiral. “That was an exaggeration, Al Mu’id.”

* Man-Portable Air Defense System
** I just made that prefix up (Al-Bahrayn Naval Ship). I have no idea what Elephantum’s actual prefix was.

Admiral Qusay’s voice roared on every radio, loudspeaker, and television. The marines had done well in setting this up and his voice could be heard on every street in the city. “Attention all peacekeeping forces in Doha. I thank you for your service and bravery. However, I must ask that you withdraw to the outskirts of the city where eight temporary barracks have been established. You have one hour to reach the location before the briefings begin.”

On the edge of the suburbs sat Camp E, one of Qusay’s barracks. It wasn’t that impressive – a few hastily assembled tents with two designated eating tents and the other couple for praying and resting. In a fifty-foot radius around the tents sat numerous fortifications in which sixteen marines were responsible for defending. The first peacekeepers arrived within minutes; most of them armed civilians and city policemen. But by the one-hour deadline, the camp was overflowing with exhausted and wounded soldiers. The ammunition supplies quickly disappeared and soon the marines only had knives and blunt objects to hand out. Extra time was allowed so the men could rest and finish their meals before a large television was brought out to the center of the camp. Plugged into a generator the marines had plundered from a nearby household, it was quickly surrounded by the self-proclaimed peacekeepers. Qusay’s image appeared on the screen after a few minutes of waiting.

“Greetings, men, and welcome to the New Emirate Army. As you have surely realized by now, your previous tactics weren’t working so well. In fact, I believe more peacekeepers were dying than actually insurgents. Well that changes now. In fifteen minutes, we will begin a coordinated sweep into the city from our eight strategic locations. The rebels will be surrounded and forced to fight on the defensive. In addition, my ships are stationed just off shore. They will be launching periodic missile strikes to eliminate large groups of insurgents and any locations you are unable to take. If you follow my orders, we can crush the anarchists, save lives, and restore peace to the city! Out.” The screen once again returned to fuzz. The men began to assemble. They were ready to end this nightmare as soon as possible. The marines watched silently as the soldiers formed their own squads and appointed their corporals. Within twenty minutes, the camp was as empty as it had been two hours earlier; save for a few corpses that had succumbed to their wounds during their stay.

Aboard the ABNS Fahd, the leader of this operation sat at his desk in silence. What would happen to Qatar after order had been restored? For all he knew, the rest of the Sultanate was under Syndicate control and his rag-tag army and undermanned navy was no match for them. Should he appoint himself emir? Or leave the politics to the people and create a republic? He took a drink of Sonti. He didn’t usually drink. In fact, the prophet prohibited drinking. But the prophet also prohibited killing…

Kuwait City

Dawn broke on second day of the liberation. Four Mi-24’s soared over the city carrying Task Force D towards a giant blaze near the center of the city. That inferno had once been the central government of the area and doubled as a popular tourist site but neither politician nor tourist would want to be anywhere near it now. Yet it was that location in which the helicopters charged towards. Before they were even close enough to taste the smoke, they could see explosions and gunfire surrounded the building’s base. Task Force C had run into some Islamists on the way to Amiri Hospital and after an hour of fighting, Shakti was tired of waiting on them. In fact, he was furious that an armed, trained platoon of the former Sultanate Military couldn’t holds it’s own against a few rebels, especially when Task Force A and B were taking on former military personnel equipped with tanks and air support. However, Task Force D quickly realized why Force C had been delayed so long. The building in which they had taken refuge in, just a block from the blaze, was surrounded on all sides by insurgents and three T-90 tanks. As the helicopters neared, they also spotted a BTR-70 Armored Personnel Carrier rolling down the street with machine guns blaring. Two helicopters swerved off to deal with the APC before it could unload its passengers. The other two began to slowly descend as they neared the battleground.

On the ground, the fighting was growing more intense by the second. Lt. Harun let loose two short sprays from his AK-74, bringing down yet another insurgent. However, he was quickly losing faith. It seemed like for every enemy they killed, two more would come. What had started as a skirmish with four Islamists was now a fight for survival against literally dozens of former soldiers, complete with stolen armored vehicles. Without warning, one of the enemy tanks fired a HEAT round into the southeast corner of the border. For a few moments, all the lieutenant could see was dust and smoke. When it cleared, he could see the bloody body of Corporal Amin lying in the street. The corporal, after recovering from the blow, laid completely still. Realizing Amin’s situation, Harun ducked behind a concrete wall and quietly began giving orders:

“Amin, I’m going to throw a frag. As soon as it explodes, I want you to get back in the building as quickly as possible. Understood?” The corporal tapped his left hand on the ground once for ‘yes’. Lt. Harun poked his head out to check the location of his targets. The tank responsible for the situation sat in the middle of the four-way with two insurgents behind it. Another insurgent stood in a window across the street, examining Amin through his scope. As soon as Harun saw this, he lobbed the grenade towards the tank. As expected the explosion didn’t do much damage but distracted the Islamists just long enough for the corporal to jump to his feet and dive to safety within the building. Less than a second after he hit the ground, a bullet slammed into the wall next to him. Corporal Amin nodded in thanks to his commander and received the same from his superior. It was then that they heard the scream of a dying tank.

The pilot looked down at the T-90 they had just exterminated. Thick, black smoke poured from where the missile had hit and the two insurgents near the tank were darting to find safety. Almost as if planned, a second explosion down the street confirmed that the Personnel Carrier had suffered the same fate. A third explosion from the same location confirmed that no one was leaving that vehicle alive. Meanwhile, one of the helicopters hovered over the building in which Task Force C was trapped in and let down it’s rope. 8 troops fast-roped down to the rooftop to clear out any possible threats to the helicopters. After a few minutes of waiting, the helicopter descended onto the roof. The five remaining members of Task Force C scrambled into the helicopter and it took off towards base. The tank-killer landed next so Task Force D could climb aboard. Multiple explosions sounded as the other two helicopters attempted to destroy the remaining tanks. However, some the insurgents had seemed to pull RPG launchers out of thin air and were attempted to remove the aerial threat. One found it’s mark and the wounded bird began to fall from the sky. The Mi-24 carrying Task Force D had barely left the rooftop when it’s sister slammed into the building nose-first. The two airborne helicopters left the scene without a second thought, knowing that even if the crew managed to survive, the Islamists would get to them before Task Force D could. The three Flying Tanks soared back to base to prepare for what Lt. General Shakti had called “The Final Offensive”.

While the Cottish were preoccupied with the war going on in the UAE, they tried to keep an eye on the events transpiring in Kuwait and Qatar. The events taking place there and the people taking over seemed far friendlier than the Islamists in the UAE, and as such, the Cots were by default friendier towards them. A message was sent to the former Elephanti military officers there who appeared to be in command, but the message was not specified to anyone in particular.

TO: Whoever it may concern
FROM: The Realm of Cotland
SUBJECT: Assistance

The Realm has noticed your struggle against the Islamist enemy, and wishes to offer its assistance to help you win this war. We will, if you permit us, send in a team of advisors to help you combat the enemy effectively. We shall also assist you in terms of arms and munitions. We await your reply.

Umm'Said, Qatar
The shear number of transport planes and fighters turned the sky over the city dark as night, covering the blue sky with a cacophony of multiple formations of aircraft at different altitudes. Then the drop began, thousands of chutes opening over the desert that surrounded the inland side of the city, this was the largest paratrooper landing in Confederate History, eleven companies were being dropped into the area to secure a perimetre in preperation for phase two. The formed up as they landed, worried by the usual number of misdrops. The Phase one forces only suffered three casualties in the first five minutes, there chutes had failed to open properly, one was killed when he hit the ground, the other two were lucky and had managed to get there reserve parachutes open and had meerly broken both legs on landing at higher than the safe speed.
Then came phase two, cargo aircraft dropped there cargo doors and flew at quite low speed, each of the monstrous six engine planes dropping three drop cages, each carrying a Nakil 1A1SZ Main Battle Tank, they decended using a combination of the three massive parachutes attached to each pod and there decent rockets for the final fifty feet above the ground. When they hit the ground the front of each pod dropped into a ramp, allowing the already manned MBTs to roll straight onto the ground in battle ready condition. Next came engineering vehicles, IFVs and Self Propelled Artillery.
The newly deployed force started setting up a perimetre while the engineering vehicles started clearing a rough runway, soon aircraft with rough field capability would be able to land rather than dropping equipment from the sky.
The whole landing took less than two hours, most likely too fast for whatever hostile forces were in the area to react. Meanwhile a message explaining there actions had been sent to the Elephanti Commander on the ground

Doha

Military forces swept inwards like a raging sandstorm. With organization and rested bodies, the peacekeepers were like all new soldiers. Buildings were swept, streets cleared, blocks secured. The thunder of tomahawks smashing into rioter crowds deafened onlookers and invoked fear in other rioters. The crowds of thousands were quickly reduced to just a couple hundred and continued dissolving further.

Onboard the Fahd, Admiral Qusay listened to ground reports in amazement. Doha would be theirs by dusk. Messages from Cotland promising arms and ammunition only further amused him. As he prepared for afternoon prayer, suddenly a shout sounded from the hallway. One of his cadets stormed into his office and requested the admiral’s presence on the deck. Qusay followed him in confusion, promising himself to pray as soon as he returned to his office. But on deck, he forgot his promise. The sheer sight of the massive air armada on the horizon stunned him. The cadet returned to his side.

“The Sarzonians, sir. Remember they offered us assistance two days ago?”

Admiral Qusay could barely make him mouth speak the words: “Praise Allah they’re on our side…”

The MC-60/A Combat Shadow III streaked through the calm of night, far above the contested area. In the cargo hold, twelve operators from 2. Battalion, 5. Special Operations Group from Hærens Jegerkommando sat, preparing for the upcoming mission. The space was cramped, with the cargo hold being filled to the ghills with weapons, ammunition and more weapons. Most of the weapons were old L42A2 carbines, which up to recently had been the standard issue weapon for the Cottish Army and Marine Corps. They fired the venerable 6.8x43mm Remington SPC round from a 30-round magazine, and were easy to learn to operate. The aircraft carried fifteen crates filled with twenty rifles each, as well as thirty crates of 6.8x43mm ammunition. Additionally, there were five crates of L72A1 Improved Light Anti-Tank Weapons (ILAWs), single-shot disposable 66mm anti-tank rockets for infantry.

The Combat Shadow landed in Doha, where the operators disembarked and met with the former Elephanti soldiers. While they met with the soldiers, the crew of the Combat Shadow pushed out the crates which were mounted in pallets for the soldiers to get them. More weapons and muitions would arrive later.

[OOC: You want to take the operators to a suiteable training area for your soldiers, or shall we do it in the airport?]

By the time the city was pronounced theirs, the peacekeepers were exhausted. Two days of fighting had sucked every ounce of energy from their bodies and left them bruised and sore. Admiral Qusay, realizing the situation, announced that today would be a day of rest. The Marines resumed their posts around the outskirts of the city to make sure refugees fleeing to the city did not possess weapons or any sort of explosives. A few volunteers took up the task of arranging and delivering the Cottish weapons to those still willing to fight tomorrow. Soldiers went home to see who in their family had survived the chaos, whether their homes were still in one piece, and, last but not least, pray. With the capture of Doha, the entire operation seemed to wind down.

Umm’Said

The sheer display of force alone had been enough to win the battle. Rioters of the city were terrified. The streets cleared, leaving only the most foolish to oppose the foreign forces. Many of the city’s residents, not realizing what exactly was going on and thinking that Qatar was under invasion, fled Umm’Said in fear. Within twelve hours of the landing, the city appeared to be a ghost town. The only evidence of life were the thousands of curious eyes watching the Spizanians through broken woods and cracked doors.

Kuwait

Many thought Lieutenant General Shakti was insane for calling this “the Final Offensive”. Task Force C had failed to take Amiri Hospital, Task Force E had failed to capture the Water Towers, Task Force F had lost nearly half its men in a battle for the oil fields, and Task Force D had to abandon its mission to secure the harbor so it could go rescue Task Forces C and E. In fact, Task Forces A and B were the only ones to complete their objective but they had a distinct advantage due to their tank formations. Shakti was furious but still confident that the city would fall quickly.

Before the operation could begin, however, there was much to be done. Islamic forces had captured Qasr and risked linking up with the Syndicate. If the Syndicate invaded Kuwait, even Shakti himself realized that holding out against them would be near impossible. However, all of his ground forces were either in central Kuwait or on Bubiyan Island and the Elephanti Navy was stationed in Qatar. It was up to what remained of the air force to eliminate one of the few Islamic strongholds left in the area.

OOC: Sorry for the undetailed posts. I’ve been a little busy the last few days.

As the war against Aazab raged on in all its gore and misery, another one had erupted in Kuwait and Qatar. However, the two conflicts were significantly difficult. The one in Kuwait and Qatar was a revolutionary war and did not have the misgivings of an Islamic state that financed terrorism and supported it wholeheartedly. The fighting in Kuwait and Qatar seemed, from the instance, to be an attempt to reunite the Sultanate that had so gruesomely dissolved, torn apart by conflict everywhere. Independence was in the air but it was also spreading. The Empire and the Sultanate had a long history going from good allies and friends to bitter enemies. In recent years, that relationship was beginning to blossom again and it looked as if things would be alright between the two nations but it wasn't going to be a quick process. The Emperor, seeing the effects in Aazab, decided that a good cause must be supported to prevent it from becoming a bad cause.

Encrypted Communique
To: The Remnants of the Sultanate
Fr: The Empire of Layarteb
Re: Assistance

The Empire of Layarteb looks upon your cause with questions but not with ill will. The cause you unite for is a cause that we look favorably upon and it is a cause that we cannot ignore. Seeing how things have turned out in the southern portions of the penninsula, we cannot allow that to happen in Kuwait and Qatar. We wish to begin relations with your quest and cause with assistance, monetary and arms, if necessary. Please contact us with further details.

The Emperor of Layarteb

To: The Empire of Layarteb
From: Admiral Qusay, Commander of Qatar Peacekeeping Forces

We thank you for recognizing and supporting our cause. All aid is welcome, although I believe the last Islamist forces in Kuwait shall be defeated soon. Instead of military supplies, we would much more enjoy food for our people and money for reconstruction. But I know the saying "beggers can't be choosers" and I assure you that we will be thankful for whatever you can send. After these dark times have passed, I hope that our two nations can achieve political friendship despite our distances and differences.

Doha

“Greetings, citizens of Qatar. This past week has been very trying for all of us. But I assure you that the worst is over. Peace and order is returning to the peninsula. Never again shall you, your children, or even their children have to live in such uncertain times. For today, commanders in Kuwait and Qatar have come together to announce the creation of the Republic of Koryan! From this point on, you shall choose your protectors. You shall choose your laws. You shall choose your leaders and representatives. You shall choose your future!” As Admiral Qusay spoke the final word, a deafening roar erupted from the crowd. Whether they were celebrating the creation of the new republic or just the end of the turmoil, the admiral did not know. All he knew was that no one had spoken out against it and no anarchists had tried to kill him yet. He turned to his side, where Lieutenant General Shakti was watching the crowd with unblinking eyes. Qusay had never before met this young man or even heard of him. Minutes before the Kuwaiti’s arrival, the admiral had heard rumors that this man had murdered superior officers and planned to seize control of the country as soon as order was restored. Whether these rumors were true or not, Qusay knew that he did not like this man. There was just this feeling that enveloped the admiral every time he looked at the Lt. General. Not a feeling of fear or uncertainty, but fear. Pure, unnerving fear.

The celebrations erupted into parties as the Marines brought out carts loaded with food and fresh water. After speaking to a few people and shaking a bit too many hands, Admiral Qusay retired to the ABNS Fahd. He was getting too old for parties and large crowds. All he wanted to do was pray and go to sleep. But he couldn’t. Shakti’s face was all he could see every time he closed his eyes. He could barely focus enough to finish his prayer. Instead of lying down, he sat down in his chair and pulled out his military-issued laptop. It didn’t have much features or an open internet connection, but it did have a database of every officer in the Elephanti Military. Typing in Shakti, he was relieved to find only three officers possessed that name. Clicking on the first link, he was met with a younger version of the Kuwaiti officer. The man in the picture had shorter hair and had shaved all his facial hair off, unlike the man he had stood by today. Yet he had those unmistakable, eyes that seemed to pierce your soul. What caught Qusay’s idea was the information box. His birthplace was unknown, his parents were unlisted, and his date of enlistment was simply “2005”, lacking the month and day like most files had. Last but not least, his current rank was listed as Colonel. The admiral knew that many officers had died and not to jump to conclusions. But immediately the rumor of him killing superior officers ran through Qusay’s head.

Suddenly there were two knocks at the door before it swung open. The admiral quickly exited out of the program and shut his laptop as if he was doing something wrong. A Marine (one of the admiral’s bodyguards, if he remembered correctly) walked in and saluted the admiral. “Lieutenant General Shakti wishes to speak to you, admiral.” Qusay stood up, nodded, and walked around his desk to meet Shakti as he walked in. Instead the Kuwaiti walked past Qusay and ordered the Marine to leave the office. Without a second thought, the soldier walked out of the room and closed the door.

A little surprised, Admiral Qusay spoke up. “What exactly is going on here? Was there an attack?”

“No. I want to talk to you about the new republic. Who shall be the first leader of it?” Shakti stared in Qusay’s eyes, seeming to search for answers within the admiral’s pupils.

“The people will choose the republic’s leader. And there actually isn’t just one leader. There is a…”

“You really want to leave this country’s leadership to the opinions of these people?” Shakti interrupted. Qusay was very annoyed but continued listening. “These are the same people who just tried to throw your province into anarchy! They murdered your soldiers and would have killed you if they had the chance!”

“Have you forgotten that you were once a civilian as well? As were all of your soldiers as well as mine. This very ship we stand on was built by civilians. Just because some civilians riot and cause trouble does not mean the entire population is evil. If what you say was true, that all civilians were trying to throw Qatar into anarchy, then we could not have prevailed. We would have been overwhelmed within minutes. This ship would already be at the bottom of the sea, as would my corpse. What do you propose? That we take control of the nation and oppress its people? That we force every able-bodied man into the military and patrol every street so that not a single rebellion, nor riot, nor even protest erupts so that military rule can never be challenged? Is that what you suggest?” Qusay’s harsh words seemed to anger Shakti. The Lt. General glared at the admiral in what was surely hatred.

After a few uneasy seconds, Shakti finally spoke. “You are weak, Qusay. You would lead this country back to anarchy and ruin.” With that, he left the room. As the door slammed shut behind him, the admiral felt his anger return to fear. Shakti didn't act like a hopeful revolutionary looking towards a bright future. He seemed more like a power-hungry maniac, willing to destroy anything or anyone that stood in his way.

To: The Empire of Layarteb
From: Admiral Qusay, Commander of Qatar Peacekeeping Forces

We thank you for recognizing and supporting our cause. All aid is welcome, although I believe the last Islamist forces in Kuwait shall be defeated soon. Instead of military supplies, we would much more enjoy food for our people and money for reconstruction. But I know the saying "beggers can't be choosers" and I assure you that we will be thankful for whatever you can send. After these dark times have passed, I hope that our two nations can achieve political friendship despite our distances and differences.

Encrypted Communique
To: Admiral Qusay, Commander of Qatar Peacekeeping Forces
Fr: The Empire of Layarteb
Re: Aide

The Empire will comply and sent humanitarian rations of food, medicine, and water, all of which can go to the citizens of your great nation. Money for reconstruction will be allocated as well.

The Emperor of Layarteb

Kuwait City

Reinforcements from Qatar stormed the city as the first rays of dawn touched the skyscrapers. After a much needed rest, these men were ready to end the war and bring peace to the newborn republic. Smoke and fire filled the air as the Islamists attempted one last stand but to no avail. Block-by-block, street-by-street, the theocratic scum was cleaned from the city. When the Republican Army reached the center of the city, an oversized Koryan Flag was raised upon a massive skyscraper. As if Allah had given his approval to the new nation, a strong wind blew through the city and caught the flag, letting it wave in all of its glory. The streets fell quiet. All fighting ceased. Islamists fled to safety and Republican forces hailed the flag in amazement. Kuwait City was part of the republic now.

The KRV Tranquility seemed to glide towards the port. The first of the former Elephanti Navy to adopt the KRV (Koryan Republican Vessel) prefix, the Kuznetsov-class aircraft carrier was immediately deemed the flagship of the Republican Navy. Admiral Qusay had chosen it as his command center but was quickly regretting it. The Koryan Air Force was pathetic, primarily made up of from novice pilots because apparently every skilled pilot in the Elephanti Air Force had vanished into thin air. The admiral felt sick to his stomach watching these young men examine the Su-33’s as if they were jigsaw puzzles, asking each other questions as if they expected the others to know. As images flashed through Qusay’s mind of civilian targets accidentally being attack, he had finally had enough. He called off the air strike and radioed Shakti that the ground forces were on their own. He wouldn’t be responsible for a disaster like that.

Shakti, now the General of the Republican Army, was furious at his naval counterpart. His forces didn’t really need an air strike. It was just the fact that Qusay wasn’t obeying him. The new general wouldn’t tolerate disobedience. This was just another reason to remove the admiral from the picture.

The K.R.V. Tranquility, Approx. 60 Miles Southeast of Kuwait

Admiral Qusay stood near the edge of the flight deck, watching the sun slowly descend towards the horizon. He could hear the camera crews buzzing around him, fighting for the best angle, testing out the equipment, and pushing their luck with the admiral’s bodyguards. The sickening crunch of a nose marked the eighth cameraman who had gotten too close, followed by shouting which ended with yet another strike from the butt of one of the Marine’s M-16’s. After that, the regular sounds of rehearsing reporters and complaining camera crews resumed without further scuffles. A cadet walked into the circle of cameras and announced that the broadcast would begin in 60 seconds. Qusay quickly went over his lines in his head then turned to face the array of cameras. The cadet walked up and brushed a few little pieces of fuzz off the admiral’s right arm before straightening his collar. Satisfied, the cadet saluted his superior and returned to wherever he had appeared from. Those sixty seconds seemed like only moments and admiral suddenly found himself watching a man count down the final five seconds. Silence fell over the flight deck and the admiral took a deep breath.

“Glorious citizens of Koryan, I address you from the deck of the K.R.V. Tranquility – flagship of the Republican Navy. I am glad to announce that our first elections have been scheduled for November 15th and that all citizens of the republic of the age 25 or older may run for office. After the elections, I promise that reconstruction will begin and that by this time next year, our nation will be better than ever before.” Admiral Qusay quietly cleared his throat before continuing. It was time to reveal the real reason for the broadcast. “I have other news, which some of you may not agree with. Recently, the nation of Safehaven collapsed into anarchy, not unlike our former Sultanate. I must ask you one thing – if you had the chance to help somebody avoid the horrors that we have experienced over the past week, would you? The situation in India hasn’t escalated to what we faced… yet. But it will happen unless we help them. In fact, they could suffer even worse than we did. Luckily, we were blessed with brave soldiers and intelligent leaders. But they may not be as fortunate. Their nation could devolve into chaos or even face oppression under a heartless dictator. Will you allow that? Will the Republic of Koryan allow that? I think not. This is a crusade for freedom.”

OOC: I'll have the invasion of India up tommorrow. I'm trying to think of a way to make the invasion more original.

Mangalore, Karnataka

It had been a long trip but as the bustling city appeared before them, a renewed adrenaline rush spread. It was time for the new nation’s first offensive. The flight deck of the KRV Tranquility began to stir as jet-by-jet, the greetings took flight. The Su-33’s soared over Mangalore, quickly locating their targets and delivering the city’s wake-up call. The squadron returned home with smoke in their rearview mirrors. Below, a Koryan cruiser and two Destroyers moved into the harbor. The only naval vessel deemed an imminent threat was a Safehaven CG-47 Ticonderoga, which was just returning from a patrol. The Koryan cruiser of the same class and its two Spruance-class assistants descended upon the enemy vessel like vultures. No warnings were given. Only the roar of the KRV Disciple’s 54-caliber guns and the distant explosions, courtesy of the Su-33’s, signaled the beginning of hostilities. The battle seemed to pass in an instance, as two Harpoon missiles slammed into the hull of the Safehaven cruiser. And thus, the Republic of Koryan won its first naval battle. Minutes later, the Koryan C-5 was spotted on the horizon. Admiral Qusay had been against sending the oversized giant because of how populated the city was. Dropping anything from the air not only had a good chance of destroying whatever was dropped, but could cause civilian casualties as well. But he wasn’t in the mood to fight with Shakti and that expensive monster wasn’t doing any good sitting in an air base in Kuwait. As it passed over the Tranquility, the signal was given to begin the invasion. Suddenly a flood of blank RHIB’s poured from the Koryan Fleet. Forking into two armadas, they sped towards their unexpecting targets with guns loaded. And thus the Battle of Mangalore began.

One of the boat flotillas beached at Samarth, one of the many suburbs of Mangalore. Although not the most appealing neighborhood, it would be one of the main launching points for the offensive inland. The men had just begun scanning their surroundings for threats when the sound of a machine gun filled the streets. From a rooftop just a couple buildings away, a Safehaven soldier unloaded his M249 upon the Koryan soldiers. Two men went down and a third yelled out in pain as a bullet slit his bicep. His comrades scattered to cover and then covered his delayed escape with a returning hail of bullets. Just a few blocks away, four Armored Combat Vehicles fell to the streets below with their large parachutes in pursuit. The C-5 ascended back into the clouds, having completed its over 2,000-kilometer mission. The Koryan Strykers just sat silent and empty, patiently awaiting their rescuers. The sounds of the nearby gunfight fell quiet after a few minutes and Black Company sped towards their new rides. One of the tanks had actually landed on the rear of a car and a second had slammed into the side of the building, although not with enough force to puncture it. After a few agonizing minutes, the humming of four tanks filled the block and Black Company proceeded. On the other side of the neighborhood, Safehaven PzH 2000’s were rolling across the bridge towards battle. Escorted by an infantry squad, this was the only counter-invasion force that could be mobilized quick enough to stop the invaders before they took the whole suburb. It wasn’t near enough. As it proceeded towards the center of Samarth, it fell right into Black Company’s trap. Koryan soldiers opened fire from every building, rooftop, and ally on the street. Seconds later, two tanks rolled into view on both sides of the squad, blocking their escape. Within thirty seconds, it was all over. The surviving three Safehaven soldiers threw their weapons down and surrendered.

The second flotilla struck land just outside the city. Konaje was sat just a short distance from Mangalore and, by either a stroke of luck or an oversight in the Safehaven defenses, they reached the town without having to fire a single bullet. Their luck ended as they split into their two platoons and both ended up running straight into Safehaven patrols. Although each patrol was no larger than a dozen or so men, it dealt a blow to the company’s morale as they realized that every Safehaven unit in the area now knew they were here. The battles didn’t last long and only one man from the 5th Infantry Platoon was wounded. The 5th Infantry took up position on National Highway 17, which intel had identified as the route of a Safehaven tank column. Although there was no way the platoon could take on the entire tank force, it could slow their advance until the attack aircraft arrived (lack of space on the KRV Tranquility had forced Admiral Qusay to leave them behind until an airport in India could be captured). Their sister unit, the 1st Marine Platoon, charged towards Mangalore University. However, the entire journey there was accompanied by the distant sounds of Safehaven artillery. Having no clue how they kept finding their positions, the lieutenant simply pressed his troops to move on. Mangalore University soon appeared before them and they walked in without a fight. Safehaven artillery fell silent, probably not wanting to demolish the landmark of the city. That was when the platoon’s commander got an idea. Using the university’s position on the hilltop, he and a few other men climbed to the roof and used their position to find those damned artillery guns that had been harassing them. The lieutenant relayed the coordinates back to Admiral Qusay and a few minutes later they watched the Safehaven artillery positions vanish in a cloud of flames and smoke. The Su-33’s zoomed back westward, satisfied with their second victory today.

Green Company hadn’t gotten off to quite as good of a start as their two counterparts. A malfunction in some of their RHIB’s motors had delayed the company’s launching considerably, causing them to miss their landing window and not even leave the ship until eighteen minutes after they were suppose to have landed. Because of the delay, Safehaven forces were already mobilized from Black and Red Company’s landings, allowing enemy artillery to spot the approaching boats and open fire. None of the shells actually struck any Koryan vessels, but it was still unnerving to see an artillery shell strike the water just a few dozen yards from them. Landing on the north side of New Mangalore Port, which sat 10 kilometers from the city, the moved inland to try and eliminate the Safehaven positions so they could focus on securing the port. However, an ambush just a few blocks into the advance left nearly a fourth of the platoon dead or wounded. Four Marines decided to stay behind with the wounded while the remaining nineteen moved ahead. Fighting continued on an almost street-by-street basis until finally the steadfast marines were forced to take refuge in a warehouse. Exhausted and running low on ammunition, they took up the defensive as Safehaven forces assembled outside the building. It was the blast from a M109 that finally forced the Koryan soldiers out of hiding. Battered and bloody, they wrestled their way through the Safehaven positions until finally reaching the water again. It was there that they were greeted by five Seahawk helicopters. The wounded had called in for an airlift out of there and Qusay had complied. The lieutenant lit a flare and soon they were watching the enemy from above. As the helicopters turned tail to leave, a Stinger missile appeared out of nowhere and slammed into the belly of one of the Seahawks. The flaming aircraft spiraled downward before slamming into an office below. New Mangalore Port would remain under Safehaven control for another day.

Summary of Forces
Ground Forces:
Black Company: 3rd and 4th Marine Platoon
Red Company: 1st Marine Platoon and 5th Infantry Platoon
Green Company: 2nd Marine Platoon

Primary Fleet:
Flagship: K.R.V. Tranquility (Kuznetsov-class Aircraft Carrier, 9 SU-33’s)
Cruisers: 8 Ticonderoga-class
Frigates: 4 Oliver Hazard Perry-class
Destroyers: 12 SPRUANCE-class
Numerous auxiliary ships

A silent but authentic shudder ran through Koryan forces when they heard that the campaign had now been handed over to General Shakti. His mere persona spread fear throughout the officers and most of the soldiers sent home letters as soon as possible. Shakti treated his soldiers like pawns in chess: Useful, but always expendable.

Black Company was the first to take up the offensive, marching north towards Mangalore. However, just as they reached city-limits, the familiar sound of gunfire rang out. The Marines returned fire and took cover behind the Strykers. They had fallen right into a trap. As they focused on the small group of soldiers in front of them, Safehaven AFV’s made a broad circle around the company and then slowly closed in. By the time the Koryan lieutenant realized what was going on, they were already under fire from all sides. Two of the Strykers exploded into flames and the third was abandoned by its crew for fear of ending up like the other two. Sure enough, the vehicle was a ball of flames just minutes later. The final Stryker lead a quick retreat with four Marines hitching a ride on the top. The other Marines followed in hot pursuit, throwing down canteens and anything else they could afford to lose. Some even tossed away their assault rifles, choosing to rely on their lighter pistols for protection. Even as they dashed away from the battle, bullets rained down upon them. By the time they reached safety in Samarth, they had lost 25 men.

But apparently the Safehaven army wasn’t content with defending Mangalore. Less than an hour later, a large force marched towards Samarth, blasting away with artillery and tanks. Not only that, but apparently a part of the Safehaven Air Force had been resurrected. Three Safehaven Apaches unloaded thousands of rounds from their 30mm cannons, demolishing the final Stryker and causing further deaths. With their machine guns out of bullets, the helicopters were content with demolishing as many standing structures as possible. By the time the Apaches returned home, the town looked like it had been hit by a meteor. Finally Black Company heard the words they had been wishing for – “Help is on its way.”

With Shakti in charge of the campaign, Admiral Qusay took up the task of diplomacy. Meeting with the Karnataka governor Chaturvedi, the Koryan leader quickly cut to the chase. If Karnataka did not join the Republic of Koryan, it would inevitably fall under control of another nation. That other nation could end up being an Islamic theocracy or oppressive dictatorship, both of which were much less appealing than the liberal democracy of Koryan. However, the governor faced one serious problem – the military. The Safehaven Army now practically controlled the province and could easily dispose of him and any treaties he signed. If Qusay could disable the Safehaven military, Chaturvedi would sign an agreement of union.

Tamil Nadu

To the east, Admiral Qusay eyed even more Safehaven territory. In the aftermath of Safehaven’s collapse, Tamil Nationalists had seized control of Tamil Nadu and held brief elections that secured their control over the country, despite the popular belief that the election was rigged. However, the citizens were just glad to have a stable government so they could get on with their lives. The DMK Party thought over-wise. The previously dominant power of the province, they were about to give up democracy like the average Tamil. They weren’t against Tamil Nationalism - they were against dictatorship, and they were willing to do anything to get rid of the Nationalists. A situation like this was exactly what Qusay was looking for.

The admiral and a translator met with Kalaignar, the DMK leader, on a speedboat just off the Coromandel Coast. After a brief discussion about how things were going in Karnataka and the political situation in Tamil Nadu, the two got down to scheming. The DMK had the manpower but lacked the military capabilities. Koryan had the military equipment but its forces were tied up on the west coast and back at home. Together they could take on the Nationalists, but what would happen once they were out of power? If Tamil Nadu merged with Koryan, the DMK, being the saviors of Tamil democracy, would be almost guaranteed to win a majority in every election. However, both sides had a lot of work to do.

Kaul Air Force Base, Five Miles West of Davanagere

MIG-31’s began to awaken from their slumber as the base sprang to life. The although initially the army had been wary about letting the Air Force take to the skies (as the current military leaders were Army Commanders and they didn’t want their authority threatened), they had finally realized that the Koryan Air Force would be their undoing if not stopped and that the army’s helicopters couldn’t do that. Thus, the MIG armada began to mobilize. Missiles were equipped, fuel tanks were filled, and pilots were assembled.

As the first aircraft started its trip down the runway, confusion spread throughout the base. A flock of parachutes were falling down from the clouds, lead by what appeared to be metal pipes. Initially, everyone froze to watch their descent. There had been no warnings of approaching bombers or missiles. They seemed to have just fallen from the sky. However, not everyone was so amused. Some of the munitions experts realized what they were. Anti-runway, anti-personnel bombs.

Somewhere Southeast of Haveri

General Singh sat in his new leather recliner, sipping a Campa Cola and watching the news. A highly exaggerated story of the Safehaven victory at Mangalore was being recounted and backed by the testimonies of multiple Safehaven officers, each claiming responsibility for the triumph. Singh laughed at his subordinates, knowing that many of them couldn’t kill a fly – let alone command soldiers. However, he was content with his new house and could care less whether the media knew of his genius. The house was an old mansion, refurbished with a variety of 21st century luxuries. The old man who had previously owned it hadn’t been too happy about giving it up, but he stopped complaining after the general put a bullet through his eyebrow. The elder’s wife had attempted to flee after seeing her husband’s fate, but she wasn’t fast enough to outrun the bullet of Singh’s GLOCK 20. The general’s musings were interrupted as the reporter on screen suddenly abandoned the Mangalore story and switched to a more panicked tone.

“I’m now receiving word that the fighting in Samarth has begun to die down. The 8th Army Regiment has surrendered and elements of the 2nd Battalion have begun to retreat.” The reporter’s words seemed unreal to General Singh. Just an hour ago, he had received word that the Koryans were being crushed. Now the Safehaven Army – HIS Army – was in retreat? He threw down his soda onto the 19th Century rug and turned up the volume. “We are taking you directly to the frontlines where our correspondent is standing by.”

A brief pause was followed by the appearance of an older man on screen. In the background, the flaming silhouette of Samarth could be seen with Koryan aircraft passing low through the smoke. Two large explosions announced the destruction of the last Safehaven tank. Finally, the reporter began to speak. “About 20 minutes ago, a second Koryan force arrived on the scene. The Safehaven Army, still larger than both Koryan forces combined, were able to hold off the second attack but Koryan Air Strikes have devastated our forces. Safehaven soldiers are fleeing for their lives and the invaders have begun advancing towards Mangalore.” Hearing those final words, General Singh shut off the TV and stomped over to his phone. Dialing Kaul Air Force Base, he was surprised when a panicked young man picked up the phone.

“Who is this? Where is your commander? I ordered air support for my forces half an hour ago.” Singh shouted.

“Everyone’s dying! The invaders… they destroyed everything!” The junior officer yelled back. The general was confused.

“What are you talking about? Koryan aircrafts have stayed in the coastal area!”

“Some of their bombers must have slipped past our radar. They’re bombing everything! The jets are destroyed, the runway’s devastated, the hangars are in flames, and now they’re bombing the offices! We tried…” Suddenly there was a horrible sound and the man stopped talking. The sounds of shouting and explosions could be heard in the background. General Singh dropped the phone in shock. He rushed out to the balcony to get some air, trying to sort out what was going on. However, just as he slid open the glass door, an unholy inferno enveloped the house.

On board the KRV Disciple, the officers watched the beautiful mansion burst into flames. Seconds later, the words “Target Eliminated” appeared on the top of the screen. One of the men picked up the phone and dialed the KRV Ranger, where Admiral Qusay had just returned from the conference with the DMK. The Safehaven Army was blind without Singh. Phase 3 could now begin.

Somewhere North of Ambattur

Darkness enveloped the men as they surrounded the packages which had fallen from the sky. Brushing aside the parachutes, they pried open the wooden crates and examined their contents in awe. Shining weapons in the moonlight, the tools of war were theirs. As they each picked out their gun of choice, they found a small piece of paper at the bottom of one of the crates. On it, in bright red Tamil, were the words: KORYAN SENDS HER REGARDS.

Chennai - The Next Day

Earlier today, the third assassination attempt on President Vaiko's life failed after one of the President's courageous guards gave his life to stop the assassin. The assassin was killed shortly afterwards and Vaiko announced he will proceed with the rally at 3:00. The would-be assassin's information has not been released, although police announced that his friends and family have been taken into custody. President Vaiko told reporters that this attempted murder, like the two before them, were probably the work of liberals. In other news...

Pandiyar turned off the radio and sat in silence with his two buddies. Since the collapse of Safehaven, all three of them had lost their jobs as construction workers and they were only able to support themselves through small jobs here and there for the Nationalist Elite. Pandiyar had treated his two friends to lunch using the last of his money and now the trio sat on the sidewalk, watching the people wander down the street. Everyone seemed lost or confused, as if the past week had been a huge nightmare and they were still trying to wake up. But no matter how far they wandered or who they talked to, they couldn't wake up. This nightmare was reality. Safehaven was gone. They were now part of the Tamil Republic, where the government cared only about itself and had abandonned them. At least it was better than no government like some of the other former Safehaven provinces had, and thus very few tried to do anything about it. Those that did usually failed and then their friends and families would vanish, never to be heard from again. The radio stations only spewed pro-government propaganda. The newspapers only talked about the horrors other Safehaven provinces were facing. People could only learn the truth from each other and even that was hard with Nationalist police patrolling most of the cities for "dissidents". Yet the silence quickly turned to politics as the three men sat there.

"I'll think I'll have a job before these assassins learn how to aim," Pandiyar joked.

"You'd best stop there. If one of the police hear you committing treason..." The second man began.

"Treason? Since when is joking against the law?" The third man cut in.

"Since all of India fell into chaos. If we go off killing our leaders, we'll end up just like our neighbors."

"Don't tell me you support those back-stabbing Nationalists!"

"If you've got any pride in being Tamil then you would too!"

"If loving freedom is a unpatriotic, then I guess I'm a terrible citizen!"

"Guys," Pandiyar interupted his feuding buddies. "We've been friends since we learned how to talk. Are you really going to let some president that neither of you have ever met destroy that friendship?" All three fell silent. They returned to watching the passing bystandards. Finally Pandiyar spoke again: "Might I ask one of you to treat me to supper tonight? I'm afraid I've used the last of my money for our lunch."

"I lack the money to even feed myself."

"I didn't even eat breakfast this morning and would have missed lunch as well had it not been for your good faith, Pandiyar."

The three fell silent again. None were hungry yet, but they all knew what hunger felt like and dreaded the feeling. After a long quiet, the second man spoke.

"I think I'll join the Nationalist police. I haven't taken much of a liking to them either, but it seems like the only avaliable jobs are as policemen."

The third man, hiding his anger, kindly ended the conversation: "If you ever arrest me, just kill me. I've seen what they do to people they arrest. I'd rather die." With that, he stood up and walked away. The second man left next, but in the opposite direction. Pandiyar continued to sit there. He wasn't going to just try to get by like his childhood friends. Tamil Nadu needed change... and he would be the one to do it.

Mangalore, Karnataka

"Governor, nice to see you again."

"Let's hope this goes alright or this could be the last time you see me."

Admiral Qusay and Governor Chaturvedi stepped out of the French VAB and were immediately swarmed by people. Some wanted money, some wanted their sons rescued, while some just wanted to know what was going on. News had finally broke about the governor's new alliance with Koryan to defeat the Army and unite the province with the new Republic of Koryan. Immediately the military had attempted to assassinate the governor, but he and his family were quickly evacuated from the country by the Koryan Air Force. Now Chaturvedi had returned to give a public speech about his vision for Karnataka. Koryan Security, although appearing scarce, had been set up all over the city and were assisted by high-altitude aircraft and satellite survelliance. Shakti thought the whole ordeal was a waste of time and money, noting that the Koryan Military could easily crush the remaining Safehaven forces. However, Qusay wanted to win the hearts of the people and change Koryan's appearance from arab invaders to democratic liberators. It would be hard, especially with a Safehaven brigade just 10 miles from city limits, but the alternative was having to suppress rebellions for the rest of the nation's existance, which was against the very principals of the republic.

As Chaturvedi stepped up to the podium, cameras flashed and a flood of questions erupted from the crowd. He raised his hand to silence them and then began his speech.

Chennai, Tamil Nadu

Just as the Karnatakan governor began his speech on the other side of the continent, President Vaiko finished his and began to leave the balcony. Cameras shut off one-by-one and Nationalist police appeared everywhere to hold back reporters. Two gun shots rang out from the crowd, announcing the fourth assassination attempt on the president's life. The police opened fire on the crowd, not caring who they hit as long as they took down the assassin as well. However, there was something different this time. When the assassin was shot, the gunfire continued. The police quickly located and killed the second assassin, only to find more assassins opening fire from windows across the street. More and more people opened fire from all over the area, quickly eliminating the nine policemen. A bullet struck the president's neck but he managed to get inside and take cover. Police appeared out of no where, dragging Vaiko to safety and returning fire on the rebels. More policemen fell dead but in the end, the assassins lost and the president could finally take a deep breath.

"What the hell was that all about? It was like there was an army of them! And where'd they get those machine guns?" Vaiko demanded. His officers could only shrug and call a doctor.

On a rooftop a few blocks away, Kalaignar and his men had watched the events as they unfolded. The president had survived... this time.

President Vaiko, still exhausted from yesterday's assassination attempt, hid away from the media today and retired early to his home. His men, thinking this odd, decided to give him space and left the house. A gun shot suddenly rang out. The president collapsed, blood flowing from his forehead. The Koryan agent carefully placed the pistol in Vaiko's right hand and quickly but silently escaped the house. By the time the Nationalists reached their former president, the assassin was already on his RIB heading back towards the Koryan Fleet. News slowly leaked of President Vaiko's suicide and the surrender of Nationalist forces. Tamil Nadu was declared under control of Kalaignar and the DMK.

However, sitting in his office with his most trusted advisor, Kalaignar was formulating a dangerous plot. Tamil Nadu would remain the independent Tamil Republic under DMK control. Now united and with the Nationalists out of power, it would be disasterous for Koryan to attack the Tamils. Thus, all Kalaignar had to do was to denounce the Republic of Koryan in his public speech this afternoon and his hands would finally be clean of this Admiral Qusay fellow. However, at this very moment, the admiral was listening to the traitor's scheme. This couldn't happen. Kalaignar had to be taken out of the picture. A quick call to Agent Wakil, who had been so nice as to not only place the wires but know pose at one of Kalaignar's personal bodyguards, and Emergency Action B was put into play. As the Tamil leader left his little conference, Wakil handed him the briefcase Kalaignar had brought to make it look as if the meeting was about taxes. However, this was not the same briefcase he had arrived with. Instead of pens and blank papers, this evil twin carried a lightweight, high-explosive bomb. Kalaignar, unaware of his impending demise, got into the backseat of his new limo and pondered the future of Tamil Nadu as his driver took him home. A few miles away, a young taxi driver had just lost his life to another Koryan agent. Placed into a stolen taxi, complete with a remote control throttle and steering mechanism, the perished Tamil began speeding towards his target. Less than a minute later, the horrible clash of two cars echoed throughout the city. Seconds later, the suitcase bomb exploded - ensuring the death of all involved and erasing all evidence of Koryan involvement.

That afternoon, General Shakti, Admiral Qusay, Governor Chaturvedi and the DMK vice-president met in Bangalore to sign the Agreement of Union between the Provinces of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and the Republic of Koryan. All four men hoped that with the signing of this piece of paper, they could put behind them the terrible dead they had seen and done over the past week. Whether killing a superior officer, assassinating rival politicians, or sacrificing your people's independence for personal gain, all four had one thing in common - they had done such horrible deeds so that the future, Koryan, could be born.

The Empire is pleased that the plight of the Koryan people has concluded with their victory. Let us be the first state to recognize the Koryan people after their victory and may this be the beginning of future relations between our two states.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs

Layarteb's recognition of the republic is recieved with happiness by the Koryan people. Such a powerful and influential empire such as yourself is looked up to by our politicians and we can only hope to one day stand by your side in the international community.
-Signed Admiral Qusay, Temporary Consul of Koryan