NationStates Jolt Archive

OOC: The first few posts I am adding as news reports and other strange concerns. When all hell breaks loose, anyone is certainly welcome to post. Any ally or nation that has an established embassy in New Albor may also comment since the events, to some extent, affect them.

IC: Ministry of Technology and Research: Dr. Faust, the Technology Minister, paced within his office, occasionally glancing at the reports on the screen of his laptop. He sighed heavily and called his assistant, Dr. Elise Creighton, into the office. Dr. Creighton, a postgraduate at the Royal University of New Albor, rushed in, seeing the concern on the Minister's face.

'Is is it the conference?' she asked, knowing the pressure the ministry had been under in trying to finish the FedRail project while simultaneously fighting a turf war with the Ministry of Domestic Affairs. Worse, Sir Anthony William's propaganda machine made the office that was doing most of the work, MinTech, seem less patriotic and as well... whiny. Typical. Thankfully, the Prime Minister was an academic once, before he ruled the Federation, and PM Allwyn knew how to cut through the bureacratic nonsense. But that issue was settled days ago, and Dr. Faust look seemed far more worrisome than concerns about the Technology Conference.

He shook his mangy, though thinning mane of hair, pushed up his glasses and replied, 'No... no. I wish it was that simple, my dear.' He gestured to her to have a look at the laptop.

She looked back at him, almost dumbfounded...'But... but...'

He nodded. 'I don't know how the construction teams missesd that part. I think it can still be corrected, but the cost will be crippling. I have to submit the full report to the Assembly in an hour. I want you to go with the advance team to Upper Arlington... you're the only one I trust with this data.'

She sighed a little, but knew it to be true. Elise had been recruited by MinTech (as the Ministry like to acronymise the place) as one of the most promising nuclear engineers in the Federation. If anyone could implement safe corrective measures, it would be she. Still, she had been busy helping the Brittanic Commonwealth with the finishing touches on the new Naval Yard, plus getting a look at the wealth of demonstrator craft arriving at the conference. 'Right... I know who to take. I'll leave immediately.'

'Good... I'll call you with more details after I meet with the PM and the Assembly.'

She turned away smartly and left the office, leaving Faust to contemplate the data, the possibilities and the response... he sighed again and muttered, 'I hope I'm right...'

IC: En Route from Albor City to Upper Arlington via FedRail:

With the airport construction and the usual flight delays we need more pilots in this bloody country, Elise Creighton decided for her team to take the new FedRail extension to the East Albor province. Unlike the urban lines, and the Bahia extension, this cross-country route (designed for the Conference to show off New Albor's technological prowess) was completed properly. Plus, the train was more comfortable and allowed the team to access the Internet and their wireless phones since such usage played havoc with air traffic control and navigation systems. One more thing to work on, modernising our traffic control.

She looked at the new readouts, frowned slightly and started running simulations on core containment under present stresses. Not good. Why didn't they use the same damn materials as at the Grey Eagle Project and Compiegne Falls? She turned to Asi Yamura, a fellow nuclear specialist, but imported from a Japanese consortium, though she understood he might become a citizen soon. 'Asi, check these numbers and see if I'm not crazy.' He nodded curtly and began typing away at his laptop.

Her wireless phone buzzed slightly... text message. Hmm... Minister Faust. text: About to meet with PM and Assembly. Cross fingers.

'Dr Creighton?' asked Yamura politely, 'I can confirm your numbers. But I think we will need to inspect the facility first to confirm.'

'Will we have time? We're still five hours away, plus another hour to the facility...'

Frank Orton, another researcher broke in, 'If we're fretting over a few hours, then I would recommend an immediate shutdown. We need at least 12 hours to effect any repairs or to implement any chang...'

'Yes... right. I can't authorize that... you know it', barked Elise. Only Faust can do it, and only then with approval from the PM and the Assembly.

'Well, the PM is most reasonable', said Yamura. 'He will see the light.' Elise grimaced a bit. Yes, the PM is reasonable, but the rest of the assembly? And the nuts in the military? She simply shook her head.

IC: Federation of New Albor Parliament Building, Office of the Prime Minister: He stood near the window, looking out over the thriving city, the sprawling military-corporate-industrial complexes, the casinos, and the gleaming Capitol Centre, the hallmark of his dreams. He simply shook his head in resignation.

'Mr. Prime Minister', said a haggard, frenetic man, constantly pushing his glasses above the bridge of his nose, more nervous than anything. 'It's not your fault. Half the Assembly were peasants 10 years ago... hell, half the country...'

Prime Minister Allwyn raised his hand and turned to the Minster of Technology, Dr. Richard Faust, 'Ingrates... after all we've done for them. Maybe I should have let that maniac live...'

'No sir, don't think that. The King was... flawed. You have turned this nation into a technological and commercial haven, one that lets a person succeed on their own merits.'

'But one that did not consider the consequences of being tied to corporate intrests... a consequence that might end this all.' He sat at his desk, and called in his assistant, handing her a hand-scrawled piece of paper. 'Get this formatted properly and send it to the Cabinet Heads and the Joint Chiefs.' She nodded and returned to her desk, typing furiously. He turned to Faust and said, 'I am formally issuing Executive Order 07-01-01 to countermand the inaction of the Assembly. The Justices and the Corporate Council will get a copy as well. Further, I am sending General Cherbourg's Army to co-ordinate the evacuations.'

'I understand this is most irregular,' said Faust, 'but I understand the necessity. Still, can't the Council overturn the order?'

'Why would they? No... I have express permission from the Globex CEO. In fact, Globex will be sharing in the cost of the operation. They want the Technology Conference to succeed, so the less fuss is made over this issue, the better.'

'I heartily agree, sir.' The PM's assistant, Ms. Dusaurd, handed a copy of the Order to Allwyn and one to Faust. Faust glanced at the letter... 'But... that's not completely what you told me.'

Allwyn grinned. 'True. But it is necessary. It's obvious that a stronger hand is needed to rule... to save our people from themselves. Now, get your ass to Upper Arlington and save some lives.'

'Y-yes, sir.', said the cowed Faust and left hurriedly.

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Text of Executive Order 07-01-01:

It is with great regret that I, Rhys Allwyn, Founder and Prime Minister of the Federation of New Albor must act in this manner, but the actions, rather the inaction of the Assembly has brought my Parliament of Dreams to its knees. It is clear only the wise and the intellectual can rule this nation. Still, I love democracy, and I love the Federation, so it is with a heavy heart, effective immediately, that I dissolve the Assembly of the Federation of New Albor. The Parliament will consist of the Corporate Council and a House of Plutarchs determined, forged from the best of us. For now, though, I am evoking The Emergency Powers Act under Article XXIII of the Constitution and taking sole control of a fast eroding situation.

To wit, Defense Minister Cherbourg's 1st Army has been ordered to Upper Arlington along with the Shore Defense Fleet in order to expedite an evacuation of the region until the crisis is resolved. Our best scientists are en route to defuse the situation and I am confident in their success. When this crisis has abated, I will relinquish my sole authority and begin the task of healing the nation and putting our best foot forward for the Technology Conference.

Signed,
Rhys Allwyn, Prime Minister

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IC: To the Brittannic Commenwealth of Eurasia Diplomatic Mission:

To: BCE Ambassador

Tick... tock... tick... tock...

Never enough time is there?

IC: Message to the Dictatorship of Elloris Diplomatic Mission:

To: Elloris Ambassador

You seem to lack a healthy glow... perhaps you might join us and we can fix that.

'This is the way the world ends... not with a whisper...'

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IC: Fedrail, near the city limits of Upper Arlington:

She had just received the disturbing, though necessary news. I hope the PM knows what he's doing. Elise continued to run number and simulations, but nothing would help until they reached the facility. East Albor Bay Project... why you? Her assistant, Dr. Yamura, had noted that the materials and construction were the same as the other facilities in New Albor, but containment failure was all but assured. Alas, they could not pinpoint when, which frightened her and her assessment team. The best they could do was wait and hope they still had time when they got to the site.

Why didn't they hire more trained personnel? Well, obvious question... maybe there was method to the PM's madness. Still, most of the country is literate and most of the working force has graduated from high school... hmm, but they don't teach nuclear engineering in h... She felt the train slow...

Yamura looked outside, 'What the?', he proclaimed as he saw several military helicopters land near the train. Elise frowned.

'It has to be related to the evacuation... surely, they'll let us...

Intercom: Attention passengers, service has been suspended for the interim to Upper Arlington. We ask you to wait until you can be properly placed on alternate transport; however, all service has been suspended to Upper Arlington and you will have to return to your depature city.

It kept repeating... how long? Yamura and the others groaned and shook their head... she mouthed to them 'Are we too close?' Yamura nodded.
If they sat and waited too long, there might not be an evacuation.

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General Hamilton Cherbourg stepped off the rotodyne and smiled for the media that accompanied him to the FedRail train bound for apparent destruction. 'I can tell you all we have saved lives in intercepting this magnificent machine... and our boys are doing their best to make sure an orderly evacuation is proceeding in Upper Arlington.'

'But sir,' one of the reporters asked, 'What about safe distance requirements. Aren't we even too close at the moment?'

Cherbourg sputtered 'Nonsense! Our best people are working to defuse the crisis. Even now, they are at the facility handling the situation. I have the highest confidence in the Ministry of Tehcnology and Research... the highest confidence.'

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Elise heard the commotion and listened to the General's remarks aghast and with an impeding horror. She quickly retrieved her wireless and called the PM...Answer... answer

'The Prime Minister's Office', answered his assistant. 'How may I h...'

'Shut up and get me the PM: Authorization Violet-Zebra-19. This is Elise Creighton'.

'I'm sorry Dr. Creighton, he's tied up in...'

'I don't give a shit! The General is about to kill hundreds of thousands of people if you don't get the PM on the damn phone!!!' she shouted, loud enough for a couple of reporters to hear... she looked to them, then glanced over the horizon, dropping her phone as a newborn star emerged in the distance.

Wow... it really does take your breath aw...

OOC: All hell has now broken loose. (the irony is that in my issues section today, I was asked to accept nuclear power over more traditional power sources... guess I saw the writing on the wall :)

IC: Official Broadcast from the New Albor Broadcast Commission:

At 1930 hours today, tragedy has struck the mighty Federation of New Albor. The East Albor Bay Project Nuclear Plant has suffered a catastrophic meltdown. Details are sketchy at the moment, but we can confirm that the blast devastated the Upper Arlington region and annhilated most of the Federation of Albor 1st Army. Known casualties include the most honorable Defense Minister General Hamilton Cherbourg who was leading the evacuation effort, as well as the assistant Minister of Technology and Research Elise Creighton and her nuclear response team, who died valiantly trying to stop the apparent meltdown.

The Prime Minister expresses shock at the incident but outrage at the now-defunct Assembly, claiming they could have stopped the meltdown, but instead became muddled in gridlock and procedure. Therefore, The Prime Minister has extended the Emergency Powers Act until the crisis has abated. Further, the Prime Minister has appointed Lt. General James Leavings of New Wellington, former commander of the 2nd Army as acting Defense Minister.

The Prime Minister expresses his sympathy and grief to all who lost loved ones in the disaster and will spare no effort in the recovery from this tragedy.

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Official Communique from the Office of the Prime Minister of the Federation of New Albor:

To: All nations with diplomatic status, the EVIL alliance bloc, and our allies

Friends and nations of the world. Doubtless you have heard the broadcasts and perhaps have even detected the blast through your spies and/or detection systems. So far, it appears to have been a chain reaction from a containment failure of the control rods, but we still cannot be sure since the blast all but annhilated the facility and unleashed the equivalent of 300 megatons upon the region, thereby destroying Upper Arlington and rendering the region uninhabitable for the near future.

We would call upon our allies to assist us in the clean up and recovery during this time of tragedy as we are nominally short of Nuclear Response Teams and our primary Team was killed trying to stop the meltdown.

We thank anyone that can offer assistance and vow to recover and get this tragedy behind us.

Warm Regards,
Rhys Allwyn
Prime Minister

The Kingdom will be sending 4000 members of the NBC recovery team as well as offering a grant of 10 million to aid you in your cleanup efforts.

OOC: I truly am too lazy to read all of this non-sence so can we get a summary?

Official Leocardian Allied Aid Response

The Leocardian Emergency Response Forces (ERF) has been preparing for an emergency packages sent toward New Albor's tragedy. Recovery agents are being sent to New Albor to recover from the nuclear conflict.

Bartonstein and Leocardia: The Federation of New Albor thanks the nations of Bartonstein and Leocardia for their support in this crisis. The NBC recovery teams will be most welcome, we will have all recovery units meeting at the New Wellington Air Force Base, as it is the nearest non-irradiated military facility. The grant is most welcome as well. The Office of Investigative Services will be meeting with any specialists to determine if this meltdown/chain reaction was an accident or the actions of terrorists.

Regards,
Lord Protector Allen Clements
Foreign Minister

OOC: Buddha C... summarising kills the whole RP aspect, now doesnt it? :) Seriously, nuclear meltdown, possible terrorist action, deaths approaching 1 million, lots of chaos, also trying to keep the technology conference afloat.

Official News Reports from around the Federation of New Albor:

Official NABC Nightly News, Barton Daniels reporting:

Hello Mr. and Mrs. Albor, I have all the news that is fit to report. Item: Aid pouring in from alliance members, Prime Minister grateful. Item: Prime Minister hailed as 'heroic' in his dissolution of the Assembly and accepting the heavy burden of the Emergency Powers Act. Item: New Defense Minister Lt. General Leavings takes commmand of the recovery forces and has reported the initial assessment from the site of the carnage of Upper Arlington: 'Simply horrific,' claims General Leavings. Too true, my friends. Footage obtained by the NABC shows the terrible tragedy of it all. Condolences to all who have suffered in this tragedy go out from our family at NABC.... now for a word from our sponsor: Globex Nuclear Engineering and Materials Group.
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From the morning edition of the Albor City Advertiser (paper):(editorial) Nearly a million feared dead in East Albor... rogue nation or something more sinister involved... initial reports from ground zero and the Nuclear Response Teams have discovered an excess of neutron radiation. To the uninformed, this might mean a more powerful reaction than is possible in a chain reaction meltdown. To the informed, this might mean terrorism. Yes, the dreaded 'T' word, here, in a land that had been cleansed of civil war thanks to the courageous leadership of Prime Minister Allwyn. Well, Mr. Allwyn, it is time to show what leadership is made of now... the perpetrators of this fould deed must be brought to justice. The dead demand it.
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From the Voice of Reason, Albor City Univeristy News (paper):(editorial) See, this is what happens when irresponsible military jingoism runs rife in our once proud nation... We should have relied on renewable power sources and hemp to save New Albor, not bombs and baby-killers. But no, The fascist thug Allwyn and his cronies have engineered a crisis and are now blaming it on 'terrorism'. The have to use that word. All 'terrorist' are are 'fighters'. Only a fascist neo-conservative would use the word 'terrorist'. The Voice of Reason condemns the current administration and mourns the loss of life in this tragic accident... that's it... accident.
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Albor City University News was shut down the next day and replaced with the Albor City University Free-Press Picayune

OOC: I can RP as a possible terrorist organization based in New Albor, if you wanted.

OOC: That would be cool, and it would cause some consternation in the coming war I'm being drawn into... your terrorists might be obliterated in the thousands of nukes doubtless bound for our nation :) Still, it does sound like fun while it lasts.

OOC: looks like it might be a more conventional war, so terrorists would definitely add to the concerns of a nation during war

Her Majesty's Commonwealth Government of Bautizar
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
For Public Release

Her Majesty's Government is recalling Sir Louis Montcalm, Ambassador to the Federation of New Albor, for diplomatic consultations at the highest levels of government. Until further notice Charge d'Affaires Roger Trentham will service as HM's representative to the Federation of New Albor.

Given the fluidity of the situation within the Federation of New Albor, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office urges all Commonwealth citizens residing in or traveling to New Albor to continue to monitor events closely, to remain indoors when possible, to avoid large politically-related gatherings, and to exercise discretion when moving about the country.

This Public Announcement takes effect immediately, and remains in effect without date of expiration.

IC: Hall of the Council, Parliament of Dreams, Albor City:

The Prime Minister nodded to the members of the Corporate Council. 'You all agree this is the wisest course of action to maintain our security?' They all nodded, except for Wilson Gregory, Consul for Globex.

'Frankly, we are in a bind, folks. Even with the resources of Globex, there is no way we can stop a full out invasion. Of course, I am not advocating a separate peace nor am I saying we cut ourselves off from our allies. I just say things are a little grim.'

The PM shrugged his shoulders and said 'I understand Wil, but this seems to be the best measure to protect us, to continue the clean up efforts, and to ferret out the terrorists that sabotaged the East Albor Bay Project. Right now, all military is on full alert, and we've been replacing our lost material as fast as we can. The problem is people: all the reserves we've called up don't even equal what we lost. Soon, I am going to have to order a draft. In fact, that will be the next item on the agenda...'

The Council voted unanimously for the War and Security Act as well as implementation of a Draft of Citizens Act, to take effect immediately.

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Official Communique from the Federation of New Albor High Commission:

To: All nations that maintain an embassy in New Albor

re: War and Security Act

In accordance with the recently issued War And Security Act, the Federation of New Albor must ask any nation that maintains an embassy with the Federation of New Albor and is not an ally or a member of the EVIL alliance bloc to leave the Federation until the current crises are resolved. The declaration of war by the nebulous conglomerate of alliances instigated by the petulant Empire of Whyatica has forced this issue.

Further, we would ask that any non-essential personnel of all nations in the Federation of New Albor please depart as soon as possible for their future safety and security. The Immigration office will issue emergency exit visas and pay for any flights to leave New Albor if necessary.

We would like to thank those nations that continue to assist regarding the tragedy in Upper Arlington. Your efforts have been most appreciated and have staved off many crippling effects of the fallout. Further, it has been confirmed that the chain reaction was caused by terrorism and not a faulty containment protocol. We will ferret out these evil doers and bring them to justice.

Warm Regards,
Lord Protector Allen Clements
Foreign Minister