NationStates Jolt Archive

OOC: You can post here, but don't send troops unless you talk to me first.

Buckford, Tolven

Andrew Stone adjusted his seat belt as his semi rolled down Highway 5 towards the Townsend Bridge. Stone's truck was loaded with nearly 6 tons of frozen vegetables bound for grocery stores on the Isle of Lydera, Tolven's newest and most restive province. Things had been quiet latelt, but terrorists from the Lyderan Freedom Front (LFF) had been known to cause trouble from time to time. As a result Stone, who was a truck driver in a reserve Army unit as well, carried an old M1 carbine on his passenger seat on runs out to Lydera.

Townsend Bridge

Townsend Bridge spanned the Lyderan Strait and was nearly 19 miles long. The bridge carried both a pair of rail lines and a four lane road. Most traffic in and out of Lydera came across the bridge, though the Isle had a small airport and an ancient ferry ran by a set of 70 year old twin brothers navigated the Strait twice a day.

The bridge was deserted at 2 AM, so the grey panel truck went unnoticed as it pulled over to the side of the bridge about halfway across. The driver exited the vehicle and quickly jumped into blue Dodge sedan that had slowed almost to a crawl and quickly sped off with its new passenger on board.

Thirty Minutes later

Stone sipped his coffee as he passed the grey truck on the side of the road.

"Damn odd," he muttered aloud.

Seconds later his rear view mirrors was filled with blinding light as the 3,500 pound fertilizer bomb exploded with a violent blast. Stone was jerked savagely as his truck was turned on its side as the road under its back tires collapsed. Within seconds the blast had collapsed nearly 100 feet of the bridge and effectively cut Lydera off from the rest of Tolven.

Stone crawled from his wrecked truck groggily and surveyed the damage. His CB radio was destroyed and he couldn't find his cell phone. Realizing he was cut off he grabbed his carbine and his day bag and set off towards Lydera.

Isle of Lydera
Within minutes of the bridge attack LFF militias began attacking police stations, government buildings and seized the Isle's Army Reserve armory. A full scale revolt was under way.

Map: http://s147.photobucket.com/albums/r295/cm275/?action=view&current=Tolven1.png&refPage=&imgAnch=imgAnch1

Executive Manor, Whitten, Tolven
Prime Minister Tyler Hutchins was awakened at about 3:00 AM by his aides after news of the Lyderan revolt reached the mainland. Hutchins had entered office just 3 months before after defeating the scandal plagued incumbent with 70% of the vote. Thus far Lydera hadn't been a major issue for him since the LFF had been mostly quiet and pro-Tolven candidates had won most major posts in last year's close provincial elections.

He sleepily began giving orders, reverted to voice he had once used as a Captain in the Tolvic Army, "Get me Gen. Ford now, I want to look at our options." Almost as an afterthought he added, "Has anyone gotten in touch with Governor Thames yet?"

"No sir, Governor Thames' residence is reportedly on fire and the traffic we're monitoring suggests that much of the Lyderan political leadership, at least the ones friendly to us, have been assasinated."

Hutchins turned to the man who had given him this report, his National Security Advisor Keith Snow. "Very well," he said dejectedly. "Let's get to work."

Ministry of Defense, Whitten, Tolven

General Nathan Ford, Chairman of the Tolvic Combined Staff, read over the intial reports and frowned. LFF fighters had knocked out the Townsend Bridge, seized the airport, and were reportedly posting guards at the ferry terminal. In addition they had taken telephone exchanges, power plants, police stations, the Lyderan Isle Reserve Armory, and the Governance Compound. LFF militias openly roamed the streets and crowds of civillains were demostrated in their favor in ever town and both "major" citites in Lydera. The local police forces had completely collapses, those that weren't killed had either simply melted away and openly joined the LFF. The Isle's Reserve units had taken similar actions.The LFF now had access to military grade weapons and trained soldiers.

Ford's aide handed him a handset, "The Prime Minister for you General."

"Prime Minister Hutchins, this is Gen. Ford, I already placed forces in the area on alert."

"Yes sir, we are formulating a plan at this moment."

Once Hutchins hung up to consult with his other advisors, Gen. Ford began sending out the necessary alert orders. The 1st Airmobile Brigade was already on alert and it was soon joined by the 2nd Battalion of the 3rd Infantry Brigade (Motorised) and the 3rd Marine Battalion. In addition Air Force and Naval units in area were also moved to alert status.