NationStates Jolt Archive

Concordat News Service

At 2am levees around the city of Rottermark suddenly collapsed. A cause could not be immediatly identified as there were no storms in the area and the Levees were relativly new, having been constructed by the previous Democratic government about 10 years ago. There have been reports that a series of explosions were heard almost immediately before the Southern Sea began pouring into the port and Downtown leaving open the possibility of terrorism.

The government has declared a state of emergency but as of yet no official statements have been released. Eyewitness reports indicate that Emergency services are having a tough time trying to plug the gaps as well as rescue the stranded and injured. The army and navy have been mobilized and units are en-route to the scene. It seems that the water levels have stabilized but over 1/3 of the city is under some depth of water.

Rottermark
0900

A news reporter from the capital city finishes his report on the devastation in Rottermark. As he and his camera crew pack back into their newsvan, one of the crew discovers a sealed manila envelope. On the envelope is what looks like a large handprint in green paint. Within it is an unlabeled, black VHS videotape.

The video is a grainy, black and white affair. It first shows what looks to be the inside of a cement factory or bunker. A single, dusty lightbulb hangs in the background.

A man in a skimask enters the still shot. He wears a leather jacket over which is a thermal vest. On the left breast of the vest is a handprint. Unlike the rest of the video, the hand is colored - green.

The man speaks. His voice monotone and obviously distorted electronically:

May the waters of mother earth wash away the human filth that is Rottermark.

May the coming fire burn away the industrial cities and nations.

May the sons of mother earth reclaim her from the human parasites of the world.

So speaks The Green Hand.

Within the next 24 hours, this video is sent to five major new agencies around the world.

Official Imperial Transmission

Dear allies,

The Imperium Doomanum mourns your people and hereby pledges to donate as much money required to effectively drain the now-flooded city of Rottermark. We are absolutely appauled by this blatant act of terrorism against a CAD nation.

These vile heathens who refer to themselves as 'The Green Hand' clearly have a pagan agenda; therefore, the Imperium Doomanum does, without hesitation, pledge all of her resources to crush these cowardly infidels. You need only tell us what you require of us and you shall have it: honor dictates we assist you in every possible way, and thus we shall.

-Emperor Maximus III

The television studio fell into a hush as Coordinator Achilles Brown and his entourage entered the room. Making his way towards the broadcasting desk the Coordinator betrayed not the slightest emotion his cold hard expression masking the angry fire burning inside of him. Taking a seat at the desk he clipped on a microphone and arranged his speech in front of him. It would be short and to the point, just how the former colonel liked things.

A production assistant counted down

"3"......"2"........"1", we're live.

For a brief moment the Coordinator simply looked into the camera before he spoke,

"People of the Concordat, I come to you at a time of national crisis. Our city of Rottermark has been attacked. Make no mistake of this, the levees did not fall by themselves, they were an act of terrorism by an Organization calling its-self The Green Hand. Their cowardly and heartless strike on a civilian center have left nearly 15,000 of our countrymen and women dead. Who knows how many more we shall uncover in the coming days. Recovery efforts have begun but the damage that has been done is immense. We ask the citizens of Rottermark to remain strong in this time of uncertainty and fear.

I ask you, the populace of our great nation, now to not only mourn those that we have lost today, but to understand that their lives will not go unavenged. Our government with the help of our allies in Doomingsland will hunt down and destroy those responsible for this most atrocious of acts. The Concordat has withstood much worse and make no mistake our vengeance on members of the Green Hand will be swift and deadly."

After the speech had concluded the president was left on camera for a few moments, his grim face giving credence to his oath to find and punish those responsible.

OFFICIAL CONCORDAT COMMUNIQUE

I thank the great Nation of Doomingsland for coming to our in this time of need. I might also add that it is nice to hear form you again Empreror, we must meet again, its been quite some time. Moving on I authorize you to bring in whatever assets you see fit. However, I specifically request the services of "interrogation" teams. I've seen them at work over the years and the results have been quite spectacular. Please coordinate your movements and transport into Wirraway with the Wirrawayan Armed Services.

-Coordinator Achilles Brown

we morun the losses of your people, UK2 will send any aid we can to help your people recover.

Signed,
UK2 Parliament

Foreign Office Statement

His Majesty’s Government condemns the barbaric attack leveled not against political or military targets, but the civilian population of Rottermark. The Green Hand has therefore been identified by the Foreign Office as a terror organisation and any and all assets within the United Kingdom or the Oceanic Empire will be seized. And while the United Kingdom and the Concordat have no formal ties to speak of, all efforts will be made to share any relevant data or intelligence with the Concordat government should it be uncovered by the United Kingdom’s intelligence services.

Should the Concordat request any additional assistance, the United Kingdom shall be prepared to render aid to Wirraway in these hours and days of uncertainty and fear. While climate change and other topics are of great concern and importance in the discourses of ecology and environmental protection—there can be neither excuse nor justification for the deadly attacks on Rottermark. In this hour, the people of the United Kingdom stand in solidarity with those of Wirray, in firm opposition to the indefensible actions levied against the majority by a radical few.

-Unknown-
"The GREEN Hand?" "Yes Sir." "Pagan terrorists give us a bad name, teach them a lesson for copying their betters!"

International Announcement from People for Freedom.
We feel sorrow at the desvastation wrought upon your land by such cowardly acts. We assure you that this "Green Hand" will be found and punished!

Being deployed to Wirraway in response to the Green Hand terrorist attacks was the Imperial was the II Anti-Dissident Task Force. These units had originally been compiled for the purpose of crushing uprisings and heresies in newly conquered lands; in this case, their capabilities and tactics were perfect for counter-terrorism operations, in Doomani fashion of course.

They were all loaded aboard a single ACI-1A heavy lift transport. Embedded in the task force were three twelve-man teams of Arcani, members of the Legio Arcanus, the Imperial Army's special forces. Further attached to these units were six Imperial Army Decurii Tortor, or, quite simply, Torture Squads. The Imperial Doomanum had never been a land of political correctness, and thus interrogators were simply referred to as torturers, as that was their profession.

These units were placed under the command of an Exploratores Imperium Doomanum (EID) agent, Gaius Crescentius Septimus.

The transport left within two hours of the reception of Coordinator Brown’s communiqué, and, due to Wirraway’s close proximity to Doomani soil, would arrive within hours.

OFFICIAL CONCORDAT COMMUNIQUE
TO: Azazia

We thank you greatly for offering us assistance in our time of aid. We are honored that despite our relativly distant relationship you have volunteered assets to aid in the reconstruction of Rottermark. First of all we would like to formalize relations through a diplomatic mission but more importantly we are in dire need of small marine vessels capable of operating in shallow waters. Due to our current modernization program our own coast guard and littoral fleets are still awaiting the arrival of new vessels that ironically were being constructed in the the Rottermark shipyards. If you could supply some we would be most greatful. Once again we thank you for help in this situation.

OFFICIAL CONCORDAT COMMUNIQUE
TO: UK2

Thank you for your concern but as of now we have the situation under control the greatest help you could render would be to report any suspcious activities in your nation or any intelligence on the Green Hand

OFFICIAL CONCORDAT COMMUNIQUE
TO: The Black Hand of Nod

Although we do not condone the actions of your organization any help in loacting the Green Hand would be looked on most favorably.

OFFICIAL CONCORDAT COMMUNIQUE
TO: Doomingsland

We have noted the departure of your forces and eagerly await their arrival. Lodgings will be provided at the air base for enlisted men. Your officers may choose any one of our hotels to stay at during their time in Wirraway.

a typical swilatia see the hedline about this on a news website and says "whatever".

In a gentle sea breeze, the flag of the United Kingdom stirred, rolling and spilling the warm air beneath the bending fronds of the palms planted in strips of topsoil along the edge of land, which lay beyond a concrete sea wall holding back the still waters of the harbour sheltered behind fortified breakwaters and natural barriers. Along the walkway, men and women in white uniforms passed, smiling and saluting when necessary. His Majesty’s Naval Base Philadelphia housed several thousand ratings and officers as homeport for much of the Pacific Fleet’s surface action groups. Among those groups, a flotilla of frigates sat at anchor in the shallows of the protected waters, each tied to the next and rocking in the gentle swells from the wakes of various passing patrol boats and tugs.

Alongside a pier, and abaft a large but antiquated missile cruiser, a destroyer eased into the pads preventing her steel hull from rubbing against the reinforced concrete. She was the HMS Ashwood, the first of a second batch of destroyers primarily designed for anti-aircraft warfare, but would, for her next mission, serve as the leader of a flotilla of coastal patrol ships. Captain Thomas Stockton, however, remained within his air-conditioned cabin, a book titled An Odd Bushel by Alexander Osborn, an Oceanian author from the 1950s. It dealt primarily with the notion of equality, given the racial tensions that defined life on the Home Islands in that part of the twentieth century. He had only read the first thirty-seven pages when a series of rapid knocks fell upon the hatch. “Come in,” he called, pulling himself away from the main character to try and find a slip of paper to mark his place.

“Afternoon, Captain,” his executive officer stated. She was an athletic sort, not one the general populace would often describe as attractive, but she was strong in character and quick of mind—both traits that Stockton desired for his XO. “Our special person has arrived,” she said with a knowing smile. At the time of the offer of assistance to Wirraway, the Foreign Office had begun to ply through its records to find a suitable mid-level bureaucrat with diplomatic experience. Their choice was to be the first representative of His Majesty’s Government to the Concordat, although a formal ambassador would have to wait until after the general elections scheduled for later in the week.

“Has he settled in yet?”

“No, sir,” she responded with a small chuckle, “he has felt it necessary to lodge a formal complaint regarding the motion of the ship.”

“We have yet to even leave harbour,” Stockton moaned, “bloody bureaucrats should stick to air travel.”

“The Admiral agrees, however, he says that thus far, Oceanian Airways has no flights to Wirraway; but that is supposed to be a topic of conversation during his assignment, an increase in trade and travel so hopefully we can stop being a shuttle service.”

Stockton nodded, a smile now on his face. “Very well,” he responded trailing off for a second, “well then, since he is aboard, how are things shaping up? Everything ready for departure?”

“Yes, Captain. Though, our helicopter is still down with engine problems, a new one will be attached to us—the Port Admiral says it should be ready to depart with stores and such within the hour and will rendezvous with us at sea.”

“Splendid, XO. Return to the bridge and make final preparations for departure, inform the flotilla that we shall be departing and to follow us out. I shall be up momentarily.”

“Very good, sir.”

Two hours later, the small force of twenty frigates and Stockton’s destroyer were slicing through the calm Pacific at a leisurely clip of 18 knots, in order to allow their replenishment ship to keep pace. From the stern, the white ensign of the Royal Navy flapped ferociously in the forced wind as Force R headed towards Rottermark at the behest of the Wirraway government.